Z Nation begins three years into a virus-caused zombie apocalypse, which has already killed most humans. In the days just before society fell apart, Murphy was one of three inmates at Portsmouth Naval Prison in Kittery, Maine who were unwilling participants of a government-approved experiment. Each inmate was given a different test vaccine. Murphy was the only one to successfully survive their vaccine injection. He is the only known survivor of a zombie bite who did not himself turn into a zombie, and his blood contains antibodies that are mankind's last and best hope for a vaccine.
A group must transport Murphy from New York to the world's last known functioning Centers for Disease Control research lab in California. However, Murphy harbors a dark secret that threatens them all.
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Kellita Smith as Lt. Roberta Warren (season 1–)
Lt. Roberta Warren is a survivor of the initial zombie apocalypse. An ex-National Guard member activated out of Missouri, she is a member of the Westward-bound survivor group, and a former member of the Blue Sky Camp survivor group in New York. Like many other survivors of the zombie apocalypse, Warren lost nearly everything and everyone that mattered to her. She becomes the leader of the survivor group after the death of Garnett.
DJ Qualls as Citizen Z (season 1–)
PFC Simon Cruller a.k.a. "Citizen Z", a former hacker, was working at the NSA's Northern Lights listening post in the Arctic. After missing a doomed evacuation flight out of Northern Lights, he becomes the NSA's sole surviving employee and uses his high-tech equipment to assist the group in its journey to California. He also runs a radio broadcast for other survivors, informing people to take cover when there is a threat of inescapable disaster-level weather or zombie hordes. He is slowly going insane from loneliness; his only companion is a sled dog named Pup.
In the second season, the Northern Lights missile defense system intercepts a nuclear bomb, severely damaging the listening post and waking the zombies in the doomed evacuation flight wreckage. Citizen Z fights to survive the cold and the zombie onslaught, despite minimal shooting skills.
At the end of season 2, Citizen Z decides to leave Northern Lights, knowing all the post's resources were used up and it has sustained too much damage for him to survive there any longer. He leaves on foot with Pup, pulling a dog sled, in subzero temperatures. Near death, he is rescued by Kaya, an Inuit girl, and her surviving family members.
Michael Welch as Mack Thompson (season 1–2)
A former hockey player, Mack Thompson is a survivor of the initial zombie apocalypse, and Addy's boyfriend. He is a former member of the Blue Sky camp in New York, and a member of the Westward-bound survivor group. A good shot, Mack protects Addy and stays behind when she chose to join the Sisters of Mercy camp, and watches over her from afar. He is eventually reunited with Addy and returns to the survivor group. He is mercied by Addy after being bitten by zombies.
Keith Allan as Murphy (season 1–)
Alvin Bernard Murphy is a resentful and frail former convict who becomes the only known survivor of zombie bites after being part of a scientific experiment. The Westward-bound survivor group is tasked with transporting him to a government laboratory in California, as his apparent immunity is believed to be the sole solution to the ZN1 virus. Over time, Murphy's appearance changes, and he becomes part zombie. He can communicate with zombies, develops feelings for them and can make them do his bidding. He also develops a special gift: After biting a person or exposing them to his saliva or blood, he can direct them using telepathy.
Anastasia Baranova as Addison "Addy" Carver (season 1–)
Addison Carver is a former member of the Blue Sky camp in New York and is Mack's girlfriend prior to his death. She is the survivor group's communication specialist and uses her talents with radio equipment to contact Citizen Z. Broken by unresolved trauma, the apocalypse is slowly wearing her down. At one point, she chooses to leave the group and join the Sisters of Mercy camp, but after the camp is destroyed, she reunites with Mack, who refused to leave her behind, and returns to the Westward-bound survivor group. Her weapon of choice to fight off zombies is a customized metal bat with spikes; in season 3, her bat is upgraded by Sun Mei and her team to emit an electric charge similar to a taser.
Russell Hodgkinson as Doc (season 1–)
Steven "Doc" Beck, a former psychologist and recovering addict, carries a drug supply he creatively uses in the capacity of the de facto medic of the Westward-bound survivor group. He is a former member of the Blue Sky camp in New York.
Pisay Pao as Cassandra (season 1–2, guest season 3)
Cassandra is a survivor of the initial zombie apocalypse. She is a former member of the Philadelphia cannibal survivor group, where she served as a "lure" to attract male survivors with the promise of sexual trade, in order for the group to trap and consume them. Cassandra joins the Westward-bound survivor group after being found in a locked cage at a rendezvous station near Philadelphia. A leg injury led to an infection. Lacking antibiotics and near death, she is bitten by Murphy and became a zombie-human hybrid, controlled by Murphy. She is mercied by 10k after attacking members of the group on Murphy's command not to let anyone leave or follow him.
Nat Zang as 10K (season 1–)
"10K", often called "The Kid" by Doc, is the youngest member of the Westward-bound survivor group. In the season 1 finale, his real name was revealed as "Tommy". 10K is quiet and observant. He is highly proficient with a sniper rifle and other projectiles, and is "pretty good with a knife". He loves killing zombies, and keeps track of each one he kills. His goal is 10,000 kills, hence his self-given nickname, and he has already achieved 1,000 kills by his first appearance.
His backstory reveals that 10K was forced to kill his father, making a promise to him that he would stay strong and fight. 10K harbors feelings of anger and hatred towards Murphy for turning Cassandra into a zombie-human hybrid, but does not act on those feelings, knowing that Murphy could be humanity's only chance to survive. He is injured in the season 2 finale and taken with Murphy to the CDC submarine to be given medical attention for his wound. He escapes the submarine with Murphy, Dr. Merch and the others bitten by Murphy, and is openly opposed to following him. He is told by Dr. Merch that he was bitten after she gave him his first dose of the original cure.
Tom Everett Scott as 1st Sgt. Charles Garnett (season 1)
Sgt. Garnett was with the National Guard, based out of Georgia, prior to the ZN1 outbreak. He is a former member of the Blue Sky camp in New York before taking on the task of transporting Murphy. He is the leader of the Westward-bound survivor group until his demise. Trying to protect Murphy, he is murdered and turned into a zombie by Priest Jacob and his Resurrection Cult. He is mercied by Warren, his second in command.
Harold Perrineau as Lt. Mark Hammond (season 1)
Lt. Hammond is the last surviving member of the Delta Force team transferring Murphy to a laboratory in California. He is mercied by the Westward-bound survival group after being bitten. (Despite being credited as a main cast member, Perrineau only appeared in the first episode.)
Matt Cedeño as Javier Vasquez (season 2, guest season 3)
Javier Vasquez is first encountered in the opening episode of season 2, "The Murphy". Vasquez was a DEA agent, but after he arrested some of Escorpion's men, Escorpion abducted his wife and daughter, later killing them in front of him. His wife and daughter turned into zombies during their funeral, and Vasquez seeks revenge on Escorpion. He tries to assassinate Escorpion during the group's Zeros induction ceremony, but is stopped by Warren and tortured by the Zeros before escaping. At the conclusion of season 2, he apparently leaves the main survivor group. In the season 3 episode "Heart of Darkness", Vasquez reappears, having assumed the mantle of "Escorpion" after suffering a mental breakdown, and is later mercied by Warren.
Emilio Rivera as Hector "Escorpion" Alvarez (season 2–3)
Hector "Escorpion" Alvarez is the main antagonist of season 2, first encountered in the second episode, "White Light". He is the vice president in charge of sales for a Mexican drug cartel known as the Zeros. He has a small Z-shaped scar on his right hand. Escorpion's weapon of choice is a golden gun. At the end of season 2, he joins the main survivor group.
Joseph Gatt as The Man (season 3-)
The Man first appears in the first episode of season 3, "No Mercy". Following a list created by his Zona employer, it is his job to collect people by any means necessary and ship them to Zona. He is ruthless and will take out anyone in his way. He is known to have completely decimated at least two survivor communities to obtain the people on his list. He has a perfect success rate and has yet to lose a target. As of the second episode of season 3, "A New Mission", The Man's current list contains only one name: "Alvin Bernard Murphy".
Sydney Viengluang as Sun Mei (season 3–)
Sun Mei is first encountered in the second episode of season 3, "A New Mission". She is a Laotian virologist from Beijing, China, where 200,000 survived the zombie apocalypse by sealing themselves behind the walls of the Forbidden City. She is sent with a team and equipment from China to collect DNA samples from the American survivor group and Murphy in the hope of synthesizing a cure. She is the sole survivor of her team's mission and for now, has joined the survivor group.
Ramona Young as Kaya (season 3-)
Kaya is first encountered in the second episode of season 3, "A New Mission". Kaya is an Inuit girl living with her Uncle Koukou and her grandmother; they are the sole survivors of their village. She finds Citizen Z and Pup out in a blizzard, rescues them, and takes them to her home. She reveals to Citizen Z that she is a huge fan of his, telling him he needs to get healthy and start broadcasting again.
Natalie Jongjaroenlarp as Red (season 3)
A survivor, guardian of 5K and love interest of 10k.
Holden Goyette as Nature Boy/5K (season 3)
A survivor being protected by Red.
Donald Corren as Dr. Walter Kurian (season 1-2)
Dr. Walter Kurian, the main antagonist of season 1, is first encountered in episode 13, "Doctor of the Dead". Kurian is revealed to be responsible for the virus known as H1Z1, which caused the zombie apocalypse. Working at a lab in Fort Collins, Colorado and using samples he gathered from Krokodil addicts in New York, Ebola camps in Africa, abandoned bioweapons in Kazakhstan, and brain matter from a man in Haiti, he created the "Red Death" virus, meant for use in biological warfare. The virus escaped the lab by infecting a lab technician named Brandon Doyle. From there it spread, and in the resulting chaos, Kurian fled and went underground. The right side of his face appears scarred from the nuclear blast in the season 2 premiere.
Sara Coates as Serena (season 1-3)
Serena, a tough guard at the Sisters of Mercy camp, is first seen in the 11th episode of season 1, "Sisters of Mercy". She has a brief fling with Murphy outside the camp, resulting in her pregnancy. After the destruction of the Sisters of Mercy, she eventually catches up to Murphy and the Westward-bound survivor group. She dies shortly after giving birth, protecting her baby from a horde of zombies. She is given mercy by Warren at the request of Murphy.
Mark Carr as Sketchy McClane (season 1-)
Sketchy McClane, an old acquaintance of Doc, is a weapons dealer and travels with his friend, Skeezy.
Doug Dawson as Skeezy (season 1-)
Skeezy is a weapons dealer and travels with his friend, Sketchy.
Lisa Coronado as Dr. Marilyn Merch (season 1-3)
Dr. Merilyn Merch is a genetic recombiner and Harvard graduate, skilled in gene splicing. She disappeared two years before the zombie outbreak, and resurfaced at the Portsmouth Naval Prison infection lab, where she injected three prisoners, including Murphy, with experimental vaccines. The vaccines worked, but killed the other two prisoners. Due to a security breach by a horde of zombies, Merch was forced to leave the lab via helicopter. She is later known to be at a lab in Fort Collins, Colorado, where Dr. Kurian claimed she "didn't make it". However, she resurfaces in the season 2 finale, aboard the CDC submarine lab. She escapes the sinking submarine, but is bitten by Murphy and is now controlled by him. She uses small doses of the original cure to regain control of herself. After Murphy finds out, he bites her a second time. To break control for good, Merch walks into a cage of zombies, injects herself with the cure and is then eaten alive by the zombies.
Gina Gershon as La Reina (season 2)
La Reina, also referred to as "the Queen of the Dead", is first seen in the 12th episode of season 2, "Party With the Zeros". She has inherited the leadership position of the Zeros drug cartel from her deceased husband Gonzalo. Throughout season 2, she and her gang attempt to hunt down "The Murphy" so she can control a cure made by the captured Dr. Kurian, who is now her servant. She dreams of creating a new world order with her in charge. After Warren appears to save her from an assassination attempt, she offers him a place in her regime. La Reina is killed by Alvarez during a fight between Warren and La Reina in the season 2 finale.
Cora M. Abdallah as Lucy (season 2-)
Lucy is the half-human and half-zombie daughter of Murphy and Serena.
Rick Rivera as Tobias Campbell
Tobias Campbell is the founder and leader of the Philadelphia cannibal survivor group, first encountered in the third episode of season 1, "Philly Feast". This group, based in the Upper Darby, Pennsylvania area, starts out like many others, surviving by way of Tobias's resourcefulness and cunning, while still retaining some semblance of their humanity and morality. However, after his wife becomes ill, Tobias suffers a mental breakdown and leads his "family" down the dark path of victimization and cannibalism.
Yuji Okumoto as Bernt
Bernt is a member of the Philadelphia cannibal survivor group, first encountered in the third episode of season 1, "Philly Feast". One of Tobias's men, he is responsible for guarding the gate.
Kelly McGillis as Helen
Helen is the leader of the Sisters of Mercy camp, first encountered in the 11th episode of season 1, "Sisters of Mercy". She and her sister-wives started the camp, which only allowed women and children, and turns away male travelers. A survivor of abuse by her late husband, she promotes killing men even if there was no proof of their wrongdoing.
Bill Moseley as Gen. McCandles
Gen. Arthur C. McCandles is the commander of the Emergency Headquarters for Infection Control in McLean, Virginia, appearing in the fourth episode of season 1, "Full Metal Zombie". McCandles, who has gone insane, is holed up in a secure building, surrounded by undead soldiers and the corpses of his military peers. He hurts his leg badly, contracting gangrene, and when told that the leg requires amputation, he murders his former medic by throwing him into an airshaft. When the Westward-bound survivor group reaches his stronghold in need of a helicopter, McCandles allows Doc in, believing him to be a real doctor, and throws him into the same airshaft when Doc gives him the same prognosis. McCandles dies by attacking a group of zombies, then throwing himself and the zombies off the building's rooftop.
Jason Gallagher as Keith Richards
Keith Richards is part of the S&S Unlimited gun show in Kansas, encountered in the seventh episode of season 1, "Welcome to the Fu-Bar". He plays guitar in the Fu-Bar. He is last seen fleeing the area after the approach of the "zunami", and his status is unknown.
Conner Marx as Cosmonaut Yuri
Yuri is an imaginary Russian pilot, hallucinated by Citizen Z due to oxygen deprivation. He appears in the eighth episode of season 1, "Zunami".
Christy Choi as Brittany
Brittany, a girl traveling with her father, encounters the Westward-bound survivor group in Kansas at the S&S Unlimited gun show, in the seventh episode of season 1, "Welcome to the Fu-Bar". She participates in a shooting contest, losing to 10K as the zunami enters the area. 10K gives her the first prize, a rifle, which she uses to save him from a zombie. She then safely leaves with her father.
Scott Roddan as Donner
Donner is a member of Camp Blue Sky in New York, encountered in the debut episode, "Puppies and Kittens".
William Sadler as Sam Custer
Sam Custer is a former long-haul driver who becomes the wagon master of a group of survivors headed to Edmonton. He appears in the third episode of season 2, "Zombie Road". Sam is suffering from radiation poisoning, but continues to drive a modified truck carrying the survivors until his apparent demise.
George R. R. Martin as Zombie George R. R. Martin
A famous author (played by himself), he is bitten after escaping to his hotel room when the Comic Con event he is attending as a guest star is overrun. He becomes part of the zombie collection of Dean a.k.a. "The Collector", and is the only famous person that Dean has collected. He spends his zombie days signing books through retained muscle memory. Dean hopes to eventually make his fortune by selling the books on eBay when humankind makes its comeback. He appears in the eighth episode of season 2, "The Collector".
Tom Beyer as Dean
Dean, a.k.a. "The Collector", is the curator of a unique collection of mutated zombies, displaying them in a museum setting and restraining the zombies with an invisible dog fence. He appears in the eighth episode of season 2, "The Collector". In the past, Dean aspired to be part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, repeatedly warning them about the possibility of a zombie pandemic. He grew bitter after repeated rejections and began his own preparations for what he saw as the inevitable zombie apocalypse. He captures Murphy, interviewing him, sampling his blood and controlling him with a shock collar. Dean is killed by bites from a nuclear zombie, a "phytozombie" and a "blaster" zombie, all released from captivity by Murphy.
Missi Pyle as Bernadette
Bernadette is the a leader of a cult-like group of "extranauts", people who believed they will soon be going to outer space with a race of aliens. She appears in the ninth episode of season 2, "Rozwell".
Eddie Spears as Gorden Firecloud a.k.a. Red Hawk
Gorden "Red Hawk" Firecloud is the leader of part of a Native American tribe that follows him to their ancestral land, in the hope that their ancestors will protect them. The son of Chief Dan Firecloud and brother of Ayalla Firecloud, he appears in the 10th episode of season 2, "We Were Nowhere Near the Grand Canyon". Before the apocalypse, he was a college professor specializing in native culture. His tribe is wary of the zombie virus infecting their community, calling it "Zendigo" and a "disease of the soul", and Red Hawk blames the outbreak on whites.
Tinsel Korey as Ayalla Firecloud
Ayalla Firecloud is the sister of Red Hawk, but does not share his views. She appears in the 10th episode of season 2, "We Were Nowhere Near the Grand Canyon".
Anthony Michael Hall as Gideon Gould
Gideon Gould appears in the 11th episode of season 2, "Corporate Retreat".
John Wu as Lt. Mong
Lt. Mong is encountered in the second episode of season 3, "A New Mission". He is a soldier in what is left of the Chinese army, and is part of Dr Sun Mei's team. Mong is bitten by a zombie during the Chinese team's mission to obtain their supply drop. He is given mercy by Sun Mei.
Z Nation is produced by Go2 Digital Media for The Asylum. On June 29, 2014, it was announced that the filming of 13 episodes for the first season of the series was underway. On October 12, 2014, Syfy announced that it had ordered a second season of Z Nation. Schaefer and Engler have described Z Nation as an attempt to "put the fun back into zombies", criticizing shows like The Walking Dead for being too serious. Z Nation's first season had a budget of less than $700,000 per episode.
The first season of Z Nation received mixed reviews from professional television critics. Its aggregate score on Metacritic is 48 on scale of 0 to 100. The Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus gave the show a rating of 53%, admitting that "although it's hampered by an overcrowded narrative, Z Nation manages to muster up some fun scares without taking itself too seriously." Chris Carabott of IGN noted that the show "continues to set itself apart in campy and inventive ways." Brian Moylan of The Guardian called Z Nation scary "in the same vague way as that talking green blob is in the Mucinex commercials" and concluded that viewers would hate all the characters, but that "Citizen Z (DJ Qualls) is especially horrible." Forbes magazine found the show had a high entertainment value.
In its first season, Z Nation averaged 1.42 million viewers per episode, including a .48 rating in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic.
Z Nation is distributed internationally by Dynamic Television. The series premiered on Syfy in Australia on April 1, 2015, and was watched by 26,000 viewers. The United Kingdom premiere aired on Freeview channel Pick on July 21, 2015.
Season 1 was released on DVD on February 10, 2015, by Syfy in association with Universal Home Entertainment. It was also issued on iTunes, with episodes running approximately 41–43 minutes each.
The series is available on Netflix worldwide.
The film Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!, released in July 2015, featured a cameo appearance by Smith, playing "Sgt. Roberta Warren".
