Episode 5 of History Channel’s Alone, Season 10, takes place over Days 17 – 23. Six contestants remain at the start of the episode.
This is a recap and review of episode 5.
Spoilers to follow!
Alan
On day 17, we find Alan creating a gill net and launching it into the lake. He builds an insulated door out of branches and moss, and discusses how he wasn’t into school when he was a kid despite being a teacher now.
The next day, he finds his gill net empty. He’s lost 34 pounds since the first day, despite having a store of fish. He manages to catch three lake trout. Given his luck, he keeps fishing until it gets dark, catching another. The fish seem to flock to him!
Mickey
We find Mickey on Day 19 working to improve his shelter. We’re shown the various iterations he’s created since day 1. He hasn’t had protein since day 10, which leads him to talk about his childhood growing up off-grid as he builds his mound-like shelter.
On day 21, Mickey experiences his first Canadian snow (which I’d call a “light dusting”), and discusses the mice infestation in his shelter. He creates figure four deadfall traps, explaining how being able to build things with his hands centers him.
The next day, Mickey checks his trap to find a field mouse (which he subsequently keeps calling a rat).
He attempts to skin it and does so quite well. He uses the mouse’s skin to make a woven artwork.
Wyatt
We meet Wyatt as he shakes his butt at the camera. He uses the “gold hellfire” lure again and snags a fish quickly. Unfortunately, the gold hellfire is lost to the lake, along with two of his treble hooks. He decides to build another lure.
He creates the gold fury! He takes it out on the lake right away, excited to try it. He talks about how he embraces his time out in nature, on how survivalist living is nothing compared to the past struggles of his life.
Unfortunately, he then loses the Gold Fury too. Perhaps instead of “King’s Gambit,” they should have called this episode “The Fish and the Furious.”
Cade
On day 18, Cade entertains himself by making an independent film using three outfits and putting on accents. He decides to go hunting for bear, deciding to use the caribou trail as a place to set up a blind. He explains that he didn’t gain any weight for the competition on purpose. Having to sit and wait for the bear makes him dwell on home and his son.
He spots a “juicy squirrel” and shoots it with one of his blunt-end arrows. Unfortunately, the squirrel dies in the tree so he decides to try and climb it. When he gets up there, he discovers the squirrel is not dead, so he has to fight it. He gets bitten in the process.
On day 20, Cade says he’s lost 4 inches of his waist. He explains that he’s cooked a part of his leather belt in his morning stew to get some fats (as well as chemicals too, I believe?).
He somehow chokes it down, then finishes the pot. He goes hunting for bear again.
A few days later, on day 23, Cade is suffering from warm and cold flashes, meaning he’s likely dehydrated. His bear-hunting obsession sends him back out again. He wanders around, clearly disoriented. He then collapses and passes out for almost an hour. This makes him realize he has to go home. He’s so hard on himself it’s almost painful to watch; normally when contestants leave, they have achieved some sort of peace. Yet, at the end, he does say he’s proud of himself.
Predictions
With Cade gone, we’re left with five contestants. Given we didn’t see Taz or Mel this time, my predictions about them still stand. Out of Alan, Wyatt, and Mickey, as much as I like Wyatt’s enthusiasm, I think Alan, with this stockpile of fish, has the best shot at winning. Mickey has the determination, but I wonder what will happen to that when the real Canadian cold hits.
The next episode airs on July 13 on History Channel and StackTV.
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