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FOT Community => General Discussion => Topic started by: Regular Joe on November 02, 2011, 01:42:16 AM

Title: FOT Rewatch Thread: The Colony - Season 1
Post by: Regular Joe on November 02, 2011, 01:42:16 AM: (http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/5653/fotthecolonyy.jpg)

THE COLONY is an experiment that simulates a post-apocalyptic world in which volunteers are tasked with surviving and rebuilding everything from scratch, using only raw ingenuity and supplies they scavenge from their environment.

This show brings together the fine wines of impending doom, scientific ingenuity and dramatic reality television. Because of this and so much more, I put it forth as one of the best shows of all time. Wes (the only other known living human to have seen the show live) suggested in the chat that we all re-watch this together, which I think is a splendid idea!

The proposal is to watch one episode a week, starting today, with the week starting/ending on Tuesday. When we reach the last episode, there is a whole season 2 waiting for us with season 3 casting now. Hopefully they can get it done before the genuine collapse of civilization.

HOW TO WATCH

For the 1% among us, they're showing the first season on Netflix right now. For everybody else living through the pre-apocalypse already or even for those following along from the future by using old copies of the internet, here is a YouTube starter for you. The following parts are out there, just follow the trail:

(edit: the first video I posted was incomplete, updated with a comprehensive YouTube link that goes forward to the entire show)

Arrival and Survival pt1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CBq30OPF6s&feature=related#ws)

http://www.youtube.com/user/maddogg862000#p/c/9A13982E20831734 (http://www.youtube.com/user/maddogg862000#p/c/9A13982E20831734) - The whole first season.

Now, let's take this mother off the grid... again... for the first time!
Title: Re: FOT Rewatch Thread: The Colony - Season 1
Post by: Sarah on November 02, 2011, 10:54:16 AM: I watched the first episode of season 1 the year it aired and couldn't bring myself to go further. But since then I've made it through Celebrity Apprentice, so I'll give it another go. In fact, I've already made it through several seconds--enough to learn there's no place for copy editors postapocalypse. Just as I expected.
Title: Re: FOT Rewatch Thread: The Colony - Season 1
Post by: Andy on November 02, 2011, 11:44:07 AM: I'm in.
Title: Re: FOT Rewatch Thread: The Colony - Season 1
Post by: lezdudethis on November 02, 2011, 03:54:54 PM: I'm skeptical. Do they simulate killing the shit out of people for resources? Seems like a thing that would be fairly commonplace in a post-apocalyptic world.
Title: Re: FOT Rewatch Thread: The Colony - Season 1
Post by: Regular Joe on November 02, 2011, 05:06:32 PM: Quote from: lezdudethis on November 02, 2011, 03:54:54 PM
I'm skeptical. Do they simulate killing the shit out of people for resources? Seems like a thing that would be fairly commonplace in a post-apocalyptic world.

I don't want to spoil anything, but I can promise you physically violent resource struggles. Nobody really bleeds until season 2, though.

Glad to have you aboard the SS Wasteland!
Title: Re: FOT Rewatch Thread: The Colony - Season 1
Post by: snacoman on November 02, 2011, 07:00:17 PM: I just started watching this other the weekend. I'm now on episode 5. Cool show. I can't stand that one dude. Sorry to be vague but I don't want to spoil anything
Title: Re: FOT Rewatch Thread: The Colony - Season 1
Post by: Andy on November 02, 2011, 07:28:44 PM: This show is ridiculous. I hate all these people
Title: Re: FOT Rewatch Thread: The Colony - Season 1
Post by: fonpr on November 02, 2011, 07:45:20 PM: People rushed ahead on the Twin Peaks thing. So, I'm out.
Title: Re: FOT Rewatch Thread: The Colony - Season 1
Post by: Andy on November 02, 2011, 08:15:04 PM: What's the protocol?
Title: Re: FOT Rewatch Thread: The Colony - Season 1
Post by: Regular Joe on November 03, 2011, 12:42:17 AM: Quote from: snacoman on November 02, 2011, 07:00:17 PM
I just started watching this other the weekend. I'm now on episode 5. Cool show. I can't stand that one dude. Sorry to be vague but I don't want to spoil anything

I know what you mean, and he just got worse with time and reflection.

Quote from: fonpr on November 02, 2011, 07:45:20 PM
People rushed ahead on the Twin Peaks thing. So, I'm out.

I missed the Twin Peaks thing, but I imagine it was more compelling to cheat ahead on than this glorious train wreck. If you stay, you will not be disappointed.

Here is a minor spoiler to convince you to stay: By the end of the first season, at least one of these people seem to have genuinely lost their minds to the point they believe the scenario (at least temporarily).

Quote from: Andy on November 02, 2011, 08:15:04 PM
This show is ridiculous. I hate all these people

What's the protocol?

No protocol or fondness for the show needed, speak freely! Who do you hate the most so far?
Title: Re: FOT Rewatch Thread: The Colony - Season 1
Post by: Andy on November 03, 2011, 08:09:44 AM: What's th protocol for watching the shows? Can we not watch ahead of the group?

I don't know why i'm asking. This show is so bad that I don't know if I can actually make myself watch it.
Title: Re: FOT Rewatch Thread: The Colony - Season 1
Post by: Sarah on November 03, 2011, 12:09:30 PM: I finished episode 1 last night. As soon as Michael started twirling that pipe around when the first would-be intruders banged on the door, I remembered what made me stop before completing even this first show when I tried to watch it a couple of years ago. He gave himself over to paranoia so quickly, it was creepy. I forced myself to keep going yesterday, however, even though later, when he said, smiling, "I'm standing still and things are getting done," because he was so thrilled to have women washing his underwear for him, I was tempted to give up.

I'm going to try to limit myself to one episode a week, although if things move forward here more quickly, I'll probably feel compelled to keep up. The show is so nasty, though, I think it would be better for me if I only exposed myself to its poison once a week.

P.S. I like aging, probably former hippy John the best so far.

P.P.S. And now on to Top Chef!
Title: Re: FOT Rewatch Thread: The Colony - Season 1
Post by: Regular Joe on November 03, 2011, 05:02:46 PM: I see that YouTube link I posted wasn't actually the full show. I updated the link, so you should try it again if you were confused by the random 4 minute clips! My apologies, I caught this plague and had a brain fever.

The initial idea was to watch just one a week, to relive the magic of broadcast television, but to be honest I'm not sure that this is even going anywhere anymore. I'm starting to feel a mild, creeping regret for even bringing this about... but I know I must see it through. Just like the producers of this show, I can only hope my foolhardy persistence will pay off in raw human drama accompanied by low viewing figures!

Upon my first re-watching, my thoughts naturally center on that jerk Mike, like everyone else. His technical experience is barely enough reason to keep him in The Colony (the tv show). In reality (the real apocalypse), most of the rest of these wimps would get turned into salt mine slaves tooth-sweet without a bastard like that around to keep everyone safe and afraid. Still, if I was there and he called me a kid to get me to do something, I would roll him all around the edges of that warehouse in the dirt using his own pipe, just like old kids used to roll those wheels down the sidewalk with sticks. Watch your mouth when you're talking to me, Mike.

Not much else to say as things are just getting started, and everyone looks dumb so far! Can't wait to remember why I loved this show so much. Maybe next week.

In the meantime, enjoy a heady browsing around Mike's personal website http://mysite.verizon.net/res83zys/ (http://mysite.verizon.net/res83zys/) and be sure to check out his inventions! Partake of one of the many videos he makes in pursuit of Hollywood stardom, like this one:

Host demo for a new TV show (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozWoOeWsPsU&feature=channel_video_title#)

PS: If this thread doesn't pan out, anyone want to go try this experiment on our own? I bet someone could set something up. We could rent the basement of Massa's and live down there for 3 months. Just floating it.
Title: Re: FOT Rewatch Thread: The Colony - Season 1
Post by: Wes on November 04, 2011, 09:50:09 AM: Quote from: Regular Joe on November 03, 2011, 05:02:46 PM
I'm starting to feel a mild, creeping regret for even bringing this about...
Mission accomplished.

I do hope at least one or two of you can make it to the end to see the fate of one of the Colonists, a sadly underrated "Did that really just happen?" silver lining in the otherwise dark cloud of reality television.
Title: Re: FOT Rewatch Thread: The Colony - Season 1
Post by: Regular Joe on November 04, 2011, 03:35:58 PM: I swear to god, that moment is the only reason I'm not turning this thread into the FBI. That, and watching Mike almost get a staph infection *spoiler alarm*.
Title: Re: FOT Rewatch Thread: The Colony - Season 1
Post by: Sarah on November 04, 2011, 05:00:00 PM: Screw it. I'm going to forge ahead.
Title: Re: FOT Rewatch Thread: The Colony - Season 1
Post by: Andy on November 04, 2011, 09:56:45 PM: Me too
Title: Re: FOT Rewatch Thread: The Colony - Season 1
Post by: Jason from Huntsville, AL on November 05, 2011, 07:34:14 AM: I'm a sucker for an Apocalypse (I credit my having grown up saturated in a healthy mix of Cold War atomic fear & "Left Behind"-style eschatology), so I'm gonna try to join in.

I'm 6 minutes in to the first episode and these two thoughts dominate:

1. There ain't nobody from the Humanities in this Colony. I guess the writers and artists got eaten in this scenario?

2. One those poor actors that plays a Raiders is going to get their head caved-in. I am 100 times more scared for the Raiders than the Colonists in those confrontations because I'm sure the Raiders have at least had a good night's sleep and a visit to the Craft Services table.

UPDATE (at 23 or so minutes in)

Michael: "I am not in charge! I am just the ugly, angry monkey!"

I just had to add that.
Title: Re: FOT Rewatch Thread: The Colony - Season 1
Post by: lezdudethis on November 07, 2011, 01:01:12 PM: Quote from: Wes on November 04, 2011, 09:50:09 AM
Quote from: Regular Joe on November 03, 2011, 05:02:46 PM
I'm starting to feel a mild, creeping regret for even bringing this about...
Mission accomplished.

I do hope at least one or two of you can make it to the end to see the fate of one of the Colonists, a sadly underrated "Did that really just happen?" silver lining in the otherwise dark cloud of reality television.

Okay, because of this, I'll give it a shot.
Title: Re: FOT Rewatch Thread: The Colony - Season 1
Post by: Regular Joe on November 07, 2011, 07:14:12 PM: I promise that you will ~~not~~ be disappointed. Episode 2 tomorrow!

Hey Mike from The Colony, how do you expect Sazzy's Boutique to get the branding it needs with menial marketing?

cable add (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4V3PVjjdJ0&feature=channel_video_title#)

"You really screwed me over with your lack of foresight." - Sazzy
Title: Re: FOT Rewatch Thread: The Colony - Season 1
Post by: Regular Joe on November 09, 2011, 04:26:27 PM: Wednesday it is! Here goes episode 2: Power Struggle

(part 1)
Power Struggle pt1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCmrU2W2vJg&feature=channel_video_title#ws)
Title: Re: FOT Rewatch Thread: The Colony - Season 1
Post by: Jason from Huntsville, AL on November 10, 2011, 07:41:32 AM: Thoughts on #2:

1. The intro is so padded out with its long, drawn out explanation of what's going on. Also, I'm not buying that these guys are represent "a cross-section of society." Don't they know that most of us are pretty useless?

2. I don't like the cut away to the experts OR the narrator.

3. It was really impressive watching those guys build & fuel that generator.

4. I think the producers told them to trick out that truck into a battle-wagon because it's good TV as those guys seem smarter than to think this is a good idea. "Hey, we've got limited resources...LET'S BUILD A ROAD-WARRIOR TRUCK!" Still, I'm totally going to love watching them build a road-warrior truck. You win, producers.
Title: Re: FOT Rewatch Thread: The Colony - Season 1
Post by: Sarah on November 10, 2011, 01:02:09 PM: Much as I dislike Michael--just as the producers want--as reality TV fare, this show would be nothing without him. If he hadn't been in it, the show might have achieved a slower, more realistic representation of the way nerves fray and tempers flare under stress,* but, hey, that's not where the big bucks are.

So, what about that guy Michael? What a jerk, eh? A chip on his shoulder so big it's no wonder he's almost collapsing under its weight. I've met people who think, like he pretends to, that nothing useful comes from education, but I'm fairly certain not one of them would rather, because of a bruised ego, let people be injured rather than try to help them out.

I did love that after having mistakenly and hysterically claiming the gasifier was going to blow everyone up real good, Michael then says he knows exactly why it didn't work (no mention of his false prediction) but isn't going to tell those overeducated know-it-alls because they suck and are mean to him and book larning never did no one no good no how.

*On second thought, in a real apocalypse, probably everyone would be even more of an asshole than Michael.
Title: Re: FOT Rewatch Thread: The Colony - Season 1
Post by: Jason from Huntsville, AL on November 11, 2011, 10:05:31 AM: Quote from: Sarah on November 10, 2011, 01:02:09 PM
I did love that after having mistakenly and hysterically claiming the gasifier was going to blow everyone up real good, Michael then says he knows exactly why it didn't work (no mention of his false prediction) but isn't going to tell those overeducated know-it-alls because they suck and are mean to him and book larning never did no one no good no how.

That moment is the perfect thumbnail sketch of Michael (or least the Michael we see on the show.)
Title: Re: FOT Rewatch Thread: The Colony - Season 1
Post by: Regular Joe on November 11, 2011, 05:37:48 PM: The pointless reading up I did on these people is paying off, as this show only gets clearer knowing the philosophies behind it all. For example, Mike is a staunch libertarian, John C. and Amy are both left-leaning naturists. All of their frames of reference of are slowly being tested, now their closely held beliefs are reacting as an immune system. It's already becoming most of the subtext of the show.

Last week these were still a bunch of reality show frauds and this week they still are, but I definitely can start to see the toll that the genuine discomfort is taking on their personalities. Due to hunger or withdrawals or sleeping on the floor or whatever, their civility toward each others ideologies is weakening. Here are just some of the unchecked Isms I read between the lines to get. Stoke your vape and get comfy for this, man:

"Drop that or I'll shoot you!" - Statism

"We're going to need more oil. We're going to need more sugar." - Capitalism

"I'd rather have toilet paper than power." - Communism

"We stay in groups 2 to 3 at a time, and we never get too far away from each other." - Socialism

"All of it seems like trash, actually." - Nihilism

"I'm not gonna say anything, I'm gonna let them fail. I'm not gonna save them." - Social Darwinism

"Hey guys, there's goats down here!" - Satanism

"They should be adults enough to know that we have a finite amount of power and we should use it wisely." - Libertarianism

"We got electricity, now I just need to find a blow dryer." - Narcissism

Where is this going? I'm now as curious as you are. Which is just a little bit.
Title: Re: FOT Rewatch Thread: The Colony - Season 1
Post by: Regular Joe on November 11, 2011, 05:53:20 PM: Quote from: Jason from Huntsville, AL on November 10, 2011, 07:41:32 AM
1. The intro is so padded out with its long, drawn out explanation of what's going on. Also, I'm not buying that these guys are represent "a cross-section of society." Don't they know that most of us are pretty useless?

I don't know what society you're living in when every single person you know ISN'T a rocket expert. Maybe there was a mensa rave going on in a nearby warehouse when the plague struck. Don't question reality, my friend.

Seriously though, they fix that problem in Season 2. Those normal people prove their uselessness into the ground! Almost can't wait to see it again.
Title: Re: FOT Rewatch Thread: The Colony - Season 1
Post by: casualobserver on November 12, 2011, 06:25:12 AM: Quote from: Regular Joe on November 02, 2011, 05:06:32 PM
Nobody really bleeds until season 2, though.

Nah, there's a good head wound in the first go 'round.
Title: Re: FOT Rewatch Thread: The Colony - Season 1
Post by: Jason from Huntsville, AL on November 12, 2011, 07:49:51 AM: Quote from: Regular Joe on November 11, 2011, 05:53:20 PM
Quote from: Jason from Huntsville, AL on November 10, 2011, 07:41:32 AM
1. The intro is so padded out with its long, drawn out explanation of what's going on. Also, I'm not buying that these guys are represent "a cross-section of society." Don't they know that most of us are pretty useless?

I don't know what society you're living in when every single person you know ISN'T a rocket expert. Maybe there was a mensa rave going on in a nearby warehouse when the plague struck. Don't question reality, my friend.

Actually, I probably live in the one place in the US where that statement has the most chance of being true: The Rocket City. You can't swing a t-square without hitting a rocket scientist in Huntsville, AL. I do improv with a couple.

I would say there was a TED conference nearby, but, again, no artists. Also, Mike would have been at the Home Depot across the street from the MENSA Rave.
Title: Re: FOT Rewatch Thread: The Colony - Season 1
Post by: Regular Joe on November 15, 2011, 09:55:19 PM: Quote from: casualobserver on November 12, 2011, 06:25:12 AM
Quote from: Regular Joe on November 02, 2011, 05:06:32 PM
Nobody really bleeds until season 2, though.

Nah, there's a good head wound in the first go 'round.

How did I forget! You're right.