NBC's "Revolution" Starts September 2012

[jacobus]

What do you think about NBC's postapocalyptic "Revolution"? It takes place fifteen years after the end of the Age of Electricity. But don't worry - firearms still function!
I wonder what caused the loss of electricity? Unlike William R. Forstchen's "One Second After", this catastrophe doesn't strike just the US, but takes down the entire world. A solar flare maybe? On the other hand, it seems at least one person had forewarning of the event, although nothing could be done to prevent it.

http://www.nbc.com/revolution/

[wtw]

that's what I thought solar flare as well, still I don't know if it is realistic in any way

[XNM]

Originally Posted by jacobus

What do you think about NBC's postapocalyptic "Revolution"? It takes place fifteen years after the end of the Age of Electricity. But don't worry - firearms still function!
I wonder what caused the loss of electricity? Unlike William R. Forstchen's "One Second After", this catastrophe doesn't strike just the US, but takes down the entire world. A solar flare maybe? On the other hand, it seems at least one person had forewarning of the event, although nothing could be done to prevent it.

http://www.nbc.com/revolution/

I think it's just flintlocks. Which is really stupid considering how most modern guns don't use electricity.

I'll give it one season. Maybe two.

[undeadpixel]

The show will last 6 weeks before its cancelled

[whitecrow]

My guess? The apocalypse is caused by a computer virus or some Y2K-like event. Yes, I know it doesn't make sense but hey, its not like such series are overly realistic with their doomsdays.

[pnyckqx]

Originally Posted by MKN

I think it's just flintlocks. Which is really stupid considering how most modern guns don't use electricity.

I'll give it one season. Maybe two.

Well, you're right about that, but how would one power a machine shop to make critical tolerance parts? Steam obviously, but lots of stuff would have to be retrofitted. Manufacturing would drop back by about 130 years, and manufactured goods would get prohibitively expensive.

i'm wondering why batteries failed. Unless a lot of laws of physics get repealed, chemically generated electricity should still work.

Ain't it funny how the women all still have perfect hair?

[Lurksalot]

Diesel engine.

[LostCosmonaut]

Originally Posted by MKN

I think it's just flintlocks. Which is really stupid considering how most modern guns don't use electricity.

I distinctly remember the M-16 having a battery.

Also, even if all electronics are killed for some reason, you can just go and build some new ones. Problem solved. Unless the electromagnetic force has been neutralized, in which cases there are bigger problems.

[TheMann]

Originally Posted by Lurksalot

Diesel engine.

Some old ones, but any modern diesel uses electronic engine controls, and those would be completely SOL, as only any diesel engine with carburetors or mechanical fuel injection would be operable.

[flippikat]

Originally Posted by jacobus

What do you think about NBC's postapocalyptic "Revolution"? It takes place fifteen years after the end of the Age of Electricity. But don't worry - firearms still function!
I wonder what caused the loss of electricity? Unlike William R. Forstchen's "One Second After", this catastrophe doesn't strike just the US, but takes down the entire world. A solar flare maybe? On the other hand, it seems at least one person had forewarning of the event, although nothing could be done to prevent it.

http://www.nbc.com/revolution/

I remember reading a story with a similar premise in Eagle magazine in the early 1980s..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tower_King

[pnyckqx]

Originally Posted by LostCosmonaut

I distinctly remember the M-16 having a battery.

Also, even if all electronics are killed for some reason, you can just go and build some new ones. Problem solved. Unless the electromagnetic force has been neutralized, in which cases there are bigger problems.

Along the lines of extinction of all life on the planet. Nobody ever successfully accused writers of being consistent or science literate. "May the Script be with you"

While i don't recall batteries in the M-16 or the M-4, i wouldn't be surprised. After all it was made my Mattel.

Yeah, i know, just the plastic parts, and i know there wasn't a battery too.

[whitecrow]

Originally Posted by TheMann

Some old ones, but any modern diesel uses electronic engine controls, and those would be completely SOL, as only any diesel engine with carburetors or mechanical fuel injection would be operable.

Not to mention any diesel engines would need diesel which would be hard to come by if transportation and trade suddenly stops.

[Lurksalot]

How hard would it be to get railway steam engines from the museums back in shape to pull cargo?

Also the Foxfire series of books, is the information fiction or can the techniques described in them actually work in the real world?

[JakeKr]

Silly, too beautiful people, also at the end there is revelation that electricity works again.

I don't know about the firearms.On one hand USA has gazillions of them. OTOH the series takes place after 15 years and most of them could have been used after the fall.
Still it shouldn't be that hard to have some basic assault rifles or revolvers still showing up.

[Horizon]

but then they can't have those cool matrix style sword fights can they?

[Doctor What]

Originally Posted by whitecrow

Not to mention any diesel engines would need diesel which would be hard to come by if transportation and trade suddenly stops.

Except that with a bit of modification, diesel engines can work with vegetable oils and rendered animal fat. The first diesel engine, frex, ran on peanut oil.

In fact, with a little bit of work, you can make biodiesel from pretty much anything.

"Diesel made Simply From Coffee Grounds"

Sure--it may not be top-quality stuff and may not be enough to make a dent in current global production levels, but any semi-organized large farming town should have no trouble cranking out a few hundred gallons a year.

As others have also pointed out -- what about steam engines?

Or more importantly -- did everyone forget that bicycles exist?

The other thing I have an issue with is that it appears that, despite the fact that 15 years has passed, nobody appears to have any idea what's happening beyond their current state borders, which really doesn't make any kind of sense whatsoever. I can understand people being clueless about what's happening 15 days or 15 weeks or even 15 months afterwards -- but after 15 years, major chunks of the globe will be at least semi-organized at this point. Once the crucial 'we need to get through the winter without eating each other' stage has been passed, there should be all kinds of half-ass trading networks beginning to form.

Sure--I don't expect someone living in Smalltown, Kansas to be up to speed on what's happening in China or Europe, but you figure that they'll know about what's happening in California or Texas or Saskatchewan or whatever, especially since the road system (even after 15 years) should still be in semi-decent shape.

[ScorchedLight]

I already hate this show. I'm working on a story with the same premise, and seeing how well everything is preserved, it's just infuriating. The flintlock guns also don't make any goddamn sense either.

However, this made me think that saltpeter could regain its strategic importance, in the absence of the Haber Process. That'd mean that whatever remains in Northern Chile would have a huge advantage over its neighbours, giving them access to Nitrocellulose in a world dominated by gunpowder.

[Lord Brisbane]

How hard would it be to get railway steam engines from the museums back in shape to pull cargo?

Rather difficult actually for a couple of reasons.

1. The infrastructure to support longer term and distance use simply isn't here anymore such as watering and coaling and maintenance facilities. Yes it can be overcome but it remains hugely ineffecient. It might be easier using the rail infrastructure as a means ans resorting to draught or human power (although given the lack of bicycles, thats never been tried).

2. Fuel source. Given the size of most American steam locomotives, without a source of decent burning coal, it would quickly exhaust local supplies. (and thats not counting all the oil burners etc).

3. Knowledge. Alot the knowledge simply isn't there anymore about operating steam locomotives. Outside of preservation groups and museum staff, it doesn't exist anymore, and is generally passed down from experienced hands to newer ones, and this knowledge is probably not a priority in the initial survival period. Yes, it could be figured out from manuals, books etc but it will take time.
----
As for the concept of the series itself, most of it seems pretty silly and the major plot device just seems to be a way for the writers to say "this, that there, and the other thing can't exist" anymore. And horses are probably more dramatic than bicycles, which suggests why they are no longer used.

[sydney1950]

Okay so gun powder works, but they're using flintlocks instead of all the hardware laying about. Steam works too, but it looks like they don't use it. Oh yeah electricity is back, but it's a secret or something. The series "MacGuffin" I assume...Google it. Of course there's the usual post apocalypse warlords around with swords, and...sigh.

Look if I wanted to read "Dies the Fire" I'd read "Dies the Fire."

[Daaharu]

Originally Posted by sydney1950

Okay so gun powder works, but they're using flintlocks instead of all the hardware laying about. Steam works too. Oh yeah electricity is back, but it's a secret or something. Of course there's the usual post apocalypse warlords around with swords, and...sigh.

Look if I wanted to read "Dies the Fire" I'd read "Dies the Fire."

I'm with you on this...when I first saw the promo on television, I had to go and look it up to see if it was actually based on "Dies the Fire" or not. It seemed so similar...