The Season 8 premiere of Alaskan Bush People focused on two very different prognoses:
1. How would the Browns fare now that they are no longer living in Alaska?
2. How is Ami Brown doing after her lung cancer diagnosis?
Indeed, the Discovery Channel may need to consider a name change for this long-running reality show now that Billy Brown and company have moved away from their native Alaska.
They were forced to do so after Amy’s aforementioned diagnosis because they had to be a lot closer to medical care than they were while living in the middle of the woods.
The family tried California at first due to the top-notch hospitals in the state.
But living there, even temporarily, "really took a toll on everybody," Gabe explained on Sunday night’s premiere, detailing how his loved ones just aren’t cut out for city life.
While planning on building a permanent homestead (the new Browntown), the family constructed temporary tent housing and tried to get used to the Washington wilderness.
“I can hardly stand the heat,” Bear said at one point.
“And then to have to constantly watch the ground for snakes – that’s a big adjustment from Alaska.”
Billy, however, was in good spirits.
First, for a rather unusual reason.
“We’ve got mountain lions here! How cool is that?!” he said of the area’s fauna. “It feels like home again because we have to watch our backs.”
But Billy was mostly psyched on this episode because he said Ami’s cancer is in remission.
This is a mini miracle, considering Ami Brown had been told she had stage 4 lung cancer, which is nearly as bad as it can get.
To be frank, we did not expect her to be alive right now, let alone filming a new season and having a new lease on life.
"She still has stage 0 primary, and there are still traces," Billy said on the premiere, adding hopefully:
"They took the majority out, and the growth is really slow. She is doing good, but the docs made it clear that we have to live in a place where she can go to the hospital at any time."
Hence why the Alaskan Bush People can’t ever return to their beloved Alaska.
But that’s a worthwhile tradeoff if it means their beloved Ami will be around for a long time to come.
“To be out of the city and in the mountains is a blessing in itself and being given second chance is great,” Ami said on Sunday, admitting she feels “better than I have in a lot of years, but I still don’t have all my strength back yet.”
Still, it’s amazing she’s gotten this far.
Whatever happens next, Billy and his kids are prepared. And grateful.
"We’ve fought hard. We deserve to be here," Billy said on the premiere. "I think this is definitely the biggest adventure we’ve had."
In case you missed it, or in case you want to check out the return episode again, you can use the video below to watch Alaskan Bush People online.
Do it now!