Pop Culture Buzz

*** STARS

Kid Nation is a reality television show featuring forty children aged 8 to 15 years old. The show is shot at the Bonanza Creek Movie Ranch, a privately owned town built on the ruins of Bonanza City, New Mexico, eight miles south of Santa Fe. In the show, the children try to create a functioning society in the town, including setting up a government system, with minimal adult help and supervision. The shows airs on CBS every Wednesday at 8 p.m.

The show stresses the difficulty in creating a viable society with children and no help from adults. The official CBS promo depicted children arguing with one another, crying, and falling over with exhaustion. But this first episode was a lot sweeter than the commercials would have you believe. This show grew on me even though the bitter cynic in me wanted to hate it. Although there was a bit of trouble between some of the age groups, there was no real drama to make this “experiment” feel contrived or mean spirited.

At the end of each episode, an elected council of kids awards the “Gold Star,” worth $20,000, to a fellow participant. This is where the brilliance of the concept takes place. These kids make the right decisions! They choose the option of more toilets over a t.v. They choose the winner of the gold star based on what that kid contributes to the “society”. Most of these kids are smart and do the right thing, go figure!

Participants were paid $5,000 for their involvement in the show’s taping but you get the feeling most of these kids are doing this show for the experience. Many of them talk to the camera in such a touching, bright manner that you forget that they are as young as 8 years old. Some of the funniest moments come from some of the hilariously adult things these kids say. There are some really big characters/personalities on this show that make it extremely entertaining and worth watching.

My favorite kids so far are; the strong willed cook “Sophia”, the cute nerdy Asian boy “Alex”, the quirky skinny boy “Jared” who reminds me of a young Seinfeld, the born leader “Mike” who wears a cowboy hat like a seasoned veteran, the youngest kid on the show “Jimmy” who has a hilarious moment with the rude bully “Greg”, the pageant queen “Taylor” and the mother of the show “Lauren”.

All in all, I really liked this show. I am excited to see how it unfolds. “Kid Nation” is more than the hype and watching kids get into harms way. This show is a safe, clean family hour of t.v. that adults should take something meaningful from. Kids don’t get the credit they deserve, they are much stronger and smarter than most adults think they are and “Kid Nation” proves it. This show is fun, entertaining and wholesome enough for all ages. You can’t help but feel lighthearted after watching this show, it has an all around good vibe to it.