# Z Nation - Did anyone watch this? \[spoilers\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 14, 2014, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/z-nation-did-anyone-watch-this-spoilers/698437 "2014-09-14T00:15:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrightNShiny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@BrightNShiny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrightNShiny)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/z-nation-did-anyone-watch-this-spoilers/698437/1 "2014-09-14T00:15:42Z")
So, I watched this, and it’s pretty terrible so far. The dialogue is terribly clunky and the plot is basically stolen from any number of pandemic stories (the Last Ship had a story arc which was a smushed down version of getting the immune person to the lab). It was kind of interesting that something akin to a new religion has sprung up in the wake of the ZA, and I would like to see that explored more. But otherwise, it just seems like standard ZA dreck. Because everyone has a goal (delivering the immune guy), it may avoid some of the dreariness of Walking Dead. Unfortunately, they killed off the only remotely interesting character (the military guy) in the first episode (and _sigh_, of course they kill of the black dude). I’ll keep it on my DVR, but not sure how long I’ll continue to watch. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/z-nation-did-anyone-watch-this-spoilers/698437/2 "2014-09-14T00:31:25Z")
They actually killed of two black dudes 🙂 I thought it was ok, although it is basically the plot of next seasons Walking Dead. ---
**Author:** ![BrightNShiny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@BrightNShiny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrightNShiny)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/z-nation-did-anyone-watch-this-spoilers/698437/3 "2014-09-14T00:42:37Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > They actually killed of two black dudes 🙂 I thought it was ok, although it is basically the plot of next seasons Walking Dead. Two? Well, I guess I wasn’t paying attention very well. Lol. I classify ZA movies/TV shows into “high-class” ones like Dawn of the Dead (remake) and “low-class” ones, like Zombie Apocalypse, both of which starred Ving Rhames. Z Nation definitely goes into the “low-class” category for me. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/z-nation-did-anyone-watch-this-spoilers/698437/4 "2014-09-14T00:44:17Z")
As soon as I saw the baby I decided if the writers could contain themselves and not go with another zombie baby I would give it a shot. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/z-nation-did-anyone-watch-this-spoilers/698437/5 "2014-09-14T00:54:20Z")
Zombie baby was in the episode description though. I have no idea how the damn baby turned in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![BrightNShiny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@BrightNShiny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrightNShiny)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/z-nation-did-anyone-watch-this-spoilers/698437/6 "2014-09-14T04:50:35Z")
I think the baby was weak (they say it at one point) from malnutrition or dehydration or being a baby or something and then died because of that. And this appears to be a ZA where everyone is infected, so they turn automagically at death (at least, I think that’s what mercy killing the old lady was about). Although, if everyone is already infected, then what is a vaccine going to do? How do I science?? ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/z-nation-did-anyone-watch-this-spoilers/698437/7 "2014-09-14T16:23:22Z")
Well the baby did seem to go from perfectly fine to dead to zombified in like five seconds, but other than that i mostly enjoyed it. I liked the Walking Dead shout out too. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/z-nation-did-anyone-watch-this-spoilers/698437/8 "2014-09-14T17:15:03Z")
> [@BrightNShiny](#): > > Although, if everyone is already infected, then what is a vaccine going to do? How do I science?? It might prevent a latent infection from activating. Though I’m not overly confident in the a Zombie show’s ability to science, that has precedent. The shingles vaccine prevents the reactivation of a virus previously acquired with Chicken Pox. The person is already infected with herpes zoster, it’s just sitting there dormant in the nerve cells, but the vaccine prevents it from activating at a later date. It could be the zombie vaccine operates the same way. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/z-nation-did-anyone-watch-this-spoilers/698437/9 "2014-09-15T01:32:36Z")
“I didn’t tell Hammond to go get eaten by a baby.” -pwa-hahahahahaha… ludicrously stupid. The episode went ridiculously off the rails with the baby. How does it pose a threat - does it even have teeth? And why, unlike the adult zombies, does it forgo the mindless charge and go all stealth-and-sneak like the chestburster from _Aliens_? Then uglydork from _The Core_ goes all outlaw DJ instead of, y’know, announcing to everyone who will listen that there’s a guy named Murphy who is headed for California and must get there. Meantime we’ve got ethnic Lara Croft showing lots of leg and being all mysterious and shit, and Emosniper… The only way this material can distinguish itself from much better examples of the genre is with black humour - forget _Walking Dead_, go _Zombieland_. ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/z-nation-did-anyone-watch-this-spoilers/698437/10 "2014-09-15T01:42:39Z")
It’s an hour of mindless zombie entertainment. Like most zombie material, there are plot holes to drive a tank through, but hell, I’ve already accepted zombies, so what the hell. Would have liked to see the black dude (Hammond?) stick around, but he went and got ate by a goddamn baby. I’ll throw it on the Tivo, see where it goes. ---
**Author:** ![ryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ryan)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/z-nation-did-anyone-watch-this-spoilers/698437/11 "2014-09-16T04:52:04Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > The only way this material can distinguish itself from much better examples of the genre is with black humour - forget _Walking Dead_, go _Zombieland_. This. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/z-nation-did-anyone-watch-this-spoilers/698437/12 "2014-09-16T16:31:54Z")
> [@ryan](#): > > This. Amazon shot a pilot for Zombieland last year. Pretty bad… ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/z-nation-did-anyone-watch-this-spoilers/698437/13 "2014-09-16T16:45:28Z")
> [@epbrown01](#): > > Amazon shot a pilot for Zombieland last year. Pretty bad… I’d heard there were vague plans for a series but didn’t know anything had been produced. I’ll check it out. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![AtomicDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@AtomicDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AtomicDog)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2014, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/z-nation-did-anyone-watch-this-spoilers/698437/14 "2014-09-17T18:08:50Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > It’s an hour of mindless zombie entertainment. Like most zombie material, there are plot holes to drive a tank through, but hell, I’ve already accepted zombies, so what the hell. Would have liked to see the black dude (Hammond?) stick around, but he went and got ate by a goddamn baby. > > I’ll throw it on the Tivo, see where it goes. This. I saw the first episode and was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. It’s not relentlessly grim like TWD, (which I also love.) I’ll definitely be watching. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2014, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/z-nation-did-anyone-watch-this-spoilers/698437/15 "2014-09-17T18:41:13Z")
How did the Zombie Baby end up being a speed demon? The ZB moved faster than it did as a live baby and much faster than adult zombies were moving. ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2014, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/z-nation-did-anyone-watch-this-spoilers/698437/16 "2014-09-18T02:02:41Z")
> [@Death\_of\_Rats](#): > > How did the Zombie Baby end up being a speed demon? The ZB moved faster than it did as a live baby and much faster than adult zombies were moving. He had just had a power nap. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2014, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/z-nation-did-anyone-watch-this-spoilers/698437/17 "2014-09-18T03:14:34Z")
> [@epbrown01](#): > > Amazon shot a pilot for Zombieland last year. Pretty bad… I just watched it. It compares unfavourably to the film (especially in the characterization of Tallahassee) but had its charms. Certainly better than _Z Nation_. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2014, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/z-nation-did-anyone-watch-this-spoilers/698437/18 "2014-09-19T19:45:37Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > \ > The only way this material can distinguish itself from much better examples of the genre is with black humour - forget _Walking Dead_, go _Zombieland_. Best idea I’ve heard all day. I wasn’t overwhelmed by the premiere, but I’ll watch damned near anything post-apocalyptic, so I’ll keep watching until it becomes completely unwatchable. You don’t suppose Zombie Baby was a direct crack at Walking Dead, do you? ---
**Author:** ![BrightNShiny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@BrightNShiny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrightNShiny)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2014, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/z-nation-did-anyone-watch-this-spoilers/698437/19 "2014-09-20T07:29:38Z")
Lookie! There are pay phones. And they still work. After all this time into the ZA. lf the land line system still works in the ZA, that sort of makes your survival strategies a bit easier. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2014, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/z-nation-did-anyone-watch-this-spoilers/698437/20 "2014-09-20T08:05:13Z")
> [@BrightNShiny](#): > > Lookie! There are pay phones. And they still work. After all this time into the ZA. > > lf the land line system still works in the ZA, that sort of makes your survival strategies a bit easier. Couldn’t be sillier than Zombieland, where there are a handful of zombies(maybe they ate everyone?) instead of hordes and a month or more after the fall of civilization the power is still on everywhere, gas stations have full tanks, etc. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/z-nation-did-anyone-watch-this-spoilers/698437.md?page=2)