"The Colony" - my thoughts

Season 2 of Discovery channel's The Colony has started and this time they are showing the full episodes on their webpage.
Link

For those who haven't heard about this, it is kind of a reality show (though more of a role-playing show if you ask me) where the premise is 99% of humanity has been killed off by a super-flu. A group of survivors are placed together in an urban wasteland (this season it's 10 blocks of New Orleans earmarked for razing after Katrina) and they have to "scavenge" and build stuff to survive.

Of course, their area is pre-stocked with assorted things like tools, food sources, and assorted other bits of technology to make their lives easier. On the other hand they are also occasionally "attacked" by raiders who steal their supplies, vandalize equipment, molest their shrubbery, and sometimes kidnapped members.

I'm pretty sure any of you watching the show spend as much time shouting at the tv as I do, but there are actually some good lessons to be learned from the show:

1. I'm pretty sure the actions/reactions/thought processes of the people in this show mimic those of 99% of the general population. By studying them we can learn what errors to expect from others.

2. Most people would do well with lessons on how to display negative feelings in a constructive manner. There's a lot of passive aggressive stuff going on which just leaves bad feelings festering. When someone screws up let them know, ask them they how they could have done better, tell them they need to do better next time, then drop it.

3. Shy people with good ideas are easily beaten down by loud people, mean people with bad ideas.

4. Hide most of your supplies, only leave out what you'll need that day.

5. Security security security!

6. If no one is in charge then the loudest (and often dumbest) person is in charge.

7. Most people have no imagination and have a very hard time understanding anything outside their little world. For instance, a root celler is a useful thing in Montana, but a 2-ft deep hole dug in in the ground in New Orleans isn't going to keep your fish soup from spoiling. Sidenote: the rule of thumb is ground five feet deep will be at the yearly average surface temperature for that location. Up north this is great, down south it's still going to be warm.

8. Do something great and people will think you are great. But if you do something wrong the next day you'll become the worst person in the world.

Overall I am finding theprogram enjoyable though mainly as a away of learning what to expect from others. I personally think their adventure looks like a lot of fun and I keep wondering if I made a mistake turning down a spot on the show.

-Blast

Think you'd find it frustrating since no one would listen to you though you are the one who knows what to do!

>I keep wondering if I made a mistake turning down a spot on the >show.

QJS

Too contrived for me. The presence of cameras makes the entire thing a sham. Also, the fact that no one is allowed to hurt others or to be hurt trying to survive makes the entire thing unreal.

Watched about a half episode of the the first series, laughed at the efforts versus the results and went to bed.

IMHO no one but Les has come close to a true survival show.

'a friend of a friend' appeared on one of these 'reality' shows and reported they were even told what to say when giving their 'opinions' to the camera.
The fact there is always a goodie, a baddie, an underdog to sympathise with ... etc (as in the 'talent' shows) to make it a soap opera is a bit of a clue. And if all else fails they can simply edit it to create a drama.
QJS

+1 - I watched three episodes of Man vs Wild while travelling this week. The things that Bear Grylls did were IMO examples of what no one in their right mind should do in a survival situation. It would have been fun to see Blast on TV though.

Actually it would be useful to see what happened to one of us in that situation.
Would we be listened to? Most people don't even know enough to keep warm by staying out of the wind and think starvation is the main danger.
Would trying to show others what to do just mean you'd get all the responsibility?
Go for it Blast!
QJS


>It would have been fun to see Blast on TV though.

Look. I am not some mechanic, inventor, carpenter or doctor. My skill set in said situation would be much more mundane. I understand security in hostile territory, I can learn quickly enough to be an extra hand in anything and (I have at least been told and have a track record for) being a natural leader of people with a decent ability to mediate conflict resolution and team strategy.

That being said, and I haven't seen the third epi yet, security should have been a top priority in the first two epi by at least closing off avenues of ingress/egress in such a large area. The wanders trying to see what was in the building should have been the clue there. For goodness sake a high OP/LP at least.

With such a large area, and now a pattern of intrusion, they must cache supplies.

I am sure that they are disallowed to create some security systems, such as fire hardened spears, shields, pungi sticks, rebar batons, etc. But C'mon! what was deal with the fire extinguisher in a riot. It'd be easier to make mustard gas. I will not believe that these people are so dense as to ignore the obvious, so I will blame the show itself for not allowing them to do it...yet.

The show sounds like dumb, silly entertainment. I'll have to check it out.

I thought the show was a little odd, those folks were attacked by others, I have to think why wouldn't those folks fight back with deadly force.

We just got TV, and set it to record..

Hope to catch up

So I watched the latest epi, when the two newbies showed up. Now this is where I think we can really see the production aspects of the show. I don't think there is a chance in hell that after the intrusions they've had the first couple weeks they would just offer up lodging they way they did. I am willing to bet they were told at some point very soon they would have to accept other people in the group.

Regarding the decision making process, I do think in any group, be it a family, a sports team, a hiking group or The Colony, there needs to be one person that the group looks to for deference. Not dictatorship but someone willing to take all information and direction under consideration and make decisions in the best interest of the group. Everyone has a say, but there is only one head.

While I don't think a forge takes priority over basic first level securing of the premise, (plug the holes)that machete was pretty cool and the ability to incorporate metal into the security system is excellent.

Would you have traded away all your medical supplies for a genny? Would you trade to gain soap? No right or wrong, just asking.

One thing regarding the teaser for next week. As soon as the Colonists walked up to that building and there was a makeshift curtain over an outside door, I think they should have realized that others could still be there. So taking the items they did when the 3 men showed up and trying to run off with it is something I would not have condoned. It was no longer scavenging, it was stealing. Far better to leave it, apologize, try to establish a relationship and set up a network of support than another potential enemy. Unless the mens hostility did not abate and then the defense was for their safety not for goods they took.