by Chris Lovato
I give you mercy.
Zombies are one of humanity’s greatest fears and there are hundreds of stories that speculate what would happen if a zombie apocalypse occurred. 28 Days Later, World War Z, and I am Legend have all explored this possibility, and SyFy takes a crack at it by teaming up with Karl Schaefer to bring us: Z Nation.
Three years after a virus ravaged the world, governments are falling to pieces as zombies, or Z’s as the surviving humans call them, attack and turn more people by the day.
What remains of the government is struggling to get a very precious piece of cargo to California: a man who possesses an antibody to the virus thanks to unauthorized medical testing. Known as Murphy, the man must navigate the treacherous landscape to help find a cure, and along the way, his protector turns into a Z.
Addy, Warren, and Mack, a ragtag group of survivors whose camp was decimated by Z’s, stumbles across Murphy and learns why he’s so important. While not wanting to take orders from a crumbling government, they agree to get him to the lab in California.
On the way, they encounter more survivors and an enigmatic radio personality called Citizen Z, who helps them reach their goal. Of course, they encounter more Z’s and hidden dangers.
As with other shows this season, SyFy has started with a bang (so to speak) by bringing in DJ Qualls (The New Guy, Supernatural) as Citizen Z, and viewers who have also seen Supernatural will see a bit of Garth shining through. He definitely brings a diverse mix of comedy and drama, and the resources his character has access to make him an important ally. Kellita Smith (Roll Bounce, The Bernie Mac Show) steps up as Warren, a veteran in the field of Z warfare and a tough cookie. Keith Allan (Rise of the Zombies, Zombie Night) is also a veteran, but in the field of zombie flicks. He’s the kind of rough-and-tumble tough guy you’d expect from someone who was turned into a Z, for a time. Pisay Pao (Simply Fobulous, The Whole Truth) is Cassandra, a mysterious woman they first encounter in a cage overrun by Z’s.
The makeup on the Z’s is pretty run-of-the-mill zombie makeup; it’s all yellow skin and white eyes; however, the crew utilizes CGI to create some not-so-run-of-the-mill effects with some unique Z’s. I won’t give it away, but there’s an interesting type of Z introduced in the very first episode.
Overall, Z Nation’s definitely something to pick up until the fall season really gets going, especially if you love zombie shows.
Catch Z Nation at 10 p.m./9 p.m. CST on SyFy. You can also watch episodes on their website.
Check out more TV reviews in KRL’s TV section!
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