Kid Nation: Sofia In Charge

People called it a dictatorship. People think she is out of control and drunk with power. Sofia, who earlier have challenged the Counsel. Even comparing the four boy counsel to Nazis and cursing at Guylan (from a previous incarnation of the counsel--he even seems to still be bearing a grudge against her). Sofia even feared the future of the town in the hands of Greg and Blaine, but to her surprise, they trusted her to put everything in her hands. They put everything on her shoulders as the sheriff. She says, "I haven't gotten any crap because I haven't given anyone crap." She is a great leader, I think she is more than qualified, she has a good head on her shoulders. The counsel worried if she could handle it but Greg really think she can handle it. I find the whole thing funny, it wasn't what they expected. That she didn't trust the new counsel and then she was trusted by them. The kids were scared of her rule but then they grew to accept her. She said she thinks Alpacas are a combination between sheep and giraffe... it's actually true. They are also sort of related to llamas.

Everyone made a big deal about not having the counsel but that particular counsel is new, also lots of the other kids were counsel leaders. Red had two--Mike and Guylan, relied on Mike; Yellow had Zack and Taylor--they relief on Zack; Blue--they had Anjay, but relied on Migle. So they weren't alone. I think she chose the hot air balloons other than the eternal monument to make everyone happy and make good with them. When everyone had to vote for gold stars. Now, somewhere wanted to vote for them. Jared wanted to nominate himself. He was scary before, said strange things but he started making sense. I do feel for Zack but he shouldn't let that get to him. Those guys were just being jerks and it was funny they weren't expecting that. The ironic part is that Zack was part of the counsel and when he was, a bit of jerk and haughty, power gets to your head. I think being in the counsel changed all of them for the worse. Luckily some turned around like Laurel. (She a little bit of corruption)

Now, any of the people from Kid Nation might read this... I don't think I am smarter than you guys or anything. Just writing my opinion on this thing. Life is about learning, growing and understanding. So you guys did just did.

Kid Nation got really really good

Since the last week's episode, things have been heating up. Blaine had step out of Greg's shadow and stepped up, helping out the Yellow district and got the golden star. The counsel had been criticized again and all the members were changed, continued into this week. T.K. became the red leader, Michael the green leader, Blaine the yellow leader, and Greg the blue leader. Laurel was upset she went down from her throne. I think what got on her bad side was that when all the leaders decided to switch 1 member from one district to another, she decided not to. There was rumblings that the Green District was stuck up, thinking they were smarty smarties. That sort of came to a head when T.K., Greg, and Blaine heard a conversation with the green district members. They then confronted them and most of the green district members felt out of it and pinned. Some of them cried. I love the green district and it was a great scene. All the leaders (all together) have become corrupted with power.

How I see Greg and T.K. have is trying to teach a lesson to be respectful and weren't exactly that much. A bit hypocritical. As always, I love what Michael had to say, well I love his speeches. Sophia had cursed to Guylan last week. Guylan got what he deserved, he thought being a leader would be easy and it wasn't. I think it was right, he got off it but I hated the smile on his face when he volunteered to leave. It was a good episode. The scene with Taylor is touching, when the counsel told Taylor she was not going to get part of the Big Prize but when they found out it was letters from home, they gave it to her. I think they were too hard on Greg at the end, he has been doing better these days, but they can't forget the past. I can't deny he wasn't being disrespectful. I like that the other leaders were trying to snap Greg out of it, to change. I am glad the producers didn't reveal that Laurel didn't get the golden star, it was great and a surprise. Good she decided not to leave and got the star. She got kicked off the counsel but got the star. Funny her mom has her same accent. Also, that Greg wanted his own personal hug with Laurel. Could he had harbored feelings for her?

Kid Nation Second Episode Review

When it is suggested to kill the chickens on the farm for food, other kids that didn't get their chance to stand up and get their limelight do. There is Emilie, who is opposed to killing the chickens and with two other kids try to protest and try to stop the chickens from being killed. When they decided two to be killed, she still went to see them but couldn't bear it after the first one was off. So there is big ethical questions and questions of whether or not if you would kill the chicken at that age. Emilie, does think about the others. On the other side, Greg, the oldest, tries to get the gold star by killing the chickens, boasting that he had killed animals before. Also cleaning dishes, which Mike was suspicious of. The Gold Star went to the well-deserving Michael, instead of Greg. Greg did give a good reason for why he wanted it, for college but that would be a lot of kid's reasons. Maybe the drive wasn't in the right place. Especially his reaction to Michael getting the star. I am glad Emilie stuck with it and didn't go home.

Kid Nation Review

"Kid Nation" starts out the story of the town of Bonzana and the bus comes into an empty town. When they arrive at 'the middle of nowhere,' the host welcomes them and then they have to carry wagons four miles to the town. One kid sprains their ankle and is carried to the town by two girls. They arrive to the town and find flat mattresses folded into chests in dusty and ratty rooms. Like any "Survivor" show, the contestants talk to the camera their inner thoughts and fight and argue with each other. They try to cook and the others just beg and beg for the food and when it comes, they complain. The four children chosen for the tribunal, their leaders, are criticized and put down. The younger kids (8-10) clash with the older kids (12-14). The tribunal split the 40 kids into four groups guided by colors. They are later pit in a combination harking back to Nickelodeon's "Double Dare" or FOX Kids' answer to "Survivor" called "Moolah Beach" with colored water. From that, the merchants, laborers and such are chosen. The host gives them a choice for their prize: seven Outhouses (they only had 1 so far) or a television. I admit that when I was a kid, I would have wanted a TV but now, I just gotta poop. 40 kids and 1 toliet? I don't think so! So they wisely chose the toilets. Conflict erupts when the younger kids are chosen to cook and don't clean up after themselves. They have a big town meeting and one of the kids leaves and another kid is awarded a golden star.

So far, so good start.

A lot of the kids stood out but these stood out for me. I didn't want to mention them all.

Mike, the lead boy, can be like the next Bill Gates, he does seem to have a genuine concern for his 'people.' He struggles to be taken seriously and stresses out about dynamic problems and structure.

This girl Laurel is awesome. On the website, she says somehting that makes me jump up and down: "I'm not sure if President Bush will read this (probably not) and I don't want to hurt his feelings but I am not to happy with his decisions. I believe he vetoed a bill that would allow children to get access to free health care. The whole War going on that he is in favor of and I am strongly not in favor of. There has been a lot of lying and deception with this President. He does not seem real bright like a president should be."

Sophia is 14 and so mature, she got the golden star first because of her initiative in cooking. She was criticized by other kids are being bossy about the plates, but someone had to lay down the law. There was a great tearful call between her and her mother. In another awesome scene, she danced for nickels to get a bike.

The oldest of the kids at 15, Greg strikes me as that blond kid from "Lord of the Flies," you know something is going to go down. I'm kidding. But there is certainly a lot of conflict between the younger and older kids that might come up again later. When he and Mike fought, they later apologized, which was great.

I left the best for last. Michael is the most articulate person I have heard of years, no matter the age. He is 14, I remember lots of articulate 14 years old back in High School so it's no surprise. But he, just, gives me hope for the future. "Our current president, George W Bush, because he has done more to damage relations with other countries than any other president." As for getting green, "I would more strongly support research and actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and have the US become a signatory nation of the Kyoto Protocol."

Kid Nation: For Sour Patch Kids and Justice for all

Watch the clip of the trailer

I am sure everyone has heard about this on the news, the CBS reality show that saddles children from age eight to fifteen years old were put in a deserted town to run it without adults. They cook, clean, and run the town on their own. Now parents are complaining of a two kid's burns and a couple drinking bromide (they are fine). Exec. Producer Tom Forman said he was horrified by the media to throw around the phrase 'child abuse.' In the trailer, with the kids the kids they chose are smart and believe in the concept. Like anything in the media, it has been blown out of proportion. There is one camp now saying the parents are greedy--they signed a long (and in my opinion, scary) agreement and got money ($5,000 for their participation and $20,000 if winner in a competition) for it--and now are asking for more money.

It premieres September 19. I say to watch it and judge for yourself if it is abuse. Entertainment Weekly brings up a good point, that the so-called 'racist' Survivor last year got a lot of hype but little ratings. So bad press may not be good press after all for "Kid Nation." The aforementioned 'scary' agreement is highlighted in Entertainment Weekly of September 7, 2007: "I hereby assume any and all risks that may be associated with any relationship including.. emotional distress, illness, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV, and pregnancy, if applicable." So they said, yes to all of this... including death, so now they come complaining just about some burns compared to if they kid was dead and they signed that was okay? CBS, I think it was a ambitious and interesting idea and I'm sorry it has been blown out of proportion. It is obvious this kids were game.

Entertainment Weekly comically asked the producers if for the second season (which they are scouting) they would do: Kid Nation: Guatemala? Now, I got to do this because who else is going to speak for the Guatemala-Americans? I can take joke as well as Carlos Mencia or Dave Chapelle or Kathy Griffin but, why everybody gotta be ripping on the Guatemalans? Just kidding! I mean.. Not even "Survivor: Guatemala" had any Guatemalans in it. It didn't even look like the Guatemala I know! It looked like any other national park.

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