Luke Newberry as Kieren in “In the Flesh” (BBC)
It’s a bit of a wait, but US zombie fans will get to watch the BBC miniseries “In the Flesh,” which finished it’s three-episode run on BBC3 last Sunday, on BBC America starting on August 3, 2013, as part of the network’s Supernatural Saturday.
Dominic Mitchell’s “In the Flesh” is an unconventional zombie tale that follows Kieren, a recently deceased youth, who awoke as a flesh-eating zombie and was later captured and treated with a drug that halts the zombies’ rabid tendencies (but doesn’t make them less dead). After a lengthy rehabilitation, Kieren, now classified as a Partially Deceased Syndrome (PDS) sufferer, is returned to his family in a small village that is especially unaccepting of the undead. Kieren struggles with post-traumatic memories of his rabid state, interpersonal relationships, and his own death. Unlike many “good zombie” stories, “In the Flesh” is straight drama rather than comedic, and it deals with issues rarely, if ever, tackled in zombie stories. Forget comparisons to Warm Bodies, Fido, Les Revenants, and Sean of the Dead. “In the Flesh” is different, and probably the best zombie show (or movie) you will see all year. Mark your calenders now, America.
