New Reality Show Challenges Survival Skills Amid Tension and Choices

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 10, 2025 – Fox‘s latest reality competition series, “Extracted,” premiered tonight, pitting 12 amateur survivalists against nature in the Canadian wilderness, all while their loved ones watch from a high-tech headquarters.

In this innovative show, contestants are stripped of all survival gear except the clothes on their backs and must endure various challenges to earn basic supplies. The stakes are raised as their family and friends, who serve as their pit crews, make crucial decisions about whether or not to extract them from the competition. If they pull a contestant out, they forfeit the grand prize of $250,000.

“You’re on the edge of your seat wondering what’s going to happen next,” Megan Hine, head of extraction, told IndieWire. “It’s like watching a rollercoaster unfold.”

The series is characterized by its unique surveillance system, utilizing 176 cameras and 100 audio feeds, providing a comprehensive bird’s-eye view of the survivalists’ struggles. According to Hine, the technical setup is unprecedented in the realm of reality shows. “I’ve been working in adventure survival shows for over 20 years now, and this is the first time I’ve seen this on this scale. It was pioneering technology,” she stated.

Throughout the competition, pit crews monitor the survivalists’ health through wearables that track heart rates and body temperature, sending data back to the HQ. “This allows crews to really get to know how tough their survivalist is and make informed decisions,” Hine explained.

While the contestants adapt or struggle in the unforgiving environment, their families face tough moral decisions regarding when and how to intervene. Hine noted that this real-time monitoring creates intense drama back at HQ. “We could see them struggle, and the family members had to decide whether to let them keep going or pull them out. It was compelling to watch,” she added.

The psychological element of the show becomes a focal point when family dynamics are tested. In a contest where survival instincts and emotional bonds clash, viewers witness raw moments of panic, joy, and heartbreak. “You can’t help but get drawn in. It’s a complex web of relationships playing out,” said Hine.

“Extracted” airs new episodes every Monday on Fox before streaming the following day on Hulu. Viewers are invited to engage with the show, reflecting on what they would pack if placed in the contestants’ shoes.