The WORST episodes of Life Below Zero

Every episode of Life Below Zero ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of Life Below Zero!

When bears, wolves and foxes are your only neighbors, life can be pretty lonely. Add minus-60-degree days and a constant battle for the most basic necessities, and you have the daily challenges of people who live in remote corners of Alaska. This series takes viewers deep into an Alaskan winter to meet six tough and resilient residents as they try to stay one step ahead of storms and man-eating beasts to make it through to spring. The closest neighbor to Sue Aikens is more than 300 miles away. Eric Salitan subsists solely on what he hunts and forages. Chip and Agnes Hailstone catch fish for currency in bartering for supplies, and Andy and Kate Bassich use their pack of sled dogs for transportation.

Last Updated: 4/26/2024Network: National GeographicStatus: Continuing
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Independent by Nature
star
7.29
86 votes

#1 - Independent by Nature

Season 3 - Episode 13 - Aired 11/2/2014

Alaskans living in remote corners of the Arctic fight to maintain an independent lifestyle through self-reliant ingenuity, innovation, resourcefulness, and knowledge.

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Predator Control
star
7.36
121 votes

#2 - Predator Control

Season 6 - Episode 5 - Aired 12/22/2015

Erik returns to embark on a hunt, and Sue attempts to restock her freezers. The Hailstones get a new boat, and Jessie continues to work on his fish wheel.

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Bent and Broken
star
7.37
119 votes

#3 - Bent and Broken

Season 5 - Episode 10 - Aired 6/11/2015

In Eagle, Andy constructs snares to maintain his food supply. In Wiseman, Erik and Martha cut up their last moose quarter and use salvaged supplies to construct a smokehouse. In Kiwalik, Chip and Agnes go caribou hunting to stockpile meat and fur for the coming months. And in Kavik, Sue clears her runway for a plane to deliver a new snow machine.

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Under the Gun
star
7.37
116 votes

#4 - Under the Gun

Season 6 - Episode 7 - Aired 1/5/2016

Sue travels to a weaponry in Fairbanks, the Hailstone family head north to collect greens, Jessie constructs new doghouses for his dog team, and Martha goes on a solo duck hunt.

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Hunt, Barter and Steal
star
7.38
221 votes

#5 - Hunt, Barter and Steal

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 5/26/2013

After being away for several months due to an injury, Sue is finally on her way to her home at the Kavik River Camp. Though she thinks bears may have taken up residence there, she discovers a bigger surprise: thieves have robbed her fuel supply. If she runs out before weather makes a delivery possible, she'll freeze. In Noorvik, Chip and Agnes can't access their hunting grounds until their river freezes, forcing them to rely on bartering the supplies they have for the essential items they lack.

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Aftermath
star
7.38
114 votes

#6 - Aftermath

Season 5 - Episode 12 - Aired 6/25/2015

Sue heads into town to get a diagnosis about her injury; the Hailstone's head out one last hunt of the season; Chip's snow machine breaks down; the Salitans go ice fishing.

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The Beast
star
7.40
5 votes

#7 - The Beast

Season 17 - Episode 11 - Aired 11/9/2021

As winter comes to an end, Alaskans must push through the cold as they prepare for daylight’s return.

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The Resurrection
star
7.42
133 votes

#8 - The Resurrection

Season 6 - Episode 1 - Aired 11/24/2015

When spring arrives in Alaska, the thaw means time to begin preparation for the next freeze, be it hunting, fishing or relocating for the summer.

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End of the Road
star
7.42
330 votes

#9 - End of the Road

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 5/19/2013

Six people separated by hundreds of miles, all joined by the common cause of surviving the winter in the Alaskan bush. In Noorvik, Chip races to set whitefish nets on thin ice for the last catch of the season. Fishing on the frozen river is deadly, but it's vital to haul enough fish to last through the winter. Andy tests the safety of the river surrounding his house that he uses as a link to the outside world. Without this winter lifeline, he is trapped and isolated.

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No Easy Out
star
7.45
112 votes

#10 - No Easy Out

Season 5 - Episode 9 - Aired 6/4/2015

Chip and Agnes prepare for hunting along the Kiwalik River; Sue builds a pair of snowshoes; Andy goes in search of much needed supplies; Erik and Martha set their first traps of the season.

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Hard Knocks
star
7.46
70 votes

#11 - Hard Knocks

Season 13 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/22/2019

Sue repairs her cabin in Chena. The DeWildes set a fish net. Jessie spends time with his young dogs. Chip receives medical attention after an accident.

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Wolf at the Door
star
7.47
189 votes

#12 - Wolf at the Door

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 6/9/2013

Mechanical breakdowns and invading predators threaten the lives of six people as they try to survive the dark and cold winter in Alaska. In Kavik, a familiar sound startles Sue. She soon realizes that a deadly wolf has approached her cabin. Nineteen miles north of the Arctic Circle, Chip's snow machine breaks down, threatening his own survival since without it he cannot fish, hunt or trade. In Wiseman, Erik hunts for lynx fur to earn money but the beast outsmarts him every time.

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Dark Winter's End
star
7.47
120 votes

#13 - Dark Winter's End

Season 3 - Episode 12 - Aired 7/3/2014

The end of winter is quickly approaching. Chip and Agnes have one last chance to harvest caribou until late summer. If they succeed, they will have meat for food and trade for months. Sue stumbles upon a mysterious object in the tundra, and fears for a potential encounter with a predator. Glenn is on the hunt for food and fur, and the wolf tracks he spots remind him there is more than one hunter in Chandalar. Andy sets out to collect wood before the rising temperatures melt away his snow trails.

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The Harvest
star
7.48
89 votes

#14 - The Harvest

Season 4 - Episode 4 - Aired 11/25/2014

As summer draws near, unpredictable weather is shaking up life in Alaska. For Sue Aikens, summer is the time to gather food in preparation for the winter months. But when caribou are scarce, Sue is forced to explore other options and try her hand at fishing.

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Out of Control
star
7.49
97 votes

#15 - Out of Control

Season 5 - Episode 3 - Aired 4/23/2015

With seasons changing and the transition from fall to winter, Alaskans are preparing for the winter months. In Eagle, Andy hunts for elusive moose, as he and Kate need to replenish their red meat supply for the coming winter. In Kavik, Sue seals up camp and heads to Fairbanks for a foot procedure. With Tiktaalik — a local word for burbot — in season, the Hailstones teach their daughters to ice fish on the river. And in Chandalar, Glenn repairs his cabin before the harsh winter hits.

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The Crash
star
7.50
125 votes

#16 - The Crash

Season 5 - Episode 11 - Aired 6/18/2015

The Hailstones head out on a trapping expedition; the Salitans gather caribou meat to store; Glenn retrieves his food stores before they are stolen by predators; and Sue puts herself in danger.

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Trials & Tributaries
star
7.50
30 votes

#17 - Trials & Tributaries

Season 20 - Episode 4 - Aired 12/6/2022

As the warm season continues, Alaskans contend with the annual environmental changes that shift the daily struggles and rewards of their environment.

Full Circle
star
7.50
20 votes

#18 - Full Circle

Season 16 - Episode 6 - Aired 12/15/2020

With summer in full swing, Alaskans work to secure lasting legacies and connect with age-old traditions in their wild homeland of the Arctic.

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Blood, Sweat and Fear
star
7.50
180 votes

#19 - Blood, Sweat and Fear

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 6/16/2013

In Kavik, nearly 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle, Sue is becoming dangerously low on fuel. With only a seven-day supply left, she calls in for an air delivery, but mechanical trouble with the plane fleet and another impending winter storm leave her holding her breath that they'll be able to deliver before she freezes. In Wiseman, Erik is in a match of wits with a clever wolf that keeps stealing bait from his traps.

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The Waiting Game
star
7.51
87 votes

#20 - The Waiting Game

Season 4 - Episode 2 - Aired 11/11/2014

Sue searches for new sources of food when caribou cannot be found; outdoor guides man Eric Salitan prepares for his busy season; the Bassichs tend to their garden; and the Hailstones trek to Kiwalik to wait out the thaw.

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The Chase
star
7.51
136 votes

#21 - The Chase

Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 7/14/2013

Chip and Agnes track a wolf for its fur; Sue hunts for a moose; Kate and Andy prepare for a doomsday scenario.

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Red Flag
star
7.51
119 votes

#22 - Red Flag

Season 6 - Episode 4 - Aired 12/15/2015

Technical issues sideline Sue, while weather issues cause the Hailstones to buckle down. Glenn and Jessie find an abundance of food and resources.

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Ready or Not
star
7.52
143 votes

#23 - Ready or Not

Season 5 - Episode 1 - Aired 4/9/2015

Fall season in the Arctic means the final preparation is in full swing for the long winter months ahead. In Kavik, Sue sets off on a quest for food to survive the coming freeze. In Eagle, Andy and Kate race to get their fish wheel turning before the chum salmon run hits. With their annual caribou hunt on the horizon, the Hailstones build a cache to store their meat for the season. And in Chandalar, Glenn sets out on the most critical hunt of his year as he hopes to harvest a moose that will yield nearly six months’ worth of meat.

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Deadly Tracks
star
7.52
166 votes

#24 - Deadly Tracks

Season 7 - Episode 4 - Aired 4/28/2016

With the freeze under way, Alaskans scramble to secure their livelihoods. Sue Aikens returns to find a dangerous predator lurking just outside of camp.

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Trapped and Hunted
star
7.52
151 votes

#25 - Trapped and Hunted

Season 7 - Episode 9 - Aired 6/2/2016

Though not easy tasks, trapping and hunting are essential activities for Alaskans to get crucial food and fur to survive dark winter.

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