Coming soon to BBC Three, three-part drama In The Flesh tells the story of zombie teenager Kieren Walker (Luke Newberry) and his reintegration back into both the local community and the heart of his family.
Episode 1
Sunday 17 March 2013, 10pm
After his death four years ago, his friends and family thought they’d never see Kieren again. But then, shortly after his funeral, thousands of the dead were re-animated; and now, after months of re-habilitation and medication, the zombies are gradually being returned to their homes.
Now known as PDS sufferers (Partially Deceased Syndrome) – and since the passing of the PDS Protection act – the government have set an agenda of acceptance and tolerance, one that is at odds with the communities abandoned at the time of the rising, and the bloody battle between zombies and humans that ensued.
A cauldron of brutal anti-zombie sentiment and the source of the ‘rotter’ hating Human Volunteer Force (HVF), Kieren returns to his home in the rural village of Roarton. Here he is forced to confront his family, the community that rejected him and the flashbacks that continue to haunt him of what he did in his untreated state.
Kieren’s parents, Steve (Steve Cooper) and Sue (Marie Critchley), are undoubtedly pleased to see him, but his sister, Jem (Harriet Cains), isn’t so ready to pick up where they left off. Meanwhile, the HVF, led by violent Bill Macy (Steve Evets) and backed by local churchman Vicar Oddie (Kenneth Cranham), are ready to take action against any PDS Sufferer reintegrated on their patch.
Episode 2
Sunday 24 March 2013, 10pm
Feeling trapped at home, where parents Steve and Sue are trying to keep him from the world and sister Jem wants nothing to do with him, Kieren, still experiencing vivid flashbacks of one particular victim, Lisa Lancaster, escapes to his grave where he’s reunited with his old hunting partner, Amy Dyer.
Recognising Kieren’s self-pity, Amy persuades him to take a day trip with her, but the initial joy soon turns to fear as Kieren’s spotted and outed as a ‘rotter’. After fleeing home, Kieren later discovers that Rick Macy, his former best mate who died in Afghanistan, is back in town. Rick’s death devastated Kieren first time round so Kieren is persuaded by Amy to go and search him out at partisan local pub, The Legion.
After an awkward reunion, Kieren finds himself on a Human Volunteer Force hunting mission in the Roarton woods, where the night patrol has reported live rabid zombies roaming free.
Episode 3
Sunday 31 March 2013, 10pm
Reeling from his confrontation with Rick in the woods, Kieren stumbles across the supermarket where he used to hunt with Amy when he was a zombie and they killed Lisa Lancaster.
During another flashback to the murder, Kieren finally recalls the whole incident, remembering that Jem actually spared his life. Heading home, he tackles his sister with the truth and, together, brother and sister confront the demons in their pasts and visit Mr and Mrs Lancaster. Kieren feels momentarily better, but then is sad to say goodbye to Amy who is leaving Roarton in search of The Prophet.
Meanwhile, Rick has been tasked by Bill to make amends for last night. How far will Rick go to please his Dad? Will Kieren and Rick be able to find peace and acceptance as PDS sufferers in this highly charged new world?
Are you looking forward to In the Flesh? Let us know below…