No second series for Channel 4's zom-com

Channel 4 has dropped its zombie comedy Generation Z after a single series.

The show was created by horror expert Ben Wheatley  and featured a big-name cast including Anita Dobson, Sue Johnston, Robert Lindsay and Johnny Vegas.

It was set in the quiet town of Danbury, when an army convoy overturns, leaking a chemical that rejuvenates the residents of a nearby care home, but giving them a taste for human flesh.

Meanwhile, young heroes played by Jay Lycurgo, Viola Prettejohn, Lewis Gribben and Buket Komur had to fight off the zombies.

The six -part series ended in with Johnson’s character Cecily reborn into a young woman’s body, setting the scene for a continuing story.

However, The Sun today reports that it will not return for a second season.

A spokesman for the broadcaster confirmed the news and told Chortle: ‘We’re very proud of Generation Z and thank Ben Wheatley, [producers] The Forge and the wonderful cast and crew involved in the show’s success. We look forward to working together on future Channel 4 projects.’

The show divided critics with The New Statesman calling it a ‘a tedious abomination’ and The Irish Times branding it a ‘mindless zombie horror’.

But the Daily Mail awarded four stars, saying it was ‘a rather clever horror story which pitches generation against generation… [and] the cast is excellent’. While in a three-star review The Guardian said: ‘Mid-series episodes feel baggy and the tonal inconsistencies are distracting… but it begins and ends well and earns enough goodwill to carry you through the sluggish parts.’

And Chortle’s three-and-a-half-star review is here.

Published: 10 Mar 2025