A Brilliant Conflict

an ambitious but ultimately ineffective debut endeavor.

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

I didn't see any trailers or advertising on TV or online so it was a surprise as I was flicking through channels. At first I thought here we go another zombie apocalypse, more generic characters, predictable plot. I was really pleasantly surprised.The premise is a world where zombies can be cured by a daily injection and are known as PDS or partially deceased syndrome sufferers. They still retain their undead appearance but think and feel like they did before they died.The PDS suffers have to face severe prejudice from the living which in a way is portrayed as a kind of racism. They also must come to terms with how they died and the fact they killed people in their untreated state.There is romance but not in a sickly kind of way which is new. It doesn't focus on this as the plot is so complex and well written, as are the characters. All of the characters are relatable. Even the villains have clear motive to explain their actions.The only downside would be the fact I personally find it difficult to watch any zombie films or series after seeing another side to this world but overall I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes horror series or series with good LGBT and mental health representation.

After watching all 9 episodes of this series yesterday, I am now left with an empty feeling that can only be filled by re-watching the show, and looking at (and creating my own) fan works.WARNING: The show mentions depression, PTSD, suicide and self harm. If you find any of those things extremely triggering then approach the show with caution. Mentions in series 1 are stronger than in 2...Other than that, I cannot recommend this programme any more! It's perfection for many reasons. The story line is interesting and keeps you on the edge of your seat at all times. It's easy to follow and still has so much potential. Quite a few things have been left unexplained, but I am hopeful for a 3rd series that will tie up most of it. The protagonist is gay, but the writer has not treated his character any differently to the others. Often, when a non-hetero character is written the story lines revolves around their orientation or they are a minor character that were included to keep the non-hetero viewers happy. Keiren however, is just like anyone else -- a regular teenage boy. There should be more TV shows that write their non-hetero characters this way and don't take away from the storyline.Furthermore, the gay relationship is shown like any other hetero relationship. This is not a show about gay people, it's about "partially dead" people (zombies) who are trying to fit back into an xenophobic society. I cannot credit this enough!That brings me onto my next point: xenophobia! This topic is strong throughout the show, right from the onset. It really demonstrates how society acts when they are faced with something new that they don't understand. It makes you think about racism in today's world.All mentions of depression, ptsd, suicide and self-harm are so accurate. I found 3 of the four things above quite triggering, but I really respect how they were written. They were't exaggerated or undermined in anyway and I could relate really well.All in all, this is a brilliant show that deserves a 10/10 rating and more series to come. I am hopeful for more of this beautiful masterpiece.

Rarely does a drama come along which is original as In the Flesh. I fear that when most people hear it's about zombies they imagine it's a poor man's Walking Dead but actually the two shows have few things in common. The show is all about what happens when zombies are cured and brought back into society. One of the one hand it is a good supernatural drama. "Rotters", as they tend to be known in this world, actually play a bigger part in the second series. There are rotter attacks and a mythology about a second rising. The whole concept is unique and the writers continually add the the actually pretty small mythos. On the other hand though the "partially deceased syndrome" sufferers play a very real-world role. They are symbolic of any race or group of people have been segregated and made a prejudice by the majority due to fear and lack of understanding. The key point is that the undead only cause trouble when they are provoked. There are also lots of other issues appearing in the show, like extreme politics and the effect of religion. A supernatural drama which brilliantly reflects on real world issues, In the Flesh is brilliant. The first series was good but the second series totally eclipses it. I really hope that it will get a third series.

Imagine if you will, a dreadful Sunday night BBC kitchen sink drama about a depressed Yorkshire family trundling haplessly along to a drearily tragic conclusion over three pointless and soul-destroying episodes. Imagine that same drama is struck by a bolt of magical s##t-lightning and is somehow spot-welded into the fevered imagination of a novice screenwriter just off a dramatic writing course who has just watched The Walking Dead and eaten lots of cheese just before bedtime. This is the crap that would result from this unfortunate and sorry incident. Avoid it at all costs.Meanwhile, I'm off to write a sporting biopic crossed with elements of the movie Cloverfield.