Operation Unplugged (2012)
What do you get when you take eight of the most self-proclaimed technology obsessed and dependent Canadians and unplug them from their networks and devices? You get Operation Unplugged, an adventure series that follows them as they embark on a physical and personal journey through Canada’s breathtaking National Parks and National Historic Sites. Watch as they are forced to abandon their technological devices in favour of real-time, real-world interactions with the great outdoors… and with each other. From challenging outdoor physical tasks to historical re-creation that demonstrates the mettle of early Canadian settlers, Operation Unplugged will test these eight individuals on the adventure of a lifetime.
Seasons & Episode
The adventure begins when host Alan Bishop unplugs 8 technology dependent Canadians and whisks them to their first stop – Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site in Nova Scotia. A journey back in time to the 1800s, when local guides had the lay of the land and modern technology was nowhere in sight. The cast must go back to the basics in the wilderness with no guidance or survival skills.
Alan leads the cast to Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park in Quebec. It’s all about the big blue sea… above and below the surface. The cast is faced with several days of water-based adventures: in a wetsuit, on a sailboat and in a kayak.
The journey continues in Ontario where the cast explores Bruce Peninsula National Park and Fathom Five National Marine Park. How much can these tired feet take? The cast are taken on a once-in-a-lifetime hike and an orienteering adventure that takes them deep into the woods, followed by a salvage mission on the coast.
The Motherwell Homestead National Historic Site in Saskatchewan becomes the next destination for the cast, followed by Riding Mountain National Park in Manitoba. From traditional farmers fields to the hills of The Plains, the cast face Mother Nature’s blustering heat and physical adventures that bring emotions to an all time high.
Alan and the cast take in the majestic beauty of legendary Jasper National Park in Alberta. It’s a test of physicality unlike any other. A race to the top of a mountain, a wolf tracking adventure among the trees, an ice rescue on a glacier and a two part mountain biking/rappelling mission that pushes the cast to their limits.
In the season finale, Alan takes the cast on their toughest missions yet to Fort Langley National Historic Site and then on to Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. As the journey comes to an end, the cast must put to use all of the skills they’ve learned from the very beginning. Only one of them will receive the title of Operation Unplugged Explorer – who will it be?
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