The exaggerated response by the people of planet earth to an extinction level event is frighteningly believable, and the cast play this out perfectly. From the politicians initial disbelief and then their delay in the reporting of it for political gain, to the frustration and anger of the people who discovered it who are trying to warn people about it. The corporations interference for profit was also a great injection to the storyline, as was the medias manipulation of 'everything' too.
I could see this played out for real, in a less exaggerated way of course.