Genre: Sci-Fi | Drama

Air Date/Time: Thursday-Saturday, June 6-8, 10/9c (three episodes), with a block rebroadcast Sunday afternoon, June 9 at 2/1c

Network: BBC America

Creator/Writer: Dominic Mitchell

Director: Jonny Campbell

Synopsis:

BBC AMERICA’s co-production, In The Flesh, tells a very human story…about the undead. The mini-series springs to life with the channel’s special broadcast event, premiering over three consecutive nights. Zombie teenager Kieren Walker isn’t comfortable in his ‘undead’ state. After months of re-habilitation and medication, the zombies, now known as PDS (Partially Deceased Syndrome) sufferers, are gradually being returned to their homes. When Kieran returns, he is forced to confront his family, the community that rejected him and the haunting flashbacks of what he did in his untreated state. BBC AMERICA’s special three-night premiere event of In The Flesh begins Thursday, June 6, 10:00pm ET/PT.

Emily Bevan (The Thick of It), Steve Evets (Shameless), Kenneth Cranham (Upstairs Downstairs), Ricky Tomlinson (The Royle Family), David Walmsley (Doctors), and Harriet Cains (Human Beings) also star in this thought-provoking series about redemption, forgiveness and the battle against prejudice. The three-part series, created and written by Dominic Mitchell, is directed by Jonny Campbell, with Ann Harrison-Baxter serving as producer and Hilary Martin as executive producer.

Tonight marks the premiere of episode 1 of the three part miniseries In the Flesh on BBC America. If you’ve seen the TV spot you may have an idea what it’s like, but you’d be wrong. If you’ve seen the clips, you may have even been a little befuddled. Is this supposed to be funny, or not? Let me set you straight: it’s not, though there are a few humorous moments. But it is poignant and allegorical and definitely worth your time, especially if you know that this is its intent.

As it says in the summary above, we are now post-zombie infection, post-devastation, and in fact the world has come out on the other side mostly intact, and is rebuilding. A cure has been found for the infection, which returns those suffering from Partially Dead Syndrome back to their usual selves mentally. They have been through rehab and are now slowly returning to their homes.

You can imagine what that could be like. Especially given that our story is set in a village in the U.K. (where everyone sounds like Lauren from The Catherine Tate Show, which happily is a very easy accent to understand). Small towns will always have their variety of inhabitants, but tend to be somewhat insular, and this village is no exception. Fear (not exactly unrealistic here), distrust, segregation, and rage vie with joy at the return of loved ones once dead.

Mythology choices are interesting in every horror-based story, and that is true in this miniseries. The zombie rules for this story are dropped in throughout the episodes, cleanly and neatly, and I’ll not say more other than there is a mixture of classic and somewhat new.

But the emphasis of In the Flesh is not the horror, but how humanity adjusts to the “other” in stressful circumstances. We’ve seen this in other series, most obviously in The Walking Dead, but this has neither the scope nor the intensity of that series, nor should it. This is after the infection, and most people survived. It’s a different kind of coping that’s required.

You’ll see a few standard expected characters, there are few surprises other than some of the zombie rules, and we’re left with one storyline that was underdeveloped and therefore a tiny distraction, but the dialogue, acting, and production are crisp and clean and balanced, never over- or under-worked.

The three episodes each have a different feel. If you have a classical music background, they are like a suite, with the tone of first episode/movement somewhat slow and haunting, the second one lighter and more active, and the third more driven and determined. Each episode would work as a standalone piece, but together they are mighty, so do yourself a favor. If after watching the first episode you aren’t certain you want to spend the time on more, go ahead and watch the other two. You’ll be pleased that you did.

I give In the Flesh Four Out of Five Stars.