In a
dystopian near-future
Los Angeles, residents live under a regime of
military occupation by an organization known as the Transitional Authority. The Authority serves an
extraterrestrial group referred to as the "Hosts", about whom little is known until later in the series (an alien robotic race that finds itself hunted came to Earth to use humans as allies and labor in their own battle). The symbol of the
collaborating forces features stylized birds of prey, or
raptors, which gives rise to their nickname, the "Raps". The Authority enforces Host policy via
militarized police called Homeland Security and nicknamed the "Redhats" for the red helmet cover of their otherwise black tactical attire. The Hosts took control on a day known simply as the "Arrival". That day began with a permanent global blackout and mass technological failure (which is why nearly all electronic equipment was replaced with host-provided tech after the arrival), which came after a weeklong hunt for relevant key figures around the world. Late that day, massive rectangular blocks descended from the sky, linking together to build walls dividing every city and every nation. One of these walls, 20 to 30
stories tall, many meters thick and many miles in length, surrounds the central part of Los Angeles, where the series is set. Other similar walls have been constructed around neighbouring urban areas, called "blocs", with the whole referred to as a "colony". Traffic passes through the walls at heavily secured checkpoints, called "gateways", which allow the Authority to strictly control the movement of people and the distribution of consumables, such as food and fuel, which are
rationed. The geographical extent of the alien invasion is unclear, but later scenes in the series show Authority members from all over the world - hence making the invasion scale worldwide. A privileged class of elites, drawn by the Hosts from the local population, are denigrated by some bloc residents as collaborators. The ruling forces maintain control through the separation of family members, shoot-on-sight
curfews,
forced disappearances,
random checkpoints, frequent electronic identity checks, limitation of motor vehicle usage (most people walk or ride bicycles), pervasive visual
propaganda,
slave labor in a place called the "Factory" (later revealed to be located on the Earth's moon to mine radioactive materials), and massive continuous electronic
surveillance with both hidden cameras as well as Host-provided
drone aircraft that launch from hangar bays inside the wall and are capable of killing humans by extremely lethal high energy weaponry. All chronic medical problems, such as
diabetes, have been "deemed unworthy for treatment" by the Hosts to
cull the population and eradicate weakness (as strong humans are needed for off-world labor and the Hosts' war effort). A
resistance movement is referred to as both the "Resistance" and the "
Insurgency". An informal barter-based
black market has also sprung up, trading in surplus materials and home-produced goods.
Allusion to historical events In a May 21, 2015, interview with
Collider, executive producer Carlton Cuse stated that the show was "conceived as a metaphor for
France during the Nazi occupation". In a separate interview with
Entertainment Weekly, co-creator Ryan Condal detailed that the original concept behind
Colony was that they "were actually inspired by Nazi-occupied Paris during WWII, where people went on living their lives, having coffee in street-side cafes while Nazi officers marched along the roads". == Plot ==