This has become my favorite show. I love these kids. They have shown maturity, a great work ethic, and above all hope for the future. From what I have seen there really has been not a sign of prejudice. These kids always seem to be able to work out their differences with no hard feelings. I love how they shake hands after their differences have been sorted out. I unfortunately don't know very many men that do that. Especially around the children's hockey arena. Adults could learn from these children. The only thing I wasn't all that crazy about was the children having to cook their own meals in the old cook stoves. I think I would have had a hard time doing that. Some of the challenges seemed to have been set up to make the kids fail like the rock hauling one. How on earth are kids supposed to know how much 500 lbs of rock are?
17 Reviews
Are your kids prepared?
alohatoyall21 September 2007
Warning: Spoilers
If something happened to you, are your kids prepared? At the worst case scenario, the adults are gone, will your kids survive on their own? Would they know how to cook a meal? I would want to know that they will step up to the challenge and survive. Disasters happen all the time and kids are left to fend for themselves. 911 left kids without parents and had to take care of their younger siblings. Katrina made our kids here grow up over night. Teach your kids to cook and do basic hygiene and housekeeping. You will be doing them a favor and teach them to be responsible and self sufficient. I was very happy to see on this show that there is leadership, self sufficiency, and compassion amongst them. Rabbit hunting for Jimmy brought those little boys together. As cute as it was, their discussion was a very adult thing to do, even though they reverted right back to being just little boys at the sight of girls coming. Other people think it's child exploitation. Someone always looks for the worst in things, and you are entitled to it. I just don't believe I have to be force fed with it. Scripted or not, I would want to know, "Have I taught mine enough to make it?"
Kid Nation real or fake?
Jesseloveshockey29 December 2008
Warning: Spoilers
I like the show personally. But there is some issues. Anyway here's the basic plot there's these 40 kids left in a deserted town named Bonaza city. They work to make a better town that's basically it with some smaller plots like winning the gold star for the most hard working kid. Now on to my question is Kid Nation real or fake? Here's some examples of the kids just acting. Zack is always doing hard work and being a leader but I don't believe it he just probably faked because he's always in front of the camera. My second example is Taylor she acts like a brat who needs rehab, but people on the internet say she's not like that in real life. Probably the producers told Taylor to be that way for entertainment. My last example is Greg the oldest. He acts tough just to look like the smartest and coolest on the show.
I hope I convivnced you that Kid Nation is fake.
I hope I convivnced you that Kid Nation is fake.
The Kids Are All Right
L_Miller23 October 2007
This is my favorite show of the 2007 season. I agree with the other comments about the "child labor" commentary - in America you can always find a university professor/media gadfly/reporter desperate for something to talk about somewhere willing to voice clucking concern.
Some people reflexively see anything not involving indulgent, extensive and repeated -heart-ing of kids is torture and abuse. And we must be suspicious of the artifices and manipulation of reality television. I don't care for all the Burnett-style time-lapse shots and really dislike the way tyhe general store has started to play up the play-drinking aspects. These kids watch TV too, and when you give them shot glasses for root beer and water you're encouraging them to act out.
But for me the watchable part of this show, the thing I tune in for every week, is the way these kids found so many ways to cope, to live together and deal with the situations that came up without all the lies and self-aggrandizement and duplicity most adults engage in.
They're so wonderfully honest, and sometimes they like each other and sometimes they hate each other but they crash into things, look around, dust themselves off and move right along. They are all right, and they find their way, and their strength and resilience makes me feel better about the future of the world for an hour on a Wednesday night.
All of the episodes have been fascinating to watch - during the election show when Mike realized that every single kid on his team had voted against him, he visibly sank. Then he picked himself up and took his place among those who had voted him out. You know that will be an event that will always be part of his life, and maybe it will make him a better person and maybe it will undermine him, and instead of "ooh, isn't it cool?" I wanted to show this to my nephews and say this kid is demonstrating what you should do in the world when it hands you failure - you sink for a moment, and then you pick yourself up and deal with what's left.
I highly recommend this show, at least so far.
Some people reflexively see anything not involving indulgent, extensive and repeated -heart-ing of kids is torture and abuse. And we must be suspicious of the artifices and manipulation of reality television. I don't care for all the Burnett-style time-lapse shots and really dislike the way tyhe general store has started to play up the play-drinking aspects. These kids watch TV too, and when you give them shot glasses for root beer and water you're encouraging them to act out.
But for me the watchable part of this show, the thing I tune in for every week, is the way these kids found so many ways to cope, to live together and deal with the situations that came up without all the lies and self-aggrandizement and duplicity most adults engage in.
They're so wonderfully honest, and sometimes they like each other and sometimes they hate each other but they crash into things, look around, dust themselves off and move right along. They are all right, and they find their way, and their strength and resilience makes me feel better about the future of the world for an hour on a Wednesday night.
All of the episodes have been fascinating to watch - during the election show when Mike realized that every single kid on his team had voted against him, he visibly sank. Then he picked himself up and took his place among those who had voted him out. You know that will be an event that will always be part of his life, and maybe it will make him a better person and maybe it will undermine him, and instead of "ooh, isn't it cool?" I wanted to show this to my nephews and say this kid is demonstrating what you should do in the world when it hands you failure - you sink for a moment, and then you pick yourself up and deal with what's left.
I highly recommend this show, at least so far.
It is "entertainment."
marty-22025 October 2007
In a nutshell... watch it at least once and then make up your mind. Either you like it, hate it, find it somewhat endearing and inspiring or truly feel it is exploitative. But don't prejudge this based on what you've read in newspaper articles or on the Internet. That to me is just a sad commentary on what our country has turned into (protest and censor something without even knowing what it is about.) I personally find it entertaining and am happy to see kids that age be able to work together and handle life much better than many adults. And for people who feel parents should be concerned about leaving their kids out in the middle of nowhere with no adults around. Come on. There are more crew and production people on the premises than the 38 or 39 kids. These kids ARE supervised.
But the bottom line is... there are many other shows on Wednesday night at the same time as KID NATION. If this isn't your cup of tea, don't watch it.
But the bottom line is... there are many other shows on Wednesday night at the same time as KID NATION. If this isn't your cup of tea, don't watch it.
GREAT to watch kids have such a life-changing experience & grow in positive ways!!
annieoklieCerrillos12 December 2007
it was sad how many negative comments were flying around the media before Kid Nation was even aired!! we were wondering what it was going to be like, but decided to Tivo anyway. the crew was SO creative with the challenges and rewards etc etc. it was a joy to see the kids mature and grow---so many arrived spoiled and unwilling to jump in there, but they really changed over the weeks and we fell in love with each of them!!! they dealt with human conflict often better than adults, and in the end knew it was much more than an opportunity to be on a TV show..... it was an amazing opportunity to pull together and form a family/community, and make life-long friends!!!! we look forward to the Bonanza Annual Reunion, and know how this experience changed their lives---what will they become as adults? how will they influence our world? GOOD JOB KIDS!!! GOOD JOB PRODUCERS AND CREW!!!!!!!! PS...great to see old Daisytown transformed!!!
Microcosm of the Future?
listerfiend5105 December 2007
The way the show worked was interesting. As it was said above the kids needed to make the town work in 40 days. The only problem I had about this was that no matter what...the town would work. The challenges were interesting to watch along with the voting for the gold stars. Obviously the older kids were focused on a bit more but even they had something to contribute to the show. There seemed to be a few stereotypes in the town also...the brat, the brain, the idiot, the wise guy, and all of them made the show what it was. I was kind of looking forward to real struggles but there must have been a crew that took care of the kids and the plot was a lot of drama. Ill have to admit the experience looked really fun and I would have done it myself.
A scripted and Uber-American Lord of the Flies
The_Melancholic_Alcoholic9 January 2008
Warning: Spoilers
This show directly taps into the pioneer folklore of American cultural story: Despite hardship, and the looming danger of chaos, if we all stick together, we'll make it. Now, there's a lot to say for a never-say-die attitude. At the same time, I wonder if this show strengthens Americans in the believe, that their we-are-better-than-thee approach in the world is justified, that they are the "Chosen People" and thus are more entitled than other nations.
All that aside, this show is pretty good. It is clearly shown that even though we might think of children as angels, they are not. They have the same capacity for cruelty and stupidity as adults. Taylor is the perfect example of a spoiled beauty queen. In the first episode she says: "I'm a beauty-queen and I don't do dishes" and she acts accordingly. She sleeps in very late and doesn't do her job as Yellow Leader to make breakfast, except on the first day. Taylor has discovered the George Bush defense: When something happens bush doesn't like, when he gets criticized he denies it and says: "So? What are you gonna do about it? and "I don't give a rats ass", as well as "It wasn't me!" in all their various diplomatic variations.
This is very similar to Taylor's highly annoying "Deal with it!" The amazing thing is, they BOTH GET AWAY WITH IT! Just like that evil Big Brother guy. At the moment of writing, after episode 3, Taylor's got openly and publicly criticized at the town hall meeting. Typically, she got out of it, like a regular politician, by making an empty promise and ... crying! Edit: Just like a true politician (Bush, anyone?) she has done NOTHING to keep her promise, by the end of episode 4! Edit: it's now episode 9, and she STILL hasn't worked an ounce! What's more, she's proud of that fact! Greg is also worth mentioning. Since he demonstrated so far, the worst reaction to his adversity of not winning the gold star, by acting out and bullying, he fails to see a very basic thing about living with other people: you have to be, up to a degree, likable as well as work hard. Most adults could have told him that the best reaction to losing the gold star would have been to work just as hard and be gracious in defeat. But at fifteen, he's (understandbly) unable to see that. He's for a large part justified in his feeling of being treated unfairly. It's just not good politics to start bullying like he did.
Mike, seems hell bent NOT to give Greg a Gold Star. That is petty and low. He thereby has reduced Greg to a 2nd class citizen: "No matter how hard you work, we're gonna give the reward to a little girl anyway!" (whose parents were so irresponsible to let her go away on her birthday, at that!) What's been made clear by the showdowns is that the Green Team must be the worst organizers. Bigger kids should be better at everything: they're smarter, tougher and more experienced. Yet, the Yellow team (on average the youngest kids) doesn't always lose. Kudos to the creators of the showdowns that they reward organisation, as well as strength speed and tenacity.
The so-called controversy around "child-labor" is indicative of another feature of America, the overly bureaucratic and rule-obsessed side. I guess the pioneer-myth-side is preferable.
All that aside, this show is pretty good. It is clearly shown that even though we might think of children as angels, they are not. They have the same capacity for cruelty and stupidity as adults. Taylor is the perfect example of a spoiled beauty queen. In the first episode she says: "I'm a beauty-queen and I don't do dishes" and she acts accordingly. She sleeps in very late and doesn't do her job as Yellow Leader to make breakfast, except on the first day. Taylor has discovered the George Bush defense: When something happens bush doesn't like, when he gets criticized he denies it and says: "So? What are you gonna do about it? and "I don't give a rats ass", as well as "It wasn't me!" in all their various diplomatic variations.
This is very similar to Taylor's highly annoying "Deal with it!" The amazing thing is, they BOTH GET AWAY WITH IT! Just like that evil Big Brother guy. At the moment of writing, after episode 3, Taylor's got openly and publicly criticized at the town hall meeting. Typically, she got out of it, like a regular politician, by making an empty promise and ... crying! Edit: Just like a true politician (Bush, anyone?) she has done NOTHING to keep her promise, by the end of episode 4! Edit: it's now episode 9, and she STILL hasn't worked an ounce! What's more, she's proud of that fact! Greg is also worth mentioning. Since he demonstrated so far, the worst reaction to his adversity of not winning the gold star, by acting out and bullying, he fails to see a very basic thing about living with other people: you have to be, up to a degree, likable as well as work hard. Most adults could have told him that the best reaction to losing the gold star would have been to work just as hard and be gracious in defeat. But at fifteen, he's (understandbly) unable to see that. He's for a large part justified in his feeling of being treated unfairly. It's just not good politics to start bullying like he did.
Mike, seems hell bent NOT to give Greg a Gold Star. That is petty and low. He thereby has reduced Greg to a 2nd class citizen: "No matter how hard you work, we're gonna give the reward to a little girl anyway!" (whose parents were so irresponsible to let her go away on her birthday, at that!) What's been made clear by the showdowns is that the Green Team must be the worst organizers. Bigger kids should be better at everything: they're smarter, tougher and more experienced. Yet, the Yellow team (on average the youngest kids) doesn't always lose. Kudos to the creators of the showdowns that they reward organisation, as well as strength speed and tenacity.
The so-called controversy around "child-labor" is indicative of another feature of America, the overly bureaucratic and rule-obsessed side. I guess the pioneer-myth-side is preferable.
A dream come true
cgonzalezdelhoyo10 August 2009
I started watching it with some mistrust over the child abuse comments here.
However it soon became obvious that it was a dream come true! The ultimate summer-camp! Summercamps can be a tough experience for those that are too dependent on their parents. But any kid cherishes the idea of not having school nor parents to dictate their day!! The program is obviously artificial i.e. many of the kids have particular skills needed such as milking sheep or butchering animals. But try to put yourself in the producers shoes, you would be surprised to see the amount of work required to film 1min. Everything has to come together first time and it requires tons of planning. And then there's the editing...
So what??? It is TV, we want to be entertained. If your an existentialist then watch European film noir...
Personally I like happy endings and this show delivers.
However it soon became obvious that it was a dream come true! The ultimate summer-camp! Summercamps can be a tough experience for those that are too dependent on their parents. But any kid cherishes the idea of not having school nor parents to dictate their day!! The program is obviously artificial i.e. many of the kids have particular skills needed such as milking sheep or butchering animals. But try to put yourself in the producers shoes, you would be surprised to see the amount of work required to film 1min. Everything has to come together first time and it requires tons of planning. And then there's the editing...
So what??? It is TV, we want to be entertained. If your an existentialist then watch European film noir...
Personally I like happy endings and this show delivers.
Great Show,Ended too Soon
Illyngophobia22 July 2008
Warning: Spoilers
We seen many,that is,too many reality shows with older teenagers and adults,but we never see any with kids or young teenagers.And Kid Nation came to the rescue.
For 40 days,40 kids took the challenge,to build the first ever 'Kid Nation' in the ghost town,Bonzana.They face many challenges along the way.They all divide up into four district teams,and have their own leaders.The district leaders make up the town council,and make the choices in what happen.
The teams much also do challenges,like races.But,heres' the other catch,if all four districts complete the challenges,then they will win one of two prizes,that they choose.If the four districts don't complete it (ex:3 complete it,1 doesn't),they don't win anything.But there is a higher hope,and something all the kids are excited for.Each week,one kid will be rewarded a gold star for their actions (ex:being very helpful,works hard,makes others feel better and laugh etc),all of which is decided by the council.And the gold star is worth it's weight in gold literally.Worth $20,000! But of course with every reality show,there will be fights,problems,conflict and struggles.And of course,the mot noticed thing,that many people talk about were the child labor problems and injury on the set.It has been reported that someone hurt their arm in one of the challenges,another got their face burnt from cooking oil,and three accidentally drank bleach.But they did get medical treatment.
Overall,this was an entertaining show,and many wish it was still around.Season 2 would have probably aired around September of this year.
For 40 days,40 kids took the challenge,to build the first ever 'Kid Nation' in the ghost town,Bonzana.They face many challenges along the way.They all divide up into four district teams,and have their own leaders.The district leaders make up the town council,and make the choices in what happen.
The teams much also do challenges,like races.But,heres' the other catch,if all four districts complete the challenges,then they will win one of two prizes,that they choose.If the four districts don't complete it (ex:3 complete it,1 doesn't),they don't win anything.But there is a higher hope,and something all the kids are excited for.Each week,one kid will be rewarded a gold star for their actions (ex:being very helpful,works hard,makes others feel better and laugh etc),all of which is decided by the council.And the gold star is worth it's weight in gold literally.Worth $20,000! But of course with every reality show,there will be fights,problems,conflict and struggles.And of course,the mot noticed thing,that many people talk about were the child labor problems and injury on the set.It has been reported that someone hurt their arm in one of the challenges,another got their face burnt from cooking oil,and three accidentally drank bleach.But they did get medical treatment.
Overall,this was an entertaining show,and many wish it was still around.Season 2 would have probably aired around September of this year.
Keep Kid Nation on!
brendan-22922 February 2008
If you want to keep KN on the air, send a red, blue, green, or yellow bandanna here NO LATER than March 20th.
Leslie Moonves President and Chief Executive Officer, CBS Corporation CBS Television Network
51 West 52nd Street New York, NY 10019
And/or sign the petition, here:
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/kid-nation-2.html
Some kids from the show have signed it!
We really need to keep this going! There have been people saying, more like whining, "Child abuse!!!! Ooohh, those poooor children, and what horrrrrible parents!" I LAUGH at these people. Clearly they never even watched the show. They were able to leave at any time they want. They also had to AGREE to be on it in the first place! Then their parents had to agree. To be honest, I'd KILL to have a chance to prove myself and kids everywhere to adults. To let them no where not defenseless infants that must be protected, sheltered and hand fed until the age of 18, where we suddenly magically become adults. In the words of Laurel, "We have minds, we can think!" Also, a tip to people who watch only what the critics tell you to, Sophia has some advice for you. "The critics weren't there!"
Leslie Moonves President and Chief Executive Officer, CBS Corporation CBS Television Network
51 West 52nd Street New York, NY 10019
And/or sign the petition, here:
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/kid-nation-2.html
Some kids from the show have signed it!
We really need to keep this going! There have been people saying, more like whining, "Child abuse!!!! Ooohh, those poooor children, and what horrrrrible parents!" I LAUGH at these people. Clearly they never even watched the show. They were able to leave at any time they want. They also had to AGREE to be on it in the first place! Then their parents had to agree. To be honest, I'd KILL to have a chance to prove myself and kids everywhere to adults. To let them no where not defenseless infants that must be protected, sheltered and hand fed until the age of 18, where we suddenly magically become adults. In the words of Laurel, "We have minds, we can think!" Also, a tip to people who watch only what the critics tell you to, Sophia has some advice for you. "The critics weren't there!"
Is this legal? This can't be legal, right?
GraysonFrigginPayne23 June 2020
I mean, there has to be a lawsuit in here somewhere. I honestly don't know what to think. Like, they just kinda threw some kids into the middle of the desert and then watched as they slowly descended into some "Lord of the Flies" type stuff. This has the the work of an escaped mental asylum patient right? Who funded this?
These kids really worked hard to prove themselves
kleung0314 January 2008
This was one of the my favorite reality shows. Unlike many other ones they use children, and sets them in real life situations that adults are in. They work like adults, they are divided like adults and are forced to make decisions like adults. The children have changed from whining kids in the start to a united group to fight for themselves.
This show really pushes out the true face of some children; their selfishness, greed, and the bad side. But to work as a group, these things cannot happen, so other kids help and advise them to change and improve, which of course is they did at the end.
Really advise watching at least one episodes, and probably really entertaining especially to kids.
This show really pushes out the true face of some children; their selfishness, greed, and the bad side. But to work as a group, these things cannot happen, so other kids help and advise them to change and improve, which of course is they did at the end.
Really advise watching at least one episodes, and probably really entertaining especially to kids.
Interesting For Sure
brad_31730 December 2007
I thought that Kid Nation was a pretty interesting take on society in general.
And of course its partially scripted, they are not going to put the entire show into the hands of the kids and say run with it. But I think the reactions of the kids, the actions of the kids and the emotion of the kids is very really.
It is almost a miniature of the real world. There are the hardworking kids and there are the lazy kids, there are the outgoing kids and there are the shy kids, there are the aggressive kids and there are the timid kids.
All in all, it was an interesting premise and I thought, fairly well done.
And of course its partially scripted, they are not going to put the entire show into the hands of the kids and say run with it. But I think the reactions of the kids, the actions of the kids and the emotion of the kids is very really.
It is almost a miniature of the real world. There are the hardworking kids and there are the lazy kids, there are the outgoing kids and there are the shy kids, there are the aggressive kids and there are the timid kids.
All in all, it was an interesting premise and I thought, fairly well done.
Kids are smarter than we give 'em credit for...
backup-5036223 November 2022
Okay, I gotta be honest, I only finally watched this thanks to Jimmy and JonTron making a video about it. And I'm rating it high NOT because it was a smart idea to do this to kids, but because from an entertainment standpoint - it is.
I usually hate stuff like Survivor and Fear Factor, but those are kids - they definitely can't fake how they feel about anything, so it's genuinely entertaining to watch them figure things out, find solutions, and work as a group. The whole show is like a weird, unethical science experiment.
I feel like I learned a lot from this - it displays humanity's worst and best traits purely - from spoiled bratty girls using manipulation tactics and being useless and self-entitled, to boys doing chimp-like displays of dominance to each other. It definitely showed what kind of people end up being most valuable to society; and the most worthless. It showed how strength is valuable, just as much as good intentions and willingness to do dirty work is. And it definitely showed girls are generally more useless, vindictive, hateful and self-entitled than boys, who are traditionally conditioned to do the dirty work and not complain.
But overall, most of the kids were awesome, and I'm surprised I ended up sitting there crying along with them, just because I didn't like seeing them cry, because I ended up liking them so much. I hope they're doing well today.
I usually hate stuff like Survivor and Fear Factor, but those are kids - they definitely can't fake how they feel about anything, so it's genuinely entertaining to watch them figure things out, find solutions, and work as a group. The whole show is like a weird, unethical science experiment.
I feel like I learned a lot from this - it displays humanity's worst and best traits purely - from spoiled bratty girls using manipulation tactics and being useless and self-entitled, to boys doing chimp-like displays of dominance to each other. It definitely showed what kind of people end up being most valuable to society; and the most worthless. It showed how strength is valuable, just as much as good intentions and willingness to do dirty work is. And it definitely showed girls are generally more useless, vindictive, hateful and self-entitled than boys, who are traditionally conditioned to do the dirty work and not complain.
But overall, most of the kids were awesome, and I'm surprised I ended up sitting there crying along with them, just because I didn't like seeing them cry, because I ended up liking them so much. I hope they're doing well today.
Loved it but totally borders child abuse.
maldonadorichard-5448931 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
One of my favorite scenes is seeing that kid stand up to a and effectively used intimidation against his opponent, a bull.
That same kid along with others left, because the setting was really harsh. Children ages 6-14 were left to their own devices to fend for themselves in a desert wasteland. No bed, not enough toilets, they had to cook and clean for themselves. Literally these kids kinda starved in the beginning. Week to week, they grew and figured out solutions to hardships that occurred.
I'm an educator and watching this enlightened me on the uniqueness that every child brings to the table. They're tiny people and can do amazing things. This show in a messed up way showed us, the audience, exactly how powerful and diligent we are as a species. I don't think it needs to have a 2nd season but I think it should be rebranded as a documentary because this was quiet the learning experience.
That same kid along with others left, because the setting was really harsh. Children ages 6-14 were left to their own devices to fend for themselves in a desert wasteland. No bed, not enough toilets, they had to cook and clean for themselves. Literally these kids kinda starved in the beginning. Week to week, they grew and figured out solutions to hardships that occurred.
I'm an educator and watching this enlightened me on the uniqueness that every child brings to the table. They're tiny people and can do amazing things. This show in a messed up way showed us, the audience, exactly how powerful and diligent we are as a species. I don't think it needs to have a 2nd season but I think it should be rebranded as a documentary because this was quiet the learning experience.
great idea, kinda got ruined in execution though
BigDaddy400017 November 2020
The idea of a few dozen kids living in an abandoned western town with no adults sounds like a pretty good concept, but having the whole thing ran by a bunch of pre-chosen leaders kinda defeated the purpose though, even with the leaders themselves being kids, not even to mention all the books the adults left them with instructions on how to run the nation. it made the whole thing feel less like a show about kids learning to survive on their own and more like a show about a bunch of kids going to summer camp. it would have been a lot more entertaining if we got to see them all start out with no directon whatsoever and the kids having to figure everything out themselves, other than the bare essentials of course like cookbooks and stuff like that
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