Alaska: The Last Frontier
| Alaska: The Last Frontier | |
|---|---|
.png){kind=logo} | |
| Genre |
Reality show Survival skills |
| Starring | Atz Kilcher, Otto Kilcher, Charlotte Kilcher, Atz Lee Kilcher, Jane Kilcher, Eivin Kilcher, Eve Kilcher, Bonnie Kilcher-Dupree |
| Narrated by | Bray Poor |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 4 |
| No. of episodes | 59 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Daniel Soiseth, Grant Kahler, Cameo Wallace, Philip Day |
| Location(s) | Fritz Creek, Alaska |
| Camera setup | Multiple |
| Running time | Approx. 44 min (excluding commercials) |
| Distributor | Discovery Communications |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | Discovery Channel |
| Picture format | 16:9 |
| Original run | 2011 – present |
| External links | |
| Website | |
| Production website | |
Alaska: The Last Frontier is an American reality cable television series on the Discovery Channel. Season 4 is currently being broadcast. The show documents an extended family (the Kilchers) at their homestead 11 miles outside of Homer, Alaska.[1] By homesteading without plumbing or modern heating, the clan must subsist by hunting and preparing for the long winters.[2] The Kilcher family are relatives to the singer Jewel.[1][3]
Production
Production occurs throughout the year on site, although the production crew is based out of nearby Homer.
Episodes (Season 1)
- Key
- In the № column the number refers to the order it aired during the entire series.
- In the # column the number refers to the episode number within its season.
| № | # | Title | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Before the Freeze" | December 29, 2011 |
| With another brutal winter approaching, and bears having killed two of the family’s cattle, they are forced to pin all of their hopes of surviving the winter on one last hunting trip. | |||
| 2 | 2 | "Fueling the Fire" | January 5, 2012 |
| The first storm of winter approaches as the family races to finish preparing for the next eight months; Atz herds cattle across flooded glacial rivers. | |||
| 3 | 3 | "Snow, Cold and Darkness" | January 12, 2012 |
| The early winter storms have left the entire homestead unprepared. A desperate search for a newborn calf and its mother forces Otto's wife and their youngest son into a night snowstorm while Otto is away building shelter for his herd. | |||
Episodes (Season 2)
- Key
- In the № column the number refers to the order it aired during the entire series.
- In the # column the number refers to the episode number within its season.
| № | # | Title | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 1 | "Dead of Winter" | October 2, 2012 |
| The extended Kilcher family struggle to get through a record-breaking harsh winter. Desperate for food, Atz Lee and Jane venture into the brutal elements in search of food, hoping that ice fishing and hunting will supply their needs. Patriarchs Otto and Atz embark on a dangerous mission to bring aid to a fellow homesteader. | |||
| 5 | 2 | "Spring Has Sprung" | October 9, 2012 |
| Spring finally arrives on the homestead. Atz Lee enlists his father, Atz, on an early spring black bear hunt, hoping to redeem his failed hunt last fall. Meanwhile, Atz Lee's wife, Jane, endures the open seas alone while fishing for king salmon. Eivin mills lumber and takes on the first build of the season, a large chicken coop to maintain their crucial food source, while also helping his wife, Eve, find a rogue cannibal hen. | |||
| 6 | 3 | "Cattle Drive" | October 16, 2012 |
| Otto and family battle the elements and predators to drive their cattle to the summer pasture. A missing calf causes Otto and Eivin to head off for a dangerous late night rescue mission. Atz Lee and Jane build a makeshift greenhouse from cast off supplies. | |||
| 7 | 4 | "Range Riding" | October 23, 2012 |
| Atz begins his summer range riding season to protect Otto's cattle herd. A bear menaces from the edge; a wolf invades the herd. Otto and family race the clock and the elements to gather in winter's hay crop. Eivin and Eve's cannibal hen strikes again. | |||
| 8 | 5 | "The River Wild" | October 30, 2012 |
| The Kilchers rally and call in favors to tackle their largest project this season. They have 48 hours to build a long cattle fence and rebuild a cabin, or the treacherous river's tide will trap their barge full of critical equipment for another month. | |||
| 9 | 6 | "Something's Fishy" | November 6, 2012 |
| With summer half over, the Kilchers head out fishing, but it's not for fun... at least, not entirely. They need hundreds of pounds of fish to eat and barter with during winter. Each couple has their own time-proven technique for catching salmon, halibut and trout. | |||
| 10 | 7 | "Legend of "Terrible Island"" | November 13, 2012 |
| Atz Lee and Eivin travel 160 miles and brave the bears of "Terrible Island" to hunt deer. Otto refuses to admit defeat and will use all the blackpowder he has to remove a pesky stump blocking his progress. Eve helps Charlotte solve a swarming bee problem. | |||
| 11 | 8 | "Fall Feast" | November 20, 2012 |
| Fall arrives; the Kilchers scramble to finish their winter prep. Otto confronts a predator killing calves from inside his herd. Atz Lee and Jane catch and smoke salmon in their secret fish camp. Eivin uses a samurai sword to prepare Thanksgiving dinner. | |||
| 12 | 9 | "Life According To Otto" | November 27, 2012 |
| Cattleman Otto Kilcher sees life a little differently. Some people think he's crazy, but he'll tell you it's just his willingness to accept whatever life brings him. Otto's sense of humor is infectious and his ingenuity inspires family and neighbor alike. | |||
| 13 | 10 | "Homestead Innovations" | December 4, 2012 |
| [CLIP SHOW] | |||
| 14 | 11 | "Till the Cows Come Home" | May 19, 2013 |
| Late fall. Half the herd returns early from the summer grazing grounds so the Kilchers drive the rest home across icy rivers. The family rushes to finish other winter prep work but still makes time for a beach-scavenged gourmet picnic. | |||
| 15 | 12 | "Poopsicle" | May 26, 2013 |
| Otto gets creative to beat the frozen soil when he realizes he must move the outhouse, now. Eivin takes Eve on her first deerhunt on Afognak Island, which is teeming with wild animals including awake bears. Atz and sons gather trees for a big new project. | |||
| 16 | 13 | "Eve's Hunting Dilemma" | June 2, 2013 |
| Otto pulls porcupine quills out of a colt's face. With Eivin's legal quota met, it's up to Eve to bring home more deer meat from their hunting trip, but she's conflicted about the kill. Atz and Atz Lee snare rabbits; Jane gets a lesson in rabbit skinning. | |||
| 17 | 14 | "Fall Flurry" | June 9, 2013 |
| The Kilchers race through the last few days of fall before winter finally hits, prepping the hunter and cattleman cabins, winterizing the bee hive, sorting the root cellar, bottling the raspberry mead, and creating a new field with an excavator and barge. | |||
| 18 | 15 | "Family Ties" | June 15, 2013 |
| [CLIP SHOW] With extended scenes, added facts and fan tweets - Take a deeper look at Kilcher family history with archived footage including Yule, the family patriarch and original homesteader. Otto and Atz share parenting insights and Otto and Eivin search for gold. | |||
Episodes (Season 3)
- Key
- In the № column the number refers to the order it aired during the entire series.
- In the # column the number refers to the episode number within its season.
| № | # | Title | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | 1 | "Cabin Fever" | October 6, 2013 |
| After 8 months of winter, the Kilchers have cabin fever. Eivin and Atz Lee get caught overnight in the backcountry hunting an Alaskan delicacy. Otto uses ingenuity to get an orphan calf to connect with an unwilling mother. And there's much to do with poo. | |||
| 20 | 2 | "Father-Son Ingenuity" | October 13, 2013 |
| Family projects: Before the spring thaw floods the area, Atz Sr and his 3 sons build a bridge across a river using chainsaws and fallen logs. Otto and Eivin create two amphibious crafts from their ATVs. Meanwhile, Atz Lee and Jane build a new smokehouse. | |||
| 21 | 3 | "Spring Has Sprung" | October 20, 2013 |
| Springtime on the homestead; Atz and the family goes on a black bear hunt; Atz, Sr.'s confidence wavers; Otto gives CPR to calves; Eve plants the family garden. | |||
| 22 | 4 | "Spring Delicacy" | October 27, 2013 |
| Atz Lee and Jane climb reefs to hunt for octopus. Jane must face her fear of heights or be trapped by the tide. Otto struggles to keep a newborn calf alive during the annual spring cattle drive. Eve gives Eivin news that will change the homestead forever. | |||
| 23 | 5 | "Parlors and Poop Chutes" | November 3, 2013 |
| Eivin and pregnant Eve decide to finally add running water to their home, but Eivin hits more than water during the installation. Otto builds Charlotte a milking parlor but takes a faceful of fuel in the process. Atz and Atz Lee head out to hunt bear. | |||
| 24 | 6 | "Outhouses, Cow Bras and Bears, Oh My!" | November 10, 2013 |
| Midsummer: the Kilchers scramble to make the most of 22 hrs of sunlight. Atz tracks down predators killing the herd. Otto gets creative to help a cow with an udder problem. Eivin builds an outhouse. Atz Lee and Jane are startled while fishing for salmon. | |||
| 25 | 7 | "Hunt in the Clouds" | November 17, 2013 |
| Atz Sr, Atz Lee and Jane travel to the highest peaks to hunt for wild goat. A wasp infestation destroys Eivin and Eve’s bee hive and summer honey harvest. Otto and Charlotte get creative to protect what's left of their hay crop so it will last the winter. | |||
| 26 | 8 | "Thanksgiving" | November 24, 2013 |
| Thanksgiving on the homestead. The Kilchers come together to enjoy the fruits of their year-long labor and share each dish's story. From turkey and pumpkin pie to Yule's famous nettlebread and Homesteader pie, nothing comes easy when making this feast. | |||
| 27 | 9 | "A Prickly Situation" | December 1, 2013 |
| A persistent porcupine nails several of the Kilchers' too-curious animals with quills. Taking them out is a painful and sometimes dangerous procedure. Atz and his family carefully jack up and move an old abandoned cabin. Eve finds her garden decimated. | |||
| 28 | 10 | "Of Moose and Men" | December 15, 2013 |
| Atz and Atz Lee swim their horses across a chilly lake to get to bull moose hunting grounds. Bad weather and feeling under the weather won't deter them from the prize. Eivin hunts clams while Eve collects wild mushrooms. Otto and Charlotte bury a friend. | |||
| 29 | 11 | "Homestead for the Holidays" | December 22, 2013 |
| Homestead holidays bring gifts of kindness: Otto decides to give his "Wacky Yak" to a friend, but the gift rejects the idea of being given. Atz Lee gathers lumps of coal--for the nice--as his gift. Atz deals with cows on ice to bring a friend's herd home. | |||
| 30 | 12 | "Predators and Prey" | December 29, 2013 |
| [CLIP SHOW] Grizzly bears, wolves, and coyotes remind the Kilchers that the humans aren't always the apex predator on the homestead, but threats to the Kilcher's food supplies and livelihood also come in many other shapes and sizes and from unexpected places. | |||
| 31 | 13 | "Marital Maintenance" | January 5, 2014 |
| With winter on their doorstep, the Kilchers race to finish their summer projects. Otto's enormous new project strains his marital bliss. Atz's horse strands him on the range. Eivin works some chicken magic. Atz Lee teaches Jane to fell a tree. | |||
| 32 | 14 | "Call of the Wild" | January 12, 2014 |
| Otto and Eivin use a duck hunt for some last minute father-son time before Eivin becomes a dad himself. Atz and Atz Lee's father-son bonding time is less fun; they're repairing the new bridge. Jane has her own adventure: fishing--and shooting--halibut. | |||
| 33 | 15 | "Circle of Life" | January 19, 2014 |
| Atz Lee and Eivin take a bushplane and brave bears on a remote island to hunt deer. Charlotte scrambles to save a cow that went down during birthing. A very pregnant Eve struggles with the chores while Eivin is away. Atz cleans his chimney Kilcher style. | |||
| 34 | 16 | "Baby Kilcher Arrives" | January 26, 2014 |
| The Kilchers work on last-minute projects before winter comes; Jane faces weather and quicksand on her first cattle drive; Eivin and Eve introduce a new Kilcher. | |||
| 35 | 17 | "Extreme Seasons" | January 26, 2014 |
| [CLIP SHOW] The Kilchers adapt to the seasons; rescuing calves; swarms of mosquitoes; Otto tries to live down his fisherman's curse. | |||
| 36 | 18 | "Mother's Day Special" | May 11, 2014 |
| [SPECIAL EPISODE] The Kilchers celebrate the women in their lives, including new mother Eve; Atz and Otto remember their mother. | |||
| 37 | 19 | "Father's Day Special" | June 15, 2014 |
| [SPECIAL EPISODE] The Kilchers celebrate the men in the family and share stories about their legacy. | |||
| 38 | 20 | "Kilchers Revealed: Before the Freeze" | August 26, 2014 |
| [SPECIAL EPISODE] S01E01 with additional clips and interviews. With another brutal winter approaching, and bears having killed two of the family’s cattle, they are forced to pin all of their hopes of surviving the winter on one last hunting trip. | |||
| 39 | 21 | "Kilchers Revealed: Fueling the Fire" | September 2, 2014 |
| [SPECIAL EPISODE] S01E02 with additional clips and interviews. The first storm of winter approaches as the family races to finish preparing for the next eight months; Atz herds cattle across flooded glacial rivers. | |||
| 40 | 22 | "Kilchers Revealed: Snow, Cold and Darkness" | September 9, 2014 |
| [SPECIAL EPISODE] S01E03 with additional clips and interviews. The early winter storms have left the entire homestead unprepared. A desperate search for a newborn calf and its mother forces Otto's wife and their youngest son into a night snowstorm while Otto is away building shelter for his herd. | |||
Episodes (Season 4)
- Key
- In the № column the number refers to the order it aired during the entire series.
- In the # column the number refers to the episode number within its season.
| № | # | Title | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | 1 | "A Mild Winter" | October 5, 2014 |
| The family faces the fallout from a warm Alaskan winter; an emergency mission to supply and secure hunting cabins; Charlotte and Jane search for a missing newborn calf. | |||
| 42 | 2 | "Moving Toward the Future" | October 11, 2014 |
| The family struggles to move a two-ton bridge to allow for crucial access to the head of the bay; Otto and Charlotte fight a threat to their cattle. | |||
| 43 | 3 | "Spring Forward" | October 19, 2014 |
| The family bands together to protect its livelihood; Atz Lee and Jane encounter disaster while bear hunting; Atz Sr., Bonnie and Shane defend against grizzlies. | |||
| 44 | 4 | "On The Move" | October 26, 2014 |
| Life returns to the homestead in the spring; tensions are high on the annual Kilcher cattle drive; Otto tries to maintain control of his crew. | |||
| 45 | 5 | "Loaded for Bear" | November 2, 2014 |
| Atz Lee and Jane have a run-in with a grizzly bear. | |||
| 46 | 6 | "Greener Pastures" | November 9, 2014 |
| Atz Lee and Jane fish for salmon; Otto and Eivin work to contain their unruly cattle herd. | |||
| 47 | 7 | "Waste Not, Want Not" | November 16, 2014 |
| Otto, Charlotte, Eivin & Eve harvest a sterile cow to stock up on meat for winter, repurposing its byproducts to make homesteader soap, and tanning its hide for building corrals. At the head of the bay, Atz Sr.’s range riding skills are tested. | |||
| 48 | 8 | "Thanksgiving On The Homestead" | November 23, 2014 |
| Homesteaders who work together, give thanks together. Join the Kilcher family as they celebrate Thanksgiving with the friends who helped prepare the homestead for winter. | |||
| 49 | 9 | "Secrets Of The Range Rider" | November 30, 2014 |
| At the head of the bay Atz Sr. divulges the secrets of the range rider to Atz Lee & Eivin in preparation of the future. To heat the family’s cabin, Otto, Charlotte and August must transform more than 1000 pounds of metal pipe into a working chimney. | |||
| 50 | 10 | "Journey to Perl Island" | December 14, 2014 |
| In this MEGA episode the Kilchers face their biggest challenges yet. Otto, Jane & Shane help a fellow homesteader transport a cabin to the distant and uninhabited Perl Island but things take a sinister turn when they discover a predator on the loose. | |||
| 51 | 11 | "Christmas Kaboom!" | December 21, 2014 |
| In true homesteader holiday spirit, the Kilchers put their own spin on a Secret Santa gift exchange: hand-making something useful for someone in the family. With gifts ranging from a crossbow to explosives this Christmas special is filled with surprises! | |||
| 52 | 12 | "The Ties that Bind" | December 28, 2014 |
| [CLIP SHOW] On the homestead, a strong partnership is key. The Kilcher couples work together to ensure the homestead's survival: from having each other's back during bear hunts to surviving fishing expeditions gone awry to providing backup on building projects. | |||
| 53 | 13 | "Claims, Cans and Cabins" | January 4, 2015 |
| Otto, Eivin & August scramble to stake a claim on 10 tons of priceless steel on a distant beach. At the head of the bay, Atz Sr. & Bonnie team up with Atz Lee and Jane to stockpile salmon for the upcoming winter. Shane & Kelli break ground on their cabin. | |||
| 54 | 14 | "A Hunt Above the Clouds" | January 11, 2015 |
| Atz and Bonnie battle the sea; Otto, Charlotte and August face off with brown bears. | |||
| 55 | 15 | "Call of the Cattleman" | January 18, 2015 |
| The Kilchers, fellow homesteaders & cattlemen pay tribute to a fallen friend by driving over 100 cattle back home. Atz Lee winterizes the Hunters Cabin, preparing to move further off the homestead. Jane & Eve's halibut fishing trip ends with a bang. | |||
| 55 | 16 | "Fall Bear Fall" | January 25, 2015 |
| With bear season nearly over, the pressure is on Jane & Atz as they set out for their last hunt of the year. While searching for berries, Atz Sr. & Bonnie encounter a black bear of their own. Otto & Charlotte transport precious Cargo. | |||
| 56 | 17 | "Snowy Roundup" | February 8, 2015 |
| At the head of the bay, Atz Sr. has wild game in his sights. Otto & Charlotte face disaster as the tides overpower the herd on the 30-mile journey to the homestead. Atz Lee & Jane tackle a long-overdue task to secure their cabin for the winter. | |||
| 57 | 18 | "Will Winter Come?" | February 15, 2015 |
| The Kilchers finalize their winter preparations; Eivin, Atz Lee, Jane and Shane hunt for deer. | |||
| 58 | 19 | "Hardcore Homesteading" | February 22, 2015 |
| [CLIP SHOW] Eivin and Atz Lee acquire meat on Shuyak Island; Otto and Eivin use the excavator; Eivin undertakes a construction job in order to supply water to Eve. | |||
| 59 | 20 | "The Super Bull Special" | March 1, 2015 |
| [CLIP SHOW] From chaotic calves to super bulls, the Kilcher's cattle is the lifeblood of the homestead. Super bull 13-08 survives near-death experiences. Otto transports a new bull to the head of the bay. Atz Sr gives Atz Lee & Eivin lessons in how to ride the range. | |||
Awards and Nominations
- 2013 CableFAX’s Program & Top Ops Awards - Best Show or Series – Professions – NOMINATION[4]
- 2013 Communicator Awards – Award of Distinction - WINNER[5]
- 2013 Telly Award - Bronze - Main Title – WINNER[6]
- 2014 Emmy Awards - Outstanding Cinematography For Reality Programming - NOMINATION[7]
- 2014 Emmy Awards - Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program - NOMINATION[8]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Fehrenbacher, Emily. "Reality Check: A golden age for Alaska reality TV | Entertainment". ADN.com. Retrieved 2013-12-10.
- ↑ "Alaska: The Last Frontier - Series Overview - MSN TV". Tv.msn.com. Retrieved 2013-12-10.
- ↑ Kilcher, Charlotte. "Season 4 is Underway: Photos from Kilchers Last Frontier's post". facebook.com. Retrieved 2014-04-18.
- ↑ http://www.cablefax.com/cfp/events/Program2013winners/
- ↑ http://www.communicatorawards.com/winners/list/?l=F&event=8&category=2&award=D
- ↑ http://www.tellyawards.com/winners/
- ↑ http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2014/cinematography-reality-programming
- ↑ http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2014/reality-program-unstructured
External links
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