This season (Season 7) of “Alaskan Bush People” is going to be darker and more poignant than previous seasons, so get the tissues ready. Over the six previous seasons, we got to know the Browns, aka “The Wolf Pack” and we are invested in their wilderness journey. Although “Alaskan Bush People” has been on hiatus due to Discovery Channel’s yearly “Shark Week”, there is still lots of drama going on in Brown Town. Here is what we can expect on “Alaskan Bush People” when the show returns.
Ami will be front and center. It’s heartbreaking to see Ami trying to keep up a brave front as she experiences some serious pain out there where life is painful enough. She was able to get a medical diagnosis in California and it is the worst–cancer. This is as real as it gets on reality TV.
We will continue to see how cancer affects a family. Seeing Ami in tears in Billy’s arms while Noah tries to keep busy up in Alaska and the kids work to stay distracted in So.California. As in real life, things will get worse and they might not get any better. As Billy said, there is lots of waiting around and things are out of their hands for the most part, which is quite frustrating for this proactive family.
The kids are growing apart. Although nothing will ever separate The Wolf Pack, the Browns are getting older and living their own lives. Episode 1 this season finds Noah taking care of the homestead on his own. Noah has a girlfriend and rumor has it they may already be married. He has his heart set on having her live with him up in Alaska and is planning a home that she will love. Noah’s comparison of marriage to the ridges on a sea shell is adorable. Snowbird is no longer a goofy, tomboy teen and it will be interesting to see her life evolve under tense circumstances.
The fan base will grow. Ami’s diagnosis has prompted cancer survivors and those grieving for those who lost their lives to cancer have rallied behind Ami. What folks love about the Browns is that they are a family of faith who are at peace with themselves and others in the world. They do not come off as “Flanderized” they just walk the walk that they talk.
Trial and Error: During the first few seasons, we got to see the plans in the works and lots of epic fails. Recently, Matt suffered a serious head injury during an explosion. Surely, more moments of triumph are on hand as they continue work on their homestead, but the explosion reminds fans that living on your own (even with a camera crew on hand) is a dangerous business.
There will be detractors. Some critics say that the whole show “Alaskan Bush People” is as fake as it comes. True, there are quite a few elements that stretch credibility, but some have gone so far as to call Ami’s illness a hoax. Yes, on other reality shows, people have used illness and death as a plot device to enhance their profile (yeah, I’m talking to you, Johnny Fairplay on “Survivor”) but there is no way that these tears and medical scenes are contrived.
The Browns will be out of their element for many episodes. Mom Ami will need continued care. The Brown family is certainly out of their normal surroundings in a health care setting (Just look at their unfortunate teeth) and mom even had some of her kids at home, it seems. Much of the action will be divided between their idyllic wilderness world and sitting in waiting rooms. How will this sit with viewers? It may cause folks to turn it off this reality hit as it is “too real” or they may gather an even bigger viewership. We will have to wait and see. In the meantime, we extend best wishes for healing to Ami and the Brown Family.
