I Shouldn't Be Alive

I Shouldn't Be Alive
Created by	Darlow Smithson Productions
Narrated by	Qarie Marshall and Eric Meyers
Country of origin	Britain
Original language	English
No. of seasons	5 (4 aired)
No. of episodes	37
Production
Executive producer	John Smithson
Running time	60 minutes (including ads)
Original release
Network	Discovery Channel (2005-2006) Animal Planet (2010-Present)
Release	October 28, 2005 (2005-10-28) – present

I Shouldn't Be Alive (also known as Alive in the UK) is a documentary television series that airs on multiple networks in the United States, the U.K., and Australia. I Shouldn't Be Alive is made by Darlow Smithson Productions, a UK-based production company.

The show features accounts of individuals and groups caught in dangerous scenarios, presented both through interviews and dramatic reenactments. The main focus is how the survivors survived and the decisions they made that kept them alive; not who survived and who died.

Furthermore, it has been renewed for a fifth season scheduled to begin on February 2, 2011.

Production

On October 28, 2005, the series premiered on the Discovery Channel. Season 3 also airs in high definition on HD Theater. All episodes can now be seen in HD on DirecTV, Dish Network, or Verizon Fios. The show airs on Channel 7 in Australia and on Channel 4 in Britain.

As of March 5, 2007, the Discovery Channel has canceled the series and made it part of the "Discovery Classics" series. The show was broadcast on the Science Channel starting in early 2008. The show is currently broadcast on Animal Planet in HD as well.

The fourth season of I Shouldn't Be Alive subsequently aired on Animal Planet.

Episodes

NOTE: Includes spoilers. Scroll down with discretion.

Season 1 (2005)

Episode #	Episode title	Outcome	Original airdate
1 (1)	"Shark Survivor"	Survivors: Brad Cavanagh and Deborah Scaling Kiley. Deceased: Mark, John and Meg (please add surnames)	28 October 2005
In October 1982, five people got caught in a tropical storm. When their yacht sinks, they have to survive in the middle of the Atlantic ocean on a raft with absolutely no survival equipment. To their absolute horror, they find the area of the ocean to be infested with sharks.
2 (2)	"Lost in the Snow"	Survivors: James, Jennifer and Clayton Stolpa	4 November 2005
On December 29, 1992, James and Jennifer Stolpa, and their five-month old son Clayton attempted to travel to a funeral. On the way there, they miss the sign that leads to the city and instead drive into an uninhabited national park which is closed for the winter.
3 (3)	"Escape from the Amazon"	Survivors: Yossi Ghinsberg and Kevin Gale. Missing: Markus Stamm and Karl Ruprechter	11 November 2005
In December 1981, Yossi Ghinsberg (Israeli), Kevin Gale (American), and Markus Stamm (Swiss), are three young friends who went to the Bolivian Amazon, where they encounter Karl Ruprechter, a man with promises of an Indian village. After a brief river rafting trip, Markus notices he has trench foot and the group splits up. Kevin and Yossi continue rafting while Markus and Karl hike back into the jungle. Markus and Karl are never seen again.
4 (4)	"Swept Away"	Survivors: Saul Kinderis and Larry Kaiser	18 November 2005
Two friends went kayaking in the Strait of Georgia. When the tide comes in, one friend (who was very inexperienced) falls from his kayak and fears that he will end up in the Pacific Ocean.
5 (5)	"Kidnap in the Killing Fields"	Survivors: Chris Moon, Mr. Houn and colleague	25 November 2005
In 1995, Chris Moon, a former British army officer involved in demining Mozambique, accidentally stepped on a landmine and blew off his leg. Two years earlier, he was kidnapped by a murderous group of Khmer Rouge in Cambodia.
6 (5)	"Jaws of Death"	Survivor: Greg Rasmussen	2 December 2005
In 2003, biologist Greg Rasmussen crashed his plane in the African savannah. With his legs broken in six different places and in a state of intense pain and loss of leg mobility, he has to make it alive past lions and other dangerous predators.
1 (7)	"Trapped Under a Boulder"	Survivors: Warren Macdonald and Geert van Keulen	10 March 2006
In April 1997, Warren Macdonald headed for the remote island (Hinchinbrook Island) off the coast of Queensland, where he met Geert, a Dutch man on a deserted beach. Halfway up a mountain, a one ton slab of granite hits the environmentalist and pins him down to the bed of a creek. The Dutchman must find help for his new friend before the rain drowns him.
2 (8)	"Ice Cave Survivor"	Survivors: Michael and Matthew Couillard	17 March 2006
In 1995, a U.S. Air Force officer and his son went on a skiing trip to Turkey. When a snowstorm arrives, they lose their way, and the father has to choose between staying with his son or finding help.
3 (9)	"Shipwrecked"	Survivors: Mark Sorensen and Rob Ruznak	24 March 2006
Two cousins go on a fishing trip on the Gulf of California but a thunderstorm rolls in and they eventually become shipwrecked on a deserted island.
4 (10)	"Alaskan Avalanche"	Survivors: Dave Nyman and Jim Sweeney	31 March 2006
Dave Nyman and Jim Sweeney are scaling a sheer ice-wall in an Alaskan mountain. Jim falls and is badly injured, and Dave is forced to ski down. Dave returns to Jim after a talk with some tourists and they both eventually survive seven avalanches and a large crevasse together. A passing aircraft sees his SOS signal, but the pilot damages the landing gear while landing.
5 (11)	"Lost at Sea"	Survivors: John and Jim Hawley; and Bill and Jens Lundy	9 June 2006
On September 5, 1997, two friends, who sought to repair their relationship with their fathers, planned a fishing trip with their fathers in Mexico. However, an unexpected storm leaves them stranded in the middle of the Gulf of California.
6 (12)	"Crash in a Volcano"	Survivors: Craig Hosking, Chris Duddy and Mike Benson	16 June 2006
Three men, while filming a volcano in their helicopter, crashed after the helicopter lost control. Trapped in a crater of the Kilauea volcano and surrounded by unclimbable ridges and poisonous gases, they must send one of them to radio for help.
7 (13)	"Lost in the African Bush"	Survivors: Carl du Plessis, Costa Markanadatos, Neb Graorac, Mike and Lynette Nikolic	23 June 2006
Five survivors of a private plane crash must survive the dangers of the desolate African wilderness. With two severely injured, some of the group must wander off to find rescue, even though there is no civilization for hundreds of miles.

Season 2 (2006)

Episode #	Episode title	Outcome	Original airdate
1 (14)	"Nightmare Canyon"	Survivors: Justin and Jeremy Harris	10 November 2006
Justin and Jeremy Harris - two brothers - went canyoneering in Utah's Canyons. They expect the trip will take no more than 8 hours, but when freezing temperatures come, Justin breaks his leg and cannot continue, and Jeremy has hike out of the canyon alone to find help.
2 (15)	"Frozen at 20,000 Feet"	Survivors: Anthony Hollinshead, Nigel Vardy and Steve Ball	17 November 2006
Three British climbers get caught in a snow storm near the summit of Mt. McKinley. After a night in a cave, one climber develops snow blindness and another volunteers to go down to base camp but breaks both his legs in a fall.
3 (16)	"Trapped Under the Ice"	Survivors: Neil and Blake Stanfield	24 November 2006
In June 2003, Blake Stanfield and his aged dad Neil go kayaking in the Alaskan wilderness. Everything goes fine until they run into some ice on the river, and they soon find themselves swept underneath. They barely survive this only to be stranded in a wilderness of grizzly bears.
4 (17)	"Into the Heart of Darkness"	Survivors: Dave Boyer and Crystal Ramsey	1 December 2006
In 2002, a man and woman, once dating, headed for the Amazon rain forest but got lost in the jungle. Crystal Ramsey, a sufferer of depression, tries to convince Dave Boyer, a 7th grade science teacher, that they have to slit their wrists so they won't die from the elements. They have to survive the dangers of the jungle and hold on to their sanity as they find their way home.
5 (18)	"Blood in the Water"	Survivors: Clive, Brenda, Arthur and Fay Taylor and Alistair Gellatly	8 December 2006
Arthur Taylor, Alistair Gellatly, Arthur's wife Fay and parents Clive and Brenda become stranded in the hippo- and crocodile-infested Zambezi River when their watercraft is rammed by a mad hippo and sinks. Arthur, Fay, Clive and Brenda become stranded on a submerged sand flat in the middle of the river, and the Alistair swims for the shore only to be mauled by a crocodile. Alistair faces driver ants and other nasty land predators, and the others have to survive for two days at the constant risk of being eaten alive by crocodiles and hippos.
6 (19)	"Dive Into Danger"	Survivors: Melissa Armstrong and David Tomlinson	15 December 2006
In March 2002, when filming for a documentary they were making, two divers, Melissa Armstrong and Captain David Tomlinson, became stranded in the Pacific Ocean when their boat drifts away from them. As they believe help is not coming, they make a decision to swim for shore miles away or die trying.
7 (20)	"A Walk into Hell"	Survivors: Guy Davis, Earl and Loren Pace, Andy Davis, Joel Kieper, Mark Coons and Jordan Winegar. Deceased: David Phillips	22 December 2006
In 1996, a group of five teenage scouts and three adult guides hiked into the Grand Canyon during a heat wave. As their water runs out and the older members collapse in exhaustion, three of the teenagers set out on their own to reach the Colorado River.

Season 3 (2010)

Episode #	Episode title	Outcome	Original airdate
1 (21)	"Trapped in the Canyon"	Survivors: Danelle Ballengee and Taz	January 15, 2010
In December 2006, two-time adventure racing world champion Danelle Ballengee suffered a pelvis-shattering 60-foot fall and two nights in sub-freezing weather in a canyon near Moab, Utah, accompanied only by her dog Taz.
2 (22)	"Date from Hell"	Survivors: Brandon Day and Gina Allen	January 22, 2010
In May 2006, Brandon Day and Gina Allen were going on a tour of the San Jacinto Mountains, but they wander off the trail and become stranded and alone for four days fighting for their lives.
3 (23)	"Nightmare on the Mountain"	Survivor: Bram Schaffer	January 29, 2010
Bram Schaffer, an 18-year-old elk hunter in Montana, was seriously injured by a bear. He must spend a night wandering the wooded mountain area in search of help before his injuries claim his life.
4 (24)	"Crushed and Alone"	Survivor: Ken Hildebrand	February 5, 2010
In January 2008, Ken Hildebrand was collecting beaver traps in the Canadian Wilderness. When he loses control of his quad bike, it topples over and crushes his legs. His survival gear is out of reach. He must survive for four days in negative temperatures.
5 (25)	"Boys Adrift"	Survivors: Troy Driscoll and Josh Long	February 19, 2010
In 2005, Troy Driscoll and his friend Josh Long attempted to go shark fishing in a less than seaworthy boat. When a riptide drags them into the Atlantic ocean, they face extreme dehydration, hunger, and weather for six days while awaiting rescue, watching helplessly as other boats pass by without seeing them.
6 (26)	"Fear in Freefall"	Survivor: Will Slattery. Deceased: Jimmy Simplicio, Manny Sanchez, Milt Burton, Jean Roman and Jorge Melendez.	April 2, 2010
In May 2005, Will Slattery, his two friends, and the two other passengers and pilot suffered a freak accident during a skydiving trip. When their plane gets caught by a storm, it crashes into the shark-infested waters of Costa Rica.
7 (27)	"Shattered on Impact"	Survivors: Clive English, Graham Child, Adam Pope and Mumba Chikungu (deceased of unrelated illness a day later)	April 9, 2010
Four animal conservationists crash their plane into the Zambian wilderness. With three severely injured, one man treks off into the wilderness to find help. The others must fight against the elements and the very animals the men have dedicated themselves to protect.
8 (28)	"Lost in the Outback"	Survivor: Theo Rosmulder	April 16, 2010
In July 2008, Theo Rosmulder, an amateur treasure hunter, wanders off into the Western Australian Outback after he found a gold nugget and got carried away. He must survive five days of physical exhaustion and the threat of heart failure.
9 (29)	"Blizzard of Death"	Survivors: Dennis and William Spann, Clay Lancaster, 19 Kyrghiz guides. Deceased: 1 Kyrghiz guide (Horse tender) and Helicopter pilot	April 23, 2010
In March 2004, three amateur hunters and their twenty local guides become stranded in the remote mountain wilderness of Kyrgyzstan when their trapped vehicle falls into a large snow drift after their hunt. Then, just as they believe they have been saved, the rescue helicopter goes out of control and crashes not far from where they were originally trapped. The pilot and the guide tending the horses die in the crash and the others are left helplessly lost in a mountainous nightmare.
10 (30)	"Avalanche of Terror"	Survivor: Ken Jones	April 30, 2010
Ken Jones, a British climber, is caught in an avalanche and falls off a 75ft cliff. With a shattered pelvis and broken femur, he crawls for seven miles to reach the nearest road in temperatures as low as 5 degrees Fahrenheit (-15 degrees Celsius).

Season 4 (2010)

Episode #	Episode title	Outcome	Original airdate
1 (31)	"A Dad's Worst Nightmare"	Survivors: Matthew and Shannon McGough	October 13, 2010
Lost in the Outback for eight days after a camping trip, Matthew McGough and his daughter Shannon must fight off the unforgiving heat and cold with whatever supplies they have and await rescue that may never come.
2 (32)	"Shipwrecked Family"	Survivors: John and Jean Silverwood; Ben, Amelia, Jack and Camille Silverwood	October 20, 2010
John Silverwood, his wife Jean and his four children Ben, Amelia, Jack and Camille embark on the sailing trip of a lifetime. Halfway into the trip, they run aground on a rocky reef. Huge waves buffet the boat and flood the cabins and John is seriously injured when the mast collapses.
3 (33)	"Trapped on a Ledge"	Survivor: Charlie Hench	October 27, 2010
49-year old Charlie Hench falls off the side of a mountain during a personal hiking expedition and lands on a small ledge at 9,000 feet. His friend Dave Grah's brother got lost in a storm thirty years earlier, hiking on the same pass, and Dave has a hunch that he is in the same spot.
4 (34)	"Crashed in the Rockies"	Survivors: Justin Kirkbride, Larry Dimond and Tommy Robbins; 8 U.S. Air Force personnel	November 3, 2010
After crashing into a remote mountainside in the Rocky Mountains, pilot Justin Kirkbride hikes for hours in waist-deep snow (all the while looking for a cellphone signal) to save his two injured friends. The Air Force helicopter sent to rescue Justin crashes shortly after he boards it.
5 (35)	"Death in the Sea of Cortez"	Survivors: Joseph Rangel and José Luis Garcia. Deceased: Lorenzo Madrid	November 10, 2010
Three men are stranded on a deserted island in the Gulf of California and attempt to hike to the northern shore for twelve days to attract passing fishermen.
6 (36)	"76 Days Adrift"	Survivor: Steven Callahan	November 17, 2010
Main Article: 76 days at Sea Steven Callahan is shipwrecked from his boat and survives for 76 days on a small liferaft at sea.
7 (37)	"Alone in the Amazon"	Survivor: Benedict Allen. Deceased: Cashoe	November 24, 2010
After his canoe was smashed, Benedict Allen is stranded in the Amazon rainforest for 28 days. He is forced to kill and eat his dog Cashoe with a machete to survive.
8 (38)	"Vacation Nightmare"	Survivors: Brandon and Brandy Wiley, Silke Friedebold, Alvaro Zuniga and Michael Packard. Deceased: Two pilots and one passenger	December 1, 2010
Brandon and Brandy Wiley, and six other people, are plunged into the Costa Rican jungle when their plane hits clouds and falls out of the sky. (The Animal Planet description misspells "Brandon" as "Bandon")
9 (39)	"River of Fear"	...	January 5, 2011
A man is stranded when his raft capsizes in the Colorado River. While scaling a cliff to evaluate the situation, a handhold breaks and he plummets into the river, breaking his jaw and also two toes after a rock falls on his foot.
11 (41)	"Killer Crevasse"	...	January 12, 2011
A mountaineering expedition with best friends Jim Davidson and Mike Price goes terriby wrong when Jim falls into an 80-foot crevasse, dragging his partner with him.
11 (41)	"Hike into Hell Canyon"	...	January 19, 2011
25-year old Linda Forney becomes lost and trapped in the Grand Canyon with her dog after taking a wrong turn.
12 (42)	"Death Climb"	...	January 26, 2011
Jamie Andrew and his friend Jamie Fisher are trapped at 28,000 feet when a surprise snowstorm blows in during a mountaineering expedition in France.

Season 5 (2011)

Episode #	Episode title	Outcome	Original airdate
1 (43)	"Hell in the Desert"	...	February 2, 2011
...
2 (44)	"Ocean Disaster"	...	February 9, 2011
...
3 (45)	"Everest Death Zone"	...	February 16, 2011
...
4 (46)	"Snowmobile Nightmare"	...	February 23, 2011
...

External links

• Official website
• I Shouldn't Be Alive at IMDb