May 6, 2014 (2014-05-06) – December 4, 2022 (2022-12-04)
Alaskan Bush People is an American docudrama-style reality television series that follows the Brown family in an attempt to survive in the wilderness, detached from modern society. The series premiered on the Discovery Channel on May 6, 2014.[1] Filmed on location in Alaska near Copper Center, Hoonah, and Chichagof Island,[2] with later seasons filmed on location in Okanogan County, Washington, it follows the extended Brown family's life.[3][4] Although purportedly a genuine reality TV show, it has been criticized for being scripted and/or fake.[5][6][7][8]
In April 2019, Radar Online learned that the show was renewed for a 10th season.[9] On November 13, the show was renewed for season 11, which premiered on December 4, 2019.[10] Season 12 premiered on August 23, 2020.[11] In August 2020, cast member Bear Brown posted on Instagram saying that the family's home had been destroyed in the 2020 Washington wildfires.[12] Patriarch Billy Brown died at age 68 on February 7, 2021, after suffering a seizure.[13]
Background
The series follows the Brown family of Hoonah, Alaska, as they build lives together off the grid in Alaska.
The Brown family reveals their unique Christmas traditions out in the Alaskan bush. They also reflect on the past year as well as what's on the horizon for the family.
1
"Back to the Bush - The Race Is On"
July 25, 2014 (2014-07-25)
1
"Back to the Bush - The Big Decision"
July 29, 2014 (2014-07-29)
2
"A Very Bush Christmas"
December 19, 2014 (2014-12-19)
The Brown family reveals their unique Christmas traditions out in the Alaskan bush. They also reflect on the past year as well as what's on the horizon for the family.
3
"Wild Times"
May 22, 2015 (2015-05-22)
The Family look back on their life in the wild and talk about memorable and extreme moments from the show.
3
"Lost Footage"
July 31, 2015 (2015-07-31)
Never before seen footage from season 2.
3
"The Wild Year"
August 7, 2015 (2015-08-07)
The Brown family looks back on the last year of their lives. From their time in Ketchikan until the present, they reflect upon their crazy journey and respond to burning questions viewers have about events that have happened over the course of the season.
3
"Endless Summer"
November 4, 2015 (2015-11-04)
Never before seen footage and an exclusive sneak peek of the upcoming season.
4
"Return to the Bush"
January 3, 2016 (2016-01-03)
The Browns try to find their way back to the bush after their boat is sunk.
4
"Paradise Lost"
January 6, 2016 (2016-01-06)
This special features a look back at the Brown’s first summer on Chichagof Island.
5
"Browntown or Bust"
April 29, 2016 (2016-04-29)
As the Browns return home from the Lower 48, we look back on what they miss the most about Alaska. Also never before seen footage and an exclusive sneak peeks of the new season.
5
"Browns Down South"
July 22, 2016 (2016-07-22)
In this special episode, a deeper look into the Brown's time spent down south. And in never before seen footage brothers Bear and Bam commemorate their time in the Lower 48 in an extreme way.
5
"Made in the Wild"
July 29, 2016 (2016-07-29)
A look behind the lens at the countless hours spent to bring bush life to the lower 48 and how Brown luck influences what makes it to air.
6
"A Browntown Christmas"
December 7, 2016 (2016-12-07)
Join the Brown family as they celebrate Christmas, Alaskan Bush style.
6
"Browntown Bound"
December 28, 2016 (2016-12-28)
It is the end of one of the toughest years the Brown family has had in the wilderness of Alaska.
6
"Harsh Wilderness"
March 1, 2017 (2017-03-01)
Having a well-functioning homestead takes massive amounts of ingenuity and hard work, something The Browns have worked tirelessly to achieve.
6
"Forever Browntown"
March 8, 2017 (2017-03-08)
As the modern world encroaches on Southeast Alaska, the Browns fight to prove that the bush way of life is worth saving.
6
"Heart of the Browns"
March 15, 2017 (2017-03-15)
7
"One for All"
June 14, 2017 (2017-06-14)
The Browns continue to work hard and tirelessly to gather food, secure resources and build everything from scratch in their pursuit of a self-sustaining town and being more isolated and independent than ever before.
7
"From the Ground Up"
June 16, 2017 (2017-06-16)
The Brown family continues to work hard to build everything from scratch in their pursuit of a self-sustaining town.
7
"Forging a New Future"
September 21, 2017 (2017-09-21)
As Ami prepares to undergo treatment for lung cancer, siblings Bear, Bird and Rain work to give the family's homestead back to the bush; the entire wolfpack must forge a new beginning using the skills they acquired in the Alaskan wilderness.
7
"Home Away for the Holidays"
December 15, 2017 (2017-12-15)
While the Browns anxiously await rebuilding in the Lower 48, they get into the Christmas spirit with a special surprise for mother Ami.
7
"A Very Brown Christmas in Alaska"
December 23, 2017 (2017-12-23)
8
"Unbreakable Will"
August 19, 2018 (2018-08-19)
The Browns prepare for a new adventure in the remote wilderness of the Pacific Northwest, following unprecedented obstacles over the past year.
8
"Secrets of the Bush"
August 26, 2018 (2018-08-26)
As the Wolfpack attempts to start over from the ground up, they reveal the relationships and values from decades in the wild, where they learned a way of life unique to the bush of Alaska.
8
"Chasing the Wolfpack"
September 30, 2018 (2018-09-30)
For the first time ever, film crews reveal the risk and reward of following the nine member Brown Family in the wilderness from Alaska to the Pacific Northwest.
9
"This Land is Our Land"
March 1, 2019 (2019-03-01)
Never before seen footage and exclusive insight reveal how the Browns struggle during their first Spring on the mountain.
10
"Secrets of the Hunt"
September 22, 2019 (2019-09-22)
Over decades in the Alaskan bush, the Browns have developed their own unique tricks and secrets to hunt like only the Wolfpack can.
10
"Never Surrender"
September 29, 2019 (2019-09-29)
11
"Growing Pains"
November 27, 2019 (2019-11-27)
The Wolf Pack risks everything to transform the raw wilderness into a working ranch; as they grow faster than expected, the family is forced to evolve in ways they never imagined.
11
"Let the Feast Begin"
November 27, 2019 (2019-11-27)
11
"Beyond the Bush"
January 1, 2020 (2020-01-01)
The Wolfpack gathers and gets candid about untold secrets and burning questions that fans have wondered for years. From epic adventure to major struggles, they expose their world like never before.
12
"Back to the Future"
October 18, 2020 (2020-10-18)
Months before the fire, the Browns film their daily life locked down on the mountain. And watching and reacting to memorable moments from the show for the first time, the Wolfpack reflects on their adventures in Alaska.
12
"The Legacy of Billy Brown"
February 28, 2021 (2021-02-28)
The Wolfpack celebrates the remarkable life of their patriarch Billy Brown. Through never-before seen footage and interviews, Billy speaks to the bush legacy he was driven to establish, fueled by faith and his love of family.
13
"Chaos and Catastrophe"
September 12, 2021 (2021-09-12)
The Browns reflect on a chaotic year on North Star Ranch.
13
"The Way of the Wolfpack"
November 28, 2021 (2021-11-28)
In the wilds of Alaska, Billy and Ami taught their seven children how to think outside the box to survive. As the family finds themselves at a crossroads after the passing of their patriarch, they celebrate the ways they use those lessons everyday.
13
"North Pole to North Star"
December 19, 2021 (2021-12-19)
The Wolfpack vows to make Christmas happier than ever for the newest generation, crafting unique homemade gifts for each other in a one-of-a-kind Secret Santa exchange. And the siblings surprise Mother Ami with a meaningful addition to the ranch.
Billy has a criminal history of horse theft in 1980.[15]
Ami has a criminal history of welfare fraud.[16]
Billy was previously married to Brenda Britt; their daughter, Twila Byars, appeared in the episode "Growing the Wolfpack" (S05E04).[17] It has been suggested that the couple had a second child, Brandy.[18]
Residency issues
On October 3, 2014, following an investigation by the Alaska Department of Revenue, a Juneau grand jury indicted the Browns with 60 counts of first-degree unsworn falsification regarding Permanent Fund Dividend forms for their residency and first- and second-degree theft that took place between 2009 and 2012.[19]
Billy was charged with 24 of those counts, which occurred from 2010 to 2013 as well as for the theft of more than $21,000 in dividend money for himself and others.[19] The charges meant that the state believed the family spent more than 180 days a year living outside of Alaska and lied about it on their applications.[19]
On November 18, 2015, Billy and Joshua struck a plea deal for the whole family except Matt and Rain (Matt wasn't living there and didn't file and Rain was too young). They pled guilty for the rest of the family for lying on PFD forms.[20] Billy and Joshua's punishment for stealing over $21,000 was restitution, fines and 30 days of house arrest at a Juneau hotel.
