Live Action Zombie TV

I've taken this list from http://www.mtv.com/news/2353538/zombie-tv-show-rankings/

I've actually only watched three of these: In the Flesh, Les Revenants, and Dead Set. Les revenants (there was a not so good US remake of the French show) and In the Flesh I love.

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Quoted from the mtv article:

“Death Valley”

Did you ever wonder what the TV show “Cops” would be like if the cops in question were capturing zombies? Well, look no further than “Death Valley,” a short-lived TV series on MTV that told the story of the Undead Task Force. It was fun — but like zombies themselves, short-lived.

“Helix”

We wanted to like this show of a zombie-like outbreak in an arctic research facility, and the first season was pretty good, but it never quite figured out how to sustain its premise.

“Fear The Walking Dead”

This “The Walking Dead” spinoff hasn’t hit the same narrative heights as its sister show*, but we’re willing to give it another chance because Lexa from “The 100″ is on it. We’re hoping for more smart social commentary and less angst in the second season.

*Note: some of MTV News may disagree with this statement.

“Z Nation”

Syfy’s answer to the success of “The Walking Dead,” “Z Nation” had a lot of humor, some effective drama, and a few characters that made this show entertaining. It doesn’t have a particularly novel concept — three years after the outbreak of a zombie plague, a ragtag band of survivors is trying to transport a potential zombie vaccine carrier across the country — but it is a lot less depressing than “The Walking Dead.” If you’re into zombie stories, it’s worth checking out. “Z Nation” just started its second season on Syfy.

“iZombie”

From the dude who brought us “Veronica Mars,” comes this comic book adaptation about a zombie who works in a morgue and helps solve murders by eating the brains of the deceased. (She gets flashes of memories from the brains she eats. Obviously.) This show is frequently hilarious, and is really beginning to hit its stride in season 2 by embracing its more serialized elements and developing its cast of characters — some of whom have taken to making some tragically questionable choices. Come for the snark, stay for the character-driven goodness.

“Dead Set”

Before Charlie Brooker started scaring audiences with his hits-too-close-to-home critiques of modern, technology-obsessed culture on “Black Mirror,” he made this British mini-series about the zombie outbreak as told from the perspective of a TV crew making a “Big Brother”-esque reality show. One part “UnReal,” one part “The Walking Dead,” “Dead Set” will scare you to death.

“The Returned”

This French drama got an American remake on A&E last year (and the very similar “Resurrection” on ABC), but it never reached the exquisite heights of its inspiration. “The Returned” is a meditative look on what it might look like if your loved ones returned from the dead, unchanged. Set in a small mountain town, it doesn’t have traditional brain-eating zombies undead, but rather people returned exactly as they left. With an incredible soundtrack from Scottish band Mogwai, an amazing cast, and some jaw-droppingly beautiful visuals, this slow-paced zombie show is well worth a watch.

“The Walking Dead”

If you’re looking for a traditional zombie story, “The Walking Dead” is your show. It tells the story of former sheriff Rick Grimes and a hodgepodge of other humans fighting for survival in a world overrun by zombies. As one of the most successful TV shows of all time, “The Walking Dead” has been an important part of the rise of genre television in mainstream pop culture. Like any TV show, it has gone through its ups and downs over the seasons, but it remains one of the best zombie dramas ever.

“In The Flesh”

British series “In The Flesh” takes a novel approach on the zombie genre, telling a story of the world after the zombie apocalypse has ended. Now that the government has developed a “cure” for zombies, partially deceased syndrome (PDS) sufferers are being introduced back into the general public. This show follows the story of Kieran, an introspective young man trying to integrate back into his small, rural town — a town that has not forgotten what PDS sufferers like Kieran did in their “untreated” states.

For the record, neither has Kieran. Character-driven and terribly suspenseful, “In The Flesh” delivers an unflinching glimpse at the dangers of prejudice, conservatism and bigotry in communities, using zombie-ism as a blanket metaphor for what being the “other” in a small town feels like. This show — which was canceled after two seasons — is so, so sad, but also all kinds of beautiful.

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I'm voting for Les Revenants (though not exactly what I consider a zombie drama even if it has that element). Was really upset that In the Flesh was cancelled.

Meltdowner wrote: Logan wrote: “The Returned” This French drama got an American remake on A&E last year (and the very similar “Resurrection” on ABC), but it never reached the exquisite heights of its inspiration. Is there any American remake that is actually better than the original? From the list I only saw TWD and I dropped it after 3 or 4 seasons.

None that I can think of. The film Vanilla Sky was well received, probably mostly by people who didn't see the original, though I thought it really inferior to the original, Abre los Ojos (Open Your Eyes).

I've read that Americans generally have a big big aversion to subtitles (and seem to have difficulty identifying with film/ TV not produced in their country). I hate it when they dub.   At least if they're going to be lazy, perhaps instead of trying to replicate the commercial, and, to a lesser extent, critical success of the original, they should pick up poorly executed ones with intriguing ideas and make them better. But then I don't think they are often looking for intriguing ideas.

You mention losing interest several seasons in, I generally prefer shows that are through-written -- the run is largely planned out in advance, has a strong narrative arc, and a proper beginning, middle and end. SO I tend to prefer serials that don't have a huge number of episode (known in the US as mini-series). I think there have been great ones that don't work that way, but generally that's my preference. Too many shows run out of steam and get cancelled cause they're getting worse or tedious -- lose the audience cause it goes on too long.

In the Flesh had two series (or seasons). Series one was just three episodes in 2013,and then the following year they did six episodes. Unfortunately, they had not finished with the story when it was cancelled, and clearly wanted to do   a third series. It was not a satisfying conclusion, and I feel they they at least should have at least planned for the future a couple more episodes to tie things up (I think three hours to not rush it). Same thing happened with Utopia.

Les revenants has two series (or seasons) each with eight episodes (there was an almost three year break between each series), and and I think the final episode was at least quite satisfactory to end the story there (Id like a prequel). Pretty ambiguous story which baffled many. The US remake wanted to make the mysteries much less mysterious (tell you what to think instead of letting you come to your own conclusions). Their remakes do tend to dumb down the source material, make things too obvious, or remove what made something special.

Anyway, I tend to prefer to stick with shows that don't go on too long and have a serial structure, but its dang irritating when they cancel a show before satisfactorily concluding a story.

Just saw an ad for a new movie, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I told my wife she might want to check it out since Pride and Prejudice is one of her favourites.


Edited by JD - February 03 2016 at 11:51

Nobody here has seen Les Revenants or In the Flesh? Both have been critically acclaimed and aired in various countries (including my own -- Canada).

For balls out fun nothing beats Ash vs Evil Dead........for overall storyline and character development I suppose Walking Dead......but I have not seen the other ones like 'the Returned'.