The worst story of a forsaken man I've read is a guy who found himself all alone for several years during the 18th century, completely naked, on a sand bank in the Pacific (with not a single plant). He survived by eating turtles and seabirds, and drank rainwater from flipped-over turtle shells. IIRC he was from Peru.
We're still at it, we just have fewer releases than the old days. This is partly due to life getting busier, and partly due to our writings becoming more ambitious over time. I (Alan) am finishing up an article/episode now that I've spent over a year researching. It's fun, but occasionally exhausting.