If you're looking for your next show to binge, you may want to consider Alone — but be warned, it's not for the faint of heart.

The survival show premiered on the History Channel in 2015, and it began acquiring a new legion of fans after season 6 was added to Netflix's library in 2020. Stars like Rachel Brosnahan and Ted Danson previously named it their favorite show to watch during quarantine.

During the 2020 Emmy Awards' virtual pre-show on E!, Danson called it "kind of a brilliant pandemic show," and Brosnahan said it was both "insane" and "inspiring."

"I mean, it's incredible survivalists just making it out in the wild," she said. "It's completely insane, but inspiring to watch people have such a deep connection to the land. And I think at a time when we're all like, 'Should we move into the boonies and learn how to live that way,' it's been inspiring."

What's the premise of Alone?

In a nutshell, Alone follows the self-documented daily struggles of 10 individuals as they compete to survive in the wilderness for as long as possible. Whoever lasts the longest goes home with $1 million (a bump up from the $500,000 contestants on seasons 1–6 were vying for). The selected contestants — all trained survival experts — are warned that the show could potentially last up to a year.

There are no competitions or tasks they have to accomplish — aside, of course, from staying alive. With the exception of periodic medical check-ins, the participants are isolated from each other and all other humans, responsible for their own food, shelter and health.

Each contestant is provided with a satellite phone that connects them with a rescue crew, which they can use to to withdraw themselves from the competition at any time, known as "tapping out." Throughout the season, medical professionals conduct regular health exams to ensure each survivalist's safety, and can disqualify and evacuate anyone at their discretion.

The show has filmed in a few remote locations over the years. Seasons 1, 2 and 4 were filmed on Canada's Vancouver Island; season 3 was filmed in Patagonia; season 5 was filmed in northern Mongolia; seasons 6 and 7 were filmed in the Great Slave Lake in northwestern Canada; season 8 was filmed at Chilko Lake in British Columbia; season 9 was filmed in Labrador, Canada; and season 10 filmed in northern Saskatchewan, a province in western Canada.

Wherever the location, the contestants are all dropped off on the same day, far enough apart to ensure that they won't come in contact with each other. Although terrains may differ slightly in each participant's location, the drop-off zones are assessed in advance to ensure an equitable distribution of resources is available to each player.

Each contestant is given a kit with standard gear, clothing and first aid supplies, and can additionally select 10 survival items from a pre-approved list of 40. They're also provided with a set of cameras to document their experience as they attempt to secure food, maintain a shelter and endure extreme isolation and psychological distress.

The winners of season 1–6 lasted between 56 and 87 days. Season 7 featured a twist, as 10 new participants confronted the most grueling challenge in the show's history: last 100 days in the Arctic to win $1,000,000. Roland Welker conquered that season and walked away with the big prize. In Season 8, winner Clay Hayes lasted 74 days, while Juan Pablo Quiñonez, the season 9 winner, made it 78 days.

Where can I watch Alone?

New episodes of Alone air on Thursday nights on the History Channel and stream the following day. Every season — including the 2022 spinoff Alone: Frozen, featuring Alone veterans facing off for nine episodes — is available to stream on History.com without a subscription. Seasons 1–9 are streaming on Hulu and discovery+, and season 9 is available on Netflix. Additionally, all seasons are available for purchase on Amazon Prime Video.

How long is each episode of Alone?

Each episode of the survival series from seasons 1–6 range from 40 to 43 minutes long. In season 7, the episodes expanded to around one hour each, with the season finale running about two hours long. Seasons 8–10 maintain a runtime of approximately one hour per episode.

How many season of Alone are there?

There are 10 seasons of Alone, with each installment consisting of 11–15 episodes depending on the season. Some of the seasons have bonus episodes, such as reunion specials or behind-the-scenes looks at the show.

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