Saratogian Battles the Elements in FOX Survival Competition Show

SARATOGA SPRINGS — In everyday life, Katie Kratovil is a 29-year-old administrative assistant who lives in Saratoga Springs. But on TV, she’s a rugged survivalist building shelters, rationing food, and keeping an eye out for bears—all while competing for a grand prize of $250,000.

On season two of “Extracted,” a FOX reality series currently airing on Monday nights, Kratovil is tasked with braving the elements while her two sisters, Carly and Emily, observe her via 24-hour camera feeds and try to send her provisions delivered by drones. 

For Kratovil, who said she’s “definitely not a survivalist type person,” some training and preparation was necessary.

“I definitely trained more physically than mentally,” Kratovil told Saratoga TODAY. “I built a shelter in my backyard. I practiced my firemaking. I watched a lot of YouTube videos, specifically Luke from the Outdoor Boys. I upped my step count to 15,000 steps a day. I knew I was going to be walking around in the woods, so I wanted to make sure that my body was used to taking that many steps. Really, [I did] as much research as humanly possible that I could to figure out the best way to live out in the wild.”

Kratovil’s sisters also had their own preparations to make before appearing on the show. From the (relative) comfort of an indoor studio, Carly and Emily competed against the family and friends of other survivalists to secure valuable supplies. Some family and friends chose to take a more cutthroat approach to the competition, while others utilized their diplomatic skills. Kratovil and her siblings prepared by expecting the unexpected.

“Our main strategy was to be really strong,” Kratovil said. “We wanted to be really strong competitors, but we’re kind of limited in how much we can talk about because you don’t really know what to expect. You think you know what to expect from watching season one, but at the same time, you know you have no idea what’s going to happen. So you kind of have to strategize for everything and plan for everything.”

While Kratovil slept outside, hoping to avoid any encounters with rats or snakes, her sisters were forced to keep an eye on her via the camera feeds. Unable to directly communicate with their sister, Carly and Emily at times feared for their sibling’s wellbeing.

“I was afraid to watch [Katie] struggle because she can’t talk to us or see us, so I was scared that she really needed help,” Carly said.

But despite some intense moments, the sisters all agreed that appearing on “Extracted” served as a familial bonding experience

“We’ve never experienced anything like this,” Emily said. “It brought us a lot closer, not just the three of us, but our entire family and our friends.”

“It’s really such a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Carly said.

“One of my personal hopes, coming out of this whole experience, is inspiring people to put themselves out there and just apply for it and do it,” Katie said. “I mean, we’re three relatively normal people. I just stumbled upon an Instagram ad and thought, ‘You know what, I might as well apply. I have nothing to lose.’ So, I think anyone could do it if they really put their mind to it. I totally would recommend it. I hope they call us again.”

“Extracted” season two airs on Mondays at 8 p.m., with episodes available for streaming the following day on Hulu.