and, these days you don't get science fiction, even really non serious science fiction without a dweeb going into it, so, here we go. When was "The Event" ? Announcer: "the estimated date is March or November 2013". Quiz host: "Well, its between 600 and 750 days since the Event". Obviously: The Event had an effect that made time telling highly inaccurate, so we cannot be sure those are correct estimates even, but using that, we place it at between February 10, 2011 and April 9 2012 when The Event took place or began. What was the event? Interesting that this upload in particular began with a Protect and Survive parody, because most evidence points to a nuclear explosion or something involving radiation at least. While they purposely leave "The Event" somewhat vague, they give a lot of hints. I was told that it is suspected that nuclear weapons could produce an EMP like side effect, so that would account for the inaccurate dating. Any digital time keeping was wiped out, and they are reliant on consensus memory of how many days have passed since the last know accurate date. The sketch is purposely saturated and in a lower resolution because they are using older video equipment; all the newer stuff having been damaged by the EMP effect. Digital TV would be off the table then as well, so they are also catering to an audience using old TV and/or radio sets that were formerly collecting dust in a closet or attic somewhere. Peter is "blind like most people". This would be due to the blinding arc flash of a nuclear weapon. "post event power surges" because rubber would be melted of transmission lines in some areas. "remain indoors" because waiting for fallout to clear. Food becoming scarcer because viable topsoil was ruined by fallout. Trouble "breeding" due to "too much sick" implies many people suffer at least mild radiation sickness. However, we have "recommended injections in your sector" and "them that used to be us" which implies a plague event. Here is what happened: the nuclear attack broke some storage of harmful diseases in research areas. Allowing for some sci-fi goofiness; the disease samples are mutated by radiation, creating a mutant disease that can make us into them. The soldiers, and "them" appear to be a later development, which would go with having time for a few isolated disease samples to reproduce. Are there actual viewers? At least in the first few sketches, yes. There are people going around with recommended injections and food parcels. The Quiz Broadcast itself was probably made by request as a break in the monotony of all programming being "emergency instructions" and condition updates, coupled with emergency broadcasting offering less and less new information and instruction as society settles into its crumbling state, and the broadcasters wanting to do something to keep themselves occupied. Its very existence has to be a result of a disaster recovery infrastructure in effect. Somewhere, electricity is being generated. Its always bad, but there was some hope of possible rebuilding, until "them" and "being infected" comes into the picture. This is where food starts coming up short and there is some uncertainty voiced about if anyone is left outside the studio. Towards the end, they are probably still broadcasting in the hopes of finding any more survivors. What becomes of The Presenter and Peter? Open to interpretation. I think that the standing together and holding hands at the end was The Presenter giving up on the quiz format. They will still broadcast while able in an effort to communicate with possible survivors, but there is a format change where its more of a podcast or chat show situation. Perhaps a prominent gang of raiders find them, and they become announcers for their gladiator battles as Beyond Thunderdome variants of the snooker guys.
Loved your commentary. I may add that at 9:07 the little girl on the blackboard has written a passage of Revelations that surmise an impending catastrophe forcing humankind back into caves: 13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. 14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; I really love how much thought went into these sketches.
