The little known zombie delights of Dead Set
Every so often you stumble on a piece of pop culture that has managed to escape your notice for years, despite being absolutely fantastic.
Case in point: Dead Set, a 2008 British miniseries, which I only discovered this weekend... and which, I'm assuming, is also largely unknown outside the UK.
Predating The Walking Dead by 2 years, Dead Set is a Zombie Apocalypse tale that consists of 5 episodes - each about 25 minutes long, with the exception of the 1-hour pilot.
Basically the standalone show chronicles what happens when a zombie plague coincides with Eviction Night at the Big Brother house. Now you don't need to have watched the UK Big Brother to grasp the concept. The formula of this particular reality show has been repeated around the world to such an extent that I'm sure most people will be familiar with the show elements (e.g. diary room, housemate tasks) even if they don't know the specifics of the UK version (who the host is, for example). That's far less important, you see, than an understanding of the typical Big Brother contestant - who usually slots into such categories as Fame-hungry Exhibitionist, Emotionally Unstable Weirdo and Bimbo/Himbo Trawled up from the Lowest Classes.
Dead Set explores how these people - along with staff working on the show - would cope if Civilisation fell, and the undead flocked to the isolationist Big Brother house, as keen to rip the contestants apart in death as they were in life.
At times terrifying, at times nauseating, at times humorous and at times devastatingly bleak, BAFTA-nominated Dead Set is possibly the best zombie show ever made.The accents can be a tad difficult to understand, and the series is very explicit in terms of language and violence (It takes a lot to make me to make me gag). However, it strikes a perfect balance between elements, with the added bonus that it features one of the most reprehensible, "love to hate" characters of the past decade. Believe me, you'll know him when you see him...
For the record, the zombies of Dead Set fit the 28 Days Later mould. Aggressive, untiring and relentless in their sprinting pursuit, they're the stuff of nightmares. And Dead Set is nightmarish, as well as surprisingly emotionally affecting.
Best of all, you can watch Dead Set online for free, legally, right here (if your region is allowed). Alternatively, watch it on YouTube, starting here.
Case in point: Dead Set, a 2008 British miniseries, which I only discovered this weekend... and which, I'm assuming, is also largely unknown outside the UK.
Predating The Walking Dead by 2 years, Dead Set is a Zombie Apocalypse tale that consists of 5 episodes - each about 25 minutes long, with the exception of the 1-hour pilot.
Basically the standalone show chronicles what happens when a zombie plague coincides with Eviction Night at the Big Brother house. Now you don't need to have watched the UK Big Brother to grasp the concept. The formula of this particular reality show has been repeated around the world to such an extent that I'm sure most people will be familiar with the show elements (e.g. diary room, housemate tasks) even if they don't know the specifics of the UK version (who the host is, for example). That's far less important, you see, than an understanding of the typical Big Brother contestant - who usually slots into such categories as Fame-hungry Exhibitionist, Emotionally Unstable Weirdo and Bimbo/Himbo Trawled up from the Lowest Classes.
Dead Set explores how these people - along with staff working on the show - would cope if Civilisation fell, and the undead flocked to the isolationist Big Brother house, as keen to rip the contestants apart in death as they were in life.
At times terrifying, at times nauseating, at times humorous and at times devastatingly bleak, BAFTA-nominated Dead Set is possibly the best zombie show ever made.The accents can be a tad difficult to understand, and the series is very explicit in terms of language and violence (It takes a lot to make me to make me gag). However, it strikes a perfect balance between elements, with the added bonus that it features one of the most reprehensible, "love to hate" characters of the past decade. Believe me, you'll know him when you see him...
For the record, the zombies of Dead Set fit the 28 Days Later mould. Aggressive, untiring and relentless in their sprinting pursuit, they're the stuff of nightmares. And Dead Set is nightmarish, as well as surprisingly emotionally affecting.
Best of all, you can watch Dead Set online for free, legally, right here (if your region is allowed). Alternatively, watch it on YouTube, starting here.
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