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Do you watch Doomsday Preppers and how often if so?

  • Never have seen it/Can't get it/don't have TV.

    Votes: 64 18.0%
  • Watched once or twice.

    Votes: 88 24.8%
  • Watched a number of times.

    Votes: 128 36.1%
  • Watch regularly.

    Votes: 48 13.5%
  • Watch all the time.

    Votes: 27 7.6%

Identifying other possible preppers (Doomsday Preppers?)

17K views 100 replies 81 participants last post by  Debx36 
#1 ·
Mods, I think (hope) this belongs in this forum.

Had a conversation with a colleague today who was describing the rating system they apparently use on the show "Doomsday Preppers." He's watched it several times, apparently, and it was all I could do not to ask him if he was a prepper or what he was doing watching it. The conversation shifted to using a similar system for rating something else we're working on, so the focus of the conversation wasn't the show...


...however: it set me to wondering if preppers like us watch the show at all, or think it's garbage. Or something else. Would someone who watches the show regularly be a likely prepper, or simply someone who likes to laugh at the crazies?

So, a poll, if you would, to see how many of us watch it. Categories:

Never have seen it/Can't get it/don't have TV.
Watched once or twice.
Watched a number of times.
Watch regularly.
Watch all the time.

Trying to figure out if I should approach this guy or not, at least obliquely.

Comments, naturally, welcomed.
 
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#4 ·
I've seen it once or twice. I wouldn't mind watching it again, but I'm not a big TV watcher and have no idea when or where I saw it, so have no idea which channels/timeframes to search for it!

As somebody else said, I think most of it is scripted. Granted these people probably ARE actually doing this stuff, but most of the show material is probably all pre-organized. I can get a few good ideas from it, but would never be able to go as far as they do (for one thing, I only have about $20/month to spend on my prepping...not $20,000!)

Another show I like is Dual Survival. But it is scripted, and is even stated in the beginning disclaimer that these scenarios are "presented" to the guys... as in, all their materials are arranged in advance for them to find/use.. I was not surprised to even know the disclaimer for "Naked Castaway" that said something to the effect of he would be taken if his life was in real jeopardy.

Basically I watch these shows for 90% entertainment and some bits and pieces of potentially useful knowledge.
 
#5 ·
It doesn't come in on either of the two channels we receive but has been on at times when we were traveling. We didn't watch it then either. I'm no more interested in Hollywood's version of surviving than I am interested in whether the Kardashians nail polish holds up. Of course, my opinion has to take into account that I haven't seen two television shows made in the last 20 years that I liked. :)
 
#6 ·
THe couple of times i watched it the 1 guy shot his finger off showing his son how to shoot and the other time it was about a guy who bought a misel silo for a million $ and was makeing into yuppie survival condos for Starting off at 500,000 for a basic unit and up from there. So im not rich enough to buy 1 and not stupid enough to blow my finger off.
 
#8 ·
Ived watched it a few times. But the show has to be taken wit a grain of salt. A lot of the people on the show IMHO are way far gone. They prepare for things that you have a better chance of winning the lottery than you do of this happening. But then again that's just my two cents worth. Dual survival is ok every once in a while and so is Man Vs Wild. The only show I watch on a regular basis is Survivorman. The chances of it being scripted and what not are probably there. But then again, gotta show some respect to the guy who carries all his own equipment and is truly out there by himself. Plus I've learned a lot from watching survivor man. How to use a flash light as a firesource etc. But all an all back to the question. The show has to be watched just for laughs in my opinion. I mean one of the first episodes a guy shot his damn thumb off with a revolver because he put it over the barrel and pulled the trigger. REALLY???? Cmon man common sense dictates you don't do that. That's why I cant really watch that show and think its all that great. Plus the episode with the hippies in the missile silo or the guy in texas that was demonstrating how to make pipe bombs on national television. Talk about just telling the ATF and local law enforcement that you are breaking the law and making IED's. So I cant watch this show and think its all that great.
 
#9 ·
I've watched it a number of times but don't watch it regularly. I take some of it with a grain of salt but every show has a tidbit or 2 that helps but yes, it is heavily scripted.

But the 1 where the guy shoots his thumb off and the episode where the woman believed in not having any weapons at all and would welcome anyone with open arms believing that if they treated raiders with respect that none of their community or preps would be harmed or stolen was bad enough but when the young man in the group proceeded to say if the raiders did show their bad side they would just poison them. That really turned me off.

I havn't really watched it much since then.
 
#13 ·
Watched it one time to confirm my suspicions that the producers were only interested in making Preppers look like crazy fanatics. Haven't watched it since.

Besides, anyone that would intentionally "out" themselves on national television as well as giving a literal inventory of their supplies and where they keep them are idiots anyhow.
:cool:
 
#62 ·
That's the funniest part of the whole show, no matter what the person/group is prepping for, at the end the 'voice' comes on and says, 'experts says the chance of X happening is 1 in 20 zillion.

Why go on a show that you know is basically going to call you a kook ? to be fair to the show some of them are.
 
#18 ·
I have watched it.

Mostly it is out of curiosity. I volunteer in EM, so I am curious what sort of image is being put out there about prepping and such.

I am also curious to observe media depiction of prepping in any form I can find it.

I also have to admit, one episode did give me an idea about a few things to try out and to research.
 
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#19 ·
I watch every single episode.
Regularly, I say "That's stupid".
Occasionally, I say "Huh, I hadn't thought of that".

Three observations that I have made:
1. Wise has now made it into each Prepper's monologue.
2. No matter how smart the Prepper is, they'll make him/her look kooky.
3. The Practical Prepper's are the smartest people on the planet and know everything and no one else knows ____.
 
#23 ·
I DVR it also, I can't stand to watch stupid commercials, and promos for some of the other Nat. Geo. programs, but I digress.

There is usually one or two useful ideas for every three episodes, but sometimes you really have to pay attention to gleen the information. It may be worthless to some here if you think you know everything. I always say "You should try to learn something new every day." Even if it is what NOT to do, and there is a lot of what not to do, on that program.

Yes it does appear that the editors select the appropriate clips to make the majority of those folks look like wack jobs.

The so called experts, do a poor job of honestly rating the preps, sometimes under rating, and some over rating. The guy with the boat named the Iron Maiden, told them he had been out to sea for up to three years without resupply, and they gave him an initial survival rating of 18 months. WTF, he has been out on his boat three years, what part of that didn't they understand ! JMO
 
#24 ·
Ive watched it a couple times, cause nuthin else interesting was on. I couldnt finish any episode though, it all seems too Hokey to me. The participants seem like "Nut Jobs". Blowing OPSEC on National TV is kinda stupid if you ask me. Im not watching alot of TV lately, Ive decided to Read more in my spare time, what little I have.

PS to the OP...Id be very carefull about breeching OPSEC with your Co Worker, you may end up Outed or Babysitting. Ive found that People in general are not of very good character these days.
 
#33 ·
PS to the OP...Id be very carefull about breeching OPSEC with your Co Worker, you may end up Outed or Babysitting. Ive found that People in general are not of very good character these days.
Oh, I'll be careful all right.

This guy indicated he watched the show a number of times, enough that he was taken by the rating system. Since he's watched it more than once, I'm trying to figure out why.

I agree w/ many others above--what's the worst that can happen if one watches it? That one learns something new? And if one finds it entertaining in whatever way, well, some people collect hubcaps, so entertainment is where you find it.

[I was at a gun range the night before (Tuesday) at which an instructor mentioned some preppers as being overly gun crazy, but he said it not in a way to denigrate all preppers, just that a gun-first approach was...short-sighted. I was tempted to engage him, but I still kept my peace.]

I'll probably engage my coworker in some more oblique conversation about why he's watching it and why he thinks the rating system is relevant, see if he reveals anything. The fact that he indicated he watches the show, though, is odd. He's well-educated, tends toward the liberal side of the spectrum from what I can tell, he's a greenie.

And yet he watches Doomsday Preppers.

The results of the poll above, unfortunately, didn't help me tend toward concluding he's *not* a prepper.

If I'd found from the poll that almost none of us here watch the show, for instance, I'd have concluded it's unlikely he's a serious prepper. But quite a large percentage of respondents are indicating they're getting something from watching it, so I can't just dismiss the possibility.

I think the next step will be to see if he has any firearms. Not many preppers who don't have at least one.
 
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