Product Details

• Format: Blu-ray, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: BBC Home Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: February 21, 2012
• Run Time: 360 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (139 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B006H37PFC
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #68,010 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

"Either the world ends, or we stop him." Now that's the kind of talk that sci-fi/horror/fantasy/suspense fans want to hear, and in the six episodes from this, its first season, the creepy, atmospheric British television show The Fades does plenty to back it up. "Fades" is the name concocted by series writer Jack Thorne for dead people--not just any dead people, but those who are trapped between this world and the next, doomed to walk the Earth without the ability to interact with it or its denizens. It's a bad scene, and the Fades aren't taking it lightly. Indeed, there's a movement among them, led by a ghastly creature called Polus (who uses his hideous green tongue to lick poison onto his victims' eyeballs), to come back to life, so they can touch, and kill, the unsuspecting human population. But there's hope, of course, in the form of a small group of folks called Angelics, who can see the Fades and know very well what they're up to. Principal among these is 17-year-old Paul (Iain De Caestecker), who, while completely unaware of his destiny as the series begins, soon realizes that his extraordinary powers make him mankind's best (and maybe last) chance. There are echoes of many other works here, including The Sixth Sense, Ghostbusters, Stand By Me, Night of the Living Dead, and any of the umpteen films featuring a young "chosen one" struggling to accept his or her fate; what's more, Paul's best friend Mac (the very entertaining Daniel Kaluuya) peppers nearly every line with film quotes and references. So it's derivative. But The Fades also manages to balance its scary moments, and there are plenty of them, with humor, realistic dialogue (especially between Paul and Mac), and special effects that are a bit limited but very convincing. There's a nice setup for the next season, too, as Paul's solution to the immediate problem (it involves locating an "ascension point" where the Fades can leave this world) may simply create another, even bigger threat. It will be well worth watching the next go-round. --Sam Graham

Product Description

Iain De Caestecker (Coronation Street) is Paul, a young man who is haunted by apocalyptic dreams that neither his therapist nor his best friend, Mac (Daniel Kaluuya, Skins, Sucker Punch), can provide answers for. Worse still, Paul has started seeing the Fades - the spirits of the dead - all around him. They're everywhere, but normally can't be seen, heard or touched - until now. An embittered and vengeful Fade has found a way to break the barrier between the dead and the living and Paul, Mac and their loved ones find themselves in the middle of it all. The worst is only yet to come as the fate of humanity rests in the hands of the two friends who already have enough trouble getting through a day in one piece, let alone saving the world.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 33 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Teen Angst, Ghostly Apparitions, And Apocalyptic Mayhem Populate The Six Episodes Of This British Supernatural Thriller January 6, 2012

By K. Harris HALL OF FAMETOP 10 REVIEWER

Format:DVD

Jack Thorne, who wrote for the daring and original UK series "Skins," brings teen angst to a whole new level in the supernatural thriller "The Fades." This six part endeavor takes familiar elements from many different genres and cobbles them together in a rather new and inventive way. Someone described the show to me as an updated zombie tale, and while certainly influenced by the undead phenomenon in many ways--this program incorporates a more convoluted mythology. It's what I would essentially describe as everything-but-the-kitchen-sink plotting. In addition to zombie lore, you might see large touches of "The Sixth Sense" and Buffy as easy comparison points. But you've also got apocalyptic drama, awkward teenage comedy, religious undertones, and superhero themes all wrapped up in a hip and pop culture obsessed package. If anything, the show borders on being overstuffed with good ideas and, at the beginning, I wasn't sure that things were going to gel satisfactorily. There is so much to explain, early shows (especially the first episode) sometimes seem to grind to a halt with all the exposition to explain what's going on. But stick with it, this is the quintessential slow burn thriller. Episodic at first, each episodes grows more intense and involving until the momentous and catastrophic season ender.

I'm not going to detail too much of the plot other than the primary set-up, it's best to just let things flow naturally. I literally had no idea what to expect when sitting down to the show, so my expectation level was fairly low. As a basic premise, a typical nerdy youth (Iain De Caestecker) is plagued by troubling dreams that seem to forebode impending doom.... Luckily he's got a equally expected movie-quoting comic sidekick (I mean a best friend played by Daniel Kaluuya) to help him figure things out. When our hero starts to be able to see and communicate with a strange spirit world, the duo find themselves in increasingly hot water. Among the restless spirits is at least one with murder and destruction on its mind. It's time to man up, figure things out, and see about saving humanity from ultimate destruction. Just a regular day in the lives of teenage misfits! Though we've seen many of these plot points used repeatedly, I will say that "The Fades" excels in tone and atmosphere. The show looks great, the effects are solid, the humor is crisp, and I liked the story's darkness.

"The Fades" is undoubtedly a show that is primed to be discovered and embraced by a new audience. While certainly not perfect, it has plenty to recommend it. I wish the leads weren't set up as such cliche-ridden figures--but, that said, they do well maintaining the show's tart tone. Kaluuya, especially, takes the standard sidekick role to new heights of amusement. Oftentimes, I wish the show felt a little more focused, but I must admit that I became more and more involved as each episode progressed. Perhaps not as scary as it could be, the show does fulfill the promise of a big bang finale. Dark, humorous, well-produced--if you like this genre, "The Fades" is an easy recommendation. If not, I'm not sure that it will make you a convert. As of now, a second season has not been green-lit so these six epsiodes may be all we get. So enjoy! KGHarris, 1/12.

DVD details: Approximately 6 hours on 2 DVDs with English Subtitles for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired. Special Features include Behind the scenes footage and deleted scenes and outtakes. Read more ›

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Just finished watching on BBC...very original... February 22, 2012

By M. Gravel VINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD

A creepy, scary series with alot of originality in it that will keep you guessing what the **** is going on here. I love watching the BBC they hvae a different way of making flim/tv that is addicting rather than most of the same old that the US brings out on tv.

Is Paul an Angel or is he the Anti-Christ? Who will survive the carnage. Part-The Walking Dead part Zombie adds up to a hole lotta fun.

Turn the lights out and enjoy! Dont be alone!

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Teen Angst, Ghostly Apparitions, And Apocalyptic Mayhem Populate The Six Episodes Of This British Supernatural Thriller January 9, 2012

By K. Harris HALL OF FAMETOP 10 REVIEWER

Jack Thorne, who wrote for the daring and original UK series "Skins," brings teen angst to a whole new level in the supernatural thriller "The Fades." This six part endeavor takes familiar elements from many different genres and cobbles them together in a rather new and inventive way. Someone described the show to me as an updated zombie tale, and while certainly influenced by the undead phenomenon in many ways--this program incorporates a more convoluted mythology. It's what I would essentially describe as everything-but-the-kitchen-sink plotting. In addition to zombie lore, you might see large touches of "The Sixth Sense" and Buffy as easy comparison points. But you've also got apocalyptic drama, awkward teenage comedy, religious undertones, and superhero themes all wrapped up in a hip and pop culture obsessed package. If anything, the show borders on being overstuffed with good ideas and, at the beginning, I wasn't sure that things were going to gel satisfactorily. There is so much to explain, early shows (especially the first episode) sometimes seem to grind to a halt with all the exposition to explain what's going on. But stick with it, this is the quintessential slow burn thriller. Episodic at first, each episodes grows more intense and involving until the momentous and catastrophic season ender.

I'm not going to detail too much of the plot other than the primary set-up, it's best to just let things flow naturally. I literally had no idea what to expect when sitting down to the show, so my expectation level was fairly low. As a basic premise, a typical nerdy youth (Iain De Caestecker) is plagued by troubling dreams that seem to forebode impending doom.... Luckily he's got a equally expected movie-quoting comic sidekick (I mean a best friend played by Daniel Kaluuya) to help him figure things out. When our hero starts to be able to see and communicate with a strange spirit world, the duo find themselves in increasingly hot water. Among the restless spirits is at least one with murder and destruction on its mind. It's time to man up, figure things out, and see about saving humanity from ultimate destruction. Just a regular day in the lives of teenage misfits! Though we've seen many of these plot points used repeatedly, I will say that "The Fades" excels in tone and atmosphere. The show looks great, the effects are solid, the humor is crisp, and I liked the story's darkness.

"The Fades" is undoubtedly a show that is primed to be discovered and embraced by a new audience. While certainly not perfect, it has plenty to recommend it. I wish the leads weren't set up as such cliche-ridden figures--but, that said, they do well maintaining the show's tart tone. Kaluuya, especially, takes the standard sidekick role to new heights of amusement. Oftentimes, I wish the show felt a little more focused, but I must admit that I became more and more involved as each episode progressed. Perhaps not as scary as it could be, the show does fulfill the promise of a big bang finale. Dark, humorous, well-produced--if you like this genre, "The Fades" is an easy recommendation. If not, I'm not sure that it will make you a convert. As of now, a second season has not been green-lit so these six epsiodes may be all we get. So enjoy! KGHarris, 1/12. Read more ›

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars I liked it. Quality production and reasonably original story. The ending though was predictable! February 26, 2013

By Colonel Cosmic

Format:Amazon Instant Video

I did enjoy the series. It had excellent production values and the acting was top-notch. The ending was all-too-predictable and I did not enjoy the last quarter of the series as much as the prior three; nonetheless, it was creditable.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Where do the good shows go.... February 22, 2013

By S. Myers

Format:Amazon Instant Video

The Fades shows that a supernatural TV show doesn't have to have cheesy acting and predictable, formulaic plots to be good. It also shows that we don't have to depend on vampires, werewolves and witches for that supernatural entertainment. The BBC hits another one out of the park with this series, unfortunately, it appears that this hype is a little too late, as the series has already been cancelled. I'd like to see hulu or netflix or even Amazon pick this one up for a renewal. It's a good ride, while it lasts.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth the Watch August 24, 2012

By melissa bond

Amazon Verified Purchase

So sad this show didn't get a second season. It was such a great concept and really seemed like they could do much more in a second season. But just as a stand alone season it was well worth my time to watch.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best supernatural show on TV March 20, 2013

By Phillip H

Format:Amazon Instant Video

I can't believe that the BBC cancelled this show. It was definately the best supernatural show on TV right now.