Prepare: Fall 2009 End Of The World TV Shows

In the world of television, (don't ask me how I know so much about this - that's for another blog), there are a number of important calendar events. Sweeps weeks (actually there are months, four of 'em to be exact}, numbers (when Nielsen and other release their latest official ratings) and seasons - Fall, Spring and to a lesser extent, Summer schedule.

Fall is a bigger release time than Spring. Spring only means that the holiday schedule {Thanksgiving to New Years) is finally over. Fall is larger because that is when the real, high dollar budget shows are debuted.

Fall 2009 brings a host of new shows with an Apocalyptic bent to them. I have a theory why which I will cover later in the post.

Day One (NBC) - Here is the take from the network..

Day One is planned as a limited "event series." The new series from Jesse Alexander and Alex Graves involves what happens to a band of survivors after a global catastrophe devastates the world's infrastructures. The series stars Adam Campbell, Catherine Dent, Julie Gonzalo, David Lyons, Derek Mio, Carly Pope, Thekla Reuten and Addison Timlin. Day One will be held until midseason to be launched out of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games at the end of February, NBC announced.

Here is a "Behind the Scenes" which told me very little..



A writer online suggested that James Rawles (yes that one) had something to do with Day One, but I have found nothing yet to substantiate the rumor. If so, that would be interesting.

Flash Forward (ABC) - What the network has to say about it.

Everyone in the world blacks out for two minutes and has a vision of their future. Chaos ensues.



Flash Forward is based upon a book of the same name by Robert Sawyer. Wikipedia gives a very detailed and technical explanation of the story. My bet is ABC will stray as far away from the storyline as possible in order to have lots of good looking young people as the stars and attention spans fixated on the series between commercial breaks.

V (ABC) - What the network has to say

Based on the 1983 miniseries, "V" chronicles human resistance fighters battling aliens.


Remember this from the 1980's? I seem to remember the unlikely shooting of a flying saucer with a LAW rocket for some reason or another.



V, 2009, has been updated with today's news events in mind. Don't be surprised to see certain political parties and candidates parodied as already being infiltrated by the aliens.

For us, Jericho was the best hope for a real post-apocalyptic television show. Unfortunately, it died a painful death after a great start.

There is a desire for end of the world programming, both on TV and the movies. Look at some of the films coming out this fall like the adaption of "The Road". Why would Hollywood be making this type of movie? I mean c'mon - they just elected the candidate who most personified "Hope and Change", didn't they? Isn't the world just a breath away from a new utopia here on Earth?

Happy thoughts and positive feelings aside, the real world is a different story for millions of movie goers and television watchers..

- The highest unemployment rate in nearly 30 years.
- North Korea (has nukes) and Iran (nearly there) saber rattling with fissionable swords.
- The U.S. economy in free fall with no end in sight.
- Swine flu and other diseases on the uptick.
- Global warming/cooling threats every other second.

My own theory is people want to watch end of the world movies and shows because they want to know the world could be worse and the secretly want some ideas what to do when the SHTF. Sort of a "how to" guide.

Expect more of this type of "entertainment" in the coming months. Things unfortunately will only get worse and reality can be stranger than fiction.