Big Timber
Big Timber
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Big Timber is a reality series featuring a Canadian family-owned sawmill business working a precarious logging claim. While the dangers associated with the work are discussed at length, no real injuries are shown. There's lots of cursing ("s--t" is heard, stronger words are bleeped), and conversations about money and profit are frequent. It's a promotional vehicle for Wenstob Timber, but neither the name of the company nor the logo is discussed or shown.
Community Reviews
Good way to understand how hard logging is
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A show about REALLY hard work
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What's the Story?
BIG TIMBER follows a family of Canadian loggers and sawmill owners as they work to keep their way of life. Lumberjack Kevin Wenstob and his wife Sarah own one of the last independently owned sawmills on Vancouver Island. They have their own timber claim on a steep mountainside that offers some of the best wood in the area. But logging in the remote area is extremely dangerous, which is why most loggers don't venture to work there. With Sarah taking in lucrative orders to fulfill, Kevin and his crew members -- including the couple's son and mechanic Erik, right-hand man Coleman Willner, veteran logger Greg Kleven, and rookie Gord King -- push the limits in order to cut and deliver timber to clients before the snow falls. If they succeed, they will make millions. But if they fail, the Wenstobs can lose it all.
Is It Any Good?
The interesting reality series showcases what it takes to work in the expensive and competitive timber industry. As the Wenstobs and their crew do their jobs, explanations are given about the what they are doing, and how they do it. The dangers associated with the work, and the many complications that arise on the mountain and at the mill, are also discussed. But they also talk about how much they enjoy logging, and what their business means to them.
Whether it's moving an enormous log in one piece from a 60-degree incline, or negotiating the cost of the wood with another saw mill owner, Big Timber's main narrative centers on making money. As a result, the cash value of what they cut and what they sell is frequently discussed. Meanwhile, the environmental impact of their work isn't addressed. If you can get past this, and are interested in the subject, Big Timber may satisfy your desire for unscripted entertainment.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the logging industry. Why is it so profitable? What is the difference between what professional lumberjacks do and deforestation? How do logging and sawmill companies mitigate their impact on the environment?
Why was Big Timber produced? To showcase the work that goes into logging? Or is it to market the Wenstob business?
TV Details
- Premiere date: July 2, 2021
- Cast: Kevin Wenstob, Sarah Fleming, Erik Wenstob
- Network: Netflix
- Genre: Reality TV
- Character Strengths: Perseverance, Teamwork
- TV rating: TV-14
- Last updated: February 28, 2022
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