SYFY's new zombie show "Revival" is genuinely spooky with great drama and terrific jump scares

Reel Perspectives

June 13, 2025

SYFY is taking a stab at the zombie genre with its new original horror series, Revival, which premiered on June 12. The series, adapted from the hit Image comic book series of the same name by Tim Seeley and Mike Norton, is unlike other zombie shows. When the dead are resurrected from their graves and morgues, they're not decaying corpses or flesh-eating crazies, the "revived" in Revival behave just as normally as they did when they were alive with their memories and personalities perfectly intact, throwing a small rural Wisconsin town into chaos and heightening the mystery and supernatural intrigue.

Described as a "beautiful farm noir that puts a new twist on the zombie genre," the series is developed by Aaron B. Koontz (Scare Package) and Luke Boyce (Revealer), who also serve as the showrunners and executive producers. The series is set in the rural community of Wausau, Wisconsin, and tells the gripping story of the townsfolk who died on January 1 and came back to life on January 2. With no explanation, rhyme, or reason, the event is known as "Revival Day."

The series follows local Officer and single mother Dana Cypress (Melanie Scrofan), who is unexpectedly thrown into the center of a brutal murder mystery of her own and left to make sense of the chaos amidst a town gripped by fear and confusion where everyone alive or undead, is a suspect. Cypress is also battling her own demons when her sister Em, who recently died, turns up acting normally, throwing Cypress' world into a tailspin. There has to be a link between Em's death and the supernatural mystery that has suddenly plagued the small town, so the sisters try to work together to get to the bottom of the truth, aided by the town's sheriff, who is also their father and a CDC scientist, Ibrahim Ramin.

SYFY

Revival boasts an impressive cast that, besides Scrofan, includes:

• Romy Weltman as Martha "Em" Cypress

• David James Elliott as Wayne Cypress

• Andy McQueen as Ibrahim Ramin

• Hudson Wurster as Cooper Cypress

• Gianpaolo Venuta as Professor Aaron Weimer

• Maia Jae as Kay

• Mark Little as Deputy Brent

• Glen Gould as Deputy JP Brissett

• Nathan Dales as Deputy McCray

• Lenore Zann as Jeannie Gorski

• Katharine King So as May Tao

• Nicky Guadagni as Arlene Stankiewicz

• Graeme Barrett as Randy

• Derek McGrath as Bob Dittman

• Nora McLellan as Terry Dittman

• Conrad Coates as Mayor Dillisch

• Peter Millard as Lester Majack

• Brandon Oakes as Jesse Blackdear

• Josh Cruddas as Myles Miller

• Karen Knox as Jamie Hine

• Steven Ogg as Blaine Abel

• CM Punk as Anthony Check

• Gia Sandhu as Nithiya Weimar

• Lara Jean Chorostecki as Patty Cypress

With six episodes screened for review, Revival is a great series. It's chilling and frightening, with genuine jump scares that keep you on the edge of your seat. The mystery of the supernatural elements, along with the hows and whys, is anchored by a touch of humor and genuine family dynamics that offer great drama and suspense, making it a captivating series.

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Revival will carry 10 episodes with new episodes released weekly every Thursday. After they air, episodes will be available to stream exclusively on Peacock one week later.

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