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Colonial Life PBS

The TVClubHouse: Other Reality Shows: Archives for 2004-1: Colonial Life PBS users admin

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Willsmom

Sunday, January 11, 2004 - 7:09 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I know this doesn't start until May, but I found this article about a tragedy that happened to one of the families during the taping. I feel bad for them!
http://www.kdhnews.com/texas3.html

Awareinva

Sunday, January 11, 2004 - 10:19 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Wow, that was something! Unbelievable that they had the courage to go on with the project after something like that.

I actually discussed applying for Colonial House with my family when they announced it. We all loved all the other shows in this genre. But after much discussion, we decided that we liked our ammenities too much!! :) But it was fun to think about doing.

Willwillbee

Monday, January 12, 2004 - 6:07 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I couldn't find anything at that link about colonial house - could you tell us what it said?

Willsmom

Monday, January 12, 2004 - 7:11 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Sorry, it was a link to the newspaper and it changed with the new edition. Here it is....I copy/pasted it.


Her deep faith in God and strong family ties help UMHB student finish TV series while mourning her fiance

By Wendy Gragg
Killeen Daily Herald

Last spring, Bethany Wyers left the world as she knew it behind.

She said goodbye to the 21st century and traveled 375 years into the past as a cast member of a historical television documentary. What began as just a unique and fun experience turned into a personal story of tragedy, grief, strength, and, most of all, faith.

From May to October 2003, the Wyers family, of Waco, took part in "Colonial House," a TV series co-produced by Thirteen WNET New York and Wall To Wall Television in association with Channel 4 (UK).

Like "Frontier House" and "Manor House," "Colonial House" took regular people and challenged them to live the life of another era. For five months, the Wyerses became colonists trying to survive in America in 1628.

Bethany's mom, Tammy Wyers, applied on the Internet for her family to be chosen for "Colonial House." Several phone calls and interviews later, the family was signing contracts for the show.

Bethany, a 20-year-old University of Mary Hardin-Baylor student, her dad, Jeff, mom, Tammy, sister, Amy, 17, and brother, David, 10, packed their bags and headed into the past in May. Brother Jeffery Jr., 24, stayed in Waco to hold down the fort.

Bethany said she and her family were somewhat suited to the challenge because they are outdoorsy and enjoy camping and roughing it. But they were by no means colonial history experts and Bethany said each of them had initial reservations about leaving behind modern luxuries, including video games and toothbrushes.

The production company didn't let the family hurtle back through time completely unaware, though. Their journey began with two weeks of intense training in Massachusetts. The 17 "colonists" were taught wilderness survival, government, religion, cooking, clothing and countless other aspects of colonial life in the 1620s. Bethany said the two weeks were a crash course in everything from hygiene to starting a fire with flint and steel.

"It was just everything you can think of and fit into two weeks," she said. "But it was all trial and error once we got there."

Despite the preparation, notes taken and lessons crammed, Bethany said succeeding in the colony was about learning it as they lived it and improving as they went along.

On the first day of the experience, the colonists sailed in a tall ship to their new home in Machias, Maine. From that day forward, Bethany said, each day was filled with strenuous work. The men attended to physical labor and building projects, while the women spent all day over the hearth, cooking and getting in other chores when they could.

Though the women spent most of their waking moments cooking, Tammy said everyone in the family came home from the experience lighter. Colonial life seemed to be more effective than any fad diet today, she said.

"It's called starve to death and never quit working," Tammy joked.

The colonists got to know each other and began to bond. Tammy said Bethany was known as the girl with the string on her finger for the string she wore in place of the engagement ring she left in Waco with her fiance, Caleb Morgan, also a UMHB student.


STORY WITHIN THE STORY

Bethany said colonial life was difficult, physically and emotionally.

Especially emotionally-taxing was the colonists' inability to communicate with the outside world, Bethany said. Producers would relay messages to the colonists about their friends and family on the outside.

It was the producers who had to inform the Wyers family of the fatal accident involving Jeffery Jr. and Caleb.

June 18, just two weeks into filming, Jeffery Jr., Caleb and Amy's boyfriend, Noah Weatherley, were in a car accident in Temple that killed Caleb and left Jeffery Jr. with severe injuries.

The family left the colony and returned to Waco. Tammy said she'll never forget that day. As they left, every colonist stood outside along the road, with tears streaming down their faces.

"It was very sweet, very bittersweet," Tammy said.

Bethany's father, Jeff, the governor of the colony, returned to Maine after about a week. Amy stayed in Waco to take care of Jeffery Jr.

Bethany eventually went back to the colony, as well as Tammy and David.

Bethany said she was not planning to go back, but she felt that God was telling her to. She said that going on with the filming was her testimony of how God can carry people through even the hardest times.

"In returning to the show, I could show people that even though as a person I may not be strong, my God is," Bethany said.

Colonial life let her grieve without running into reminders of Caleb's death at every turn, she said.

The loss of Caleb was something that affected everyone from the production crew to the other colonists, said series producer Sallie Clement.

Clement said the Wyerses' tragedy could have been the point where the production crew threw in the towel, but instead it became something shocking and profound for everyone involved.

"It definitely added something to everyone's experience," Clement said.


RETURNING TO REALITY

Completing their colonial sabbatical, the family said a sad goodbye to their fellow colonists and friends and returned to Waco.

"What was I looking forward to? I wasn't. I was scared to death," Bethany said about resuming her life in Texas.

"This is the most difficult thing I have ever had to go through and it breaks my heart every day," Bethany said, but she is certain it was all part of a greater plan for her and for Caleb.

Everything surrounding the tragedy seems to have been laid out in a perfect plan, Bethany said. Before she left for the colony, she and Caleb spent every single second together. When she left, Caleb was able to spend more quality time with his family.

Both Tammy and Bethany said their colonial experience is something they are glad they did, but are glad it's over. Tammy believes that through it all, her family's ties have been strengthened and each family member has found new strength of their own as well.

Bethany, who is back at UMHB this semester, did some final filming with the Thirteen crew as she moved into her dorm Friday. The complete series will air on PBS in May.

Tammy said the family went into the experience prayerfully, looking at it as a mission or assignment from God. They still view it that way, even with the tragic and unexpected turn that their lives took. Tammy said they see their colonial story, the family's story — Caleb's story — as an inspirational tale of faith.

"It's our testimony of how we got through things with God's help," Tammy said.


Contact Wendy Gragg at wgragg@kdhnews.com