What would happen to the world if animals suddenly decided to become predators that specifically targeted humans? That's exactly what happens in Zoo. From CBS but now available on Netflix, Zoo is primarily a drama but with a hint of sci-fi added to the mix.
What Is Zoo About?
Jackson Oz (James Wolk) works on a safari in Africa with his best friend Abraham Kenyatta (Nonso Anozie). But things change completely when a pride of lions targets a bus full of tourists, killing 22 of them.
Jackson Oz soon discovers that all the lions were male and working together which is unheard of in the animal kingdom. But when other violent animal attacks start occurring around the world, Jackson, Abraham and three others are recruited as a team to get to the bottom of what exactly is happening.
The rest of the team is made up of a reporter called Jamie (Kristen Connolly) who is fixated on blaming an international chemical company, a pathologist called Mitch (Billy Burke) and a French agent called Chloe Tousignant.
With money no object, the group jet around the world and MacGyver their way through various sticky situations. As each random animal event happens, threads start to form as to how the animals are mutating.
Zoo Trailer
Unfortunately for Jackson, it would appear that his now-deceased father could be responsible for the mutations. However, things quickly go south when a close ally betrays them and soon the five heroes are on the run.
Is Zoo Worth Watching?
So can they find the solution to all of the world's problems? Well, that's debatable. As the first season of Zoo progresses it becomes clear that there is a main culprit for the animal transformations. The problem is proving it. So far so good.
However, as the story unfolds, the plot becomes slightly more ludicrous. Characters do unfeasibly stupid things and people can seemingly travel around the world faster than teleportation. The more episodes you watch the dumber it seems to get. BUT! Yes, there's a BUT…
It is fiction. Science fiction. It's not supposed to be a guide on how to avoid getting eaten by a lion. It's pure fantasy and designed to keep you watching episode after episode. So in that regard, Zoo is quite good.
Sure, the plots become repetitive – animal outbreak, team swoops in, major obstacle, overcome it and solve the day. But overall it's a decent story, so if you fancy a bit of sci-fi drama, start watching Zoo today!
Who Created Zoo?
Zoo is a science fiction thriller novel by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge. It was published in September 2012 and the book made it to the New York Times bestseller list.
When it comes to the TV adaptation, that was created by Josh Appelbaum,André Nemec,Jeff Pinkner, andScott Rosenberg.
The Cast of Zoo
James Wolk was the first to be cast, in November 2014. He plays Jackson Oz, the main character who discovers something has gone terribly wrong in the animal kingdom.
The always wonderful Nonso Anozie (Sweet Tooth) plays Abraham Kenyatta, the safari guide and Jackson's best friend.
They are joined by Kristen Connolly who plays the journalist Jamie Campbell. Her character is fixated on proving a chemical company are responsible for the changes in season 1.
Rounding out the lead cast is Billy Burke who plays Mitch Morgan, a veterinary pathologist who may hold the answers but can he be trusted?
How Many Seasons of Zoo Are There?
There are 3 seasons of Zoo available. In fact, that was all that was created before the show was cancelled by the CBS network in 2017, which lift our characters in a bit of limbo.
Season 1 has 13 episodes, a format that clearly suited the show because season 2 and season 3 followed suit with 13 episodes each as well. So in total, there are 39 episodes of Zoo to get stuck into.
Why Was Zoo Cancelled?
The main reason for the cancellation of the show wasthe low viewership. In season 3, the show could only get about 2.56 million viewers which simply wasn't enough to justify the cost after the third season ended.
It was a big drop in viewers compared to the first and second season which were 31% and 40% higher, respectively. Billy Burke praised the show saying how much they enjoyed it while making it and that the show has nothing but pure fun for three seasons.
Will There Be A Season 4 Of Zoo?
There was some hope that Netflix might revive it after it did well on its platform. However, the bad news is that nearly four years have passed since the finale so it looks like three seasons is all we are getting!
But don't despair, your favourite actors can all be found working on other terrific television shows and movies.
Where Can I Watch The Cast Now?
James Wolk is currently working on Ordinary Joe but you can also catch him in the movie Mercy which is currently streaming on Netflix.
Likewise, Nonso Anozie takes the lead in Sweet Tooth while Kristen Connolly stars in The Cabin in the Woods.
Billy Burke pops up occasionally in 9-1-1: Lone Star and his new mini-series, Maid is currently in production.
