On September 11, 2015 Z Nation returns to our screens and it appears that Murphy is back. At the end of last season, the remaining members of the “Save Murphy “brigade fled the trap that Citizen Z inadvertently led the group into. As nuclear missiles headed down toward the facility, initiated by Murphy (who shed his clothes and skin) the rest of the cast, including Z prepared to meet their maker…
Fast forward to season two and we can see who made it and who became either a zombie, or crispy character. Show makers The Asylum have come back to prove that whatever tongue-in-cheek humor they delivered in season one can be topped in the season two premiere.
There will be a number of familiar faces, along with a surprise appearance of one or two of Murphy’s regulars thought to be “out of the running” as it were. Keith Allan is back as Murphy, the savior of humanity with attitude, Kellita Smith as Roberta Warren once again proves that beauty and brains can mix with serious kick arse methods, Michael Welch and Anastasia Baranova are back as Mack and Addy and Russell Hodgkinson, Nat Zang, DJ Qualls and Pisay Pao have all returned as Doc, 10K, Citizen Z and Cassandra respectively.
At the beginning of The Murphy Z is still in the frozen north and the gang are scattered after fleeing the nuclear detonation at the lab. Murphy survives and after a surprise visit settles in until he is “found.”
It is a relief to see characters who managed to worm their way into our hearts last year come back, or not…
Last year, Z Nation pushed the boundaries of “good taste” with some pretty close to the bone humor, mixed in with some very spectacular storylines. (Think specifically episode 109 Die Zombie Die… Again) There were other storylines that combined their particular brand of humor with some pretty upsetting moments; usually pulled out of a being too traumatic with some more humor.
In season one it was all about one team, which changed members a bit, trying to get Murphy to the CDC. This year the scenario changes when Citizen Z puts out a BOLO for the savior of humanity. Since the finale last year, it has been a long time to wait for Murphy and the gang to return.
SyFy teased fans of the show with a little glimpse of Kellita Smith (who played Roberta Warren) in The Asylum’s Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! Warren is guarding the gate at an Army installation and Frankie Muniz’ character Lucas Stevens tells Roberta to cheer up, [sic] “it could be zombies instead of sharknadoes.” A lovely nod and wink to the upcoming season two premiere.
Like last season, the first episode introduces some characters for the group to interact with and it looks like there is going to be a really nasty surprise for Murphy. This “blast from Murph’s recent past” may take a while to get to him but this one will be an excuse for more humor guaranteed to make the viewer wince and laugh, or vice versa.
Allan continues his drier-than-dry delivery of lines and cracks that can make the viewer’s eye’s water. For a show that had such a dubious beginning Z Nation finished with an almost jaw-dropping finale and left fans itching to see who would survive.
Z Nation is part of SyFy Friday and airs September 11, 2015 at 9, aka tomorrow. Having seen the season two premiere, it is with utmost confidence that we recommend not missing this one. Murphy, aka Keith Allan, rocks it and hits some new “character” lows in the season two premiere episode The Murphy. Great zombified fun and no mercy needs to be granted.
