DAYBREAK. What a Fresh and Pleasant Surprise!

How to tell the story of the end of the world without repeating what has already been done? How to talk about the problems of youth without sounding pretentious? What to do to stand out, using narrative templates? Aron Eli Coleite and Brad Peyton, the creators of Daybreak, found the answer.

This is the end of Generation Y.

Now the future of the world lies in the hands of Generation A. All because of an apocalypse that turned all adults into zombies, sparing only the youth. They then gather into gangs, rule, divide, and party. They reshape the world according to new rules and their own needs. Survival has never had such a laid-back character, though it is not without its brutality.

Josh, with his skateboard and katana, roams this world. The apocalypse does not stop him from seeking love.

Before the disaster, he lost his beloved Sam, and now he won’t rest until he finds her. He is aided by a group of no less colorful and eccentric friends, including a cheeky little girl and a black samurai. What will the reality without adults bring them, where they can only rely on each other?

In the realm of TV, this was undoubtedly one of the biggest surprises of 2019.

And certainly, among the productions under Netflix’s banner. I had already gotten used to the fact that the popular platform could no longer deliver anything so refreshing and energetic to its audience. Yes, we are dealing with yet another story about an outsider who has to find meaning in the least favorable conditions, but the entire surrounding context of this story is completely original, assembled in the spirit of postmodernism.

What’s here, then? The characters consistently break the fourth wall, mocking narrative templates. The narration is very interestingly enriched with on-screen text, taken directly from the comic book aesthetic. The creators repeatedly show how well they have studied pop culture, even going so far as to flaunt numerous references. The obvious comparisons are Mad Max, but for me, the atmosphere of the series mainly reminds me of the Borderlands game series.

And finally – the whole production exudes positive energy, ease, and humor, positioning Daybreak closer to the category of youth satire than a sociological discourse in the spirit of science fiction.

There wasn’t an episode in which I didn’t feel surprised at least once. Whether it was by narrative solutions or another crazy way of diversifying the style. But what was most valuable to me during the Daybreak screening was that in this often silly and overtly grotesque fun, sincere dramatism often managed to break through.

My favorite episode? Definitely Post Mates – the one almost entirely made up of flashbacks, the one where Josh and Sam decide to spend intimate moments together. In my opinion, this is the key moment for this story, as it reveals the truth about the characters.

If I had to criticize the series, it would only be for the fact that at times it tries too hard to be unconventional. This makes it elusive. Daybreak is a rollercoaster ride that repeatedly crosses genre boundaries to the point of becoming an auto-thematic creation. It’s hard to speak of anything consistent here, as you can never be sure if in the next episode, the creators won’t once again indulge in mocking the clichés that don’t push the plot even a centimeter forward.

However, full credit should be given to the creators for creating something unique and largely risky.

I am aware that many viewers, expecting a youth love story mixed with survival themes, might be put off by the humorous tone of the series. But as I mentioned earlier, somewhere in the dust of this party, one can also see much genuine seriousness. These kids have a lot to say about human nature, and they do it intelligently and with a wink. Give them a chance to speak.