Post Halloween Thoughts on Zombies

Two new series are out right now that deal specifically with Zombies. Admittedly the zombie genre is my favorite. Apparently, I’m not the only one, considering the fact that two shows got the green light.

The series I’m currently hooked on is called Dead Set on IFC. The the survivors, mainly the cast of England’s Big Brother, survive the initial outbreak simply from their self-imposed isolation on a reality show.

Before I dive in, let me enlighten those not hip to Z-Cinema. The world of Zombies is typically an allegory for society in general. George Romero gave us the first glimpse into how ugly human nature can be when it’s backed into a corner – he also gave us the first woman and African-American survivors of the horror genre. That being said, he – and the Zombie movie makers – let us stew in our own notion that the un-dead’s need to consume and flock to population centers is similar to our own.

Now let’s return to the plot of Dead Set. The outside world is tipped off to the pending chaos from the news; the reality TV cast first notices something is awry when the cameras stop following them and the producers fail to re-stock the fridge.

Fast forward a few splatters later and our cast is now part of Survivor: Zombie Jambaroo. This group, like all survivors of a phase I Zombie take-over, go into survival mode – and not just survival mode but straight-up Navy Seal survivor mode.

Which begs the question; are we all secretly preparing for the walls of civilization to crumble so we can go bucknutty on any threat, pillage grocery stores, and grab whatever sweet ride has the keys in it?

Let’s consider our ill-fated reality show cast members on Dead Set. When the cameras are on they bicker, argue, and even fight. But they don’t steal or murder – they use napkins and close the door when they use the bathroom.

Is the difference between a law-abiding society and chaos the presence of a f*ck-all Zombie virus or simply the fact that nobody with any authority is paying attention? Authority, in the case of our Big Brother cast members, is more the public opinion police.

Now consider this, when the house has fully grasped the situation at hand (i.e. living dead crazies are calling the shots) they actually start forming a much more functional group dynamic. Leaders emerge and thus a more organized sense of teamwork. In a sense, they start acting MORE civil amidst a crumbling civilization.

What does this tell us about ourselves? This is what makes the Zombie movie so important – yes I said Important. I’ve yet to really identify the “Romerian” lesson in this series but I can’t wait to watch the rest of the series and let it emerge. I’m also happy society is running properly and I don’t have to consider the correct cutting tool to stop a Zombie.