With The X-Files, creator Chris Carter told the story about what happened before an event that would change the world forever. With his new Amazon pilot, The After, his focus has switched to what happens af – ah, you get it.

Entertainment Weekly has debuted the first clip from Carter’s forthcoming project, which will appear online in full as part of Amazon Studios' second pilot season later this year, and it looks pretty apocalyptic. But that's about all. Details about the show remain vague – hardly a surprise when it comes to Carter's body of work to date – but the writer and director has previously described it as "a show that explores human frailty, possibility, terror and the triumph of the human spirit" in the aftermath of a mysterious event.

If the show makes the cut in the American Idol-style contest that is Amazon's pilot selection process, then it could fill a gap for genre material in production for the online studio without requiring the increased budget of previous effort Zombieland. Of course, that’s presuming that Adrian Pasdar (Heroes), Aldis Hodge (Leverage) and Sharon Lawrence (NYPD Blue) aren't too expensive.

For now, watch the trailer above and try and work out just what has happened to make everyone so panicked? (You know, besides the crashing helicopters.)