Back to the Frontier premiered on July 10, 2025, featuring three families that decided to take a step back from modern society and spend eight weeks living as 1880s homesteaders. In an interview with Parade, published on July 11, 2025, the cast members revealed why they signed up for a show where they had to live without electricity, running water, and technology.The Lopers from Alabama, the Hanna-Riggs from Texas, and the Halls from Florida each had their separate expectations from the HBO Max original. While some wanted their children to disconnect from their devices and take on other responsibilities of life, others wished to travel back in time to experience a different era.Meanwhile, for some, the lifestyle of the 1880s held a personal meaning that they wanted to share with their family members. Despite having separate motives behind participating in the show, all three families wished to utilize the opportunity to become closer as a unit and learn more about each other without the distractions of the modern world.Parents wanted to change their children's perspectives by signing up for Back to the Frontier View this post on Instagram Instagram PostWhile giving up the comforts of modern living and spending eight weeks in the wilderness of Canada may seem unusual to many, for Jason Hanna and Joe Riggs, it was an opportunity for their twin sons, Ethan and Lucas, to put their phones down and experience life with all its challenges.While speaking to Parade, Jason explained that he saw the show as a chance to allow his sons to figure out how to navigate life without technology."In the 21st century, our kids have it pretty easy. They don’t really have a lot of chores and responsibilities, and we knew coming here that that would change," he added.As a result, the Back to the Frontier star hoped that his children would implement the lessons learnt during the show in their everyday lives after returning to the 21st century.The cast of Back to the Frontier (Image via Instagram/ @magnolianetwork)On the other hand, Jereme Hall and his wife Lina, and children Mia, Zoe, and Jet, wanted to see what it was "like to go backwards." Lina stated that her time on the show was "a drastic change" from her regular days, as it brought many "lightbulb moments," teaching her that life could be simple yet abundant.She added that she and her family joined the cast so they could have the time to practice the simpler things in life. According to the Back to the Frontier alum, life could "still be very meaningful," even without the modern facilities.Elsewhere, in the Loper household, Joaquin stated that while the struggles of the 1880s were "real," they were not too different from his experiences growing up. Joaquin participated in the show because he wanted his sons, Landen and Maddox, to experience what he did as a child."My boys have never experienced anything like this. This is better than the stories I try to tell them and say, 'This is how daddy grew up. Be appreciative to what you have.' But living it? Living it, I knew, would change their whole concept of the way they look at things," the Back to the Frontier alum said.The cast of Back to the Frontier (Image via Instagram/ @magnolianetwork)Stacey Loper chimed in, noting that it was an opportunity for her sons to understand them as parents. She wanted to make them realize the work the parents put into raising them, hoping that Landen and Maddox would learn to appreciate, respect, and honor their elders.The Back to the Frontier cast member hoped that through the journey on the show, her family would grow closer and learn to live in the moment, unbothered by electronics.Back to the Frontier episodes can be streamed on HBO Max.