World War 3 series hailed as terrifyingly real | TV Shows

The narrative drives toward a devastating finale and was even turned into a novelization just before the show aired. While it presents an eerie alternate history today, at the time, it represented a frighteningly possible future, reports the Express.

Recent reviews on IMDb, even from 2015, commend the series for its believability, with one viewer commenting: “A showdown over dwindling essential resources could be as plausible now. I have since added a hitch as a soldier, a political science degree, and three decades more experience in the real world, so I should be so much more skeptical of almost forgotten TV miniseries scripts, right? Not this one.”

Another viewer described it as “chillingly credible”, stating: “I can believe that this is how it would happen… the approach of the end of the world, propelled by miscalculation, obstinacy, and pride, set in motion at a half-forgotten army base and snowballing along unknown to almost everyone but a handful of foot-soldiers on the one hand and a handful of world leaders on the other.”

The production was also marked by real-life tragedy. Director Boris Sagal tragically died in a helicopter accident during the early stages of production, leading to David Greene stepping in as his replacement.

Rock Hudson revealed that the series was initially left open-ended, with the potential for another season – but following Sagal’s death, the ending was changed, concluding with a photo montage of people gazing up at the sky in anticipation of a dreadful finale.