When a total power black-out hits the world - planes falling from the sky, cars crashing, cell phones and computers dying - two Englishmen are stranded, separately, on the East Coast of the US. They both try to make their way to their girlfriend and sister, respectively, who is trapped in New York. As society turns quickly to chaos, the two men encounter violence, tragedy, friendships and adventure, joined along the way by several different characters. Meanwhile, the girl they are working their way towards is surviving as best she can, all the while terribly worried for her idol; Harry Styles, of the band One Direction, who were performing in New York at the time of the unexplained apocalyptic event

Three people win a competition in a Genealogy magazine and are invited to spend a few days at the Surrey estate of Nobel prize winning scientist and entrepreneur Professor Pyle. Wide-boy Nathan from Manchester is there only for the prize money; his entry an error as he was only trying to find the names of his mother’s grandparents for her. Middle-aged Carla from London is the genealogy nut, and only too happy to get away from her slob of a husband. Jada in San Diego entered the competition while on holiday in England finding where her people originated from. At the professor’s mansion they are stunned to be offered the chance to travel back in time and set eyes upon three long-dead ancestors. They are given three wishes (Genie in the title). For differing reasons they all agree to go. They have ten minutes at a time to see their ancestor at some point during that person’s life.