Teens in the Wild
Encyclopedia
Teens in the Wild is an Irish
observational documentary
television series broadcast on RTÉ One
. The series was presented by the clinical psychologist David Coleman
, who previously appeared in the television series Families in Trouble.
The first series, broadcast in four parts over four weeks, followed six male teenagers, each with their own individual behavioural difficulties, as they undertook a three-week activity programme at Delphi Adventure in Connemara
, County Galway
during September 2008. It commenced broadcasting on 2 February 2009, airing each Monday at 21:30. The series producer, Christine Thornton, was reported as stating that the series would demonstrate "often dramatic and emotional insights" in relation to teenaged behaviour.
The camp was declared a "once-off" experience by Coleman in a live web chat
held on RTÉ.ie
on 11 February 2009. He also claimed that he would be open to doing a similar series involving teenage girls, since this one involved boys exclusively. To supplement the show, Coleman initiated a regular slot focusing on teenage issues each Wednesday on the daytime television programme, Seoige
.
A second series aired in 2010, this time involving an all female cast.
Fifteen-year-old Mikey from County Westmeath
has a habit of being verbally abusive both at home and in school. He has been known to unexpectedly disappear for several hours on numerous occasions. He is regularly involved in street brawls. Fifteen-year-old Jamie from County Cork
has been suspended from school on numerous occasions and regularly engages in disputes with his own mother. Fifteen-year-old William from Castlebar
, County Mayo
, is regularly involved in street fighting and has been told he may be permanently excluded from school. Fifteen-year-old Kyle from Tralee, County Kerry
, is unmotivated and this presents difficulties at school. Sixteen-year-old Noel from Dublin has a quick temper, is regularly in trouble with his parents and seems to have difficulty recognising authority. Fifteen-year-old Shane from County Kildare
was a former a high achiever in school but has in the past year left without offering an explanation.
The second series of Teens in the Wild began in 2010.
The Irish Times
reviewer Kevin Courtney noted the return of Coleman to Irish television screens as "the agony uncle to another group of troubled teenagers, this time six girls with enough collective baggage to sink the Titanic".
noted the genre which the series placed itself in as being an "observational documentary" as opposed to reality television
and questioned how the young people involved in the show could cope with their personal traumas in front of the cameras and general public.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
observational documentary
Direct Cinema
Direct Cinema is a documentary genre that originated between 1958 and 1962 in North America, principally in the Canadian province of Quebec and the United States...
television series broadcast on RTÉ One
RTÉ One
RTÉ One is the flagship television channel of Raidió Teilifís Éireann , and it is the most popular and most watched television channel in Ireland. It was launched as Telefís Éireann on 31 December 1961, it was renamed RTÉ Television in 1966, and it was renamed as RTÉ One upon the launch of RTÉ...
. The series was presented by the clinical psychologist David Coleman
David Coleman
David Coleman, OBE is an English former sports commentator and TV presenter who worked for the BBC for almost fifty years. In 2000, he was awarded the Olympic Order, the highest honour of the Olympic movement....
, who previously appeared in the television series Families in Trouble.
The first series, broadcast in four parts over four weeks, followed six male teenagers, each with their own individual behavioural difficulties, as they undertook a three-week activity programme at Delphi Adventure in Connemara
Connemara
Connemara is a district in the west of Ireland consisting of a broad peninsula between Killary Harbour and Kilkieran Bay in the west of County Galway.-Overview:...
, County Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
during September 2008. It commenced broadcasting on 2 February 2009, airing each Monday at 21:30. The series producer, Christine Thornton, was reported as stating that the series would demonstrate "often dramatic and emotional insights" in relation to teenaged behaviour.
The camp was declared a "once-off" experience by Coleman in a live web chat
Web chat
A web chat is a system that allows users to communicate in real time using easily accessible web interfaces. It is a type of internet online chat distinguished by its simplicity and accessibility to users who do not wish to take the time to install and learn to use specialized chat software. This...
held on RTÉ.ie
Rte.ie
RTÉ.ie is the brand name and home of RTÉ's online activities, located at the URL http://rte.ie. The site began publishing on 26 May 1996. According to RTÉ, it operates on an entirely commercial basis, receiving none of the licence fee which funds much of RTÉ's activity. The site, it says, is funded...
on 11 February 2009. He also claimed that he would be open to doing a similar series involving teenage girls, since this one involved boys exclusively. To supplement the show, Coleman initiated a regular slot focusing on teenage issues each Wednesday on the daytime television programme, Seoige
Seoige
Seoige was an Irish television chat show. The show, hosted by sisters Gráinne and Sile Seoige, was broadcast live on weekdays at 16:30 on RTÉ One, with a hiatus in the summer months. Episodes were repeated at 08:20 the following weekday morning on the same channel.The programme was originally...
.
A second series aired in 2010, this time involving an all female cast.
Series one
Six male teenagers took part in the first series of Teens in the Wild.Fifteen-year-old Mikey from County Westmeath
County Westmeath
-Economy:Westmeath has a strong agricultural economy. Initially, development occurred around the major market centres of Mullingar, Moate, and Kinnegad. Athlone developed due to its military significance, and its strategic location on the main Dublin–Galway route across the River Shannon. Mullingar...
has a habit of being verbally abusive both at home and in school. He has been known to unexpectedly disappear for several hours on numerous occasions. He is regularly involved in street brawls. Fifteen-year-old Jamie from County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
has been suspended from school on numerous occasions and regularly engages in disputes with his own mother. Fifteen-year-old William from Castlebar
Castlebar
Castlebar is the county town of, and at the centre of, County Mayo in Ireland. It is Mayo's largest town by population. The town's population exploded in the late 1990s, increasing by one-third in just six years, though this massive growth has slowed down greatly in recent years...
, County Mayo
County Mayo
County Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...
, is regularly involved in street fighting and has been told he may be permanently excluded from school. Fifteen-year-old Kyle from Tralee, County Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
, is unmotivated and this presents difficulties at school. Sixteen-year-old Noel from Dublin has a quick temper, is regularly in trouble with his parents and seems to have difficulty recognising authority. Fifteen-year-old Shane from County Kildare
County Kildare
County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
was a former a high achiever in school but has in the past year left without offering an explanation.
Series two
RTÉ are currently requesting a new batch of troubled teenagers to come forward to feature in a second series. It has been reported that they are all in fact to be females.The second series of Teens in the Wild began in 2010.
The Irish Times
The Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
reviewer Kevin Courtney noted the return of Coleman to Irish television screens as "the agony uncle to another group of troubled teenagers, this time six girls with enough collective baggage to sink the Titanic".
Reception
Whilst reaction from participants in the web chat which followed series one was generally positive, some media outlets gave a negative response to the show. The Irish IndependentIrish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
noted the genre which the series placed itself in as being an "observational documentary" as opposed to reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
and questioned how the young people involved in the show could cope with their personal traumas in front of the cameras and general public.