What it is: “Colonial House” is the recently aired PBS series of “projects in experiential history.” It, like “Manor House,” “1900 House” and others before it, drops a group of 21st-century people into life in the past, complete with historically accurate living conditions and hardships.

What it’s all about: Of course it’s a trip back in time for these living-history volunteers, and that comes with the requisite culture shock about the absence of luxuries, free time and, er … facilities. But it’s more than that, because the participants have to cope with and abide by the customs, laws and lifestyles of the past while bringing along their modern-day sensibilities.

The contrast between now and then is especially sharp on “Colonial House,” given the strict moral code of that time (and the striking punishments handed out for transgressions) and the unbendable hierarchy of authority (the colony’s governor makes the decisions, women and servants have no voice, etc.). Compared to the participants on, say, “Frontier House,” who were nearly overwhelmed by the workload but at least found themselves among equals, “Colonial House’s” “cast” seems to find the constant work a lighter burden than the effort of continually biting their tongues and doing as they’re told.

Why we like it: Mainly because it makes us feel smart for never signing up for such a project. In all seriousness, the show’s main impact is its eye-opening power to prove to us 21st-century types that we’re a lot less tough and a lot more coddled than our ancestors were.

And we like it that way. A meal that took four hours to prepare in colonial times can now be nuked in four minutes. Corn that once required backbreaking effort to plant and harvest can be picked up these days with a quick trip to the local supermarket. We have underwear now. Church sermons don’t last three hours. And we never, ever have to eat muskrat.

Still, if this “House” is anything like its predecessors, the participants will walk away with something more than grateful relief to be returning to their lives of relative ease. Experiencing the day-to-day lives of your forebears firsthand can only give you a deeper understanding and a life-changing perspective on the world. And lucky viewers get to come along for the ride – without feeling the bumps in the road.