The Colony - American Discovery Channel

[Dion]

While south of the border visiting my brother in the state of Minnesota I managed to catch this interesting reality program. The first week I was there they ran a mini marathon where I got to see the first 5 episodes to get me caught up. After that I was hooked. Thankfully full episodes can be watched online as the crappy Canadian version doesn't air this program.

http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/colony/colony.html

You can watch full episodes here.

http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/the-colony/

About the show.

What would you do in the wake of a global catastrophe? How would you find food? Water? Shelter?

The Colony is a controlled experiment to see exactly what it would take to survive and rebuild under these circumstances. For 10 weeks, a group of 10 volunteers, whose backgrounds and expertise represent a cross-section of modern society, are isolated in an urban environment outside Los Angeles and tasked with creating a livable society.

With no electricity from the grid, no running water and no communication with the outside world, all the volunteers have to work with are their skills and whatever tools and supplies they can scavenge from their surroundings.

Experts from the fields of homeland security, engineering and psychology have helped design the world of The Colony to reflect elements from both real-life disasters and models of what the future could look like after a global viral outbreak.

Over the course of the 10-week experiment, the Colonists must work together to build the necessities of survival, such as a water-filtration system, a battery bank that powered their electricity, a solar cooker, a shower system and a greenhouse – and even some niceties (a coffee maker!).

Episode guide

Arrival and Survival- July 21, 2009 Ten volunteers enter an experimental post-catastrophe world to see if they can survive and rebuild after a global disaster. Cordoned off in a downtown Los Angeles warehouse, they must secure shelter, filter water, and defend their new home from thieves.

Power Struggle - July 28, 2009 With their power supply dwindling, the volunteers attempt to build a generator that runs on smoke from wood scraps. When they scavenge the nearby streets for supplies, they must face off with a motorcycle-riding thug.

Comfort in Chaos - August 4, 2009 After securing the basic necessities for survival, the volunteers focus on the one creature comfort they can't live without: a hot shower. But focusing on comfort leaves them open to a massive attack that threatens their long-term survival.

Safety and Security - August 11, 2009 After an attack shatters the volunteers' sense of security, they must focus on building weapons and fortifying the warehouse. But before they can finish, a truckload of gun-toting traders arrives to test the volunteers' unity.

A Stranger Among Us - August 18, 2009 The volunteers have the opportunity to up their electricity and power capabilities when they scavenge a stock of abandoned solar panels. But the experiment takes a violent turn when a stranger breeches their security and tries to steal their supplies.

Loss and Communication - August 25, 2009 The volunteers are rocked by the disappearance of a treasured member during a search party mission. The loss spurs them to build a collection of communication devices in hopes that their missing member is somewhere out there…listening.

A Test of Faith - September 1, 2009 The Colonists run into missionaries on a river trip, and John V's moral compass is shaken. The arrival of two new visitors creates an internal rift and the group must sacrifice one of their own to survive.

http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/colony/about/colony.html

[OBCT]

I'm a fan.

Interesting premise that plays out as surprisingly convincing and "realistic" (or seemingly so; not sure what that perception is based on). Meeting and understanding all the personalities and their reactions to various "stimuli" is reasonably compelling.

I definitely give it a "Worth Checking Out" nod. [Especially if you live in the States, or enjoy watching TV online.]

[AvsJerk]

Originally Posted by OBCT

I'm a fan.

Interesting premise that plays out as surprisingly convincing and "realistic" (or seemingly so; not sure what that perception is based on). Meeting and understanding all the personalities and their reactions to various "stimuli" is reasonably compelling.

I caught a couple of the episodes during the mini-marathon and I'm not sure what to think. I found it interesting when they were building cool stuff like the wood burning-methanol producing contraption and the generator. However, the producers sure did cast a bunch of ######bags...like the illiterate carpenter, the angry doctor, the old phd hippy, etc. And what about the Mad Max motorcycle gang...I have the feeling that one of the moron colonists is going to get out of control and skull one of these poor basterds with a lead pipe...thus ending the "experiment".

[RougeUnderoos]

Do the women on the show possess sexual characteristics of a highly stimulating nature?

[Displaced Flames fan]

I saw the promotion leading up to it and thought that there was no way they could pull this off and have it be anywhere near a realistic situation. As a result, I have not tuned in and probably won't. If you're life isn't REALLY in danger, how realistic can it be?

[AvsJerk]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Do the women on the show possess sexual characteristics of a highly stimulating nature?

Barely...maybe if you had just survived some kind of apocolyptic disaster and really needed to get laid...cause you might be dying soon or something.

[AvsJerk]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

I saw the promotion leading up to it and thought that there was no way they could pull this off and have it be anywhere near a realistic situation. As a result, I have not tuned in and probably won't. If you're life isn't REALLY in danger, how realistic can it be?

I also see that as being a major problem for this show. However, whoever was in charge of casting did a great job at finding a bunch of clowns that really seem to believe that their lives are in danger. After watching two episodes of this show I have realized that in a post-apocalyptic world, I would have alot more fun being a motorcycle bandito than a goody-two-shoes colonist. In fact, Discovery channel should make a show about that.

[QuadCityImages]

I like it quite a bit, although I could do without the MTV-style personality drama. This is the first reality show that I find myself wishing I could be on. It would be both more and less interesting to watch regular people like me without the crazy skills that some of these folks have. They almost make it look too easy. I suspect we'd just fail though.

It'd be cooler if they used an abandoned city somewhere though, so they could have free reign and go where they want instead of being in LA and having to have areas set up for them to "explore."

[Rathji]

After reading this thread I have watched the first 2 episodes and I am loving it.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

I saw the promotion leading up to it and thought that there was no way they could pull this off and have it be anywhere near a realistic situation. As a result, I have not tuned in and probably won't. If you're life isn't REALLY in danger, how realistic can it be?

I had the same thoughts when they did the opening credits of the first episode. A lot of it looked realistic to me and it appeared that the people involved weren't just acting out the part. It was if they actually belived what was happening was real. Some psychologist involed with the production of the show made some references to that and explained how it could happen. My suggestion is you watch a few episodes and judge for yourself. I think you might be surprised.

Watching them build things with stuff they had lying around was quite interesting. From generating power from a bunch of car batteries to a water filtration system or even the shower itself. I find the whole show quite fascinating.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by Dion

I had the same thoughts when they did the opening credits of the first episode. A lot of it looked realistic to me and it appeared that the people involved weren't just acting out the part. It was if they actually belived what was happening was real. Some psychologist involed with the production of the show made some references to that and explained how it could happen. My suggestion is you watch a few episodes and judge for yourself. I think you might be surprised.

Watching them build things with stuff they had lying around was quite interesting. From generating power from a bunch of car batteries to a water filtration system or even the shower itself. I find the whole show quite fascinating.

The wood gas running a pressure washer engine to run 2 car alternators to charge a bank of car batteries is pretty amazing.

[endeavor]

Originally Posted by Dion

snipped

Hmm, I did not know about this. It sounds very interesting. I will definitely check this out. Thanks!

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Rathji

The wood gas running a pressure washer engine to run 2 car alternators to charge a bank of car batteries is pretty amazing.

That's the part of the show that I like. The ability to take whatever they have available and to be able do something with it. In one of the later episodes they take some solar panels from another building nearby and construct a moving apperatus to put the panels on so they can have a permanent source of power to keep the batteries going. It's like they are always thinking about better ways to make that warehouse they are in more livable.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by QuadCityImages

I like it quite a bit, although I could do without the MTV-style personality drama. This is the first reality show that I find myself wishing I could be on. It would be both more and less interesting to watch regular people like me without the crazy skills that some of these folks have. They almost make it look too easy. I suspect we'd just fail though.

It'd be cooler if they used an abandoned city somewhere though, so they could have free reign and go where they want instead of being in LA and having to have areas set up for them to "explore."

You mean like drop them inside the exclusion zone at Chernobyl, right?

[QuadCityImages]

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

You mean like drop them inside the exclusion zone at Chernobyl, right?

That was kind of what I was thinking actually, but Hashima Island would be much better. Since its been abandoned so long they'd have to restock it with some things though, but it would still open up a lot more possibilities, such as the volunteers actually constructing buildings or bridges, etc.

And yes, I'm a fan of the Fallout series...

[Dion]

Yesterdays episode.

They build an ozonator to purify the water. They also eat rats to get thier daily protien.

http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/the-...l-episode.html