# Dead Set (2008)

> Big Brother housemates stay oblivious to a zombie outbreak raging across Britain while they compete for eviction.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/7285

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 5
- Episode runtime: 30 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: horror
- Created by: Charlie Brooker
- Network: E4
- Cast: Kevin Eldon, Beth Cordingly, Warren Brown, Riz Ahmed, Davina McCall, Elyes Gabel, Liz May Brice, Adam Deacon
- TMDB rating: 7.5/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1285482/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: graphic
- Tone: sardonic, gory, tense, satirical, bleak

## What critics say

Audiences rated the miniseries positively for its savage satire of reality television and its gory zombie premise.

## Synopsis

Dead Set (2008) is a British dark comedy horror miniseries created by Charlie Brooker for E4. Set inside the Big Brother house during a live eviction night, it follows contestants including Riq Rahman (Riz Ahmed), Veronica (Beth Cordingly), Marky (Warren Brown), and Joplin (Kevin Eldon) as they bicker, scheme, and chase fame while the outside world falls into chaos. The engine of the story is the gap between the housemates' self-absorbed rivalries and the gory reality seeping through the walls, with producers and presenters continuing the show as zombies rampage through Britain. Across five short episodes, the series builds tension through claustrophobic house drama and sudden bursts of brutal, bloody horror. Its tone mixes sardonic satire of celebrity culture and reality television with visceral, disturbing gore. Fans of Shaun of the Dead, Black Mirror, and The Walking Dead will find resonance in its blend of savage humor, social commentary, and apocalyptic dread. The result is a sharp, nasty, and ultimately bleak miniseries.

## Shows like Dead Set

- [Survivors (2008)](https://ember.film/tv/6965)
- [Zomvivor (2025)](https://ember.film/tv/137908)
- [Daybreak (2019)](https://ember.film/tv/71212)
- [Cordon (2014)](https://ember.film/tv/56232)
- [All of Us Are Dead (2022)](https://ember.film/tv/84008)
- [S.O.Z: Soldiers or Zombies (2021)](https://ember.film/tv/80452)
- [Zomboat! (2019)](https://ember.film/tv/79789)
- [Jam (2000)](https://ember.film/tv/2083)
- [Marvel Zombies (2025)](https://ember.film/tv/114432)
- [Red Rose (2022)](https://ember.film/tv/130002)

---

Site overview: https://ember.film/llms.txt