Utopia (II) (2014) User Reviews

'Survivor' type eliminations doom it to failure

[ugonet · 3/10 · 1 October 2014]

While this could be an interesting show, illustrating how different people from different backgrounds work together to build a little village (not a society!), the fact that they simply vote off those they don't like removes all that drama. And with out that drama, this is just a show depicting 15 people living on a large camp site.

Do we really want to see 15 people all saying 'yes'? The producers failed in their design of the show's rules. They should have made the elimination based only on viewers' votes. Because of this flaw, the individuals with the most character and conviction are voted off to be replaced with boring 'don't-rock-the-boat' participants which no viewer gives a damn about.

Dystopia

[lorgurus · 2/10 · 8 September 2014]

What a colossal waste of money!

50 million on a show that is destined for doom.

Imagine all the good that could have been done with that money! This show is not a social experiment but clearly a failed attempt to entertain. If only they did it with the real intention, this could have been watch-worthy.

None of the participants appear to be bright enough to realize the first thing they must do is figure out how they can survive for a year with the resources they have been given. How will they have enough food, water, shelter, etc.? Basic needs being met before anything else is decided. But instead, we get Wife Swap contrived opposites arguing about Bible passages and a Survivalist nut-job convincing the men to build boxes several chickens will be stuck in all day in order to be "put to work" tilling the land.

I made it through half of the first episode. I stopped all future recordings and hope to never see any of the "characters" again.

If you saw the movie Idiocracy and didn't get the joke this may be for you.

[brian-burchell · 1/10 · 11 September 2014]

A major news station had this to say about Utopia, "Set to be the biggest flop in TV history" That pretty much covers it.. The premise is these 'pioneers' are going to start their own society from scratch. They sure invented alcohol fast!... This show is for 12 year old's and people that think spitting/pi**ing in a public bathroom is the epitome of humor. They should have Lee Greenwood's "Proud to be an American" as the theme song. If that offends anybody, then you will definitely be offended by this show's portrayal of a representative cross-section of entrepreneurial Americans.

It's Jerry Springer goes camping, nothing more.

I keep watching it

[lunapaydon · 5/10 · 22 October 2014]

Well, it's not too exciting of a show and it has it's ups and downs but I keep watching it. I am attached to the characters and want to see what happens next. I like the characters. Watching how characters change from the first episode and their interactions with each other is interesting. I enjoy seeing how they are forming a society in terms of politically and surviving.

I wish it would focus more on the survival aspects. I don't like how they have to make money somehow. It's a lot less exciting that they can just purchase groceries and comfort items. If they had a very bare minimum amount of money just given to them and if they were forced to grow more food or something, maybe it'd be more interesting.

It's a cross between big brother and survivor but to be honest those are both better shows. I think one problem is that Utopia tries too hard. the host is such a goof and the voice over is so ridiculous it's kind of hilarious.

Can we get anything from this show?

[billtomlinson · 22 September 2014]

Almost everything the naysayers say here is true. Part of the problem with the show is that these people do seem to be less intelligent than the average person, and part of the reason for this might be because you are picking a subset of the population that can take off for a whole year. These are not retirement age folks. They are more likely to be independent minded, less conformist, and with fewer people skills. It may be that the producers of the show selected people to insure that there would be drama, but I don't think this had to be the case to get the incompatible mix we have here Independent minded people being encouraged to make a "Utopia" are going to have radically different ideas about what Utopia is. For some it is going to be like living in the garden of Eden, working very little and enjoying leisure time. For others it's going to be about constructing a society where everyone has a role and earns the respect of everyone else. For every person on the planet there is probably a different idea about what Utopia is. They should all realize that no one is going to get their Utopia under these conditions. They probably already realize that by now. So what I'm suggesting is that their best hope in this situation is that they all mostly get along. The interesting thing about the show is every time something goes wrong, we can ask ourselves what was the problem? How could it have been prevented? Will future guests on future shows, if any, learn from these mistakes or are these problems always a function of simple stupidity? If stupidity is always the answer, the show is uninteresting and can teach us nothing. For instance, the issue of nudity could be dealt with reasonably by respecting everyone's sensitivities. A nude time could be established around the bathing area, and those that did not want to be offended could not go there at that time If there is a second season and the show is a success, it's likely that a better class of volunteers show up. The question the producers are probably asking themselves is that without conflict, what would the show be about?

Terribly Unoriginal

[john-edmonds · 1/10 · 8 September 2014]

Utopia places Americans from different ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds onto a farm for one year with the hopes that they will bond and create a Utopian society. Of course, the program's producers know that no one is going to watch a reality show where people actually get along or are at least civil to one another. So the cast includes people who are certain not to get along...a bible thumper, ex-convict, redneck, sexual predator, tree hugger, air head, peacemaker, misogynist, narcissist. You know, the usual cast of 'Real World' characters which results in non-stop arguing. Unfortunately that's as original as this social experiment gets.

Annoying in a number of ways

[gwctech1 · 1/10 · 1 October 2014]

Where to start with this show, first of all the presenter is some strange guy that looks like he belongs in a Harry Potter movie. Secondly two episodes a week is just a joke, this is basically big brother in a different setting and they pump out five or six episodes a week. Thirdly why have people that have been in other "reality" shows on this one, it makes it look even more fake than it actually is. Last but not least the intro music is just so freaking annoying, i hit mute the second that starts.

I must admit it sounded really interesting but there are too many downfalls. This in my books is rubbish.

If Cosmos Is One Of the Best Shows In Fox's History, Utopia Is One Of the Worse!

[mikecart1 · 1/10 · 16 September 2014]

I tuned into this show by accident due to there nothing being on worthwhile on the 150+ other channels I unfortunately get and pay for. I wasn't planning on watching anything for long because I was about to go out to the gym.

Anyways, I was like "let's see what this show is about". Well I figured that out within 5 minutes. This might be the worst show on TV today and one of the worst shows ever created in the modern area of TV.

Reason 1: If you notice, you will see a pattern in this cast members in charge of creating this Utopian society. Half of them apparently didn't work before the show and the other half were employed in jobs that are not very well paid or regarded when compared to other jobs that require college education and above. Not hating. But having a marketing assistant, preacher, and yoga instructor in charge of the food supply isn't really making sense to me.

Reason 2: What is the point of this show? Like really. Watch it for 10 minutes and try to figure out what is the point to any of it. It is like a reality show with no true purpose. Yeah, they are supposed to make a "Utopian" society. But for what?

Reason 3: This show is utterly boring. There is nothing here you haven't seen on hundreds of other reality shows. You got promiscuous people, you got weirdos, you got honest people that get walked on, you got your typical disrespectful people, etc.

If I could, I'd give this a 0/10 and feel I was still being nice.

Depends on your perspective.

[debi-13 · 7/10 · 8 September 2014]

Perhaps my perspective is different from those who gave a negative review. Granted, only the first episode has been aired thus far, but, I found it interesting and enjoyable. I watched the episode only after I read and viewed each person's profile and video on the official website. Armed with this information, I watched the first episode, paying attention to who interacted in the way I expected and who did not. Basically, this is a reality show for people who are interested in social psychology, behavioral psychology, and other studies of human nature. If you do not have an interest in those or similar aspects of humanity, then you will probably not be able to appreciate the entertainment value. What makes this show different from all the other reality shows is that there are absolutely no rules. The establishment of the "Utopian" society is subject to the unpredictable synergy created by the groups interaction and the uniqueness of all of the personalities involved, while they work together for the shared goal of providing themselves with food, shelter and comfort with minimal resources.

Terrible show!

[kikkapi20 · 1/10 · 17 September 2014]

I think viewers will need to give the show a few episodes to let the cast's nerves calm down abit.

The are all used to controlling their immediate surroundings with looks, personality, force of will, or guile. It can be a huge shock to the individual when others don't react as you've come to expect. Not many followers in the group, most seem to have the self image of a leader.

Looks like Big Brother with no rules and even bigger morons. Don't need to watch a bunch of idiots screaming at each other. Point well taken that each of these individuals is so disassociated that they can pick up and step out of their lives for an entire year. Certainly not representative of much of anything other than tired stereotypes.

Pretty decent reality show

[chaianthony83 · 9/10 · 4 October 2014]

I love this show at times it seams a little boring and predictable but its always exciting due to the clashing personalities of some of the cast. I loved Red and was mad that they booted him. Some of these people well most of them are straight nuts especially Bella and Brie. I cannot stand the midget dude who acts like he has all the answers and loves to judge people. Ex con Dave was also a head case and didn't deserve a place in Utopia. One thing that boggles my mind his why would Amanda join the show when she is pregnant and more than likely going to give birth in those conditions, goes to show people cannot refuse being in the limelight

A Bold Social Experiment

[atlasmb · 7/10 · 10 September 2014]

What happens when you take fifteen very diverse people and isolate them on a plot of land called Utopia and let them devise their own way of living? That is the question asked by the new Fox show "Utopia".

After the first two episodes, there are numerous problems apparent. Some of the residents (Fox calls them "pioneers") have anger issues. Since they don't get along well with others, their behavior disrupts the peace of the group. But you don't start with a utopia. You start with anarchy and then, if you wish, you try to achieve your version of utopia.

It should be noted that most utopian communities are populated by people who already had some agreement about what the ideal society looks like. Here, there is widespread disagreement. One person sees religion as the center of utopia. Another would ban money, power and religion. A couple of the residents--Dave and Red--believe, essentially, in the original anarchy, not wanting to be governed by anyone other than themselves. We might ask why, then, did they come to this society? A realist would say they are there to generate ratings.

In the early going, it looks like "Utopia" may be an interesting social experiment, where the basic nature of man is explored. It is for this reason I am watching. But we should not fool ourselves. The size of this community is not large enough to be considered a statistically significant sample, so lessons learned from watching should not be generalized to the general population of the U.S.

I predicted, after the first show, that the group would fracture into sub-groups. That has already happened. It's a problem, but it doesn't mean the fifteen can't get along. I actually find some parts difficult to watch, but I am hoping this group can reach an equilibrium.

Update 9/24//14: After the third week, this experiment is even more interesting that I thought it would be. Almost every day is filled with successes and failures.

Utopia = You stole an hour of my life and I want it back

[ripcurlpro6 · 1/10 · 16 September 2014]

Wow guys, you'll do the standard thing, fire up Utopia, think its and interesting concept, give yourself time to "get into it", and when the credits roll, you will wonder why you invested the time to watch the whole episode when you repeatedly told yourself throughout the episode "I should just go do something else". Here's the news, it doesn't get any better, you think "maybe something will happen, maybe something exciting", and you'll be let down.

It simply shows you how disgustingly people can treat and speak to one another. Big Brother meets Survivor. Quality programming? unfortunately not.

(and thats coming from the guy who actually likes Big Brother)

Don't Watch Utopia!!!

[contemplative-writing · 1/10 · 8 September 2014]

Don't Watch "Utopia." If you believe that society can better itself, if you ascribe to the Walden Effect, if you believe in peace truly or want to make the world better, or want to entertain your thoughts on Sunday evenings in front of a television, don't turn to Fox. Don't watch "Utopia". There are a million reasons not to watch the Fox Network. This is another one. Watching the television series called "Utopia" was something I stumbled into because I am interested in the theme of community improvement and societal betterment and because TV can be enjoyable. I wish I didn't. It pretty much scarred me for life. And there are 4 or 5 cameras constantly streaming in and breaking the barrier of privacy of the individuals in the show and those cameras will never be taken down for a year. Twenty four hours a day the National Security Agency (NSA) taps into all the citizens of the world without any form of consent. But it is not that kind of visual assault that I saw on "Utopia". It is much worse for the people in the show. They signed contracts saying that while they were in the show they would be unveiled, constantly burdened by the eyes and ears of the whole world. I do not blame the people in that show. It is a bad idea for all of their wellbeing.

Adding to the terrible lack of privacy, the first episode spanned just a few days, and made me feel sick about the perceived nature of human kind. Environmental factors inform all of our psychological responses to, well, everything. These people have so much pressure on them that within the first day, one of the cast/people was humiliated by her own alcohol poisoning. I believe in the goodness of human beings. But we must pull out of negative environments and situations and that can be very difficult and speak volumes to our resilience. Actually the woman who had to leave that first night because of alcohol poisoning came back in my eyes as the strongest in the leading compassion she showed the other people. She was the one to offer the most acceptance of another person who went overboard with his drinking and he made all of the women feel threatened. Already there was a trial and he was put on probation but allowed to remain in the reality show.

"Utopia" is possible. But we all have to work through our troubles in Privacyy. I hate the NSA. I watched the entire first season of "Survivor" which is called one of the first reality shows. But there were times and spaces of remoteness in that show. There was not a constant stream of the people. We as a world are not capable of killing and hurting and raping one another then coming to terms with all that we do on camera. But people kill, people hurt, and people rape. People commit atrocities every day. People are resilient though. We hurt and we are hurt daily. We sin and we forgive and we grow. We cannot improve without a moment of silence, a bit of space, a time to reflect or pray or meditate or just think. Concentrating on self betterment is tough for a lot of people (introverts and extroverts) under the constant surveillance of others.

This show is based on a sick concept that has not been thought out enough. The three white men who created the concept behind the show have made a mistake. I would challenge them to have higher ideals than those they stated in their original interview that I saw that led me to the show. Don't throw 20 odd people into the public eye for a year just to see what happens. Try to actually make the world better. It is possible. That is the worst thing, the name of the show refers to the book by Sir Thomas More. I actually read the whole book on Audible. More was pretty hesitant to believe in perfection of human communities. Utopia is a word that by definition carries a great paradox.

But you know what? I really believe in peace which is ultimately what I think our world needs. My parents are both so educated and aware of the world of peace work that I never questioned peace. It was always a given in my mind that it was something important, worth working for. I do stupid offensive brash things too. But I always want to transform my own fumbles and offensive behavior. I am responsible for what I do, but if there was an eye that constantly watched me that would be a violation. The National Security Agency is raping all of us, but if we know how, we can get away for as long as we want. We can go off the grid and drive those men crazy. These people in the show Utopia are stuck in a terrible place. I hope they find ways to heal that violated part of themselves that I haven't really heard directly mentioned (privacy). But it is thick through the show.

I really pray that the people in the show improve their emotional states (maybe via quitting or throwing rocks at the cameras.) I have no interest in watching the show anymore. "Utopia", the show, is down right offensive, violating the better interest of real social betterment.

What a Dystopian Disaster

[LeDentalPlaque · 1/10 · 27 December 2014]

Utopia is probably the worst show ever conceived. Someone spent a lot of time and money making a paradise out of place, only to have it ruined by a whole bunch of random people who try and figure out some kind of democratic type of governing system as they live there. However, it soon becomes a whole bunch of meaningless drama about simple things.

Instead of taking a step into utopia, this show actually takes a step back into dystopia. The cast is horrid, these people cannot be related to and cannot be liked, and you just don't feel any connection to anyone. None whatsoever, and certainly not enough to keep you watching the show.

I give this a 1/10 because it's just that awful of a series. There's no point to it, and I don't see how anyone could enjoy watching people destroying a utopian world that was made for them.

Unrealistic, Unpleasant, Unwatchable

[tggran · 1/10 · 8 December 2014]

I was actually quite excited when I ran across this show. Unfortunately my excitement was gone within about 15 minutes. Several of the cast members (can't call them pioneers and feel good about it) were so angry and so nasty that I could see this would go nowhere. I don't know about your real world, but I don't have those nasty people in mine. I certainly wasn't going to invite them in via television. While a TV show has to have some drama to survive, it doesn't have to be contrived, forced, and extreme every second of the show.

Take note networks, we won't watch utter drivel. There is enough anger and hate in the world already. We don't need to throw fuel on the fire of hate and invite it into our homes.

I want my time back....

[danj127 · 1/10 · 12 October 2014]

I tried to watch it I really did but after a few episodes in it is just can't take it. The main focus is on the evils of capitalism and goodness of collectivism and generally how and where to hookup. Other than that it is basically hanging out not doing much. Pretty boring really and a shocking indictment of the ignorance in our society today. I mean you see it on the "man on the street" interviews but wow I guess I can see how Obama got elected twice. Sad future for this Country when free enterprise and individual achievement is seen as greedy and evil. If you want something along a similar vein that is really thought provoking check out "we live in public" a documentary of Josh Harris a .com pioneer and millionaire who conducted social experiments in the 90's. It is truly fascinating...

Completely Fake!

[jtek334 · 1/10 · 21 September 2014]

For starters I thought the idea for the show and live stream were amazing and would have been if it were real but after watching a few episodes and signing up for the live stream I realized just how horrible, fake, and over the top everything was even down to the host.

1.Most of the cast are actors even Arthur Vanwinkle aka Red has been on another reality show before and has an IMDb page.

2.Some of the characters backgrounds are completely made up especially Hex's. They tried to make her out to be very similar to Katniss from Hunger Games.

3.The live steam is not actually live it is delayed by around 15 minutes.The cameras only focus on the cast who aren't being filmed for the television show The whole thing just feels like your watching actors wait their turn to go on set. The paid subscription is the same and even mutes conversations they don't want us to hear as well as blurring out nudity. Not to mention the camera crew are horrible at positioning the cameras and switching to the right mics. At some points you can see them put in ear pieces in the morning for the producers to talk to them.

Interesting concept

[blabla-9-265056 · 7/10 · 8 September 2014]

If you like big brother, you'll like this TV show. Definitely somewhat predictable behavior from the cast at first as they adjust each other's personalities to one another. Arguing, and a healthy dose of conflicts. They have obviously been chosen as a clashing group of people but when you think about it, a group put together in a new community would not be all of the same mindset. (thumbs up for varied personalities) Its not a perfect world and everyone is different. This is why I think it creates a more realistic view of who you could be stuck with if you had to start new with a group of people. Variety.

All that being said, there is drama but who tunes into a program and doesn't expect drama? Its good entertainment. I also enjoy seeing how a diverse group of people manage to form rules and live together when left to fend for themselves amidst a semi-wild setting with basic amenities. I'm not a doomsday prepper but wouldn't you like to see how people deal with themselves realistically in a back to basics environment? (post apocalyptic/ survival/ disaster stricken world) I remember doing a similar camping trip in high school for outdoor education class and it teaches people to work together, you learn allot to work together and people's strengths!

Good show so far!

An interesting cross of reality shows

[uabbarrington · 10/10 · 12 October 2014]

What caught my attention about this series is its similarity to The Discovery Channel's "The Colony". It also has elements in common with CBS's "Big Brother" and "Survivor". But at the same time, it is it's own show. There is no winner to this show, and no big prize at the end.

The cast is made up of 15 different people with different skill sets, experiences, and ideas. On paper this group of people should be able to create a thriving community. Especially since some of the members of this community have overlapping skills (IE the "huntress", the contractor, and the handy man that can do a little of both). But the reality doesn't work quite that smoothly. This is what makes it a "social experiment".

My only issue with this show is the mandatory vote out. I am curious to see what these people accomplish over their time in Utopia. And I am hopeful for a second season.

To the naysayers I have to wonder why you are even here. This show is exactly what it claimed to be from the start. If that isn't what you want to see, then look somewhere else.