Episode Two of Universal Dead

Web series Universal Dead has released episode 2, and finally starts to get to the root of the problem: the argument between whether the zombies are "undead" or "infected."

Episode 1 showed Gary Graham as a CDC representative and a team of Navy SEALs heading to a compound in a landscape filled with the undead, though Graham claims that the "zombies" are the product of a disease and are not undead. Enter Doug Jones (Hellboy) in Episode 2 as a looney tunes scientist who believes the contrary, and wants to prove that the zombies has some theory about the undead that he wants to show Graham.  The CDC's claim that the undead are merely infected seems a logical and realistic approach to a government's response, so perhaps the inevitable disagreement will lead to an exciting series. Just not quite yet.

With an episode down, Episode 2 is pretty much expository and even includes some (seemingly) unnecessary melodrama to the proceedings with a small altercation between Jones and D.B. Sweeney. The zombie make-up leaves a little to be desired, and the minor zombie violence from Episode 1 has disappeared.

While all the undead arguing may be leading somewhere, hopefully Episode 3 will start to turn up the tension. Considering the cast and the capable production quality, we'll stay tuned to Universal Dead, but we're getting a little nervous. While plenty of zombie movies spend time convincing its characters (and the audience) that the undead have truly risen, this is a web series and time is of the essence. When episodes only last 4 minutes and sporadically appear online, getting to the action isn't a ridiculous request.

Universal Dead is written by Kelly Parks and directed by Vernon Mortensen and shot in my hometown of San Diego, CA. Check out the next episode and let us know what you think!