BBC Three’s In the Flesh offers a fresh alternative to the traditional good versus bad plot lines of most zombie franchises. The show is set in England after the Rising, in a society where Partially Deceased Syndrome sufferers are treated and then rehabilitated back into their communities.
The two seasons follow Kieren Walker and Amy Dyer (even their names are zombie puns, which is the mark of a good show) as they struggle to continue with the lives they led prior to their deaths.
In the Flesh explores the duality of human nature in a painful, poignant manner, isolating Walker not only from the anti-PDS, mildly homophobic small-town community he lives in, but also from his PDS peers when he refuses to join a fanatically religious anti-living group. The contrasting groups represent two ends of an extreme, with the oppressed fighting back against micro-aggressive oppressors, which is an incredibly relevant issue in our own society. In this way, In the Flesh focuses on real world issues in a world that verges more into the fantastic.
While it is far from candy-coated, the fictional setting serves to make the issues more palatable to casual viewers. Though the show ended its second season on June 8, a group of fans has coalesced to form Save In The Flesh, which has a presence and following on both Tumblr and Facebook.
The group links to online television surveys and polls in an attempt to garner recognition for the show. Currently, they are encouraging fans to send holiday cards to representatives at the BBC and even provide a formatted letter for those who don’t want or have time to write their own.
In the Flesh aims to focus on prevalent issues in our current society using a fresh take on traditional zombie tropes, and, judging by the devotion of its fans, clearly succeeds.