Why does Zombieverse have such a low Rotten Tomatoes score? The new Netflix series has sparked intrigue and interest from viewers across the globe, so why doesn’t its audience rating reflect this?
Zombieverse initially starts out like many other reality series, with a group of celebrities discussing and joking around on the set of a dating show – but this all changes when one of the singletons chomps into the neck of another contestant, ripping apart his flesh as the cast and crew scream and clamber over each other to escape.
This is Zombieverse, an unscripted series that places the aforementioned celebrities in the heart of a zombie apocalypse in Seoul. Their goal is to complete challenging quests for survival – without getting bitten.
It’s fun, it’s gory, and it’s one of Netflix’s most unique reality shows of this year – which begs the question: what’s the deal with its abysmal Rotten Tomatoes score?
Why does Zombieverse have such a low Rotten Tomatoes score?
Zombieverse’s Rotten Tomatoes audience rating is currently set at just 33%. One of the main reasons why this number is so low is that it’s early days and it appears some viewers have misunderstood the premise.
At the time of writing, fewer than 50 people have rated the show on Rotten Tomatoes, and much of the criticism suggests the show seems “fake” or “ridiculous”.
One viewer wrote: “One of the most ridiculous and boring Zombie shows I’ve ever seen. Everything goes downhill after episode 1. Zombies are attracted to sound. So what do the contestants do? Scream through the entire show.
“It’s pointless and corny to say the least. Bring back Kingdom and All Of Us Are Dead. Zombie comedies are a waste of time.”
Another said: “This is the worst Korean show I’ve watched ever. Please go watch something else.”
However, as highlighted by a fan, those criticizing the series are comparing it to scripted shows such as Kingdom and All Of Us Are Dead, whereas Zombieverse is unscripted, one that “blurs the lines between fiction and reality.”
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“The negative reviews for this show all center around the fact that it is ‘fake’ and ‘cheesy’. This is a fun and silly game show where the players have to assume that being caught by a zombie leads to their death,” they said.
“They obviously don’t think that the zombies are real, and neither should the audience. The basic way to enjoy this show is quite simple.
“As a player, you simply accept the rules of the game and play along while trying to survive and win by solving puzzles and not getting bit. As the audience, you simply sit back and enjoy watching the players work together, or get caught and turn into zombies.
“That’s it. There’s no need to wonder if the players are sitting around believing that they went on a game show and then a real zombie apocalypse broke out.”
So there you have it – there’s no need to dissect the performances of the contestants, as they are all just taking part in challenges and working together to avoid losing the game. It just happens to involve actors portraying very realistic looking zombies.
Over on Twitter, it’s a totally different story, with many people loving Zombieverse for the same reasons the Rotten Tomatoes contributors hate it.
As said by one fan: “#Zombieverse is so unserious I love it.” Another wrote: “YALL NEED TO WATCH ZOMBIEVERSE.” While a third added: “I’ve watched the first episode of #zombieverse during my lunch hours. And I laughed so hard how chaotic it was. So I can’t wait to watch it when I get home.”
We’ll keep this space updated as and when the Rotten Tomatoes score changes.
Zombieverse is available to stream on Netflix now. You can check out more of our coverage below: