The Zombie-Pocalypse Continues for Z Nation

Syfy’s zombie-pocalypse series Z Nation will be returning for a fifth season according to series co-creator Craig Engler. I had not seen official word from Syfy (though here its is), but Engler put the following tweet on the Cancelled Sci Fi Twitter Site:

Z Nation was renewed for a season 5 FYI

— Craig Engler (@craigengler) December 19, 2017

David Michael Latt, CEO of The Asylum which produces Z Nation, also apparently put out a tweet on the 15th that went mostly unnoticed:

THANK YOU #ZNATION FANS – WE’VE BEEN RENEWED FOR A 5TH SEASON!
How could @SYFY say no? #ITSAFANTHING !
Cast & Crew: See you on the set in 2018!
To All: Enjoy tonight’s 2 HOUR SEASON FINALE & #LiveTweet with us! Z Giveaways!@theasylumcc @unrealkarl @craigengler pic.twitter.com/d55xb8xs5h

— David Michael Latt (@DavidMLatt) December 15, 2017

That news comes as no big surprise, and I have had the show at Renewal Likely status for most of the Fall season. Z Nation‘s ratings are down 31% from its third season, but it is relatively inexpensive to produce and had been the best rated show amongst Syfy’s Fall 2017 line up before the debut of Happy!. I figured that it would get at least a fifth season nod, and it could still last beyond that if the network is eyeing an eventually syndication run for the show.

Z Nation follows a group of survivors in a world devastated by a zombie plague. One member of the group survived a zombie bite and may be the key to saving the human race, if the group doesn’t kill him first. The series was created by Craig Engler and Karl Schaefer and stars Kellita Smith, DJ Qualls, Michael Welch, Keith Allan, and Russell Hodgkinson.  It aired its Season 4 finale last Friday and should be back for its fifth year in Fall 2018.

Van Helsing Will Continue the War on the Vampires

Also renewed today by Syfy is the vampire-pocalypse series Van Helsing. That show has been struggling mightily in the ratings in its second season (down 25% year over year) and slipped to series low 0.09 rating this past Thursday. But Syfy’s two new series, Ghost Wars and Superstition, have performed worse this season, and the network may have decided to keep Van Helsing around so as not to have too many cancellations on its Fall report card. The show also comes as part of a partnership with the Super Channel in Canada, which almost certainly helped keep it going. In addition, Van Helsing has a very loyal and very vocal fanbase, and I believe their support was another nod in the show’s favor.

This series follows Vanessa Helsing who takes takes up the mantle from her famous ancestor when the vampire-pocalypse overtakes the Earth. It was created by Neil LaBute and stars Kelly Overton, Jonathan Scarfe, Christopher Heyerdahl, and David Cubitt.  It airs Thursdays at 9 PM EST and will have its second season finale on December 28th.