Kid Nation

'Kid Nation' Star Says: Nobody Worked Too Hard

editor@buddytv.com — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 20:20:22 GMT

This past fall, 40 children from all across the country participated in a social experiment/reality show called Kid Nation. One of those 40 children was Hunter Jeffers, a 12 year old from Martinez, Georgia. He had a quiet presence throughout the first half of the season but because a leader and a role model.

A hard worker who never asked for anything in return, Hunter won a coveted gold star, awarded to him by the town council, and worth $20,000. The money, he said at the time would help secure his future and education but he didn't just spend the money on himself. Since being home, Hunter has donated money to charity and helped raise money for organizations such as the Make A Wish Foundation. This month, he spoke to local news station WDRW in his home state of Georgia about his positive experience on Kid Nation.

Morgan Doesn't Regret 'Kid Nation' Experience

editor@buddytv.com — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 06:00:00 GMT

CBS' Kid Nation, a reality series that features 40 kids trying to run their own town with minimum adult supervision, received a lot of negative buzz even before it premiered and during its first few weeks on air. Many bashed the network and the show, saying they were blatantly exploiting children. However, for show participant Morgan Wood, Kid Nation proved to be a worthwhile experience.

"There's not one thing I regret (about the experience)," the 13-year-old Morgan told The Indianapolis Star. "There were so many new things I was able to do."

'Kid Nation' Exec Claims Show was Hurt By Early Controversy

editor@buddytv.com — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 05:00:00 GMT

CBS' Kid Nation was on the receiving end of much criticism even before it premiered in September, and even though all the negative talk that surrounded the series eventually faded, executive producer Tom Forman knows that the early controversy had a crippling impact on the show's performance.

"It's not the kind of buzz you want to launch with,” Forman told USA Today.

Kid Nation: A Parent's Perspective, Episode 13

editor@buddytv.com — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 16:01:27 GMT

Alright, look. I like Kid Nation. I really do. I'd love to meet these kids and talk to them about their time in Bonanza City. I wanna pinch the cheeks of about half of them and wring the necks of the other half but all have made an impression on me. I really loved that I had a show to watch with my son that not only was entertaining, but raised different issues that we talked about over the last 13 episodes. However, just like I've gone back and forth about whether or not I like Greg, I went back and forth on whether or not I liked last night's finale of Kid Nation.

Kid Nation: Season Finale "We've All Decided to Go Mad" Recap

editor@buddytv.com — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 17:45:09 GMT

Here we are, the last episode of the first season of Kid Nation. While we wait to hear if there will be a second season, I find myself surprised that I'm going to miss this show and these kids. I'll miss Sophia's wisdom, Jared's quirkiness, Greg and Blaine's toughness, Taylor's selfishness, and even Anjay's spineless practicality. But most of all, I'll miss all those kids who I've never seen before. Going through the cast list, I realize I have no idea who Maggie, Madison, Jasmine, Gianna, Campbell and Brett are. There's another dozen or so I only recognize vaguely from one episode. What happened to Divad? It looked like she was on the verge of becoming a major player, then she vanished. CBS needs to call in the team from Cold Case or Without a Trace on this one.

Officials Drop 'Kid Nation' Investigation

editor@buddytv.com — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 05:00:00 GMT

This summer, CBS' Kid Nation, a reality series that has 40 children running a society with minimum adult supervision, faced a serious dilemma when New Mexico officials claimed the network and Good TV Inc., the production company behind the show, failed to apply for proper work permits or waivers for the kids. The officials also said that they were not allowed to enter the set, a ranch near Santa Fe. The controversy intensified when a letter from a participant's mother claiming the children were being abused and put in danger became public.

However, it now seems like the government has had a change of heart, as officials recently announced that they have dropped the investigation, which had them rifling through the 22-page contract between Kid Nation producers and parents.

Kid Nation: A Parent's Perspective, Episode 12

editor@buddytv.com — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 14:51:19 GMT

It is clear that when casting Kid Nation, producers were looking for some very specific children. They, of course, were looking for the antagonists like Taylor and Greg who were going to create drama and buzz. They wanted the creative types, like Morgan and Kennedy. They looked for hard workers because there was actually WORK to be done in Bonanza City. Luckily, they had lots of them in kids like Hunter and Sophia. Then, there were the intellectuals like Jared and Alex. Combine those personality types and it makes for a good season of Kid Nation, which wraps up next week.

Kid Nation: Episode 12 "Where's Bonanza, Dude?" Recap

editor@buddytv.com — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 18:04:32 GMT

Previously on Kid Nation: Taylor wanted to kill all the ugly chickens. After returning to her former difficult nature, Taylor's punishment was not being allowed in the arcade, so she worked hard and finally showed a little change. The whole town slowed down when the kids spent all their time in the arcade, so the Town Council padlocked it, then elected Sophia as the town sheriff. Hunter became the sixth member of the green district to win a Gold Star.

Sophia is practicing manifest destiny, roping off a spot of land in the middle of town and ordering that no one is allowed in unless they pay her five cents. It's actual another social experiment, because she wants to prove that people always want what they're told they can't have, and naturally, the kids all want to walk on her land.

Kid Nation: A Parent's Perspective, Episode 11

editor@buddytv.com — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 11:19:39 GMT

We are less than two weeks away from the season finale of CBS' social experiment, Kid Nation. Many gold stars have been handed out, a few kids have opted out and headed home, and we've seen the best and worst in just about every member of Bonanza City. Council members have come and gone, rewards have been won and lost, and only the pretty chickens are roaming the town. The main reason the show took 40 kids and put them in this abandoned town was to answer a simple question. Could the children build a better city than the adult pioneers who failed long before them? The answer? Nope.

Executive Producer Defends 'Kid Nation'

editor@buddytv.com — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 05:00:00 GMT

Kid Nation, a CBS reality series that revolves around 40 children trying to run a society with minimum adult supervision, has been at the receiving end of much criticism since it premiered in September. The network has been accused of exploiting the young cast members, but executive producer Tom Forman has defended the series, saying that they made sure the show would not go beyond ethical boundaries.

“I'm not surprised it was provocative, because the minute we started talking about making this show with young people, we knew it was going to be,” Forman told Broadcasting & Cable. “But we had a tremendous responsibility to those kids and their parents. We had a huge responsibility to our viewers to make a show that was not just entertaining, but ethical, too.”

Kid Nation: Episode 11 "I Just Like the Recess Part" Recap

editor@buddytv.com — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 18:01:34 GMT

Previously on Kid Nation: Greg, Blaine, DK and Michael were elected as the new Town Council, and the town resented Greg's bullying. Former Town Council member Laurel won the Gold Star for no discernible reason other than she used to be on the Town Council.

On day 31, Taylor is hanging out with the chickens, and she says that she hates ugly chickens and wish they would all die. Then she informs us that she once put make-up on her dog, but it didn't make it any prettier. Sophia and Greg are planning their dinner menu, and it includes 10 fresh chickens. Greg wants to kill the pretty chickens, which makes Taylor go off. She's angry that they're bossy and acting like the President of the world. I thought she liked bossy presidents.

CBS Announces Date for 'Kid Nation' Season Finale

editor@buddytv.com — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 06:00:00 GMT

CBS has announced the date for first season finale of the controversial reality series, Kid Nation. According to the network's press release, the show's freshman run will end on Wednesday, December 12, at 8pm ET/PT.

Kid Nation follows 40 children aged 8 to 15 as they create and run their own society with minimal adult supervision. The show is set in Bonanza Creek Movie Ranch, a privately owned town built on the ruins of Bonanza, City in New Mexico. Serving as the show's host is award-winning director Jonathan Karsh.

Want to know what's in store for the children on the season finale of Kid Nation? Read on for some mild spoilers.

Kid Nation: Episode 10 "Let Me Talk!" Recap

editor@buddytv.com — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 17:54:37 GMT

Previously on Kid Nation: the teams were mildly shaken up as Emilie and Nathan swapped places on the red and blue teams while BFFs Greg and Blaine were split up when Blaine moved to yellow. The Town Council floundered, but Blaine flourished out of the shadow of Greg and won a Gold Star. At the end, no one was happy and re-elections were called. Blaine, Greg, DK and Michael all raised their hands to run.

Last week BuddyTV had four polls to see how viewers would vote, and all the incumbents lost by sizable margins. The biggest blowout was DK over Guylan with 92 percent, while the closest was Michael, who still got more than two-thirds of fans' votes. Will the kids of Kid Nation mimic the feelings of viewers?

Kid Nation: A Parent's Perspective, Episode 9

editor@buddytv.com — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 20:12:24 GMT

There are only 12 days left for the citizens of Bonanza City on Kid Nation and you know what? I hate to say it but it can't come soon enough. Ever babysit a kid and after a few hours, just stare at the clock waiting for their parents to come home? Ever hang around kids too long at a birthday party when birthday brat syndrome kicks in? I'm really at the point where I've had enough of many of the kids. They've overstayed their welcome, had too much camera time, whined, cried, and screamed just a LITTLE bit too much for my patience. Want to know why somebody is looking to leave every week? Because every day of their lives in Bonanza City, people are screaming their heads off and going insane. As we get ready to wind down and send the kids back to their own parents, let's take a look at last night's episode and hand out some gold stars of our own (and some less than stellar moments, too).

Kid Nation: Episode 9 "Not Even Close to Fair" Recap

editor@buddytv.com — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 18:01:15 GMT

Previously on Kid Nation: Bonanza City held a talent show, and some girl named Kennedy made a total fool of herself. Not only did it convince fellow Kentuckian Savannah to stay, but it won her the Gold Star. Divad slowly steamed, and if this were a movie, she would be the Bond villain, hatching a master plan to become the ruler of the world.

Laurel is crowing that half the Gold Stars have gone to members of the green district. The green team parties about how sexy they are with their Gold Stars, and Jared laments that it's unfair. The Magic Journal tells the Town Council to mix up the districts. Zach thinks it's a good idea (of course he does, he has Taylor on his team), but Laurel doesn't like it, because she wants to consolidate her power.

Kid Nation: A Parent's Perspective, Episode 8

editor@buddytv.com — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 20:07:28 GMT

On last night's episode of Kid Nation, the town practically died of boredom before the journal told the town council to do something to entertain everyone. They came up with the idea of a talent show and for once, the town came together and stopped screaming at each other. I have to admit, I felt a little lost without hearing Taylor shrieking, "Deal with it!" but I recovered quickly. We were introduced to some new townies, including Savannah, Natasha, Migle, and Kennedy.

Kid Nation: Episode 8 "Starving for Entertainment" Recap

editor@buddytv.com — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 17:59:58 GMT

Previously on Kid Nation: Divad became a businesswoman desperate for people to notice how hard she's working, Pharaoh worked hard too, but the Town Council questioned his motives, and adorably quirky home-schooled Nathan won a Gold Star for not acting like a kid. Also, Jared became even awesomer by dressing up like the Bonanza City Pimp.

Tonight's Kid Nation features a talent show! I don't care if they're kids, I'll be putting on my best Simon Cowell impression, so they better bring it. Sophia starts this episode by staging a bored sit-in, getting all the kids to just lay down in the middle of the town for no reason. I don't know why these kids are so bored, they just need to watch Jared and they'll be entertained like me. He proves me right by blaming the Dark Ages on the elimination of art and entertainment. Jared is going to become the most popular guy when he gets to college.

'Kid Nation' Goes Broadway

editor@buddytv.com — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 11:30:00 GMT

This week on CBS' Kid Nation, our young settlers get into a contest of abilities and skills, when they stage a talent show in the episode called “Starved for Entertainment.”

Kid Nation is coming up on the two month mark since debuting last September 19. Last week, in the episode “The Root of All Evil,” Divad drew the ire and possibly, envy of some of her town mates when she took free food and used it to start her own little snack business. Hopefully, there'll be less tension and politics this week, with an installment that promises more entertainment and whimsy than business.

Kid Nation: A Parent's Perspective, Episode 7

editor@buddytv.com — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 19:26:40 GMT

On last night's episode of Kid Nation, one kid got the idea to take something that others could get for free and resell it. Greg went back to his old ways after winning the gold star a few weeks back. Someone lobbied for votes to win the gold star.

Here was one good thing about the episode. Less of Taylor. She's gotten enough screen time and we were introduced to some new citizens of Bonanza City, Nathan and Divad. Nathan and Divad were both hard workers but were portrayed very differently. Nathan was shown as the victim, because Greg wouldn't stop picking on him. Divad was overconfident, feeling she deserved the gold star and tried to bribe other people to cast their vote for her, whether she admitted it or not.

Kid Nation: Episode 7 "The Root of All Evil" Recap

editor@buddytv.com — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 18:06:22 GMT

Previously on Kid Nation: DK worked hard, was the obvious Gold Star choice, then wanted to go home, but was talked into staying by Guylan. Mike adjusted fairly well to a powerless life, but Taylor…not so much. She upped her obnoxious level to 11, and earned the wrath of nearly every other inhabitant of Kid Nation. Once again, she vowed to “try,” though she doesn't seem to understand that word.

Tonight's episode begins with Divad finally making her presence known, and it's super genius. She takes free food from the kitchen, prepares it, then resells it on the cheap. The Town Council resents her free market style. Equally upset is Jared, who tries to horn in on her snack shack action because he doesn't think it's fair that she has a monopoly. He flips out and messes with her stuff, but she shrugs it off.

Kid Nation: Getting to Know Taylor

editor@buddytv.com — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 16:19:48 GMT

Taylor has been a controversial figure on Kid Nation. On the one hand, many people are hesitant to harshly judge a very young person too hard based on an edited presentation on a reality show. On the other hand, many viewers also feel that this aspiring beauty queen hasn't exactly been Miss Congeniality on Kid Nation thus far.

Whatever you might think of the young woman, she is still is, of course, just a pre-teen with many of the same interests as other young people.

Kid Nation: A Parent's Perspective, Episode 6

editor@buddytv.com — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 18:37:56 GMT

On last night's episode of Kid Nation, the kids were faced with the tough task of cleaning up Bonanza City. The town council voted who would be helping with the garbage and not everyone was happy to hear their name called. The town finally got some nutritious foods and ganged up on a common enemy. A very deserving person won the gold star after moving an entire town.

Does anyone notice how there is a core group of kids that are featured consistently and then each week, depending on the issue, a new kid is introduced to the audience? When the issue was nobody working, we met Sophia. When the issue was religion, we met Morgan. When the issue was elections, we met Guylan. This week, when the town falls apart, DK stepped up to make a change.

Kid Nation: Episode 6 "Bonanza is Disgusting!" Recap

editor@buddytv.com — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 17:59:12 GMT

Previously on Kid Nation: elections were held for the Town Council, and while Laurel and Anjay retained their positions, Mike and Taylor were replaced by Guylan and Zach. Greg finally won a Gold Star.

Tonight's Kid Nation should be interesting. How will the new Town Council be different from the old one? How will Mike and especially Taylor react to no longer being in power? Who will win the Gold Star, seeing as how all the major players who deserve one already have one? And why, oh why, didn't we get to see more of Jared last week?

Kid Nation: Getting to Know Zach

editor@buddytv.com — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 22:56:48 GMT

On this week's Kid Nation, Zach won the election to lead his group. But who is this young man back home and away from the cameras? CBS has provided some additional background on the kids of Kid Nation, so let's get to know Zach.

Appropriately, some of the questions center on leadership, and – considering that he just won an election – one might wonder if at least one of the answers was given before the taping.

Kid Nation: A Parent's Perspective, Episode 5

editor@buddytv.com — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 19:39:11 GMT

On last night's episode of Kid Nation, the town was faced with politics and town council elections which turned Bonanza City upside down. The worst came out in some of the kids while others had their best moments. The kids had a choice between dental hygiene and a political party complete with barbecue for their reward and the toothbrushes won.

Tonight was the first episode where some of the kids really started to get on my nerves. When the journal told the council that the town was going to hold elections, I immediately flashed back to my 7th grade student council elections. All these years later, I still cringe at the thought of having to give my speech and running against the popular girl in my class. I lost. But at least I didn't have to lose miserably while on national television.

Kid Nation: Episode 5 "Viva La Revolucion!" Recap

editor@buddytv.com — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 17:56:45 GMT

Previously on Kid Nation: Sophia, Morgan and Zach were all totally awesome, working together and helping out not because they had to, but because they wanted to. The Town Council, and more specifically Taylor, was met with hostility over its poor leadership skills and penchant for bossiness. Jared's role as Bonanza City Class Clown was momentarily usurped by Alex's hilarious religion survey.

In my recap of the third episode of Kid Nation, I wrote the following: “Seriously, when are these kids going to overthrow this Town Council? Viva la revolucion!” Some readers mocked my desire for a peasant uprising. Well, who's laughing now? Not only is tonight's episode finally about re-electing the Town Council, but I even foresaw the episode title.