Corporate Retreat: Review for Z Nation 211 By A. Zombie

The episode’s opener is downright beautiful, some of the best cinematography on TV this fall. But once the episode’s plot rolls on, it’s pretty clear there’s nothing grounding the action in the overall story line for the season. Forty minutes for what’s essentially a pit stop to grab supplies.

ZN 211 Running From FireThe gang is caught in a forest fire, along with enough zombies to make traveling by foot dangerous. They fight their way through the smoke to a seemingly abandoned hotel. Knowing the show’s history, it’s seriously unlikely the place is empty, but any port in a firestorm. Inside, a group of frightened business people bicker over whether or not to let the strangers inside. One man, Iggy, takes initiative to be a decent human being and unlocks the door.

That’s about the time I realized one of the businessmen is none other than Anthony Michael Hall. A shame they couldn’t do more within the episode while working with such a strong actor as guest star. Hall plays Gideon Gould, a professional hot air blower. Not really, but that may as well be his job. Instead the guy tells business people how to best B.S. each other by talking in circles. He carries a “talking stick” and an ego almost as big as Murphy’s.

ZN 211 GG and 10kGideon and his gal pal Dana somewhat take over, forcing Roberta and her group to participate in ridiculous trust-building exercises. He goes through the group giving his first impressions. Yes, they’re on the nose, but he ends up planting the seeds for everyone to distrust 10k later in the episode. Dana, Gideon, Addy, and Roberta sit to talk terms to sharing resources. A couple of the guys go with Iggy to check out the kitchen. Vasquez mother hens Murphy while he attempts to nap. Using his psychic zombie weirdness, Murphy distracts Vasquez to wander around the hotel. Addy leaves the meeting with Dana to salvage parts from the satellites on the roof and flirt. A gunshot brings everyone together again.

Murphy has a hole in his chest. Did he have that before? Didn’t think so. Another unlucky sap, Greg, is likewise leaking blood. Vasquez, using his Sherlock-worthy skills determines they were injured by the same bullet. It passed through Murphy and into Greg’s heart. Murphy’s blood is the only reason the guy isn’t a zombie yet. Working on that theory, Doc doses Greg with a hearty helping of Murphy’s blood. Waste not, want not. Murphy won’t miss what’s already outside of his body, right?

Z Nation - Season 2Gideon calls yet another group meeting to determine who shot the men. Automatically, they blame 10k. Addy steps up to defend him, but she’s nowhere near as convincing as the man himself. Vasquez, so not on board with Gideon’s methods, returns to the party with a duffle bag overflowing with food which the hotel survivors thought long gone, not squirreled away in a personal stash. Murphy and Greg were nearly killed for candy bars. The hotel survivors turn on Iggy, who by far the sanest, kindest person in residence. They’d assumed he took the food since he has one of two keys and Gideon is beyond reproach. Iggy is unceremoniously flung out into the smoke and encroaching zombies with only a small sledgehammer. Washington is given the pantry key and ordered to lock it down. Shortly after, Gideon finally gets around to offering Roberta food for her people. They hit the kitchen. Zombie Washington hits them. He also kills Sheila before they’re both given Mercy. The remaining food is gone.

Someone shoots at Doc. Everyone arms up and gives chase. Dana gives the shooter a free pass while Addy isn’t looking. The women wind up trapped in a closet—quit snickering—where Dana begs Addy to take her with them when they leave. Nearby zombies hear them. Roberta and Vasquez save their bacon before resuming the search for the shooter. The follow them, but come up empty-handed. While everyone scurries around for mysterious shooters and missing food, Murphy dreams about the zombies outside, subconsciously calling them to the hotel. They break out of the quarantined sections in the hotel. The fire zombies the gang fought through join the fray, eventually breaking the glass on the hotel doors. Everyone holes up in the makeshift sickbay.

Right on time, half-zombie Greg wakes. Doc asks him to identify the shooter. He points to . . . no, not Gideon, as much as we want him to suffer for being obnoxious. Travis is the shooter; Dana his lover. All they want is to get out of the hotel and away from Gideon. There’s a shootout. Greg dies again. So does Travis.

Victorious against the zombies outside, Iggy returns to the hotel. Truly apologetic, Gideon welcomes him back to the fold and offers the sacred talking stick. As thanks, Iggy whacks Gideon with the dang stick. Murphy wakes, confused and suffering the mother of all headaches.

The hotel group thanks Roberta’s crew for their part in overthrowing Gideon’s ridiculous stranglehold on their future by giving them a van and supplies. Will it be sufficient to see them through to the California lab? Do I need to ask? Of course it won’t. Murphy’s Law rules everything which happens to the crew—if it can go wrong, it will. My bet is the van will spontaneously combust when they all go on a pee break or something equally ridiculous.

At least they’re on the road again.


Commander Monday: Anthony Michael Hall

Brains or brawn? Which would you choose?  In survival situations, brawn may often win. The importance in being able to physically survive unexpected  encounters with the undead can’t be understated… but neither can the ability to think and take intelligent, decisive action.

BrianPurple Brigade’s First Lieutenant Anthony Michael Hall is one of the most recognizable faces in just about all of our favorite movies. An original member of the infamous Brat Pack in the 1980’s, Hall nailed a triple John Hughes score in Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club and Weird Science before appearing in Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands  and many other films. He has taken on several television roles in addition to films, most notably the successful television adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dead Zone.

While First Lieutenant Hall has not yet been tested against the true horror of the endless shambling horde, this Boston native is surely as well-equipped as any of us to not only just survive, but to stand firm with the other Commanders and loyalists when the time comes. Working from an undisclosed location, Anthony’s movements are unpredictable and undetectable, making him an invaluable asset to the more covert operations within the ZSC.  But even the most covert of operatives must eventually resurface.

Anthony Michael Hall recently appeared in Dead in Tombstone,  starring  alongside Danny Trejo and Micky Rourke.  He has previously been spotted in the popular television series Warehouse 13, Community, and Psych,  and in 2013 he was cast in MTV’s teen comedy series Awkward.

If you’re just joining us for this series, please be sure to check out our previous Commander Monday reports!


In The News – Survival Instinct and Incurable Diseases

compiled by: RC Murphy

Top Stories:
Be afraid, be very afraid: The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct arrives March 26 (via Digital Trends)

Watch a Norwegian Short Film About Not Getting Laid After Zombie Apocalypse (via Wired)

Local filming begins for ‘Pro Wrestlers vs. Zombies’ (via Parkersburg News)

Be Prepared:
How to put together the winter survival kit that’s right for you (via Elko Daily Free Press)

SDSU Hosts Shooting Survival Training (via KPBS)

Prepare for emergencies the old fashioned way: With zombies! (via Ballard News Tribune)

A Survival Kit for the Urban Man (via CBS Local)

Germ Warfare:
CDC: Flu outbreak at epidemic levels (via WBTV)

“Incurable” gonorrhea hits North American shores (via CBS News)

CDC: Worst whooping cough year since 1955 (via WNCT)

Undead Tech:
Call of Duty: Black Ops II Nuketown Zombies map coming to PS3, PC next week (via Tech2)

“Zombies vs. Cheerleaders” Relaunching at 3 Finger Prints (via Comic Book Resources)

Dead Island: Riptide’s ‘Rigor Mortis’ edition has a case of zombies (via Joystiq)

Commander Corner:
Norman Reedus shares photos from ‘Walking Dead’ Superbowl ad (via Examiner)

Sean Patrick Flanery joins fellow ‘Boondock Saint ‘ Norman Reedus at Texas Frightmare Weekend (via Texas Frightmare Weekend)

IronE Singleton featured in ‘An Amish Murder’ with Neve Campbell (via Channel Guide Magazine)

‘Awkward’ scoop: Anthony Michael Hall joins cast as sadistic teacher (via Entertainment Weekly)


In The News – Zombie Bees and Halloween Horrors

Top Stories:

Be Prepared:

Germ Warfare:

Undead Tech:

Commander Corner:


In The News – Pennsylvania Zombie and DIY Brain Fillets

Top stories:

Naked & Bloody Pennsylvania Man Gnaws On Woman’s Head! (via Perez Hilton)

Zombies Attack at Dorney Park (via Patch)

Zombies Invade Theme Park as Resident Evil Attraction Opens at Universal Studios Japan! (via Gadget Helpline)

Be Prepared:

How to Make Fake Brains and Survive the Zombie Apocalypse (via Wired)

‘Zombies’ lead to cop call (via The Now News)

County offers ‘Zombie Preparedness’ (Via Napa Valley Register)

Death and Taxes and Zombies (via Execupundit)

Germ Warfare:

Worst of West Nile virus season to come (via San Francisco Chronicle)

CDC confirms PAM as the cause of death of Indiana man last month (via Examiner)

Norovirus outbreak on Princess cruise ship sparks CDC investigation (via Alaska Dispatch)

Undead Tech:

Black Ops 2 Zombies have own campaign, included in multiplayer (via Stick Skills)

Quirky App Of The Day: Zombie Toon Brings A Cute Side To Zombies (via App Advice)

‘The Walking Dead’ zombie serial game is killer (via Longmont Daily Times-Call)

Commander Corner:

Norman Reedus Talks Season 3 of “The Walking Dead” (via Entertainment Weekly)

Michael Rooker of ‘The Walking Dead,’ ‘Henry,’ ‘Cliffhanger’ Joins 2012 Wizard World Austin Comic Con (via Wizard World)

Anthony Michael Hall filming new movie, “Friend Request” (via ABC 4)

Ghost Trek Make Up Featurette: Conor McCullagh (Face Off) and Addy Miller (via You Tube)


Fear and Zombies in Northern Texas

Dispatcher: RC Murphy

Hang on to your hats! Convention season is in full swing for your Zombie Survival Crew commanders. So far we’ve scouted new troops in Albuquerque, New Jersey, Virginia Beach, and Calgary. Our next stop puts us in Dallas, TX for Texas Frightmare Weekend. How many loyal brigadiers will we see there?

The brave Commanders attending Texas Frightmare are:

Anthony Michael Hall

Norman Reedus

Michael Rooker

RC Murphy

IronE Singleton

Juliette Terzieff

Tony Todd

Also attending are The Walking Dead cast members:

Madison Lintz

Chandler Riggs

No, not *this* zombie bunneh

We’ll be holding a brand new Con-test during the Saturday and Sunday of Texas Frightmare! The zombie bunnies RC keeps as pets in the Command Center have escaped and we think some of them stowed away in her luggage. Find the zombie bunny hiding on the ZSC table and win something special from us!

One prize per day, so you better be quick! Never know where the zombie bunnies will show up…

If you are following us on Twitter (@TheZSC) you’ve probably noticed that we’re creeping up on 2,000 followers over there. Pass the word along to your friends, family—anyone you want to be safe and secure when the Zombiepocalypse begins. When we reach 2,000 Twitter followers, we’ll pick a random follower to win a signed copy of our first anthology, Undead is Not an Option!

 


Commander Mondays: Anthony Michael Hall

By reading this message, you have granted Purple Brigade’s First Lieutenant Anthony Michael Hall temporary control of your mind.

 

Brains or brawn? Which would you choose?  In survival situations, brawn may often win. The importance in being able to physically survive unexpected  encounters with the undead can’t be understated… but neither can the ability to think and take intelligent, decisive action.

 

While First Lt. Hall has not yet been tested against the true horror of the endless shambling horde, this Boston native is surely as well-equipped as any of us to not only just survive, but to stand firm with the other Commanders and loyalists when the time comes. Working from an undisclosed location, Anthony’s movements are unpredictable and undetectable to the always present but rarely seen Unidentified Government Agency (UGA), making him an invaluable asset to the more covert operations within the ZSC.  But even the most covert of operatives must eventually resurface.

Anthony recently made an appearance at Monster Mania 21 in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, where he was temporarily detained by one such UGA while attempting to secure top secret documentation for an upcoming international operation. In what surely could have developed into a truly perilous situation, he remained calm, put those cerebral talents to good use and slipped free from the grip of danger to arrive unscathed and smiling at MM21.

Anthony Michael Hall is perhaps most well-known for his role as the beloved Brian Johnson in John Hughes’ The Breakfast Club. An original member of the infamous Brat Pack in the 1980’s, he has taken on several television roles in addition to films, most notably the successful television adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dead Zone. He has also recently appeared in the popular television series Warehouse 13 and Community, and worked on the films Sexy Evil Genius  and Cottonwood.  Our undercover intel operatives have reported that Anthony is currently filming Dead in Tombstone,  starring  opposite veteran actors Danny Trejo and Micky Rourke.
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Don’t forget to check out our other Fearless Leaders!
Commander in Chief and Red Brigade Commander Juliette Terzieff
Blue Brigade Commander Norman Reedus
Yellow Brigade Commander Jinxie G
Light Blue Brigade Commander Anthony Guajardo
Orange Brigade Commander R.C. Murphy
Green Brigade Commander IronE Singleton
Purple Brigade: The Oracle
Yellow Brigade First Lieutenant Sean Patrick Flanery
Red Brigade First Lieutenant Neil Brown Jr.

 

 


Walkin’ in a Zombiepocalypse

With the holidays upon us, things have been a little hectic around the command center. Not only are processing all the reports coming in of suspected zombie activity, and with the cold temperatures who knows what will happen, the Oracle is dancing around sprinkling tinsel everywhere and has put up so many blinking lights the command center looks like a 70’s discotech. So despite the serious task at hand, command does have the holiday spirit.

And now to bring you a little holiday cheer is the commander of the Orange Brigade, our very own RC Murphy. And if this isn’t proof that she’s been spending too much time with the zombie bunnies, then I don’t know what is.

Walkin’ in a Zombiepocalypse (to the tune of Winter Wonderland)
lyrics by RC Murphy

Zombies groan, can you hear ’em?
On the walls, blood is glistenin’
A horrific sight,
A world full of fright
Walkin’ in a Zombiepocalypse.

Gone away is the old world,
Here to stay is a new world
Of death everywhere
And being so scared,
Walkin’ in a Zombiepocalypse.

On the sidewalk lays a rotting body,
It begins to twitch and moan and groan.
He’ll rise, very hungry
We’ll arm up then
And blow that sucker’s
Brains all over town.

Later on, he’ll expire,
As we set him on fire
His face full of rage
We’re saving the day,
Walkin’ in a Zombiepocalypse

 

Everybody SING! Walkin’ in a Zombiepocalypse… Walkin’ in a Zombiepocalypse… Walkin’ in a Zombiepocalypse…

 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

from the

ZOMBIE SURVIVAL CREW COMMAND

Juliette Terzieff
Norman Reedus
Jinxie G
IronE Singleton
RC Murphy
Anthony Guajardo
LK Gardner-Griffie
Sean Patrick Flanery
Neil Brown Jr.
Anthony Michael Hall
Ted Raimi
David Della Rocco
Casper van Dien
James Gonzaba
Jim Parrack
Tony Todd
Sam Trammell
Kristin Bauer van Straten
Michael Kenworthy
Elizabeth Schaible
Adrian Kali Turner
Addy Miller
Viviana Chavez
Jim Burleson
J. LaRose
Ernie Hudson
Michael Rooker
Billy Tackett
Paul Phillips
Lora Lapoint
Sarah Quattrocci
Wulfie
Grae Wolffe
and JL Coburn


Happy Birthday to Us!

It has been a wild, crazy, and sometimes downright chaotic twelve months. For those of us who were here when the foundation was laid for the Zombie Survival Crew, those twelve months have flown by. When we sat back recently to look over the progress we’ve made we realized how truly astonishing an accomplishment this empire really is.

And we couldn’t have done it without you, our ever-faithful crew members.

Day by day our numbers grow and we’re introduced to new folks that are eager, ready to take on the shambling horde coming our way with nothing more than a 2×4 and their courage to aid them. The sentiment warms our hearts. It also makes us realize how lucky we are that you all have accepted us so readily. Your support has taken the ZSC from, “I wonder if…” to reality with enough energy left over to drag us into our second year of existence.

We’d like to thank our command crew as well. Without their hard work and dedication, we’d be pretty much brain dead by now—Norman Reedus, IronE Singleton, Anthony Guajardo, Sean Patrick Flanery, Neil Brown Jr., Anthony Michael Hall, Ted Raimi, David Della Rocco, Casper van Dien, James Gonzaba, Jim Parrack, Tony Todd, Sam Trammell, Kristin Bauer van Straten, Michael Kenworthy, Elizabeth Schaible, Adrian Kali Turner, Addy Miller, Viviana Chavez, Jim Burleson, J. LaRose, Ernie Hudson, Michael Rooker, Billy Tackett, Paul Phillips, and the crew members that have really stepped up to save our sanity this year: Lora Lapoint, Sarah Quattrocci, Wulfie, Grae Wolffe, and JL Coburn.

Hope you’re ready; we’re hitting 2012 at a dead sprint. Make sure your shoes are tied.

With lots of love,

Juliette, Jinxie, LK, and RC

And now it’s time for a little cake… who wants the eyeball?


Well, What Now?

Somehow, someway, you’ve found yourself neck deep in the Zombie Survival Crew website. Don’t worry, this is a good thing. Whether you wandered in off the street after meeting us at a convention, or had a well-meaning friend slip the link onto your Twitter/Facebook page, you are welcome and encouraged to participate and browse around the site.

You may be asking yourself, why do I need to be prepared for the zombie apocalypse? We ask, why aren’t you already? The survival skills imparted on this website will not only help you escape being eaten by a reanimated corpse, but also ensure you are capable of surviving any number of natural or man-made disasters such as flooding, tornadoes, or even a full-scale riot in your home town. You can never be too prepared, a motto we take to heart.

There is a softer, though far from cuddly side to the ZSC. When we aren’t scouring the globe for new recruits, your commanders let their hair down and get to know site members better. We introduce fans of the zombie, horror, and sci-fi genres to movies, television shows, and art they may not have been aware of before. There are also numerous contest opportunities coming up in the near future. (Our prize room is getting somewhat cluttered…)

The ZSC also does it part to help those in need when disaster DOES strike. When we can, we help our celebrity commanders pass on information and aid relief efforts the world-over.

Our Command team includes: Juliette Terzieff, Norman Reedus, Jinxie G., Anthony Guajardo, RC Murphy, IronE Singleton, LK Gardner-Griffie, Sean Patrick Flanery, Neil Brown Jr., Anthony Michael Hall, Ted Raimi, David Della Rocco, James Gonzaba, Jim Burleson, Michael Kenworthy, and many more to be announced soon.

So how do you become an official member of the Zombie Survival Crew? Our registration page is easy, straight forward, and FREE. Once you’ve signed up and confirmed via email, you will be randomly slated into one of our Brigades. Each brigade has a commander and a certain set of skills they are to master in order to help the ZSC as a whole continue to move forward with our efforts. From there on out, how much you want to participate is purely up to you. If you wish to sit back and absorb information posted by the command team, go for it. Feel like you have something to say? We encourage members post their thoughts on the articles posted. Or, if you are an artist, writer, or filmmaker, we’d like for you to contribute articles, stories, art, or videos.

Get it? Got it? If not, feel free to ask us whatever questions you have about the site. We don’t bite, honest! The Command team is here not only to teach you how to survive, but to help you.

Follow us on Twitter (@TheZSC) and Facebook as well!




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