Right now you can watch Black Summer in Australia on Netflix, and in the US on Netflix — and it goes further with its ideas than most genre entertainment bothers to. The 2-season run is exactly the right length for what it is doing. 616 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Jaime King sets the tone, and the world-building does the rest. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Netflix.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Black Summer is worth clearing space for. Black Summer uses its genre premise as cover for asking bigger questions. In the dark, early days of a zombie apocalypse, complete strangers band together to find the strength they need to survive and get back to loved ones. Jaime King and Christine Lee lead a cast that never lets the concept overwhelm the characters. The series ran for 2 seasons (2019–2021), building a story that gave its audience time to invest properly. What separates Black Summer from lesser genre entertainment is a willingness to let the concept cost the characters something. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Sci-fi fans who want ideas alongside the spectacle will find Black Summer genuinely rewarding. The tonal similarities to Z Nation are real, though Black Summer carves out its own identity quickly. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single week. Jaime King's performance is the anchor the more ambitious moments need. The world-building pays off in ways you will not anticipate on a first watch.

Black Summer was cancelled in 2021, created by Karl Schaefer and John Hyams — and 2 seasons are available to watch from start to finish. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.