Few reality shows are as emotional as Fox’s newest program, Extracted. The series puts a familial spin on your usual survival series: 12 strangers struggle to survive in the Canadian wilderness, with their loved ones watching from a secure headquarters while struggling to get them vital resources. It’s understandably difficult for all to watch their participants suffer in the wilderness, with these groups facing an impossible dilemma: extract your survivor and secure their safety, or let them stay, as the last person standing earns their group $250,000. It was a terrifying time for all, but few families offered as hilariously stressful of a watch as the fourth one out, the Hyak clan.
Rose Hyak was one of this season’s most excited competitors, with her cousin Kelsey and aunt Lauren cheering her on as she left to face the wilderness. Unfortunately, things went downhill from there; from struggling to start a fire to starving for days, every moment offered Rose a new hurdle to struggle through. It was an immensely difficult experience that — when they weren’t acting as comedic relief with their hilarious banter — Lauren and Kelsey were forced to watch. The family was constantly struggling between wanting to win and seeing Rose get worse and worse, with their decision to finally extract the young player coming with so much disappointment and tears. Collider got to sit down with the Hyaks and learn about what drove them in this game and, shockingly, their many upsetting moments that viewers didn’t get to see.
‘Extracted’ Tests Your Physical, Mental, and Emotional Limits, Says the Hyak Clan

Image via Fox Entertainment

COLLDIER: So, Extracted is alot like the many Survival shows we’ve seen before but with a twist: now you family determines if you make it or not. What made you all want to be on the series?
Rose: I feel like I’ve always pushed myself in different ways, like with sports. And honestly, I just came across [an ad on Instagram] that said fun family adventure. And, okay, it was a little different than I expected, but I I love my family, and any way we can challenge ourselves together is really cool.
Kelsey: Rose texted me [about] and I just really felt like, “F*ck it!” I gave him a little blurb about us, and it just started happening really fast.
Lauren: It was midnight — and I was asleep. (Laughing) I get a phone call from Rose and Kelsey, and I was panicking because I thought there was an emergency, but when I picked up [they asked], “Will you try out for a show with us?” So I said yes…because I wanted to get off the phone!

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Collider: When you all entered the competition, how did you pick Rose to be the one surviving in the wilderness?
Kelsey: Rose and I talked between us for awhile — Mom was like, “Nah, I’m good!” Rose and I talked and we both wanted to go in, but I’m vegan, and I didn’t want to ruin that for us.
Rose: I think [Kelsey being vegan] was a big part of it. Because like…what if you have to eat bugs!?
(Laughter)
Rose Hyak Wasn’t Ready for This Wild Wilderness

Image via Fox Entertainment

Collider: Rose, can you tell us when things started taking a turn from “This is so fun!” to “I don’t know if I can do this!”?
Rose: To be honest…the second I was dropped off. The first night I was like, “We’re all gonna meet up. It’s gonna be so much fun. I’m gonna make all these alliances with everybody around me, f*ck yes!” And then I wake up the next day and…crickets. Like nothing. And at the time, I was not great at being alone. And then just like: raft challenge, then deer challenge — and not getting a f*cking deer! I think that just got in my head.
Collider: Was there a specific moment or situation where you knew you had to get Extracted?
Rose: Not getting the deer, waking up hungry, and then — I’m going to sound like a bitch for saying this — love the hot chocolate and the socks, but my stomach was eating itself! So physically, I just felt so bad, and then mentally I was just having a panic attack.
Collider: On the flip side, Kelsey and Lauren, you’re in headquarters watching all this. How was it seeing Rose go through all that?
Kelsey: Headquarters was so interesting because we’re with 22 other people…and everyone on the screen is crying. And then everyone in HQ was crying because they’re watching their loved ones cry. And so it was just so emotionally exhausting, because we sat in this very small room for, like, 18 to 19 hours a day, and there’s just so many people crying. And also, HQ was kind of casino vibes: no windows, screens everywhere. It kind of just makes you feel a little bit uneasy, like, you don’t have any fresh air, vitamin D, anything like that.

Collider: Kelsey and Lauren, when you finally decided to extract Rose, y’all broke down sobbing. What was everyone feeling in that moment?
Kelsey: I’m going to be honest: I was really disappointed. I’m so competitive, [but] I think in that moment, I just had to put all of that aside and be there for Rose. I was really, really sad to be leaving the show and, not being able to win, but I needed to put it aside and just support her because I know that Rose was like coming out of the jungle with shreds for clothes and literal sh*t on herself. So for me, that’s what I was just focused on.

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Lauren: I definitely think that that’s true. Rose was out there playing a totally different game than the two of us, and I think at that moment we had had a very long day already…because Rose was asking to be extracted, and then she would be okay, and then she would ask again! It was surreal, going up and pressing the button, because I almost felt like, “You know, what are we doing? Should we be doing this?” That’s why you see us breaking down in the confessional. But seeing Rose…I just remember when we saw you, Rose, and you fell into my arms, and you were just crying. And it was so emotional, seeing her struggle so much…the mental part of it, it just got to Rose, and just seeing her go through that broke my heart.
Rose: I’m going to try not to cry. It’s really hard to re-watch it. I thought I was gonna go out there and get to, like, fight people, and like, compete in these fun, crazy games and screw people over, honestly! I was like, “I’m gonna be that b*tch, hell yeah!” So, for me, it was very emotional to, you know…realize that this was over. And in that moment, [I fell] into my aunt’s arms because I just wanted to be hugged until it was okay and know that people were proud of me.
Collider: Once again, thank you all so much for speaking with me today. Last question: Would you do it again?
Kelsey: I would absolutely do it again. I’m all about trying new things and doing wild adventures. So next time, throw me out in the wild, let let me see how I can do and prove that to myself!
Lauren: Like Kelsey, I would only do it again and — you two can laugh all you want (gestures at her daughter and niece) — is if I went out in the wilderness. And I know that’s going to sound ridiculous, but I am a super strong person mentally. I’ve had to go through a lot of stuff in my life to get where I am right now, and I would 100% challenge myself to do something like this. Would I last? I don’t know, but I would [still] definitely do that.
Rose: I’ve learned literally so much about myself. A year ago, someone [from a different experience] asked me, “What do you hope to learn about yourself?” And I literally was like, I don’t have anything to learn. And that was not the case [for Extracted]. I have grown so much being out there in the wild. Who would have known that the most buried things in my life would come up during and after the show…I’ll always say I’m so grateful for Extracted because it has allowed me to come face to face with those things in my life. I love myself. I feel confident in myself. And that’s just like a gift I’ve always wanted, and I would never take that away. So, yeah — I’ll do it again.