TV Review: Expedition Africa, Ep. 2

Man Down!

This week's episode of Expedition Africa introduced new troubles for our modern-day explorers. Ironically, their biggest problem stems from within. As most have probably noticed, Pasquale, the team leader, has a head the size of a watermelon, and in the first 10 minutes of episode 2, viewers witnessed the cost of his inflated ego.

The show picks up on day 6 of the expedition, fast forwarding through several days and some mileage. They have 900 out of 970 miles to go, and for a challenge, they have decided to deviate from Stanley's original course. Rather than snake their way around the Uluguru Mountains (as wise, Mr. Stanley once did), they will climb straight over them. But these mountains are tough. And with Pasquale unwilling to slow his reckless pace, the team suffers. Only 10 minutes into their ascent of the Uluguru's, a porter collapses from severe heat exhaustion. This is just moments after Kevin, the journalist, asked Pasquale to slow down, for fear the porters would be left in the dust, to which the self-declared leader responded, "Dude, we're fine!"



In this moment, viewers witness a transformation. Kevin, the least experienced "expeditionist" of the group, bolts into action, his Emergency Technician training coming into play. He knows exactly how to care for the exhausted porter. Later, Benedict, the team's survivalist, remarks that it was a sight to behold, witnessing Kevin's call to action. Earlier in the show, Kevin states to viewers how - unsure of his expedition skill set, yet wanting to contribute in a unique way - feels a draw to the porters. Therefore, he has taken it upon himself to become their voice, their say in the expedition. He will be the link between them and the team leaders. They are his self-inflicted responsibility. Indeed, we see this acted out over the course of the episode, as he is in constant communication with them, making sure they are fed, have water, and enough rest.

Thankfully, the porter survives, and the team moves on, but the event calls Pasquale's "all-or-nothing" attitude into question. Someone suggests Mireya take the front, so she might set a slower, steadier pace for the group, but Pasquale refuses. "The expedition must go on!" he claims, stating that the group's mission outweighs an individual's personal position. Not to be harsh, he says, but that's just the way it is on an expedition. Some may not agree with Pasquale's mission philosophy, but he is certainly confident and unmovable. These are both qualities and flaws in a leader.



That night, the team endures severe winds so loud and strong, they hardly catch a wink of sleep. The following morning, Benedict starts a fire with a tampon, which he always carries in his survival pack for just this purpose. It acts as valuable tinder, he explains, and sure enough, he provides a roaring fire on which the team can cook their breakfast.

Later in the show, the expedition comes across a giant cliff, which must be circumvented, and through this unexpected obstacle, Kevin's insecurities are revealed. In this moment, he shows his fear and uncertainty, and Benedict states, rather frankly, if Kevin cannot adapt to the needs of the expedition, they're going to have a problem. Luckily, navigating around the cliff face is not as difficult as it first appears, and Kevin's fears are in vain. But his uprooted insecurity could present problems in the future...

Episode 2 ends with the team arriving at a native village, where they are welcomed as heroes. Exhausted and starving, the explorers enjoy some unique foods. Mireya, for one, has her first taste of goat kidneys. Yummy. The natives throw a huge celebration that night, full of exotic food, dancing, fires, and massive pythons!

Now that the Uluguru Mountains have been traversed, the expedition is headed for the African plains, where they'll have to fend off new kinds of predators. Lion country awaits!

If you missed this week's episode, you can watch full episodes at History Channel's website!