'Port Protection Alaska,' plus everyone with an AK hometown on their title card in 'The Bachelor' universe

It took me too long to realize Port Protection Alaska is not about people who protect ports across the state. I put on an episode and waited a good five minutes before I thought, Maybe I should look up what this show is about.

We've got ports all over. It's in the name, y'all. Shocker (to me), Port Protection, Alaska is a physical place.

Some background. Port Protection Alaska is part of the Life Below Zero umbrella from Nat Geo. There is Port Protection Alaska (8 seasons). Depending on where you're streaming from, it seems to be called different variations of the same name (like how GBBO in the UK is Great British Bake Off but in the US it's the Great British Baking Show because Pillsbury owns trademark), including Port Protection, Life Below Zero: Port Protection and Lawless Island.

PP follows folks around who live in Port Protection on their homesteading projects, and shows people "surviving" (these are grown adults who have all chosen this lifestyle by the way). They are living their daily lives, like going fishing, helping a buddy build a shed before winter, or installing a new water pump.

I watched a few episodes from season one, a handful more in seasons two and three, and the majority of season eight, so I've been ping-ponging around. I watched at least an entire episode on low or no volume while I was trying to put EJ to sleep, and it was kind of entrancing to just watch the visuals with no audio. There are a lot of pretty stunning drone shots of southeast coastlines and the flora and fauna that inhabit the area.

Wow, no chainsaw chaps or PPE, my husband said. She's got the safety squint.

That's coming from someone who chopped off the tip of his finger.

I want to see the Port Protection port protector. Who is the PPPP? he asked.

There is something to be said about reality television with narration. I think about Ice Road Truckers (which I am slowly working my way through for you, dear reader) and how sensationalized it is.

At the top of the world, there's an outpost like no other, and a job only a few would dare.

Port Protection doesn't have a narrator, thank god – and not to say there isn't manufactured drama or a touch of editor influencing here and there. It's a reality show.

Something I particularly love about watching a new show is finding out who the audience is. For Port Protection Alaska, it's older folks. There's a Facebook fan page that shares the same name as the show's with 58,000+ members – filled with photos of cast members with captions like, say YES if you love Port Protection, Alaska.

They go fish and hunt just about everything that's available in southeast: shrimp, crab, salmon, halibut, octopus, beaver, black bear, Sitka black-tailed deer, duck, etc.

I live on Prince of Wales Island, one Redditor shared last year. Mary works at the deli where I shop. I’ve recommended Port Protection on one of the [Alaskan Bush People] threads. So much better. And actually what it’s like to homestead in the Alaskan bush. Speaking from experience. ABP is the Walmart of life here. Cheap copies. PP is the real deal.

I haven't watched a lot, but to my knowledge Alaskan Bush People is very much a docu-drama and oh so painfully scripted. I don't think Port Protection Alaska is even close to the same level as that.

Really good show, I wish it would have gone for more seasons instead of the Browns [from Alaskan Bush People], another Redditor wrote. Everyone seemed authentic, and they all had interesting back stories.

Cast members posted on social media last year that Port Protection Alaska would not be getting another season. It was never officially renewed or canceled, but one of the show's producers picked up "where Nat Geo left us hanging," and has been uploading new episodes to YouTube ever since. She's currently sitting at just over 22,000 subscribers.

The scenery really is the best part of Port Protection Alaska.

And Junior.

(total watch time: 3 days, 18 hours)

TLDR: Taylor Frankie Paul → Secret Lives of Mormon Wives → The next Bachelorette → Alaska in the Bachelor-verse

We are finally getting a new season of The Bachelorette. TFP is the reason why she and eight other wives grew from Tiktok dancers to full-blown influencers who got their own Hulu original, SLOMW. Season four comes out on March 12. I'm guessing it will highlight Whitney Leavitt and Jen Affleck's recent stints on Dancing With the Stars and Whit's recent Broadway debut in Chicago.

First came The Bachelor in 2002 (29 seasons), then The Bachelorette a year later (22 seasons). Then ABC execs realized that all these hot single people they have platformed DESERVE A SECOND CHANCE AT LOVE. Enter Bachelor in Paradise in 2014 (10 seasons). The most recent addition is The Golden Bachelor/ette.

Then, I got to thinking (or as Maura Higgins says, tinkin') – I wonder if I know anyone who has been on the series. I went through every cast and only saw four folks repping an Alaska city as their hometown (there could be contestants who lived here since filming their season).

From top left clockwise: Diane Firmani appeared on Mel Owens' season of The Golden Bachelor (2025). This is the same guy who went on a podcast a week before the women were announced and "jokingly" said he would eliminate contestants older than 60. He cut the Wasilla librarian loose on week 2, and to that I say, run Diane! (She's a 71-year-old triathlete and avid hockey player who could kick my ass. And his, honestly).

Olivia Burnette was on Nick Viall's season of The Bachelor (2017). Her hometown was listed as Anchorage, and she was eliminated in week 1. Soldotna-raised Elyse Dehlbom appeared on Colton Underwood's season of The Bachelor (2019), and self-eliminated during week five. Frank Carpenter from Anchorage was on The Bachelorette season 7 (2011), and was eliminated in week 1.

Next up on the server – Survivor, The Bachelorette, Traitors UK and Top Chef

We recently wrapped our first series watch in AK IRL's Discord, and are moving onto the next! We're going to be watching Survivor on Wednesday nights (now through May 27), The Traitors UK (Saturdays), the upcoming season of The Bachelorette with TFP on Sunday evenings (starting March 22) and Top Chef (airing March 9) on Mondays.