SYFY's Zombie Thriller 'Revival' Is Perfect For 'The Last Of Us' & 'The Walking Dead' Fans

What is 'Revival' about?

Revival follows small-town officer and single mom Dana Cypress as she and the CDC investigate the sudden "revival" of dozens of recently deceased residents in Wausau County. These "revived," as they're called, are immortal after they come back. While many act just as they did before their death, at least one of the revived has come back significantly more violent. The plot thickens considerably when Dana discovers her own murdered sister, Em, is among those who recently returned to the land of the living.

Who's in the 'Revival' cast?

The series stars:

• Jessica Jones — Dana Cypress
• Megan Leonard — Em Cypress
• Matt Anderson — Sheriff Cypress

Other notable cast members include:

• Steven Ogg — Blaine Abel
• Tony Amendola — Edmund Holt
• Samantha Logan — Tam Cypress

Is 'Revival' like other zombie shows?

While The Walking Dead plunged us into a full-blown zombie apocalypse, and The Last of Us has mushroom spores all over the place, Revival's incident is contained to Wausau County, offering a more localized and personal horror. The most obvious similarity between the shows is their shared theme of dealing with the undead.

However, the "zombies" themselves are very different. The Walking Dead featured the more traditional, mindless depiction of zombies. The Last of Us features zombies of different sizes, shapes, and abilities. Revival's "revived" remain remarkably human-like, but with one crucial, terrifying difference: they're immortal. Sheriff Cypress perfectly encapsulates this distinction when he exclaims, "We cut off her head, baked her to a crisp, and she’s still kicking. Does that sound like a person to you?"

Beyond the undead of it all, The Walking Dead, The Last of Us, and Revival share plenty of overlapping themes. All three delve into profound questions about death and morality, as well as religion, fear, and the complicated nature of family. These are, arguably, unavoidable themes when dealing with the reanimated dead.

One intriguing aspect of Revival that will come to the forefront as the show continues is the religious element. Steven Ogg is set to play a key role in the series as Blaine Abel. Co-creator Aaron Koontz revealed to CBR that Blaine has an "exorcist background and is a weird tow truck repairman dude, but he's also leading this religious fervor."

How can I watch 'Revival'?

Revival's first season has just six episodes and airs every Thursday on SYFY Channel. If you're looking for a fresh, character-driven supernatural drama that offers a fresh take on the freshly dead, Revival is definitely worth adding to your watch list.