End of the World? TV Competition to Award Winning Survivalist Family With a Fortified Bunker

Global and domestic uncertainty has led to angst among a great many Americans. As a result, "preppers," those individuals who are stocking up food and supplies in case of a financial or political meltdown, have been gaining increasing press over the past few years.

This trend is evidenced in continued coverage in media and through programming concepts. Now, yet another television network is entering the fray with an upcoming competition this fall to award a fortified bunker to a family who believes the end of the world is near.

(Related: See the Luxury Doomsday Prepper Shelters Being Built Into an Abandoned KS Missile Silo)

The Spike network said Tuesday that it will air a six-episode series called "Last Family on Earth" in which survivalists will compete to show how tough and resourceful they are. And the grand prize? The winner gets an underground bunker in an undisclosed location. The Hollywood Reporter has more:

The doomsday preparation genre is gaining steam, with more than 4 million viewers tuning into Nat Geo’s Doomsday Preppers two-hour premiere earlier this year. In Last Family,the competition will not only test the contestants’ endurance and physical skills, but also their leadership abilities, integrity and character. A panel of three survivalist-expert judges, along with viewer input from social media, will help determine which family is eliminated each week.

Host, casting and challenge details are being kept under wraps until the summer. Pilgrim’s Craig Piligian will serve as an executive producer, with Ralph Wikke, Mitch Rosa, Ken Schur and Jason Adler joining him as co-EPs.

Spike executive Sharon Levy says the series isn't a comedy. She also says it isn't necessarily tied to a theory that the ancient Mayan civilization predicted the end of the world to arrive in December 2012. These details, of course, wouldn't be surprising to anyone familiar with survivalism and prepping.

While "Last Family on Earth" is surely going to be an interesting program, it's also not the first of its kind. GBTV aired a series last year called "Independence USA" about a family living "off the grid." National Geographic also has a series called "Doomsday Preppers." Other outlets, too, have run specials and explored the lives of those who -- pending disaster -- will be more than prepared to handle tragedy and upheaval.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.