A New Brit Zombie Soap Opera
After the great success of The Walking Dead and with the imminent release (back then) of Warm Bodies and World War Z, it was only a matter of time before someone else had a try at doing a show about zombies being cured, and not just shot between the eyes. It was the BBC who picked up the torch and decided to run with it. The series is penned by Dominic Mitchell and is about the dead coming back to life as zombies, then after a cure is found by the government, they attempt to re-enter society. The zombies have what is referred to as Partially Deceased Syndrome or PDS, and are at odds with a human group known as the Human Volunteer Force or HVF.
As the zombies attempt to reintegrate into society, they face the usual human problems but also some new ones. They also look at the effects of trying to deal with unwanted memories from their killing and feeding days, before getting cured of PDS. I think it may have been the likes of Warm Bodies that inspired Dominic Mitchell to write the script for In The Flesh, and how turning from a flesh eating monster, back to human has its own problems, but also looking at the way such things can bring out the monster in human beings.
The hero of our story is a PDS sufferer Kieran Walker (Luke Newberry), who is trying his best to get on with his life, but with his best friend now a member of the HVF, and others within the community against him and his kind, he is finding it very difficult. We follow him on his sullen journey back into a society that spurns such things. Really, when one thinks about it, Keiran could simply have aids or be a peadophile, the story would not be all that different. Granted, no one gets eaten in any movie about aids that I’m aware of, but it is still very similar in regards to the way the drama is played out, which is really all this show is. A soap opera/drama with zombies. I did quite enjoy it, but strictly for the originality, but even that isn’t enough. There also wasn’t enough gore, or much in the way of horror, but if you’re a zombie fan, then this is one that you’ll enjoy. Just don’t look for a Brit version of Dawn of the Dead, because this ain’t in the same league.
Recommended
Grade: B- (6.5/10)
E Blackadder
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