We all fancy ourselves as the next Rick Grimes from the Walking Dead but with Netlix's new reality show, we're starting to question ourselves. It might seem like a zombie reality show is an oxymoron but never doubt Netflix. Watch out password sharers - they seem to have control of the undead. It's not quite how I saw the apocalypse coming but I'm honestly here for it.
Netflix has today launched Zombieverse, a reality show that pits contestants against the shuffling hordes. The premise is pretty novel, originally expecting a dating show, the contestants are surprised when people soon get a taste for human flesh. Our contestants, now survivors are a host of Korean celebrities plum in the middle of a zombie apocalypse.
This is certainly a departure from the plethora of dating shows on Netflix and while the jury is still out on its quality, this new direction could be a fruitful one. After the success of Squid Game, the world has clearly woken up to some of the more out-there ideas of Korean television and Netflix has clearly gone big on this series. Not only that but it is also releasing season 2 of Squid Game (expected 2024) and a reality show inspired by the series coming this November.
In general 2023 has been a pretty mixed for Netflix with a bunch of hits of varying quality. For every Heartstopper or They Cloned Tyrone, which debuted last month to a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, there's been a Hidden Strike which had a measly 17%.
With the password crackdown boosting subscriber numbers it is nice to see that reflected back on screen with big-budget original ideas like Zombieverse which features scores of zombies in central Seoul (not cheap), something that it would be hard to imagine on a traditional television network. It's one of the great things about the best streaming services that we can get access to programming from around the world.
If you're looking for a reality show with a bit less at stake than life and death, maybe try Is it Cake?
