Utopia (US) Live Feed Discussion

[Zahdii]

I think the title says it all.

[Scout Finch]

Yay, Zahdii! I am so not looking forward to Big Brother ending because the live feed thread is so entertaining every year. It's also basically become my homeroom here. I didn't even know Utopia has a live feed until it was mentioned earlier today in the aforementioned forum. Hopefully, we'll be one of many who are up to investing the time--a year?!-- and will migrate over here to create our own little PTV utopian community.

[Zahdii]

I sadly missed the feeds until they were all pretty much in bed, so I had to read the discussion forum at Jokers and got some kind of idea of what was happening.

 

A castmember (the Utopia website refers to them as "pioneers") broke some rules in sequester when she figured out a way to make contact with other castmates for some unknown reason.  Maybe she wasn't clear about the 'social experiment' aspect of Utopia and was trying to form alliances.  Anyway, Andrea was cut from the program before she ever made it to the compound.  This is sad, because she was a committed raw vegan who stated that she'd resort to cannibalism before eating animal meat. And she was going to be stuck at the compound with a bunch of meat eaters and two hunters!  I wonder if she follows the rules of eating both a raw vegan diet as assiduously as she followed the Utopian rules.  Sadly, now we'll never know.  Such wasted potential...

 

There's a pregnant woman among the group, Amanda.  She stated before the show that she planned to keep her pregnancy a secret as long as she could.  Amanda is short and plump, which might help disguise her pregnancy for a few weeks longer than a stick-thin woman could.  I also don't understand how she can keep her doctor's appointments if she can't leave the compound.  Is she planning on having the baby on camera? 

 

Amanda also has an elaborate hairdo (cornrows?) that looks like it'll be tough to keep up, because this Utopia doesn't come with a hair salon.  Is it possible to keep up that kind of 'do' all by yourself?  I guess we'll see. 

 

Anyway, Amanda was not happy when the other Utopians started talking about rationing the food by allowing only two meals a day.  She flat out said that she's not going to only have two meals, she's going to eat what she wants and when she wants it.  If she'd just tell the others why it's important for her to eat more and eat more often, it'd help.  One of the other contestants wondered later on if she had some kind of medical condition that prevented her from cutting back on her food intake.

 

The Utopians were allowed to bring alcohol with them, and from some of the comments I think at least one of them brought some marijuana with him.  Someone else brought a big bag of tobacco, too.  Anyhow, by evening some of the pioneers were drinking and the fun began. 

 

Josh, a big guy from Utah got pretty drunk, and what a drunk he was!  First, Josh starts talking in accents.  He'll sound British, then in mid sentance he might sound Russian, French, Italian, or <insert the accent of your choice here>.  Whatever the accent, it's a drunken slurred accent.  Second, Josh is an annoying drunk.  As people started talking about sleeping arrangements, Josh was worried about getting cold, so he wanted everyone to sleep in the barn all cuddled up.  He found it perplexing that people were talking about sleeping here and there, most of them outside alone or in small groups.  Lastly, Josh considers himself to be a leader and downright sexy, and the release of inhibitions that alcohol provides caused him to primarily want the ladies of the group to be sleeping next to him.

 

The following is an 8 minute compilation of how the evening proceeded from there:

8 minutes of drunk Josh.  Drunk Hex comes in after a couple of minutes and starts fighting with Josh because she's just such a strong and awsome woman who doesn't take s*** from anyone, least of all a 6'6" drunkard who is alternately belligerent and horny with no ability to keep his hands to himself.
https://twitter.com/Utopia_Updates/status/505558924230418432/photo/1

 

This isn't shown on the above clip, but after Hex is taken to her bed, one of the men is taking Josh to his bed when Dave suddenly attacks from behind and tries to put him in a sleeper hold. 

 

Josh getting attacked from behind by Dave:  https://twitter.com/Utopia_Updates/status/505558924230418432/photo/1

 

The cameras switch to BEV (Bird's Eye View), Utopia's "fish".  When the feeds return Both Josh and Dave are gone. 

 

Sometime later Dave returns after talking to production, he says that Josh will be returning at some point, too.  Then it comes out that Josh drank half a bottle of Jager.  Google informs me that Jager is "A darkly-colored liqeuer (not liquor; yes, there's a difference) with an alcohol content of 35%, or 70 proof."  Oh my!  If Josh can drink that much and still be standing I think he has an alcohol problem.  No wonder he's spending the rest of the night under the watchful eyes of Production, Security, and probably the Medics, too.

 

The group is not happy that Josh will return, so they hold a meeting and decide to vote him out.  Can they do this?  I thought that only the viewing public can vote someone out.  Either way, everyone eventually seeks their beds.

 

The only other interesting thing to report is that while the cameras were on one scene, the audio was of another conversation where a man was talking about making sure there was enough cotton for the girls, especially "the pregnant one".  Maybe when the feeds were down Amanda told the group that she was pregnant.  Why, I don't know.  For all I know she got upset and wanted to see the medics or something.

Edited August 30, 2014 by Zahdii

[LuvizBlind]

Awesome synopsis of Night 1.   I checked in several times over the course of the evening.  I got to see the whole drunk Josh thing, wow what an annoying drunk he was too! 

 

Looking forward to how this social experiment develops, both in Utopia and the forum communities. 

[Zahdii]

One of the women is trying to get a cow into a tight pen, I guess for milking.  The cow doesn't want to go in there, and stops to poop.  Yes, right in front of the cameras we get to see a cow poop.  One of the men (Rob) helps hold the door to the  milking pen open, then they put some alfalfa or hay down for the cow to eat.  The woman seems to have milked a cow and she's telling the man how to do it.  Rob isn't thrilled with this, but he's doing it.  I hope the cow doesn't let the cow kick over the bucket! 

 

Rob's asking if it's true that they could make cheese out of this, and seems especially interested in knowing if they could make mozzerella.  He's hoping to make pizza.  The woman laughs and says it'll be awhile before they can do that.

 

Note: they'll need yeast to make the dough, and as it happens I Googled making yeast a few weeks ago.  It turns out you can make your own yeast, but the yeast strain you get determines how your  dough rises and tastes.  When you find a nice strain you have to keep it growing for future use.

 

Rob asks the woman how she knows so much about milking, and she says she's applying her experience with milking goats to the cow situation.  She also says that the cow is due to give birth in about a month, so we get a birth to look forward to.  Got to say, baby cows are cute!

 

The woman says it took them an hour yesterday to milk the cow.  Robs hands are going to be sore today.  I think that as people get better at milking the time it takes to milk the cow will be shorter.

 

I think I'll get on Netflix and watch something else for awhile, since the only two feeds I'm allowed to watch are both on the cow milking project.  BTW, the woman keeps calling the cow Betsy, just in case the name comes up again in future conversations.

[Rick Kitchen]

If the cow is about to give birth, they're not going to be able to get as much milk from her, as she's going to have to nurse the baby.

[Petunia13]

This sounds extremely boring but thanks for posting everyone and keep it up.

Who's Hex?

[ottoDbusdriver]

Fox has to be proud -- It's been a little less than 48 hours, and this show is already an absolute train wreck.  Based on what I've read here and on a couple of other boards, here's a summary:

-- severely drunken behavior on the first night

-- one brawl between two contestants that required both of the contestants to be removed from the game area (they needed a timeout) but are somehow allowed to continue (that same behaviour would get you tossed off any other reality show).

-- another case of assault when Hex intentionally kneed a guy in the chest

-- one contestant so drunk that she needed to be removed from the game area due to severe dehydration (cough, cough .... bad hangover)

-- one mild cause of forced sexual contact (when Josh tried to kiss Hex against her will while he was drunk)

-- numerous cases of contestants running to production because the other players aren't playing nice.

-- one contestant booted even before the show started (by trying to smuggle in a smartphone -- how was she expecting to recharge it with no one noticing ?)

-- the game area is so well secured that a large cat (probably a cougar) has left paw prints close to the main barn.

-- numerous fights and complaints about food and rationing

 

Who screened these loons during the casting process ?

 

How in the hell did a 7 months pregnant woman get cast on this show ?  Are they planning to also raise the baby in Utopia (he/she would become a new castmember automatically and could therefore be voted out) ?

 

Plus you already have the lazy girls that don't like to work but would rather suntan by the lake (in the nude no less).  And the bossy one (Bella) trying to control everyone while another contestant is trying to crown himself King Mike.

 

How long before someone gets "accidentally" killed or murdered because it is not beyond the scope of these whackjobs ?  Or gets mauled by a cougar. Or kicked by a cow ?

 

Is there a store where they get to go and spend their weekly allowance ?  That kind of defeats the purpose of building a new society when things are basically given to them (here's some money, go spend it).

 

This show is so going to crash and burn fast -- kind of like the way 'Famous in 12' was canceled after 5 weeks (7 weeks earlier than the 12 weeks alluded to in the show title).

[ottoDbusdriver]

This sounds extremely boring but thanks for posting everyone and keep it up.

Who's Hex?

 

Yet another stage name that 'pops' in all likelihood made up specifically for this reality show -- I seriously doubt her parents named her that.  She's the unemployed 25 year old woman whose hobbies are hunting and fishing.

 

There's another woman named Dedecker -- which is probably selected so she wouldn't be called 'Nikki #2'.

 

ETA:  This is insane -- the deer are so tame it's ridiculous. People are gabbing away and the deer are grazing less than a 100 feet aware completely oblivious.  It's not really a challenge for Hex the bowhunter if the game are so domesticated they are comfortable with humans up close.  It's as bad as those staged hunts in Africa.

Edited August 31, 2014 by ottoDbusdriver

[Zahdii]

Day 2

 

Nikkie was up early around 6 or 6:30 doing yoga.  There's talk that the Utopians could hold Yoga classes for the public and make money that way.  The only number I've heard was $15 a class.  That might go over well if they're allowed to do that because there are a lot of people who would do that just to get on TV.

 

Bella and Nikkie have some tension between them.  Bella's running around telling people what to do, she asked Nikkie if she was exempt from carrying water.  Bella also talks herself up a lot, talking about how she is like a duck - not much to see above water, but working furiously below.

 

The group was informed that Josh was returning, they weren't happy about it.

 

Around 9:30 am they tried to get Hex to wake up.  She was still sleeping it off from last night.  By 9:35 the medics were called.  Hex is really hungover and feeling quite sick.  Hex is taken to the hospital for observation and fluids.

 

I'm not sure how the Utopians feel about her, but Bella is already on my nerves.  She's everywhere, telling people what to do but not doing any actual work herself.  Of course, running a crew of over a dozen people requires a lot of running around, checking up on things, making decisions and delegating; but did anyone actually ask her to take charge like that?

 

The group has discovered the tracks of a large cat that was roaming around the compound during the night.  Red advises people to not sleep outside anymore, but not sure if he's being listened to.

 

Josh has returned, the group held a meeting to let him know how they feel about his behavior.  Josh is apologizing and saying he has no memory of what happened last night, but the others remember too well.  Most of them want him out of there.  Amanda is advocating a wait and see probationary period.  Eventually Josh is allowed to stay, but I suspect it might be because they can't actually make someone go at this time, they can only make someone feel so unwelcome that they DOR.  However, in a month the public will have to chance to vote someone out, and also choose a replacement, so Josh may indeed be on short time.

 

Nikkie decides to get naked and go sunbathing.  Chris is nearby enjoying the view.  Bri gets topless and joins Nikkie.  Since Bri and Chris got very cozy last night, Bri wants to keep an eye on her man, and her competition.

 

Amanda admits she's almost 7 MONTHS pregnant.  Yikes!  Good thing they have a doctor and a vet tech there.

 

Rob brought a white powder with him that he's been taking snorts of.

 

Bella isn't happy that Josh is staying, so she's trying to get production to do something about it.  A restraining order or something like that.  She's annoying everyone with her orders, bursting into tears if she doesn't get her way, and accusations of sexual harrassment for the slightest things.  Rob really can't stand her and threw water at her at one point.

 

Nikkie is also doing a lot of complaining about almost everything.

 

Bella went to Josh to talk despite him being given a '90-day restraining order'.  She's trying to make nice and tells him she forgives him (a couple of hours ago she said he tried to rape two women, but wouldn't give names or details)  Oops, Josh fell for it and they finished the conversation with a hug.

 

Bella may have tried to quit.  She was showing Aaron(?) where her seeds were kept "in case anything happens to me", then she went to production to request a phone call.  She eventually returned.

 

The Pastor has been talking to himself, seems like he was also close to quitting today.

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

So, watching Premium Feed 4 for the last 40 minutes or so (started about 1:40a UT)... and have been seeing a live bat show constantly flying around a sleeping Red.

 

He either straight passed out when he got up there, or he's made of much stronger stuff than I.  I'm not afraid of bats, but I very dislike the idea of being guano'd on while I was sleeping.  And possibly rolling over on my back, with my mouth popped open, with that many live flying things buzzing around that could defecate in my pie hole??  Pardon me a second..... *gag!*

[Zahdii]

Day 3

 

By 6:30 am some people are up.  I recognize Bri (20, vet tech & student) is working with the cows, getting ready for milking.  She usually seems to have someone with her to help.  She always explains what to do, how to do it, and why.  I think it's smart that she's spreading the knowledge around, so she doesn't get stuck on cow and chicken duty for the duration.  Hex (25, is a skilled hunter and fisher and describes herself as "six feet of twisted steel and sex appeal.") has collected the chicken eggs.  Amanda (30, a behavioral specialist who works with developmentally challenged children.  Oh, and is almost 7 months pregnant.) is helping with the cows.

 

Aaron (26, former Army officer, now a private chef) is also there.  Aaron's been handling the bulk of the cooking for the group.  He's also a bit of a diva.  Last night he refused to cook dinner because he felt that his cooking prowess was being maligned by people who complained about the food, and the lack of food.  He's not actually there so much as to help Bri or learn about the care and handling of livestock and chickens, though.  He's decided that if there are 15 chickens, one of them is his, and he wants to butcher his chicken to make dinner tonight.  It's a Special Occasion, see.  I forget what he wants to make, I think it was some kind of dish with chicken chunks and a sauce.  Either way, one chicken isn't going to feed 14 hungry people.

 

Bri spends a long time convincing him to spare the chicken.  She points out that the chickens lay eggs, and without a rooster there won't be any new chickens.  But if he waits until they can buy a rooster, then they can let some of the chickens lay fertilized eggs, hatch them out, and within a couple of months they'll have enough chickens to butcher and eat.  He's a bit resistant to the idea, but he eventually agrees.  The chicken is saved!

 

Bella (45, a "prepper") started her day by doing naked yoga (it's one of her stated hobbies) outside.  Fox has already gotten a few FCC complaints due to nudity, I imagine Bella accounts for one!  Nikkie (29, is a doctor who specializes in "non-traditional and holistic medicine."  She's also a tantric sex enthusiast, life coach, an herbalist and a yoga instructor.) is doing yoga inside.  Told you there was tension between these two, they can't even do yoga together.

 

One of the men exited the shower and walked way too close to a camera.  I guess he's trying to do his part for the feedsters who've been keeping score (there's a Utopia fan site out there capturing shots of this stuff, but I don't have the URL).  Pretty sure that's another FCC complaint.

 

It's not even 9:00 am and now Dedeker is naked and in the pond.  I guess she's skipping Pastor Jon's morning church session.  Oh, and that's probably another FCC complaint.  I'm not sure why she's in the water, because yesterday someone let one of the cows get in the pond and it pooped.  Production called out no more going into the pond until further notice.  I'd think it would take longer than 18 hours for the water to clear enough for bathing to be safe, but what do I know?  Maybe the catfish have eaten up the cow poop already.

 

Dave ("5th Avenue", 31, a homeless, unemployed former drug dealer and burglar who's been in and out of prison since he was 17) has a talk with Nikkie.  Dave is the one who snuck up on drunk Josh and tried to put him in a choke hold.  Anyway, Dave lets on that one of his crimes is threatening to kill his family.  He has a daughter that he's not allowed to see.  Nikkie ignores the not being allowed to see the girl, instead she suggests he pick his daughter up from school one day or from the mother's house, after clearing it with the mother of course.  Dave doesn't seem to go for that, but says that the next woman who has his kid will not be allowed to take the child if she decides to leave him.  Yep, Dave has decided that if he impregnates another woman, the act of impregnation is all the authority he needs to take the kid.  I guess he's hoping to stay in Utopia long enough to earn enough weekly stipend ($1000/week) so he'll have a home.  Or maybe enough money to run on, who knows.  Feeds switched away at that point so I have no idea how that conversation turned out.

 

At 10:30, Pastor Jon (44, A pastor and high school coach, Jonathan plans to build a church and baptize his fellow Utopians.) announces a brief church service.  Red (42, can't stand fools, says he's going to be the MacGyver of handymen), Bella, Nikkie, Dave, and Amanda attend.  Hex was there, but as she's atheist, she left.

 

Some of the guys are working on the trench.  They have to dig a trench and then lay wire down so they can hook up to the electrical box located on the outer edges of the compound.  The work is slow, but coming along.  Red shows up and tries to tell them a better way to do it, but they've worked out a system that is working for them, so they tell Red they've got this.  They also tell Red they'll definitely need him when it comes time to hook up the wire to the electrical box.  Red goes away, but seems a bit grumpy about it.

 

Josh gave Bella a piece of fruit, she immediately declares that she's having an allergic reaction.  Feeds go BEV for a short time, then Bella takes Hex aside to discuss how Josh accidently poisoned her, but it was an accident, dammit!  It's very important to her that everyone know that she was poisoned, but it was an accident.  Bella's acting stranger than usual towards Josh.  She is flirty and giggly around him.  I amuse myself thinking that she's been attracted to him from the start and got pissed that he was being touchy feely with other women and not her.  But now that he's been publicly chastised and is her new best friend, Miss Drama Queen can't get enough of him (even when she's telling everyone that he poisoned her - By Accident!)

 

Red wants to make another pond and stock it with fish from the first pond.  He's tired of people telling him what to do so he wants his own pond, and he'll put his share of the fish in that pond and fish as much as he likes.  He's cornered Aaron to discuss this.  Aaron isn't disagreeing with him, but Red is getting worked up anyway.  Red works himself up enough that he's decided to carve off a chunk of Utopia and set up his own private Redtopia.  Red finally lets Aaron go, and moves on to Dave.  He says he's going to take his share of everything and the rest of them haters can live in the original Utopia. 

 

Damn.  Red got paged to go talk to production, and when he came back the idea of two Utopia's was gone.

 

3:35 - one of the chickens is found dead!  Red wants to cook it and eat it, the others aren't sure because they don't know what the chicken died from.  Red is not happy that once again someone is telling him to calm down and think, to him it's NO and Red don't take NO's from people.

 

Red tries to get a drink of water from the hose and Bella tells him to put a bucket down to catch the excess water so they won't waste it.  Red goes off on Bella, grabbing the hose and cussing her out.  Amanda steps in and is telling Bella that the way she talks to people is causing problems.  Truly, Bella is bossy but hides it in a very condescending manner that would get on my nerves in a heartbeat.

Aaron tries to intervene and he and Red go face to face yelling at each other.  Aaron steps up to Red, who steps back, both still yelling.  This happens a couple of other times until Red stops stepping back and when Aaron steps forward their foreheads touch.  Red runs away and Aaron calms down.  Red goes to production and wants Aaron arrested for threatening to kill him.  During the argument, Aaron said something about putting Red in the dirt if he didn't stop fighting with people.  Red's gone now.

 

Aaand, Red's back again.  He's cooking that damned chicken and so be it to anyone else.  He cooks the chicken and is trying to get someone else to come eat it.  I don't know if anyone does, hell, with the way my feeds are acting up I don't even know if Red eats any of the chicken.  Josh asks Red if he can use his knife to cut up the chicken, but Red refuses.  "No.  This is the only knife I have." 

 

Just after dinner this happens per Jokers:
08/31/14 07:43 PM
Bella confronted Nikki & Dede because she felt they were making subtle digs at her. Dede apologized and said her comment about "responsibility" had nothing to do with her. Nikki also apologized for saying "work work work" and explained that Bella walked in on them mid-conversation. Bella feels that they were talking behind her back and she also felt like they were staring her down. They apologized again but Bella did not seem receptive. She wanted them to know she was hurt. We then see Bella by herself, on the back porch area crying, praying and talking to herself.

 

I saw part of this, I turned it off after a few minutes because I was feeling like reaching through the computer to slap the s*** out of Bella.  She was talking about how she's not used to dealing with people like this.  She only wants to show them the way, enrich their lives, teach them...whatever she wants to teach them.  Basically, Bella thinks she's some kind of higher order human being, and she's valiantly trying to pull the tiny little others into her realm of wisdom and enlightenment.  No wonder she's 45 and living alone with only her cat (also named Bella).  No one can be as perfect as her but she's sure gonna try, in her passive-aggressive way.

 

While Bella's out crying to the universe about whatever, Red is still angry.  Dave the homeless guy who's been in and out of prison since he was 17 offers to lend an ear and mediate the situation.  They go to Pastor Jon, but the feeds don't give us sound, just the video of them talking.

 

8:00 pm  The sound is back and Dave is trying to get Red to take some shots and think about things in the morning.  Pastor Jon says that this isn't Utopia, there's too much fighting.  Well, Jon has a wife and a couple of kids back home and he's probably missing them.  He's also already been acting like he wants to leave, so maybe this will be it for him. 

 

Red says he's going and grabs his bow.  Dave begs Red not to leave on his birthday, but Red's reply is that he didn't even go to his own mothers funeral because she tried to kidnap his son.  (Huh?)  Pastor Jon says he'll walk out with Red and they'll leave together.  Dave is still pleading with Red to stay, but Red says that Aaron should leave because he threatened Red.  Dave says they should all get a second chance, but Red's not having it.  Red says he'll only stay if Aaron leaves, and Pastor Jon says that if there's any more drama he'll leave with Red.  Red's also pretty upset because at some point production took his knife away.

 

8:24  pm Aaron arrives (Where has he been?  Was he also off with production?)  Anyway, Red takes one look and scurries out of there.  He's done.  He's out of here.  He don't take no s*** from no one, you understand?  Pastor Jon goes with him, trying to talk him into staying.  Amanda goes too.  Red goes to the gate that leads into Production Territory, Jon says that the gate is kept locked, but Red keeps trying to open it, yelling the whole time for his knife.  He really wants his knife.  Suddenly the gate opens and Red steps through.  Pastor Jon and Amanda stay inside.

 

8:40 pm House meeting.  Almost everyone is there.  Mike (33, attorney, serial dater who thinks Utopia will work better if he's in charge) is trying to run the meeting.  He starts out with finances, but most people want to cancel the meeting and hold it tomorrow.  Meeting continues, but it's not going well.  People bring up issues, someone else breaks in with their gripe, nothing gets done. 

 

Red arrives, suspiciously calm and mellow.  Conspiracy theories abound on the Discussion forum regarding how Production managed this miracle.  Most bets are on giving Red weed or a Xanax.  He says he's going to be nice and calm tonight and decide tomorrow if he'll stay or go. 

 

Bella brings up the argument about wanting Red to conserve water, and soon is in tears (again).  Amanda speaks up and is upset that when Red took off someone (Hex) called out a cheery 'Bye!".  Amanda feels that was disrespectful.  Dave wants to institute a 'Cardinal Rule' about behavior.  Something about threats are a cardinal sin and all bets are off at that point (this from the guy who tried to choke Josh out on Day 1).  Dave seems unable to really explain anything more than that.  If asked questions to better explain what he means, he's only able to say "If you break a Cardinal Rule that's it."  He feels that there is no reason to look into the situation further or gather more information.  That's it.  Pastor Jon has had enough and wants to close the meeting with a prayer.  Everyone just plays along so they can get out of there.

 

Later, most everyone has sought their beds.  Dave and Red stay up and have conversations ranging from if Red brushes his gums since he has no teeth (he does), Dave wants to give someone a bad haircut to see how they'll react, Red took part in a show about how to grow pot, Red talks about ear infections have lost him one eardrum, Red talks about how he should have just left already, etc. 

Eventually Red and Dave go to bed. 

 

Thank God!  With some of them getting up at 6:30 am, having holdouts like Red and Dave go on to 1:30 am, no one can keep up with all of the drama.

[photo fox]

I was prepared to dislike Bri based on her "get my pick of the men" comments in her intro video. However, if she manages to speak about and work with livestock in an intelligent and realistic manner, she will become one of my favorite reality people ever. One of my biggest pet peeves when I still watched Survivor was how nobody ever knew (or learned) ANYTHING about chickens.

I'm not anti-religion by any means, but I don't know what the minister realistically thinks is going to happen. I mean, I'm assuming if these people are open to religion in their lives, they already have a church. And while I've attended many different churches and respect other faiths, I wouldn't suddenly join The Church of Utopia just because my faith tradition wasn't available.

[Zahdii]

Day 4

Some of the Utopians are up.  Bella is getting in her meditation pose, Amanda is tending to the campfire and getting water.  Bella has harvested some vegetables from the garden and now seems to just be wandering around.

 

Mike, Rob, and Hex are working on the trench.  It's slow going because they're using a post hole digger.  They have a shovel but it's got a really short handle, I guess the digger is better.

 

Red is up and sounds like he wants to quit (again) but that is subject to change. He's talking to Amanda and says that for personal reasons it's best for him to go.  He mentions money, like he thinks he'd be making more money on the outside.  This is a guy who can't afford dentures, how does he expect to make more money on the outside?  He's making $1000 a week just by staying in Utopia.

 

Bella is upset with Amanda for wasting water and not caring about the animals. Bella: "Amanda you know what, you need to listen to me.  I'm not done with the water hose, but when I am, you can waste it all you want"

 

Bella finds that Jon is awake and starts complaining to him about everything, the waste, the cattiness of the other girls, Red, etc.

Nikkie is doing Yoga.

 

Betsy (the cow) gets Aaron in the family jewels.

 

Bella can't find the fig tree.  Mike tells her where it's at but she doesn't hear him over the rant.  Finally she asks him again if he knows where the fig tree is and he just shrugs "I don't know"

 

Bella comes to Amanda the water-waster with another meltdown:  tears, accusations, red-gate, people are talking about her, negativity, Amanda listens patiently.  She says Red gave her the "death eye", Amanda yelled at her about the cows, & Nikki is taking credit for all of HER work.  She then says that Red stole the vegetables that she just picked.  Amanda points out the veggies that are just behind Bella, so no getting Red out on a theft charge.

 

Bella starts another rant on how she doesn't go to church anymore because church goers are so judgmental.  This is the same woman who has attended Pastor Jon's services and insists that everyone bless their food before eating it.  Amanda's job as a behavioral specialist is really coming into play here.  Of course Amanda works with kids, but Bella's pretty juvenile, so...Now Bella is complaining about the nitpicking everyone else is doing.  No self-awareness there.  She also says that there are alliances against her, people are cursing, Red is dangerous and gave her evil eyes, the other girls are catty and talk about her, no one wants to listen to her, people don't think she's working enough, and this is NOT her Utopia.

 

Everyone's up now.  Aaron and Chris are cooking breakfast.  Bri is milking the cow because Betsy kicked Jon in the nuts when he tried to do it.

 

Reds trying to talk to people, but they're not feeling the good vibes.  Red actually compliments Bella, saying her idea to use the trench area to plant something was a good one.  Don't worry, Bella survived the shock.

 

Rob shows his racist side and says "We need some Mexicans in here".  The others who heard him weren't impressed and let him know that was NOT cool.

 

It's time for breakfast, and time for another house meeting.  They're talking about how to manage the money.  Most people want to by a computer and a fridge, but Red and Dave want to take their portion of the money and spend it how they wish. Dave wants to buy a chessboard, no idea what Red wants his money for, but I'm sure it's something all about him. 

 

Bella wants to buy reference books for Utopia, frustrated that everyone else seems to think that getting a computer and going online is just as good. 

 

Bella also wants to buy food to feed the fish in the pond.  Red says the fish feed themselves.  I guess if the pond is overcrowded they might have to feed the fish, but it'd be better to just eat some fish. 

 

Bella is also insisting on a water filtration system since the water they're getting is from a municipal water source, and it's (horrors) fluoridated!  She says that the water is already killing them and they need to protect themselves NOW!  I bet the other Utopians who grew up on fluoridated water are surprised at how quickly it can kill.

 

House meeting ends with two rules:  1) no violence (including water abuse) 2) no threats of violence

 

Red thinks that Utopia is turning into a communist state.

 

Nikkie wants to have a Goddess Circle later.

 

Amanda wants to schedule a team building exercise later today.

 

Dede has taken off her clothes again.  I guess if she wants to sunbathe au naturel she earns it.  She's not mentioned much because she's a low drama person.  She's helping out all over the place.  She's trying to make cheese, does a lot of the laundry, helps in the garden, and has taken her turns at digging the trench.

 

Red hasn't done any work all day (which is pretty common for him).  He just wanders around complaining and worrying about his share of the $5000 startup money.  Once again, he's talking about taking his share of everything and living apart for the rest.  Dave likes that idea and wants to join him. 

Trouble is, with two slackers living apart from the group, it'll be no time at all before they start mooching or sneaking around stealing stuff.  I'm sure that Production will put a stop to it, but I suspect that Dave's here to have a place to stay for as long as possible, while banking his weekly stipend until he's gone.  Red has a place to go to, but he wants to tell people what to do, have no one tell him what to do, and finally storm off with his weekly stipend in hand.

 

Red is trying to recruit people for his new Utopia.  He's spoken to Jon, the pastor, but that's unlikely to take because Jon seems to really want someone to quit so he can walk out with them.  Yep, called it.  Jon says he doesn't want to join Red's Utopia, but he'll be their friend.

 

Josh and Chris have a talk about how Utopia is much different than they expected.  So much sitting around and arguing, so much anger.

 

Red's trying to get Mike on board, but Mike is just trying to get out of the conversation alive.  He's acting like this might be a plan, but he asks a few questions about this new Utopia and says he'll think about it.

 

Dede shut Red down fast.  No dice with that girl.  She probably realizes that she'd be doing all the work, and as a hard worker herself she probably doesn't like Red anyway. 

 

I think Red's insistence that they each get a fish a day without doing any of the work is pretty stupid.  He reminds me of a homeless man who showed up at my MIL's door decades ago.  She lived in a rural area and her husband was at work while she was home with a premie that had just gotten out of the hospital. 

 

So when this guy asked if he could do a chore in exchange for a sandwich she pointed out a tree in the yard that had lost some branches due to a wind storm.  She asked him to pick up the branches and pile them nearby.  This guy picked up the smallest twig he could find and then demanded his food.  She made him a sandwich to get him to go away, and then he wanted a glass of milk, a glass of water, any beer that was in the fridge, and a cup of soup. 

 

Since she'd already called a neighbor over to run the guy off she gave him the sandwich and a Dixie cup of water and then locked the door.  He was still cussing when the neighbor showed up with a shotgun and invited him to take his food and go. 

 

Then the local sheriff showed up and gave the guy a ride to the state border (they were only about a dozen miles from it).

 

Now Red's talking to Nikkie.  She's not on board, because she thinks Utopia needs people to work and that's not what Red wants to do.

 

Josh doesn't want to talk about succession, he suggests Red do some work instead.  Red's lazy and selfish little soul dies just died a little, because in Red's mind he's already outworked them all.  Can we get an "Awww, poor Red"?  No?

 

Mike's muttering about how there's only two of them and at the end of the month there will only be one left.

 

What Mike's referring to is that monthly three people will be nominated by the pioneers for eviction.  The voting audience (the live feeders) will then decide which of the three will be sent out of Utopia.  I bet if the voting were being held today Red, Dave, and Bella would be up for eviction.

 

1:00 PM
Team Building looks a lot like an AA meeting.  "Hi, I'm Josh."  "Hi Josh!"  Talk about yourself a bit and wait while everyone validates your feelings and offers support.  Next!

 

Hey, Bri sees dead people.  Good to know.  I'd insert my ghost story here, but I suspect that I was more asleep than awake at the time.

Robs revelation is that he hates people.

 

Red loves cannabis, it's like a religion.  He 'studies' cannabis.  Babies love him because he also has no teeth.  He thinks that if everyone goes with his idea, they'd just grow marijuana and sell the stuff and become rich!  He continues talking, while everyone else wishes that there had been a time limit set on this.

 

Dede (Dedeker) makes sure everyone knows she's polyamorous - two boyfriends and a girlfriend, but sometimes others are invited in as well.

Amanda shares that her pregnancy has overshadowed her job as a behavioral specialist.  She's good at her job and is an excellent mediator.

 

Bella has OCD.  That's why although she is extremely pro animal, she can't stand dealing with the cows or chickens.  She likes them, and she cares about how they're being treated, but she can't stand to be around them.

 

A quick note, Aaron decided not to attend this meeting.  This is interesting because one of Red's rants yesterday was because someone stole his Vienna sausage.  Turns out that Aaron ate them.  Red doesn't know this.  Aaron also ate the chicken that Red cooked.  Red was too mellow after talking with production to notice.  Aaron is in charge of the food and cooking, and makes a big show out of making sure that everyone else has eaten before he'll eat.  I just have to wonder if Aaron is helping himself to food while the others work.  Maybe he's out there right now cooking up a nice snack.

 

2:00
Bella's having another breakdown with tears, second one today.  She didn't like being put on the spot to talk about herself (huh?) and felt that no one really cared to hear what she had to say.  She realizes that people don't like her.  Before you start crediting her with a bit of self-awareness, she thinks it's because the other people have better stories about themselves than she has.  She feels that she's been impressing people all her life, but she can't connect with them and wants to be part of a group.  Yes Bella, you've been impressing people, but not in the way you want them to be impressed.  She also says that the dislike people have of her is why she likes animals so much; they love you no matter what.  OK, a bit of self-awareness just crept in again.  Such an odd one is our Bella.

 

Red's back to yapping about his new Utopia.  He's going to be the brains and Dave is going to be the brawn.

 

3:50
Goddess Circle!  Nikkie's idea of a time when all the women can meet and talk.  Things we learned: the best time to find a man is on the full moon.  Oh, and in case you forgot Nikkie is polyamorous, she's talking about how the women can hook up with each other, too.  Surprisingly, Amanda is not attending.  Bri goes to get Amanda.  Amanda shows up to the Goddess Circle, but isn't down with the group massage thing.  Gotta say, I wouldn't be either.

 

Bella wants to make money by offering people cuddles.  Strangely enough, there was a story on one of those sort-of news shows where a woman was charging people to come lay with her in bed for cuddles.  No sex, just cuddles.  Cody from BB should look her up.

Josh asks Red and Dave to help break up a concrete footing that is in the way of their trench.  Red says he's too old for all that, and Dave wants to take a nap.  Dave eventually shows up to help, but isn't much help.

 

Red is rethinking the whole separate Utopia thing.  Josh and Aaron have been talking about ways to make money, Mike's presenting the ideas, and none of it requires Red to lift a hand, so he's thinking...hope he has a marijuana cigarette on hand to help with the headache.

 

Nope, Red's still not satisfied, he wants everything his way.  He thinks he's standing up for the poor, by taking down the rich, but at the same time he wants to just sit back and smoke his weed and collect his share of everyone else's work.  Mike's getting fed up.

 

Topless Hex is washing Bri's hair.  Don't know why, but there it is.

 

Red's still laying out conditions.  He's worried that while he contributes nothing, that someone else will make money and won't share it.

 

Hex is upset because chef Aaron said that some of the guys were uncomfortable with all the nudity.

 

Rob called out Red for being lazy.  Amanda jumps in and tries to mediate.  (Note to Amanda:  NO!  Just let Red gum himself out of Utopia.  You'll all be better off.)  Too late, the fight sputtered out.  Red is still there.

 

Uh oh, Chris just told Bri he wants to keep things casual.  They seemed be into each other at first, but after the second night he tried to initiate some action and she shut him down.  The next day he complained she was too clingy.  There's also talk of her having a boyfriend on the outside but wasn't adverse to some kissing and cuddling with Chris, so who knows?

 

Bella is feeling great as she now feels like part of the girls group.  She offered to give Hex a special stomach massage and the feeds cut away.  Hmm.

 

Dave talks about how his mother was a prostitute and his father was one of her tricks.  Earlier, he's blasted on the hip hop community for glorifying gang banging and stuff.  If he grows up more and stops looking for an easy life where others work while he lays about, maybe he can have a better life.

 

Chris and Dede seem to be making a connection.  Too bad Bri is still acting like he's her guy.  What happened to the boyfriend on the outside?  Is he made up, or is Bri more into polyamory than I thought?

 

Feeds were off for a couple of hours while the production crew had a BBQ.  The pioneers had pizza, don't know if they made it themselves or had it brought in.

 

OK, missed this, but here's what was discussed on the Jokers discussion forum:

9:55 PM
Hello! Who has her head in Hex's lap and is seriously feeling her up, as Hex strokes her hair? Is that Bri??  
Oh how I wished nobody else was there. I think that was going somewhere. :D
And Nikki is laying right there next to them too. Get lost Chris and Rob! lol
My lord just go away! And shove that guitar while you're at it. In my mind huntress really wants to get down with bri right now
Bri's 'doing' Nikki now. For the love of all that is holy, everyone but B/H/N leave the immediate area!!! Geez. lol
Did the Huntress go? Oh I hate all of them!!! Go away don't multiply. Ffs. Everybody but huntress bri Nikki go to the diary room!

 

10:16 PM
B/H/N really need to make an excuse to leave and go off to someplace 'secluded', away from all these killjoys. Like Right Now.
Pretty sure I've never seen two different sets of two people touch each other so much without actually having sexual intercourse. Slow burn torture!

 

Midnight:  Bri is in bed with Chris and she's trying her hardest (lol) to get some sexy times out of him.  He's resisting.  It takes half an hour but suddenly he runs off to get a new bed sheet.  Forums are pretty sure that Bri just gave Chris a hand job.  Has no one ever told them to use a sock?

 

12:12 AM
According to Red, at some point today Production told them "it is only going to get harder".  He's decided that Production has given them enough food to fatten up on now, and plans to starve them in winter.  He's advocating that they eat all the available food now (because trying to save some for later would be silly).  He's sure of this, and has talked to anyone who would listen about it, and they're all blowing him off.  He's pretty pissed about it.  Red knows everything, no one else knows anything, and whatever.

 

God, it's 3:40 am and Red has just started to go off on Aaron about the damned chicken.  He's screaming, throwing things around, accusing Aaron of knowing Red was right about it being safe to eat the chicken, but Aaron didn't want to admit that someone knew better than him.

 

(Actually, the chicken wasn't actually cooked until several hours later, and Aaron was the one who ate the chicken clandestinely, but since we haven't seen Aaron getting sick I guess Red was right.)  Red is a guy who proudly eats road kill, I guess he knows what is safe and what is not.  (Got something similar here where I live.  You hit a deer and call it in, the Forest Service, State Police, or Sheriff's Deputy gets there within a few hours and a local butcher will come and part out the meat.  It's given to the food bank.  However, if you are friends with one of the 'first responders', that person will call you out to come collect and butcher the kill yourself, although that's frowned on for obvious reasons.)

 

09/02/14 06:46 AM
Producer Jon Kroll tweeted details of how the vote works and the process of new Utopians entering Utopia:

Replacement Part 1 - Utopians vote who they feel should be replaced. Anyone with 2 or more votes is eligible. Must be at least 2. Viewers vote on Part 1 too.

Part 2 - 2 people who would like to join Utopia enter for 3-4 days.

Part 3 - Utopians vote in one of the two candidates. Viewers vote as well. Viewed vote breaks any tie.

Part 4 - Newly minted Utopian single-handedly chooses the person they are replacing from those who got two or more votes in part 1

[whack-a-mole]

I must be unlucky. Every time I check in with the feed it's just a camera pointed at that pond and nothing happening.

[Zahdii]

Day 5

 

It's 6 AM and Amanda is up.  She's usually the first one up.  She tends to the fire and does little chores, walks around.  She has the place to herself until just after 7 when Red gets up.  By 8 everyone is up.

 

Red has cornered Amanda for a complaining session.  It's pretty much the usual, he Can't Fix Stupid and anyone who disagrees with him is stupid.  Stupid Production made him stop sleeping in the loft and now he sleeps in the barn under the table.  People don't respect him, talk to him like he's a child.  Production once again nixed his attempt to start his own Utopia.  Winter's just around the corner and he's not allowed to hunt the deer until hunting season starts (in 3 days).  Someone got into his vienna sausage and ate them (that was Aaron, the guy who is trying to ration food - the rationing stops with him though).  He's got his bow and knife back from Production, but wants a gun for hunting.  He wants his wife to join him in Utopia (yes, ladies, it's sad but true; the prize that is Red... is taken).  There's not enough food.  He doesn't like having his 1/15 of the money or supplies being lumped in with everyone else's...  It goes on and on, and Amanda patiently listens to it all.  She should get hazard pay for this.

 

The cows get milked, gardening commences, the trench is almost done, breakfast is boring with no screaming and gnashing of teeth.

 

Dave seeks out Amanda for conversation.  The only really interesting thing was the they agreed that being gay is wrong. 

 

This is odd because when Amanda announced her pregnancy, she said she had a partner, but refused to say if that partner was a man or a woman.  (I've heard it's a man, but don't know this to be fact.)  Maybe Amanda was just agreeing with Dave to avoid an argument. 

 

BTW, Amanda has said a couple of things that seem at odds with what I expected when I first saw her.  She says she'd prefer not to vaccinate her baby except for really scary diseases, like if an Ebola vaccine became available she'd probably allow that.  She then says that her partner would also have a say in the vaccine debate, so it's possible that the baby will get more vaccinations than she by herself would allow.

 

She also said that Somalia has the highest incidence of autism because in their culture it's permissible for first cousins to marry each other.  Just follow her train of thought from there, folks. 

 

Red's crying because he misses his wife.  Is this today's reason to not work or an excuse to quit?  I'm all for the latter.

 

Dave is saying that Obama is NOT the first black president, Abraham Lincoln was.  He says that Lincoln's father was black.  (I googled and found that several former presidents are said to have been partially black, but I lacked the curiosity to really research it.  Melting pot and all that.)

 

Red's over his tears and working himself up again over not being allowed guns.  He corners Mike and tells him that it's his job to convince Production to let Red have a gun.  Red's logic has to be something like this:  Red is awesome, knows everything, can do anything, but Red Can't Fix Stupid.  Anyone who disagrees with Red is either stupid or doesn't like Red.  If Production doesn't like Red, they won't listen to him about the need for a gun so it's pointless to talk to them about it.  But if Red sends someone else to advocate for him, he might get his gun.  If Production doesn't dislike Red, then their refusal to let him have a gun must be because they're stupid.  Red Can't Fix Stupid.  Mike is a lawyer, so he's best equipped to talk to stupid pencil pushers like Production.  It's now Mike's job to Fix Stupid and get Red his gun.  Mike manages to not offend Red by pointing out that the last thing Utopia needs is drugged up, drunk, anti-social Red wandering around with a gun.  Hell, I'm not even comfortable with Red having a bow and three arrows, or his hunting knife.

 

Aaron and Mike talk about how Nikkie is crazy and Bella wastes time.

 

Speaking of Bella, she's managed to annoy Chris to the point where he tells her to stop talking to people like they're two years old.  (lol, she does, too.  When she's not having meltdowns she's talking to people like an overly animated pre-school teacher.  "You need to do it this way!  See?  Goood!  You're awesome!  Loooove youuuu!")

 

Bella goes to Aaron to complain about Chris.  Bella is used to dealing with 'high end people'.  She's not used to dealing with "these kind of people, except you, Aaron!"  And she winks at him.  Aaron ignores the flirt/compliment/whatever it was.  He tries to explain what Chris meant by people getting offended by Bella's condescending tone, but she just can't understand.  Bella's going to have to move on to complain to someone else, but at least she hasn't burst into tears yet.  Give it time.

 

Dave is whining that he's been in and out of prison (4 time felon, separate charges).  He's never won anything and has been unlucky all his life.  He thinks it's time he got some real money.  Well Dave, if you got off your butt and worked, and stopped hanging out with Red, and tried to be nicer to other people, maybe you can stay in Utopia the whole year and walk away with $52,000.  Everyone take a quick break for a nice belly laugh.

 

Bri and Chris want to take the metal bathtub, suspend it over a fire, fill it with water, and create a hot tub.  What's Utopia without a hot tub?  It's not like there is anything else more important to do.

 

Hex wears a swimsuit to have a dip in the pond so she won't offend Pastor Jon (or any of the other surprisingly offended men).  Feedsters start compiling a list of these anti-nude men to start a hit list (not killing them, just voting them out the second they're nominated for eviction).  So far the list has: Pastor Jon, Red, Dave, Rob, and Aaron.

 

Dave and Red are exhausted from their rotations of bitching and moaning among the others, and have retired for a nap.  It's only 2:00 PM.

 

Josh is annoyed that only he and Rob are working.  They're finishing off the trench, hoping to have electricity by evening.

 

Bella has lost her gardening book, she says it's her only friend here and now she can't find it.  She's going around asking if anyone's seen it.  So far she's managed to NOT accuse anyone of stealing it, and NOT bursting into tears.  In my best pre-school teacher voice I murmer "Gooood Bella!"

 

It's just after 3, the trench is complete, the wire has been laid, and Red wakes up enough to hook up the wire to the electrical box.  This is so simple I could do it.  You strip down the last couple of inches of wire, taking off the protective coating.  You then wrap the two wires around two screws in the box and then tighten the screws. 

 

Actually, I would probably have to have someone tell me which wire went on which screw, but since the box isn't hot I wouldn't hurt anyone if I made a mistake. 

 

Anyway, now an electrician will come and check the wiring.  If everything's done correctly the box will be turned on and Utopia will have electricity.  The barn has already been wired with fixtures, light bulbs, and everything.  All that's needed is for the box to be turned on and the circuit is complete.

 

The Grand Light Turning On Ceremony is scheduled for later tonight.

 

The Utopians are going to have to be responsible for the electric bill, so they'd better start thinking of ways to make money.

 

Bri is trying to get Chris in the mood by putting lime juice on his neck and licking it off.  He remains stoic.  Bri, this is not gonna happen.  So she then puts lime juice on her neck and offers her neck for a licking.  Chris declines.  Bri tries again.  Chris remains unmoved.  Don't worry Bri.  Later this evening Chris gets her by herself and does a quick grope down her shorts.  Then he points out the camera's and tells her to find a place where they can have sexy times without being watched.  I don't know if Chris is trying to send her on a wild goose chase or if he's serious, but Bri now has a mission and I'm sure she'll do her best.

 

Meanwhile, Dave is reminiscing to Nikkie on the good ol' days of being in prison.  He says that prison food is the best, better than anything else.  Maybe his fondness for prison food is a result of not eating regularly unless he was locked up.  Whatever.

 

Red's complaining that the trench was done without him.  He's sure that the electrician won't sign off on the work because it wasn't done correctly.  He keeps muttering "You Can't Fix Stupid".  Rob, who along with Josh has done a huge share of said work sits nearby muttering "Yeah Red, you worked 30 whole minutes on the job.  Awesome.  You go take a nap."

 

Red says that when the Electrician shows up to inspect the box, only one person can go with him, and Red wants to be it.  He probably either wants to take all the credit for the job, or point out any mistakes and bemoan You Can't Fix Stupid.

 

They're preparing fish for dinner.  Bella the vegan (or is she a fish eating vegetarian?) helps!  They're having problems scaling the fish though.  Their knives are dull from misuse and I guess no one brought a whetstone.  Or maybe they have a whetstone and aren't using it properly.

 

The Electrician has showed up, likes what he sees, and the power is now on.  Rob predicts that Red will take all the credit for getting the power turned on.

 

Pastor Jon got a letter from home and he's reading it and sobbing.  Hey, guess what?  Utopia gets mail service!  Guess what else?  The Utopians can get packages from the outside.  They're making lists of stuff they'd like people to send to them and are thinking of ways to make those requests known to the viewing audience.  I predict that soon they'll all be wandering around with plackards stating things like "Send a whetstone!", "I need a sleeping bag!", or "I'm really craving pickles!"

 

ETA:  Turns out the packages from home thing was a misunderstanding.  Either some of them thought they could get packages, or they were joking around about how great it would be if they could get packages. 

 

Chris mildly flirts with Hex, telling her she looked pretty sexy while she was practicing with her bow.  Bri's not gonna like this.

 

Preacher Jon tried to take his mind off of his letter from home by playing catch with Josh.  In the process he hurt his thumb.  Nikkie looks it over and splints it up.

 

Red complaining that eating so much fish is making his allergies act up.  Red says that he can't eat gluten and fish have gluten, so since he's been eating fish it's allowing his allergies to act up.  He thinks that for his own health, he should be allowed to start hunting now, preferably with a gun.  (Isn't this the same guy who tried two days before to dig his own pond so he could stock it with fish from the original pond and not have to share with the others?  Why yes, yes it is.) 

 

Dave talks about leaving.  He wants to go home and get on food stamps.  Earning $1000 a week by camping out in Utopia isn't his thing.  I think he's having trouble with this new life.  Everything's so different from how he's grown up.  Hanging around Red, smoking Red's weed, drinking Red's alcohol, complaining about everything, and not doing any work isn't doing Dave any favors.  He's isolating himself too much.  He only interacts with the others to complain or try to gain pity with stories of his life.  Red encourages it because Red needs a friend and none of the others want to be Red's friend.

 

Bella loosens up and pinches Rob's butt.  This is the same woman who is constantly claiming sexual harassment.

 

Dave's been sipping the moonshine all day and now is hugging Nikkie.  He won't let go so Nikkie has to break it off.  Dave breaks out a bottle of Hennesy (40% alcohol) and drinks it like water.  He asks for another hug from Nikkie, and asks if he can pull her hair. 

 

Surprisingly, Nikkie isn't down for that.  Dave then says that white girls who dress to provocatively get molested.  (Paraphrasing there).

 

Hex confronts Dave about his behavior.  Nikkie says she's just going to ignore Dave from now on if he can't behave.  Dave probably doesn't understand a word they're saying.  He wants to join the next Goddess Circle because the men will just play chess?  This guy is really out there tonight.  Maybe someone should watch him before he goes back to his comfy prison for his fifth felony.

 

Bella keeps flirting with Josh.  He's on a 90 day no-drinking order, so he's not going for it.

 

Jon returns.  He'd been pulled out earlier to go to the ER to have his thumb checked out.  Turns out he broke it.  He's very relaxed now thanks to the pain meds, and actually has conversations that aren't about sin and the Bible.

 

Dave won't leave Nikkie alone, he keeps trying to get her attention.  She's shutting him down.  Good thing he'll be passing out soon.

 

It's 9:30, and they turn on the lights.  Yes!  We have lights!  Dave wants to give haircuts (he says he's a good barber) but no one is interested tonight.

 

Has Bella been smoking something?  She just spilled her water and giggled about how everyone is spilling their water.  She's also wandering around combing her hair in a kind of 'look at my gorgeous hair' fashion.  I wonder if she's heard that thing about how when women touch their hair in front of a man it's a sign that they're attracted to him.

 

I hope the guys have been warned that Bella said before coming to Utopia was that she wanted to get pregnant and have a baby there.  Although she looks good for 45, and the chances are not good she could get preggers, I hope none of the guys temp fate here.

 

The party's breaking up and people are going off to bed.

 

Dede and Josh are still up, straining the milk curds so Dede can make cheese.

 

Bri's trying again to get Chris to put out.  He rolls over on his stomach, so she straddles him and gives him a sort of massage with nails thing.  Doesn't work.

 

Everyone asleep now and it's not even midnight.

Edited September 8, 2014 by Zahdii

[Rick Kitchen]

 

Pastor Jon got a letter from home and he's reading it and sobbing.  Hey, guess what?  Utopia gets mail service!  Guess what else?  The Utopians can get packages from the outside.  They're making lists of stuff they'd like people to send to them and are thinking of ways to make those requests known to the viewing audience.  I predict that soon they'll all be wandering around with plackards stating things like "Send a whetstone!", "I need a sleeping bag!", or "I'm really craving pickles!"

 

Sounds like The Hunger Games.  I wonder if people will be delivering packages by drone.

[Zahdii]

Sounds like The Hunger Games.  I wonder if people will be delivering packages by drone.

 

I've seen talk about sending things to them, but I don't know how may people will really do it.  If a giant jar of pickles shows up, or Amanda gets her new coat, then you'll know.  However, I'm pretty sure a drone is unnecessary, now matter how great that'd look on TV.

 

ETA, the producers have confirmed that whatever the Utopians think, they can't get gifts from the outside.  The have to either make, buy, or barter for what they want.  Once the initial $5000 in startup money has been spent, they are on their own.

Edited September 4, 2014 by Zahdii

[Zahdii]

Recap of Day 6

 

6:00 AM
Amanda is already up as usual and is watering all the plants.

 

Red is making grits for breakfast.  Take a picture folks, Red's doing something besides rant, complain, drink, or smoke.

 

8:30
Bella is trying to get the gardening done.  She's trying to get people to help, but she's being totally obnoxious.  She gets defensive if someone questions her orders. 

 

Another of her ideas is the Chicken Taxi.  That's a cage on wheels so the chickens can be loaded into the taxi, taken to the garden spot, and let out there.  Apparently Bella thinks that the chickens will till the soil to a depth that will allow seeds to be planted.  This is stupid. 

 

Nikkie wants to buy some gas for the tractor, pointing out that the garden can be ready that day, but to appease Bella, the crew is going to attempt to till the soil by hand, even though they lack the tools to do it efficiently.  This is also stupid.  I've noticed that any time Bella is involved in a project, she talks a lot, does little, and seems to work at coming up with the most backwards and inefficent way to do it.  She acts like she's an expert, but I'm pretty sure all her expertise is from a book, with no actual practical experience on her part.

 

Everyone's been following Bella's instructions, but nothing's good enough for her.  She calls a meeting to complain.  Chris calls her out on her behavior, and in true Bella fashion she throws a fit.  Tells them "If you want to survive, let me talk."  When it becomes clear that people want to discuss what to do and how to do it instead of doing only what Bella says, she can't stand it.  Walks off muttering about how she should just cut her loses and quit.

 

By 11:00 the group has a new problem to deal with.  They're trying to create a shopping list and Nikkie is insisting that they buy brown rice instead of white rice because it's better for you.  Dave is having a fit because he hates brown rice.  Mike tells him to shut up and deal with it.

 

Red's trying to get them to buy Dorito's.  He's given sort of a brush off with "We'll get the staples, and think about the extras later."

 

While everyone else is trying to work out the garden situation, Red and Dave go inside and complain.  Red's still jonesing for Dorito's and Dave's not eating brown rice!

 

Red's trying to break into the safe!  He's got the combination, but he's having trouble actually working the lock.  Dave's no better.

 

Bella caught them!  She's pissed.  She tells them "Come help us dig."  Red starts ranting about the money situation and trying to get Bella to answer him.  All Bella can talk about is the garden.  It's quite possible she didn't realize they were trying to break into the safe, or she just doesn't care. 

 

Red threatens to destroy everything if he can't get his share of the money.

 

When she gets back to the group she doesn't mention finding Red and Dave fiddling with the safe.  She just starts telling people what to do.  Nikkie tries to ask a couple of questions and Bella loses it.

 

She walks off and spends about 20 minutes talking to herself.  She tells herself "Good job Bella.  I'm really proud of you!"  Then answers herself "Thank youuuu!"  At least her condescension is consistent.  She's even condescending to herself.

 

Nikkie watches from a distance and says "I don't want to say anything to her because I think she is at the breaking point"  C'mon Nikkie, go ask her if it's safe to water the plants with fluoridated water.  I bet her head pops off and turns in circles.

 

Red says he made grits this morning, so he's done enough for today.  He leaves.  Dave just goes off on his own and mutters to himself.  He's still fixated on the brown rice/white rice drama.

 

The tilling is coming along slowly, mostly because only two people can dig at a time.  Bella returns and goes right back to second guessing everyone, even herself.  Chris mutters something and Bella gives Nikkie a side comment calling Chris a little boy and she's sick of the side comments.

 

Bella breaks down again, throwing the pick and storming off.  I think the group feels so much better when she's gone.

 

They got a phone and charged it up.  They can only make calls between 9-5 and all calls must be approved by Production.

 

Their shopping list is complete.  They're ordering 15 lbs. brown rice, 5 lbs white rice, not enough really.  10 lbs red beans.  1 lb onion.  Nikkie got quinoa and sea salt added to the list.  lol, they just found out that quinoa is $5 a lb.  Cucumbers are .88 each.  Sweet potatoes and radishes are also on the list.  I wonder how often they're allowed to shop?

 

Nikkie and Bella insist on all organic food.  After comparing prices, Mike and Aaron talk about ordering the regular stuff and just saying that it's organic.

 

While placing the order, Dave is trying to over talk Aaron and insisting on Ramen Noodles. 

 

Red and Dave both say that if they don't get what they want, they'll destroy the food.  They decide to mess things up until they get their way or get booted.  Red starts off by stomping on some cans of tuna.

 

Red and Dave face off with Aaron and Mike.  Red's intimidated by Aaron so he reserves the worst of his rage for Mike.  Mike disarms Red by throwing a random question at him.  "What is your belt size Red?"  Red stops short for a second.  I think he's trying to see if there's a threat in there somewhere. 

 

Chris intervenes and says it's time for some kind of meeting.  A Compliment Circle.  The bad guy (or gal) stands in the center of the circle to complain, then everyone has to come up with a compliment.  WTF?  How is that a punishment?

 

Amanda complains she has been treated unfairly.  Maybe she's tired of all the whiners following her around all day expecting her to listen to all their complaints and then tell them that they're in the right.  That would get to me.

 

The destruction of the canned tuna is discussed.  To avoid Red claiming he had nothing to do with it, everyone's reminded that the cameras caught Red in the act.  Red is smug, wants to see the footage.

 

Dave goes on a rant.  "Prison people are the strongest and healthiest people in the world.  That's why they don't let them get out.  Prison people would easily overrun the army if let out."  Dave has obviously been in prison too long.  For him it's home and I think he's gearing up to do something that will put him right back in.

 

Red wants to take the phone charger and hold it hostage.  If he doesn't get what he wants, he's going to throw it in the lake.  He and Dave are still complaining about wanting their share of the $5000.  Problem is, they don't want to contribute to things like buying a real toilet or an oven or refrigerator.  They want their share to only be applied to their goodies.  They both expect to show up at meals and eat food they didn't agree to buy, cooked on a stove they didn't buy, stored in a fridge they didn't buy, etc.  They want their share of the money for special items that only benefit them.

 

Chris and Amanda are trying to talk Red and Dave down.  Red gives the phone charger back.

 

While this is happening, Josh has the phone and is talking to someone about plumbing supplies.  He's talking about what is needed and the prices, but I think he's planning to place the actual order later.  The guy he's talking to has been to the compound and knows what they need.

 

Rob's had enough and says they'll just split the money.  He'd better set conditions that state that anyone who doesn't contribute to an item can't use or eat that item.

 

Red and Dave are doing some backtracking on some of their threats.  They finally realize that if they don't contribute their share of the money they will miss out on a lot of stuff, including profits when the group starts selling things.

 

Bri comes in and reports that somebody dumped all the alcohol out.

 

Why aren't Red and Dave more upset about the loss of the alcohol?  Has Red already come up with a way to make moonshine?

 

Bri thinks that Josh dumped the alcohol.  She confronts him and he admits that he did it, but not by himself.  I think Rob was the other dumper.

 

Preacher Jon is off having another breakdown.  It's too intense here in Utopia.

 

Turns out that Dave had stolen Hex's bottle and hidden it before the purge began.  Hex knows this and plans to tell him to turn it over to Chris.

 

7:30
Food has been delivered.

 

Oops.  The order seems to have been messed up.  They're not getting as much food as they ordered.  They got charged over $50 for a small bag of beans.  Next time they need to check the order instead of unloading it and letting the delivery man go.

 

Red is positively giddy right now.  He views the grocery debacle as proof that he's the smartest and best one there.  Too bad he didn't suggest checking the order with the invoice when it was delivered.  He can't stop gloating, and now Mike's getting pissed.

 

Bri just informed Red that Josh and Rob dumped out all the booze.  Seems Red hadn't picked up on that earlier.  Red's not happy.

 

Too much is going on.  Bella is trying hard to get with Josh.  Hex is also interested in Josh, but I think Josh is more interested in Bella.

 

Dave's hidden all the Ramen noodles in his locker, but for now he's eating the green beans.

 

Amanda keeps propping up Dave and Red, sticking up for them and encouraging them to feel maligned.

 

Red and Dave are dumping some stuff on the ground, retaliation for dumping out the booze.

 

Rob is missing.  No one has seen him for hours.

 

Hex has told Dave she wants her bottle of alcohol back.  He said he'd share it with Chris, but then went to Red and said that he was keeping it just for them.

 

Rob didn't show up for dinner, someone else ate his food.  He's supposed to be all right though.  Maybe he's with Production.  Is he in trouble with them or trying to quit?

 

Bella is trying way too hard to be a cute, friendly southern belle, and it's annoying.  She's trying to seem fun, friendly, and approachable, and she's really trying to get Josh into bed.  Her biological clock is ticking, folks.  (Frankly, at the age of 45, I think her clock has probably rung.  But this is Bella, and just in case, I don't think any male should approach her without a condom and the full intent to use it.  Once again, I wonder if the men know that Bella wants to get pregnant.)

 

About the question of where Rob is,

 

Jon Kroll on twitter about where Rob is: News to come... but he's okay. Three visits to the hospital in six days. #SharpObjects NT

 

After everyone else is asleep, Bri and Chris stay up and drink milk, and eat Ramen noodles  I guess they stole them from Dave's locker.  There's an egg in there somewhere.  There's some flirting by Bri.  Chris is trying to pin down just how into him she is.  Bri's very interested in Chris, but she makes sure to mention that "I don't like people putting things into my mouth.  Like.........tongues"  Note to Chris, in case you didn't catch it, don't ask for a BJ from Bri.

 

Later on, they go to bed.  Eventually Bri ends up on top of Chris, some feedsters think there's sex going on, but I didn't see it so I don't know.

Edited September 4, 2014 by Zahdii

[Mediocrates]

Zahdii - thank you so much for posting these daily recaps! I barely have the time during the week to hop on the live feeds and I always to seem to miss the drama. Your recaps are a lifesaver and I enjoy your commentary. Please tell me you'll keep this up daily throughout the year?

[Zahdii]

Zahdii - thank you so much for posting these daily recaps! I barely have the time during the week to hop on the live feeds and I always to seem to miss the drama. Your recaps are a lifesaver and I enjoy your commentary. Please tell me you'll keep this up daily throughout the year?

 

Thank you for your compliment, but I can't promise to be able to do a recap every day.  Life, you know.

For anyone who read about how some of the Utopians were thinking about asking the viewing audience for gifts, one of the producers has tweeted that gifts won't be allowed.  The group will have to make their own money to buy stuff.

[Zahdii]

Red's threatening to quit yet again.  He seems surprised that no one other than Dave is trying to talk him out of it.  Knowing how contrary Red is, I bet he stays just to be...Red.

 

Dave, on the other hand, is freaking out.  He's devastated and packing up to go.  If he can't have Red, he doesn't want to be there anymore.  One of the women (surprisingly not Amanda) kind of tries to talk him out of it, but she's only making things worse.  Good.

 

I suspect that neither Dave nor Red leave.  This might not be Big Brother, but drama still sells.

[ApathyMonger]

This show sounds like a train wreck.

[Zahdii]

Day 7  (9/4/2014)

6:50 AM
Amanda is up and working on the mulch for the garden.

 

Soon Nikkie is up and doing meditation at the end of the pier.

 

It's almost 8 and Red wakes up cussing and lying to anyone who will listen about anyone who isn't there to defend themselves.  I really start to believe that he's just naturally an asshole and also a fame whore, because he's mentioned several times that he's going to create "good TV".  Not to mention that he's also already taken part in another reality show about growing pot.  I've heard he has some Youtube videos out as well, but the last thing I want is to see more Red, so I haven't checked that out.

 

One of Red's bullet points for the day is that Aaron lied about how much food he ordered and the 'overcharge' on the bill was lies. 

 

Red's trying to convince people that Aaron is <gasp> stealing from them!  Goodness!  We all know that the only people allowed to steal in Utopia are Red and Dave.  Tsk, tsk, tsk.

 

(Re: Yesterday's disastrous food ordering debacle:  After the food was delivered and it was discovered that they were terribly overcharged on the price for the beans, Aaron (or more probably Production) called the store after the 5:00 PM 'no call' time limit.  They have over $50 coming back to them, and Aaron wanted to keep the money separate and not tell anyone about it.  He discussed this plan with Mike and Dede.  Mike shot the plan down, and told Dede not to mention Aaron's idea to anyone else.  So damn, I guess when you lie enough you eventually accidentally tell part of the truth.)

 

Nikkie does yoga.  Many men, and some women, cheer.

 

By 8:30 most everyone is awake.  Dave woke up angry about something and went back to bed, but I think everyone else is up.

 

9:25 AM
Red's realized that the code to the safe is gone and asks Chris about it.  Chris said he put them up so they weren't laying out, but if someone needed the code, Chris would give it to them.  Red's got to be suspicious of this and wondering if the others know he and Dave tried to get into the safe the day before, and how they know because Bella didn't seem to realize what they were doing when she walked in on them.  Mr. Paranoid won't realize that he and Dave have been broadcasting their greed at getting their hands on the money, he'll probably think that Production ratted them out.

 

Hex is thinking about building a hunting blind.  Red gets involved and wants it built his way, with no nails in trees.  I don't know why they need a blind.  The poor deer have become so acclimated to people that they walk right by them without a blink.  I'm not even sure they can get out of the compound if they become aware that they're in danger.  How high are the fences?  An adult deer can usually clear an 8' fence without problems.

 

Jon has a doctor's appointment to have his broken thumb checked, so he's gone.  If it seems a bit excessive for him to see the doctor so often for such a minor injury, it's because Jon has had previous surgery done on that same thumb, and even has pins in the bone.  It sounds like that wasn't so long ago, so a new injury is naturally being carefully monitored.

 

Rob still hasn't returned.  He left last night for the ER due to some 'digestive issues'.

 

Josh and Mike prepare to make phone calls to get pricing on a number of items.  They need some plumbing supplies, a refrigerator, stove, and a rooster.  I'm sure a fun meeting will ensue to discuss these future purchases.

 

Dave catches some flack for dumping out a bucket of nails and making a mess.  Dave takes this about a well as you might think.

 

Red makes some vague threats about having his friends come after Mike after the show.

 

Meal time.  Red is first in line to eat the food that he's complained non-stop about buying.

 

11:30 AM
Red has expressed to several people that he plans to leave.  Amanda's half bored suggestion that he go take a nap and sleep on it seemed to shake him up some.  He leaves, bow in hand, off to talk to Production.

 

When Bri wonders if he's really going to leave, Josh says he hopes so, even though he'd really like Dave to go first.  Hex agrees.

 

Bella is still in charge of the garden, at least in name.  She wants to plant tomatoes.  By seed.  I'm not sure if the Santa Clarita area would stay warm enough to grow tomatoes in the fall and winter.

 

Just after noon, Red returns.  He seems surprisingly mellow.  Production handing out the Xanax again?

 

Within minutes, he and Dave get together and decide to place their own order for food.  They want more Ramen, a Chicken in a Can, and whiskey.  Probably a few other things besides. 

 

Whoa!  They've figured out how to get into the safe!  They've decided that they're each owed $434.

 

Hex catches them and is trying to talk them out of taking the money.  Red is arguing, of course, and making demands on what he does and does not want happening in Utopia.  Dave says he's an Aboriginal of Utopia (WTF?) and no one can tell him what to do.  Hex lets them leave with the money and goes to tell someone what happened.

 

Red has found Chris and is complaining about the grocery list situation.  He's still mad that last night's food order wasn't completely tailored to his particular preferences.  Chris listens, nods, and makes his escape as soon as possible.

 

Mike and Josh are watering the garden under Bella's supervision.  As usual, they're doing everything exactly how she says to do it and she's going on and on about how it's not being done correctly.  Also par for the course, Bella's getting so upset that meltdown in 3, 2, 1...Take it away, Bella!

 

Bella's in full meltdown mode, Mike and Josh are so over it that they pretty much ignore her completely, except for one time when Mike looked up and smiled at her while he continued to incorrectly water the garden.  I'm waiting for someone to point out to her that all this work that people are doing 'wrong' is work that she usually doesn't do at all, and on the odd occasion when she attempts to do something she is obviously doing it for the first time, and doing a far worse job than anyone else.

 

Oh, for the crescendo of her little fit, Bella wastes water by splashing some on her head.  And then she suddenly realizes she's standing in her sad excuse of a garden soaking wet wearing only a bikini and Josh is right there.  Too bad Josh seems to appreciate the view instead of thinking that Bella has the most insanely dramatic ways possible to try to lure a man to her sheets.  Bella leaves, Josh doesn't follow.

 

Josh has found out about the Great Safe Robbery and wants to call the sheriff on Red and Dave for theft.

 

Dede is naked.  When the Preacher is away the ladies will play, y'all.

 

Red's decided that they need a fridge and he wants to order it today.  I wonder if he'll allow anyone else to use it.

 

2:48 PM
Rob returns to Utopia.  He says he had to be treated for dehydration.  He must have been bad off, they put three IV bags in him.

 

Since Red and Dave have decided they will order a fridge today, Dave wants to make their own personal food order too.  Red is now making a phone call to check prices for the food he and Dave want to order.  The first thing on their list is cookies (chocolate chip or Oreos), followed by chips, Tang, mustard, tuna, canned chicken and Ramen.

 

Mike's giving up on trying to be the leader.  He just doesn't care anymore, tells Nikkie to let people order whatever they want.

 

Nikkie wants to price a duel sink, so she calls about that and mentions the fridge, too.  I don't know if it's Production interference, but they're told they have to wait an hour for the manager to come back in order to order large appliances.  When they call back later the manager is already leaving and they're told they'll have to place their order tomorrow.  This is good, because Nikkie has obviously never ordered appliances before.  She doesn't seem to understand that bigger refrigerators are usually more expensive, and she doesn't understand that an 18 c ft fridge is too small for their group.  Even the guy on the phone seemed annoyed with her.

 

Josh gets ahold of the plumber and is checking prices.  A lot of the plumbing has been done, but Production left some holes in the system to make the Utopians have to work for full plumbing.

 

Red and Dave have placed their order for their food, and it's mostly all junk.  They seem to think it'll last them for months.  And remember Red crying about how he couldn't eat fish because he can't eat gluten?  There's gluten in almost everything they ordered.  Once again Red proves to only have a passing acquaintance with a thing called Truth.

 

Chris and Bri had a makeout session earlier, feeds cut away so no telling how far things went. 

 

It's almost 5 and Preacher Jon is finally back.  I wonder if he begged the doctor to 'forget' him for a few hours so he wouldn't have to go back to Utopia so soon.  "And while you're at it, doc, order a few tests, the ones that take a long time for the results to come back."

 

Nikkie plans to bring up Bella's bossiness while not actually working herself at the upcoming meeting.

 

Amanda tells Nikkie that she plans to take control of Utopia. 

 

Amanda and Nikkie are trying to run the group meeting.  It's not going well.  As usual, no one really listens to anyone else.  Jon and Aaron have already walked off. 

 

(Something that came out in the meeting is that Amanda won't eat the meat of an animal she saw while it was living.  She can't even eat the eggs from the chickens because she met the chicken's 'mother'.  Has anyone explained to her that those eggs have not been fertilized, and would just rot away if they weren't collected and eaten?) 

 

Red has a fit over the double sink.  No matter how many times he's told it's for the kitchen, he insists it's actually going into the bathroom, and therefore is a waste of money.  No Sink For You! is his motto.

 

The meeting fizzles out and dies quietly with nothing getting done.  Amanda failed to make her move to take over and Nikkie fell asleep or something. 

 

7:30
The groceries Dave and Red ordered have arrived.  Red tries to recruit the delivery man to join his once again resurrected Utopia State of Freedom before remembering that the delivery guy isn't a Utopian.  Red's positive that he can get the others to his side by showing them all the tasty food he has.  Hell, he even bought soda!

 

Red and Dave have become paranoid that the others will steal their food, so they're tying it up to prevent theft.  Only way that would work is if one of them stays with the food at all times.

 

Bella is freaking out because they still haven't bought the damned water filter to remove the fluoride from the water.  She says the fluoride is already eating her thyroid.  She already filters her own drinking water with a portable hand filter she brought with her, but she says that takes too long.

 

Dinner was stir fry, cooked by Aaron.  Aaron calls himself the camp cook, but he only cooks about half the meals, and does little else besides.  I wonder how long he'll be able to get away with that.

 

Red's come up with a solution to how to keep all the meat he bought cold.  He's going to store it in the pond.  Genius.  When they get sick from the bad meat maybe Red and Dave can leave together for the ER.

 

Amanda's strategy for how to run Utopia is starting to emerge.  She wants it to run on her religious beliefs.  Feedsters are also starting to notice that she agrees with whomever she's talking to, but sometimes talks badly about those same people later on.

 

Dave seems to like Hex, so Red nips this in the bud by telling him that "the hobbit" has been "pokin 'er."  (Red calls Rob "the hobbit.")

 

Mike and Josh are getting pretty fed up because everyone's giving in to Red and Dave.  They want people to stand up to them and shut the mooching and complaining down.

 

Chris, Bri, and Amanda have sold their souls to Dave and Red.  They've accepted an offer to eat some of the hamburger's.  (They bought a package of frozen hamburger patties, and even Red knew the pond wasn't going to keep that stuff safe to eat.)  You know that neither Dave nor Red will ever let them forget it.  Yikes.

 

Aaron's caved.  He's having a burger.  He washes it all down with some complaints about Bella.  (And some soda and cookies.)

 

Red has his next brilliant idea.  He's going to buy a sleeper sofa.  If that happens and Amanda's still there when she goes into labor I hope her water breaks all over the mattress.

 

Aaron passed out!  He hasn't defecated since he got there, and was complaining that when he tried to 'go', he bled.  Luckily, a doctor (not Nikkie) is onsite.  Seems Red had requested medical treatment for an ear infection and rather than take him to the ER, Production brought a doctor to the compound.  Red takes the credit for having a doctor there when Aaron passed out.  Bella is trying to tell the doctor that the problem is the fluoride in the water.

 

The sound has been cut but we can see the doctor attending to Aaron.

 

Red has taken this time to convince Nikkie that this is a good time to grab a burger.  Nikkie's down for that.

 

Bri's trying to chat up the doctor for vet supplies, or she was unsatisfied with Chris and he's new meat.  Take your pick.

 

The doctor flees.  Aaron remains.  He goes to bed.  He's probably been given a suppository and told to keep drinking the dreaded fluoridated water.

 

Josh tries to get Nikkie to see the danger from taking food from Dave and Red.  Bella is backing him up, but most likely because Bella wants Josh.  Or because Bella likes to tell people what to do.  Take your pick. 

 

Nikkie says that she's on her period, so she needs meat.  Is that a thing?  I've had periods since I was 13, no one ever told me I needed to eat meat because of it.  But then I eat meat daily if I can.  (No "That's What She Said" jokes here, please...Oh, go ahead.  I'll never know.)

 

Mike helps himself to a banana and a cookie courtesy of Red and Dave.

 

Things are winding down.  Bri is sleeping on top of Chris again.

 

Dede and Mike have moved from sleeping near each other to sharing their bedding.

 

Dave talks to himself about how he's kind of a Muslim while reading the Bible.  He also says "The only thing I really like is telling my stories." and "Do I want to be nice to people?  No, I love my rage."  Sleep with one eye open, Utopians.

Edited September 8, 2014 by Zahdii

[Turtle]

I am in serious danger of getting addicted to these live feeds.  These people are totally insane, and them having to be functional adds an element of stress to the typical reality show set-up that has already caused ridiculous amounts of tension.  Today the first two "Newtopians" showed up, and it's already hilarious how everyone is acting around them.

 

Bella continues to be a bossy annoying condescending know-it-all.  I could not with her for even 30 minutes, much less weeks or months.  

 

I can't even talk about in one post how crazy they all are - every single one of them has so many issues and it's fantastic.  I have no idea if this show is going to last or not, but the feeds are absolute gold.  

[Zahdii]

Dave DOR'd this evening after a fight about bananas somehow escalated into feminism, racism, and any other ism you can name. Bye Dave!

[CorgiNarnia]

I am in serious danger of getting addicted to these live feeds.  These people are totally insane, and them having to be functional adds an element of stress to the typical reality show set-up that has already caused ridiculous amounts of tension.  Today the first two "Newtopians" showed up, and it's already hilarious how everyone is acting around them.

 

I can't even talk about in one post how crazy they all are - every single one of them has so many issues and it's fantastic.  I have no idea if this show is going to last or not, but the feeds are absolute gold.  

I have been reading recaps and I so want to be into this show but I just can't seem to figure out how to watch it.

 

I am a longtime Big Brother Live Feeder so I definitely understand the concept of Live Feeds, but with BB, you can go back to anytime and day to watch, which make it a lot easier to see just the moments where there's action (or in BB's case, game talk or specific houseguests is more what I'm looking for).

 

Every time I go to watch the Utopia Live Feeds, nothing is going on. They are just farming. I sincerely want to watch all the drama I keep reading about but I don't want to wait until the show to see it. As far as I can tell, you can't flashback to any time or day, just 30 minutes back. Is it going to be necessary to keep the Live Feeds on all day just to see the action?

Edited September 6, 2014 by corgi shieldmaiden

[Zahdii]

Day 8    9/5/2014

 

By 6:30 Amanda is up and feeding the chickens. 

 

Just after 7, Red is up and complaining about whatever.  I don't think people really listen anymore, unless he's introducing a new topic of complaint.

 

Red's trying to get Amanda to join he and Dave's Utopian State of Freedom - again.

 

By 8:30 everyone except Mike and Aaron are up.  I had a nice rant about how Aaron should do the only job he ever does, which is cook, then I remembered that he passed out last night due to severe dehydration and constipation.  He's in no shape to cook.  Maybe someone else can cook up some grits or oatmeal.

 

By 9, Bella is in the garden wearing a sunhat and a bikini, and bossing her crew around.  She's quite snippy this morning.  (Speculation is that Bella is still angry of Nikkie giving Josh a private yoga lesson last night.  Nothing came of it, but Bella's decided that Josh is hers - no poaching, Nikkie).   Nikkie is part of the garden crew, and she asks Dave to come help.  Dave is NOT happy.  I predict he'll be a poor worker and either just walk off or get in a fight so he can storm off.

 

Mike's talking about getting a cat, because there are mice in the barn.

 

9:30 AM
Mike lets Red call to order the fridge and stove.  (Mike hopes that by giving Red something to do he'll feel more like a part of the group and be less obstreperous.  Don't think that's possible.)  Red's talking too much to be a good negotiator, but ends up with a bigger fridge than discussed earlier.  The appliance delivery will be tomorrow between 10 AM and 1 PM.

 

It's almost 10, and it's finally time for breakfast.  Amanda must have cooked, because she's offering oatmeal and handing out USF banana's.  Aaron shows up and is in such pain he can't stand upright.  Time to get him to the ER, what's taking so long?

 

The Utopians discuss the two new arrivals expected in a couple of hours.  Two women, Kristen and Rhonda, will arrive.  They will stay for 2 or 3 days, then viewers (or maybe it's just the feesters that are paying the monthly fee) get to vote on who stays.

 

If you'd like to learn more about them:

 

http://www.utopiatv.com/participant/detail/33/kristen

Kristen, 23, in a relationship.  Just got out of college

 

http://www.utopiatv.com/participant/detail/32/Rhonda

 

Rhonda, 48, married with one child.  Considers herself to be responsible in large part for the Tea Party movement in Southern California.

 

These women come in with an advantage in that they've seen the live feeds and have a better idea of what's ahead of them than the original Utopians had.

 

Red says he's going to start his own garden using seeds that were found in the barn.  Oh, and some pot, too.  Bella's insecurities flare up and she wants to tell him where he can and can't plant.  Soon she'll be making excuses for him not to be allowed to plant anything.  I bet she's terrified his garden will work out better than hers.

 

Purchase of a computer is discussed.  From the sound of it, they're pretty much being forced to buy a Mac tablet for $1000.  No other options available.  (I sense product placement here.)  Will the Utopians be forced to discuss on camera how great this new overpriced tablet is?

 

After all the recent purchases, the group has $1300 left - they'd have $900 more if Red and Dave hadn't stolen that money.  Mike keeps mentioning how much money R&D took, he's trying to get them to do a little math and realize that R&D took way more than their 1/15th each.  (They'd have even less per person if they consider that over the course of the year 12 more people are going to join the group as 12 of their own are voted out or quit.)

 

As usual, the group talks over each other and nothing is getting done.  The worst offender is Bella, who can only think of her stupid garden.  She is constantly interrupting, but has a fit if she's interrupted.  How has this woman survived to the age of 45?

 

Just after 11 the newbies arrive.  Rhonda is immediately front and center, forceful.  I get a bossy vibe off her.  Kristen fades into the background. 

 

Rhonda takes a tour of the area, listing her areas of expertise as she goes.  She's trying hard to become indispensable, but she's trying too hard.  I see some people already giving her the side eye.

 

After the initial meet and greet, Red approaches Rhonda to join USF.  He talks about how they eat better, and it'll only cost her $50 to join.  Yep, Red actually thinks that people would pay for his company.

 

Bella finally meets the newcomers.  She's very passive aggressive, paying more attention to washing her feet than the newbies.  She compliments Kristen's hair color and it's obvious that she's pissed that not only are two new women here (she's gotta get Josh tied up and stashed away pronto now), these interlopers are also blond.  Bella's Utopia doesn't include other blond women.

 

Dave tries to be nice to the newbies, but he just comes off as creepy.  He tries to set their minds at ease by saying his idea of Utopia is "just eating prison food."  I see this guy committing some kind of crime very soon so he can get back to jail.  I just hope he doesn't hurt someone doing it.

 

Now I wonder if Dave had a different motive for stealing the money than Red did.  Red is greedy, he wants his share, then he wants some of everyone else's share, and anything that's left over.  I wonder if Dave just wanted to get arrested.  burglery, resisting arrest, assaulting a police officer.  Yeah, that could do it.  As he already has a lengthy prison record he could get some decent time back in home sweet cell.

 

Bri gets Rhonda aside and warns her to stay away from Red and Dave.

 

In typical Bella fashion, she's decided she wants to be besties with Rhonda and is following her around hoping for more one on one time with her.  Maybe she's thinking of gaining an ally by luring in someone who hasn't already had to live with her for a whole week.

 

I smell production interference.  Red and Dave just returned $500 to the group for their share of the stove, fridge, computer, and the extra they took.

 

Kristen is making enemies of Dave, Red, and surprisingly Amanda for her "No Work, No Eat" stance.

 

Josh is giving Nikkie a foot massage.  What would Bella think?

 

5:30 PM
The toilet and some plumbing supplies have arrived.

 

The Utopians are already forming opinions about the newbies.  Most of the guys want Kristen to stay because she's more of a follower and has a good social game.

 

Rhonda might be a better choice if she can back up her many stated skills, but she's coming off as abrasive already, at least to some.

The Utopians have decided that they're going to throw a party to raise money.  Chris has already talked to a party planner (Scott).  Red spreads the news (trying to make it seem like he's contributing).  Chris will talk with Scott again on Monday.

 

Red is on a rant (shocker!)  He was fine donating his bananas earlier, but now that another food delivery is on the way he wants them back.  Probably with interest.

 

As usual, Red's found something to complain about and he's going from person to person complaining.  Now it's about how he can't eat gluten.  Red doesn't know what gluten is, as he eats it all day long.  Cookies, chips, white bread, ramen.  He's been eating that crap ever since he got his grocery shipment, but the loss of a bunch of bananas is somehow going to kill him.  I think he's realized how fast he and Dave are going through their private groceries and are angling to get access to everyone else's groceries.  Maybe he shouldn't have stolen money, bought his own food, and declared they're separate from everyone else.  Yet this ass still shows up for the other meals with everyone else.  Does he think no one noticed?

 

Aaron must have pooped.  He's looking better and is preparing dinner.  He actually soaked the dried beans overnight, but only because Josh told him he'd have to.

 

The latest food delivery has arrived.  Their bananas have been replaced, but there's a problem.  They said they donated six large bananas, but in return got only got four small bananas.  Not good enough.

 

Amanda tries to negotiate, but she's been looking pretty tired and worn out today, so I don't think she's feeling well.  For once she can't tolerate the drama and loses her patience.  Dave unleashes his inner asshole and insults Amanda and she's done.

 

It's pretty obvious that the problem is that Dave and Red have lost some of their leverage over everyone else.  Last night they had a lot of food, including meat that needed to be ate ASAP due to a lack of available refrigeration.  So they cooked hamburgers and offered them to the others to curry favor.  They happily donated a bunch of bananas to breakfast (which they ate along with everyone else).

 

Josh and Mike couldn't take the chance that people would abandon original Utopia for the USF and placed a large order of food today.  They also gave everyone (except Red and Dave, because they want their food kept separate) $10 to buy whatever goodies they wanted for their own personal use.  When that large food delivery arrived and everyone was walking off with their own goodies, Red and Dave realized they've eaten and given away a lot of their own food and the fight was on!

 

After running off Amanda, Dave and Red tried to calm down, but they just couldn't do it.  Then Red overheard Hex say at dinner that she wanted a boyfriend and Red commented that she needed one "So he could beat your ass up!"

 

Hex is just sitting there eating her dinner and giving Red insults back and he's furious!  Too bad Red isn't quick minded or imaginative at all, he's not able to come back with any real good insults, so he keeps recycling the old ones.  He's losing ground fast.  And Hex just keeps sitting there and eating.

 

Dave jumps into the fray.  He's completely nuts.  He's insulting everyone there.  He's using the N word on them.  He's almost incoherent in his rage, but he gets enough out to let everyone know where he stands. 

 

Even Red seems surprised, he's trying to calm Dave down.  Don't you tell Dave to calm down, Red.  You started this little war and unleashed the beast and now you're reaping what you sowed.  Dave is threatening to quit for the millionth time.  Do it Dave!  You show them!

 

Dave stormed off and began pounding on the gate that leads to the production area.  He's screaming to be let out, but so far the gate stays locked.

 

Dave has dumped his mic pack and returned to the barn.  He packed up his stuff, found that the others had bought a chess set for him (remember how bad he wanted one?), and threw the chess set on the table.  He returns to the gate and starts screaming to be let out again.

 

Production calls the group to come to the gate and for some reason.  They go, and then return.  Hex and Josh (or Rob or Mike) stay behind to watch Dave leave.  Dave is able to open the gate and is now gone.  There's brief footage of him sitting on his box outside the gate.

 

There's a 38 minute Youtube that explains this so much better than I ever could have:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prMnzsfwKbI

 

Red's turn to go ballistic.  He's pretty much threatening everyone there, saying that his fans (?) will take care of all of them when they get out of there.

 

Red talks to Pastor Jon and says he's going to 'bounce' tomorrow.  Wants to know if Jon will leave with him.  Jon says no, he's staying.

 

Red corners Kristen, says the others are all sneaky thieves.

 

Dave can be heard yelling outside the gate.  Kristen says that she heard Production trying to convince Dave to stay.

 

Amanda says that if Dave stays she's going to start carrying a weapon.  I think she feels that because she was Dave's friend for the first week and then turned on him, he'll hate her more than the others because Dave never seemed to feel like anyone other than Amanda and Red was his friend.

 

Preacher Jon is lamenting the loss of Dave.  He felt that he was so close to 'saving' Dave and now this.  I guess he didn't know that Dave considered himself a sort-of Muslim.

 

Many in the group have decided that Dave is probably bi-polar and needs treatment elsewhere.  Bi-polar, that's the new buzzword these days.  I'd hope that with the amount of time Dave spent in prison if he were bi-polar he'd have been diagnosed and treated.  I don't know.

 

Red points out to Mike that there's an ambulance outside on the road.  No idea if it has anything to do with Dave, though.

 

Jon says something to the effect of "Dave's the type of person who takes their own life."  He's also the one who first brought up the bi-polar idea regarding Dave.  Shut it, Preacher.  While these things may or may not be true, unless you have the training and experience to diagnose such things, just don't talk about it anymore.

 

Red is claiming that when he tried to quit, Production got him back by asking him to befriend Dave and keep him in Utopia.  Considering Red's influence was so detrimental to Dave, I certainly hope that's not the case.

 

Now Red says he's also supposed to keep an eye on Preacher Jon.  I'm getting a strong sense of CYA from Red.

 

Red's claiming that Dave damaged the lock on the gate trying to get out.

 

Hex is spending time with Red, letting him vent to her.  I don't know why, unless it's guilt over Dave leaving.  Red's paranoia is really obvious now.  He's talking about friends and fans (again? where are these people?) who will be very angry if he's voted out.  He also thinks that he's a victim of the people who don't want cannabis to be legalized.  Hex is telling Red how much they all love him.  Really?  How did you get that idea?  This isn't Big Brother, you don't need his vote after he's kicked out.

 

Dede decides to take everyone's mind of the recent troubles by belly dancing.  She's pretty good.  Preacher Jon runs away.  Keep dancing, Dedecker.

 

Red's already trying to claim Dave's share of the 'liberated' money, which is back in the safe.  He's shut down, but I know he'll keep trying.

 

Josh is definitely interested in Nikkie.  He's already given her a foot massage, now he's offering her some candy.  And earlier he asked her if she wanted to 'screw'.  Such a romantic, our Josh.  Bella's already jealous of Nikkie, and suspicious of her and Josh.  When she finally realizes that Josh is more into Nikkie there will be hell to pay.

 

By 10:30, some of the group are outside playing a game.

 

By 11:00, people are seeking their beds.  Mike and Dede are in the hammock cuddling.  Mike is stroking her thigh.

 

That's it for now.  It sounds like Dave won't be back.  We can hope.  This show was way too much for him to handle.

[Turtle]

corgi shieldmaiden, on the Utopia app, they put together clips of highlights from the previous days that you can watch, but there isn't an actual flashback feature.  Not yet, anyway; I'm hoping they add one.  ​For now, though, the Utopians tend to go craziest at night, although a lot of times there is something weird going on.  I paid the $5 to see all 4 feeds, and more often than not I can find something to watch for a few minutes at least.  But it is different than BB, because they have actual stuff to do instead of just sitting around all day talking about strategy or whatever.  

[Zahdii]

9/6/2014

 

Around 7:00 AM
One of the newbies, (Kristin?) trying to start the fire, she's having a hard time of it.  In a groundbreaking moment, Red is up and helping her.  He's also trying to drum up support for him and Dave.  I wonder if he knows that Dave's out for good.  He's not doing a very good job of it, he's not subtle at all, and Kristin keeps diverting his attention with questions about the fire, life in Utopia in general, etc.

 

Eventually she finds an excuse to leave, saying she's going to go get something, and leaves Red to expend all his hot air on blowing on the coals.

 

Meanwhile the other newbie, pretty sure it's Rhonda, is in the barn with Bri.  Rhonda's asking questions about how the animals are cared for and such, she shovels some manure, helps move the cows out of their pen to the milking spot a few feet away. 

 

For two people who both claim to be knowledgeable about livestock, they're sure making a production out of getting a couple of cows to walk ten feet.  It would help if they had halters on the cows.  Surely the cows have halters?  Or how about a rope?  I can't be the only person on the planet to know how to make a temporary halter from a rope.  (Googled, I'm not the only one:

)

 

By 8:30 most everyone is up.

Josh is trying to install the plumbing, but he says he has the wrong parts and wants to call the plumber.  Since they're not allowed to make calls on weekends he plans to talk to the producers and see if they'll make an exception.

 

It's just past 9, and we still don't see a lot of people up.  Rhonda is stringing a new clothesline and Red is talking to Jon about how his whiskey got stolen (this is the same guy that later says that he hasn't drank in years because of poor health.)  Josh and Rob are working on the plumbing.

 

9:30
For some reason Red has climbed onto the roof of the barn.  Production calling for him to come down.  I can only shake my head and wander off.  Someone else will have to deal with it.  Red goes to Production and returns later.  He's much calmer <xanax!>, and mentions that he wants Pastor Jon to baptize him later today.  Whatever.  Now he can spend the day in quiet contemplation (aka no work) until then.  If he plays his cards right, he can delay the baptism for a week or two, contemplating the whole time.

 

Typically, Bella has now decided that the evil tractor should be used to till the garden.  Before she was so obsessed with all the damage a tractor could do she was hysterical.  Now, she's on board with all that.  Too bad Red broke the tractor trying to siphon gas out of it.  It can be fixed, but they won't be able to order replacement parts until Monday.

 

Nikkie's again working on the garden while Bella "supervises."  I wonder at her level of self control while trying to get anything done while Bella's around.  Rhonda's there too, and she's already obviously annoyed with Bella's behavior.

 

Bella stalks off to go find Josh, then tries to play cute southern belle to him.  I think Josh likes looking at her, he might be happy that because she's crushing on him she never yells at him, he might even be thinking of some casual sex.  There's no way in h*** he's interested in a real relationship with her or her hoped-for baby.

 

Just after 10, everyone's eating breakfast, and Bella is complaining that people need to pitch in instead of sitting in the shade.  So funny since Bella does almost no work herself.

 

After breakfast, Kristen says she's going to work in the garden.  Hex and Chris tease her by wishing her luck.

 

A conversation between Dedecker and Hex informs us that the Utopians get to send one whole letter per month.  Hex is worried about her family being embarrassed about her behavior on the first night.  She also says that they didn't know she was an athiest, so they're going to find that out on TV (if the show shows that).  Maybe they already know if they've got the live feeds.

 

Just before 11, we see Red rolling a lot of ciggies.  Chris asks him how many he's rolled so far.  Red says 16.

 

About the same time, the appliances are delivered.

 

Rhonda put some rocks in the wrong spot (all of Bella's little garden circles have to be lined with rocks - she probably thinks it's a circle of protection from insects or something stupid.)  In her inimitable way, Bella overreacted and tried to 'correct' the errant Rhonda.  This was after Bella tried to tell Rhonda the correct way to pick up the rocks.  Seriously, these stupid rocks weigh at most a pound each.  Rhonda decided to work elsewhere.  Bella starts laying rocks to outline another garden while Amanda and Kristen water the plants.

 

Rhonda has landed in the barn and is helping Nikkie clean it.  Rhonda makes some comments about how Bri's not handling her barn duties right.  She's also saying that Bella's idea of making multiple compost piles is wrong.  I have to admit, I've never heard of anyone saying that different food scraps and leftover bedding materials all have to be composted separately.  Bella has a bunch of different compost piles going, and each one has a strict list of what can go into them.

 

Meanwhile, Bella's telling Amanda that Rhonda quit because she was corrected about the proper placement of rocks.  Bells says that Rhonda is another Dave, and she doesn't want to go through that again.  Bella is truly a drama queen.

 

Here we go, Bella's off and talking to herself again.  It's like she has 2 different Bella's in there.  She tells herself what needs to be done and then she agrees with herself.  She discusses with herself how to get people to do what she says.  She tells herself to stop being so motherly to them.  Poor Bella, she's really not all there.

 

Pastor Jon is with Kristn and wants to read the Bible with her.  Kristens a new entity here, so I'm not sure if she's really on board with this or just playing along.

 

Josh, Rob and Chris are working on building door to the bathroom.

 

Just after noon, some of the women are making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches while some of the guys are still working on the bathroom door.

 

Dede and Nikkie have been working on the garden, but it's getting hot and they take a break.

 

For some reason Red is napping and Nikkie thinks he might be dehydrated.  She wakes him up and he seems groggy.  She checks his pulse and tells him to cool off and take a nap.  He's probably got the runs after eating all those hotdogs that went unrefrigerated for a couple of days.

 

He also might have threatened to quit, because he says he gets to make a phone call at 2:00.  (I thought they weren't allowed to make calls on weekends?)  He's been complaining about missing his son and wife.  I still marvel that he found someone to breed with.

 

Rhonda talks with Bri about better ways to deal with the animals.  Bri tries to be polite, but she's not happy that her expertise is being questioned.

 

Around 3, the group is told they have mail.  It's a letter, ostensibly written by Dave, in which he apologizes for his behavior and wants to come back.  He blames his behavior on alcohol and also wants to come back to be baptized.  The wording is so different from the way he speaks that I'm pretty sure that the letter was actually written by Production.

 

I now suspect Producer shenanigans.  Dave goes to Production and comes back wanting to be baptized, and now Dave wants to come back and be baptized?

 

Most of the group is against the idea of Dave's return, Rob especially so.

 

Preacher Jon is open to the idea, as are Red and Aaron.  Aaron actually says that Dave was the hardest worker there.  Feedsters explode with cries of "What?  Are you talking about the same Dave we're talking about?  Are you unwell?"

 

The group says that if Dave were to return he'd have to be under medical supervision, I think they meant psychological supervision.  It's still a bad idea, Dave just can't handle the stress of the situation and being around Red makes it worse.

 

It doesn't seem like the group wants to let Dave come back, unless it was just long enough to get baptized.

 

In the end it is agreed that Dave can return for 30 minutes for his baptism, then he's back out the gate.

 

Red is distraught and has another fit.  Something about how Josh is a sexual predator and he gets to stay.  Red thinks that he can bring his wife to Utopia to join him, but he can't do that if a sexual predator is around.  Therefore, Josh is keeping Red away from his wife for a whole year, and that's not fair! 

 

He also says that Josh must have stolen some meds, because one time Josh gave Red a pill to help him sleep.  Josh says he doesn't remember doing that, but several feedsters say that the sleeping pill thing actually happened.  I can't figure it all out.  Did Josh give Red one of his own pills?  If Josh stole pills from another Utopian, I'd expect to have heard that person complaining about it by now.  Maybe it was an over the counter pill, but I'm going to give it up and wait to see if more information comes out later.

 

Now Red has moved on to Rob, calling him a 'little hobbit' and saying that Rob physically threatened him.  (A few days ago when they argued, Rob said he'd put Red into the dirt, then stepped too close to Red and their foreheads touched.)

 

Red winds up with a bout of self-pity where he bemoans the terrible treatment of an old man (he's 42 but looks like he's in his 60's).

 

Rhonda is working with the cows while most of the others are resting in the shade.  I think the men working on the plumbing are still at it.

 

Rhonda and Kristen talk by the waterfall.  They're worried about how the group seems to have no real plans for making money.

 

Bella joins them and Rhonda is upset that she doesn't feel welcome.  She say's that Bri told her they have enough leaders, they need more workers.  She expected people to be helping each other, but they're all at odds instead.  She feels like she's back in high school and Bella says "now you know how I feel."

 

Nikkie, Dede, and Amanda talk about giving yoga classes.  They want the people who won't work gone.  Amanda doesn't mention her plan to take a few months off after the baby is born.

 

The plumbing crew is almost done, they just need one piece, but they don't know if they have it, so they go off to look for it.

 

Red has been told by Production to go the fence, where he finds a letter.  He takes it to the dock to read it.

 

The feeds get pretty screwy, as they have been a lot today.  I never figured out what the letter for Red was about.

 

Aaron isn't cooking dinner tonight, but I don't know who is.  Rhonda, Kristen, and Bella meet again at the waterfall to talk, but there's no sound.

 

Red is cooking himself some potatoes because he says he's malnourished.  Someone had asked Amanda some time ago to start if for him, but she didn't.  She's just sitting close by watching everything.

 

Bella and Nikkie are watering the garden while most of the others are sitting by the fire waiting for supper.

 

Red's threatening to leave (AGAIN), but not until after dinner.  His reasoning is that he can't eat the food that Aaron cooks because Aaron adds spices that Red can't digest.  (But he's staying for dinner anyway.)  Aaron's pissed because after he added ghost peppers to a meal a few days ago, he's stopped adding any spices to the food so the group could add their own spices.  He feels that Red's trying to come up with a way to quit without losing any of his stipend.  (The Utopians seem to be convinced that if they quit they will lose all or some of their stipend, unless they leave for a family emergency or a medical issue that can't be treated in Utopia.)

 

It's around 7 or so, and Rhonda has had her first breakdown.  She's gone off alone and is crying. 

Bri makes a comment about how Rhonda has probably gone off to drown herself in the lake.  Bri's not happy with Rhonda because Rhonda has questioned some of Bri's practices concerning the care of the cows and chickens. 

 

I'm not thrilled with Rhonda, but from what I can tell, Bri has overestimated her ability to properly care for the animals.  Research online seems to indicate that Bri worked as a vet tech in a small animal clinic (mostly cats and dogs), although Bri has completed a two year program in a community college in General Studies, and wants to become a vet.  She's probably read up on a lot of stuff, and worked as much as she could with larger animals, but she is probably in over her head.  She has never claimed to have raised chickens and cows herself, although she seems familiar with goats.  She feels threatened by Rhonda's claim to know more about  chickens and cows.

 

Jon wants a private place to sleep so he won't have to see sleeping women or catch a glimpse of sexy times with other group members.

 

Red is back from meeting with Production.  Yawn, he's still here.

 

Bella was yammering away to Josh and Aaron about gardening, same stuff.  As they walk away they comment that she's just bat shit crazy.  Bella didn't seem to have heard that comment.  What a shame.

Amanda goes to Rhonda, who is across the pond still crying.  Rhonda says that being away from Mark is more difficult than she'd expected.  Don't know if Mark is the husband or son.  She also felt like she wasn't welcomed, her ideas were not considered.  Amanda leaves and gossips to the others about Rhonda's complaints.  They're eating it up because this is entertainment to them.

 

Red is complaining about how Dave ordered all the wrong kinds of food, and so little of it is stuff Red can eat.  (Red was the one who placed the order...)  I think he's trying to keep all the food he and Dave ordered so he can use it to barter with, while insisting that he needs to eat his meals with the rest of the group.

 

Dave's baptism is scheduled for 10:30 tomorrow.  I guess Red managed to put off his own batism so they could do it together.

 

Rhonda has finally rejoined the group, but she's still not fitting in.  She's clearly uncomfortable with them, and trying to 'get in the groove', but they're all too different from her.  She's got to be aware that Kristen's attitude of "you're all great, just tell me what to do" is making a better impression on the original Utopians.

 

After dinner the group is talking about playing some kind of hide and seek game.

 

I get bored and go away for a couple of hours.  When I return, it appears that almost everyone is in bed.  I see Josh, Chris, and Bri sitting around the fire cooking curry.  Bri says it's too spicy, and Chris tells her to add some peanut butter to it to mellow it out.  Do the others know that Chris and Bri are up so late cooking for themselves?  They did that a couple of nights ago, too.  Josh seems to be a new addition to the "eat while the others are asleep" crew.

 

They gossip about the others.  Let's see if I can remember what they said.  Bri wants Rhonda out.  Josh says he knows that Bella wants him, but he's waiting to see if something better comes along.  They make fun of Red and Dave.  Josh is coming off as more like Day 1 Josh than before.  Josh suggests that if Bri and Chris want some alone time for sex they go to the hayloft.

 

And there they go.  Up in the hayloft with bats flying all around them.  I wonder if bat guano is going to contaminate the hay.  Probably not, because I'm sure there were bats in my family's hayloft when I was growing up, and we never had a problem with the animals getting sick.

 

Lol, Josh was wrong about there not being cameras up there.  There are, but the feeds only show Chris and Bri's feet.  And some kind of fake sounding moaning moaning from Bri.

 

Later on they climb out of the loft, and Chris reminds Bri to get the hay out of her hair.  He slaps one of the cows on the butt and they mosey off to bed.  Charming.

Edited September 7, 2014 by Zahdii

[Rick Kitchen]

What is DOR'd?

[Chrissytd]

What is DOR'd?

Drop Out Request, in other words, quitting.

[candall]

WOW, Zahdii, thanks so much for the feed recaps!  (I live in an isolated place, without enough download speed for Youtube, let alone live action.  Netflix?  snort)

 

I was pretty excited about this "experiment."  I loved 1900 House, Pioneer House and Oprah Comes To Visit House.  Of course, depend on FOX to load the deck with jokers--do you think there's any chance the wingnuts will eventually sift out?

 

When the people were first introduced, on the tv broadcast, I had some foolish hopes that Dave would grab the opportunity to forge a new start for himself and that Red would actually prove knowledgeable about all matter of handy earthy things.

 

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. 

 

What was I thinking?  Not to cast aspersions on any particular castmember, ahem, but I will add that 30- and 40-year old toothless people aren't all that uncommon, here in the hinterlands--makes it difficult chomping down on the meth pipe.

[Zahdii]

9/7/2014

 

Regarding speculation that both Rhonda and Kristen will be allowed to stay.  Even though they were brought in to try out to fill the spot left over when Andrea was cut, and Dave has since left, an Executive Producer has tweeted:  "Both Newtopians staying?: Unlikely. We are not big on "twists" - we told them only one would stay and the plan is to stick with that."

 

Regarding today's scheduled Baptism, moved back to 1 PM Pacific Time.

 

Usual morning routine.  By 8 AM Nikkie is meditating, Kristen and Hex are milking the cows, Bella's probably in the garden, and Red and Rhonda are sitting by the fire pit talking about how to start a fire.  Red leaves and Rhonda is left to try to start the fire.

 

Red goes to Pastor Jon and tells him that he (Red) is keeping $10 of his food and donating the rest to the group.  (How nice, since he and Dave stole that money from the group to buy all that junk food.)  I immediately suspect an ulterior motive, and Red delivers.  He has decided that since the refrigerator and stove cost $150 less than originally quoted, he wants to keep half of that amount as a fee for his negotiating services.

 

What really happened was that Nikkie originally spoke to the shop about buying the stove and fridge and a price was agreed on but to place the actual order they had to call back the next day.  When Mike asked Red to make the call, it was with the intention of making Red feel like part of the group, he wasn't expected to make a new deal.  And he really didn't.  When Red called to place the order the manager said that they had gotten in more equipment and he had a bigger refrigerator that was in good shape, but since it was older it cost less.  Red did no actual negotiating, he tried to, but that was because he didn't understand at first what was happening because Red doesn't listen to other people.

 

Feedsters and Utopians will now hear about this ad nauseam, probably resulting in Red getting to keep at least some of the "leftover money" just to shut him up.

 

By 8:30 AM Mike has woken up and Red is right there demanding his 'negotiating fee'.  Mike asks for a few minutes to wake up and get his teeth brushed and then they can talk.  Red senses a delaying tactic and moves into Defcon 1.  He tries a new tactic, he wants the keep the money Dave was forced to leave behind when he quit.

 

8:43
Rhonda's still trying to start the fire.  I think I see her trying to make sparks off a flint, but the camera angle is wrong so I can't be sure.

 

The others are in the barn waiting for the fire so they can start breakfast.

 

Hex or Dede is hanging up laundry, asks Amanda if she just spot cleaned her stuff today.  Can't hear Amanda's reply.  Woman says she'll clean Amanda's laundry the next time she does it.  Amanda says she's not doing anything today.

 

Rhonda is pissed because Josh hasn't gotten to know her yet.  She makes a comment to him about how he hasn't tried to get to know her yet, then asks him if the toilets working yet.  He says not yet, but you can use it if you pour water down it to flush it.  He leaves.

 

Rhonda says that she'll just use the outdoor potty because she doesn't want to mess with man stuff.  She inspects the toilet with Amanda, and makes a couple comments about it.  She says that Josh should get to know her better so she can tell him how awesome he is, I'm pretty sure she just wants to make sure he realizes how awesome she is.  She grabs a wrench, tightens a bolt, said she just fixed the toilet.  Amanda praises her.  Rhonda says not to let Josh know what she did.  Amanda says OK.  I suspect that the new Amanda we've been seeing will make sure that the proper people know everything Rhonda has said and done, and this information will be revealed at a time when Amanda stands to benefit in some way.  She's a lot sneakier than I thought.

 

Rhonda starts in again about Josh.  "I like him, but he's just too intense.  I want you to go talk to him.  He's just too intense."

 

9:25  Rhonda talks to Rob.  She's felt unwelcome from the beginning.  No one wants to get to know her.  She has so much to share.  Rob tells her they've worked hard and they need someone with 'healing bright energy' and so on.  He's trying to let her know that coming in and pointing out what's wrong and stating outright that she knows what needs to be done, etc, is having a negative effect on the group.  She's getting emotional, but still stands by her attitude.  If she acted any way else she'd be a doormat and she's not going to be a doormat.  This is pretty much her mantra.  "I won't be a doormat."

 

Red's making the rounds, complaining about not getting his negotiating fee and his share of Dave's money.  No one cares.

 

Kristen is hauling a large tub of water with Mike.  She's talking about how tired she is.  She makes him stop so they can rest.  She tells him about her past work history, about working for a firm and then starting her own business.  He says he wants to start his own online tabloid.  Kristen loves that idea.  They pick up the container and dump it into a big barrel.

 

Rhonda's in the chicken coop talking to Bella.  Rhonda just loves Bella, but has a problem with her.  She doesn't listen, but she over talks people.  (lol, Rhonda is the same way, and she just can't see it because she refuses to be a doormat.)  Amanda and Rhonda pretty much talk about Bella while pretending that they really like her.  Amanda keeps calling her weird.  Amanda even has a problem with how Bella showers.  She says she told Bella to shower and Bella said she does it every other day, but she does it with wipes. 

 

Amanda is being so bitchy right now!  Her tactic of agreeing with whomever she's speaking to, always taking the side of the underdog to appear supportive and fair, coupled with her increasingly obvious slamming of others behind their backs is starting to emerge.  Too bad the Utopians don't actually talk to each other enough to actually compare notes and realize what's up.  She and Tea Party Rhonda are a good fit.  It'll be interesting to see if Amanda votes with the majority when it comes time to vote Rhonda out.

 

Rhonda, on the other hand, is so obviously in love with herself she doesn't see what's happening.  She's found someone who agrees with her about how she's the best at everything.  Her whole attitude turns me off.  She finds out from Amanda that the chicken taxi was made to taxi the chickens to the garden area to 'till the ground'.  She rolls her eyes.  (OK so do I.)  Rhonda says that "her Utopia" doesn't include people who won't listen and grow, change, whatever.  Of course Amanda agrees.

 

Just after 1:30 Dave arrives and rings the bell.  Jon greets him at the gate.  Within minutes Red is telling Dave that "them's eatin' all yur chicken in a can".  Jon shuts Red down immediately.

 

Everyone goes to the baptism.  Pastor Jon starts with a sermon.  Proving how much this means to him, Dave keeps whispering to Red.  As things proceed, Dave gets quiet.  When he has the opportunity to talk, he sounds sorry for what happened.  He wants to return.

 

When it's over, the group gives Dave hugs, murmur encouragement or well wishes, and walk away.  A few of them seem upset and a couple have tears.  I think he's figured out they won't invite him back.

 

I think Red forgot how just yesterday he wanted to be baptized, because he's sure not stepping forward now.

 

Amanda's going around asking everyone if they have any ideas for how to make money.  She's big on the idea of taking found objects and making jewelry out of it.

 

Nikkie has her yoga classes and wants to have some kind of retreat thing where people come for a few hours to meditate, do yoga, wander around and end up eating a healthy organic vegan meal.  Obviously the meal part is a bad idea.  I have no idea of how Utopia could get a food preparer's permit under their current conditions, and they'd have to buy organic food because they haven't grown so much as an alfalfa sprout yet.  The yoga is doable right now as long as the weather holds.

 

Rhonda wants to keep bees, or get local bee farmers to put their beehives there and get some of the honey and make stuff from the honey and beeswax.

 

Red says to buy some hemp twine and sell twine bracelets. 

 

Feeds switch. 

 

I get to see Mike playing chess with Aaron.  Mike says he can't stop thinking about Hex.  Mike's also mad at Polyamorous Dede because he says she asked Bri to share Chris with her.  They get into a nice gossip session and almost no one is spared.  At one point Red comes over and watches the game.  He talks a bit but Mike and Aaron only grunt or give short one word answers as they stare intently at the board.  Red wanders off, and Mike and Aaron giggle at how they got him to leave.  They use this technique every time someone comes close by.

 

Just before 4:  Big excitement.  Someone's coming to the gate!  They call to each other and several of them run to the gate.  Mike seems certain that it's a present for Dede because it's her birthday today, so he tries to get her to open the gate naked.  (Is he trying to embarrass her?)  Dede won't get undressed, she has better standards than flashing the UPS man, unless he's watching the feeds.  

 

When the gate is opened it's a man to see Nikkie.  It's her dentist!  She chipped a tooth and he's here to check on it and to do an adjustment or something on her retainer.  He's pretty cute, so Dede and Hex joke about telling him they also have sudden teeth problems that need to be looked into..

 

Later on, Dede gets mail, some birthday cards and a letter from her mom.

 

They got the toilet fixed so flushing is done the normal way.  I hope they have a septic tank big enough for all those people.

 

A group conversation starts about Dave.  Same old stuff.  The few who liked him, still liked him.  The ones who really didn't like him still feel the same.  The middle of the roaders say a few nice things about him then agree that it was better for him to go.  And Amanda was back on the side of Dave.  Red is saying that if this is a place where he can't hit someone in the face he doesn't want to be here.  Yawn.

 

About 8:30 PM dinner is served.  Tonight is chicken chili and fried fish made by Josh and Chris.  For dessert, a cheesecake, made from a mix, in honor of Dede's birthday.

 

Time for a meeting about finances.  Amanda leads.  Presentation of money making ideas.  In addition to previously discussed, Bella wants to auction off a date with the Utopian of your choice, and hold garden seminars.  I laugh.  People might want an hour with her for the snark value, but I wouldn't ask her the simplest question about gardening or chicken tending.  She also wants people to be able to come spread the ashes of their loved ones or pets at Utopia.  What fun!  Nothing creepy about that at all.

 

Chris wants to give guitar lessons.  Hex could give bow lessons.  Red could give pot lessons.  Chris is a glassblower, he could make pot pipes to sell.  (I'd prefer a nice vase, myself.)  Aaron wants to hold fitness classes.

 

It looks like Nikkie's yoga classes and Aaron's fitness classes are getting the most love.  Easy to put on and no outward expense necessary, except advertising.  Fox will take care of liability and making sure the waivers to be shown on TV are signed.

 

Meeting over, but Bella has another surprise for Amanda.  She wants to introduce compost piles featuring human waste.  I bet those carrots will taste amazing!  Amanda not impressed.

 

Mike has been informed that Chris isn't done with Bri yet, so Mike has forgiven Dede for wanting to share Chris with Bri.  Mike has forgiven Dede to the extent that they're kissing...a lot.  Things have progressed to the point that there are no longer any feeds on them.

 

Everyone asleep or off feeds by midnight.

 

2:20 AM
Everyone up and on the dock.  Firemen and police are there.  It seems that a fire alarm or a carbon monoxide detector went off and everyone was evacuated.  The problem seems to be in the loft.  Everything is checked out and there seems to be no problem except the Utopians are advised to keep the door open tonight.  (I got this info from people in the Santa Clarita area who were listening to the local police and fire channels.)

Edited September 8, 2014 by Zahdii

[ProfCrash]

Thanks for the recaps. They make me smile and giggle.

[ProfCrash]

A question on the live feeds, I am assuming that the rule is no live feed mentions in the episode threads and acting that way in my posts. I am wondering if that is the case since this is not really a competition and what is happening on the live feeds doesn't really spoil people regarding any thing, well, important?

 

I can see why the threads would be separate, episodes are pretty specific in covering a certain number of days, but is it ok to discuss stuff from the live feeds or live feed recaps as it fits into the episode. So if something is handled in a wonky way on the show, the live feeds can be referenced to bring more context to the discussion.

 

Just asking for clarification so that my posts stay were they are suppose to.

[Whimsy]

Since the live feeds are happening daily and the shows are edited and put together afterwards, yes anything in the live-feeds are considered spoiler until they air on Fox.

 

Once it airs, you can bring stuff from the live-feed over into the discussion. 

[ProfCrash]

Thanks for the clarification.

[candall]

Oh, goody, another installment!

 

I'm willing to Paypal my share of the feed money.  : )

 

I watched Big Brother this summer for the first time ever and I fast-forwarded, a lot.  Buncha shallow whiney juveniles. . .but I hear this was a bad season.  On the other hand, I'm a big Survivor fan.  One of the very good players once said that every night he would figure out the best strategy for each of the other people and then he'd adjust his moves accordingly.  Gamesmanship!

 

I don't think these people are consciously strategizing a social game like that yet, but it will be interesting to see that side of it develop--as it surely must.  The ol' "talking stick" system just isn't working to bring about the mutual respect and cooperation one would hope to see in utopian society.  Har.

 

I wonder if Talking Head interviews will be implemented or Bizarro will be the permanent Greek chorus?

[Zahdii]

9/8/2014

 

Note:  Not sure why they're waiting so long, but today's hunting session has been pushed back to Thursday.

 

It's 7:00 AM
A light rain is falling and nothing is moving except the cows.  Possibly last nights excitement with the carbon monoxide detector going off has everyone tired this morning.  Hex was supposed to go hunting this morning for deer, but I guess that's not happening.

 

By 8:00 Rhonda is up and tending to the cows and the chickens.

 

Not long after, Mike and Dede are under the blankets and awake.  Very awake.  They're doing mutual masturbation together.  After that's done, Mike tells Polyamorous Dede that he has a girlfriend back home.  Dede asks him if he discussed having another relationship in Utopia, and he says that he did, and asked the outside girlfriend to only date good looking people.  They're good with that.  No worries.

 

By 9:00 Rhonda is trying to start the fire again.  She's still having issues with it, so Red takes over.  Take note, I bet this is the only thing he does all day.  Meanwhile, Dede is up.  So are Mike and Rob, who start filling in the trench that was dug for the electrical line.

Rhonda, Amanda and Red talking around the fire about fire alarm last night.  Red's ranting about wanting to know just what happened, even though it was explained to them by the firemen.  He's paranoid.  He probably thinks the anti-canabis league is trying to off him.

Aaron is placing another food order.  Josh and Rob also make calls for prices on a circular saw and garden hoses.  These people have got to stop spending money and start making it.

 

Nikki is calling a landscaper to set up a consult for irrigation systems to cover the gardens.  She wants wants a pro setup instead of using the hoses they already have.  I think the silly little circular gardens Bella is insisting on are too far away from the reach of thier existing hoses so they have to haul water to a barrel set near the 'gardens' and water the plants by hand.

 

Aaron and Mike are dissing Bella's plans for a human composting toilet.  They make fun of how Bella panicked last night when the alarm went off.

 

Nikkie asks Bella for help planting seeds.  Since this wasn't Bella's idea, she gets passive aggressive.  She says she'll help in a bit.  Nikkie says they're running out of time and Bella just keeps mixing up her Tang while saying "OK, sugah"  Nikkie leaves.  Bella goes back to bed and tells Red "They don't know what we need." and sighs.

 

Making phone calls must have been too taxing for Aaron, he's announced he's not cooking breakfast.  The others start boiling water for oatmeal, grits, or Ramen.

 

Nikkie and Rhonda are talking about the division of funds.  Rhonda points out that Red still has extra cash from when he and Dave robbed the safe and says that "one person" is very selfish and is preventing the group from feeling like a community.  Nikkie responds that there are a lot of selfish people, not just Red.  Then she torpedoes her own statement by saying that it was impossible to stop Dave and Red when they formed the Utopian State of Freedom because they were threatening the food supply and even crushed some of the canned food. 

 

Rhonda states that if she'd been there that wouldn't have happened.  She might be right.  Dave and Red consistently backed down when confronted by someone who would stand up to them.  In my opinion, the only reason the Utopians don't do it more now is because they know that they'd have to listen to constant whining and complaining and have to worry about sabotage.  I also suspect that people are starting to develop a feeling of having an alliance with the core group and are resistant to 'outsiders' trying to enter.  It's kind of like the devil you know versus the devil you don't know.

 

Red throws a fit and goes back to bed because the cooking water was too dirty to be used and had to be dumped out.  He now wants a microwave so when he wants hot water he doesn't have to wait for it to be boiled over the fire.

 

Bella makes a call about getting a reverse osmosis water filter.  She's adament that whomever she's calling never talk to Josh, because he knows nothing.  The supplier should only talk to her.

 

About 11:30, Bella hears Aaron, Mike, and Rob talking about how Red wants a microwave so he can more easily cook his Ramen.  Bella goes ballistic!  She jumps in and says there is now way there will be a microwave in (herUtopia!  Microwaves cause cancer!  She knows, because she's cured people of cancer, and the first thing to do is get rid of their microwave ovens!  (Why isn't she working in cancer research instead of realty?  Oh yeah, because Bella is nuts.)

 

Rob says they're going to put it to a vote.  Bella threatens to leave if they bring a microwave into her Utopia.

 

Mike says they'll have a meeting later to discuss it, but soon Dede, Hex, Kristen, and Nikkie join the debate.  Hex says that they should give Bella's opion more respect because when they openly laugh at her it's like bullying.

 

Bella storms off to find Kristen and Amanda.  Complains about being interrupted when she was just trying to save their lives over the dreaded microwave.  (SheNEVER interrupts!) while presenting her perfectly logical (Bella is unfamiliar with logic) argument about how the group can't get a microwave because microwaves cause cancer.  Bella knows this because she's cured people of cancer by switching them to non-fluoridated water and taking away their microwaves.  She even predicts that Amanda will lose her baby if she gets near it.  She's never fought for anything in Utopia, but she's fighting here because she's trying to prevent people from dying!

Kristen listens and encourages Bella, respects her passion, etc.

 

Bella goes back to the barn and sits alone in a corner stirring peanut butter then sloooowly licking it off the spoon.  She does this in this wierdly precise and overly fluid way.  I think she thinks she's being very seductive.  I think all the drama and conflict makes Bella horny.

 

Red is whining about starving, while eating a can of Vienna sausages.  I think all the drama and conflict makes Red hungry. 

 

Now we know why both of them are always causing drama and conflict!

 

Pastor Jon is saying that now that he's performed a baptism, he believes his job is done and is thinking about going home.

 

Bella's whining to Nikkie:  "I know how to handle my emotions and I share in a loving, respectful way."  Wonders why she doesn't get treated the same way.  Nikkie does NOT burst into laughter or damage her eyes with a huge eye roll.

 

Bri makes a phone call to find a rooster.  She'd also like to get a cat, although Amanda will have a fit over that.  Amanda believes cats have no business being near pregnant women or babies.  (I think that Amanda's going overboard on the dangers of a cat, but I also would advise not getting one because of the predators in the area.  In addition to the Bobcat, owls are also very good at hunting down cats - I sadly know this to be true.)

 

Just after noon, Bri gets called back.  The rooster guy will come by tomorrow between 4 and 5.

 

Bella finds that Rhonda is planting strawberries and says she's doing it all wrong.  Rhonda has had enough and says that she's not going to be micromanaged by Bella, then leaves.  Bella also leaves, probably to consult her inner Bella about her crappy day.  Rhonda sees that Bella's gone, and returns to finish planting strawberries.  Bella sees that Rhonda is back in the garden and comes back to argue again.  Rhonda leaves again and goes to the cow barn.  Bella follows her, talking over and over again about how Rhonda is doing things wrong and how Bella is right.  Rhonda lasts an astounding ten minutes and totally shuts Bella down.  Bella retaliates by saying that Rhonda is banned from the garden for all eternity because she can't take instruction.

 

Nikkie's holding a meeting with Amanda, Bri, Chris, and Red.  She's trying to drum up support to bring Dave back.  She seems to think that if enough people ask for it, Production will do it.  I don't see the point.  If Dave were to return he'd just go right back to haning out with Red all day and letting Red get him worked up about anything and everything.  Meeting breaks up with nothing accomplished.

 

Amanda is talking to Bella, telling her that she doesn't micromanage!  She's also saying some stuff about Rhonda that isn't really true.  <sigh>  I used to like Amanda, but she's turning out to be very fake, and a s*** stirrer.

 

I'm starting to think that they need to keep Rhonda.  She gardens better than Bella, and since Bri finally got Chris into the sack she's ignoring the barn animals.  If Rhonda leaves, who will take care of them?  It turns out that Production has a vet on call, but he/she isn't going to be there 24/7 to take care of the chickens and cows.

 

Speaking of Bri, she and Chris are eating together and Bri is feeding Chris from a spoon!

 

Nikkie's going around trying to drum up support for bringing Dave back.  She thinks she can heal his tortured soul by yoga, meditation, love, and tree hugging.  For real.  In Nikkie's world, the sky is a sparkly rainbow, unicorns exist, and wars are prevented by the calming influence of hugging a tree.  It's a proven technique in her world.

 

It's Monday, and there's another Goddess Circle coming up.  Bri and Chris are making out like she's going off to war.  He's fondling her butt and realizes she's not wearing underware.  He's very excited and tells her to hurry back.  Kristen is making pomegranate juice for the Circle.  I'm just going to say right now that the Goddess Circle is a waste of time.  They talk, they bond, they complain, and it ends with Dede teaching them some basic bellydancing moves.  Moving on...

 

Mike and Nikkie are laying in the hammock.  She brings up bringing back Dave, and he's not interested.

 

This is hilarious.  Bella catches Kristen spraying bug spray and Bella immediately claims that her throats closing up, she can't breathe she's going to die.  She does, however, have enough breath to say they'll all die if the spraying doesn't stop right now.  There's no bug spray in Bella's Utopia, y'all!  The problem is, that they've been using bug spray for days.

 

Outside, away from the bug spray drama, Rob is saying he'd want a DNA test to make sure that Hex is really a girl.  Mike is mystified.  He says that he doesn't understand why anyone would say that because Hex is HOT.

 

Around 5, Jon is outside the gate ringing the bell to be let in.  I never saw him leave!  After he's let in, he tells the group that he may need another operation on his thumb, and if that happens, he'll be leaving for good due to the potential for infection if he stay's in Utopia.

 

Josh ordered a circular saw because the guys want kitchen cabinets.  Because he didn't consult everyone when he did it, most of the women are upset.  Bella's not, because it was Josh who did it. 

 

Bella also said that Production told her that the Chicken Tractor had to be fixed, so Josh ordered the parts for that, too.

 

Later, Dede and Mike work together to make a sail for the boat.  It works, Jon christens the boat, and they get the boat in the pond with the help of Hex and Rob.

 

Rhonda and Bella meet in the garden for a talk, but the audio is cut so we can't hear what they're saying.  Anyway, they're smiling at each other, in a fake kind of way.

 

Dave finally cooked.  He made some pretty sorry looking pizzas.  I can see why he was voted off Master Chef before actually making it on the show.

 

Bella's off talking to herself again, and the audio cuts off.  Production needs to get with the program.  I want to know what Bella is saying to Bella.  (There's at least two Bella's living in that body, sometimes it sounds like there might be a third Bella in there.  It makes sense that Bella's other half is named Bella, because she named her cat Bella too.)

 

Tea Party Rhonda is telling Kristen about how she's a big deal in the Party.  She says that her reason for being on the show is to change how people view the Party.  She says she doesn't want the others to know until she's been voted in (but she's already told some of the others about it)  BTW, according to her, the Tea Party really doesn't care about things like gay marriage.  I just went WTF?

Rhonda says she wants to be baptized tomorrow.

 

Bella is going to bed and it's only 9:30 PM.  She must have worn herself out with all the drama today.  Anyway, she says she has to sleep outside for the next couple of days due to the use of Bug Spray in the Barn.

 

Mike, Rob, Dede, and Hex are having a chat.  They're slamming Bella hard.

 

Bri and Chris have discovered that there are more lights and cameras in the loft, and that the haybales they moved to provide a block to the camera that was there before have been moved.  They are sure that the goal is to make them have sex on camera.  Bri wonders if the viewers really have all that much interest in watching them have sex.  (Well, not me, but I can't speak for anyone else.)  She's also complained that Production keeps putting off on providing her with an IUD.

 

Meh, they go for it anyway.  Cameras now show Pastor Jon reading the bible with the dulcet sounds of Chris and Bri doing their best imitation of porn.  Seriously, they have the loudest, sloppiest kissing and the fakest moaning I've ever heard.  I think Production hates all of them.  The OTT orgasm coincides nicely with Pastor Jon breaking into tears.

 

Everyone in bed and asleep before midnight.

[DeLurker]

Zahdii - thank you for the recaps of the live feed!  I don't have the tolerance level or requisite stockpile of alcohol to sit through these myself and I think I am done with the show, but I seriously love your recaps. 

[HurricaneVal]

I, too, am grateful for your recapping of the live feeds, Zahdii.  Maybe once Big Brother winds down, those feeders there will come over here so you're not shouldering this burden on your own.  In the meantime, I sure do appreciate all your efforts.  And your humor.

 

On another note, I was under the impression that the Utopia on the show would be like a closed system, with outside interference only happening on a most necessary (medical and security interventions, natural disasters, etc.) basis, but it seems to me this is a nearly open revolving door.  How many folks have left, to come back? 

[RedheadZombie]

Zahdii, I'm living for your recaps. Please warn us if you're going to stop. I got on my phone and saw no recap and almost panicked. Then realized I only needed to hit the refresh button.

[ZSweetJane]

Zahdii, your recaps are better than the show. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!

[Bubbacat]

Zahdii, may I join your fan club and subscribe to your newsletter? Seriously, thanks so much for your recaps. They're hysterical! I think reading your recaps will be soooooo much better than actually watching the show.

[Matt K]

I'd also like to thank Zahdii, I have no intension of watching the show but these recaps are amazing.

[Zahdii]

I, too, am grateful for your recapping of the live feeds, Zahdii.  Maybe once Big Brother winds down, those feeders there will come over here so you're not shouldering this burden on your own.  In the meantime, I sure do appreciate all your efforts.  And your humor.

 

On another note, I was under the impression that the Utopia on the show would be like a closed system, with outside interference only happening on a most necessary (medical and security interventions, natural disasters, etc.) basis, but it seems to me this is a nearly open revolving door.  How many folks have left, to come back? 

 

The show's rules seem to be very fluid.  One woman was banned before she ever made it to the compound.  Her spot is the one that Kristen and Rhonda are competing for now. 

 

Dave and Josh were removed the first night and Dave was sent back a few hours later.  Josh was very drunk and kept overnight to be returned the next day.  At that time the group seemed to think they could prevent Josh's return by voting him out, finally settling to let him return if he submitted to "probation." 

 

Hex, Rob, and Jon have all left for medical reasons and have returned. 

 

The Utopians thought at first that if a person quit and actually walked out the gate they were gone, but Red has quit at least once a day, sometimes more, and has been to the production area to talk but has always been allowed to return.  Several of the others have done the same thing.  Then the Utopians thought that if a person quit they had 24 hours to think about it and return.  Dave left and was gone for over 24 hours before he was allowed to return for baptism and was then given a chance to plea the others to let him return for real.  Too bad for him that they had already been informed that his return would be in their hands and voted No. 

 

Personally, I think that Production changes the rules at whim, and people that 'make good TV' will be given a lot more leeway than a boring person who works hard and doesn't cause problems.  I hope I'm wrong because otherwise this show will become Big Brother, with a larger set.

 

Thanks to all who have appreciated my recaps!  Your kindness is appreciated.  <3

Edited September 10, 2014 by Zahdii

[areca]

I haven't watched the show at all though I had some interest, but now that I'm reading these amazing recaps, I may never turn it on! :P

[hincandenza]

Oh, they're much appreciated Zahdii- FOX should absolutely be *paying* you, because your recaps have achieved the impossible: they actually have me pondering watching the third episode tonight. I might not, but you've at least got me no longer ruling it out. :)

I watched 101/102 via OnDemand over the last two nights, and I hate pretty much everyone- this is a horribly casted show, and FOX's legendary mismanagement is all over it, from the make-em-up-as-we-go "rules" to the borderline personality disorder cases youve documentrd here like Bella, Dave, and Red... well, and almost everyone else, except the few we never see because they aren't psychotic and thus "boring".

Still, you're elegantly describing this slow motion train wreck of a show, far more entertainingly than the editors of the actual TV program (plus you give us the real backstory on these silly controversies that are edited for TV, and flesh out the nutjobs, psychos, and manipulators in all their infamy).

You're like Previously.tv's Rumplestiltskin, spinning the straw of this show into forum gold. :)

Anyway, I still can't believe it'll run the full year (and hope you get a ton of help recapping for as long as it does); the boring people, vaporous rules, and lack of any purpose or gameplay/challenge to the whole "experiment" leaves it with that "Pirate Master" stink about it (hopefully without the tragedy that hit that show- so it's good they let Dave leave, else the feedwatchers like Zahdii might have ended up as witnesses to a felony crime).

I will laugh my ass off if someone's prediction (here or in the main thread) comes true: that they might end up canceling the show if the ratings tank, but due to pre-funding and contracts, have to complete the full year anyway... so they just don't tell anyone, and let a few people idly watch the feeds online as these clowns posture for reality TV fame and fortune that is never coming. Now THAT would be entertaining...

[Kris117]

I will laugh my ass off if someone's prediction (here or in the main thread) comes true: that they might end up canceling the show if the ratings tank, but due to pre-funding and contracts, have to complete the full year anyway... so they just don't tell anyone, and let a few people idly watch the feeds online as these clowns posture for reality TV fame and fortune that is never coming. Now THAT would be entertaining...

 

I could believe that. The ratings of the first episode were not great, according to TheFutonCritic. Fox won the night, but only because they had the late football game. Big Brother had seven million, Utopia four. And comparing year-to-year, Fox got about the same ratings last year with reruns of Bob's Burgers, The Simpsons, and Family Guy. They are going to have a hard time paying back the investment in the set if that keeps up.