In further proof that zombies are the new vampires, Syfy has ordered the zombie series “Z Nation” from Karl Schaefer, co-executive producer of former Syfy series “Eureka” and The Asylum, the fine folks who brought the world Syfy’s viral sensation “Sharknado.”
The 13-episode series will depict (what else?) the epic struggle to save humanity after a zombie apocalypse. Three years after a zombie virus has gutted the country, a team of everyday heroes must transport the only known survivor of the plague from New York to California, where the last functioning viral lab waits for his blood.
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Although the antibodies he carries are the world’s last, best hope for a vaccine, he hides a dark secret that threatens them all. With humankind’s survival at stake, the ragtag band embarks on a journey of survival across three thousand miles of rusted-out, post-apocalyptic America.
Schaefer is executive producing and will serve as showrunner.
While zombies are well-trod territory in television and moves these days, Schaefer promises to stake out new ground in the field — promising “an epic journey unlike anything you’ve seen before.”
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“‘Z Nation’ will take viewers where no zombie has gone before,” Schaefer said, noting that the show adds “a sense of hope to the horror of the apocalypse — our everyday heroes take the fight to the zombies. It’ll be an epic journey unlike anything you’ve seen before.”
Syfy Senior Vice President, Programming Chris Regina likewise sought to distinguish the new series from its competition.
“‘Z Nation’ is a unique new journey into the long established zombie genre,” Regina said. “Instead of existential despair, the series offers hope that somehow, some way, humanity will not only survive, but triumph. In producing their first ever weekly series, our long-time partners The Asylum have created a different way of telling an iconic story.”