'Babylon Fields'—CBS’ Buried Zombie Necrophilia Pilot Unearthed
October 15, 2007 9:28 AM
Zombie sex on CBS.
That is what we missed this fall.
During the development season, CBS’ “Babylon Fields” was considered an early front-runner for greenlight. Granted, “apocalyptic zombie drama” may have sounded like a strange premise for a TV series, but no more so than the rest of CBS’ slate of vampire detectives, kids in ghost towns, musical gamblers and swinger couples.
“Babylon” starred Ray Stevenson, Kathy Baker and Amber Tamblyn. Stevenson was one of a trio of actors from HBO’s stellar “Rome” to land plum roles in fall pilots (the others were Kevin McKidd, the star of NBC’s “Journeyman,” and Polly Walker, who has a supporting role in CBS’ “Cane”).
Even after announcing its “Babylon”-less fall lineup at upfronts, CBS executives held out the possibility of a midseason order. Sadly, “Babylon” missed the final cut. Had the show received a pickup, “Babylon” would have taken CBS’ fall 2007 experimentation phase to a whole new level. “Babylon” just might be the weirdest pilot you have never seen.
The show explores the emotional and societal ramification of loved ones coming back from the dead. You know, like in “Pet Sematary.” But by the end of the episode, the zombie thriller is crossed with a crime procedural. So small-town police detective Stevenson is given a murder to solve while zombies wander the streets. It's “ZSI.”
The “Babylon” brand of zombies are not all moany-stumbly like in most films about the living dead. But they remain, quite clearly, deceased—autopsy scars, open wounds, bad skin, worms, etc. The zombies walk back to their former homes. They talk to their former loved ones. And have sex with them.
We proudly present an all-too-brief look at “Babylon Fields.”
NOTE: If you see a notice saying a clip will not play due to low bandwidth, just click "OK," wait a moment, then try clicking "PLAY."
Clip 1: Zombie returns home to his wife.
Clip 2: Post-coital zombie brags about the erectile enhancing benefits of being dead.
Clip 3: But wait! It’s also a crime drama.
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Comments (42)
Zombies in a crime TV show. George Romero must be spinning in his grave.
Posted by DeadAgain | October 15, 2007 9:51 AM
Yeah, but more likely because he's still alive, and not in an undead sense.
Posted by Em | October 15, 2007 10:06 AM
Well, this beats the crap they generally put on the air... might have been interesting!
Posted by DaveX | October 15, 2007 10:23 AM
No. George Romero just sleeps in a grrave. It's a fact.
Posted by ZombieLordX | October 15, 2007 1:14 PM
So if it didn't make it will what's made be released on DVD?
Posted by Matthew Cruickshank | October 15, 2007 1:45 PM
The pilot screener for Babylon Fields is available (sometimes) on most file sharing networks if you want to see the whole thing.
Posted by FileSharer | October 15, 2007 2:36 PM
not bad. I'll have to check it out
Posted by TV Guy | October 15, 2007 3:00 PM
romero's not dead
Posted by yea | October 15, 2007 3:19 PM
LOL@NUBS G.R. BEING DEAD, PWNT
Posted by haha | October 15, 2007 3:29 PM
Does anyone else remember Cop Rock? I think IT may have just come back from the dead. ;-D
Posted by Joseph Deeley | October 15, 2007 5:17 PM
What an original idea. It looks like they're ripping off French film "They Come Back" – please check out.
Posted by Juan Manuel Freire | October 16, 2007 3:19 AM
I think I would have watched this - please note that I do not have cable and would have watched it online or purchased the series on DVD, but I think it is in the vein of what I consider interesting.
Why do they scrap this and put on crap????
Why?
Posted by Ashleigh | October 16, 2007 6:45 AM
Ashleigh, I don't know if this will cure your pain, but you can download the Pilot from torrent sites such as Mininova!
Posted by Juan Manuel Freire | October 16, 2007 7:06 AM
No to "Cop Rock."
Yes to "Dead Heat: The Series."
http://imdb.com/title/tt0094961/
Posted by slappy magoo | October 16, 2007 7:24 AM
This has more in common with the French film, Les Revenants (They Came Back)(http://imdb.com/title/tt0378661) than George Romero.
Posted by Carla | October 16, 2007 9:30 AM
This show idea is irresponsible. When the dead come for us it won't be all sex and loving touches on the shoulder. They will come for one thing only - FLESH. And probably brains. So BE PREPARED.
www.zombiehunters.org
Posted by JenDiggity | October 16, 2007 9:31 AM
Oh, whoops. Shoulda read all the comments first. H/T to Juan Manuel Freire, who already pointed out the similarities to the French film. :-)
Posted by Carla | October 16, 2007 9:34 AM
I just watched the whole thing and Im gutted its not gonna be a series.
Zombies are cool and everyone knows it....cept for the fast zombies which are bastards.
I guess we will have to live with another great idea dead ..maybe someone will dig it up if there is enough noise made?
Gonna have to go read the Walking Dead comic again now.......
Posted by Skeev | October 16, 2007 10:07 AM
I read that actors are dying to get into this series! HA!
Posted by PT | October 16, 2007 12:07 PM
Okay, overall I like the concept. It is something different on TV and that is cool. But the zombie sex thing is a bit repulsive and somewhat of a turnoff.
Posted by actorsd | October 16, 2007 12:35 PM
Okay, overall I like the concept. It is something different on TV and that is cool. But the zombie sex thing is a bit repulsive and somewhat of a turnoff.
Posted by actorsd | October 16, 2007 12:35 PM
Pbbttt, if they were going to run this they should have also brought back "Heat Vision and Jack" (look it up on you tube.)
Posted by Deadpanwalking | October 16, 2007 12:50 PM
Shame, I would've watched it, and I liked Ray's work on Rome.
Posted by Ron | October 16, 2007 12:56 PM
This show needs to be seen... please sign the online petition below! Let's show CBS democracy in action!
http://www.petitiononline.com/zombie7/petition.html
Posted by Tim | October 16, 2007 1:06 PM
I think they should put it out online. They have so many online-only shows out there. They have entire Channels out there. I think it would do well. Necophelia is kind of ...disturbing, but the legal ramifications would be interesting to see unfold.Especially wills and discrimination acts. Imagine getting a Burger from a zombie at a drive up. Very Anita Blake without the Necromancer part.
Posted by Heather | October 16, 2007 1:36 PM
I'm glad this series died.
It's just what I don't need. Dead people getting laid more than me.
Posted by Greg | October 16, 2007 9:04 PM
fast zombies rule. The 70's zombies sucked. Come on. this show would have been interesting. Couldnt another channel pick it up.
Posted by Pam | October 17, 2007 10:49 AM
Is the undead cop the janitor from Scrubs?????
Posted by Danielle | October 23, 2007 12:46 AM
Free the Dead!
Viva La Necrolution!
Posted by Reverend Joshua Scott Hotchkin | October 23, 2007 3:44 PM
I'd have loved to have seen this show!!! Come on, it's gotta be better than "Cavemen", hands down! It would have been quite interesting. ;)
Posted by Siobhan Fitzpatrick | October 24, 2007 2:01 PM
For those of you who said zombies should simply be flesheaters and that they are not in this show, I beg to differ, I think this show would have turned out to be a gorefest. Yes, they are trying to patch up their old lives now, but if you didn't notice, the asshole zombie cop father at one point was hypnotized by the site of blood/gore, but shook himself out of it. I think they would have continued to patch their lives, but the twist is regardless of how successful they would have been, eventually the urge for flesh and gore would take them over...
Posted by Eric | November 3, 2007 5:39 AM
needless to say, this is motherfucking strange.
Posted by Grandfather Time | November 14, 2007 1:19 AM
I must see this show rise from the grave. This sounds amazing. Even if CBS didn't pick it up, could it survive on Sci-Fi?
Posted by Bishop | November 30, 2007 10:52 AM
I saw this trailer here....> http://www.stage6.com/user/scipio70/video/1899085/suburban-zombies
I have been a fan of this genre for many years and have to say ..It was amazing ...Great acting,story line,lighting , music ,writers, everything about this series was awesome...Im pissed off though as I want to see at least an end to this what I thought was a movie and then googled and found this..I have alot of ideas and have wrote a simalar movie premise that would go great with this one..CBS is stupid for not picking this up...I mean come on its a no brainer...(that was a pun) no brainer get it? I signed that petition but it seems atleast for now CBS will remain what they have always been......this was a gold mine..who is making these decisions?
Posted by craig99 | December 8, 2007 12:48 AM
I saw the Pilot and was truely amazed. The premise sounds a bit strange, but everything turns out great. I thoroughly enjoyed the Pilot and only wish that it will air, some day.
Posted by Luke Martin | December 15, 2007 7:38 AM
Why is TV.com saying this is slated for a Jan. 1, 2008 start date?
Posted by Tina Greene | December 19, 2007 6:26 PM
defiantly a watcher!!!
Posted by Corpse-Fvck | December 21, 2007 11:16 AM
God Bless bit torrent!!!!!!!
Posted by Paul Memoli | December 28, 2007 10:06 AM
I just watched the trailer and this had a great chance of being interesting for maybe three seasons. Theres lots of angles to the concept.
Giving a budget to cavemen is really showing that some decision makers have no clue of good television.
Posted by Lawdie | January 7, 2008 3:24 PM
Make peace, not war!
Posted by Vaprootte | January 11, 2008 3:49 AM
i understand this not making it on mainstream tv... but ..SHOWTIME.... hello.... it would have a great home there... so turn your petition to have showtime pick it up! they are cancelling journeyman... so this will never make it there..
Posted by akedo | February 11, 2008 2:50 PM
I saw the pilot, and felt that this had the potential to be every bit as good as the rest of Michael Cuesta's work (Dexter, LIE, 12 and Holding). The guy is a genius, so is his brother Gerald (one of the writers) and this should be given a chance. Wild stuff! and as crazy as it sounds, they made it believeable, funny and creepy all at once! Great!
Posted by Mark | June 2, 2008 7:45 AM