THIS is one town where kids will rule – literally.
CBS’ new reality show, “Kid Nation,” will feature 40 kids, ages 8-15, who have 40 days to create a new town – over which they’ll govern without any adult supervision.
CBS tiptoes around comparisons to “Lord of the Flies,” but the set-up sounds undeniably similar to the classic William Golding novel about a group of shipwrecked school kids who form their own society on a deserted island – and eventually turn into savages.
The kids on the CBS show are plunked down in a ghost town, Bonanza City, N.M., without any amenities or grown ups. They’ll cook their own meals, empty their own latrine and even run their own businesses (no alcohol in the saloon, just root beer).
During the course of the show, they’re confronted with typical kid problems – homesickness, rule-breaking, etc. – with any kid allowed to leave at any time for any reason.
The kids will also create their own government, complete with a town council.
The network would not say if parents are close by during the six-week shoot or how the kids were chosen for the show.
The kids will be surrounded by cameras operated by adults. But, unlike other reality shows, though, no kids will be “voted off” the show each week.
At the end of each episode, the kids will gather at the town hall to discuss issues facing Bonanza City.
The show, from the producers of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” is scheduled to start next fall.