The Colony (TV series) - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Colony (U.S. TV series)

The Colony is a reality television series that is produced by the Discovery Channel. The program follows a group of people who might survive in a post-apocalyptic environment.-Season 1:...

is a reality television

Reality television

Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...

program. The first season was filmed in an industrial area bordering the Los Angeles River

Los Angeles River

The Los Angeles River is a river that starts in the San Fernando Valley, in the Simi Hills and Santa Susana Mountains, and flows through Los Angeles County, California, from Canoga Park in the western end of the San Fernando Valley, nearly southeast to its mouth in Long Beach...

on the edge of downtown Los Angeles

Los Ángeles

Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

, and follows ten cast members in an environment that simulates life after a global catastrophe. The series first aired on the Discovery Channel

Discovery Channel

Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...

on July 21, 2009. Filming began on February 28, and ran until April 28, 2009.

Cast

Allison White"The Nurse"

is a 29-year-old registered trauma nurse from Oklahoma City

Oklahoma city

Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...

, 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. 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

Marine biology

Marine biology is the scientific study of organisms in the ocean or other marine or brackish bodies of water. Given that in biology many phyla, families and genera have some species that live in the sea and others that live on land, marine biology classifies species based on the environment rather...

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

Tampa, Florida

Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....

. After majoring in Marine Biology

Marine biology

at University of Florida

University of Florida

The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...

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

Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...

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

Tang Soo Do

Tang Soo Do is a Korean martial art promoted by Hwang Kee that has roots in various martial arts, including taekkyeon and Subak.-Etymology:...

. He also is proficient in plumbing

Plumbing

Plumbing is the system of pipes and drains installed in a building for the distribution of potable drinking water and the removal of waterborne wastes, and the skilled trade of working with pipes, tubing and plumbing fixtures in such systems. A plumber is someone who installs or repairs piping...

, electrical maintenance, drywall

Drywall

Drywall, also known as plasterboard, wallboard or gypsum board is a panel made of gypsum plaster pressed between two thick sheets of paper...

refurbishing, framing

Framing (construction)

Framing, in construction known as light-frame construction, is a building technique based around structural members, usually called studs, which provide a stable frame to which interior and exterior wall coverings are attached, and covered by a roof comprising horizontal ceiling joists and sloping...

and framework, concrete

Concrete

Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...

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

Construction

In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...

, where he utilizes his skills as an eco-friendly contractor.

'John Cohn “The Computer Engineer”

is a 49-year-old chief IBM

IBM

International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...

scientist

Scientist

A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...

for design automation

Electronic design automation

Electronic design automation is a category of software tools for designing electronic systems such as printed circuit boards and integrated circuits...

from Richmond, Vermont

Richmond, Vermont

Richmond is a town in Chittenden County, Vermont, United States. The 2000 census revealed a population of 4,090.Local students attend Mount Mansfield Union High School, Camel's Hump Middle School, And Richmond Elementary School. Mount Mansfield Union High is in the neighboring town of Jericho...

. He fixes, makes and hacks electronics

Electronics

Electronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...

, 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

Covina, California

Covina is a small city in Los Angeles County, California about east of downtown Los Angeles, in the San Gabriel Valley region. The population was 47,796 at the 2010 census, up from 46,837 at the 2000 census...

, specializing in fitting for irrigation

Irrigation

Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...

waterworks, repairing motor-vehicle engines, and rebuilding alternators to hook up to generators for electricity. He also has developed hand crank

Crank (mechanism)

A crank is an arm attached at right angles to a rotating shaft by which reciprocating motion is imparted to or received from the shaft. It is used to change circular into reciprocating motion, or reciprocating into circular motion. The arm may be a bent portion of the shaft, or a separate arm...

electrical systems. He is a purported conservationist

Conservationist

Conservationists are proponents or advocates of conservation. They advocate for the protection of all the species in an ecosystem with a strong focus on the natural environment...

.

'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 and solar panel installer/designer originating from Kotor, Montenegro (formerly SFR Yugoslavia

Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...

). He currently resides in Santa Monica, California

Santa Monica, California

Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...

. He specializes in building alternative energy

Alternative energy

Alternative energy is an umbrella term that refers to any source of usable energy intended to replace fuel sources without the undesired consequences of the replaced fuels....

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

Aerospace

Aerospace comprises the atmosphere of Earth and surrounding space. Typically the term is used to refer to the industry that researches, designs, manufactures, operates, and maintains vehicles moving through air and space...

engineer from Woodland Hills, California. Morgan designs irrigation

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

Oil

An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....

industry engineer who currently lives in Los Angeles

Los Ángeles

, California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

. He has spent around 40 years working as an engineer in oil refineries. As a young man, he had been in the military

Military

A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...

and left SFR Yugoslavia

Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Supporting Cast

Adam Montella - Homeland security advisor, show commentator
Dr. Miatta Snetter - Psychotherapist/post-trauma specialist, show commentator
Dr. Tom Mackin - Engineer / technology analyst, show commentator

Episode list

#	Title	Original airdate	Production code

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 80000 square feet (7,432.2 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.

Projects

Water Filter
Filtration
Filtration is commonly the mechanical or physical operation which is used for the separation of solids from fluids by interposing a medium through which only the fluid can pass...

: The Los Angeles River is the colonist's main water source, but the water is unsafe to drink without some filtration. The plan is to puncture small holes in a 55 gallon drum, and fill it with multiple layers of sand
Sand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...

and charcoal
Charcoal
Charcoal is the dark grey residue consisting of carbon, and any remaining ash, obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. Charcoal is usually produced by slow pyrolysis, the heating of wood or other substances in the absence of oxygen...

to filter out impurities such as rocks, algae
Algae
Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...

, lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...

, and E. coli. Afterward the water is then to be boiled to remove bacteria, only then will they have a safe water supply.
Cooktop: To cook their food, the colonists suspend a steel plate over a fire inside a steel drum.
Giant Bed: Using some cardboard, pallets, box-spring
Box-spring
A box-spring is a type of bed base typically consisting of a sturdy wooden frame covered in cloth, and containing springs. Usually the box-spring is placed on top of a wooden or metal bedframe which sits on the floor and acts as a brace. The box-spring is usually the same size as the much softer...

s, fabric and foam the colonists assemble a giant bed to sleep on.
Night Watch
Security guard
A security guard is a person who is paid to protect property, assets, or people. Security guards are usually privately and formally employed personnel...

: In this post-apocalyptic world, security can be compromised at any time, so at night one or two colonists stays up to look after the others at certain times through the night.
Battery Array: To get electricity, the colonists daisy chain
Daisy chain (electrical engineering)
In electrical and electronic engineering a daisy chain is a wiring scheme in which multiple devices are wired together in sequence or in a ring...

twenty 12-volt car batteries
Battery (electricity)
An electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Since the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta and especially since the technically improved Daniell cell in 1836, batteries have become a common power...

in parallel to maximise the current
Electric current
Electric current is a flow of electric charge through a medium.This charge is typically carried by moving electrons in a conductor such as wire...

. They then convert the direct current
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...

to alternating current
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....

using an inverter
Inverter (electrical)
An inverter is an electrical device that converts direct current to alternating current ; the converted AC can be at any required voltage and frequency with the use of appropriate transformers, switching, and control circuits....

. It provides just enough power to last just a week, so a generator will need to be built to recharge the batteries.
Cistern
Cistern
A cistern is a waterproof receptacle for holding liquids, usually water. Cisterns are often built to catch and store rainwater. Cisterns are distinguished from wells by their waterproof linings...

: Keeping a supply of drinking water is crucial to the colonist's survival. To guarantee a steady supply, they move the filter on a warehouse shelf and places a large container beneath it.
Rain Catching: When a rare LA rain storm approaches, Mike and John V. modify the gutters of the warehouse to catch and stockpile rainwater, thus saving them a river trip.
Laundry
Laundry
Laundry is a noun that refers to the act of washing clothing and linens, the place where that washing is done, and/or that which needs to be, is being, or has been laundered...

: Because of the grime on the roof, the first part of the collected rainwater is too dirty to drink, but it is suitable for laundry. Without detergent, the colonists improvise using baking soda, and to clean their clothes they use a piece of corrugated steel
Corrugated galvanised iron
Corrugated galvanised iron is a building material composed of sheets of hot-dip galvanised mild steel, cold-rolled to produce a linear corrugated pattern in them...

as a washboard
Washboard
A washboard is a tool designed for hand washing clothing. With mechanized cleaning of clothing becoming more common by the end of the 20th century, the washboard has become better known for its originally subsidiary use as a musical instrument....

.

Episode 2

Phase	Context	Description
Phase 6: Sustainable Energy Sustainable energy Sustainable energy is the provision of energy that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Sustainable energy sources include all renewable energy sources, such as hydroelectricity, solar energy, wind energy, wave power, geothermal...	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

Generator
Engine-generator
An engine-generator is the combination of an electrical generator and an engine mounted together to form a single piece of equipment. This combination is also called an engine-generator set or a gen-set...

: The immediate priority is power, and with the batteries having only a few days worth of power left, a generator needs to be built. The plan is to scavenge an engine
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...

from a pressure washer
Pressure washer
A pressure washer is a high pressure mechanical sprayer that can be used to remove loose paint, mold, grime, dust, mud, and dirt from surfaces and objects such as buildings, vehicles, and concrete road surfaces. The volume of a pressure washer is expressed in Gallons Per Minute, which is designed...

, a pulley
Pulley
A pulley, also called a sheave or a drum, is a mechanism composed of a wheel on an axle or shaft that may have a groove between two flanges around its circumference. A rope, cable, belt, or chain usually runs over the wheel and inside the groove, if present...

system from a ventilation fan, and a car alternator
Alternator
An alternator is an electromechanical device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy in the form of alternating current.Most alternators use a rotating magnetic field but linear alternators are occasionally used...

. The engine's drive shaft must turn the pulley and the pulley must spin the alternator. Just like in a car the alternator converts mechanical energy into electrical energy, which is needed to charge the battery array.
Wood Gasifier
Wood gas generator
A wood gas generator is a gasification unit which converts timber or charcoal into wood gas, a syngas consisting of atmospheric nitrogen, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, traces of methane, and other gases, which - after cooling and filtering - can then be used to power an internal combustion engine or...

: To keep the generator engine running they will need a constant fuel supply. One way is to scavenge for gasoline, but that method is dangerous and barely sustianable. John C. proposed building a gasifier after noticing an abundance of wood. A gasifier is two containers each holding wood scraps. The wood in the first container is used to build a fire. The fire heats the wood in the second container releasing a flammable vapor called wood gas
Wood gas
Wood gas is a syngas fuel which can be used as a fuel for furnaces, stoves and vehicles in place of petrol, diesel or other fuels. During the production process biomass or other carbon-containing materials is gasified within the oxygen-limited environment of a wood gas generator to produce hydrogen...

. The wood gas is then piped directly into the generator engine.
Escape Vehicle: Everyone agrees that the warehouse, or the city for that matter is not an ideal place for long term survival in this post-apocalyptic world. Noticing a broken down flatbed truck
Flatbed truck
A flatbed truck is a type of truck which can be either articulated or rigid. As the name suggests, it has an entirely flat, level 'bed' body with no sides or roof...

out on the yard, everyone brings it inside the warehouse and into the main work area so it can later be used for their exodus.

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

Solar Shower: The immediate project is a shower. The shower has a tank of water on the roof that uses solar energy to heat the water inside. The tank is painted black to maximize heat absorption, has reflector
Reflector
-Science:* Reflector, a device that causes reflection * Reflector , used to control lighting contrast* Reflecting telescope* Reflector , the part of an antenna that reflects radio waves...

s aimed at it to increase heat absorption, and shrink wrap
Shrink wrap
Shrink wrap, also shrinkwrap or shrink film, is a material made up of polymer plastic film. When heat is applied it shrinks tightly over whatever it is covering. Heat can be applied with a hand held heat gun or the product and film can pass through a heat tunnel on a conveyor.-Composition:The...

ped to preserve the heat. A garden hose is hooked to it and pours the water down into a wood and fiberglass structure. The gray water is then piped out of the box and into a bucket. Water is pulled up by a bicycle pulley to the roof.
Fish Trap: Amy makes a fish net to help with fishing in the river.
Visual Diary: Morgan starts a picture diary
Diary
A diary is a record with discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. A personal diary may include a person's experiences, and/or thoughts or feelings, including comment on current events outside the writer's direct experience. Someone...

about the colony's day activities in the Hieroglyphic room.

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

Warehouse Fortification: The immediate project is securing the warehouse with better defenses. Joey fixes the hole in the back wall that was previously breached by putting trash on the stairs. He also puts chainlink on the wall where they were previously attacked to prevent any openings in the wall and puts wooden board secured with metal screws to keep the front door shut.
Weapons: The colonists build a series of weapons for defending their home. John C. creates a flamethrower
Flamethrower
A flamethrower is a mechanical device designed to project a long controllable stream of fire.Some flamethrowers project a stream of ignited flammable liquid; some project a long gas flame. Most military flamethrowers use liquids, but commercial flamethrowers tend to use high-pressure propane and...

and a large taser
Taser
A Taser is an electroshock weapon that uses electrical current to disrupt voluntary control of muscles. Its manufacturer, Taser International, calls the effects "neuromuscular incapacitation" and the devices' mechanism "Electro-Muscular Disruption technology"...

that can be used from a few feet away. Vladimir starts building claymore mines
Improvised explosive device
An improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...

out of some small materials.
Gym: Leilani builds a small gym to teach everyone self-defense for when they need to leave the warehouse. She makes a punching bag
Punching bag
A punching bag or punch-bag is a sturdy bag designed to be repeatedly punched. It's used for conditioning, physical exercise, and stress relief...

by filling a nylon
Nylon
Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers known generically as polyamides, first produced on February 28, 1935, by Wallace Carothers at DuPont's research facility at the DuPont Experimental Station...

bag with dirt from the yard and suspending it with chains.
Trading
Trade
Trade is the transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person or entity to another. Trade is sometimes loosely called commerce or financial transaction or barter. A network that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and...

: The colonists send Joey and Mike to trade goods with the traders outside. They trade an air compressor
Air compressor
An air compressor is a device that converts power into kinetic energy by compressing and pressurizing air, which, on command, can be released in quick bursts...

and jackhammer
Jackhammer
A jackhammer is a pneumatic tool that combines a hammer directly with a chisel that was invented by Charles Brady King. Hand-held jackhammers are typically powered by compressed air, but some use electric motors. Larger jackhammers, such as rig mounted hammers used on construction machinery, are...

for a ten kilowatt generator and five gallons of gasoline. They also trade 157 oranges, eight cans of food, one bag of flour
Flour
Flour is a powder which is made by grinding cereal grains, other seeds or roots . It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cultures, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...

, and one bag of salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...

for two chickens, one jug of cooking oil
Cooking oil
Cooking oil is purified fat of plant origin, which is usually liquid at room temperature ....

, one box of toiletries, and nine yuccas
Cassava
Cassava , also called yuca or manioc, a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae native to South America, is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates...

.
Escape Vehicle: Mike and John V. get to work on the two-ton truck to get it running again, the colonists wish to use to leave the city and move into the country for a more sustainable existence. Mike discovers that one of the engine's piston
Piston
A piston is a component of reciprocating engines, reciprocating pumps, gas compressors and pneumatic cylinders, among other similar mechanisms. It is the moving component that is contained by a cylinder and is made gas-tight by piston rings. In an engine, its purpose is to transfer force from...

s and the carburetor's
Carburetor
A carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....

butterfly valve
Butterfly valve
A butterfly valve is a valve which can be used for isolating or regulating flow. The closing mechanism takes the form of a disk. Operation is similar to that of a ball valve, which allows for quick shut off. Butterfly valves are generally favored because they are lower in cost to other valve...

were rusted in place so that the engine won't start. Fortunately he managed to fix them so now the engine runs.

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

Solar Panel Rig: Using the generator obtained from the traders in Episode 4, Mike, Joey and others set out to build a rig for the solar panels they obtained from the roof of a nearby building and along the railroad. John C. works to build a device that incorporates two solenoids and a small motor into a solar tracking device, allowing the solar panels to follow the sun during the day, and return to starting positions at night.
Washing Machine
Washing machine
A washing machine is a machine designed to wash laundry, such as clothing, towels and sheets...

: To make the laundry duty easier, John V. modifies the interior of a steel drum, then sets it on an angled base mounted with wheels so no water can get out. To conserve electricity, he gets the drum turning by hooking it up to a bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....

so it runs on pedal power instead.
Escape Vehicle: Their next objective for the escape vehicle is to get the bed stripped by removing the damaged truck bed and the remaining part of the trailer body, that way they can have something to work with.

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

Clinic
Clinic
A clinic is a health care facility that is primarily devoted to the care of outpatients...

: Allison and George clean part of the lookout for a sanitary environment for a clinic. They assemble the furniture and shelving found in a typical doctors office and place a scale
Weighing scale
A weighing scale is a measuring instrument for determining the weight or mass of an object. A spring scale measures weight by the distance a spring deflects under its load...

to check the colonist's weight. The colonist's conditions are recorded in a journal
Medical record
The terms medical record, health record, and medical chart are used somewhat interchangeably to describe the systematic documentation of a single patient's medical history and care across time within one particular health care provider's jurisdiction....

.
Spark-Gap Transmitter
Spark-gap transmitter
A spark-gap transmitter is a device for generating radio frequency electromagnetic waves using a spark gap.These devices served as the transmitters for most wireless telegraphy systems for the first three decades of radio and the first demonstrations of practical radio were carried out using them...

: John C. proposes making a rudimentary transmitter that's similar to a telegraph. It will consist of four components made from scratch. First, a capacitor
Capacitor
A capacitor is a passive two-terminal electrical component used to store energy in an electric field. The forms of practical capacitors vary widely, but all contain at least two electrical conductors separated by a dielectric ; for example, one common construction consists of metal foils separated...

is made from aluminium foil
Aluminium foil
Aluminium foil is aluminium prepared in thin metal leaves, with a thickness less than , thinner gauges down to are also commonly used. In the USA, foils are commonly gauged in mils. Standard household foil is typically thick and heavy duty household foil is typically .The foil is pliable, and...

and glass
Glass
Glass is an amorphous solid material. Glasses are typically brittle and optically transparent.The most familiar type of glass, used for centuries in windows and drinking vessels, is soda-lime glass, composed of about 75% silica plus Na2O, CaO, and several minor additives...

sandwiched together to store electrical energy. A switch will activate a spark gap
Spark gap
A spark gap consists of an arrangement of two conducting electrodes separated by a gap usually filled with a gas such as air, designed to allow an electric spark to pass between the conductors. When the voltage difference between the conductors exceeds the gap's breakdown voltage, a spark forms,...

which will release the stored energy. He crafts a transformer
Transformer
A transformer is a device that transfers electrical energy from one circuit to another through inductively coupled conductors—the transformer's coils. A varying current in the first or primary winding creates a varying magnetic flux in the transformer's core and thus a varying magnetic field...

that consists of a spool like housing made of PVC pipe and copper wire to turn the electrical energy into radio waves
Radio waves
Radio waves are a type of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum longer than infrared light. Radio waves have frequencies from 300 GHz to as low as 3 kHz, and corresponding wavelengths from 1 millimeter to 100 kilometers. Like all other electromagnetic waves,...

. Finally, an antenna
Antenna (radio)
An antenna is an electrical device which converts electric currents into radio waves, and vice versa. It is usually used with a radio transmitter or radio receiver...

will be wired to broadcast the radio waves over the AM band. Their messages will be transmitted in Morse Code
Morse code
Morse code is a method of transmitting textual information as a series of on-off tones, lights, or clicks that can be directly understood by a skilled listener or observer without special equipment...

.
Receiver
Receiver (radio)
A radio receiver converts signals from a radio antenna to a usable form. It uses electronic filters to separate a wanted radio frequency signal from all other signals, the electronic amplifier increases the level suitable for further processing, and finally recovers the desired information through...

: To go with the spark-gap transmitter, Morgan proceeds to build a receiver to go with it so they can listen in on any responses. She installs a second antenna to the roof of the warehouse and wraps a piece of insulated copper coil around a discarded peanut butter jar. She then hooks the receiver up to a telephone headset and later to a television to listen for any form of radio communication. By moving an alligator clip across the wires, she can pick up different AM frequencies.
SOS Banner: Hoping to get help from someone, Mike and Allison paint an SOS
SOS
SOS is the commonly used description for the international Morse code distress signal...

message with instructions to transmit over the AM band on a large piece of fabric and hang it on the roof.
Fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...

: Vladimir builds fireworks to hopefully get other survivors attention at night. For a fuse
Fuse (explosives)
In an explosive, pyrotechnic device or military munition, a fuse is the part of the device that initiates function. In common usage, the word fuse is used indiscriminately...

he uses string
Twine
Twine is a light string or strong thread composed of two or more smaller strands or yarns twisted together. More generally, the term can be applied to any thin cord....

, glue
Glue
This is a list of various types of glue. Historically, the term "glue" only referred to protein colloids prepared from animal flesh. The meaning has been extended to refer to any fluid adhesive....

, and charcoal from the gasifier. He then cuts ABS
Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene
Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene is a common thermoplastic. Its melting point is approximately 105 °C ....

pipe to be used as a launcher. The fireworks themselves consists of gunpowder
Gunpowder
Gunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...

scavenged from shotgun shells and other flammable materials inside cardboard tubes. To safely set them off from the roof, he builds a detonation
Detonation
Detonation involves a supersonic exothermic front accelerating through a medium that eventually drives a shock front propagating directly in front of it. Detonations are observed in both conventional solid and liquid explosives, as well as in reactive gases...

system so he can fire them from a safe distance.
Escape Vehicle: Joey continues work on the escape vehicle by getting to work on the truck's bed. He puts in benches, hidden compartments, and a tank to hold 75 gallons of drinking water.

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

Ozonator: With their propane supply gone, the colonists must find an alternative method of sterilizing the filtered water. One way is to use the cooktop to boil water, but that method isn't efficient enough to purify the amount of water they use every day. John C. gets an idea to use ozone
Ozone
Ozone , or trioxygen, is a triatomic molecule, consisting of three oxygen atoms. It is an allotrope of oxygen that is much less stable than the diatomic allotrope...

as a way to purify their water supply. The plan is to build a tesla coil
Tesla coil
A Tesla coil is a type of resonant transformer circuit invented by Nikola Tesla around 1891. It is used to produce high voltage, low current, high frequency alternating current electricity. Tesla coils produce higher current than the other source of high voltage discharges, electrostatic machines...

to generate ozone, then using a pump scavenged from hospital equipment, pipe the ozone into a bucket of water to be purified. John C. completes the project with some help from Mike and the colonists are now able to sterilize
Sterilization (microbiology)
Sterilization is a term referring to any process that eliminates or kills all forms of microbial life, including transmissible agents present on a surface, contained in a fluid, in medication, or in a compound such as biological culture media...

their water.
Phonograph
Phonograph
The phonograph record player, or gramophone is a device introduced in 1877 that has had continued common use for reproducing sound recordings, although when first developed, the phonograph was used to both record and reproduce sounds...

: Morgan is sick of all the stress and noise of colony life, so she decides to fix an old phonograph that she found. She discovers that the cartridge is broken, but is eventually able to fix it. The colonists celebrate by dancing.
Soap
Soap
In chemistry, soap is a salt of a fatty acid.IUPAC. "" Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. . Compiled by A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford . XML on-line corrected version: created by M. Nic, J. Jirat, B. Kosata; updates compiled by A. Jenkins. ISBN...

: After it is discovered there is a soap shortage, John C. and Allison check on the soap they made two weeks previously. They created the soap from lard
Lard
Lard is pig fat in both its rendered and unrendered forms. Lard was commonly used in many cuisines as a cooking fat or shortening, or as a spread similar to butter. Its use in contemporary cuisine has diminished because of health concerns posed by its saturated-fat content and its often negative...

, lye
Lye
Lye is a corrosive alkaline substance, commonly sodium hydroxide or historically potassium hydroxide . Previously, lye was among the many different alkalis leached from hardwood ashes...

, water, lavender
Lavender
The lavenders are a genus of 39 species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. An Old World genus, distributed from Macaronesia across Africa, the Mediterranean, South-West Asia, Arabia, Western Iran and South-East India...

and lemon
Lemon
The lemon is both a small evergreen tree native to Asia, and the tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit. The fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughout the world – primarily for its juice, though the pulp and rind are also used, mainly in cooking and baking...

. As it has now set they test it and discover that it works.
Film Projector
Movie projector
A movie projector is an opto-mechanical device for displaying moving pictures by projecting them on a projection screen. Most of the optical and mechanical elements, except for the illumination and sound devices, are present in movie cameras.-Physiology:...

: John C. decides to fix an old film projector. The projector is missing the lamp so John C. uses the halogen lamp
Halogen lamp
A halogen lamp, also known as a tungsten halogen lamp, is an incandescent lamp with a tungsten filament contained within an inert gas and a small amount of a halogen such as iodine or bromine. The chemical halogen cycle redeposits evaporated tungsten back on to the filament, extending the life of...

from a car headlight. He gets the projector running and the colonists spend the end of the day by watching some home movies that John Cohn found.
Escape Vehicle: Mike and Joey use body panels from cars to armor the truck
Non-military armored vehicles
Non-military armored vehicles are armored vehicles used outside of professional armed forces. While primarily invented and used for defense from an equally well armed organized force, armor technology has found a number of other uses outside of this military context.-Internal security...

and protect it from projectiles.

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

Electric Vehicle
Electric Vehicle
The Electric Vehicle was an American automobile manufactured only in 1899. An electric cab, it was widely used in New York City; the company pioneered the use of pressed steel for wheels, and its cars featured front-wheel drive and brakes and rear wheel steering.-See also:* Battery electric...

: Mike, John V. and John C. build a solar powered trike using a 120-volt electric motor, car batteries and two solar panels.
Surveillance Dirigible: Morgan and Allison build a surveillance
Surveillance
Surveillance is the monitoring of the behavior, activities, or other changing information, usually of people. It is sometimes done in a surreptitious manner...

dirigible, the plan is to inflate
Inflate
Inflation commonly refers to a rise in the general price level over a period of time .Inflation may also refer to:...

trash bags with helium
Helium
Helium is the chemical element with atomic number 2 and an atomic weight of 4.002602, which is represented by the symbol He. It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, inert, monatomic gas that heads the noble gas group in the periodic table...

, and place them inside a net. Suspended from the net is a styrofoam
Styrofoam
Styrofoam is a trademark of The Dow Chemical Company for closed-cell currently made for thermal insulation and craft applications. In 1941, researchers in Dow's Chemical Physics Lab found a way to make foamed polystyrene...

gondola
Gondola (disambiguation)
A gondola is a traditional Venetian rowing boat, best known today for transporting tourists.Gondola may also refer to:-Fixed structures:...

to which a surveillance camera is mounted and computer fan
Computer fan
A computer fan is any fan inside, or attached to, a computer case used for cooling purposes, and may refer to fans that draw cooler air into the case from the outside, expel warm air from inside, or move air across a heatsink to cool a particular component...

s for steering are attached. The dirigible is anchored to the ground using wires and a television so the colonists can observe from the ground.

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

Scout Vehicle: Mike gets to work on a Ford Ranchero
Ford Ranchero
The Ford Ranchero was a coupe utility produced between 1957 and 1979. Unlike a pickup truck, the Ranchero was adapted from a two-door station wagon platform that integrated the cab and cargo bed into the body. A total of 508,355 units were produced during the model's production run...

in hopes of making that into a third vehicle to be used for their escape.
Trading: The traders return looking to haggle for items of interest that the colonists need. The colonists trade two solar panels, two tires, a bag of salt, a box of baking soda, and a kiss from Allison for ten gallons of propane
Propane
Propane is a three-carbon alkane with the molecular formula , normally a gas, but compressible to a transportable liquid. A by-product of natural gas processing and petroleum refining, it is commonly used as a fuel for engines, oxy-gas torches, barbecues, portable stoves, and residential central...

, five gallons of gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...

, twenty gallons of water, one pound of beans and a jar of peanut butter
Peanut butter
Peanut butter is a food paste made primarily from ground dry roasted peanuts, popular in North America, Netherlands, United Kingdom, and parts of Asia, particularly the Philippines and Indonesia. It is mainly used as a sandwich spread, sometimes in combination as in the peanut butter and jelly...

.
Escape Vehicle: With a low gasoline supply the flatbed truck won't go very far, so Vlad, John C. and Diane build a bigger version of the gasifier.

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

Escape Vehicle: Vlad completes the cooling system for the trucks gasifier by using a radiator
Radiator
Radiators are heat exchangers used to transfer thermal energy from one medium to another for the purpose of cooling and heating. The majority of radiators are constructed to function in automobiles, buildings, and electronics...

and a fan scavenged from an old car. At the same time Mike and John V. create a motorized solar panel array to place on the truck to provide electricity.
Warehouse Defenses: Joey organizes security for the warehouse. John C's flamethrower has its range increased and mounted, and Amy makes a set of Molotov cocktails to be thrown from the roof. The warehouse doors are barricaded, and an electric fence
Electric fence
An electric fence is a barrier that uses electric shocks to deter animals or people from crossing a boundary. The voltage of the shock may have effects ranging from uncomfortable, to painful or even lethal...

and an oil trap are installed. All this is intended to buy the colonists time during an attack so they can escape.

External links

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