ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Putting the fate of a contestant in the hands of their family, FOX’s new survivalist competition show, “Extracted,” is changing the game. The show places 12 untrained competitors in the unforgiving Canadian wilderness, while their family members stay locked down and in control of their moves, watching it all from a 24/7 live feed.
Albuquerque’s own Doctor Jon Femling, the head of medical services for the show, came onto FOX New Mexico to speak more on the show and to detail some of what the competitors have to face. For the show, competitors are left in the wilderness with nothing more than a canteen and a camera, according to Femling; it is left up to the other family members to get more essentials and supplies delivered to their loved ones.
Story continues below
The setup makes for dangerous conditions, and that is exactly where Femling comes into play. During filming, Femling, an emergency medicine physician and teacher, monitored the competitors and provided medical advice to their family members throughout the process. “I’ve done lots of research monitoring people remotely so that we can figure out when they’re doing well, when they’re starting to get sick,” said Femling. “So, I was the perfect guy for this job.”
With more cameras than major sporting events and microphones tuned finely enough to hear contestants’ breaths at night, competitor supervision is a top priority on “Extracted,” and, thus, Femling’s role is a critical position. Describing FOX’s “Extracted” as “absolutely fascinating” and “super innovative,” Femling says there is nothing like the new show.
For those who want to check out “Extracted,” the show airs Mondays at 7 p.m. (MT) on FOX New Mexico and the next day on Hulu.