The Discovery Channel is currently airing a post apocalyptic "reality" program called The Colony. I use the term "reality" loosely, because while it may be an unscripted show, there obviously has been no global apocalypse yet. Here's the skinny from the network:

The Colony is a controlled experiment to see exactly what it would take to survive and rebuild under these circumstances. For 10 weeks, a group of 10 volunteers, whose backgrounds and expertise represent a cross-section of modern society, are isolated in an urban environment outside Los Angeles and tasked with creating a livable society.

With no electricity from the grid, no running water and no communication with the outside world, all the volunteers have to work with are their skills and whatever tools and supplies they can scavenge from their surroundings.

Experts from the fields of homeland security, engineering and psychology have helped design the world of The Colony to reflect elements from both real-life disasters and models of what the future could look like after a global viral outbreak.

Over the course of the 10-week experiment, the Colonists must work together to build the necessities of survival, such as a water-filtration system, a battery bank that powered their electricity, a solar cooker, a shower system and a greenhouse – and even some niceties (a coffee maker!).

Tune in Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT to see who thrives and who fails to survive.

I'll have to try and get some episodes of this. It's an interesting take on a worn-out TV format. Check out the official website for more information, as well as this review from Time.

Thanks very much to MR Snake for pointing it out.