Kid Nation: A Reality Show With All Kids, No Adults
“You’re seeing kids at their absolute best and worst”
CBS’s new reality show: 40 kids ages eight to fifteen stranded alone in a ghost town for forty days, tasked with creating a workable society, and all without modern conveniences. Can you say Lord of the Flies? Though kids on the show won’t be voted off, some will be nominated to be part of the “Upper Class“, and occasional winners, or Gold Star Kids (a designation worth $20,000) will be declared by the town council every few days. The show is CBS’ upcoming reality series “Kid Nation.” When rivals first got wind of the concept, they declared the production an impossible endeavor: From a legal, labor, public relations and logistical standpoint, this show should never have worked.
How’d they do it? By literally declaring the production a “summer camp” instead of a place of employment; by taking advantage of a loophole in New Mexico labor rules two months before the state legislature tightened the law, and using a ghost town that wasn’t exactly a ghost town. On July 1, New Mexico passed legislation closing a federal loophole that had exempted television and theatrical productions from child labor law restrictions. Networks had produced reality shows with kids before, but executive producer Tom Forman and CBS reality head Ghen Maynard wanted to go further than any production had previously attempted in terms of isolating children from adults and the outside world.
“It’s hard to find good adult reality characters. They all know what they’re supposed to do,” said Mr. Forman, giving an interview on “Nation”. “You need participants who didn’t grow up on this stuff.” One key point: Finding the right location. According to the CBS preview, “Nation” charges 40 kids with “fixing their forefathers’ mistakes” by rebuilding the “completely dead … former mining town” of Bonanza City, New Mexico, into a functioning community. “Nation” shot at the Bonanza Creek Movie Ranch, a privately owned town setting that has been featured in films such as “Silverado” and “All the Pretty Horses.”
The ranch was built on the ruins of Bonanza City by various production companies. Although a few original structures remain, the bulk of the town was constructed during the past few decades.Kids were on the show for seven days a week, for up to 40 days, and were responsible for cooking their own meals. Though there were no teachers or parents (aside from a few at the start of the shoot), an array of physicians and an emergency medical technician were available at all times. “I expected a lot of off-camera hand-holding, but they just didn’t need it,” Mr. Forman said. “The kids were better human beings than you’ve ever seen on television. And when they decide to be mean to each other, they’re horrible. You’re seeing kids at their absolute best and worst.” Here’s a sneak peek. Can’t to see some brats get the beat down!
