Kid Nation

Synopsis

The series was filmed at the Bonanza Creek Movie Ranch, a town built on the ruins of Bonanza City, New Mexico, 13 miles south of Santa Fe. Forty children aged 8 to 15 participated, each receiving $5,000, with Gold Stars worth $20,000 or $50,000 awarded to select participants by the elected Town Council.

Producer Tom Forman acknowledged similarities to William Golding's Lord of the Flies, though adults including cameramen, producers, a medic, and a child psychologist were present off-camera. Participants missed a month of school; Forman argued that tasks like preparing breakfast, fetching water, and making group decisions provided an educational experience. Three children chose to leave during town meetings.

Reception and legacy

Before its premiere, Kid Nation was the most controversial new show of the fall 2007 season, based only on a four-minute promo. CBS screened the series at schools in at least seven large cities instead of for television critics. Variety columnist Brian Lowry called it "the latest program to use kids as fodder for fun and profit. Four children interviewed by the Los Angeles Times said they worked harder than ever but would repeat the experience, finding constant filming the hardest part.

After the premiere, most critics gave negative reviews, though Robert Lloyd of the Los Angeles Times was an exception. Tom Shales of the Washington Post wrote that the show indoctrinated children into consumer culture, noting that kids spent money on root beer but were not hired. By the third episode, some advertisers that had avoided the show began buying time. Near season's end, Maria Elena Fernandez wrote that the show's promises and controversies did not fully materialize; children were less autonomous than advertised, and threatened legal investigations by New Mexico did not occur.

Low ratings cast doubt on renewal; analyst Brad Adgate said chances were poor unless a writers' strike increased demand for reality shows. Time magazine's James Poniewozik named Kid Nation one of the Top 10 New TV Series of 2007, ranking it tenth.