The Colony (U.S. season 1)

The Colony Season 1
Country of origin United States
No. of episodes 10
Broadcast
Original channel Discovery Channel
Original run July 21, 2009 – September 22, 2009
Season chronology
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2

The Colony is a reality television program. The first season was filmed in an industrial area bordering the Los Angeles River on the edge of downtown Los Angeles, and follows ten cast members in an environment that simulates life after a global catastrophe.[1] The series first aired on the Discovery Channel on July 21, 2009.[2] Filming began on February 28, and ran until April 28, 2009.

Contents

Cast

Allison White"The Nurse"
is a 29-year-old registered trauma nurse from Oklahoma City, whose natural inclinations allow her to remain calm in extreme, life-threatening situations; thus, she has found herself most at home working in the emergency room.[3] She generally assisted others in projects until George was removed from the show, and then she took on a larger role as caregiver.

'Amy West'The Marine Scientist
is a 34-year-old marine biologist. Amy is certified in providing CPR and other medical assistance. She is believed to have been interested in marine biology while she was a child vacationing in the Caribbean. She and Allison kept tabs on the food supply and how they related to the colonists' health. She also participated in the manual labor.

'George Fallieras'The Doctor
is a 34-year-old ER doctor from Tampa, Florida. After majoring in Marine Biology at University of Florida and considering a career as a marine mammal veterinarian, he decided to go to medical school because he liked to take care of people even more than animals. He is a strong fisherman, can start a fire and hunt. George returned to New Orleans in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to provide care in makeshift medical units.

'Joey Sciacca'The Independent Contractor
is a 37-year-old contractor hailing from Los Angeles, California. He is a Black Belt in Tang Soo Do. He also is proficient in plumbing, electrical maintenance, drywall refurbishing, framing and framework, concrete construction, and is also seen to be an artist. Joey has admitted that he committed bad actions in the past, actions that he says he currently regrets doing. He has since served approximately six consecutive years in jail. Joey now works in the area of construction, where he utilizes his skills as an eco-friendly contractor.

'John Cohn'The Computer Engineer
is a 49-year-old chief IBM scientist for design automation from Richmond, Vermont. He fixes, makes and hacks electronics, fabricates mechanical devices, and welds. His other talents include building structures out of natural materials, growing edible plants, sculpting and fire building. John is typically viewed as an eccentric personality. He has been referred to by the other colonists as 'The Professor'. Viewers have consistently rated him as the number one colonist.

'John Valencia'The Machinist
is a 37-year-old machinist from Covina, California, specializing in fitting for irrigation waterworks, repairing motor-vehicle engines, and rebuilding alternators to hook up to generators for electricity. He also has developed hand crank electrical systems. He is a purported conservationist.

'Leilani Smith'The Martial Arts Instructor
started her martial arts career at the age of 28. She now works as a personal self defense instructor in Tacoma, WA. Smith was deemed "The Most Useless Colonist" by experts stating that "She (Leilani) has no practical knowledge to survive alone after a disaster". She played a minor role in defending the Colony by instructing the other colonists in the practice of self-defense.

'Michael "Mike" Raines'The Handyman
is a 47-year-old actor[4] and solar panel installer/designer originating from Kotor, Montenegro (formerly SFR Yugoslavia). He currently resides in Santa Monica, California. He specializes in building alternative energy sources and in designing for security. His temper and blunt personality occasionally put him at odds with the other colonists, especially the women.

'Morgan Hooker'The Aerospace Engineer
is a 23-year-old aerospace engineer from Woodland Hills, California. Morgan designs irrigation canals and also builds heat-insulated shelters. She is said to be proficient in mechanical engineering as well.

'Vladimir Beck'The Mechanical Engineer
is a retired oil industry engineer who currently lives in Los Angeles, California. He has spent around 40 years working as an engineer in oil refineries. As a young man, he had been in the military and left SFR Yugoslavia.

Supporting Cast

Episode list

# Title Original airdate[2] Production
code
1 "Arrival and Survival" July 21, 2009 (2009-07-21)
2 "Power Struggle" July 28, 2009 (2009-07-28)
3 "Comfort in Chaos" August 4, 2009 (2009-08-04)
4 "Safety and Security" August 11, 2009 (2009-08-11)
5 "A Stranger Among Us" August 18, 2009 (2009-08-18)
Two strangers walk into the compound with their own key and claim that it belongs to them.[2] 
6 "Loss and Communication" August 25, 2009 (2009-08-25)
7 "A Test of Faith" September 1, 2009 (2009-09-01)
8 "Recon Mission" September 8, 2009 (2009-09-08) DTC108
9 "Breaking Point" September 15, 2009 (2009-09-15) DTC109
10 "Exodus" September 22, 2009 (2009-09-22) DTC110
The colonists receive a transmission with the coordinates of a larger safe haven with hundreds of survivors and food, but getting there will be difficult as they must defend the warehouse when Andre returns with a group of raiders for an assault on the colony. 

Phases and projects

Episode 1

Phase Context Description
Phase 1: Sleep Deprivation Shock and Fatigue To simulate the stress survivors experience in the aftermath of a disaster, the volunteers were kept awake for thirty hours with almost no food or water.
Phase 2: Looting Scarcity of Supplies Mentally drained, the first six volunteers were given fifteen minutes in an abandoned department store to acquire as many resources as they can carry.
Phase 3: The Marauders Resource Competition Ten minutes into scavenging, a gang of looters and thugs are sent in to steal the volunteer's supplies.
Phase 4: River Walk Search for Shelter Before arriving at the colony, the volunteers haul their 200 pounds of looted supplies eight miles (13 km) down the Los Angeles River.
Phase 5: Arrival and Survival Rebuilding Begins The colonists arrive at an 80,000-square-foot (7,400 m2) warehouse on a three and a half acre plot of land. They are supplied with rudimentary materials, tools, and a small supply of food and water. How they use these resources is up to them.[2]

Projects

Episode 2

Phase Context Description
Phase 6: Sustainable Energy Fuel Shortage With the battery array running out of power, the colonists need to build a generator and find a plentiful fuel source.
Phase 7: Foraging Resource Acquisition With a lack of food, the colonists go out to acquire more food for the colony. They acquire a small supply of canned goods, fresh fruit, and a pair of goats.

Projects

Episode 3

Phase Context Description
Phase 8: Creature Comforts Recreating Home With a power source for their tools, the colonists decide to make a shower and other smaller comforts to improve morale.
Phase 9: River Trip Resource Scarcity Running out of water and tired of eating canned goods, the colonists head to the river to acquire water, fresh fish, and citrus.
Phase 10: Power On Outside Contact Discovering the small television is on and is receiving an emergency signal, the colonists who did not leave the colony to go on the river trip discover that the power from the grid has been turned on for a short time.
Phase 11: Colony Attack Resource Competition Not paying attention to security, the colonists are surprised by an attack on the warehouse by marauders and thieves, and they lose two days worth of food afterwards. The marauders were given instructions not to physically harm the colonists, but the colonists don't know that and accidents can happen.

Projects

Episode 4

Phase Context Description
Phase 12: Security Safety From Attack After being surprised by an attack from marauders and thieves, the colonists agree to increase their security on the warehouse.
Phase 13: Traders Negotiation Skills A group of gun-toting traders arrive to trade with the colonists for certain goods they have for things that the colony needs.

Projects

Episode 5

Phase Context Description
Phase 14: Solar Power Fuel Shortage Not having enough power for their fabrication needs, the team goes out scouting for renewable energy in the form of obtaining solar panels.
Phase 15: New Arrivals Test of Unity Two mysterious new colonists, Andre and Elizabeth, make their way into the complex through a locked side door, to test the team's willingness to accept outsiders and their unity against potential threats.

Projects

Episode 6

Phase Context Description
Phase 16: Health Illness and Injury Five weeks of living in unsanitary conditions proves to be a health hazard for the colonists so even minor cuts and bruises need to be continuously looked after. Also, a lower intake of food has taken its toll on them physically as well.
Phase 17: Hospital Foraging Resource Scarcity Needing medical supplies, as well as food and other salvageable materials, some of the colonists enter an abandoned hospital for resources.
Phase 18: Disappearance Coping With Loss To simulate a loss in the group, George was removed from the experiment during the hospital trip. None of the colonists were informed of his whereabouts or if he will return.
Phase 19: Communication Outside Contact While grieving the loss of George, power from the grid goes on again and the television receives an emergency broadcast for a short while. With renewed hope, the colonists focus on communication with the outside world.

Projects

Episode 7

Phase Context Description
Phase 20: Missionaries Exploration of Faith A group of missionaries walking down the river introduce the subject of faith to the colonists who are gathering water from the river.
Phase 21: Nomads Sharing Resources Two wandering nomads beg the colonists to share their dwindling resources in order to test their unity and sense of charity.

Projects

Episode 8

Phase Context Description
Phase 22: Reconnaissance Preparing for Departure The colonists continue their preparations for departure by developing plans for reconnaissance.
Phase 23: Nomads Reunion and Self-Preservation A group of nomads arrives at the colony asking for food and water. Among them are women with children, a handicapped individual, and the wife of John Cohn, Diane.
Phase 24: Waterworks Return of Public Utilities As part of the experiment the water has been turned on to simulate the spastic nature of public utilities after a disaster, but the warehouse pipes can't take the pressure. Just as suddenly as it came on, the water is turned off.
Phase 25: Recon Mission Supplies and Information Mike and Vlad leave the safety of the warehouse to scavenge for supplies and information. When they reach a trailer park they are met with other survivors who are living in their own colony. Unfortunately for Vlad and Mike, these colonists see them as thieves trying to steal their food.

Projects

Episode 9

Phase Context Description
Phase 26: Transportation Preparing for Disaster When a group of marauders block access to their water source and Andre and Liz return to steal their resources, the colonists focus all their efforts on their departure plan.

Projects

Episode 10

Phase Context Description
Phase 27: Exodus New Resources In the aftermath of Mike's accident the Colonists put all of their effort into the truck.
Phase 28: Destination Outside Contact After transmitting their daily radio broadcast, the Colonists receive a message from Umberto giving information about a safe destination.
Phase 29: The Final Attack Fight for Survival Andre and the marauders arrive at the warehouse instructed to take control.

Projects

References

External links