A break from reality

The Netflix Original Series “Daybreak” is an American post-apocalyptic comedy-drama based on a graphic novel by Brian Ralph. The show stars Colin Ford as Josh Wheeler, a Canadian transfer student from Toronto who survived an epidemic alongside Angelica Green, a 10-year-old genius, and Wesley Frist, a high school jock who turned into a post-apocalyptic samurai. 

The show begins with the introduction of Josandh Wheeler, an average C-student at Glendale High School who survived the apocalypse. Josh is not a perfect hero – he is often self-centered, hard to work with, and clumsy. However throughout the story he shows that when the situation gets tough, he will make the right decision. Josh’s objective after the apocalypse is to find his girlfriend, Sam Dean, the most popular girl at Glendale High School. 

While watching “Daybreak”, we follow the twists and turns of the story as there are many secrets to be unfold. We also observe how the apocalypse effects humans and society. The show brings along a new view of how the post-apocalyptic genre can be used – this is the first time I’ve personally seen comedy being integrated into a post-apocalyptic show. 

Based on the first season, I can tell how this show could elicit negative feedback from the audience due to the many clichés that were introduced, and the teen-drama that has arisen in the middle of the series. However, aside from the weaknesses, the negative feedback often comes from people not giving the show a chance, and not fully understanding what makes it good. The story itself grabs your attention and makes you want to watch more.

The show is set in Glendale, California, and most of the survivors are former students of Glendale High School. After the apocalypse, the students developed a society with tribes that are each based on high school stereotypes. The more notable tribes include the Jocks and the Cheermazons. As the show goes on, we start to learn more about Josh and his gang of survivors. By getting to know the characters and their story before the apocalypse, the producers make the viewers truly sympathize with their stories. The drama itself is enough to make you cry, feel hate, and anger.. 

The series also has hidden messages that correspond to problems that occur in real life. Everything that led up to the apocalypse was created through the actions of the adults. The children are only bystanders to what is going on in the world. The world they live in after the apocalypse is shaped by their own views and perspective of life. Viewers know how dysfunctional this sort of society would be, where tribes are split off based on the social hierarchies of high school. The kids would never get the chance to learn from their actions and mature into fully grown adults. It’s surprising that they were able to survive for months. 

Josh achieves his objective and finds Sam, but we then learn that there is more than meets the eye. From the outside Sam appeared to be the perfect girl who gained the respect of her peers. Before the apocalypse she had truly fallen in love with Josh, and they had grown to have a sexual relationship, which changed after the apocalypse. The six months they were stuck in this horrific world have made Sam power hungry and unnerving. She shockingly explains how she never really felt serious about her relationship with Josh, while devoted most of his survival to saving her. At the end, however, it’s revealed that Sam has experience seducing many people into a sexual relationship, most only lasting for a short amount of time. This was out of her need for attention. The season ended with most of the remaining tribes accepting her rule while Josh and his followers were left in confusion.

The show has many twists that change your expectations of what might occur. Josh Wheeler may not be your perfect hero, but he has his ways of rallying the support of his peers. He transitions from being an unknown outcast in high school to a post-apocalyptic tribe leader. The show is truly phenomenal as it plays with our expectations.