[TV] The Colony - New Discovery Channel show

[Isgrimnur]

The pouring milk on the mace was another real stupid idea. Yeah it might burn but it will stop soon enough and it is not worth it to waste a precious commodity like milk on. Water would have been just fine, that is all they give cops when they get maced for training purposes.

Pepper spray is oil-based. Using just water is not going to do anything but spread it around. Milk is recommended for the treatment of a burning mouth after eating a hot pepper because of the colloidal nature. There was probably a better solution, but just water wasn't going to speed relief.

[miltonite]

The pouring milk on the mace was another real stupid idea. Yeah it might burn but it will stop soon enough and it is not worth it to waste a precious commodity like milk on. Water would have been just fine, that is all they give cops when they get maced for training purposes.

Pepper spray is oil-based. Using just water is not going to do anything but spread it around. Milk is recommended for the treatment of a burning mouth after eating a hot pepper because of the colloidal nature. There was probably a better solution, but just water wasn't going to speed relief.

While water may not bring instant relief it would be better then using the little milk they have. I doubt the milk helped much because they were still saying it as burning after. If it were me I would just live with the pain for the time and save the milk since the threat was no longer present. I can understand doing what they could if the threat was still there, but don't waste some valuable resource if you don't have to.

[Smoove_B]

I think last night's show has me convinced they're going lower-tech this time around. Last season felt like they were trying to configure MacGyver-like scenarios where engineers and mechanics were creating crazy devices to generate electricity. Turning pig fat into bio diesel to run a tractor seems more likely than the stuff they were doing last year. I'm also not sure if they're setting up drama by having the model wash her hair in potable drinking water, but she did earn some respect for handling rotting pig flesh. Probably not enough to use drinking water to freshen up, but at least she was doing something.

I also can't help but observe that two snakes would be a veritable feast for a solo survivor or a pair of people. But for that group? It's not going to work.

[Smoove_B]

I'm still watching, though I'm totally confused after watching last night's show. For reasons I don't understand, they're still not taking security seriously and their priorities seem to be all out of whack. Either they've been given some type of instruction or "punch list" by the show's producers of things they need to do, or I am really underestimating what people are motivated to do when hungry.

It's pretty clear that food is their biggest problem and yet no one seems real motivated to do something - anything - about getting more...at least until their half-assed hunt last night.

At this point the show is almost playing out like a LARP where the producers have a list of things they seem to be choosing from in order to steer the show. As much as I'd like to be on the show, I think I'd rather be part of the production team that sits around and decides what's going to happen next. Clearly it's scripted, but after seeing what happened with the model, there has to be some flex in how things unfold. Even something like the torrential rain shows how ridiculous they all are. Why they would think to just leave fishing poles and gear on a river bank when that rain was coming down is beyond me.

[Doomboy]

I think they must be dumber than last year's group. They leave all their crap outside, with no guards. They have not bothered to fix their roof in over two weeks and two different rainstorms. They don't seem to feel any pressure to do anything but generate electricity which they don't seem to need because they don't bother to keep a guard at night when lights could help them spot arsonists and thieves.

Why did they build their smokehouse out of plywood anyway? Didn't they notice some bricks or something around them?

I still sorta like it, but it is more of a head smacking thing each week now. "They did what? Why?"

Spoiler:

And what the hell is wrong with that model chick? Going off alone? Duh? You should never go anywhere without a partner after the apocalypse, unless your name is Max (and you are crazy or angry).

[WarPig]

At this point the show is almost playing out like a LARP where the producers have a list of things they seem to be choosing from in order to steer the show. As much as I'd like to be on the show, I think I'd rather be part of the production team that sits around and decides what's going to happen next. Clearly it's scripted, but after seeing what happened with the model, there has to be some flex in how things unfold. Even something like the torrential rain shows how ridiculous they all are. Why they would think to just leave fishing poles and gear on a river bank when that rain was coming down is beyond me.

I lost hope for any spontaneity when they "found" the downed airplane. That was so contrived, I half expected to see cue cards.

[Arcanis]

Last nights episode shows that the defacto leader thus far is thinking with the wrong head. I know on Survivor they provide them with condoms I'm wondering if they did the same thing here, it would explain some of the group dynamics.

[msduncan]

I really hate how Hollywood completely and intentionally ignores firearms for good people. The only people that ever have firearms in movies or shows are cops and bad people.

If this 'colony' was real and didn't have firearms for defense.... they would be slaughtered and inside someone's crock pot before the end of the first season. Probably by the end of episode 3.

[Smoove_B]

Hey, when you send an e-mail to the Discovery channel requesting that participants in Season 3 of The Colony be given guns and ammo, can you post a copy here? Thanks.

Guns aside, they're still making bone-headed mistakes. I'm pretty sure I caught the show editors messing with the order of things (specifically how the windmill unfolded) so I'm not even sure what to believe any more.

If they don't do something (anything) about food and security next week, I think I'm going to stop watching. ~18 days and they're still fumbling around but completely excited they can recharge a saws-all.

[Arcanis]

What parts of the windmill were out of order? I was busy entertaining the kid during the show so I probably missed it.

[Smoove_B]

There was some weird editing going on with the actual fabrication and construction of the windmill. It almost seemed like they had it pretty far along and then the girl got captured...and they dicked around. The way it was aired made it seem like they did some stuff for the windmill, she was captured, and then they spend the ~24 hours without her doing a majority of the work. It was the part where the artist/inventor and the anatomy expert (?) were fabricating the tail section for the windmill from the plane parts. It seemed...out of order.

Not a big deal but it made me question what we were being shown.

[WarPig]

There was some weird editing going on with the actual fabrication and construction of the windmill. It almost seemed like they had it pretty far along and then the girl got captured...and they dicked around. The way it was aired made it seem like they did some stuff for the windmill, she was captured, and then they spend the ~24 hours without her doing a majority of the work. It was the part where the artist/inventor and the anatomy expert (?) were fabricating the tail section for the windmill from the plane parts. It seemed...out of order.

Not a big deal but it made me question what we were being shown.

You are correct; the bandage on what's-his-name's elbow was the big mark of that. It kept appearing and disappearing throughout the episode, showing some heavy editing. Also, the tail fin on the windmill had another part on it when it finally went up that they didn't show anyone actually building or gathering. I understand that, for continuity's sake, they have to edit some of that together, but it seems there are whole sections of time and/or events to which we are not privy.

[Arcanis]

... but it seems there are whole sections of time and/or events to which we are not privy.

That is the stuff to get you to buy the DVD

[Smoove_B]

Good to know I wasn't crazy. The flow just seemed...off. I wasn't sure about the bandage either, but I did think maybe I noticed that as well. While he clearly was injured, it just didn't seem to fit with the rest of the day's event.

I went over to the official forums for the show and someone pointed out that they could have watered down the gasoline before handing it over. I thought that was a pretty good idea. Though I guess not knowing they were going to show up with her the felt like they should play by the rules.

But if there was some kind of crazy Colony situation going on, I'm having a hard time believing that they would have actually entertained the ransom. I would have honestly figured she was dead and we'd gain nothing by giving them stuff.

[miltonite]

Rise Thread!!!


So what did ya'll think of the episode tonight? I haven't watched it yet but plan to before I return here so no worries about spoilers for me.

[Arcanis]

The guy bitching about the lack of security the most was a total failure at security what else really needs to be said? Then the entire group walking away from the house less than 12 hrs later shows they are just there to play a game like it is Survivor rather than simulate a real survival situation.

The cistern obviously had some modifications made to it we didn't see too. When they finished it there was a triangle of exposed wood they showed and a few days later that was covered up. I guess they realized that if you have a hole then the water will escape.

They completely screwed up their leadership role. Having someone appointed to follow up won't help unless that person has the authority to tell you to get stuff done.

If these people were put in a real survival situation the old man is the only one I would give a chance at living more than a week. The others are just too stupid to survive without modern conveniences.

[CGMark]

these guys this season are just dumb.

the security guy was one of the people complaining that there was no security. not to mention why wouldnt SOMEONE think they should split the security shift up.

What happened to DAYS of food from the gator? Rather than already out.

Why would you waste the time to build the cistern to collect water, when you then showed that you had the capability to collect water in other ways. Now, what good is the quarantine tent?

I mean really. The first season was so much better. these people are doing nothing but trying to play each other, rather than do what they were really put into place to do.

Lets see em close of acres of detroit and run colony there and see what happens. This coming winter.

[Freezer-TPF-]

Yeah, these people are stupid. They deserve to get pillaged every night. "Security is really important and I'm on night watch, so I have to stay awake. . . . I got tired, so I decided to just lie down and go to sleep. . . " WTF?

Why didn't they just rig up the trailer to the rear of the motorcycle instead of making that backwards trike? Was the bike already missing too much of the front end?

[McBa1n]

I really had high hopes for this show after getting kind of bored last season.
It's been kinda entertaining to watch how stupid a pack of people can be. It's clear Discovery isn't showing a lot of what is going on, which would make the show much much more entertaining, rather than constant experts telling the viewer what people 'might' do in a survival situation, or the confessionals that repeat what we just saw 3 times already.
I dunno, maybe one more week I'll give it. I think the 'reverse' trike might've been one of the dumbest things they've done yet. Heck, just use the damn tractor to pull a wagon or something haha - thing moves about the same speed and isn't a safety hazard.
This season's cast definitly isn't anywhere near as interesting as last. There's just a huge void on Tuesday nights right now for me:>

[Doomboy]

The part where the bad guys showed up to steal stuff just after the dude went to bed felt really contrived. I really got the sense that someone watching the monitors gave them the okay to go in as soon as Mr. Sleepy's head hit the pillow.

How else could they have known that it was time to go? Given that kind of meddling by the producers, this season is not very interesting. I don't remember them pulling a lot of that crap last year.

Having said that, yes, you split the watch up amongst three people or so. Jesus. How stupid are these folks? Of course someone is going to get tired after wandering around a house full of sleeping people for 4-6 hours. Duh.

[Freezer-TPF-]

The first season was just as contrived. The raiders always seemed to know exactly where the weak points were in their security, right where their food was, etc.

The overall problem with this season, from what I've seen, is that the people are boring and kinda stupid and unfocused. There's no mad professor hippie or hot-tempered handyman. No one's even built a Tesla device.

[Arcanis]

Well the raid into the house was an hour after he went to bed. It is possible they were watching as he would pass the windows and after they didn't see him for a while they went in.

[Grifman]

I really hate how Hollywood completely and intentionally ignores firearms for good people. The only people that ever have firearms in movies or shows are cops and bad people.

If this 'colony' was real and didn't have firearms for defense.... they would be slaughtered and inside someone's crock pot before the end of the first season. Probably by the end of episode 3.

I agree with that fact that no guns is realistic but your complaint is unrealistic also. There's no way to incorporate guns into this, unless you want to give everyone paintball guns and if you are hit, you're dead. Probably would be a pretty short show then.

[Arcanis]

I think the producers should have the "rules" laid out for us. Since it is pretty obvious that they have dangerous weapons already and don't do anything with them. During the big melee on episode 2 the colony could have done a much better job a defense but it seemed like they are only allowed to shove and knock people down.

[Grifman]

I think the producers should have the "rules" laid out for us. Since it is pretty obvious that they have dangerous weapons already and don't do anything with them. During the big melee on episode 2 the colony could have done a much better job a defense but it seemed like they are only allowed to shove and knock people down.

Done better? They were outnumbered 3 to 1 but only lost some of their food/drugs? They could have been crushed, everything taken from them, or thrown out of the house. They were lucky it wasn't much worse.

[Arcanis]

I think the producers should have the "rules" laid out for us. Since it is pretty obvious that they have dangerous weapons already and don't do anything with them. During the big melee on episode 2 the colony could have done a much better job a defense but it seemed like they are only allowed to shove and knock people down.

Done better? They were outnumbered 3 to 1 but only lost some of their food/drugs? They could have been crushed, everything taken from them, or thrown out of the house. They were lucky it wasn't much worse.

If allowed to fight back how they would should have under a real set of circumstances at least 5 or 6 of the attackers would have been out of the fight before they knew it began. But if it were a real situation I wouldn't have cared if the person attacking was capable of walking away after the fight either.

[Grifman]

I think the producers should have the "rules" laid out for us. Since it is pretty obvious that they have dangerous weapons already and don't do anything with them. During the big melee on episode 2 the colony could have done a much better job a defense but it seemed like they are only allowed to shove and knock people down.

Done better? They were outnumbered 3 to 1 but only lost some of their food/drugs? They could have been crushed, everything taken from them, or thrown out of the house. They were lucky it wasn't much worse.

If allowed to fight back how they would should have under a real set of circumstances at least 5 or 6 of the attackers would have been out of the fight before they knew it began.

Uh, so, outnumbered 3 to 1 they take out 5 or 6 of the enemy without losing anyone at the very beginning of the fight? Maybe the attackers also "fight back as they should have been". What drugs are you smoking?

[McBa1n]

Maybe they should make 'dueling colonies', might be more interesting.

[Arcanis]

I think the producers should have the "rules" laid out for us. Since it is pretty obvious that they have dangerous weapons already and don't do anything with them. During the big melee on episode 2 the colony could have done a much better job a defense but it seemed like they are only allowed to shove and knock people down.

Done better? They were outnumbered 3 to 1 but only lost some of their food/drugs? They could have been crushed, everything taken from them, or thrown out of the house. They were lucky it wasn't much worse.

If allowed to fight back how they would should have under a real set of circumstances at least 5 or 6 of the attackers would have been out of the fight before they knew it began.

Uh, so, outnumbered 3 to 1 they take out 5 or 6 of the enemy without losing anyone at the very beginning of the fight? Maybe the attackers also "fight back as they should have been". What drugs are you smoking?

Well it is simple they either run away, some what likely if you just took out their leader, or they kick your ass. If you don't fight back quickly they make you haul out all of your stuff and then they kick your ass. It is pretty much a loose/loose situation but one has a chance at success.

edit: it also doesn't hurt that i'm delusional enough to think I could go all River Tam on them.

[DonD]

I thought last night was one of the most boring of the entire season.

Nothing exciting happened whatsoever.

Nothing cool was created.

They replenished their food and water. Yawn.

There just isn't anything compelling that makes me want to see what happens next.

[WarPig]

The cry last season was that all of the colonists were experts. If I ended up with a doctor, trauma nurse, engineer(s), physicists and computer experts, not to mention contractors and handymen, I'd have the best colony in the Wasteland. This season, they wanted more "normal" people with closer to middle class blue/white collar jobs. I'm assuming the model is there to look at and get abducted.

The problem with average middle-class folks is that they are going to make these silly mistakes. The producers of the show should have realized that, but apparently they don't. They are doing a poor job of keeping it "real" with obvious contrivances to push the colonists v2 in the direction they want and heavy-handed editing to cover up when it didn't go right.

My favorite colonist is the lumberjill. She says what she thinks, bitches when things don't go right, and works hard. She may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but she doesn't back down. Reno seems to have the best grip on the security issue, though he seems more intent on just leaving with his transformer-gone-wrong trike. This is all my opinion, by the way, and I'm not attached to it by any means. The dearth of Tuesday night shows (this and Warehouse 13 are all I watch) keep this on my list.

[Smoove_B]

Good lord. If I was on the show, last night's episode would have been called "Smoove hands out free choking demonstrations".

I would agree that more and more it seems like the Colony is really a set piece where the producers are pulling levers and seeing how they react. My problem is just that - all they have done for 30 days (!) is react, and the water cistern is a perfect example. There's no reason they should have waited 30 days to create something like that. Reaching 5 feet to get water from a rain bucket is magnitudes less work (and less dangerous) than going down to the canal (which was marginal quality at best) to drag water back to their camp. They were using the canal as their main source and collecting rain as a side project; it should have been reversed.

Unfortunately for them I suspect mosquitoes are going to be a problem. I am not familiar with the local species down there, but if they're like the ones up here no more than 72 hours will pass before hundreds (possibly thousands) of larvae are swimming around. And that's a whole different set of problems if they hatch, but the bottom line is that you can't have large pools of stagnant water just hanging around for days and days on end. Though the way they use it, I'm sure they'll all be showered and their clothes will be clean before next week's show is over.

I really can't say much more about the security issue, other than the idea of using that "man trap" was ridiculous. It was great for catching a gator, but in no way would that have been useful as a security device. Putting one guy on a 5+ hour shift for security on the overnight is ridiculous. Anyone that's played a few hours of D&D knows that. Geez.

Additionally, the fact that it took them 30 days to decide to elect a "leader" is insane (and probably because there are too many women there. ) They seem to be existing day-to-day with no real sense of a bigger picture. If they were out in the woods some where that might be great, but somebody needs to step up and come up with a plan. 30 days have passed and they're still scouting the local neighborhood. They're clearly not feeling any type of pressure (safety, security, hunger) and I'm beginning to wonder how much off-camera assistance they're getting.

Maybe I'll fire off an e-mail to the producers and give them my credentials...because they can't do this again for another season.

[Grifman]

30 days have passed and they're still scouting the local neighborhood.

I thought the same thing last night. Surely, I thought, the first thing they would have done is check out every single location they could get to, so they could see what resources were available. Didn't I see a bicycle in one shot? If so, why hasn't someone scouted the entire ten blocks they have, checking out every single location. Even on foot, ten blocks isn't that big when they've been there two or three weeks - and a couple of them walked several miles to the bayou so what's ten blocks compared to that?

I agree that for all the complaints about lack of food, this seems to be down the list of their priorities. That said, I'm not sure what they can really do. The canal hasn't given them much, the bayou isn't much better, and they have no way of growing food, so from a food resource standpoint, I'm not clear on what more they could do. Though one thought I have is put several people fishing all day if necessary, every day. Surely, that would bring in fish - they just seem to have fished hit or miss, without the necessary patience.

This group may be more "realistic" but they're not nearly as fun/interesting as last year's group.

[CGMark]

i think that last season didnt they have someone with some sort of food related background?

and now that I think about it.

Just because you survive whatever it is that happens and find friends doesnt mean you make it. So maybe this is just a example of what happens when the not quite so right group gets together. Even my GF who didnt work for 12 years and was a stay at home mom is questioning things they do.

This is probably the only reality show I watch and honestly. I'd love to give it a try.

[Smoove_B]

I don't think they did. I just checked the wiki and most of them were egg-heads.

So maybe this is just a example of what happens when the not quite so right group gets together

Yes...to some degree. The complete vacuum of leadership is part of the problem. How they managed to survive 30 days without anyone stepping up is amazing to me. It doesn't take any particular special skill set to fabricate simple weapons and send people on scouting runs in the immediate area. Same thing with creating basic defense (barricades).

That said, I'm not sure what they can really do. The canal hasn't given them much, the bayou isn't much better, and they have no way of growing food, so from a food resource standpoint, I'm not clear on what more they could do. Though one thought I have is put several people fishing all day if necessary, every day. Surely, that would bring in fish - they just seem to have fished hit or miss, without the necessary patience.

I said it earlier, I wouldn't want to be in their position -- way too many mouths to feed. But they are awful with the rationing and their security protocols have cost them food on two separate occasions. It didn't seem like finding snakes were a problem and I'd probably try to craft something that could catch raccoons, rats or opossum. The crocs are eating something, right?

[DonD]

Re: Food

Once you realize it's a several mile walk to the bayou and that is the best source of food, I think you need to leave your crappy base behind and move your camp closer.

What exactly is the advantage of living where they are now? It certainly isn't for the security that a brick building could provide.

Aside from the windmill to provide power, is there anything else to tie them to that location?

[Chaz]

Aside from the windmill to provide power, is there anything else to tie them to that location

The producers telling them they can't leave.

[Smoove_B]

That's what I am guessing. They probably told them they needed to stay in that building (or general area). The decontamination tent is probably part of that as well. In addition, I'm guessing there are dozens of cameras set up in remote places all around that site to help film them.

The one thing they keep teasing is the guy in camouflage that's been observing them since the first week. I don't get the impression they're showing us someone from the crew observing them, but rather another survivor watching. If he really has been spying on them, it would explain the coordinated attacks and visits they've been experiencing.

[Arcanis]

Preview shows they spot him next week. Also as part of the scenario they were put there by the government and told to stay there until the gov. comes back for them. So part of the experiment is them staying in the compound.

[Chaz]

Oh, that guy's definitely a plot point. They've been using "binocular cam" in a lot of episodes.

I'm annoyed that they're using the "colonists spontaneously decide to leave" thing again. Like we're supposed to believe that the colonists in this controlled film set have decided to escape. It would be like actors in a theater hatching an elaborate plot to escape the stage and find a better life somewhere else.