MovieChat Forums > Bio-Dome (1996) Discussion > Bio-Dome = Reality Competition Show?

Bio-Dome = Reality Competition Show?

posted 17 years ago by davewriter2003
2 replies | jump to latest

Okay, so this is something I've been thinking about for quite a while now... how many of you think this movie would be a great inspiration for a new reality show where they compete for a big cash prize?

Simply put maybe 16 or so Americans in a real-Bio-Dome with all the plant and animal life in it, as in the movie, along with five of the world's top environmental scientists. Each week, the contestants will participate in an environmentally-related challenge, in which the winner receives Immortality, meaning (s)he cannot be voted to leave the Bio-Dome. Then, everyone will cast votes as to who should be asked to leave the Bio-Dome, and the two contestants who gets the most votes will be up for eviction. They will then, leave it in the hands of the scientists who will either vote for someone to leave, or put them to a test they come up with. (They can decide whether to have this particular decision as one of the rules, or choose between the two mediums each week.) If it's the latter decision, the loser of the competition will be asked to leave; otherwise, it will be the one who gets the most votes from the scientists.

As an example, let's say a contestant named Diane wins an immortality competition. The others cannot vote Diane out, however she can vote with the others as to who should get the boot. And let's say that week, two contestants named Dave and Linda get the most votes for eviction from the Bio-Dome. As mentioned, the scientists can either vote for whoever to leave (in which case, Dave and Linda can plead their cases as to why they should stay) or they can put them to a test to judge who will stay for another week. Each season, the show heads can decide whether one would be a rule throughout the season, or they have the option to let the scientists alternate between decisions.

This would give the contestants a chance to learn about the environment along the way, and why it's important to be aware and take the best care of the earth, which I think would be a refreshing change from most of the reality fluff we're used to seeing. This would be good for one of the major networks (perhaps either CBS or NBC) or one of the educational networks like The Learning Channel (TLC) or the Discovery Channel.

What do you think? Is this something you would watch? What changes, if any, would you make to it?

[–] lagginswag 17 years ago

i would def watch it. im so sick of the voting off of people though.
i know it keeps the audience wanting next weeks fill but its quite annoying
it would be cooler if the premise of the show was different.

[–] Mars4052 16 years ago

While reading that one thing happened. I had images of Survivor, Big Brother and just about every other reality show on the air right now. But I do think there is a workable idea here. So I'll throw a few of my ideas in.

First they would have to build a structure or use the pre-existing Biosphere 2 in AZ. With several updates of course. I remember reading when they were living in biosphere several problems arose with growing food, air quality and a bunch of other stuff. So that all would have to be figured out.

Since this is an environment show and using the biosphere idea. The place would have to be sealed the same way. So they would have to wire it up kinda like the big brother house with a ton of cameras and mics. This way there is no production staff or equipment inside the dome to compromise any of the experiments.

Lets do 3 teams of 5 players each. Each team also has 2 scientists and or experts they work with through the whole show. I know it sounds like quite a few people but I think it could work. Each team would have its own living sections. Keeping the teams apart. This is a competition after all.

You said the teams would compete in challenges. Since they are sealed in there is gonna be a lot of down time. So I say make the challenges a full week long maybe even two weeks long. This way they are actually able to produce some kind of results in what ever the challenge may be. The challenges here will take more time to produce results then throwing a rubber snake into a basket from 45 feet away. Or some other cheesy reality TV show challenge. Again the challenges will be long so the show may be longer then 48 days or what ever it is they go for now.

Voting off I don't agree with. They do that on EVERYTHING! Instead all players are on the show till the end they are sealed into the dome (only way out is like a nasa air lock system. But only for things like medical issues and what not.). I mean we are trying to educate people here right. Instead all teams are awarded points for challenges. And maybe throw in some extra points here and there. Kinda like awarding a player an extra 5 points for his team because he came up with a idea that would grow twice as many corn stalks then if they were to do it a standard way and it worked. Something like that.

Prizes would be a little tricky. We are talking quite a few people here. People expect to walk off with a million in cash now for winning a TV show. So the show would require quite a bit in prizes and would need several sponsors. But with everybody jumping on the GO GREEN projects. I don't think it would be to hard. Nobody would get a million in cash obviously. But all would get some cash or some kinda prize or both. Green Homes, Hybrid cars, Green updates to their homes that kinda stuff. Scientists would be paid for their time on the show. Since they were not brought on as contestants they would not be awarded the same prizes. or they could be awarded the same prize their group gets.

The end of the show is done in a survivor-esque kinda way. All teams are gathered in the dome (with small audience it's no longer sealed off) and the final show is spent re living the seasons show, talking bout what they have learned and how they plan to go back home and apply it. Then the final team scores are revealed and prizes awarded. And then a twist.

At the beginning of the show. Each team was presented with a list of organizations that do environmental work. Each team was told to choose 1 organization they all support. And depending on what place they finished an X ammount of money would be donated to them on their behalf. a million for first 500k for second 250k for third. These organizations would be in the audience with no clue of the money they are about to receive. But are told they may be called onto live TV for their opinions and what not. Then SURPRISE massive donation.

WOW!!! that was really long. Sorry bout that but there's some of my ideas. I can see the whole thing in my head. Given more time I could prob have the entire production in my head.