While reality TV has become a staple of American entertainment, the format is still relatively newer. 1948’s Candid Camera is often considered the first reality TV show, but the genre as we know it, with an emphasis on sensational drama, did not hit its stride until the ’90s/2000s with shows like The Real World (1992), Big Brother (1999) and Survivor (2000). Some wild concepts also marked this period as the genre attempted to push boundaries to see how far they could take concepts to draw in an audience; stations like MTV perfected shock entertainment during this era.

CBS’s Kid Nation stands out among the rest as ill-conceived and controversial. Before it aired, the show was marred by controversy and continued to suffer critical and public scorn upon release. We will examine the most misguided and disturbing reality TV show ever made, Kid Nation.

Kid Nation Plot and Release
Kid Nation

Kid Nationplaced 40 children aged 8 to 15 in a ghost town in New Mexico with basic provisions in a competitive reality TV format. Together, the children were tasked with building a society by assigning roles and responsibilities, which also involved learning basic survival skills. Divided into districts, each week, they would have to select a council to run the city/assigned area, with outstanding participants awarded by the council with a “gold star” equivalent to winning $20,000.

The show premiered on September 19, 2007, lasting only one season on the CBS network. Out of the 40 contestants, only one left early from the show after feeling homesick after four days on set. Over the 13 episodes aired, 13 gold stars were given with two participants, 12-year-old Morgan Wood and 15-year-old Michael Thot, winning the award twice. While there was no clear winner, Morgan would take home one coveted star valued at $50,000, giving her the most significant amount ($70,000 total). Still, the show focused more on survival and the children’s relationships over monetary gain.

Before the first episode aired, there was already concern and growing controversy. There were concerns about potential labor law violations, with the kids being pulled from school and having to perform tasks that would otherwise be deemed as manual labor. There was also a concern about the lack of mental support in putting children into extreme situations. The show was met with scathing critical reviews and a mixed audience reaction on release. Advertisers were hesitant to support the controversial program, and with declining ratings after a moderately successful premiere, the show was announced canceled after its third episode.

Kid Nation Behind the Scenes

As controversial as Kid Nation was in the lead-up, the number of problems behind the scenes were worse. The set-up itself was marred by poor choices, with the show’s 40-day program referred to as ‘camp’ to avoid being considered a production set and falling under stricter legal obligations. The parents signed what many considered to be ‘predatory contracts,’ which included the waiving of rights to sue if their children got hurt or died during filming.

Despite the claims of the show’s producer that the kids were never in any danger, accidents did occur. This includes 11 of the children accidentally drinking bleach that was mislabeled and requiring medical attention. A significant instance that happened was 10-year-old Divad Miles burning herself when grease splattered onto her face while cooking a meal. Other minor injuries, such as sprains and scratches, were reported.

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The potential mental trauma was also a point of contention, with the show marked by instances of bullying between kids, the forcing of political rivalries, and discussion of religious disparities. Some tasks also proved difficult for some kids, including one that saw them beheading chickens for food. With minimal adult supervision and the kids dealing with these instances on their own over 40 days, there was a noticeable lack of insight into the mental health support for the participants.

What the Kids Thought of Their Time on Kid Nation

Kid Nation has left behind a bit of a peculiar legacy. As the kids grew older, there was a lot of interest from reality TV fans of the insane 2000s era and armchair TV historians to learn about the kids’ experiences on the show. While moderately sized, the YouTube channel “The Eric Barber” is the largest source online for content about the show, including interviews with multiple participants; including multi-star winner Micheal and notable personalities Olivia, Anjay, DK, and Laurel. With most running over an hour, they offer much insight into the program.

Michael also did an AMA on Reddit, where he was asked many questions about his time on the show. This included him reflecting on the chaotic nature of the program and his being able to overcome the experience with time and see it in a different light: “In the first couple of days, I felt in well over my head. It seemed ridiculous. I feel very different today. Not due to the Kid Nation experience, but as a natural personal development has taken place.”

The AMA also asks plenty of direct questions about instances in the shows, so those who were invested in the rivalries between zones and the political process of voting for a district leader will find plenty of substance.

“The show was a great idea. The production company had a very different idea than what materialized, I think. CBS wanted to execution to be far more Hollywood-ish than the executive producer wanted. he wanted a genuine society experiment.” Michael Thot

Throughout the interviews and the AMA, those who chose to speak about their time on the program were quick to point out the show’s shortcomings and the elements they struggled with. However, many also relate a generally positive experience in retrospect, being thankful for their time on screen and how their childhood on display made for interesting talking points and opportunities later in life. This does not push aside the amount of neglect, especially when the effect on all participants is unknown, but it is great to hear that those who have spoken out don’t feel they are damaged mentally by their time on the show.

Fallout of Kid Nation
CBS

While Kid Nation seems like a gross experiment on par with The Lord of the Flies, the concept of kid independence as entertainment was not necessarily new. Looking at theme parks based around a ‘kid city model,’ such as KidZania, which launched in 1999, shows that the base concept behind the reality TV show was not necessarily groundbreaking. Still, the show posed plenty of moral and ethical questions about children’s use in the reality TV format.

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On the legal front, New Mexico changed its legal loopholes that allowed Kid Nation to skirt child labor laws. Many other states also looked to revise their laws on child labor regarding entertainment. However, perhaps the more significant impact came from a general tonal shift, with the show seen as a cautionary tale for other producers and reality TV shows to avoid the scrutiny and problems that come with using young children for entertainment; more explicit guidelines to protect child performers and more transparent contracts became commonplace.

Kid Nation reflects a darker time in reality TV, far removed from the more polished format you see in reality TV shows on streaming platforms like Netflix. However, considering the medium was still in its infancy, the more positive perspective is to see it as a misstep that had the potential to result in something much worse than the already blatant neglect. Given the controversial nature of the show, Kid Nation has been left as a relic of the past and is not available to stream or rent. There is still a fanbase for the show, and those who want to revisit the show will find plenty of highlight reels on YouTube.