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Music
Cyrus Reviews the Zombie Miniseries "Dead Set"
Zombies aren’t even near played out. I know what I said. They’re played out in the movies, sure and as far as what I’ve read, with the exception of Robert Kirkman’s perennially wonderful series “The Walking Dead”, they’re played out in the comics. For now. But television, oh my dear television, is THE format zombie stories were made for. While I’ve been begging HBO or Showtime for years to take a serious look at adapting Kirkman’s comic to their pay channels, it took the British pay channel E4 to prove that it not only can be done, it damn well should be, with their disturbing yet funny miniseries, “Dead Set”.
Here’s how much I loved this...they didn’t even send me a copy to watch and here I am reviewing it anyway. I know, I can be a whore, but I found out that the station’s website streams the show online for free if you're located across the pond. AND the extras. Damn, now that’s my kind of entertainment. Since I'm in Texas, let's just say I had a copy of this handed off to me by other means although I would have loved to have had a chance to watch it on their site. Seriously, British TV websites, what the holy hell is up with that? Regardless, let me assure you that the Co-Host isn’t just talking crazy, this really is all that and a bag of human intestines.
It’s the Big Brother show in England (a GIGANTIC hit over there) and the current jackasses living in the house have just had a housemate voted off, the boobalicious but completely vacant Pippa (Kathleen McDermott). Outside the crowd of fans swell and cheer to meet in person the former cast member as she exits the house and real life Big Brother hostess, Davina McCall, is on hand to greet her. Inside the studio, the world’s biggest jackass producer (that’s actually a tough call to make...tough competition there) Patrick (Andy Nyman) is barking orders at his assistant while a runner, Kelly (Jaime Winstone) tries to avoid both her boyfriend on her phone and the shouted orders from Patrick by hiding in an office and making out with a work mate. All of the sudden, as it happens and as traditionally done without explanation, the zombie apocalypse begins. These are the running, crazed “Dawn of the Dead” remake style zombies and it doesn’t take almost any time at all for them to mow down pretty much everybody standing around the studio lot as well as most of the folks in the offices. Left secluded, protected, and clueless are the cast of the Big Brother show, Kelly with the determination and smarts to be the alpha chick in this here splatterfest, miles away her boyfriend Riq (Riz Ahmed) determined to find her, Patrick and Pippa trapped by a zombified Davina in an office, and a few assorted others. Over the course of five episodes (138 minutes total) the survivors try to gather together inside the Big Brother house and figure out if this is the end of everything or if there is a way to escape.
“Dead Set” was created by Charlie Brooker, an occasionally controversial English comedian and writer who managed to inject just the right amount of cynical jabs at our cult of celebrity culture while still creating a bad ass, gory as hell, tension filled zombie thriller. There’s no denying that Brooker paid close attention to his forerunners. There are plenty of tributes sprinkled throughout the series if you pay attention closely. The understanding of what has already worked in the zombie genre pays the rent but it’s doing it in the longer TV format which survival horror plays out so well in that has it's name on the lease.
You can’t do this on a normal network. Who wants to see a zombie series without shocking character deaths? Those require a bit more blood and splatter than the FCC would sit comfortably letting be aired without your name on a credit card. E4 definitely delivers on the ick, to the point that even I was a little queasy at points, and I’ve sat through Lucio Fulci films. Horror fans will most certainly be beside themselves with pleasure at everything disgusting and nasty that “Dead Set” gets perfectly right.
While this is certainly aimed more at British audiences who will be more familiar with all the reality show celebrities who show up (there are apparently lots and lots of Big Brother former stars who make cameos) I never felt left out. If I had a real complaint, it’s that this ends all too soon. Not badly, mind you, but as a series, it had so much possibility to keep going. Maybe it's just that I was loving it so much, but I wasn't ready for it to be over. To be honest, I thought it was just the first season of a show. I’m guessing not. Perhaps though, since this was a sizable hit in the UK and I’d imagine is going to generate a lot of excitement in the US as well, that we’ll be seeing something a little more lasting in zombie storytelling soon. Mr Kirkman, you might want to make sure your answering service is working properly.
Views: 78
Comment
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Comment by Bored Fury on August 29, 2010 at 10:41pm -
I actually loved this series up until the last 10 minutes,*SPOILERS FROM HERE ON** I realize that Kelly had been mentally broken and all hope was gone as she was trapped in the Diary room with a legion of undead braying on the door. But nobody would EVER ask for the door to be opened, and Space was a total knob for actually complying with her request. Overall I do think it was a good series and would enjoy seing a spin-off/second series with new characters perhaps based on another reality show, Maybe "I'm a celebrity get me out of here" where the contestants are not only battling the infected, but the hostile and often poisonous australian Flora and fauna.
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Comment by Travolta on February 8, 2009 at 2:52pm -
ben cape :
come on man! at list put fucking ###SPOILER### on your comment
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Comment by Shane (aka I Need a good AKA) on February 6, 2009 at 9:58pm -
I just finished the series, and yeah I was like shit it's almost over! But this has been a great treat, before co-host mentioned it I had never heard of it and it would have been a shame to miss a great zombie story.
This was very intense, and yes watch it in the dark, wide screen & surround sound, freaky shit.
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Comment by Ben Cape on February 6, 2009 at 8:00pm -
My three favourite things about Dead Set:
1. Davina as a sexy zombie
2. Patrick getting owned by zombies
3. The BB staff attacked by zombies to the tune of Grace Kelly
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Comment by Ben Cape on February 6, 2009 at 7:54pm
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When I first saw the trailer for this on E4, I was hooked on this instantly! On iTunes, it's highlighted as series 1....
That must mean there's more coming, maybe?
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Comment by Travis Pickle on February 6, 2009 at 10:52am -
Honestly mate is there anything with 'British' in the name any more that aint shit! - British Rail! British gas! British Braodcasting Craperation!
I like Little winston! ''Where's Ya Tool!?''
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Comment by Colin Hatton on February 6, 2009 at 8:56am
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Travis Lol 'Shitty Who' , I think that should be the name of Doctor Who's nemisis in the new series =).
Ray Winstones daughter? That must be why she got the part, it sure wasn't on acting merit.
If those numb-nutts at the competition commision hadn't shut down KangorooTM we could have got all the domestic TV free on our PC so we could have spend ~£120 on a wikid PC monitor instead of a TV liscence and watched everthing BBC, ITV and channel 4 produce for free on one site! Seriously BBC worldwide is makign enough profit to fund BBC domestic without us paying any liscence fee anyway.
I'd recomend getting hold of this show by any means necessary, it is very, very good
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Comment by Spider-Geek on February 5, 2009 at 6:23pm -
If i had one criticism, yes, it is too short and it would have been cool to see more of that world explored and i too felt while the very end was cool (No SPOILERS but it's pretty awesome), the build up to it and the way it went down was for me way too fast.
Also, to anyone who can't find this show, check on YOUTUBE....seriously, i found like 4 different users with the entire series put up.
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Comment by legend26 on February 5, 2009 at 5:41pm -
i really need to watch it
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Comment by Conejita on February 5, 2009 at 5:10pm -
I was so sad when Alex had to go without us learning more about her character.
I so liked that farm house....
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