"Sons of Winter" is show about freedom, adventure, perseverance and family. If you love the outdoors and adventure, you'll love "Sons of Winter". The patriarch of the family Randy, is a wise person and I enjoy his video diaries. He somehow managed to break free of the rat race about 11 years ago and it appears he and his family are living a life of freedom. I'm sure it's not an easy life, but they get to be connected as a family and they get to experience true wilderness every minute of the day. The show's producers make good use of aerial drone photography as well. It's interesting to see the landscape from a bird's eye view.
7 Reviews
a bore-to-death documentary
MovieIQTest11 June 2015
don't even know why made the documentary. a weird father and husband, forced his wife to live in such dreary and hopeless livelihood. when you watched it, you could easily spot the awkward, unwilling condescending wife/mother who has been forced to accommodate her husband's stubbornness to live like the primitive human beings in the dawn of the civilization, the only difference between their ancestors and them are: they got snowmobiles, they got guns and ammos, they got chain saw, they got motors and boat, and they got those moronic production team to video recording the father's miserable, boring, self-righteous, unrealistic pipe dream. this moron forced his whole family to live in an inhuman condition unnecessarily, and justified his whim by claiming it's the only way to toughen up his kids. under the bad influence of the fatherhood, all the kids grew up stupider and stupider, lost their innocence, their numb stupidity showed on their faces since they could only blindly led by their stupid father, so moronically manipulate and demanding. i pity his wife wholeheartedly and wish their sons could have a normal and better lives. the mother wife should divorce her husband while she still got the time to reverse hers and her sons' lives and future.
this is so far the worst and stupidest documentary i've ever watched. and i have to confess that i only viewed the first episode, but the pointlessness, shallowness, purposelessness, bore-you-to-death life style of this family simply disgusted me to the extreme, beyond any word could be appropriately expressed. just wish this documentary has never been made, save money and save the natural wildness from these mindless bunch.
this is so far the worst and stupidest documentary i've ever watched. and i have to confess that i only viewed the first episode, but the pointlessness, shallowness, purposelessness, bore-you-to-death life style of this family simply disgusted me to the extreme, beyond any word could be appropriately expressed. just wish this documentary has never been made, save money and save the natural wildness from these mindless bunch.
Loved it
wmbook-2842724 August 2017
Hey, I don't know why others didn't like this show. I liked it. Of course there are fake parts. What show doesn't have em? The bummer is that they canceled the show. So there is only one season. But I still enjoyed it. They are in the wilderness, except for the camera crew. I love the snow and how they deal with the cold temperatures. I would do this in a heartbeat. Yes, they have snowmobiles and some luxuries that the old trappers didn't have. Big deal.
Fake beyond belief
Gantec21 July 2015
The concept of the show was OK at best. The "Father" figure in the show is a complete idiot. He is a hipster that has at best lived in the woods for at best 6 months to a year. If its longer he is dumber then he comes across, which is saying a lot. For a family that makes the premise of living in the deep woods 100's of miles away from anything. They burn through 100's of gallons of gas, endless amounts of ammunition like its nothing, and sliced bread of all things not found in the bush.
The cabin in the woods the 2 oldest boys move into is brand new, an also appears to be a factory made log home, you just have to look at the areas between the logs to see this. Under the premise that it is an old abandoned cabin.
So many bad things about this show to list.
The cabin in the woods the 2 oldest boys move into is brand new, an also appears to be a factory made log home, you just have to look at the areas between the logs to see this. Under the premise that it is an old abandoned cabin.
So many bad things about this show to list.
Oh hum what Discovery crap .....
dave_cason3 December 2016
Hey,
So Yep, just started to watch it .... it's another lame attempt from the Disco Channel to show or entice the southern US yanks to world of SURVIVAL and the fantastic outdoor adventures in bloody Saskatchewan. (YAWN)
What a crock, from the opening credit where we're told they're in Northern Sask which they then take care to tell you is "south" of the Arctic Circle to increase the bullshit drama. Yea its SOUTH like 600 freaken kilometers south you lying pieces of crap Discovery producer's. Gurney Prod.
It follows the usual Disco Channel scheme of really excessively over dramatic sounds beds and stings to create drama out of sweet bugger all. You know, da da DA DA DA!!and nothing happens.
Maybe the yanks in the US don't know any better but I mean god, I live in Calgary, AB right beside the wilds of Saskatchewan and I worked in IT and lived in New York, Seoul, and London and hell yea I hunt every bloody year .... big freaken whoop! What is it boy? Is it cool and surprising that meat doesn't just come on foam trays in the store? So they hunt and eat deer and moose la-de-da so do I and half of my friends.
As for a cabin - uh yea, what did you expect? Here's a tip - when that white stuff called snow hits the ground and winter arrives it's cold outside. Where's the drama and action in that? Spark up the stove or light a fire in the cabin, you don't have to but it'll suck without it - trust me.
Oh yea, and now we're in to the WOLF ATTACK during the big hunt in episode one! Jesus Christ you know you see "if" you see a wolf? You might see his ass running like hell away from you if you're lucky - WHAT CRAP TELEVISION!!
Like the other reviews I've read here on IMDb - its a couple of dorks "in the woods" if you can call it that and it's pointless and stupid to watch. You wanna play outdoor boy? Put on a backpack and start walking and yes, you can probably legally snare and eat squirrels when you get hungry out there in the bush, me? I fire up the gen set and nuke a pizza. (grin) But I will put moose pepperoni on it so its macho and rugged.
Now you know why it wasn't picked up for another season. The biggie there is the Barks won't be getting a fat check from the producers. Poor babies, if they hit like Dumbest Catch they could have sold Barks Camping Hoodies and Tarter Sauce like those poor struggling scab crab fisherman.
BUSTED!! In show 7 they trek the billions of miles across the frozen wilderness to Carrot Creek, SK to go get gas - too bad for them they show the name of the taxidermist they drop off some furs at. A google search reveals the town - its in "northern saskatchewan"
LIARS !
It's about as far north as bloody Edmonton ..... you lying pieces of Discovery Television crap!! You are such scum!!
Cheers' Dave
So Yep, just started to watch it .... it's another lame attempt from the Disco Channel to show or entice the southern US yanks to world of SURVIVAL and the fantastic outdoor adventures in bloody Saskatchewan. (YAWN)
What a crock, from the opening credit where we're told they're in Northern Sask which they then take care to tell you is "south" of the Arctic Circle to increase the bullshit drama. Yea its SOUTH like 600 freaken kilometers south you lying pieces of crap Discovery producer's. Gurney Prod.
It follows the usual Disco Channel scheme of really excessively over dramatic sounds beds and stings to create drama out of sweet bugger all. You know, da da DA DA DA!!and nothing happens.
Maybe the yanks in the US don't know any better but I mean god, I live in Calgary, AB right beside the wilds of Saskatchewan and I worked in IT and lived in New York, Seoul, and London and hell yea I hunt every bloody year .... big freaken whoop! What is it boy? Is it cool and surprising that meat doesn't just come on foam trays in the store? So they hunt and eat deer and moose la-de-da so do I and half of my friends.
As for a cabin - uh yea, what did you expect? Here's a tip - when that white stuff called snow hits the ground and winter arrives it's cold outside. Where's the drama and action in that? Spark up the stove or light a fire in the cabin, you don't have to but it'll suck without it - trust me.
Oh yea, and now we're in to the WOLF ATTACK during the big hunt in episode one! Jesus Christ you know you see "if" you see a wolf? You might see his ass running like hell away from you if you're lucky - WHAT CRAP TELEVISION!!
Like the other reviews I've read here on IMDb - its a couple of dorks "in the woods" if you can call it that and it's pointless and stupid to watch. You wanna play outdoor boy? Put on a backpack and start walking and yes, you can probably legally snare and eat squirrels when you get hungry out there in the bush, me? I fire up the gen set and nuke a pizza. (grin) But I will put moose pepperoni on it so its macho and rugged.
Now you know why it wasn't picked up for another season. The biggie there is the Barks won't be getting a fat check from the producers. Poor babies, if they hit like Dumbest Catch they could have sold Barks Camping Hoodies and Tarter Sauce like those poor struggling scab crab fisherman.
BUSTED!! In show 7 they trek the billions of miles across the frozen wilderness to Carrot Creek, SK to go get gas - too bad for them they show the name of the taxidermist they drop off some furs at. A google search reveals the town - its in "northern saskatchewan"
LIARS !
It's about as far north as bloody Edmonton ..... you lying pieces of Discovery Television crap!! You are such scum!!
Cheers' Dave
YOU CAN DIE OUT HERE !!!
dixiedoggg12 March 2018
Warning: Spoilers
The dad is constantly warning his family and us that death is just around the corner. Got it....
The youngest boy (Cole) is like 16 or so and lived there all his life and has never operated a chainsaw ? Wouldn't that seem like a task learned long ago being they live in a cabin heated by wood ?
Wait a minute moment #1 ; The two boys out on their own, many miles away, get on a battery powered CB radio to call home. OK, that tells me that they are about 3 miles from home at the most.... and observe the boy's radio, no antenna cable whatsoever, doesn't sell in this household. On battery power it probably puts out about 5 watts tops, enough to cover 3 or maybe 4 miles at best, without an antenna, zero...
Another BS show to teach us 'southern' yokels how tough it is to live in the frozen north with guns, ATVs, snowmobiles, endless supply of gas, ammo, school busses, etc etc...
Wait a minute moment #2; When Grampa Griz needs some dynamite to blow up the poor beavers, he goes to his old cabin in the woods to get some 'his words' unstable and dangerous dynamite sticks in a lunch box. Dad tells the womenfolk and Cole to stay behind on account of how dangerous it is... yet the camera crew is invited in to watch as Dad an Griz magically find the stuff, and of course nothing happens cause there ain't no dynamite, ain't no danger, just a couple harmless cylinders of cardboard in a box made to resemble some TNT.....
Love the location filming but the story and plot are pure hokum... These folks are gonna die out there...
The youngest boy (Cole) is like 16 or so and lived there all his life and has never operated a chainsaw ? Wouldn't that seem like a task learned long ago being they live in a cabin heated by wood ?
Wait a minute moment #1 ; The two boys out on their own, many miles away, get on a battery powered CB radio to call home. OK, that tells me that they are about 3 miles from home at the most.... and observe the boy's radio, no antenna cable whatsoever, doesn't sell in this household. On battery power it probably puts out about 5 watts tops, enough to cover 3 or maybe 4 miles at best, without an antenna, zero...
Another BS show to teach us 'southern' yokels how tough it is to live in the frozen north with guns, ATVs, snowmobiles, endless supply of gas, ammo, school busses, etc etc...
Wait a minute moment #2; When Grampa Griz needs some dynamite to blow up the poor beavers, he goes to his old cabin in the woods to get some 'his words' unstable and dangerous dynamite sticks in a lunch box. Dad tells the womenfolk and Cole to stay behind on account of how dangerous it is... yet the camera crew is invited in to watch as Dad an Griz magically find the stuff, and of course nothing happens cause there ain't no dynamite, ain't no danger, just a couple harmless cylinders of cardboard in a box made to resemble some TNT.....
Love the location filming but the story and plot are pure hokum... These folks are gonna die out there...
It's just more fake survival
tuckersworkmail20 June 2015
The premise sounds good enough. The eldest sons of a family 'living off the land' go out on their own to 'become men' and see if they can make it 90 days out in the wild.
The problem, well like most of these fake survival shows, they have ALL the modern conveniences possible. They have snowmobiles, 6 wheel ATVs, chain saws, rifles and unlimited ammo (they need it too because they are bad shots). They also happen to make their camp at what appears to be a brand new cabin, which I suspect was built just for the show.
Supposedly the family lives on the land and makes the money to buy all this along with all their other supplies for their actual home primarily from trapping. They are always claiming how disconnected they are, but they live on a road with a mailbox and a school bus drops their kids off. They are certainly exaggerating quite a lot. Those ATVs and snowmobiles are thousands of dollars and upkeep on them is also no joke. They have modern clothes and access basically to anything you can get at Walmart.
Still, I give the show a shot because the premise itself still seems good and a 90 day survival show would be a welcome change from the BS we currently have being marketed as survival.
The problem is the show really isn't about the 'Sons' of Winter. Instead of focusing on the two sons like the title would suggest the show constantly jumps back to the house and the father where we see them setup traps and do basic chores. The father has a tendency of constantly repeating the same lines over and over and let us remember he moved to the wild, it's his second home, not his first. Yet he seems quite sure of himself on all walks, of course in relation to how stupid the two sons act, I can see why he might be arrogant.
In either case, the show does not deliver it's basic premise well enough. There is no real focus on the 90 day survival task, rather they split the show up and just randomly jump back and forth between the boys out in the brand new cabin with their chain saws and ATV and the rest of the family back home, the 2nd part being especially boring.
It's really just another wilderness soap opera, not a survival show. Fat Guys in the Woods, for instance, offers a lot more survival and education on the wilderness than this show, which tends to focus on social interaction more than wilderness survival.
Like all these shows, they lie to you about exactly where all those cool toys the family has comes from. Many of these people have other jobs where they make their money for their snowmobiles, tractors, and bulldozers and so on and so forth. They also exaggerate how cut off most of these places are, many of which are just a short drive from a major city and a Walmart. Then they try to sell you on how one with nature these people are.. using their chainsaws and snow mobiles and brand new shiny modern tools.
I've watched several episodes hoping the show would move it's focus to the kids survival plot, but it keeps jumping back to the trapping business that supposedly is the heart and soul of the families income. The father is just an annoying character that probably says things like.. 'if you make a a mistake out here YOU DIE' like 5 times in every episode just to keep the dramatic element alive. You can't help but think, well if that's the case then how is your dumb ass still alive.
The wilderness is dangerous, but they don't live in the real wilderness and they have full access to every modern convenience they can buy, which seems to be quite a lot. This show is almost as bad/fake as Alaskan Bush People, but it's not quite that over the top. The idea is the same though and the kids do dumb things to keep the show exciting while the dad tries to act like some 'holier than thou' character doing what he can just to keep his family alive on the brink of pioneer country. Of course in reality they have roads, electric, cars and major cities close enough that the only pioneering really being done here is to push the boundaries of survival show BS.
Living in a cabin with guns, tons of ammo, ATVs and snowmobiles. That's not survival, it's more like a vacation that lots of people pay thousands of dollars to experience. Sure, it requires some work, but game is plentiful, ammo is seemingly unlimited, they have a really nice pre-built shelter and plenty of traps and supplies. So far I haven't seen anything remotely like wilderness survival in this show. It's more like a sensationalized hunting and logging show.
The problem, well like most of these fake survival shows, they have ALL the modern conveniences possible. They have snowmobiles, 6 wheel ATVs, chain saws, rifles and unlimited ammo (they need it too because they are bad shots). They also happen to make their camp at what appears to be a brand new cabin, which I suspect was built just for the show.
Supposedly the family lives on the land and makes the money to buy all this along with all their other supplies for their actual home primarily from trapping. They are always claiming how disconnected they are, but they live on a road with a mailbox and a school bus drops their kids off. They are certainly exaggerating quite a lot. Those ATVs and snowmobiles are thousands of dollars and upkeep on them is also no joke. They have modern clothes and access basically to anything you can get at Walmart.
Still, I give the show a shot because the premise itself still seems good and a 90 day survival show would be a welcome change from the BS we currently have being marketed as survival.
The problem is the show really isn't about the 'Sons' of Winter. Instead of focusing on the two sons like the title would suggest the show constantly jumps back to the house and the father where we see them setup traps and do basic chores. The father has a tendency of constantly repeating the same lines over and over and let us remember he moved to the wild, it's his second home, not his first. Yet he seems quite sure of himself on all walks, of course in relation to how stupid the two sons act, I can see why he might be arrogant.
In either case, the show does not deliver it's basic premise well enough. There is no real focus on the 90 day survival task, rather they split the show up and just randomly jump back and forth between the boys out in the brand new cabin with their chain saws and ATV and the rest of the family back home, the 2nd part being especially boring.
It's really just another wilderness soap opera, not a survival show. Fat Guys in the Woods, for instance, offers a lot more survival and education on the wilderness than this show, which tends to focus on social interaction more than wilderness survival.
Like all these shows, they lie to you about exactly where all those cool toys the family has comes from. Many of these people have other jobs where they make their money for their snowmobiles, tractors, and bulldozers and so on and so forth. They also exaggerate how cut off most of these places are, many of which are just a short drive from a major city and a Walmart. Then they try to sell you on how one with nature these people are.. using their chainsaws and snow mobiles and brand new shiny modern tools.
I've watched several episodes hoping the show would move it's focus to the kids survival plot, but it keeps jumping back to the trapping business that supposedly is the heart and soul of the families income. The father is just an annoying character that probably says things like.. 'if you make a a mistake out here YOU DIE' like 5 times in every episode just to keep the dramatic element alive. You can't help but think, well if that's the case then how is your dumb ass still alive.
The wilderness is dangerous, but they don't live in the real wilderness and they have full access to every modern convenience they can buy, which seems to be quite a lot. This show is almost as bad/fake as Alaskan Bush People, but it's not quite that over the top. The idea is the same though and the kids do dumb things to keep the show exciting while the dad tries to act like some 'holier than thou' character doing what he can just to keep his family alive on the brink of pioneer country. Of course in reality they have roads, electric, cars and major cities close enough that the only pioneering really being done here is to push the boundaries of survival show BS.
Living in a cabin with guns, tons of ammo, ATVs and snowmobiles. That's not survival, it's more like a vacation that lots of people pay thousands of dollars to experience. Sure, it requires some work, but game is plentiful, ammo is seemingly unlimited, they have a really nice pre-built shelter and plenty of traps and supplies. So far I haven't seen anything remotely like wilderness survival in this show. It's more like a sensationalized hunting and logging show.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
