While we have Big Brother, US has Utopia.

While Big Brother has launched its 82nd season in Australia, the US launched its ambitious Utopia reality experiment on Sunday, in which 15 “pioneers” are put into a 5 acre compound for a year.

That’s four times the commitment of a full term of Big Brother, but both belong to John de Mol’s Endemol production company.

Cut off from the rest of the world, the participants aged 20 – 45 are given the chance to “re-create” a society in an “Eden”-like setting with a huge barn, shed, pond and waterfall.

As well as being shown twice a week, it has online streaming 24/7 with 129 hidden and unhidden cameras following their every move. More Truman Show than Big Brother, perhaps?

While there is no “competition” per se, every month three pioneers will be nominated and could be sent back to their everyday lives.

Coincidentally, both Utopia and the US series of Big Brother were head to head in the ratings, with both shows close in their key demo, but BB just taking the edge.

I guess if Utopia doesn’t work they could always put a dome over the thing…