As a ghost investigator, I’ve always said you are what you are; alive or dead, and that goes for zombies too. Last week’s episode of “In The Flesh” enforced that theory when Freddie tried to come between Haley’s and Amir’s marriage and when Simon revealed that he was using Amy. Poor Kieren, who I’m guessing was a sweetie pie while alive, has kept his moral compass even after becoming one of the shuffling dead. Will Kieren regret joining Simon’s revolution? Will Amy keep her secretary job? Wipe off your flesh colored makeup and find out.
Playing by the Rules
While Philip (Stephen Thompson) is having dreams of a sexual nature, Sylvia is with Philip’s mom crying about her missing Henry. Sylvia is pissed at Maxine for saying that Henry joined a radical group. Not her son! Sylvia claims that Henry was not the group joining type. Shirley intercedes in Sylvia’s favor and tells Philip to do something. Philip can’t say no to mom, but he is afraid of the big bad wolf aka Maxine Martin (Wunmi Mosaku). Will Philip find his backbone?
Philip skips Maxine’s big town meeting to spend time with his favorite partially dead cutie, but Philip is being spied on by the nosy Mrs. Lamb. Some people have no lives. Maxine learns there’s a Red Light district in Roarton where the living and dead can get it on. What is this world coming to? Maxine is not happy with Sylvia’s accusations that nothing is being done to find Henry. You can see the flames shoot out of Maxine’s eyes.
Maxine wants Philip to tell Sylvia that they have proof of Henry’s joining a radical group, but Philip won’t lie. Maxine gives him an ultimatum. I love how Philip talked Mrs. Lamb out of her incriminating tapes. He wasn’t visiting the brothel for naughty reasons. He was converting the sinful. But alas, my little zombie snacks, Maxine comes into possession of another tape and Philip is trapped. He either does the right thing or he does Maxine’s dirty work. Which door will Philip chose?
Two of Simon’s disciples, wanting to prove how much they love Simon and the Undead Prophet, come up with a stupid plan to release the hounds, or in this case, the caged rabid dead at the hospital. They do this without Simon’s permission and prove to all concerned that they are definitely not playing by the rules.
Amy
Did I tell you how much I like Amy? Well, I do and it’s because of her infectious lust for life and love, but Amy is having serious symptoms and side effects from her medication. Her nose bleeds and she has a hankering for real food. That is not a good sign. Shirley Wilson (Sandra Huggett) isn’t sure why Amy is experiencing these symptoms, but she gives Amy stronger meds with the hope that it will curtail Amy’s strange cravings. Amy is not worried, Simon will help her. She loves him and he loves her.
Love Is a Many Splintered Thing
What better way to prove you like someone than to join them in a hunt down for partially dead people. Jem and Gary are hunting near to where Henry was shot, drawn and quartered, and then burned to ashes. Overkill, don’t you think and yet, Jem thinks she sees Henry running amok in the woods. Was it a hallucination or the real deal? Gary calms Jem with hugs, kisses and free beer.
Oh shoot! I hate a threesome. Amy loves Simon who loves Kieren who loves Simon, but who is going to break the news to poor Amy? Our favorite post apocalypse cheerleader arrives home to see her best friend and her boyfriend kissing. Sorry Amy, but you were auditioning for the wrong team. No problem, there is someone who loves you.
Unaware that they’ve been spotted by Amy, Simon and Kieren go for a walk. Simon must really like Kieren because he’s put in his contacts and put on his makeup. Kieren takes Simon home to have lunch with the folks. Oh Joy! Jem is also bringing a guest.
Lunch with the Family
I love family meals at the Walkers’ home. It’s never dull. Mom (Marie Critchley) sets the table and loads Simon and Kieren’s plates with food. She knows they can’t eat it, but it makes her feel good. I have to hand it to Kieren’s dad (Steve Cooper) he’s very good at playing referee and is able to pretend Simon is not partially dead or in love with his son. He has a harder time controlling Jem and Gary, who would rather be killing Simon instead sitting at the table with him. When Gary brings up a past hunting episode in which he and Jem killed some zombies, Kieren tells a tale of his own, and what a tale it is.
Conclusion
Playing by the rules is hard to do, especially when you are the victim. There is a mob outside the brothel and they’re screaming for blood. Philip found his backbone and stood up to Maxine, and in line with the other ‘johns’ arrested for necrophilia. Philip also refused to fib to Sylvia and for his bravery, Philip and Amy connect. I’m so happy for the two of them.
Quiet, peaceful Kieren finally tells us what happened to him when he came back from the dead, all the dirty details of clawing his way through the coffin and then the dirt. He was no longer afraid. Kieren has found his voice and it’s a scream for tolerance. Simon and Gary both pick up on the fact that Kieren was the first to rise.
Maxine represents all the nitwits in control of the real world today. She has her reason to hate the partially dead. We see her grief at her child’s grave. Her anger is justified; her revenge is not.
“In The Flesh” isn’t about zombies vs. the living. It’s about one group hating another group for being different. Usually the hate begins with pointing fingers, then with stressing differences be it either in creed, race or color. The rest is easy and the genocide begins.
