Dead Set
Greetings, ‘Dead Set’ is a 2008 horror mini-series that was created by comedian Charlie Brooker, best known for later going on to write the anthology series ‘Black Mirror’, and had been directed by Yann Demange. The cast is mostly made up of actors and actresses who are known for being in British soaps. Among the top cast are Jamie Winston as main lead Kelly, Andy Nyman, Kevin Eldon, Beth Cordingly, Adam Deacon, Riz Ahmed and TV presenter Davina McCall who plays a zombified version of herself. Out of all the cast, I am most familiar with Nyman thanks to his co-creation of the stage play ‘Ghost Stories’ that he later adapted into a movie of the same name in 2017. The music was composed by Dan Jones who has contributed to numerous films and television series in his career but little of which are particularly noteworthy.
The plot is set in 2008 when reality TV show Big Brother was still a considerable contender in British programming. It begins during an eviction night in which one contestant is voted out of the house by the public. Unbeknownst to the housemates who have been locked in the studio for weeks without communication or access to the outside world, Britain is being rocked by violent riots. With the Emergency Services unable to control the outbreak of violence, the military has been called in to restore order but it soon becomes apparent that there is something horrifying causing the unrest. The producer behind Big Brother, Patrick, is concerned the news may bump his show and orders his team to keep everything running as per normal. In fulfilling his command, housemate Pippa is voted out much to her disappointment. As part of the planned coverage, Pippa’s mother is being transported to the studio to support her tearful daughter when her chauffer notices a figure shambling across the road.
The chauffer gets out of the car to investigate and is suddenly attacked by the lurking assailant. Pipa’s mother and a show runner, who was also in the car, flee the chaotic scenes until they reach the studio gates where they and a security officer are bitten by the now reanimated chauffer. It isn’t long before the security guard succumbs to the disease and makes his way towards the large, enthusiastic crowd who have gathered to see Pippa’s eviction segment. With such a vast gathering of people to prey on, the guard begins biting the audience members and the zombie virus rapidly spreads through the masses. The confined studio easily becomes overrun with the undead and the outside world doesn’t fare much better as the zombies are wreaking havoc across the United Kingdom. As the horror unfolds around them, the blissfully unaware housemates and one show runner by the name of Kelly have no idea of the danger they are in.
While it doesn’t reinvent the wheel when it comes to the zombie genre, I had quite a lot of fun with ‘Dead Set’ and thought the use of the Big Brother house was an interesting setting for the story to unfold in. I particularly liked how it made good use of their isolation as the housemates were initially sceptical of the threat and believed it was simply a ruse by the producers. There is some good characterisation within it which riffs on the real life counterparts of the vapid contestants who participate in such reality shows, desperate for their national 15 minutes of fame. Reality shows have never been my cup of tea but I found there was a something of a nostalgic quality to this which I enjoyed as I recall simpler days back when Big Brother was a cult phenomenon. If you’re looking to satisfy your zombie cravings and your humour gels with Brooker’s, this may be the show for you.
Plot=7/10
Characters=6/10
Special Effects=6/10
Overall=7/10
Quote of the Day
I woke up. Why don't you? You're an asset. An expendable asset. And I used you to get the job done, got it?
Dillon
Predator
