Others say...

"Decent Reality TV"
I actually purchased this DVD after viewing a couple of episodes of the second season. The first season was entertaining and gave an accurate portrayal of life in the artic circle. I can see this series only running for maybe two or three seasons before it is discontinued though due to the repeatative theme of the show (hauling loads of cargo across the ice). If I could offer one suggestion, that would be for an uncensored version of the DVD without the profanity bleeps.

"ice truckers complete first season"
The dvd arrived in good order and on time. Not watched yet, but the content is great as we have watched one episode on tv.The most amazing story of courage and ingenuity ever seen.

"Ice Road Truckers"
I returned this product, unopened, and my credit card has not yet been credited for the return.

"What a Job!"
"Ice Road Truckers" tells the story of drivers crossing treacherous lakes in the dead of winter - risking freezing to death or icy drowning, all the while fighting the extreme cold and its effect on equipment. It also tells the story of a determined driver and abusive truck-owner (Hugh) who continually outsmarts himself by failing to provide well-maintained equipment for his drivers, blaming them instead for breakdowns, and losing lots of money as a result.

"Inexplicably fascinating"
I happened to see a tiny bit of the first episode while waiting for the barber, and I was hooked. This is a great series.

I hardly would have imagined the degree to which I would be interested in a profession and geographical location about which I know nothing and would hardly be concerned with, generally. This material is a study in human endurance, sheer force of will, struggle against unbelievably harsh and cruel natural forces, and lots of human interaction through all the mess.

For someone who is totally unfamiliar with this series, it focuses on roughly a half dozen truckers (out of about 800) who move extremely heavy, valuable, and hazardous loads across hundreds of miles of ice lakes during the roughly two month winter season when the temperatures reach -40 degrees, F. A breakdown or a "fender bender" can become a life-threatening situation. The pressure is increased because of the very short time period in which the ice is stable for supporting the trucks, and mechanical breakdowns, common enough at any temperature, become freakishly ever-present at these extreme temperatures, fueling friction between the truckers, their families, and producing lots of material for the series.

At times the series borders on overdoing the drama with excessive narration and the occasional "looping" of crucial events, but it hardly detracts from the real drama.

Overall, it's a riveting slice of life that is exceptionally well produced and packaged. I think you'll be glad you invested your time in this, whether or not a "trucking series" sounds interesting to you.