You, Me and the Apocalypse

You, Me and the Apocalypse
Genre
Created by Iain Hollands
Starring
Country of origin United Kingdom
United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 10 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)
Producer(s)
Running time 43 minutes
Production company(s)
Release
Original network Sky 1 (United Kingdom)
NBC (United States)
Picture format 16:9 (1080i HDTV)
First shown in United Kingdom
Original release 30 September (2015-09-30) – 2 December 2015 (2015-12-02)
External links
Sky website
NBC website

You, Me and the Apocalypse (working title Apocalypse Slough) is a British-American comedy-drama miniseries. The series was green-lit on 8 January 2015.[1][2] It debuted on Sky 1 on 30 September 2015 and on NBC on 28 January 2016.[3][4] On 8 March 2016, Sky 1 revealed that there would not be a season 2.[5]

Plot

With their days numbered, a group of people struggle with the inevitable apocalypse after it is discovered that a comet is on a collision course with Earth.

Jamie Winton (Mathew Baynton) works as a bank manager in Slough, England, living with his best friend, Dave Bosley (Joel Fry), and his adoptive mother, Paula (Pauline Quirke). Before the comet hits, Jamie vows to find his wife, Layla (Karla Crome), who disappeared seven years ago, and his biological mother. In one of many revelations that occurs before the comet strikes, he learns he has a twin brother named Ariel Conroy (also played by Baynton).

Meanwhile, Rhonda MacNeil (Jenna Fischer) is imprisoned in New Mexico, United States, after taking the blame for a hacking crime committed against the NSA by her son Spike (Fabian McCallum). There, she meets a white supremacist named Leanne (Megan Mullally).

In Washington, D.C., Rhonda's brother Scotty (Kyle Soller) and his husband, US General Arnold Gaines (Paterson Joseph), are working to stop the comet that will cause the apocalypse.

At the Vatican, Father Jude (Rob Lowe) and Sister Celine (Gaia Scodellaro) work to find the potential Antichrist and the world's savior. In the end, as explained at the beginning of the series, most of these people will come to be in a bunker together under Slough as they watch the apocalypse on TV.

Cast

Main:

Guest:

Episodes

A group of people, each living their own, unconnected lives, are introduced. It is revealed that a comet is due to hit Earth in 34 days. Some of these people can be seen in a bunker together under the town of Slough, in the UK, as they watch the events unfolding up to end of the world, on TV.

No.Title [6]Directed byWritten byOriginal air dateU.S. airdateUK viewers
(millions) [7]		U.S. viewers
(millions)
1"34 Days to Go"
"Who Are These People?"		Michael EnglerIain Hollands30 September 2015 (2015-09-30)28 January 20161.285.02[8]

Jamie Winton, a bank manager from Slough, is arrested after police suspect him to be the leader of a terrorist hacking group called Deus Ex Machina. After his alibi checks out, Jamie comes to learn that he has a twin brother called Ariel and that his mother Paula adopted him when he was a baby. Jamie also discovers that his wife Layla, who he believed had disappeared during their honeymoon, is alive and was last seen with Ariel.

In New Mexico, Rhonda McNeil, a librarian, is arrested and placed in a maximum security prison for hacking into the NSA. Rhonda is terrified of her new surroundings and inmates but refuses to give up her son, Spike, who actually did the hacking,and faces the rest of her life in prison. Rhonda is saved from a group beating by Leanne, a white supremacist. However, as the apocalypse is announced, a riot breaks out and Ariel appears to hack into the prison system to rescue Rhonda, as well as Leanne who stowed away.

In Rome, Sister Celine Leonti is offered a job interview to work for the Vatican. She is interviewed by Father Jude, an unconventional priest who smokes, drinks and curses. The job is to work with Jude as a "Devil's Advocate" in the canonization of potential saints. Jude works to prove that the required miracles are false, so there is no question when a potential Saint is canonized in the church. She initially refuses but decides to take the job. After the news of the asteroid becomes public, their job is changed to seeking out potential candidates for the Second Coming of Jesus as foretold in Revelations.
2"33 Days to Go"
"An Erotic Odyssey"		Michael EnglerIain Hollands7 October 2015 (2015-10-07)4 February 20160.853.47[9]

With limited time left on Earth, Jamie declares he is going to find Layla and get her back. Along with his flatmate Dave, Jamie decides that the best way to do this is to find his birth mother who may be able to tell him where Ariel is. Paula gives him an address that was found with Jamie when he was abandoned. Jamie and Dave travel across the country to the address but are taken hostage by a blond woman, who believes Jamie is Ariel.

Meanwhile, in Washington DC, the US government begins to work on plans to stop the comet and save the world. The president seeks the advice of General Arnold Gaines and Scotty McNeil, Rhonda's brother, who specialise in end of the world disasters for the US government. Scotty declares the only way to stop the comet would be if the world pulls their resources together to do so, causing the US to work with its allies and enemies.

In New Mexico, Ariel and his friend Max are excited to meet Rhonda, believing her to be the only person to hack the NSA. During the escape, a suicide jumper falls onto the ambulance they're in and they crash, with Leanne left stuck inside. Ariel, Rhonda and Max leave Leanne behind but Rhonda reveals who she really is and Ariel abandons her and leaves to find Spike. Rhonda then returns to Leanne to help continue their escape.

In the Vatican, Jude sees no point continuing his work with Sister Celine but is called in front of his superiors, who request he begin researching second messiahs.
3"32 Days to Go"
"Still Stuff Worth Fighting For"		Saul MetzsteinIain Hollands14 October 2015 (2015-10-14)11 February 20160.822.97[10]

Jamie and Dave are being held hostage by Skye, one of Ariel's exes, who is heavily pregnant. After threatening them with a nail gun, Skye's water breaks and she releases Jamie and Dave to help her, successfully, give birth. Believing Jamie says who he says he is, Skye warns him not to go after Ariel but gives him the address for where his birth mother now resides in Scotland anyway.

Rhonda and Leanne continue their escape from prison. They try to steal clothes from a house but Rhonda is caught and held at gunpoint by Buddy, a cross-dresser. Rhonda and Buddy bond and Rhonda has the chance to talk to Scotty about finding Spike, who has been taken into custody by his birth father, and Rajesh, her critically ill husband. Believing he can claim a large reward for Rhonda, Buddy phones the police on her, but she is rescued by Leanne who is pretending to be a police officer. At the same time, Ariel meets Spike and "rescues" him from his father.

Scotty and Gaines begin Project Saviour, an operation using the world's finest minds to stop the comet hitting Earth. Gaines discovers that Scotty has been talking to Rhonda but does not give him up as it is revealed they are lovers.

Meanwhile, Jude and Celine travel to Warsaw to investigate a false messiah. They meet Frankie, a 6 year old girl who returned from the dead after a car crash at the same time the apocalypse was announced. As a result, a large mob formed outside the hospital she is in, believing she is the second coming of Christ. They meet Frankie's mother, Layla, revealing that Frankie is Jamie's daughter. Deciding she is not the messiah, Jude provides a distraction as Celine helps Layla and Frankie escape the hospital.
4"26 Days to Go"
"What Happens to Idiots"		Saul MetzsteinGeoff Bussetil and Ben Vanstone, Iain Hollands21 October 2015 (2015-10-21)18 February 20160.682.57[11]
5"23 Days to Go"
"Right in the Nuts"		Saul MetzsteinSarah Dollard28 October 2015 (2015-10-28)25 February 20160.642.58[12]
6"17 Days to Go"
"Home Sweet Home"		Tim KirkbyIain Hollands4 November 2015 (2015-11-04)3 March 20160.522.34[13]
7"14 Days to Go"
"T Minus..."		Tim KirkbyIain Hollands, Julian Jones, Richard Welsh11 November 2015 (2015-11-11)10 March 20160.572.22[14]
8"7 Days to Go"
"Saviour Day"		Tim KirkbyIain Hollands, Mickey Down18 November 2015 (2015-11-18)17 March 20160.642.76[15]
9"24 Hours to Go"
"Calm Before the Storm"		Saul MetzsteinIain Hollands25 November 2015 (2015-11-25)24 March 20160.642.68[16]
10"The End of the World"
"End of Days"		Saul MetzsteinIain Hollands2 December 2015 (2015-12-02)31 March 20160.602.80[17]

Rhonda, Leanne, Scotty and Gaines escape the compound and board a plane headed for Slough and the bunker, along with Spike and Rajesh.

Meanwhile, Frankie hears voices in her head and rescues Jamie from the bank vault with the recently married Paula and Dave. Celine discovers that she is pregnant with Jude's child and the whole group drive to Windsor to save Layla from Ariel. Layla and Ariel look desperately for Frankie and head to the bunker where they believe she is. However, Ariel lets slip that he is not Jamie and Layla crashes the car and escapes, leaving an unconscious Ariel behind. Layla then stumbles on Jamie and his group and they all head to the bunker together as small meteorites beginning hitting Earth.

One meteorite hits the plane that Rhonda is in, which crash lands in Slough. Rhonda, Scotty, Gaines, Leanne, Spike and Rajesh hijack a truck and drive to the bunker site, getting inside and reuniting Scotty and Rhonda with their presumed deceased mother.

Just outside Slough, Jamie, Layla, Frankie, Celine, Paula and Dave are stuck on one side of the River Thames after the bridge is destroyed by debris. Desperate to get across Jamie, somehow, parts the River Thames, proving to Paula that he is the son of God after all. The group successfully cross the Thames and arrive at the bunker.

However, debris has ruined the front door and it will not lock. The group devise a plan to close the door using the truck Rhonda hijacked, which means leaving someone behind. Rajesh nominates himself to shut the door, telling Rhonda that he is dying anyway and can't survive much longer. All get inside except Rajesh and Jamie, who helps to move the truck while a figure approaches from behind.

Rajesh tells Jamie to get inside, who does so, just as the door closes and locks everyone inside. They sit down and watch the TV to see the inevitable.

Outside, Rajesh watches as a giant smoke cloud engulfs the area. A naked Jamie crawls his way towards him, revealing that Ariel had once again attacked him and stolen his clothing, pretending to be Jamie to get inside the bunker. Rajesh says it is too late and their fate is left unknown. The screen fades as the camera pulls in to view Ariel within the bunker, who grins at his final success.

Reception

The series met favorable responses from critics. On Metacritic, it holds a score of 72/100 based on 26 reviews.[18] On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds an 83% approval rating based on 31 reviews, with an average rating of 7.4/10. The critics' consensus reads: "You, Me, and the Apocalypse has a lot of fun with the end of the world, if you can keep up with its unpredictable, oddball twists." The performances of all of the leads were acclaimed as well.[19]

References

  1. ↑ "Sky1 commissions comedy thriller Apocalypse Slough". British Comedy Guide. 8 January 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2016.
  2. ↑ "Compelling Dramas, New Comedies and Favorite Returning Series Highlight NBC's Balanced and Potent 2015-16 Primetime Schedule". The Futon Critic. 10 May 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  3. ↑ Hughes, Sarah (9 September 2015). "You, Me and the Apocalypse: Rob Lowe makes fun of the end of the world ... in Slough". The Independent. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  4. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (17 December 2015). "NBC Slots 'You, Me and the Apocalypse' Dramedy Thursdays at 8 PM". Tvbythenumbers.com. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  5. ↑ radiotimes.com http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2016-03-08/you-me-and-the-apocalypse-will-not-be-returning-for-a-second-series. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. ↑ "You, Me and the Apocalypse Season 1". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
  7. ↑ "Weekly Top 10 Programmes". Broadcasters' Audience Research Board. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  8. ↑ Porter, Rick. "Thursday final ratings: 'Apocalypse' premiere and all other shows hold". TVByTheNumbers. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  9. ↑ Porter, Rick (5 February 2016). "Thursday final ratings: 'Big Bang Theory' adjusts up, 'Life in Pieces' and 'Mom' adjust down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  10. ↑ Porter, Rick (12 February 2016). "Thursday final ratings: 'Mom' adjusts up". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  11. ↑ Porter, Rick (19 February 2016). "Thursday final ratings: 'Big Bang Theory,' 'Scandal' and 'How to Get Away with Murder' adjust up". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  12. ↑ Porter, Rick (26 February 2016). "Thursday final ratings: 'Big Bang Theory' adjusts up, 'Life in Pieces' adjusts down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  13. ↑ Porter, Rick (4 March 2016). "Thursday final ratings: 'American Idol' adjusts up". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  14. ↑ Porter, Rick (11 March 2016). "Thursday final ratings: 'Scandal' adjusts up, 4 CBS shows adjust down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  15. ↑ Porter, Rick (18 March 2016). "Thursday final ratings: NCAA tourney has a soft start on CBS". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  16. ↑ Porter, Rick (25 March 2016). "Thursday final ratings: 'Grey's Anatomy' adjusts up, plus final NCAA numbers". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
  17. ↑ Porter, Rick (April 1, 2016). "Thursday final ratings: 'Big Bang Theory' adjusts up, 'Scandal,' 'Life in Pieces' and 'The 100' adjust down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
  18. ↑ You, Me and the Apocalypse : Season 1 at Metacritic
  19. ↑ You, Me and the Apocalypse: Series 1 at Rotten Tomatoes
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