[1] The fact that Stroud films the episodes himself and endures the challenges of the wilderness, while dealing with the concomitant mental, emotional and physical stresses, is a major focus of the show.

For safety purposes, Stroud carries an emergency satellite phone and normally has daily radio contact with his support crew that is always within rescue range.

[2] However, Stroud has stated that while videotaping several episodes, there were times when his emergency phone did not work, leaving him totally alone[3] and has mentioned his concern that his rescue crew may become stranded with him.

Survivorman can be considered a sequel or spin-off to Stroud's earlier project, Stranded, a five-part series that was shown on the Canadian Discovery Channel in 2001.

On November 23, 2011, Stroud's official website announced the show would be returning for a series of specials in which he would "up the ante" by surviving alone in ten-day stretches, three more days than in the original episodes.

The reasons for these errors can include time limitations, being unfamiliar with a technique, or misjudging weather conditions, all frequently encountered by people in survival situations.

Drawing upon this local knowledge and guidance, Stroud shows the audience how to find viable sources of nourishment, avoid dangerous or unhealthy ones, and utilize them appropriately and efficiently.

[9] In September 2012, Stroud stated in a compilation show (Survivorman Top-10) that at one time he had contracted a parasitic worm infestation in his mouth that lasted over a year.