Plot Synopsis

Based on the Dutch show of the same name, UTOPIA is a reality series that gives 15 Americans the opportunity to restart the world by leaving their lives behind and moving to a remote location for one year to create a society from scratch. They are solely trying to survive and work together; there is no prize in this streaming and televised social experiment. According to series Executive Producer Jon Kroll, UTOPIA also differs from other shows like SURVIVOR, because "there are no manned cameras at all in Utopia. There are no interviews. There are some manned cameras used for background packages and on the first day but, basically, ever since day one, we've been without any handheld cameras at all. But the way that the robotic cameras have been installed is highly innovative and is designed to look like handheld coverage. The effect of that is they [Utopians] don't see crew. They don't see any people. There aren't people in the bushes or behind a window. We're a good couple hundred yards away in a production compound." These seven women and eight men -- a lawyer, a preacher, a contractor, a chef, an ex-con, a soon-to-be-mom, and more -- seek to build this new civilization, while starting with limited supplies, no laws, no morals, no pre-existing structures, and zero bathrooms. Within a few days, the producers gave the group a phone -- but only to reach out for reasons of commerce -- and $5,000, and the Utopians immediately called hardware stores and supermarkets. During the first week, Kroll observed that the Utopians "can't agree as to whether they're a democracy. There are two people who are talking about ceding and forming the free states of Utopia. We're sitting here aghast. It's day six and it's just happening at light speed." Even though there are no elimination challenges, Utopians can still be kicked out. Kroll noted, "There is a replacement process that's designed to take place once per month and in that process, the Utopians choose who they think should leave based upon their contribution to the society. Anyone with two or more votes could leave. Two new people who would like to replace that person arrive, and the Utopians pick one of those to stay and become a permanent member. That person chooses which of those people who got two or more votes must leave. At each of the two selection points -- when they're selecting which Utopians are eligible to leave and which of the two new people should join -- the viewers weigh in, have the 16th vote and participate in that process." Viewers could watch the show stream 24/7 online (UtopiaTV.com) since Friday, August 29, 2014. Meanwhile, the TV series, which opened with a three-night series premiere -- Sunday (Sep 7), Tuesday (Sep 9) and Friday (Sep 12) at 8pm ET/PT on FOX -- is comprised of "twice or once weekly kind of highlights episodes...with the main storylines that have developed through that actual week but, obviously, finessed and edited and contextualized into primetime episodes," according to Simon Andreae, FOX's EVP of Alternative Entertainment. For the next five weeks, UTOPIA will air Tuesdays and Fridays and then just Tuesdays, thereafter. The first 15 Utopians included: Bella Chartrand (age 45), a real estate entrepreneur and survivalist prepper from Griffin, GA; Dave Green (31), a homeless/unemployed man from Queens, NY, who goes by the nickname "5th Avenue"; Rob Hospidor (38), a security programmer from South Amboy, NJ; Josh Johnston (36), a general contractor from Salt Lake City, UT; Jonathan Lovelace (44), a pastor and high-school coach from Church Hill, TN; Nikki Noce (29), a medical and holistic doctor from Brooklyn, NY; Bri Nyugen (20), a veterinary technician and student from Westminster, CA; Mike Quinn (33), an attorney from New York, NY; Amanda Scott (30), a behavioral specialist from Seattle, WA; Aaron Thomas (26), a private chef from Jackson, MS; Chris Tuorto (25), a glass blower and chili farmer from Cary, NC; Hex Vanisles (25), an unemployed hunter-fisher-gatherer from Detroit, MI; Red Vanwinkle (42), a handyman, farmer, and moonshiner from Cecilia, KY; and Dedeker Winston (26), a model and motion-capture artist from Los Angeles, CA.