British drama, In The Flesh, twists the zombie genre by examining it not as an apocalypse, but as a disease - with a cure.
The undead are now being medically treated, and referred to in politically correct speech as sufferers of PDS: Partially Deceased Syndrome. The goal is to reintegrate PDS sufferers into their communities.
Unfortunately, society has not all forgiven the undead for their crimes when rabid. Many neighborhoods still hold onto their militias, which resemble real life hate groups (such as the KKK) in their murderous mob mentality.
In The Flesh becomes unique for the zombie genre by examining how groupthink can not just help humanity (as is the typical lesson in zombie shows), but how it can harm it by creating the obstinate us vs. them mindset.
The heroes are not the able-bodied and healthy-minded zombie fighters, but characters who endure discrimination, PTSD, depression, and physical attributes which mark them as different from society. On the flip side, those pro-living often have valid reasons for their fear and rejection of the partially-deceased, making this conflict a complex one.
And for anyone interested in queer representation, the main character is a gay boy who is shown to pursue a romantic relationship.
However, as of January, BBC Three canceled In The Flesh for budget reasons. Petitions have since been set up to make producers aware of the demand and potential success for this unique series.
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