For the last few months, Syfy has supposedly been trying to repair its reputation among fans after becoming better known for reality shows and piss poor TV movies rather than the imaginative original programs from its history.
This news probably won’t help Syfy make any progress on that front.
Syfy has announced that it is teaming up with Asylum — the production company behind the Sharknado TV movie and its upcoming sequel — for a zombie series called “Z Nation;” which will be executive produced by Karl Schaefer.
“Z Nation” follows a “ragtag band” of “everyday heroes [who] must transport the only known survivor of the [zombie] plague from New York to California, where the last functioning viral lab waits for his blood. Although the antibodies he carries are the world’s last, best hope for a vaccine, he hides a dark secret that threatens them all.”
This is apparently Syfy’s answer to “The Walking Dead,” which is basic cable’s reigning ratings champion among original scripted dramas. However, Asylum has a long history of creating low budget knockoffs of better known properties and an endless parade of unintentionally hilarious bad movies. Exhibit A for that point is still Sharknado.
“Z Nation” is slated to premiere this fall with a 13 episode first season; which means that Syfy may actually debut their new zombie show ahead of “The Walking Dead” Season 5 premiere. Whether this actually manages to siphon off any of “The Walking Dead’s” audience remains to be seen.
But nothing about this seems like a good idea.
