To a teenager, every day of high school is life or death. Now throw in a violent post-apocalyptic setting (is there any other kind??) and navigating the social hierarchy just got a lot tougher. Such is the premise behind Netflix’s new series Daybreak, a teen comedy set in a dystopian future.
A nuclear detonation is a pretty lousy way to end Homecoming night, and it changes life for every kid growing up in its wake. No longer are the cheerleaders full of team spirit, but armed to the teeth with bows and arrows. The jocks and bullies are a bloodthirsty tribe, and the misfits are all potential victims. Designed as a typical coming-of-age high school comedy until the Mad Max elements kick in, there are some clear nods to Ferris Bueller Day’s Off, which is perfect since a much-older Matthew Broderick is the show’s biggest star.
Daybreak is co-created by Brad Peyton, best known for directing Dwayne Johnson in San Andreas and Rampage. He’s also the guy behind Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, which may be the more relevant experience for a series geared towards younger viewers. Joining him as co-creator is Aron Eli Coleite, who wrote the Marvel’s youthful Ultimate X-Men comic.
The below synopsis compares the show to Battle Royale, the classic manga and live-action movie which inspired The Hunger Games. It’s also one of the most beloved movies about the kill-or-be-killed nature of high school. Big damn shoes to fill.
SYNOPSIS: In this post-apocalyptic, genre-bending series, the city of Glendale, California is populated by marauding gangs of jocks, gamers, the 4-H Club, and other fearsome tribes who are kicking ass as they fight to survive in the wake of a nuclear blast (on the night of Homecoming…ugh). Following an eclectic group of survivors as they navigate this strange and treacherous world, DAYBREAK is part samurai saga, part endearing coming-of-age story, and part Battle Royale.
Also starring Colin Ford, Alyvia Alyn Lind, and Krysta Rodriguez, Daybreak hits Netflix on October 24th.
