The Colony: Difference between revisions

added years of broadcast, copyedits
(defaultsort, tropelist)
(added years of broadcast, copyedits)
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[[File:The_Colony_702.jpg|frame]]
 
''[[The Colony]]'' is a "survival experiment" broadcast on The [[Discovery Channel]] 2009-2010, in which ten people (and later more) must rebuild after a simulated viral outbreak kills most of the human population. They are given several blocks of abandoned industrial park bordering the Los Angeles River in downtown Los Angeles, where they are allowed to do anything they want and scavenge any supplies they can find.
 
Emphasis is placed on dealing with resource scarcity, novel uses of common (and not-so-common) found items to provide for the group in such a situation, and weighing the survival of other groups against the survival of one's own (i.e. stealing). There are several semi-scripted encounters with others (various wanderers, raiders, and a trader), which demonstrate possible social interactions in such an environment and the play between compassion (give them food because it's the right thing to do?) and pragmatism (keep it for yourself because you need it more?). All actors are forbidden to directly harm the Colonists (lest they risk an [[Executive Meddling|insurance nightmare and subsequent cancellation]]), but panic, emotion, and malnutrition (on the Colonists' side) meant that accidents could still happen.
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* [[Hospital Hottie]]: Two of the more attractive members of the first season cast are a doctor and a nurse. Who both manage to remain clean and pretty looking throughout.
* [[Jerkass]]: Mike was not a very happy or pleasant person. To the point where some people on the show actually monologue about how "I'm sure Mike is actually a nice guy, deep down..."
** [[Jerk with a Heart of Gold]]: For all of the unflattering talk about him, Mike usually has a reason when he goes off on someone (especially with the people who have [[Too Dumb to Live]] tendencies), and more often than not, he's quick to complement someone who does something right (even if it's only on the [[Confession Cam]]).
* [[MacGyvering]]: A lot of the show is about how the colonists can build extremely useful things (such as an ozone water cleaner or even cars and trucks) out of junk that has been scavenged.
* [[Once Per Episode]]: Several times per episode, the colonists come under "Phases" in which some kind of situation is forced upon them. It can be as simple as someone begging for food at their doors, or all the water pipes in the warehouse suddenly bursting.
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* [[The Ace]]: In a way, "Tick." As an ex-Marine sniper, hunter, and survivalist, he's essentially the exact guy they needed since the beginning of the season.
* [[Bald of Awesome]]: Deville's gloriously shiny dome.
* [[Break the Cutie]]: Becka, who was the only person in the season who didn't seem to have any specific skills useful for helping the colony, being a model. And even though she seemed like just the [[Alpha Bitch]], it was still heart breaking to see her crying in pain after being maced in the eyes, and watching her {{spoiler|Get grabbed by three men, tied down, and dragged away while screaming for help.}}
* [[Break the Haughty]]: Amber was repeatedly shown to be out of her element, and from the start seemed to be just slightly distanced from the group. Throughout the season it showed her trying to let down her guard and try to be a team player, but still isn't very good at socializing.
* [[Confession Cam]]: Again, used liberally throughout each episode.
* [[Cool Old Guy]]: Deville. A 70-year-old retired contractor, he's apparently stepped up as the ''de facto'' leader of the Colonists, with his experience providing many of the ideas they adopt to survive.
** As of the latest episode, Sally has been elected as the "leader". However, Deville remains an incredibly capable, level-headed and productive member of the group, having constructed a cistern, which will provide them with weeks of water.
* [[Darker and Edgier]]: The new Colonists' starting location has less food, less water, and much more severely damaged shelter. Their home base is less secure and, unlike the first season, they are physically attacked almost from the get -go.
* [[Downer Ending]]: {{spoiler|As the colonists escape on an airboat, they are met by a gang of armed thugs at their destination.}}
* [[Dropped a Bridge on Him|Dropped A Bridge On Them]]: {{spoiler|Michael and Amber. While out scouting, a random "infected" survivor jumped out and coughed blood on them both. They were then forced to leave the show because they are "infected".}}
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* [[Fan Disservice]]: A bunch of pretty girls stripping down to their underwear? Hot. A bunch of girls ([[Walking Shirtless Scene|and]] [[Mr. Fanservice|Reno]]) gagging, sobbing, and about to vomit while dragging around a bunch of maggot infested rotting pig carcasses in their underwear? Not so hot.
* [[Gosh Dang It to Heck]]: Jim. "Son of a biscuit!" indeed.
* [[High Octane Nightmare Fuel]]: After Sian {{spoiler|leaves in the VOPA trucks, we can hear screaming, thumping, and a hissing gas noise overlaid on the sound track. Clearly she made the wrong choice.}}
** {{spoiler|Though it's also possible she was squealing with delight and kicking at the seats, but there's no way to really know.}}
* [[A House Divided]]: Chronic lack of food has stressed the Colonists so badly that they're blowing up at each other regardless of the seriousness of the issue.
* [[I'm Not Here to Make Friends]]: Amber is being portrayed somewhat as this, being confrontational with the other colonists, saying that she unashamedly always speaks her mind, and taking a "good of the many" approach with Becka's kidnapping, telling the other colonists not to give away too much, and even insulting Becka in [[Confession Cam]] to argue she's not worth it.
** Played straight with Sian, {{spoiler|she leaves the colonists and goes with VOPA.}}
* [[The Ladette]]: Amber and Sally, a logger and mechanic respectively. Their presence will no doubt lead to the most butch cat fight ever seen.
* [[The Load]]: Subverted. In the first episode, George appeared to be this. He takes a nap during dinnertime and rides a bicycle instead of walking with the group when they went out searching. However, he since became one of the most productive colonists after constructing a forge and bellows, allowing them to craft metal into weapons.
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* [[The Stinger]]: So the colonists escape the raid on their fan boat to live in a nice 2 floor house in the bayou right? {{spoiler|When they get there, there is already a bunch of people living there!}}
* [[Male Gaze]]: When the girls stripped down to put on smocks in the second episode, the viewers got two loving, lingering shots of their panty-clad behinds.
* [[Ship Tease]]: Reno &and Becka anyone? He agreed to stay in quarantine with her and they had friendly conversation for ''12 hours''.
** Then the scene between Reno and Sally, of him saying that he doesn't like the idea of someone besides him working with her. He then had to clarify that he didn't mean as a jealous boyfriend way.
** And how about when Sally says if she was just being self-centered and not thinking about the group, she would hop on the motorcycle with Reno and just take off together. Try watching any scene with them together after that and not seeing a touch linger, a hug extended.
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* [[Never Split the Party]]: Hoo boy...
* [[No Animals Were Harmed]]: The first episode of season 2 averts the ''hell'' out of this.
** And nowthen they've killed an Alligatoralligator...we can only hope no one tells PETA about this show.
* [[Sliding Scale of Fourth Wall Hardness]]: When the colonists receive happy videos of their family members saying hello and asking if they're having fun. [[Crowning Moment of Heartwarming|it's really emotional]], but it seems to completely demolish the fourth wall.
* [[Team Mom]]: Sian. Does most of the cooking, takes care of inventory with the food, but also comforts Jim when they find a macaroni painting made by "his kids".
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** Jim started off as a praying loving Christian man who intended to be moralistic. But ''very'' quickly he became a bitter, angry, distrusting individual, all of the fighting and stress took a toll on his view on life.
** Taken to its extreme when Tick arrives. Jim is so suspicious of him that he sleeps outside. Becka comments that looking at him, hairy, greasy, and hunched over a fire outside looked more like some kind of creepy animalistic cave man than the nice guy he was at the start.
* [[What the Hell, Hero?]]: After {{spoiler|Michael and Amber were "infected" and forced to leave the show, Becka quickly states that they never really felt like a part of the group/family anyway.}} You can ''see'' and the shock and sadness in Deville's eyes. Reno mentions losing respect for her. And Jim, who took longer than anyone to accept {{spoiler|Michael and Amber}}, immediately calls her (and himself) out on it.
* [[Wrench Wench]]: Sally is an auto- mechanic.
 
{{reflist}}