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Back to the Frontier is turning the clock back — way back.
The series, from executive producers Chip and Joanna Gaines, transports three modern-day American families to the 1880s as they experience life without all of today’s conveniences.
“Three American families leave the 21st century behind and attempt to survive as 1880s homesteaders – without running water or electricity,” the synopsis reads. “They tackle historical challenges and learn the skills that frontier families needed to survive a long winter.”
Executive Producers Chip and Joanna Gaines
PEOPLE’s exclusive first look at the Back to the Frontier trailer begins with the families ditching their makeup, jewelry and pieces of technology.
“Going back to the frontier, it’s going to be life-changing for all of us,” one contestant says, while another adds, “We want to go backward so that we can go forward in the right direction.”
While the women and girls wipe away their makeup, kids place their video game systems and laptops in plastic bins, one parent says, “I want my kids to learn humility and hard work.”
The families then see their simple lodgings, and one woman expresses her shock at the bathroom situation. “We sit on that?” she asks.
Executive Producers Chip and Joanna Gaines
The trailer teases the show as “a social experiment over 100 years in the making.”
There’s a lot of sweat — be it from farming, milking cows or other daily tasks — and even a few tears along the way, with some adjusting to the setting.
“One out of three families fail when they’re on the homestead, so we need to work together,” one man says, leading to a montage of the three families helping each other accomplish tasks.
“I don’t miss my phone at all,” one girl says, with one dad noting that the time he’s getting to spend with his boys is “invaluable” for him.
The good vibes continue with one woman proclaiming at the end of the trailer, “This is what the frontier is all about!”
Executive Producers Chip and Joanna Gaines
Chip and Joanna Gaines told PEOPLE that Back to the Frontier is a show “unlike anything we’ve ever created.”
“This social experiment is unlike anything we’ve ever created, but we’ve always been drawn to the back-to-basics way of life and loved the idea of giving families a chance to go back in time to experience life as 1880s homesteaders — without all the distractions and technology of the 21st century,” they said.
The couple continued, “They learned it was anything but easy, but seeing the way these families come together to survive is something that stays with you. We can’t wait to share their journeys with you this July!”
The eighth-episode series ends with the families — the Lopers (Alabama), Hanna-Riggs (Texas) and Halls (Florida) — being judged on whether they each succeeded in gathering enough resources for their homestead to survive the winter.
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Back to the Frontier premieres July 10 on Magnolia Network and Max.
