TV: Kid Nation "I'm Trying To Be A Leader Here"

Child labor laws be damned, this is the best show on TV right now. I can say this because The Office, 30 Rock and Lost don't start for at least another week (except Lost, I cry everytime I think about that February premiere). I have not been so genuinely moved by a reality program since Whip-Snap revealed she had no family on Who Wants to be a Superhero?. Which was, like, a month ago...but still, Kid Nation has the makings of a highly addictive reality show. As soon as Greg got in Mike's face in a very Sawyer/Jack struggle for power, I knew I was in for some pre-adolescent emotionally draining drama. Forget The Pick-Up Artist and America's Next Top Model, this is the real deal (by the way, totally rooting for the Yale chick and the girl with Asperger's on ANTM).

The premise behind the show is pretty simple and straightforward: 40 kids are dropped off in Bonanza City, a ghost town in New Mexico (that is actually a big movie set), and must then fend for themselves and create a "working society" and are grouped into four divisions (red, blue, green and yellow). Add a little bit of structure in the form of competitions to decide what groups get to do what jobs (upper class, merchants, cooks, laborers) and a bit of reward (a $20,000 gold star given to the kid who does the best job every week) and you have the makings for TV ROYALTY.

Here are some of the kids and my thoughts on them.

MIKE
One of the four CBS-approved council members that lead the town, Mike got off on the wrong foot with everyone by not helping out during the Nation's mile-long hike to Bonanza City. However, during the physical challenge (which involved catching colored water and filling a glass container; how much more Double Dare can you get?), Mike stepped it up and led his Red Team to victory. Early on, Mike started to crack under the pressure of leadership, but his courage to patch things up with Jerk Hole Greg is admirable. Then again, this kid was the only one of the council that wanted a TV instead of seven more latrines to add to their existing one. And he solved Jerk Hole Greg's graffiti problem by yelling in his ear and running away.

TAYLOR
Little miss beauty pagaent winner who, early on, talked about saving all the starving kids in Africa and of course doing something about Iraq. Widely acknowledged and agreed upon political statements sound even better when skipping out of the mouth of this Southern Belle in waiting. Taylor leads the yellow division with a little, well-manicured iron fist and, when not crying about wanting to go home, doing dishes, and having to sleep on the floor, she's chilling with the farm animals and being an asset to her team. Seriously, this girl fed some hoses to something or other under that big oil rig thing during the physical challenge. Her big drama was whether or not to go home after the first four days. She's decided to tough it out, which I'm glad about. She's going to provide some sass, I'm sure.

LAUREL
The future President of the United States of America. The leader of the green division, Laurel proved just how awesome she is by selflessly counseling pretty much every single whiny and crying kid, including her co-leaders Mike and Taylor. She's personable, open-minded, observant, wise beyond her years, and the only member of the council that acts like a leader. When picking her team, she snatched up Michael and Sophia, the two kids who had previously shown just how awesome they are (more on them in a bit). She didn't even have first pick, the other leaders were just more superficial about their choices. Sure her team came in last place during the physical challenge, but no other leader could have handled being stuck with the lowly task of laborers (Taylor has to stay clean at all times and both Mike and Anjay were too busy being testosteroids about the challenge). Laurel accepted the meager pay the job brings and will surely work hard and help her division. She's an inspiration. I'll vote for her in thirty years.

SOPHIA
The revolutionary of Kid Nation. She immediately took control of a dire situation upon arriving in camp and made dinner for forty kids (after Taylor created one big and uncooked pasta chunk) and followed suit the next morning. She is the steadfast voice of reason, claiming that sometimes she feels surrounded by dumb people. She also has a whimsical side, choosing to do goofy dances in the street for nickels in order to buy a vintage bicycle at the town store. She works the hardest and has a truly adult outlook on the whole thing. The best thing about her? She was pretty much the only person who said she wasn't happy with the council at the town meeting and still got the $20,000 gold star. I love that she was brave enough to speak her opinion and I also love that the council was mature enough to reward her for her amazingly hard work, despite the honesty. Along with the gold star, the winner gets to call home to tell their parents. Sophia's voice when calling home got to me. She was so overwhelmed, she seemed like she was going to tell her mom that she had lost an arm in a tragic pancake making accident. A very real moment caught between a revolutionary and her frizzy haired mom. Next week says "Sophia continues her campaign against the council," making me think she's going to get even more aggressive. Who cares, she's already got $20,000. I say give'em hell! She'd make a better leader anyway.

MICHAEL
This kid was pretty much absent for the entire episode except for two instances where he proved to be Laurel's future speech writer. Twice in the episode he stepped up, shut everyone up, and gave motivational (to 8 year olds) speeches that calmed everyone down and gave the council an opportunity to speak (instead of the council doing this, since Taylor was too busy trying to remember all the words to a Hannah Montana song and Mike was buried in his deep inner monologue). The gold star question came down to either Michael and Sophia, and it was a tight race indeed. Right after Sophia lashed out at the council for the yellow division's non-existant dish washing job (Taylor doesn't do dishes people!), Michael stood up and gave his second inspirational speech, seemingly sealing the deal for gold star-hood. He didn't get it (maybe because all he can do is talk) but I'm sure he will soon. As long as he can, you know, move something other than his highly influential mouth.

GREG
I've talked about Jerk Hole Greg some. This kid yelled at Mike during breakfast, got in his face, and created a very tense moment. The best part? Greg putting his finger over Mike's mouth, laughing and walking away. SAWYER AND JACK! Real tension! Later on, after being divided up, Greg and his cronie Blaine (was there ever a more jerktastic name?) wrote "Go Blue!" over all the other bunks. Greg is 15 and he's taunting 8 year olds. Oh wow, someone needs a reality check. Of course after seeing that $20,000 is up for grabs, Greg has decided to get one. I can't wait to see what his definition of working hard is, maybe stealing kids' push carts so he can do their work?

JIMMY
The first kid to go home and he was downright awesome. He loved hanging out with the older kids, hunting jackrabbits, and everyone loved him. Their earnest pleading with him to stay, ugh! So touching! But, as he said, he doesn't feel cut out for this show and he misses his family. Go home then, kid, you did the best you can do.

JARED

I love this kid. He's the only one on the show, so far, that seems to be socially awkward, a misfit, a goober, and downright annoying. I reiterate, I love this kid. He has a raspy voice equivalent to a 65 year old cigarette enthusiast and insists on always wearing a cowboy hat. When he got paid the highest salary available for being on the winning red team, he spent all his money on a big hunk of dark chocolate and a book by Shakespeare. I can't wait to see what crazy antics this kid gets into, he's like a walking Hannah Barbera cartoon.

Those are the kids that made themselves apparent to me. As the weeks go by, I'll profile the other kids that rise to the occassion and prove to have a personality. Until then, I'll be looking back at this pilot fondly. My Wednesday nights are set, so hang on.

MY SCORE: ***** (out of 5)