Colonial House on PBS

Hessian

Well-Known Member
Monday and Tuesday this week they have brought 17(?) people from daily life and after reviewing 10,000 applications, chosen these folks to live, work, cooperate(?) together as if it were the year 1628...
They found a lonely patch of Maine...(1000 acres on the coast) and set up a mini village.

The concept is excellent...interesting tasks and relations mature & sour along the way.

Clothing, climate, tools, rations,...all is VERY "period"
They even chose a pastor to be the Governor.

BUT...the selections that they made for participants is a bit disappointing-whimps, Agnostics/atheists, loners, and chip-on-their-shoulder Blacks.

It is an intriguing mix but of course...they had to reveal tonight that one was a queer (he confessed during a church service.) Naturally many warmly congratulated him and everything goes back to normal...how utterly pathetic.
Sorry Libs at PBS,...you still don't seem to get it.
Homosexuals would have been rooted out, Atheists branded/banished, Loners: left to starve for not pulling their fair share. Oh No...we have to "welcome diversity and honor individuality." Well guess what you pathetic Leftwing twirps: The colony would NEVER have survived with the self imposed Political Correctness we exude & expect today...All would have died.
3 even went skinny dipping instead of attending church on a Sunday: yeah: like Miles Standish, Brewster & Bradford would have given them a pass on that: Such a sad state of decline we have collapsed into. I truly hope people realize while watching this show..
a) The hardship a sacrifice necessary for building a colony in the wilderness
b) The centrality of Christian beleif that held the only thread of unity that spurred the colony to success
c) That today's paunchy, Liberal, drinking fools wouldn't last a week in the first settlement of Plymouth or Salem/Boston.
d) That God will always preserve a remnant while the rest fall away into narcicism, gluttony, hedonism, and atheism. That remnant will keep civilization going.
 

jlabsher

Sorry about that chief.
Wow Hessian, I'm glad that Franklin and Jefferson were both good republican christians.:rolleyes:
 

alex

Member
I think you are missing the point - it is to see if these people could live like that. Why would they choose people that accepted things the way they were, were willing to work hard, etc without complaint? There would be no show. It is sort of like all the other reality TV shows except theirs take place at point in history.

I love to watch them all - 1900's House, the one out West, this one, and few from BBC on the Iron age and other periods. I watch them for their historical information about the time and customs and how more then anything else. I think they are a good contrast, especially for my kids, to see how far we have come over the years.
 

Tonio

Asperger's Poster Child
Weren't the Puritans the same people who executed supposed witches? Like there is really such a thing as witchcraft.
 

Hessian

Well-Known Member
The voice-overs add excellent insights to daily life, health, politics, inventories, etc.
The characters signed a contract that they would abide by the laws established in the 1620's...and we find many of them totally incapable of obeying the simplest of orders. wandering off for two days...skipping services...mouthing off. And directly disobeying the governor.
Our age is SO individualistic that it can't function as a cohesive unit and set asside differences..or swallow your pride and place the whole above your desires.
This is where true Christianity helped in their survival (as opposed to the chaos in Jamestown where each did as they pleased) There is a God...He is in charge...These are the Rules he gave us...There are penalties for breaking them...loving one another and bearing each other's burdens is the glue that holds a community together.


You comment on Witchcraft: 1691+ in Salem...two generations AFTER the period they are recreating-some social shifts, conflicts with France, Political instability and weakening in the faith had occurred--NOT the same people as 1628.
 

alex

Member
The fact that these participants bring their 21st century values and ideals into the show is what the producers are counting on. If not, then the shows would just be dull documentaries. Other than time period settings how are these shows any different from any other realty show? The producers intentially pick people who have idealistic ideas of how it was to live in that period so that when reality hits it makes for entertaining viewing.
 

Hessian

Well-Known Member
They survived????

Last episode was last night and the reviewers of the colony graded their likelihood of survival...the three observers came to the conclusion: They made it.


Um...Wampanoags came and stole food from the settlement and none of the colonists noticed...what message would that have sent to the Aboriginals? (easy pickings!)

The only trade they made was at a noticeable loss (Shareholders would be greatly disatisfied!)

The lumber they gathered only covered 10% of the yearly debt.

And they generally did what they pleased in spite of 17th century law. (Governor and Council would have to answer for that!)

No pallisade, no training in Matchlock muskets, no patrols, no drill, no armor (all required for the freemen & indentured,,,totally ignored)

So...would they have survived?
Absolutely not. The PC reviewers went way too soft on them and for Liberal assessors-it was more important that they felt good about what they did. I hope the historical community comes out and bashes PBS for their "survivor-like" scenario-unrealistic elements.

I am fascinated...could we find a group of people today who actually could survive the 17th century?
 

alex

Member
I don't think anyone raised from the 19th century on could survive in 17th century conditions - why? Because one would always bring their current century ideas, etc with them. I think it would be very hard for people to leave them totally behind.

But you are right, PBS should be ashamed. They should have made the group tow the line more they were way to easy on them.
 

Monello

Smarter than the average bear
PREMO Member
I think all these series are great shows. Interesting the human element when times get tough.
 

Monello

Smarter than the average bear
PREMO Member
Holy Necropost... You been into that wine in a box tonight?
It's tough to tell how much you have consumed...

I was searching for a different show reference in the forums. This one popped up and I felt the need to comment. Not sure if you watched any of the period reality shows. Great drama and human interaction. You can observe the dysfunction from the comfort of your own living room.
 

GURPS

INGSOC
PREMO Member
I think all these series are great shows. Interesting the human element when times get tough.

necro.jpg
 
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