With all that’s happened over the past two years, one would think apocalyptic tales in which humankind faces its own impending destruction might be a little too close for comfort. But end-of-the-world content is booming, and the latest shows to hit the streamers are proof that zombies aren’t the only enemy humans may face when the end is nigh.
From the White Spikes of the Chris Pratt-starrer The Tomorrow War, to the zombie army taking over Las Vegas in Army of the Dead, while aliens and the undead remain a fan favourite, it’s the humanity-destroying likes of viruses and pandemics that leave us wondering if what we’re seeing on screen might actually happen.
Ahead of Netflix’s all-star Don’t Look Up, about Earth’s impending destruction at the hands of an asteroid on collision course, set for release on December 10, here are eight ways to watch the end of the world…
‘The Last of Us’, HBO
Based on the popular PlayStation video game, HBO’s coming series is set 20 years after civilisation has been wiped out by a deadly fungus. The Mandalorian’s Pedro Pascal stars as Joel, a survivor hired to smuggle Ellie (Game of Thrones’s Bella Ramsey) out of a quarantine zone.
Together, the pair embark on a dangerous journey across the US with only each other to rely on. Merle Dandridge, who voiced Marlene, the leader of the Fireflies resistance group in the video game, reprises the role onscreen, as they battle the government’s oppressive military regime.
‘Sweet Tooth’, Netflix
If the show’s main image of a boy with antlers has left you scratching your head, rest assured that this series, based on a comic book, successfully blends darkness and hope in equal measures.
Set in the aftermath of a global virus that has wiped out a huge swath of the population, Gus (Christian Convery), a hybrid who is half-human and half-deer, is being tracked down by hybrid hunters, people who fear hybrids caused the global catastrophe. Saved by the intimidating Tommy Jepperd (Nonso Anozie), they, along with a ragtag band of survivors, embark on a journey together across the American West.
‘Good Omens’, Amazon Prime
Based on the book co-written by British sci-fi genre legends, Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, the fate of humankind in the face of the apocalypse is left in the hands of an ambivalent angel who moonlights as a rare book dealer (Michael Sheen) and a rock star-esque demon (David Tennant).
The pair, who have been friends of sorts since Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden, are joined by a gang of four children – one whom may or may not be the anti-Christ – an ageing medium and part-time courtesan, a half-hearted member of the Witchfinder Army and a professional descendant and occultist, in their bid to divert disaster. Jon Hamm also pops up as the angel Gabriel.
‘The Rain’, Netflix
In this subtitled Danish offering, the weather turns against the Earth’s occupants with humankind wiped out by a virus that’s carried by the rain. Most of the population of Scandinavia have been killed when siblings Simone (Alba August) and Rasmus Andersen (Lucas Lynggaard Tonnesen) emerge from the bunker they have been sheltering in for the past six years ever since the killer precipitation began.
The pair set out to find their father, joining forces along the way with a small group of survivors searching for a quarantine zone in which to seek refuge.
‘See’, Apple TV+
The second season of the streamer’s original entry into the post-apocalyptic world dropped on August 27. Starring Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista, See is set hundreds of years in the future following a global catastrophe in the early 21st century which wiped out all but two million humans, with the survivors left without their sight.
Unable to father children, Baba Voss (Momoa), the chieftain of the Alkenny tribe, marries a woman, Maghra, who is already three months pregnant. The baby's biological father, Jerlamarel, is being hunted as a heretic for being a “sighted”, a rare being with the ability to see, by an army led by Voss's estranged brother Edo (Bautista), who believes sight was taken by God as a way to save the Earth.
‘The 100’, Netflix
Currently on season seven, the humankind-wiping event in The 100 is good old-fashioned nuclear annihilation. Adding more of a sci-fi slant to the usual apocalyptic fare, The 100 is set 97 years after nuclear meltdown destroyed the Earth, leaving the survivors to take up residence in an orbiting space station called The Ark.
Battling overpopulation onboard, the decision is made to send 100 people back to Earth to test out its habitability. But because they don’t want to risk sending anyone who might be missed, they drop 100 juvenile delinquents on to the planet and task them with finding out if it’s time for humankind to come home. The problem is, the teens aren’t as alone on Earth as they first thought. It stars Eliza Taylor and Isaiah Washington.
‘The Last Ship’, Hulu
Stop if you’ve heard this one before, but The Last Ship centres around a global pandemic that strikes the world. In this Michael Bay-produced show, the crew of the USS Nathan James are isolated in the Arctic on a mission when the virus strikes, wiping out 80 per cent of the global population.
On returning from their icy mission, they find the world in ruins and the only hope for a cure in the hands of two virologists aboard the ship and the captain Tom Chandler (Eric Dane).
‘Zoo’, Netflix
Based on the novel by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge, Zoo’s central premise on the destruction of humankind is all down to animals rising up and attempting to take over the world.
A genetic mutation called the “defiant pupil” causes animals to become highly intelligent and gain the ability to communicate and band together effectively enough to turn on their human masters. Cats hatch murder plots, dogs create ambushes, wolves stage a prison breakout and bats are capable of zeroing in on technology in order to destroy it.
At times entering B-movie territory, this series has become a fan favourite, starring Twilight’s Billy Burke and Mad Men’s James Wolk.
Read more
How to survive a zombie apocalypse: Centres for Disease Control and Prevention shares practical tips
Kathryn Hawkes of House of Hawkes on being a good guest (because we’ve all had bad ones)
- Arrive with a thank you gift, or make sure you have one for your host by the time you leave.
- Offer to buy groceries, cook them a meal or take your hosts out for dinner.
- Help out around the house.
- Entertain yourself so that your hosts don’t feel that they constantly need to.
- Leave no trace of your stay – if you’ve borrowed a book, return it to where you found it.
- Offer to strip the bed before you go.
Results
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Three tips from La Perle's performers
1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.
2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.
3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.
Opening Rugby Championship fixtures:Games can be watched on OSN Sports
Saturday: Australia v New Zealand, Sydney, 1pm (UAE)
Sunday: South Africa v Argentina, Port Elizabeth, 11pm (UAE)
BlacKkKlansman
Director: Spike Lee
Starring: John David Washington; Adam Driver
Five stars
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Babumoshai Bandookbaaz
Director: Kushan Nandy
Starring: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bidita Bag, Jatin Goswami
Three stars
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
THE%20SPECS
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Other must-tries
Tomato and walnut salad
A lesson in simple, seasonal eating. Wedges of tomato, chunks of cucumber, thinly sliced red onion, coriander or parsley leaves, and perhaps some fresh dill are drizzled with a crushed walnut and garlic dressing. Do consider yourself warned: if you eat this salad in Georgia during the summer months, the tomatoes will be so ripe and flavourful that every tomato you eat from that day forth will taste lacklustre in comparison.
Badrijani nigvzit
A delicious vegetarian snack or starter. It consists of thinly sliced, fried then cooled aubergine smothered with a thick and creamy walnut sauce and folded or rolled. Take note, even though it seems like you should be able to pick these morsels up with your hands, they’re not as durable as they look. A knife and fork is the way to go.
Pkhali
This healthy little dish (a nice antidote to the khachapuri) is usually made with steamed then chopped cabbage, spinach, beetroot or green beans, combined with walnuts, garlic and herbs to make a vegetable pâté or paste. The mix is then often formed into rounds, chilled in the fridge and topped with pomegranate seeds before being served.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
More on Quran memorisation:
More on Quran memorisation:
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.0-litre, twin-turbocharged W12
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 626bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh1,050,000
On sale: now
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IPL 2018 FINAL
Sunrisers Hyderabad 178-6 (20 ovs)
Chennai Super Kings 181-2 (18.3 ovs)
Chennai win by eight wickets
ENGLAND WORLD CUP SQUAD
Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wicketkeeper), Tom Curran, Joe Denly, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Scores
Rajasthan Royals 160-8 (20 ov)
Kolkata Knight Riders 163-3 (18.5 ov)
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Company%20Profile
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