Episode 1 was mostly about discovering the rules and getting to know the kids somewhat as they started building their town. Jimmy, 8, became the first to go home, which left us with 39 kids.
The book suggests that the chickens are good for more than eggs, a rather controversial suggestion to make to a bunch of kids. The other kids are starting to get sick of not having fresh food and having to eat canned stuff. Laurel decides that they have to take a vote to decide what to do.
There’s a lot of concern over lack of protein. Greg says he’s worked with a butcher and knows how to do this. After the vote, the kids decide to kill the chicken. Emilie, 9, who we haven’t seen before tonight, says she’s going home if they kill a chicken. She then locks herself in the chicken coup with some others in protest. Eventually, though, she realizes they need to think about what’s best for the town. Everybody’s grossed out, but they all insist on watching.
Greg’s primary motivation in helping out seems to be that he wants to be nominated for a gold star. This is definitely a big change from last week when he mostly just wanted to goof off.
The next major dilemma is the cold, which freezes their clothes and water. Some of the boys from the green district figure out that if they poor some boiling water on the pumps, it may thaw them out, and it works.
Zach, 10, tries to get Taylor to go to the kitchen because she’s the leader of the yellow district, the cooks. She doesn’t care. Sophia’s a trooper. She’s a laborer and not even supposed to be cooking, but she’s still heading it up while shivering.
It’s time for a showdown to redetermine the job classes. Nobody likes blue team still, and a lot of people are tired of yellow’s laziness. Reward choices: a 45 foot heated water slide or what’s under a barrel (to be revealed after the challenge). They must connect pipes with running water to get water wheels spinning. All teams must finish in under an hour. Blue team gets off to an early lead, with red close behind. Red loses it at the water wall, and blue never looks back. Blue is the upper class. Red are the merchants. Yellow are still the cooks. Green can’t get it together in time, so they’re the laborers, and the group misses out on the prize, including the mystery prize of water pumps designed not to freeze. Everybody is supportive of their effort, though.
Green’s irritated that yellow refuses to do any work.
Emilie wants to work with the animals, but since she’s not upper class or a cook, the kids kick her out. One of them suggests she should go home if she wants to be with the animals.
Greg is pitching in, but Mike gets suspicious that it’s just for the gold star. Michael has been working well all along and has a lot of spirit. It’s a 2-2 tie with the council between them. Mike and Laurel vote for Michael; Anjay and Taylor vote for Greg.
Last time, only Sophia didn’t approve of the council. This time, it’s Sophia again, along with one other girl. Taylor’s response is “I’m sorry. You’re just gonna have to starve.”
Nobody wants to go home. Emilie decides to stay and tough it out.
The decision is to give the gold star to Michael. Well deserved. He says he thinks his parents deserve to get the money and is mostly just happy to be able to talk to them. Greg’s angry he didn’t get the star and believes it was disrespectful. Instead of just containing himself and trying for it next time, it looks like he’s planning to flip out.
Stay tuned to dingoRUE for another live blog of Kid Nation episode 3, which airs Wednesday at 8/7c on CBS.