No state in the US produces more unscripted television content than Alaska. The combination of extreme environments, dangerous occupations, remote communities, abundant wildlife, and larger-than-life characters has made Alaska the default setting for the genre. At any given time, multiple network and streaming productions are filming across the state simultaneously.
Deadliest Catch (Discovery, 2005-present)
The franchise that put Alaska reality TV on the map. King crab and opilio fishing out of Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands. One of the highest-rated reality series in television history. Currently in its 20th season.
Life Below Zero (National Geographic, 2013-present)
Following Alaskans living off the grid in extreme conditions. Filming locations span Fairbanks, the Kobuk River, Noorvik, Kavik, and remote locations across Interior and Arctic Alaska. Multiple spinoffs including Life Below Zero: Next Generation and Life Below Zero: First Alaskans.
Gold Rush (Discovery, 2010-present)
Mining operations across Alaska and the Yukon. Alaska filming locations include the Interior, the Kenai Peninsula, and various active mining claims across the state.
Port Protection Alaska (National Geographic, 2015-present)
A community of off-grid residents in the remote town of Port Protection on Prince of Wales Island in Southeast Alaska. Accessible only by boat or floatplane.
Homestead Rescue (Discovery, 2016-present)
The Raney family helping struggling homesteaders across rural America, with extensive filming in Alaska where the family is based.
Alaska: The Last Frontier (Discovery, 2011-2021)
The Kilcher family homesteading near Homer on the Kenai Peninsula. Ten seasons of one of the most popular Alaska docuseries.
Ice Road Truckers (History, 2007-2017)
Trucking on the Dalton Highway between Fairbanks and Deadhorse. The show that introduced mainstream audiences to Alaska's most dangerous road.
Alaskan Bush People (Discovery, 2014-2021)
The Brown family living in remote Alaska. Despite its popularity, the show generated significant local backlash from Alaskans who felt it misrepresented life in the state. This resentment contributed to the political environment that ended Alaska's film tax credit program in 2015.
Alaska State Troopers (National Geographic, 2009-2014)
Ride-along series with Alaska's law enforcement across the state's most remote communities. Filming locations spanned the entire state from Southeast to the Arctic coast.
Edge of Alaska (Discovery, 2014-2017)
Life in the tiny town of McCarthy at the edge of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, the largest national park in the United States.
Bering Sea Gold (Discovery, 2012-2022)
Gold dredging operations in the waters off Nome. Ten seasons of mining content in one of Alaska's most remote coastal towns.
Ultimate Survival Alaska (National Geographic, 2013-2014)
Competition survival series filmed across Alaska's most extreme terrain.
Tougher in Alaska (History, 2008-2009)
Contestants testing themselves against Alaska's toughest jobs and environments.
Alaska delivers three things that no other US location can match for unscripted television.
Visual Drama
Every frame has a backdrop that reads as epic. Glaciers, mountains, ocean, tundra, northern lights, deep snow, and extreme weather provide production value that no set can replicate.
Authentic Stakes
The danger is real. Crab fishing boats capsize. Bears walk through camp. Temperatures drop to -40. Rivers flood. Equipment fails. The stakes in Alaska unscripted television are genuine, not manufactured, and audiences can tell the difference.
Characters
Alaska attracts people who chose to live at the edge. Fishermen, miners, homesteaders, pilots, trappers, and wilderness dwellers. These are not actors. Their stories are compelling because they are real.
We provide full production support for documentary and unscripted television crews shooting anywhere in Alaska. Local fixing, crew staffing, permitting, logistics, remote basecamp operations, cold-weather safety, and the local knowledge that makes the difference between a smooth shoot and an expensive disaster.
If you are developing or producing an unscripted series in Alaska, we are your fixer and your service producer. Contact us to start planning.
No more sitting on the sidelines. Stand out with compelling, story-driven visuals from the Last Frontier.
