I Was Prey

I Was Prey is a riveting television series from Animal Planet that debuted in 2017. The show offers a unique perspective on human-animal encounters, focusing not on animals in natural habitats observed from a distance, but on those rare and heart-stopping moments when human beings find themselves in unexpected, and often dangerous, confrontations with the animal kingdom. It reveals the first-person accounts of individuals who have been targeted by nature's most formidable predators, often with life-altering consequences.

The anthropocentric narrative means that I Was Prey operates within close proximity to its subjects, providing a narrative lens through which to understand the biophysical reality of the human as prey. The program lends a voice to the courageous people who managed to survive the unimaginable, allowing them to share their experiences comprehensively. Each episode presents in-depth interviews, recreations, and actual footage to relate these stories of extraordinary courage and survival.

Every episode of I Was Prey stands as a testament to human resilience, demonstrating just how tenacious the human will to survive can be when pushed to its extremities. It captures the raw fear and adrenaline that fuels survival instincts in life-threatening situations, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats.

The show goes beyond just recounting the incidents by adding a layer of education about the species involved. Experts provide insight into the behavior of specific predatory species, which helps viewers understand the potential dangers and create a larger picture of the natural world and its infinite complexities.

Although I Was Prey features stories about extreme encounters, it does not vilify the animals involved. Instead, it recognizes that such incidents often occur due to encroachment on wildlife habitats. In refracting our own human experiences through the lens of being prey, it creates an inversion of the human-animal dynamic that resists anthrocentric bias.

Animals encountered throughout the series are diverse, ranging from bears, sharks, and alligators to more unsuspected creatures like moose and even large birds. These creatures of all shapes and sizes add a unique twist to every episode, making it nearly impossible for viewers to anticipate what comes next. It's a gripping contribution to the thematic terrain of nature programming, replacing delicate wonder with raw, visceral human experience.

The storytelling approach taken in I Was Prey is also worth noting. Unlike many programs of its ilk, it eschews the sensationalism that sometimes colors human-animal encounter stories. Instead, it presents narratives as a stark, often chilling matter-of-fact, showing the extreme end of the 'man versus nature' paradigm without either relishing the carnage or resorting to overtly emotive overtones.

One aspect of the show that certainly mustn’t go unmentioned is the visual quality. The high budget production values are immediately evident, from the professional camera work that captures every minute detail of reenacted scenes, to the special effects that make these perilous encounters feel immediate and visceral.

Much like its name suggests, I Was Prey is not for the faint-hearted. It delves into the reality of what happens when the food chain is, on rare occasions, upended, leaving humans fighting for their lives against creatures who see them as nothing but potential sustenance. Nevertheless, it's an eye-opening journey that serves as a reminder of the raw reality of nature and the remarkable resilience of people who have lived to tell their tale.

This series from Animal Planet stands out for its stance as an authentic survival documentation that underscores the inherent danger that comes with interacting with wild animals in their natural habitat. It serves both as a riveting adventure tale and a reminder of the delicate balance between mankind and the wild we so often forget.

For those seeking television that offers pulse-pounding thrill rides while shedding light on the less explored dynamics of the animal kingdom, I Was Prey is certainly a series worth delving into.