Black Summer (TV series)

Did You Know?

• Many filming locations are around and within Calgary, Alberta.
• Kelsey Flower described his character Lance as 'the guy that's terrible at the Apocalypse. You'd think he'd be the first to die.'
• The series was produced by The Asylum, the same production company behind Z Nation.

Production

Netflix gave an eight-episode straight-to-series order for Black Summer on July 19, 2018, as a spin-off prequel to Syfy's Z Nation. The series was created by Z Nation co-creator Karl Schaefer and co-executive producer John Hyams, who also served as showrunners. Jaime King was confirmed to star in the lead role alongside the series order. Justin Chu Cary was announced to portray Spears, Kelsey Flower joined as Lance, and Gwynyth Walsh and Christine Lee were cast in undisclosed roles.

Deaf Syrian refugee Mustafa Alabssi was cast as Ryan, a deaf character. At the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con, Schaefer described Black Summer as taking place before the apocalypse became weird, focusing on pure horror rather than the comedic tone of Z Nation. Producer Jodi Binstock stated the series is not tongue-in-cheek but a serious exploration of a real zombie apocalypse. The series was renewed for a second season of eight episodes on November 20, 2019. In April 2023, Schaefer and Hyams confirmed that a third season would not happen, indicating the show was canceled.

Reception

The first season holds a 75% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 20 reviews, with an average rating of 6.3/10. The critical consensus noted that while the series offers undead carnage and a sinewy pace, it suffers from scant characterization. Horror writer Stephen King praised the series, and The New York Times compared its formal daring to a collaboration between Andrei Tarkovsky and John Carpenter. In April 2019, Black Summer was the most watched show on Netflix in the United Kingdom. The second season received a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 8 reviews, with an average rating of 7.5/10.