The Colony, on Discovery Channel

I will be watching as well. I wonder how long it will take them (in the script, I suppose) to realize that they passed several traffic control units with solar panels (as they were walking to the factory in the first ep), and that those charge...car batteries, in the units.

edit to add:

Did you see the product placement? HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS Oh boy, they really are screwed.

[edit on 28-7-2009 by Viking04]

it's more interesting than watching Lou Dobbs or some other talking head babble

it's useful stuff you can use

I have watched the first two episodes and I must say that it is a good show. I think that the participants are acting because quite frankly, why would you be affraid of "murauders" if you have a camera crew following you and you know you are on TV.

Otherwise, I like the show because it is very informative in terms of how to make stuff like a generator and fuel, etc...

One thing its missing so far are people with guns. In the real situtation x, if you are unarmed and there are people who have real weapons (not sticks and pipes) you will quickly loss what ever you have managed to scavenge or loot.

Lets see how Discovery Channel plays this out.

I like the show because it brings the idea of Urban Survival to the forefront of a diverse crowd that may not have thought about it in the past.

I believe that they’re some of the dumbest educated people I have seen. Actually, I know worse...

Now, could it be that this is an offhanded way to prepare those that look for the signs of a disaster?...There have been thoughts that the government has used Hollywood to do this for things in the past.

As far as the acting and the fear...While in the military we had to practice infiltrating enemy positions and dispatch them silently and you wouldn't believe the tension and fear that would accompany an exercise like that...and you were perfectly safe...I'm just saying that I can see both sides of it.

you can certainly learn a few simple survival techniques,
here is ep1

www.ninjavideo.net...

Love this show!!! The best part is the psychologist who talks about PTS!!!

The largest social network on gasification and gasifiers is found at www.victorygasworks.com with Ben as a powerful inventor making gasifiers and powering dump trucks, generators, etc... He's built a powerful one for a University. It's a monster mobile biomass gasifier power house. Those things could power your house, work site, disaster areas etc... Very real technology. He's got gasifiers for sale and they work. Check out his resources section and videos. Don't believe unless you see then watch his videos powering all sorts of stuff with his gasifiers. Look up his videos on www.victorygasworks.com or on youtube by searching victgorygasworks. Always good to prepare for the future, disasters ....2012...?

I like it for the simple fact that it is presenting viewers with the essential basics of what a possible scenario would look like. It makes people start to think about the "What if's" of a situation like that, and what they would do to try and survive.

I personally like it.

I really don't like this show.

I think its scripted and cheesy.

What are the chances that a group of people, like they have on that show, would be together?

You have a computer engineer, solar technology tech, marine scientist and an aerospace engineer. Those aren't exactly common jobs. How many regular folks banded together would be able to turn smoke into fuel?

While it can be entertaining watching the solar tech guy go off on his rants. I don't see it as very realistic. I would find it alot better if they got everyday people together and see what they would be able to accomplish without the scripts.

Originally posted by jd140
I really don't like this show.

I think its scripted and cheesy.

What are the chances that a group of people, like they have on that show, would be together?

You have a computer engineer, solar technology tech, marine scientist and an aerospace engineer. Those aren't exactly common jobs. How many regular folks banded together would be able to turn smoke into fuel?

While it can be entertaining watching the solar tech guy go off on his rants. I don't see it as very realistic. I would find it alot better if they got everyday people together and see what they would be able to accomplish without the scripts.

Well... in my cul de sac we have a fireman, nuclear plant engineer, pharamcist, psychologist, gynocologist assistant, counter-terrorism expert, cafeterian lunch lady, and a cop. And we would have voted the Colony handyman off the island on the first day. And we all survived Hurricane Hugo royally.

I've even talked the neighbors into buying rain collection barrels, dry goods storage and diamotreus (sp?) earth among other things. We have an emergency plan and watch out for each other.

Yes, the show seems scripted but it's an experiment... and all celebreality shows are semi-scripted, even Survivor. I think the point of the show is an educational tool, and it's well timed.

Last episode tonight


It's on right now.

I fell asleep last night, what happened? I read on another forum that they get the truck going and leave and go to.... (spoiler)

I would love to see another Colony - this time with Real People!

I want a watress, truck driver, housewife, 7-11 clerk, banker, artist etc

The fact that the people choosen for this version are all Handy doesn't seem logical to me.

How would the Above people handle creating power or filtering water? Building a car or even first aid.

Yeah - I would love to see the 2nd Colony with average people....

BTW - I love this show! Very different and interesting.

I watched most of the episodes and while it was interesting, it did seem like it was pretty controlled and scripted.

First, they kept saying the marauders were under instruction to hot harm the colonists, but the colonists did not know this. C'mon now. They knew they were on TV and perfectly safe, so all the phony panic and scrambling when they heard motorcycles got tiresome.

They could have made it interesting. Just some quick thoughts, probably could be thought through some more but....

Don't give them freebies everywhere. I mean really. Power tools, solar panels, a battery bank, etc... They should have made the show like this...

*You are accepted to be on the show, you will be instructed what week you are to leave but not the day or time. You will be called 15 minutes before it's time to go. You are allowed to take what you can carry in a predetermined bag of our choosing (give them something like a regular knapsack that kids use for school). You will be given your destination at that time.....

I think something like this would simulate a real disaster and the situation most people would be in. No warning, quick bugout, limited supplies... There would have to be some rules as to what they could grab because it's tv, and because they are trying to simulate the 'average' person. So, no firearms or weapons beyond a simple, small folding knife. No 'survivalist' gear. *(Does the average big city resident have pack stoves and trioxane bars, paracord and magnesium fire starters?) Also, they must not know what the others will bring, so if they all show up and they have 15 flashlights but no batteries, too bad.


Give the marauders paintball guns. If you get shot, you're off the show. Let the colonists find one or two with limited paintballs ... say 10.

Make the marauders behave like real people would in a disaster, not mad max outcasts. Let them try to sneak in at night and steal their crap rather than announce their presence.

Give no instructions from 'off camera' assistants. If you can't figure out how to survive, you fail and are removed from the show. If you attempt to do something stupid that will get you or the others harmed, you fail and are removed.

Let them 'find' some supplies for the first week only. After that you must consider, in a real disaster most things would be used/pillaged after a week or so. Beyond that they would only 'find' things others would overlook or not think to grab right away. Things like dog food, broken things, etc..

The shows premise was to see if they could survive and rebuild after a disaster, but it seemed that they were given too much assistance from the outside with not many real threats and hardships that would occur had a real disaster struck. Yeah, yeah, I know, it's only entertainment...

Your version sounds fun. Better yet, do it with two groups. After a while, once everything useful's been found, if you want something you can
a) Make it
b) Trade for it
c) Steal it
That would be more realistic. Also, check out the camera angles. They're obviously being filmed with a crew, as compared to, say, Alone in the Wild. There should be two camcorders, with batteries you can't use for anything else, and hidden cameras with their own electricity supply. That would be more realistic.

it shouldnt matter if its FAKE or not fake.
its a television show and u should try to learn from it if its giving u any knowledge to survive at all.

sorry double post

[edit on 26-9-2009 by platipus]

Originally posted by platipus
it shouldnt matter if its FAKE or not fake.
its a television show and u should try to learn from it if its giving u any knowledge to survive at all.

There were many times that this show touched me. I learned so much that I hadn't considered after watching it. The timing of this show is right. The message is very important, I agree.

Originally posted by platipus
it shouldnt matter if its FAKE or not fake.
its a television show and u should try to learn from it if its giving u any knowledge to survive at all.

Sure there are things you can learn even if it's fake. My point is, if you are going to try to make a 'survival' show where people would actually have to survive an apocalypse, try to throw in some realistic scenarios.

You aren't going to just run across some food or a goat after a short time unless you store it or steal it. If you store it and someone knows where you are they aren't going to just drive by and look menacing, they are going to try to take it by force. Knowing this would change your priorities and actions as opposed to knowing they really aren't going to hurt you because it's tv. If there was a real threat, even it was just getting 'killed' off the show, you would have seen them do things differently. They took what, a week or so before they thought about any security besides locking the door?

It could have been made more realistic by putting together a likely group of strangers meeting on the street. A couple of business men, office workers, maybe a nurse, a warehouse worker, a plumber.... you know, real people. I know they wanted to have a show and if they all died within a week it wouldn't have been good, but that's how it would be.

What if you were stuck with a group without any engineers or scientists, welders, nurses, or handymen? Could you have fixed the truck and built an alternative fuel system to get it running. Would you know how to build a water filtration system so you didn't die from drinking bad water? Hell, how many people do you think would set the whole place on fire trying to hook up the battery bank?

I have been learning these sorts of things for while now, so I know I could survive the event. My concern would be other people, which was missing from the show. Although they were there, the cast knew they were not a real threat.

But really, how many people in L.A. know what a wood gasifier it, much less how to build one, and know they could run a vehicle off of it?

[edit on 27-9-2009 by Primordial]

I just found an Advertisement on Craigslist casting for "the Colony" on Discovery Channel. Sounds tempting! This would be Awsome if Someone from ATS actually makes it to the show... If any of you here on ATS does apply and makes it, be sure to let us know!!

Craigslist casting the Colony