Syfy’s new comic-inspired seriesRevivalis off to a promising start, but I can’t help but notice the similarities between the new horror show and a forgotten 2014 drama series.Revival’s castis led by Melanie Scrofano as Dana Cypress, a police officer in the small town of Wausau, Wisconsin, where the dead have suddenly risen from their graves.Revivalis quite different from your averagepopular zombie series, though, as the revivers are exactly the same as they were while alive, with the important caveat that they are now invincible.
The series' set-up is incredibly intriguing, as the characters are then forced to unravel the mystery of revival day while outside forces want to use the situation for their own gain.Revival’s positive reviewsalso note that the series does a good job of continually deepening the mystery, making the upcoming episodes of the series sound even more promising. While I do hope that the series can fully pay off its concept,Revival’s premise is very similar to another science fiction show that was canceled too soon.
Revival’s Premise Is Very Similar To ABC’s Sci-Fi Show Resurrection
In 2014, ABC began airing the seriesResurrection,based on the 2013 novel,The Returned, by Jason Mott. LikeRevival,Resurrectioncenters on people in Arcadia, Missouri, where the dead mysteriously come back to life, not as traditional zombies but as their former selves. UnlikeRevival, in which only those who died on January 1 come back on January 2,Resurrectionsees people returning years after their deaths, completely unaged and seemingly immortal.
The show begins with the return of an eight-year-old boy named Jacob Langston, who drowned over 30 years earlier. The boy remains a child while his parents are now reaching old age, causing a huge disruption in their lives, both physically and emotionally. After Jacob’s resurrection, other formerly dead residents begin appearing in town, causing the inhabitants to become increasingly worried about their identities and what these reappearances could actually mean, marking a very similar schematic toRevival.
Beyond the premise,RevivalandResurrectionare also very similar thematically thanks to how the shows explore their complex concepts.Both explore how the undead characters impact the lives of those around them, including the panic that grows to surround them and the discrimination that the resurrected soon face. The shows also have a religious and philosophical element that allows each to ponder why people have been brought back and how they should be treated by those around them, adding emotional depth to the mysteries.
Why Resurrection Was Canceled After Only 2 Seasons
The Series Did Not Retain Its Popularity Well
Upon its initial release in March 2014,Resurrectionfared well with audiences, garnering more than 13 million viewers for its first episode. Across its first season,Resurrectionretained its strong viewership numbers, but it only received mixed reviews. First seasons can often be imperfect, but if the show is popular enough, the network may be willing to renew it.This was the case forResurrection, as the series performed well enough with audiences to warrant a second season, with the hope that it could build something even better in season 2.
With its viewership cut nearly in half, ABC ultimately canceledResurrectionafter its second season.
ThoughResurrectionseason 2 did end up earning slightly higher ratings than season 1 on Rotten Tomatoes,its viewership nosedived. While season 1 averaged 9.32 million viewers per episode (viaDeadline), season 2 shrunk considerably to just 4.73 (viaDeadline). With its viewership cut nearly in half, ABC ultimately canceledResurrectionafter its second season. Though the series did have an interesting concept and some great moments, from a popularity standpoint, it ultimately makes sense that it was canceled.
Resurrectionstruggled to maintain its momentum in season 2, in part because, as some reviews noted, the series added too many additional plot points to an already complex concept. While the cast were very talented, viewers found the story too messy in season 2 with little payoff. Given how promising a startRevivalhas had so far, I am hoping it can avoid the pitfalls of its predecessor, creating a complex mystery with a clear emotional throughline that audiences can enjoy for a long time.
Revival
Cast
Revival, released in 2025, is a series set in rural Wisconsin where the deceased return to life as they were. Local officer Dana Cypress, a single mother, navigates a complex murder mystery, unraveling the chaos in a town engulfed by fear, with living and undead residents both under suspicion.
Resurrection
In Resurrection, the lives of Arcadia, Missouri residents are upended as their deceased loved ones inexplicably return. This drama series navigates the emotional and social impact on a close-knit community wrestling with the mysterious phenomenon and its profound implications on life and death.
