Introducing: AK IRL 📺

The kitschy version of Alaska portrayed in reality tv is equal parts stereotypical and sensationalized — yet we still watch. A former governor has her own TLC series. A man from Red Devil won $1 million mainly because he survived off a musk ox he killed with his bare hands. MTV had a one-season show following a group living in the “modern day Wild Wild west of Alaska” (otherwise known as Wasilla). Dozens of shows have been filmed here, and new projects are being pitched all the time. Why does Alaska captivate so many audiences? And what makes us keep coming back?

As a reality tv buff, each week I’ll dive into a reality television show set in Alaska, or highlight reality shows where someone is from the 907.