M-Net has announced a brand new reality show called Culture Shock, based along the lines of the highly successful UK show Wife Swap - only in this show not just wives will swap lives, but entire families.
Culture Shock sees families from two different cultures swapping homes and lives for two weeks.
Two families of a minimum of four members each will be selected for each of the six episodes.
One parent and one child from each family will swap places for the two-week period, experiencing each other’s cultures and realities.
The show not only follows the drama from a third party perspective but also has constant in-depth and personal interviews with the participants about their thoughts and feelings.
Carl Fischer, Head of M-Net Original Productions, says that the show will not be seeking to pit stereotypes against each other, but rather to illustrate the diversity of cultures in South Africa.
"Culture Shock is not about winning, it’s not about prize money and it’s not about fame - but rather about the participants having fun," he said.
"It is about understanding themselves and their fellow South Africans better, and providing some answers to all those urban and rural cultural legends.
"For viewers and contestants alike, Culture Shock could change how you see people, how you understand people and provide some insight into the South African psyche."
The families may not see the other members of their family for the duration of the two-week period, and cellphones are banned.
Swapped participants may only use facilities, shops, transport, money, help, modes of communication, etc. that their hosts would use.
Families who enter will need to be available for the audition process and the shoot. The shoot will be two weeks in duration, and will take place between the end of November and early January.
Culture Shock will have six episodes and will air from 1 February - 8 March, 2007.
We like the sound of it. Here's why:
Firstly, the BBC's
Wife Swap is more than a reality show - it's a fascinating study of people thrown into unfamiliar environments. Culture Shock is similar in format, which can only be a good thing.
Secondly, there's no prize, which makes it more valuable as a sociological experiment along the lines of another British reality show, Castaway2000.
And lastly - it's six episodes. Many of the best British series are only six episodes, which saves them from the USA-style overkill of hundreds and hundreds of episodes - a disease which has spread deep into South African television.
Considering the incredibly diverse cultural backgrounds of South Africans, Culture Shock is bound to make riveting, worthwhile telly.
Fancy entering your family? Ask them first, of course, then visit M-Net's
Culture Shock page, read
the FAQ and fill in the online application.