The show follows two couples (Frank and Alan Logie and Tim and Deanna Treadway) as they spend a year living as 1870s pioneers north of Argyle, Manitoba, Canada. They were selected from thousands of applicants. The producers gave special consideration to those with farming/hunting experience so they didnt go into the situation without any skills. There originally was another couple (the Ziolkowskis) instead of the Treadways. On the first day of filming, the husband was accused of an earlier sexual assault. They backed out to work on his legal defense. He was later acquitted.
A few observations:
- Hard Work- I dare say few of us are up to the challenge of trying to scrape out an existence in the unforgiving Canadian prairie. Besides the usual hardships there are tons of mosquitos, poison ivy in private places, blizzards, floods, failing crops, malnourished livestock... you name it.
- Cooperation and Conflict- The survival of the group hinges on all being able to work together as a team. They need each other to build house, farm, etc. A considerable amount of conflict does arise between the couples. Much comes from them all sleeping in the same tent. Each also has different ideas of how they want to spend their year. The Logies wanted to rough it more. The Treadways are extremely community oriented and make friends with the local Hutterite community. They even attend church with the Hutterites. At one point someone new is at the homestead every day. The producers encourage the couples to ease up on their contact to have a more "authentic" experience.
- Danger Everywhere- Due to our cushy modern lives, we forget how fraught with danger people's lives used to be. Fire wiped out many a person and home. The couples' pregnant pig was severely burned due to a fire and had to be put down. Hearing it squeal in pain was really hard to stomach. .
- What If Someone Gets Sick- At one point Tim has an irregular heartbeat and is required by the producers to visit the hospital. Luckily it was a false alarm. If it had been serious he would have been required to leave the show. What would Deanna have done? Surviving there is too much work for one person. I'm sure many a widow/widower faced the same challenge (especially since people's life spans were so much shorter).
- A Positive Attitude- Despite a few minor issues the couples both had a very positive attitude. Experts say that is the key to surviving any situation. This is a good example of such.
- Boredom and Cabin Fever- After working nonstop to prepare for the winter, the settlers are then confined to the cabin for long periods of time. We often think of the hardships of a settlers life but many forget the boredom and monotony they also faced.
- Things We Take For Granite- Heat is a big one. The winter was extremely cold with people freeezing, animals freezing, water freezing (they have a well).
Lastly, the farmer that owns the property where the show was filmed gives sightseers a tour of the area for $5/head. The cabins were moved to a local museum.
Grade: No grade assigned to reality shows.Some complain that the pace of the show was slow. It's true there is no artificially created drama (which I appreciate).Their lives were pretty mundane at times but that is part of the authentic experience. After watching nine episodes, I feel like I know the families. Both the Logies and the Treadways seem to be really good people. They are definitely an inspiration as to what can be done with a positive attitude, a caring partner, a lot of hard work, and the help of a few friends/neighbors.
Photo Credits:
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-Quest/dp/B01E6GGYG2
https://www.film-fish.com/showslike/pioneer-quest-a-year-in-the-real-west
https://smallfarmersjournal.com/fjordworks-plowing-the-market-garden-part-1/
GMonsterTV
TV: Heavy On Horror, Sci Fi, Fantasy & Adventure
June 16, 2020
No comments: