Z Nation mercied: Over the weekend, disappointing news emerged that the Syfy channel decided to cancel the zombie apocalypse series Z Nation, ending its five-season run effective with the December 28 finale episode.
In late October, this blog wondered if it was too soon go give ‘Z Nation’ mercy.
“I give you mercy” is Z Nation’s signature catchphrase when one of the principals puts an about-to-turn victim out of his or her misery. As alluded to above, mercy is also a verb in the context of the show.
We now have the answer to that question.
Z Nation Not Renewed
On Periscope, Z Nation producer David Michael Latt nonetheless optimistically described the cancellation as “the beginning of a lot of things.”
Netflix previously struck a deal with for an eight-episode Z Nation prequel (with a different cast) called Black Summer, and fans of the show have already taken to social media to push for the streaming platform to pick up Z Nation for a sixth season.
On Twitter, series co-creator Karl Schaefer acknowledged that the studio was exploring options. Seasons 1-4 are currently available on Netflix.
The quirky and campy series which some have described as a horror comedy is a far more entertaining flesh-eater opus than The Walking Dead, especially.
given the latter’s mostly dour characters with their repetitive, tedious moralizing, as the Bleeding Cool website explains:
“Z Nation might not have the big budget of The Walking Dead, but it makes up for that with sheer creativity and a snarky, irreverent, knowing sense of humor… Unlike The Walking Dead, Z Nation likes to embrace the oddball and quirky qualities of its characters whole-heartedly instead of introducing a potentially interesting and charismatic character, only to then make them so joyless, miserable and dull to the point where the actors playing them quit out of frustration.”
While season 5 had some brilliant sequences and traditional pithy dialogue, Z Nation this year got way too serious. The penultimate episode that aired on December 21 was almost unwatchable torture porn.
Related Story: Is it Too Soon to Give ‘Z Nation’ or ‘The Walking Dead’ Mercy?
This uncharacteristic somber trend started in Season 3. In its first two seasons, Z Nation featured many inventive, stand-alone episodes with a Max Mad Max road trip vibe.
It portrayed the trials and tribulations of a group of survivors as they attempted to bring reluctant savior Murphy (or “the Murphy”), the world’s only zombie bite survivor, to a presumed CDC lab where researchers could develop a vaccine from his blood. Among other purposely cheesy sequences, who could forget the giant, zombie cheese wheel?
Regular viewers are aware how things took a turn after Season 2, with Murphy creating a cult with hybrids, the whole weird Zona interlude, Warren’s repeated hallucinations/premonitions, and so on.
Along the way, several cliffhangers were never fully resolved, but apparently that’s moot now that Syfy decided against renewing Z Nation, which will conclude with episode 68.
Get Woke, Go Broke, or Get Cancelled?
Season 5 has consumed itself with the devious machinations of beta-male-villain Estes and henchwoman Pandora against the Talkers, which is apparently a political parable about discrimination against marginalized groups or some such. Estes and Pandora also committed the cardinal sin of villainy by revealing their plans to their captors before said plans are implemented.
Talkers, i.e., zombies transformed by exposure to Black Rain, gained the ability to function alongside humans peacefully as long as they have access to the calming influence of brain-matter- and lithium-containing biscuits
Granted that the Talkers should be treated humanely and justly, unlike what Estes has in mind. That said, isn’t it reasonable for ordinary humans to be concerned about the Talkers? That is, at least until a vaccine is fully developed for wide distribution.
Indeed, Season 5 over and over portrayed the extreme and immediate danger that occurred during a biscuit shortage. Thus this tiresome major plot element made little common sense.
Incidentally, it looks like Cooper (Mario Van Peebles) will return for the finale, but whatever happened to the Mr. Clean-looking dude, The Man?
Zombie Fighters, Not Social Justice Warriors
If Z Nation gets new life on Netflix, hopefully the showrunners will return to its roots: instead of social issues, focus on the gore, guts, and the guffaws so that the viewing audience can escape the concerns of everyday life. And Murphy (Keith Allan) was a lot more engaging when he was primarily a self-centered scoundrel.
