Opposite Worlds
By Melissa Camacho,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Survivor-meets-social media in modern-vs.-past competition.
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What's the Story?
OPPOSITE WORLDS is a unique, audience-driven competition that combines reality-show drama with social media. Hosted by Luke Tipple, the series features two teams of seven people living in a home separated into two "worlds" by a wall of glass. While one team enjoys the luxuries created by technology in their future world, the other must learn how to survive in a past world devoid of anything modern. The teams compete in a series of challenges that determine who gets to stay in each world, who gets to keep playing, and who must go home. Throughout it all, viewers are encouraged to use Twitter to affect the fate of each player by voting on whom is the most popular, who among them gets to make decisions, and which rewards and punishments they should receive. The ultimate winner of the competition gets $100,000.
Is It Any Good?
Opposite Worlds promotes itself as being revolutionary, but its reliance on social media to encourage audience participation isn't particularly new. The show's interpretation of past and future worlds also seems rooted more in Hollywood than in anything scientific or anthropological. However, what makes the show somewhat interesting is the way it reveals the advantages and disadvantages of each world as well as people's need to adapt to survive.
Folks looking for something slightly more sophisticated than Big Brother or The Glass House may find it here. The voyeuristic nature of the show also will keep reality fans tuned in. But the constant reminders to tweet gets tiresome. Nonetheless, folks who enjoy combining their social-media interests with their television-viewing experience may find following the show entertaining.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the way the past and future worlds are presented in movies and on TV. Is the past world created here accurate? Do you think this show's rendition of the future will really look like this? What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of living in each of these worlds?
What's your reaction to TV shows that ask for viewer participation? Is this how you expect to interact with TV, or is it distracting to your entertainment?
TV Details
- Premiere date: January 21, 2014
- Cast: Luke Tipple
- Network: Syfy
- Genre: Reality TV
- TV rating: TV-14
- Last updated: October 14, 2022
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