National Geographic has given us an incalculable amount of content featuring adventurers heading off into the wilderness to live off of the land. What I can not remember them showing us, is a family of adventurers doing that same thing. That’s what we get with the new series Home in the Wild.
Jim and Tori Baird thought their days of professional adventuring were over when their son Wesley was diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder. But after learning from doctors that being immersed in nature could have a positive impact on his development, they take Wes and his baby brother on expeditions into the backcountry to see if an off-grid life would be not only possible but beneficial for their family.
Those who love that typical adventurer series from National Geographic will certainly not be disappointed with Home in the Wild. The new show hits all of those familiar drama beats that have become a trademark of the genre. Get ready to jump to commercial right as something seems to be going wrong with a particular task and have suspense build as you don’t quite know if your host is going to make it though safely. It changes up the format, but the general outline of the show is still there.
Of course, this show is a bit more playful than most others in the genre. With the whole family along for the adventure, there’s a bit more of a fun energy and joking tone in certain moments throughout the show. Plus, Jim and Tori Baird (especially Jim) have a much lighter and more humorous attitude than the typical hosts of this type of show.
On the flip side of that coin, Home in the Wild does deliver the expected cheesiness of a family show as well. There are moments that can feel a bit forced, as is almost always the case whenever a husband and wife high five. There’s also a more-than-fair amount of baby talk in the show, which again, should be expected with young children playing such a big role. If you can deal with those elements though, there is a lot to enjoy about this show and the good far outweighs the bad.
At the end of the day, the two words that would best describe this show would be “inspirational” and “heartwarming.” This family could have easily left their life of adventuring behind them after learning of their child’s neurological disorder. Instead, they used it to benefit his development and brought their family closer together in the process.
Overall, Home in the Wild is a lighter, more playful version of your typical adventurer show. It’s not going to be for everyone, especially those who are looking for something a bit more serious. However, it does still hit those same beats while delivering a heartwarming product. As long as you don’t mind some baby talk, it’s worth a watch.
Home in the Wild premieres on Tuesday, May 2nd with the first two episodes and streams on Disney+ starting May 31st.