‘Race to Survive: New Zealand’ Recap – ‘Water and Ice’

​Written by John Edward Betancourt

RACE TO SURVIVE: NEW ZEALAND -- "Water and Ice" Episode 201 -- Pictured: Cast -- (Photo by: Daniel Allen/USA Network)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Season Two Premiere of ‘Race to Survive’.
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It is definitely safe to say that season one of the hit USA Network series, Race to Survive, was about as ambitious as it gets. After all, plunging people into the heart of the Alaskan Wilderness, to survive and complete tasks as part of a grandiose competition, with limited supplies and miles of wilderness for them to traverse… makes for some incredible television. The kind that brought about tough and harrowing moments for so many and captivated us with the wonder of the human condition and the human spirit, since so many forged ahead regardless of the odds and potentially their physical standing. Because these folks were pushed to their limit and this show was so ambitious, it seemed that nothing could top it.

Well, as it turns out, USA Network did indeed find a way to top what it presented to all of us. For last night saw Race to Survive: New Zealand premiere on the network, and truly… this season of storytelling will be far more ambitious in nature. In part thanks to the new setting. For New Zealand is another rugged and wild place for people to try and survive within, one that features a bevy of environments. Just take what ‘Water and Ice’ had to offer for instance. Since the new batch of nine competing teams, had to traverse a marsh/swamp, massive bodies of water, rugged forest trails, a mountain climb AND descent, along with traversing foothills and rivers and chasms… all in this episode.

Which truly does top last year in set up and design, which is saying something. For season one did indeed feature incredible environments for the contestants to traverse, but the variety of them here happens to be far more diverse and difficult to navigate, as evidenced by how the first leg of the competition went. After all, we had two teams get stuck in the mud, literally, which delayed them immensely. Not to mention, some folks got lost along the way because of how complex the area is, and we also saw a lot of lead changes. Because for every team that perhaps stumbled out of the gate… there were others eager and hungry to go for it, make up time lost or just fight to dominate. All of which made for an enriching opening to season two, one that also featured some other lovely surprises for this new year of storytelling.

Simply because the setting wasn’t the only change to the structure of the game. For while the production team gifts every set of competitors with the right tools for the job when they hit white water rivers and or complex climbs, there are some essentials that are now up to the contestants to find. For there was no food present in the gear for the teams on day one like it was for others last year, they either have to decide to forage and eat whatever nature can provide, or they can take precious time out of the competition to stop by carefully placed food caches. Which is a hell of a difficult choice that can raise the stakes and change fortunes, as we saw here.

But all of the tough decisions are made with only one real goal in mind. In that, this year the contestants are battling it out for a life changing prize. Specifically, $500,000. Which is a lot of bread, the kind that can truly change a person’s fortunes and direction in life and that makes the battle worthwhile for these folks and for us… the intensity of this competition makes it worthwhile to watch. Because this season premiere, was stunningly captivating and harrowing to watch. Because these folks really are in the wringer quickly, and this writer simply could not look away and truly… it will be interesting to see how this intense competition plays out for these nine teams, as the challenges and the decisions to survive in this beautiful but taxing land, only get tougher. Until next time. 

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