Black summer is an American post-apocalyptic zombie series that was first released in 2019. The show consists of two seasons, both eight episodes each, and was created by Karl Schaefer and John Hyams.

The Asylum produced the series and is the same company that produced Z Nation. The show was primarily directed by Hyams, with Abram Cox writing and directing only a few episodes. Jamie King stars as the lead character Rose, a mother who gets separated from her daughter during the beginning of the deadly zombie outbreak.

Season one

Black Summer kicks off when Rose is separated from her daughter, Anna, six weeks after the zombie apocalypse begins. To find her daughter she must embark on a harrowing journey filled with the undead and along with a small group of survivors, Rose braves a hostile new world during the deadliest summer of the zombie outbreak.

Season one of Black Summer deals with the early days of the zombie outbreak, with the military and government setting up safe zones while trying to find solutions. At this point, everyone is just trying to survive by any means possible. The first season is chaotic and will keep you on edge of your seat, as you watch Rose, and the rest of the survivors struggle to stay alive in a world where if you stop moving you die.

Season two

In the second season, Rose and the rest of the survivors must brave the winter to come, as food and supplies start to run low. They soon discover it is not only the undead that needs to be feared but the living too. Rose and the rest of the group come across another band of survivors that only have their own best interests at heart. The group must fight for survival as hope for safety is within reach, in an apocalypse, there is no one you can trust not even those closest to you.

Season two deals with fewer zombies and concentrates more on human connections. Rose and the group start to show less trust in each other as their own interests start to collide. Winter starts to fall and the threat switches from zombies to other survivors. It’s a thrill ride that will have you question everybody’s motives, as food runs low, and shelter is needed. Season two asks the audience to consider who the real monsters are - the zombies or the humans themselves.

Black Summer garnered moderate approval from critics., with season one being released in 2019 and getting 79% out of 19 critics rating and 57% of the audience rating. While Season two scored 100% out of 8 critics rating and 64% from audiences.

The show is defiantly underrated and under-viewed, mostly due to its lack of promotion. Despite this, its straightforward storyline, great cinematography, and minimalistic approach to zombie horror are a breath of fresh air in an otherwise over-saturated film and TV genre. If you want to dive into the post-apocalyptic zombie horror of Black Summer it is currently available for streaming on Netflix.