Generation Z viewers left cold by 'messy, wasted' Channel 4 zombie series

What did you miss?

Generation Z viewers have been turning off the Ben Wheatley zombie drama during the first episode as they complained the star cast was wasted and said "none of it makes sense".

Channel 4's comedy horror from the director of Sightseers had been much anticipated and heavil;y promoted, but failed to connect with many of its viewers who branded it a "Hollyoaks Halloween special".

However, people were talking about one scene from the episode as they shared their horror at what had happened to an unlucky dog targeted by the zombies.

What, how, and why?

Generation Z was much hyped by Channel 4 ahead of its Sunday debut, but the zombie comedy horror has left viewers cold as many said they were switching off already.

The series from Sightseers director Ben Wheatley stars Sue Johnston, Anita Dobson, Robert Lindsay and Rebecca Humphries in a pensioners-versus-teenagers plot that sees care home residents turn zombie and go on the hunt for youngsters to feed on.

But the first episode left many viewers disappointed as one complained: "Messy. Weak characters providing us with poorly written dialogue that have very little or no context. Rushed editing lacking any interest or understanding of what’s going on in the story. Viewers already switching off even before the credits start rolling."

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Sharing their views on X, someone else agreed: "As a bit of a zombie officianado I can safely say that #GenerationZ is the absolute worst zombie movie/series I have ever seen. I won't be tuning in for any other episodes," while another person wrote: "I normally love Ben Wheatley, but I’m not getting this so far."

Many criticised the "wasted" star cast as one viewer commented: "This is odd Brilliant cast, but filmed like its an episode of Hollyoaks." Someone else agreed: "#GenerationZ is basically the Hollyoaks Halloween Special."

Another person added: "I feel so old! Don't understand half of what the 'kids' are saying and it feels very improvised. And not by people who know HOW to improvise. A lot of great actors feel like they are being wasted but it might get better."

Someone else agreed: "Not very impressed with episode one. So far a waste of a very talented cast."

The criticism kept coming as one viewer wrote: "#GenerationZ and I thought Mrs Brown’s Boy’s was a load of rubbish," and another added: "Bring back Z Nation." "None of it makes sense & every scene is a filler," wrote another person.

One person slammed the episode: "I lasted 30 mins watching this - which is probably 25 mins longer than I should have!"

In a slightly more positive reaction, someone commented: "I'll be tuning in for episode two because it had a good ending. However if 90% of your opening episode is buildup make opening night a double bill."

But someone else wrote: "Funniest thing about #GenerationZ was the "support information is available" announcement at the end of the episode."

What was the moment everyone was talking about in Generation Z?

Anyone who has seen the adverts for Generation Z will be familiar with a shocking scene of an elderly lady taking a roast dinner out of the oven which was revealed to be a teenager's head - but viewers found the zombie targeting of a pet way more unsettling.

There might have been plenty of criticism of the show's first episode, but one scene that did get viewers talking was one of the zombie pensioners taking out their bloodthirsty desires on a dog and turning it into a puppet.

One viewer commented: "That pensioner zombie turning that dog into a puppet though!" as someone else wrote: "I can't believe what I've just seen #dogscene #GenerationZ" and another person added: "Did anyone else just shout "not the dog!!!" #generationz"

Another viewer wrote: "I could cope with pensioners vs teenagers, but #GenerationZ just had to haunt with what they did to the dog."

Generation Z airs on Channel 4 at 9pm on Sunday and Monday.