Revival

As a resident of Wausau, and a fan of the comic its based off of, I was surprised at how this is turing out. Its not spot on to the comic, but its doing it justice. Its definitely a great take on the whole zombie genre. When the show was first annouced, the whole city was talking about it. It was featured in the news online and all over Facebook. Now, its not filmed in Wausau, minus some shots that are in-between actual scenes, but its still pretty awesome to see your home town mentioned over and over again. Still cant believe a comic I read years ago, became an actual show, and not a low budget one at that. Definitely wirth the watch.

REVIVAL isn't just a show-it's a mood, a mystery, and a masterclass in tension. Set in the quiet town of Wausau, Wisconsin, what starts as a bizarre miracle (the dead returning to life) quickly spirals into something far more unsettling. This isn't your average zombie tale. These people aren't hungry for brains-they're just... back. And that's what makes it so chilling.

The writing is razor-sharp. Every character feels grounded and deeply human, even as the surreal creeps in. There's a slow-burn Midwestern noir quality here-think Fargo meets The Leftovers with a splash of Stephen King.

Acting is great. Cinematography is gorgeous and eerily intimate. The music is haunting and moving, with a unique mix of instruments and vocal arrangements. And yes, I know I am saying this ABOUT A SYFY SHOW.

But it's the writing and questions that will keep you hooked: Why are the dead coming back? What do they remember? And what, if anything, do they want?

REVIVAL builds its mythology with confidence, daring you to keep up but never leaving you behind. It's gripping, emotional, and somehow feels both huge and deeply personal. This is prestige horror tv on a budget.

Do yourself a favor: Watch it before everyone starts spoiling the twists.

As a fan of the mystical sci-fi genre, I can say - the pilot turned out solid. The atmosphere is surprisingly cohesive, the direction confident, and the cast is average overall.

Melanie Scrofano - familiar from Wynonna Earp - fits organically into the dark tone of the story. There's something reminiscent of Preacher: that same strange, apocalyptic energy bordering on the absurd.

It's a shame the episodes are released weekly rather than all at once, which is frustrating in the streaming era. Still, the wait might actually build anticipation.

In the end, it's a solid genre piece that knows how to keep you intrigued. Recommended for those who appreciate a dark atmosphere, philosophical undertones, and quality execution.

It's frustrating to read viewers who mistakenly believe this TV show swiped its ideas from the fairly engaging Aussie TV show Glitch (debuted in 2015), when in fact, Revival was first published three years prior (Revival was nominated for several Harvey Awards, which are the Academy Awards for comics.) So far, Revival is quite faithful to the comic series, although not quite as dark. I can tell fussy viewers that the comic eventually answered all questions because the writer had worked out the end, and reason for the revival, from the very beginning. The series ran for 47 issues, which really could be adapted in a 10-episode series, so if this gets a second season, the writers will have to create from scratch. Melanie Scrofano is fantastic in everything, including here (and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Letterkenny, Ready or Not & Wynonna Earp). Most of the cast is just fine, but I will admit that I can not stand the younger emo sister.

Great acting, interesting plot, and unique ideas all the way up to the season 1 finale. Then it just throws a bunch of "well because we said so" answers at the audience that were found by asking a room full of 6th graders to write down how they think a sci-fi show should end, putting all their ideas into a jar of mayonnaise, throwing it against the wall, and using the ones that stick. I haven't been this disappointed in a season finale since Game of Thrones.