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Five Reasons Why Netflix Should Revive Their Zombie Comedy, Daybreak

Contains Major Spoilers

By C.E. TidswellPublished 3 years ago 5 min read
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In late 2019, me and my housemate found ourselves in a familiar situation. Tired, bored, and half-heartedly scrolling through Netflix in search of something we both might enjoy. Among the shows and films we’d already watched, we spotted a series we’d never seen before. A post-apocalyptic zombie comedy, Daybreak, that had received little advertisement and, as far as we could tell, almost no attention. Intrigued, we started watching. A few days and ten episodes later, we sat thrilled by the finale and eagerly looked up how long we’d have to wait before we got to enjoy season 2, only to find that the show had already been unceremoniously cancelled.

A year on, Daybreak has continued to receive very little discussion. As a result, it’s very unlikely we’ll ever see a real conclusion to this particular story. However, weirder things have happened in the wonderful world of television and cult classics can rise from the strangest of places. So, here’s five reasons why Netflix should revive their zombie apocalypse comedy, Daybreak.

Warning: This list contains major spoilers.

1.) Because it made the post-apocalypse fun.

At this point, we’ve seen the apocalypse, especially zombie apocalypses, done from every angle. From drama to action to horror and yes, even comedy. Some do it well, others don’t, but either way the dystopian scene has become kind of stale. While Daybreak’s humour can be hit or miss, especially with its poorly handled pop culture references, its quirky cast of characters and fast pace make the show fill fresh and unique. It stands up well as its own story, leaving the viewer guessing as to where its twists and turns will take the plot next.

2.) Because the character’s stories are only just beginning.

Daybreak is a heavily character driven show. While the roaming zombies remain a constant obstacle throughout, the real threat lays largely with the human (or, in some cases, mostly human) survivors of the apocalypse. Likewise, the best element of the show is the emotional journey that our young protagonists take throughout the show. While the characters come a long way throughout the first season, there is so much left to explore, with the plot’s development raising interesting questions for the team. What will main character Josh Wheeler’s life look like now that his quest to find long lost ex, Sam, is finally at an end? How will the survivors of Glendale, California, cope now their previous leader has been overthrown? These questions could lead to a variety of possible outcomes that deserve a chance to play out on the silver screen.

3.) Because there are so many mysteries left to explore.

The show’s plot sees a zombie riddled world caused by a nuclear bomb, where only teenagers, and a few pre-teens, are immune. Only two adults (that we see) made it through. The cannibalistic ex-high school principal Michael Burr and the uniquely unhinged ex-biology teacher Ms. Crumble. The series successfully answers the question of how they and the teenagers survived but raises several more in the process. If Burr and Crumble both survived the bomb and resulting infection, who’s to say there aren’t more adult survivors roaming the wasteland! Why does Crumble seem to show unexplained abilities in the final episode that Burr does not? And what exactly triggered the nuclear bombs that set off the show to be dropped in the first place? An episode late in the series also brings up the possibility that the mother of the youngest character, ten-year-old genius and pyromaniac Angelica Green, may have survived the apocalypse. Though its initial ambiguity is beautifully tragic, it would be satisfying to get an eventual definitive answer and explore how the result would impact the growing mother-daughter like relationship between Angelica and Ms. Crumble.

4.) Because the status quo about to change.

By the time Daybreak’s final episode wraps up, everything we’ve come to know has been tipped on its head. The former rule of tyrannical dictator Turbo Pokaski is over, Josh’s quest to find Sam is over, and a whole new form of leadership is in town. The future was looking more uncertain than ever. After ten episodes exploring the established clique-based system of the Glendale survivor’s, watching the characters have to adjust to a whole new way of living would have kept the second season fresh and exciting.

5.) Because what about that cliff-hanger?

Now for the point that set off me and my housemates frantic Google search. Episode ten’s final cliff-hanger. With Josh and ex-girlfriend Sam finally reunited, he offers her a life of relative peace and safety, only to be turned down. Instead, Sam is quick to claim the vacant leadership position and forces the survivors to kneel before her, submitting to her will. This twist ending would have had massive knock-on implications not just for our main cast, but for single every character that now lived under her rule. It would have also given us a chance to explore Sam more as an individual character, as the majority of the information we have on her is through Josh’s flashbacks. Additionally, I would have loved to see Sam turn from popular school darling to full on villain, and watch Josh come to terms with the face that she may not be as sweet as he remembers.

While there’s plenty of reason for Netflix to give Daybreak another chance, we’re unlikely to see a revival anytime soon. Still, I recommend giving the show’s single season a watch. Some of its references are now dated and misplaced, some moments fall a little flat, but its light bingeable zombie fun that kept me and my housemate entertained for hours on end.

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C.E. Tidswell

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