For the past several months I have been waiting and waiting for a US cable network to pick up what is quite possibly the greatest reality show ever. It is a Canadian show called Mantracker. The premise is that a team of two friends or couple get a 2 kilometer head start and have to make their way across 40 kilometers of Canadian back country and avoid the Mantracker who is on a horse with a partner of his own. The prey have a map and compass and know where they are going. The Mantracker who is crazy good at looking for signs and picking up trails has no idea where the finish line is and is trying to capture the prey before the finish. The show has been on three years and I have seen about half of the episodes. The prey win about twice a season, but the editing and location and premise just make it a great show. Plus, Mantracker seems like a great guy and he searches for lost hikers and kids in the Canadian wilderness when he isn't on the show.
Anyway, instead of just buying the rights to the Canadian version, CMT has decided that a Ted Nugent led reality show would be a much better choice. They could not be more wrong. I know many of you outside of Canada have never seen Mantracker and don't give a crap, but this would be the equivalent of Lily Allen hosting a UK version of Survivor. Except it is even more than that, because the Mantracker is the only permanent cast member. It has to be perfect.
In the Ted Nugent version scheduled to start airing in August, each week Ted and his 18 year old son will teach 3 people basic survival skills and then will leave them on their own while Ted and his son attempt to hunt them down.
Listen to me CMT. I know your audience and they will respond much more favorably to a guy who is a real cowboy and not some aging rocker and his teenage son. You might as well have got Hulk Hogan and his son. Yes, I know Ted is an outdoorsman, but not like Mantracker and with this show you have ruined the chance that any US network will want Mantracker.
OK this TERRIFIES me. I was watching a Criminal Minds rerun which was essentially this show only they killed people, and I HATED it. I'll never go camping again.
ReplyDeletelol, maybe CMT is tryin to expand not only their horizons, but their market? it'd be good for them.
ReplyDeletethat aside, it scares me you know so much about CMT's target audience.
Enty, the Nuge is a well known (in Michigan anyway) outdoorsman. He's even got his own shop.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I wouldn't be surprised if someone ends up shot/dead on Nugent's show. The man is trigger happy.
I might have to see if I can 'track' down an online site to watch Mantracker.
I wouldn't compare Ted to Lily hosting UK survivor.
ReplyDeleteTed seem kind of a crazy type of guy to have on a show lol.
ReplyDelete...why have I not seen this show?
ReplyDeleteOh, that's right - we don't have cable.
Mantracker is a hoot. It's very low key and at times quite funny as the trackees try to elude him. The fact that he has a horse is a massive bonus, as he can see a greater distance from a higher vantage point. But it's still very interesting to see him read the clues of the wilderness and locate his prey.
ReplyDeleteIt makes for a great double bill with Man Vs. Wild.
DMfromMN:
ReplyDeleteyou can find links to watch it here:
http://www.surfthechannel.com/show/55156.html
but most of the episodes are available to watch on YouTube
The CMT viewers won't have seen Mantracker to compare Ted to, so Ted's'll probably do just fine.
ReplyDeleteI'd prefer the genuine article, too, if I knew about it, which I now do, so I won't watch Ted, but will look for Mantracker onine.
I don't have CMT, but if I did, I would probably watch this show. Anything with The Nuge in it tends to turn out quite epic.
ReplyDeleteMantracker is cool. That guy is not just an outdoorsman, he is an expert at everything wilderness, including hunting, guiding, tracking etc.
ReplyDeleteBadass.
Check out: www.mantracker.ca
Bodie- thanks, I'd already started watching the most recent ep on youtube. Interesting but it got a little repetitive. Seems like it would be pretty fun to do.
ReplyDeleteHow come I haven't seen this show? I am Canadian and I certainly pay a high enough cable bill that I should get the channel. Anyone know when/where it is on?
ReplyDeleteTed frightens me - I'm worried that he might forget it's just a "game," and get carried away! He enjoys killing animals just a little too much...
ReplyDeleteMantracker is a really cool show, and this is coming from a Canadian Girl who isn't fond of venturing out of the big city. If you haven't discovered it yet, it's on OLN (Outdoor Life Network).
ReplyDeleteI don't know about Ted's version, and I agree with a few other comments worrying about the safety of the 'prey'. He's always struck me as a little unhinged and trigger happy. It sounds like this show is going to be a cross between 'Mantracker' and 'Surviviorman' which happens to be another great show on OLN.
www.survivorman.ca
Survivorman's premise is Les, the wilderness guy, is dropped in some remote location, at any time of the year, and has to survive on his wits alone. I particularly enjoy watching in bed with the electric blanket on high!
Wow, Enty! You're really in the know when it comes to our Canadian shows. You watch Mantracker AND Project Runway Canada?? My fave episode is when the two granola girls kick Mantracker's ass. You watch Corner Gas or Little Mosque as well? Maybe Trailer Park Boys?
ReplyDeleteTo answer Anonymous, Mantracker is on OLN.
can;'t stand Ted Nugent, he's a trigger happy, viligant, religious crackpot. wow that was mouthfull.
ReplyDeleteanyway, it would be more fun to see the prey track down Ted.
Enty, i love that you love our Canadian TV. check out The Hour with Strambo or Survivor man.
For anonymous, it's on tonight! 9pm Toronto time, Outdoor Life Network. It's basic cable, I get it.
ReplyDeletesurvivorman is also shown in the US.
ReplyDeletei'm glad i'm not the only one who had thoughts of ted forgetting he's only supposed to FIND his "prey".
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ReplyDeleteOh, Caaaan - ahhh - dahhh......
ReplyDeletewe stand on guard for thee!
I'm a half a Canuck, by way of my CanadaDaddy. (Yes. It's pronounced Ca-nad-a-daddy.)
I vote for Mantracker.
Canada rules.
O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide, O Canada,
We stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
But Entyyyyy! The Mantracker isn't Ameeeeeeerican! He's inferior slime scum foreign trash! He can't appear on AMERICAN TV!
ReplyDeleteJax: "Check out 'The Hour'"?!!!! Gawd nooooo! Strambo is a salivating baffoon. He always looks so damn surprised that he gets to interview these people. Like mtv meets Ben Mulroney. Enough with the skinny jeans & rocked out hair. Strambo response to most guests:"Very cool" "awesome."
ReplyDeleteMantracker can have as much adreneline pumping excitement as a good movie. He's also a "creepy goodlooking", which adds to the tension.
Anonymous at 12:38- Mantracker is on OLN (channel 58 in T.O) weeknights from 9-10, then again from i think 12-1 a.m. followed both times by DOG the bountyhunter.
ReplyDeleteMANTRACKER IS THE SHIT!! I used to watch it every night with my bf and we've seen most episodes, i tell him that if I weren't preggers I'd send in an application for us to be on the show... he's a cdn. soldier and I'm a P.I, I think we could beat Mantracker to the finish!! I don't know how Ted Nugent would do, but I know that no one can be like the REAL mantracker!! He's too awesome and so adorable! And he gets heela pissed when ppl mess with his horses :D
I was shocked when I saw the post... I thought my bf and I were the only ones who watched that show!! It feels like our own little show that no one knows about :)
I'm with the others who think Ted will forget what the show is about and it'll turn into a "let's find the contestants while we shoot some game" show.
ReplyDeleteOh Canada, my Canadaaaaaaa, ever glorious, ever stroooooong...may you aaalways be freeeee and peaceful to meeee, my Canadaaaaaa, my hoooooooome.....
ReplyDeleteSorry, I was reading ms snarky's post and got a bit carried away.
Thanks for turning me onto this, Enty! I'm ashamed to say I'm Canadian and had never watched, but love it! His language gets a little blue sometimes when he's pissed off, which is hilarious!
ReplyDeleteMantracker is my favorite show.
ReplyDeleteMantracker is by far my favorite show. It came to us American quietly, but WOW. I hope many,many more folks feel like I do. Keep going Canada. This is a great export!
ReplyDeleteAs for nugent doing something similar......I have to agree with others......That is just plan scary.I fear it will be way too intense.
That is just my 2 cents!