Apocalyptic thrillers and survival shows have become increasingly popular in recent years, indicating a growing obsession among viewers with preparing for potential societal collapse. Netflix’s recent biannual viewing report showed the Obama-produced film Leave the World Behind, about the aftermath of a cyber-attack on the US, had a massive opening weekend with over 2.6 million households watching in the first 3 days. This follows the hugely successful premiere of The Last of Us, with over 30 million total viewers. When It Comes To End Times Survival, Viewers Can’t Get Enough.
The plausibility of catastrophic events is driving this surge in interest. A quarter of American women now identify as “preppers”, spending $11 billion annually on supplies, up from just 6% 15 years ago. 40% of Gen Z prep in some form, the highest of any age group. Federal agencies also report sharp rises in self-reliance capabilities. While prepping was once fringe, COVID-19, recent disasters, civil unrest, and supply chain issues have made it mainstream.
Prepping is now global too. European preppers cite distrust in government and a need for self-reliance. Products targeting preppers are booming, like Yeti’s $730 survival kit. The wealthy are also building remote, high-end bunkers, like Mark Zuckerberg’s reported $270 million Hawaii compound. With another pandemic expected in the next decade, it seems viewers will continue seeking out shows that let them imagine surviving a real-life apocalypse. This was an exciting program that we have watched a few times. It is produced by National Geographic and you can watch it below.