Newly-Reviewed Programs
TV on DVD
All Shows: A-Z Index
Advanced Search

2008-09 Midseason
2008 Fall Season
2008 Summer Season
2007-08 Midseason
2007 Fall Season
2007 Summer Season
2006-07 Midseason
2006 Fall Season
2006 Summer Season
2005-06 Midseason
2005 Fall Season
Best Of 2008
Best Of 2007
Best Of 2006
Best Of 2005
How Metascores Are Calculated
Discuss TV In Our Forums

The Story of India 73
PBS, 1/5

Tess of the D'Urbervilles 66
PBS, 1/4

Damages Season Two 79
FX, Wednesday

13: Fear Is Real 31
CW, Wednesday

Game Show in My Head 34
CBS, Saturday

Kid Nation
SERIES: CBS, Wednesday 8:00p (60 minutes)


6.4

based on 14 reviews
read critic reviews
how did we calculate this?

based on 30 votes
read user comments
rate this tv show

Get more information on this show at TV.com.

Starring Jonathan Karsh (Host)

While their friends were at home, these kids were running their own town.

GENRE(S):	Reality (Competitive)
CREATED BY:	Tom Forman
FIRST AIR DATE:	September 19, 2007

Not screened for critics.

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

New York Magazine Lindsay Robertson

Like any good reality show, Kid Nation's strengths are in its characters, and the most remarkable aspect of these characters so far is their intellectual superiority to adults on reality shows--they use big words and make funny jokes!

Los Angeles Times

As you might expect from a program that stars 40 kids--at least some of whom will say the darndest things--it is pretty delightful

Salon Heather Havrilesky

Games of make-believe might be useful, but otherwise, playtime is just a dangerous fantasy that gives children the illusion that their lives won't be a living hell when they grow up. Is that really fair? That's why it's so satisfying to watch as the kids realize that they have to work, and work is hard.

New York Daily News Richard Huff

What Kid Nation lacks, however, is drama. With a cast of 40, it's hard for viewers to get attached to any of them long enough to care.

New York Post Linda Stasi

It's a good kid show, but frankly, as an adult I'll lose interest faster than it took these kids to make gourmet biscuits and grits.

The New York Times Alessandra Stanley

CBS, which had promoted the show as almost exactly that ["Lord of the Flies" for voyeurs], backed down, explaining that Kid Nation was really more of a 40-day character-building exercise, like Outward Bound, but with camera crews and off-camera supervisors. And of course, it turned out to be a little of both, but mostly neither.

Chicago Tribune Maureen Ryan

There was one brief shoving match on the program, in which a 15 year old "got in the face" of an 11 year old, but most of the program was pretty sedate, if not a bit bland.

Detroit Free Press Julie Hinds

Would the creators of Kid Nation please go to their room for a time-out and come up with something more original?

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Rob Owen

It's a mildly entertaining reality series designed to encourage controversy to draw viewers and goose ratings.

PopMatters Marisa LaScala

Kid Nation does not mean to find out whether kids can do what adults could not. It means instead to demonstrate that these kids really would die without the intervention of adults.

Boston Globe Matthew Gilbert

But even if you pushed those questions about production ethics out of your mind last night, the Kid Nation premiere was still an uncomfortable, irritating, and narratively subpar hour of TV. It was a disorganized mess that milked its young cast for cacophonous psychodrama.

Washington Post Tom Shales

It's not so much an exercise in socialization as the indoctrination of children into a consumer culture.

USA Today Robert Bianco

They're kids, exhibiting the kind of behaviors, good and bad, that kids do in real life. That's not awful or particularly surprising--but it's also not even remotely entertaining.

Variety Brian Lowry

Setting the controversy aside, the show is hopelessly derivative, shamelessly manipulative and in narrative terms, a bit of a mess.

The average user rating for this tv show is 6.4 (out of 10) based on 30 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Susan L. gave it a3:
"Lord of the Flies" for reality television. Wait! "Lord of the Flies" IS reality television. Horrid.

Rachelle B. gave it a10:
This show is a great chance for young children of 8-15 to show off their stuff. I think that it is a wonderful oppourtunity for them to show us people their voice and say. I love this show.

Matt L. gave it a10:
This was a very good show it had parts or other show from cbs and other reality show but with its own taste to it with brought me back for more every 1 some down moments that could have been better but all in all very good show. Kidnation 2 please

Bill T. gave it a1:
This is ridiculous. obviously scripted and far from entertaining. i'll give it a 1 though because none of the kids have died yet.

Paula M. gave it a10:
My daughter and I watch this show every week and my daughter doesnt want it to end. she loves this show.

Amber S. gave it a10:
Most amazing show ever!!!!

Michael R. gave it a0:
these kids act the same as the kids on a daily bases in real life.the kids on this show act just like kids that you see at a park.its just not entertaining its just silly

Kid Nation SERIES: CBS, Wednesday 8:00p (60 minutes)

Kid Nation
SERIES: CBS, Wednesday 8:00p (60 minutes)