Zombie fare has always been the rage, but it appears the undead are even more popular than ever. Perhaps we can thank Robert Kirkman’s success with the constantly multiplying franchise, The Walking Dead, but more than likely, zombies are a response to the modern anxieties we all feel.
Recommended VideosAMC certainly seems to be capitalizing on this fact, but there are other zombie series other than The Rick Grimes Show. Netflix’s Black Summer is a highly underrated endeavor with a similar concept, but could not be more different than other shows of its ilk. From the team behind Z-Nation, the series focuses on Rose (Jaime King), a mother searching for her daughter at the end of the world. The high-octane drama left viewers on a cliffhanger at the end of season 2, leading many to wonder if one of the scariest shows on Netflix will ever receive a satisfying follow-up.
We are long since past the days of network television, where you could depend on 22-episode seasons like clockwork. Shows would premiere in the fall and have a summer hiatus. Streaming has changed everything, and with the dual Hollywood strike of 2023 in mind, television schedules are all over the place.
Black Summer’s home is on Netflix, so of course, it is even more chaotic. The streaming equivalent of the Wild Wild West, nothing on the platform is certain. Shows that demonstrate a passionate fanbase often get canceled after a few seasons. And unfortunately for Black Summer, it may be another casualty of the streaming model. After the season 2 finale aired in 2021, there has been radio silence. The last episode ended with a cliffhanger, making many wonder if Rose would survive her injuries. The only concrete news fans have had has been from co-creator John Hyams on Twitter in June 2023.
“Unfortunately no news to speak of. A change in management at Netflix has put the show on indefinite hiatus.”
This response has led many to believe that Black Summer is being ghosted by the platform they call home. Series with powerful showings, such as Squid Game, are quick to be renewed. But for shows that aren’t powerful phenomena, their fates are still left up in the air. The renewal status of the series has been pending since September 2021 (via Twitter), which has not inspired much optimism. The strike in Hollywood may have further complicated this status, but as of now, there is no clear answer. Should Black Summer be renewed, it will likely wrap up the series and leave room for Netflix to greenlight another show that will inevitably be canceled.
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