Outlast (2023– ) User Reviews

Good Premise, Horrible Contestants

[mlbach · 4/10 · 10 March 2023]

I love these Alaskan-type survival shows. However, the contestants, especially on the Alpha team, most notably, Jill, but Amber as well, are downright disgusting. I think Jill is a psychopath. She may need police protection when more people view this series. I see a public doxxing in her future! I'm very disappointed that producers and cameramen did not reprimand her and her group. I mean are you really going to allow theft of sleeping bags in the wild with sub-freezing temperatures? Many contestants dropped out early who saw the writing on the wall, good for them! I would have done the same. If by any means this psychopath is among the winners, I will not watch another season. There's too much craziness and back-stabbing in the real world to waste time on this.

Good premise... horrible contestants!!

[joeygassert · 5/10 · 12 March 2023]

I love these Alaskan-type survival shows.

However, in this series - the contestants, especially on the Alpha team (most notably Jill, but Amber as well), are downright disgusting.

I think Jill is a psychopath. She may need police protection when more people view this series. I could easily see a public doxxing in her future! I'm very disappointed that producers and cameramen did not reprimand her and her group.

Are they really going to allow theft of sleeping bags in the wild with sub-freezing temperatures? Many contestants dropped out early who saw the writing on the walls.. and good for them! I would have done the same thing.

If by any means this psychopath is among the winner, I will not watch another season. There's too much craziness and back-stabbing in the real world to waste time on this.

As fake as it gets.

[elffriendsplace · 4/10 · 12 March 2023]

I can't get over the idea that this is the most unconvincing attempt at faking reality TV.

I could almost see the story boards for each episode just off camera.

Its quite fun if you take it as a faked show, and it's easier then to swallow all the coincidences and convenient speeches that lead the plot into one unbelievable crisis after another.

Its also the only way to believe that any humans would behave like such a pile of evil creeps after only a couple of weeks have passed as the alpha team does.

I haven't seen the last two episodes yet but if this is as fake as I think it is then I'm expecting the baddies to lose and the goodies to win.

I'll give it four for its entertainment value but if its all true reality then I think I might just become a hermit and forget about the human race.

Great Concept, Horrible Humans

[FastEddie63 · 2/10 · 12 March 2023]

I've long been a fan of survival series of all types. I was really excited by the idea of Outlast since it takes place in Alaska, and I expected that it would provide the opportunity to learn techniques of survival in one of the most difficult places to live primitively on earth. How cool, right? Yet this series is not about surviving the elements -- there were no discussion on fire building, shelter building, foraging, fishing, or much anything else survival related.

The series is an example of the worst of human behavior -- it is a foray into the evil that some humans will do to others out of greed, which includes -- theft, destruction, deceit, bullying, and mockery. The aggressive gameplay and manipulation was not fun to watch, it merely underscored how some humans can rationalize the harm they do to others -- and how others within their orbit will passively accept, resign without challenging, or turn a blind eye to the misdeeds to avoid confrontation.

I have to wonder if the creators of this show encouraged the behavior perpetrated by the private investigator from Kentucky? This woman has such a heinous unlikable aspect, yet apparently her underhanded behavior was completely acceptable by the producers of this series. It didn't violate the rules, so all good, right? No.

Decent show but with two disgusting contestants...

[artdonovandesign · 1/10 · 13 March 2023]

I'm shocked that the producers allowed Jill and her two idiot followers to steal the sleeping bags of the other contestants. In sub- freezing temperatures, how could she even consider doing this? I couldn't believe it was allowed to occur. After that, she also entered another contestant's camp and harrased and began taking apart his camp right in front of him! His only resort would to be to physically attack her- which if course he would not do. She relished the idea if doing this and displayed the most reprehensible behavior- tainting him and smiling while she did it.

I don't remember a more truly disgusting person on television. As sample if what a phoney she was csn be seen when she cried when having to kill a squirrel for food. Apologizing to it and thank it for its "sacrifice"- as if she was a decent, feeling person.

She should have been pulled out of the show as soon as the producers saw her horrible behavior. As far as her life after the show, her friends, relatives and clients must be in shock and embarrassed by her. Shame on Netflix for allowing this to happen.

Not a survivalist show

[shadin23 · 12 March 2023]

The first few episodes were good, but it went downhill FAST! It turned into the "Jill and Amber bully show" and the producers should have NEVER let that happen. By the end of 4th to 5th episodes, I couldn't take it any more and I stopped watching. Everyone should stop watching to show we do not condone bullying. I love survivalist shows and there are some great people that got forced off without a say because the producers of this show allowed horrible behavior.

I wish I could have continued watching because many of the others on the show were amazing.

Please put Dawn, Javier, Brian, and Joel on another show!

Great concept, though some really despicable people

[xjmmhvmgn · 6/10 · 12 March 2023]

The concept for this show was amazing. It was like "Survivor" but they actually have to survive lol.

I'll give it a 6/10 just for the concept, but it's highly likely you'll be fuming by the end.

Spoilers below:

The hypocrisy of two of the Team Alpha members, complaining of how their team mate trashed their tent when he switched sides made me want to put my fist through the tv. They did the EXACT same b.s. To another player just a couple episodes prior.

Just know you'll spend quite a bit of time with some angry, man-hating gals who either spend their time acting high and mighty ("of the universe provides") but do total trash tactics to make it to the finale. Can throw shots but can't take em.

Ruined by criminals

[kanackers · 1/10 · 13 March 2023]

Team Sociopath ruined this.

I have watched similar themed shows on Discovery where the premise is you against the elements. Netflix have bowed to the lowest common reality TV denominator by promoting psychopathic behaviour without consequences. They wanted drama not survival. Thinking over it, the likelihood of three psychos randomly being in the same team seems low so I'm guessing this is more Netflix tampering for drama and I'll leave them to it. Will not be watching season 2 if anyone signs up for it.

I wouldn't have taken the high road and would have fired my flare into their shelter and torched the lot. Scumbags. Well done Javier, you're better than me.

Jill and amber are the devil

[antoniajw · 9/10 · 12 March 2023]

I binged this in a day and it left me thinking if we ever had any sort of apocalypse there is no hope for mankind and civilization learning from mistakes and living as one and helping each other to thrive. People are god damn evil. Jill and amber are just THE WORST human beings ever. Jill has something seriously wrong with her, she is the spawn of Satan. The way people treat each other in this is dispicable. The men that won deserved to win in my opinion.

If it has taught me anything, it's why bullies and narcissists get so far in the world. Their little sheep (amber) follow them and the nice guys finish last because they cant be bothered getting caught up in this awful drama.

What shocks me the most is that the production company showed absolutely no duty of care to the contestants. They watched grown adults get bullied, stollen from, intimidated, all of which resulted in them being mentally and physically abused and sleeping without sufficient means (no sleeping bags) and they didn't intervene. This isn't survival. When you sign up for a survival show this isn't what you sign up for. Im sure none of these contestants signed up to go and be bullied and humiliated, they signed up to test thier strength and skills and see if they were up to the tough wilderness of Alaska. As if it wouldn't be hard enough. The producers really let the contestants down and should never have let team alpha continue, they ruined so many peoples experiences and made it into a soap opera more than a survival show.

It's a good watch though and a very interesting eye opener to the human psych.

Ok Netflix can we make some rules then?

[Horror_Girl17 · 6/10 · 15 March 2023]

Ok I loved the show Alone. I was hoping this would be more like that. Now, I like the premise of having the teams. But these people aren't survivalists by any means. And all they do is complain and not know what they're doing. And all that is ok to a point. But where it got bad was when the one team started stealing stuff from other people to try to get them to quit. And they keep saying there are no rules....? Like is this not still America? Like come on Netflix. SMH.... How can this be a serious competition with ZERO RULES?! People can just make this like a Lord of the Flies?! I'm sorry. But that is so not entertaining watching people be thieves and make other people suffer on purpose. If you make another season of this crap at least make them not able to steal and do this kind of stuff again. If you do that I would probably watch. But I'm not trying to watch this same ridiculousness again.

Super surprised that I'm the first to review this show.

[kelpe1925 · 1/10 · 10 March 2023]

I'm a huge fan of these types of survival shows. That was until I got to episode 5 of this horrific monstrosity. I immediately stopped watching, and removed it from my watch list. I am not one to go to the public with my opinions; however, I felt the need to say something.

Even after 38 years of living on this Earth, it still astonishes me how greedy, cruel, conniving, and downright evil people can be. This is a sad fact on it's own, but for Netflix to promote such behavior saddens me further. This show was created to award evil individuals and remove hope from those with integrity and honor. The show is truly a disgrace to all mankind.

Now, for the cast. I am not one to easily anger, but it truly got to me that there were good people in this show that suffered from the cruelty of others. Alpha Team was the most despicable members on the show. Completely treacherous and downright evil members. Amber Asay - An "ex" heroin addict (kind of saw that one coming), and Jill Ashock - a selfish, conceited, know it all, and horrific person... were easily the two worst on the show. These are the types of people who would sell their souls for cash and destroy society for pleasure. Justin Court was the third member and also a terrible human being, but I'm unsure if he is as bad as the two females that caused me to stop watching. I truly hope that karma bites them in the rear in "real life".

For the rest of the day, I'll probably not be able to shake this feeling of anger and hopelessness. Thanks Netflix for your assistance in destroying hope for humanity.

Humanity vs Evil

[irka-09617 · 8/10 · 14 March 2023]

Javier was the real winner in this show! Loved him and his true honest character. What a warrior! Absolutely hated the bullying and how messed up Jill is in the head. She's a horrible person and should be ashamed of herself. The way she treated other teams was completely unfair and there should be rules like not allowing other teams to trespass their camp sites. There should be set boundaries. This show ended up being more about how terrible a person can be vs how good you are at surviving in the wild. It was humanity vs evil at this point. Interesting show but terrible, oh and ALPHA SUCKS!! Especially Jill!! Boooo.

A survival showing exposing true ugliness in some of the human beings

[HighlanderABC · 7/10 · 12 March 2023]

If you think that this is another similar survival competition with a big prize to win, you only get it half right. Turns out it has more dirty plays that exposes true ugliness in some of the human beings which hasn't been shown often in this type of survival games. Due to the lack of rules set up by the organizer of the prize winning game, some of the players started to use very unethical dirty tricks against other teams or members, especially those who just faced some obstacles that made them look weak in others' eyes. As an observer who has no skin in it, you can tell right away who are the dirty ones in the game. But in the show and just like in real life, those evildoers kept on finding all sorts of excuses proving that they had a right to do whatever they want and even bragging about their "righteousness". The grossest scene in the whole show is when one team was reduced to only one person and had to combine force with another weakened team according to one of a few rules, those evildoers attacked openly at that player's weakest time, as those two teams were separated by a river and it'd take them time to cross the river and combine their force. That devil just stood right at that single person's base and threatened to sabotage and destroy his base if he leaves his base to help receive the other team crossing the river, while the evildoer's other accomplice went to the riverside to destroy the opponent's raft. Well, if there's no rule at all as in the wild West, it would make total sense for others to subdue those evildoers by force or whatever means possible instead of watching them stabbing other players' backs without any consequences. That would make it a fairer.

It's all about the bullies, not the survival

[ptbqgztrh · 2/10 · 12 March 2023]

If you like to watch psychopaths trying to win a game and whining when they have to eat their own medicine, this is your show. If you are out for great Alaska footage and survival footage with great competitions, skip it. It is all about interpersonal drama and focuses on the creators of it. The creators of the show failed to make this a prestige show with great outdoor challenges. While it make sense to show the rivalry, it shouldn't be the main focus of the show. It just becomes a trashy show due to that. This show doesn't teach you anything about the wild, which I expected. Very unfortunate.

Reality or illusion?

[d-alston · 3/10 · 12 March 2023]

It's very, very difficult to not believe that this show has been set up using improvisational actors following a loose script and a designed plot.

Everything eventually starts playing out like a soap opera with endless convenient moments of discovery and character arcs that would be hard to swallow within fiction, let alone in reality.

Most suspicious of all is the fact that three such irredeemably-vile people as Jill, Amber and Justin would somehow end up on a single team and become soap-opera villains of the first order, complete with psychopathy and delusional levels of projection.

If this is actually real then it's the sort of thing that could destroy any viewer's faith in humanity. I can only hope that it's all a fake-out and that these three people are actors rather than monsters.

I love the premise.

[cwstrgzr · 2/10 · 12 March 2023]

I love the premise of the show but they need rules. The Demon team was awful. They should not be allowed to raid the other camps. What kind of survival is that. This is Netflix version of Lord of the Flies. Those people are just terrible. Cant win by surviving but have to lie and cheat and steal. Javier should have burned his camp, waited for the Demon Squad to leave to ransack his camp, then burn theirs to the ground, supplies, clothes everything. Then fire the flare. This show should have been called warriors, and tell each team they gave to trash the other team to win. Very disappointed In the show.

I enjoyed it.

[kenbo-87360 · 7/10 · 22 March 2023]

Having read a few reviews before watching this I didn't hold high hopes for it. I downloaded the first four episodes to watch on a flight home. Having watched them I wished I'd downloaded two more to see my flight out.

It's another survival concept with the focus on team play (you can only win if you are in a team). The last team standing win a million. Whether the producers expected it to go the way it went, I don't know. There was back stabbing, vandalism and players switching teams. There were some very likeable players and some not so nice.

I can understand people not liking the show. It is a survival programme but not like we are used to seeing. The best survivalist won't necessarily win.

My only complaint is the ending felt like a bit of a cop out and a bit rushed.

I would like to see an after party show to see how the contestants seemed in 'real-life'.

Alphas destroy a potentially entertaining survival show

[lloyd1018 · 3/10 · 15 March 2023]

The premise of this survial program seemed solid. Throw sixteen 'randomly selected individuals' into the wilds of Alaska just before winter arrives. Watch them organically form four teams of four and place them in scattered base camps. They were supplied with basic survial gear but had to build shelters and source food and water themselves. Survival of the fittest and most adaptable or so ut seemed up until half way through the season.

Then the game switched from survival to sabotage. Team Alpha took it upon themselves to steal vital sleeping bags from another team while they were away from their camp. Now this other team had to freeze during an icy Alaskan winter's night because of this bloody minded act. If that wasn't bad enough none of the other teams really rallied to their cause uniting against evil Alpha team. At this point I skipped forward two episodes and watched part of the conclusion. If the other teams had fought back I may have stayed engaged with this show but they just rolled over. The worst of human behavior was on show not a nobel struggle against the elements.

Was it all contrived. Maybe. It had a Hollywood soap opera element to it. I wouldn't want to be one of the three evil amigos though. If I was them I'd be watching my back while walking down dark allieyways from now on. Harry & Meagan have got nothing on those low lifes in the rotten tomatoes stakes. And the great irony is they didn't even win. Nobody won. Not the viewers or most of the contestants.

Terrible, hopefully fake nonsense

[gregorthoms · 13 March 2023]

This is just the worst show I ever had the misfortune to watch in my whole life. If its fake, what I assume it has to be, it just has the worst script ever written. If this is for real it's even worse...I really don't know what to say about all of that and I think it's terrible that Netflix is promoting such a kind of hideous, anti human, anti social psychopathic behavior. If this is real those two women are easely the two most delusional people on planet earth, probably the whole milky way. They act as demonic as you can without physically hurting someone. If this is real those two need to see a doctor + psychiatrist asap, the producer of the show aswell if they really thought it was a good idea to make this show with those people involved and then air this plane crash of a wannabe survivor show afterwards.

I REALLY hope this is fake because if not i am certain this private detective "lady" will receive an awful lot of death threats in the near future.

I REALLY CAN NOT STRESS ENOUGH HOW BAD THIS IS!

If you read this before you want to watch this, just don't.

You either love it or hate it.

[pgmacd · 10/10 · 13 March 2023]

I've read most of the reviews. First of all, people are upset that this is called outlast when it's more about playing dirty as well as outlasting. Secondly, a lot of people are convinced it scripted. Whether or not this is true is up for debate, but personally I think it's very likely that it wasn't scripted. Yes, the games were placed at certain times to mix things up. The fact that people are blaming Netflix for how terrible people treated each other is insane. If you want to be entertained and be glued to your tv and you don't mind seeing humans being selfish, honorable, loyal, rude, proud, and everything else, then this show is for you.

its a good watch but unfortunately it really shows the reality of humanity

[wwbuildersje · 7/10 · 5 January 2024]

First off thank you universe for not letting the bad guys win, the team who really let civilisation slip did not deserve to win a cent and karma balanced them out.

The 'detective' on alpha really showed that her career has taught her how to steal, lie and manipulate all whilst playing the victim "they cant do that (but we can)" mentality and shows what we all think about the policing industry as a whole.

She pulled in 2 like minded souls and put them to work with malicious tasks that albeit they were willing to do for her/them/"the team"

there were good people forced off the show cause of them!

Appalling what the producers allowed to happen...

[ayearinthelife · 1/10 · 12 March 2023]

The premise of this was really interesting and I've watched many similar shows before from start to finish but this was truly appalling.

It was less about survival as it seemed within the first few days the teams had all managed to establish sources of food, water and shelter - and more about underhanded dirty tactics employed by one of the teams and how it systematically tore apart the other teams who played fair and kept their morality throughout.

The alpha team stole, sabotaged and manipulated at every possible opportunity. In a game about survival, where the equipment a person has could literally be the difference between life and death it is entirely unresonable to have it be 'ok' for another team to steal their sleeping bags or destroy their means to gather food. Despicable behaviour, showing the worst possible side of humanity and yet they are consistently rewarded for it with no repurcussions by the show or the game masters

I sincerely hope they didn't win, but stopped watching when Javier was forced to leave after his only other teammate decided they couldnt be part of the show anymore because of the actions of the opposing teams.

It wasn't worth another minute of my time after that.

Message to Alpha team, for what it's worth - you're permanently barred from my restaurant, and from my bouldering gym on the off chance you ever find yourself walking through their doors. Delta and Beta, you guys eat and climb for free.

Great show, concept is brilliant

[madharold-61267 · 8/10 · 13 March 2023]

A brilliant concept, and a good addition to the platform of survival shows that are out there!

However, it did seem to move away from the survival aspect and some rather nasty social dynamics came about; nasty tactics from some nasty individuals. I do think the lack of rules was a big issue for the show and some more guideline roles would have been an asset for the show.

Some people who tapped out of the show were far more knowledgeable and capable of lasting longer, but the social dynamics forced them out, which I thought was wholly unfair.

All round a great watch and much enjoyed. Definitely worth a watch if you want gripping viewing and are interested in survival / outdoor programming.

Would watch a second season if it comes to fruition.

Unexpectedly successful meditation on political philosophy

[vasiln · 7/10 · 13 March 2023]

Outlast is conceived as a team survival game. On that front, it's hard to call it a success. Contestants are provided overly gamey challenges that make it feel more like Survivor than Alone. Surprisingly dynamic camera work is a minus here, suggesting more infrastructure than Outlast is willing to admit. I have no doubt that contestants are hungry, tired, and cold, but the show doesn't focus particularly on their survival challenges. In the end, the producers just change the rules outright, perhaps out of money for a game that lasted longer than anticipated; perhaps, just exhausted of a game that spiraled out of control; perhaps even worried about liability from what might happen next if the game doesn't end.

But, because of the actions of some contestants, Outlast becomes a fascinating examination of the development of nascent systems of ethics and justice.

Provided no real rules, one team soon decides to sabotage another, stealing away their sleeping bags. We're provided a variety of responses to this. The victims, understandably, feel angry and violated (although one of them had earlier argued unsuccessfully for similar behavior from her own team; she's not the worst hypocirte here however.) One contestant sees that this can lead only to increasingly ugly behavior, whether driven by selfishness or by the desire for justice-- and isn't it so hard to see the difference when self-interest is on the line? Another contestant seeks justice, striving to ensure that the wrong-doers are punished, even against his own self-interest; and one entire team seems content with the behavior, provided it benefits them and that they don't have to feel any personal responsibility. Personally, I can see myself behaving in any of these ways, even as one of the wrongdoers; it seems that our ideals are very much a function of our culture, even when that culture is only four members strong, and while I respect Javier very much, I cannot agree with his certainty that people are somehow constants, irrespective of context.

Maybe I'm more academically-minded than most, but to me, it's hard not to see this is an experiment in early political systems; it's hard not to see this as an indictment of anarchism and an endorsement of the state, and particularly of the basic idea of a system of justice. Unfortunately, here, the wrongdoers are never really punished, even for their hypocrisy when the shoes is, vaguely, on the other foot. But it's not hard to imagine a game that lasted longer, with more tribes, leading to an intertribal political structure designed to prevent issues like this. And although the tribes here pursue out-of-the-box antisocial tactics, I personally find it disappointing that they never found the out-of-the-box *pro*social tactic: to become a single team, and thus end the game and share winnings equally. If that was somehow against the rules, since it could end the game before it began, Outlast never made that clear.

Outlast is not a survivalist show, and if that's what you're after, you probably shouldn't watch it. Neither is it a detective mystery, where the bad guys are punished and we all go to sleep happy, content that justice was done. Justice was not done in this show; mechanisms of justice took significantly longer to develop than can be shown on Outlast. But if you're interested in politics, if you're interested in psychology, if you're interested in sociology, then Outlast is a unique, if unpleasant, experiment in those fields.

Appalling

[sammyp-78379 · 1/10 · 16 March 2023]

I've never watched a show that has made me this physically angry. Amber and Jill should have been kicked off the show. It's really disgusting this aggressive and inhumane behavior was going to be rewarded with money. These two individuals Jill and Amber should be ashamed. The entire world now knows who they are, so they will have to face karma in the long run. Netflix is lowering the bar in quality of film and TV, but this is a new low that was really unnecessary. The producers of the show should be ashamed of themselves for not having stepped in earlier and kicking out these individuals Jill and Amber. Appalling.