DVD Review: Life After People

Welcome To Earth. Population: 0

LIFE AFTER PEOPLE, premiering Monday, January 21st, 2008 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on The History Channel.

What would happen to planet earth if the human race were to suddenly disappear forever? Would ecosystems thrive? What remnants of our industrialized world would survive? What would crumble fastest? From the ruins of ancient civilizations to present day cities devastated by natural disasters, history gives us clues to these questions and many more in the visually stunning and thought-provoking new special.

Review:
One of the first History Channel shows whose premise is that humans are history – ancient history.

The History Channel’s newest special “Life After People” provides a scary and realistic look at a world that we will never see. What happens to Earth once mankind vanishes? What species would survive, which ones thrive, which ones would disappear all together? What would happen to the buildings? What traces would be left in 100 years or even 1,000 years? Life After People answers these questions and many more with the help of feature film quality visual effects and top experts in the fields of engineering, botany, ecology, biology, geology, climatology, and archeology.

Perhaps partially inspired by the interested generated by the film “I Am Legend”, Life After People provides an interesting perspective with plenty of discussion about how our planet will continue without us. Unfortunately, all too often the ideas presented seem more like speculation and less like science as the show doesn’t provide a lot of hard evidence. It does however interview real people who enthusiastically explain how various structures will implode and how various landscapes will return to their former states. The show takes the audience to real locations and offers a unique view into remarkable desolation.

One area that I wished the special had touched on more would be the improvement of mother nature after mankind is no longer in the picture to provide the pollution and damage that we seem to be dispensing at such a free rate in current times. With that being said, the show leaves you with an eerie feeling as you ponder what could leave the planet and all of species in tack yet cause the demise of humans. Could it be disease? Could it be something of our own doing? Another area of complaint that I have is that they completely ignored the fact that humans wouldn’t simply vanish and leave the planet in its ordinary condition, but it was still quite provocative and fun to watch. You’ll find yourself engrossed with this special, as it’s as fine as the rest of The History Channel’s programming.

Review by Emma Loggins

Grade: B+
Official site: http://www.history.com/minisites/life_after_people/
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