If Walking Dead, then Z Nation

I am a diverse multimedia consumer, so I try to watch a little bit of everything that TV, Netflix, Hulu, etc. has to offer. During my days of binge-watching just about everything I came across, both presently and in my early childhood. During my teens years became more interested in horror specifically. I found a show called the Walking dead that premiered on AMC channel on October 31st, 2010 after a long night of trick or treating and sweaty costumes it seemed like the perfect way to end my night.

My family used to watch zombie movies a lot back in the day (Night of the Living Dead, Resident Evil, etc.) and so everyone joined me in the pilot episode called "Days Gone Bye". We gazed at the screen in awe as we finished the episode and with it, a newfound respect for zombies in television culture! Ever since I have been obsessed with The Walking Dead and shows that uniquely depict the end of days with a raging storm of zombies. Although, they are never called zombies but "walkers" to phone in the idea that this is different from other shows or movies about the undead. With its endearing, gritty characters, complex plot points, and overall dismal aesthetic, it proved to be an addicting show with lots of potential for growth.

After 11 years on the air and 11 seasons under their belt, and counting, there seems to be no end to the popular post-apocalyptic show and, now completed, comic book series by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard. There is even a spin-off show to it that has run for 6 years and 6 seasons called Fear the Walking Dead that takes place in the same universe as TWD but is located elsewhere in the United States of America and follows a completely different cast of people in their harrowing journey into the apocalypse. There are even 3 movies in production currently starring Rick Grimes, the main character, one of which is scheduled for release this year. So much excitement!

There is, however, another show that has caught my interest in recent years. Also a post-apocalyptic zombie series with a strong emphasis on dark humor and comedy, Z Nation. It aired on the Syfy channel on September 14th, 2014. I did not initially get into the show via cable television as I took a break from watching things for a while as I focused on my classes in college, but I dove headfirst into it when Netflix began streaming it a few years afterward. With only 5 seasons and 5 years of air time on television, the show was less daunting than TWD, but more or less phoned in a lot more light-hearted comedy. While just as gory, heartbreaking, and gritty, it was a parody of the zombie franchise in general as opposed to a new take on it. A tongue-in-cheek joke on all the over the top, shooting, action, short lived romances, a group dynamic of survivors that have an authority figure leader who is bad to the bone but is also a lonely, vulnerable person who just wants life to get back to normal.

Why am I recommending Z Nation if you like zombie media? Well, it is a fun and creative take on the otherwise very dark, brooding, and foreboding show that The Walking Dead can sometimes be. People need more hope in life, to keep moving forward, try new things, and never give up on what needs to be done. Eventually, the story hits a snag and everyone settles into this redundancy of everyday life, socializing and becoming a productive member of society. Granted this happens in both shows at one point or another, several times actually. But in Z Nation they keep moving towards the mission to try and save humanity, something that Rick and his gang gave up on years ago. Trying to save those who were just swept up in this crazy situation is an amazing thing to do and makes me proud of the characters for their tenacity.

However, I feel it is important for people who genuinely enjoy zombie media for what it is should watch both shows and make their educated conclusions about them. They each have something special that makes them impossible to turn off. And in this day and age, where people are stuck indoors, thanks to a certain public health crisis that is very similar to the end of days depicted, there is little to lose by giving them an equal shot. I love both shows evenly as an avid horror franchise junkie that I am, but do not take my word for it, go turn on Netflix and join all the carnage, drama, politics, and comedy that goes along with it.