Mounted in Alaska

Mounted in Alaska is an American reality television series that was aired in 2011 on the History channel. The show captures the unique, fascinating, and often very challenging and unpredictable world of taxidermy, specifically focusing on the activities in Alaska's one of the oldest and most renowned taxidermy shops - Knight's Taxidermy.

Knight's Taxidermy is a family-owned business led by Russell Knight. The show, Mounted in Alaska, introduces Russell as an expert taxidermist with a lively persona who, with his team of eclectic yet skilled artisans, brings a fresh perspective to taxidermy, thereby proving that this profession is not entirely the grim and creepy craft that it is often perceived to be.

The series explores the shop's day-to-day operations in the heart of Anchorage, presenting engrossing stories of Knight's team working on interesting and sometimes bizarre requests from hunters and museum curators. While highlighting the craft's artistic complexity and the demanding nature of the business, it also provides a fascinating glimpse into the Alaskan culture and the remarkable relationship that the locals share with nature and wildlife.

As a pioneer in the field for over three decades and a shop known for its professional, reliable, and high-quality work, Knight's Taxidermy has a clientele within and beyond Alaska. This invariably means that Russell, his co-worker and friend Sam, and the rest of the team are often found working on an assortment of animals, ranging from large moose, grizzly bears, walruses, and full-size bison to much smaller yet equally intricate creatures like ducks, fishes, and otters. Each creature presents a unique set of challenges, and the show allows its audience an up-close look at the demanding, meticulous and awe-inspiring process of transforming a skin into a real-life repose of an animal.

Mounted in Alaska also illustrates the multiple roles that Russell and his team inhabit. They play the roles of artists, craftsmen, biologists, and also detectives when they need to fix up old mounts or when they are presented with a less than perfectly preserved animal. Each episode portrays the depth of knowledge and skill that these taxidermists never fail to exhibit, whether it's about the anatomy of the animals, the precision in painting minute details, or the creative problem-solving abilities.

Despite being a show about a business that thrives on the death of animals, Mounted in Alaska manages to present its narrative with a quirky sense of humor and camaraderie among the staff, making it an entertaining watch for both enthusiasts of the craft and for those looking for something different in the reality TV genre. The show displays an endearing and humorous rapport between Russell and his right-hand man Sam, constantly teasing and ribbing each other but always delivering top-draw work. Adding more charm to the mix are Tina, the fiery office manager, and Doug, who's always ready with a joke or two, keeping the atmosphere light and amicable.

Not just the taxidermy process, Mounted in Alaska occasionally also takes its viewers on some thrilling expeditions with Russell. Whether he's rappelling down the side of a cliff to collect a specimen or braving the rough Alaskan weather to meet clients, these thrilling journeys through the icy wilderness provide another dimension to the show, giving the audience a taste of the wild and rugged Alaskan landscapes.

The show is not just about crafting realistic animal replicas, but it humanizes the profession as it delves deeper into the challenges, the precision, and the reward that each project brings. It lightly explores themes of life and death, the circle of existence, preservation, nature admiration all through the distinctive lens of taxidermy.

Mounted in Alaska truly is a ride into the wild, an unforeseen meeting with an unusual profession; it's unexpected, unconventional, and utterly compelling. The series, in its entertaining yet authentic portrayal of Russell and his team's endeavors, makes taxidermy approachable and appreciated as a form of art rather than a morbid occupation. It is an adventurous journey indeed, deep into the Alaskan wild, into the heart of a unique business, but most importantly, into the world of skilled taxidermists who weave magic into the skin of animals, giving them a second life.