Kid Nation (spoilers)

[littlebeast13]

Let a professional handle this!

you realize that looking at this just gave me a seizure ...


And doesn't this neon sign belong in the bar thread??

Beast is Marleybaiting again! I'm telling......!!!

Speaking of, I tried the Spank the Monkey game on the Prison Throw site, and it didn't seem to work right. There are better things I'd like to smack with a giant hand anyway.....

lb13

[MarleysGh0st]

<sigh>

[tanstaafl2]

Inspired by a question about Kid Nation actually being used on SyndieBAM this week, the reports from Shallow Marley continue!

Spoiler

Many times, I suspect that TKNPTB manipulate the sequence of their film clips, so that discussions that actually occur after the town council reveal the theme of the week from The Book are presented as if they occurred before that, making The Book appear more presciently topical. For example, when religion was the theme, I doubt the subject even came up before the council tried to impose a mandatory ecumenical service.

This week, though, the theme is "boredom" and I can readily believe that was on everyone's mind already. If this was a summer camp, as TKNPTB have tried to compare it to when challenged, it'd be a crappy camp.

And, for a moment, it appears the kids might actually be organizing some major activity on their own. DK rings the bell to summon everyone together, saying they've got to do something! And what do they decide to do? Well, we'll never know, because the editing suddenly cuts to the town council going to read The Book. Spontaneous, independent decision-making would lead to anarchy, I suppose.

The Book tells the council that they need to organize some entertainments, so they announce a talent show. Meanwhile, the Pointless Challenge (I didn't invent the phrase, but I wish I did), being loosely connected to the theme entertainment and the arts, is paint by numbers.

Errr, make that chewing gum by numbers. TKNPTB managed to come up with something that is mildly revolting to the kids, much more so to every parent and dentist in the nation. The kids must fill in each spot on the painting with the appropriately colored piece of chewing gum. One hour of sugar-filled chewing delight! Moreover, the kids must hand their well-chewed pieces to their town councillor, to be stuck in place.

Can I hear a "Yuck!" people?

And the rest is kind of boring. Savannah is homesick, but she's convinced to stay. Two more girls are introduced from the mob of extras as the "Paris and Nicole" of Bonanza City and Greg plays some mind games on them by threatening to throw the challenge if they don't shape up (when he later confesses to the camera that he never intends to throw a challenge). They shape up, or at least they say they did. We never do see them doing any work.

Next week, the previews indicate that TKNPTB is borrowing another play from Survivor--it's time to move people around. But while that serves Survivor's PTB by disrupting alliances, what possible purpose will that serve for Bonanza City?

Just to break the hijacker chain.

Once I start a reality show I try to stick it out to the end, but this one is getting tough. I would agree that the book revelations are probably made to look that way through editing.

Don't know why they are so bored. Probably not enough video games and no TV to watch. Didn't they just buy a bunch of sporting equipment with the "treasure" last week? Get out and play a game if you are bored!

[minimetoo26]

<sigh>

Sorry. We never pushed your original post through the vortex at least....

[PlacentiaSoccerMom]

you realize that looking at this just gave me a seizure ...


And doesn't this neon sign belong in the bar thread??

Beast is Marleybaiting again! I'm telling......!!!

Speaking of, I tried the Spank the Monkey game on the Prison Throw site, and it didn't seem to work right. There are better things I'd like to smack with a giant hand anyway.....

lb13

That's so cool!

[MarleysGh0st]

That's so cool!

Et tu, PSM?

[PlacentiaSoccerMom]

Sorry.

I really like the pyramid thingies.

How about that Kid Nation Show...

[MarleysGh0st]

Just to break the hijacker chain.

Thank you, tanstaafl!

Don't know why they are so bored. Probably not enough video games and no TV to watch. Didn't they just buy a bunch of sporting equipment with the "treasure" last week? Get out and play a game if you are bored!

Yeah, we didn't see a glimpse of all that stuff they got last week. Although they did have some costumes and Henry V scripts for the talent show...

In general, I think they've got two big problems.

1. Nobody has any idea what's really expected/feasable regarding the whole "build a town" thing. The economy, such as it is, is entirely dependent on the Pointless Challenge and the nickels TKNPTB pay them. The only real enterprise we saw was the snack stand and the souvenir necklaces, last week.

2. They've all learned the drill too well: You wait until The Book tells you before you do anything important. I'm sure they could brainstorm ideas if they were encouraged to try it, whether for recreational activities, like starting a baseball league, or work-related issues, like having everyone wash their own plates after meals, instead of letting them pile up.

[tanstaafl2]

I suppose one problem is that the weather seems miserable at best which is pretty typically of April around Santa Fe. Anything can happen. So outdoor activity can be hit or miss.

But I agree with the notion that it didn't appear to be well thought out in terms of truly "building" any kind of society. Part of the problem is that the age group goes a little low. Probably better served focusing on 11 and up.

But they would still need to have some real projects that were ongoing through the course of the show rather than the silly showdowns.

But that would probably be even harder to build an audience for than the current mess.

Had some potential in concept but a near total miss in reality.

[PlacentiaSoccerMom]

Just to break the hijacker chain.

Thank you, tanstaafl!

Don't know why they are so bored. Probably not enough video games and no TV to watch. Didn't they just buy a bunch of sporting equipment with the "treasure" last week? Get out and play a game if you are bored!

Yeah, we didn't see a glimpse of all that stuff they got last week. Although they did have some costumes and Henry V scripts for the talent show...

In general, I think they've got two big problems.

1. Nobody has any idea what's really expected/feasable regarding the whole "build a town" thing. The economy, such as it is, is entirely dependent on the Pointless Challenge and the nickels TKNPTB pay them. The only real enterprise we saw was the snack stand and the souvenir necklaces, last week.

2. They've all learned the drill too well: You wait until The Book tells you before you do anything important. I'm sure they could brainstorm ideas if they were encouraged to try it, whether for recreational activities, like starting a baseball league, or work-related issues, like having everyone wash their own plates after meals, instead of letting them pile up.

I wonder if the problem is casting. Rather than picking the smart kids who might have had the drive to create more of a society, they chose the photogenic kids who might cause drama.

(I haven't see more than a few minutes of the show...)

[MarleysGh0st]

I wonder if the problem is casting. Rather than picking the smart kids who might have had the drive to create more of a society, they chose the photogenic kids who might cause drama.

(I haven't see more than a few minutes of the show...)

No, I don't think so, at all. While there may be a drama queen or two, there are also some smart, talented kids. There are some with good interpersonal skills and leadership potential, and at least one with a grown-up adult skill (Greg with his butcher experience) that would be very rare in teenagers today.

It's the basic concept, which sounds fine when pitching a show but is hard to implement. On Survivor, "building their own society" was just window dressing while the alliance plotting and backstabbing went on. Since Kid Nation has none of that, they seem to serious about the concept. But are 8-15 year olds going to construct buildings? Plant and harvest crops (in 39 days)? Go gold mining?

All they've really been given is a set of boring, tedious chores and some very simple, step by step suggestions to fit the theme of the week.

Even the forgettable host has a tagline that makes no sense. At the end of each town meeting, he shouts, "Now back to your bunks!" The meeting seems to take place in the middle of the day, so why would they be going back to their bunks then? Because there's nothing else to do...