Hmm, it looks like we’ve got two new competing Australian reality shows in the works! We saw a commercial on the ABC last night asking for contestants for “Outback House”, which will be similar to previous PBS and BBC shows. They’re going to take a group of “modern Australians” and see if they can live like it’s 1860. It looked pretty neat. Up against it will be “The Colony” (which I discovered thanks to a comment by Ben). That one will actually send people from the UK on a voyage by ship to Australia to start out as colonists. Some will even be convicts!
Claire
April 5, 2004 — 2:20 pm
They sound really good! I thoroughly enjoy these reality shows which attempt to re-create some kind of historical time or situation – I think they have a bit more merit than the billion other crass Bachelors and Survivors, etc. I enjoyed that British show where the family had to live as if it were World War II, and the other one that replicated an old English manor with some contestants as servants and others as the upper class family.
By the way – ‘The Colony’ show reminds me of the ‘Convict Day’ we had at school in Grade 5. We all had to come to school in stripey clothes, eat sauerkraut and act out mock ‘corporal punishments’. You have to love Australians 🙂
Kris
April 5, 2004 — 3:47 pm
I saw a print ad for “Outback House” today in the Melbourne A3 supplement. It was really cool; it didn’t actually mention that it was for a reality show. It just said “Gold prospectors wanted!” with a phone number to call. I knew it was the show since the branding was the same. Pretty clever… I’d apply if we didn’t have a kitty to take care of!