The Korean reality show Zombieverse throws a set of celebrity contestants into the middle of a zombie apocalypse, just to see what happens.
It’s a strange hybrid of reality game show, horror movie, and slapstick comedy, so there’s a lot to take in.
Zombies used to be all the rage in film and TV.
I would argue that TV juggernaut The Walking Dead, based on a comic book don’t you know, was partly responsible for the rise in everything zombie, but as you know, what goes up must come down, and it does feel that in this particular media cycle, zombies are kind of on the way down.
Korea, however, has other ideas, and this first season of Zombieverse has ten players trying to make their way to safety while fighting for survival in a world that has been overrun by the living dead.
Players risk being bitten and infected, losing their position in the game, while the others have to decide what is best for the team, but usually focusing on themselves.
Initial responses to the show have been mixed, and there does seem to be a tonal problem that has been highlighted by some commentators, the players often leaning towards comedy, diminishing the horror of the situation.
The IMDb rating currently sits at a disappointing 4.0/10 and our review right here on Ready Steady Cut puts it at a very average 2.5/5.
I expect that a certain fan base will be eager to tune in and see what the fuss is all about, but before you do, why not barricade your windows so you can sit back and check out our shambling article that answers the question: Will there be a Zombieverse Season 2?
Will there be a Season 2 of the Netflix series Zombieverse– renewed or canceled status
Status: TBC
At the time of writing, there has been no official confirmation of a second series.
The show premiered on August 8th, 2023, so at the time of writing, there may not be enough data for Netflix to go ahead and green-light a second run.
However, don’t despair zombie fans, as it’s early days and it does take a while for the data to get through.
The show may just be quirky and silly enough for it to earn another outing but just now it’s a waiting game.
It might be worth noting though, that a show like this is very expensive and complicated to produce, so from that standpoint, the producers may feel that they accomplished what they set out to do, and this could be a one-and-done type of show.
There is also the possibility that the premise may be picked up by other regions, so if Korea doesn’t produce another run of episodes, perhaps a UK or US version might arrive.
Only time will tell at this point. If I were you, I’d go back and watch Dawn of the Dead again.
You can watch this series with a subscription to Netflix.
