What was once a promising landscape of streaming movies and television has now begun evolving and—some would argue—devolving. Companies are making cuts across the board including Netflix, who is notorious for cancelling their shows before they even have a chance to grow. Probably one of their best horror series to date has been “Black Summer,” a show that has shown immense promise but was at risk of cancellation from season one. The spiritual prequel to “Z Nation,” the John Hyams created horror drama proved to be a powerhouse of a zombie apocalypse series, spawning enough fan demand that it managed to earn a second season.
The well received second season came to an end on June 17, 2021. Since then it’s been virtual radio silence from Netflix and The Asylum on whether we’re ever going to see a third season, and much to fans’ horror, creator Hyams confirmed on Twitter that all hope of a third season seems dim at this point. Although Netflix hasn’t confirmed a cancellation, there also hasn’t been news of a renewal. This is heartbreaking not just as a zombie fan but as someone who, like a lot of other horror fans, had been invested in this particular universe. Season two’s finale ended on a big gaping question mark, allowing for all kinds of interpretations on the events that unfolded.
Mom Rose was left lifeless on an airport tarmac after a massive explosion, and daughter Anna was left waiting in a getaway car unsure of the condition of her mother; even more interesting was survivor Ooh “Sun” Kyungsun. She’d managed to not only find the mysterious airplane that all of the survivors were venturing toward, but she’d been whisked away by the pilot. The season two finale ended on uncertain terms, leaving fans to ask Netflix when or IF we’re ever going to get a third season. In a world saturated by zombie entertainment, “Black Summer” has managed to stand apart as a rollercoaster ride of pure adrenaline, compelling drama, and bloody zombie horror. And if there’s any horror series that deserves a third chapter, it’s this one.
In the fast-moving “Black Summer,” there’s no time for flashbacks, back stories, or even an explanation on what the virus is. The first episode starts with characters running and the running just never stops. “Black Summer” introduces a brand of infected that is not just quick, but is also ruthless, relentless and can re-animate in a heartbeat. In this world there’s no room for tearful goodbyes to a deceased loved one; you either stay and get attacked, or run like hell. To make things worse, they’re tough to beat. One episode from season one revolves entirely on a group of survivors sheltered in a diner trying to figure out how to take down ONE of the infected lurking outside. Despite outnumbering it, they spectacularly fail to bring it down. The freshman season managed to garner some great drama and conflicts, but also kept the pacing at a ten at all times.
There’s never any time to comprehend what’s unfolding because survival is the number one priority. And if you think “The Walking Dead” was big on killing off characters, “Black Summer” ups the ante by killing anyone and everyone without a hint of notice or foreshadowing. In one instance, an elderly woman is saved by a getaway car, prompting her to tearfully thank them and promise she’d repay their kindness. Only literal moments later the car crashes and she’s thrown head first through the windshield. “Black Summer” watches the carnage like a pseudo-documentary where the camera is almost always following the survivors – and most aren’t survivors for long.
The big showdown involving the survivors’ attempts to reach the stadium in season one is still one of the best scenes in any piece of zombie fiction. And season two is just outright lawless chaos and havoc that completely eliminates all hope as soon as it can. Season two kicks off with a gut punch to the viewer as we re-visit Lance. For those that don’t remember, Lance spent most of “Black Summer” season one running away from the dead, and barely escaped in the finale. When the season two premiere opens, Lance manages to grab a car and stops to help a couple in distress. In an instant he’s shot in the neck at point blank range and kicked out of the car. After some events lead to some speeding around and evading the dead, the new driver of the car slows down to a stop to collect himself, only to be interrupted by a now re-animated Lance who smashes through the car to lunge at him.
All bets are off from this point on because we stuck with Lance throughout the freshman season. We rooted for Lance. And in a split second he’s murdered, reduced to one of the millions of infected darting through the streets. He doesn’t die a heroic death. No one does in this world.
From there, “Black Summer” season two opts for something different by dropping us into a snowy wasteland where survival is even more difficult than ever. With dwindling resources left behind, scavengers are reliant on random supply drops from the military, which should be an indication of hope. But when everyone sets their sights on it, they’ll do anything to lay claim. This is where the hope all but fades out, as once again no one is safe, no one is spared, and no one is immune.
“Black Summer” season two outright explains without a hint of subtlety that, when everything crumbles, we’re all going to be at each other’s throats clawing for resources. It doesn’t matter if you’re friends, family, co-workers, or whatnot; when it comes down to it, many of us will resort to savagery and go to war, even if it’s for a ham sandwich or just a few more bullets. Whereas season one had society falling apart, season two finds mankind falling apart. Director John Hyams doesn’t hold back in depicting how ugly mankind is and will be when everything goes down. While many, many shows have shown the lows that we’re capable of in these situations, “Black Summer” approaches it at breakneck speed. It starts in high gear and rarely gears down.
With “Black Summer” virtually left on the bubble, fans are still somewhat left hanging and hoping there’s some sort of confirmation. The zombie series has so much potential to continue to raise the bar for the sub-genre and continue exploring the devolving of mankind. This is a series that deserves to go out on its own terms, or at the very least complete its entire arc. Unfortunately, that notion has become a luxury that TV junkies just aren’t afforded anymore.
Maybe we just have to be loud enough for Netflix to hear us.
“Black Summer” Season 3. We’re begging you, Netflix. Please?
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