The Point Radio: Z NATION’s New Breed Of Undead

SyFy’s new series, Z NATION, is the latest entry in the pop culture zombie craze and Executive Producer Karl Schaefer, is happy to point all the things that make his undead from the other ones lumbering around. Plus, with two decades of TV roles behind them, Grant Goodeve (EIGHT IS ENOUGH) and Ted McGinley (MARRIED WITH CHILDREN) team up for a new project.

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Transcript

The Point Radio Hey it's Mike Raub. This week Z Nation took his place as another look at the zombie apocalypse on television. Showrunner Carl Shapers along to explain just why his zombies are, well, not quite the zombies you're used to. Plus two of the most familiar television faces from the 80's talk about how they've kept working for a couple of decades. And Teen Titans and Supergirl on TV. Could it really be true? Let's get to The Point.

This is The Point. The Point Radio. Get The Point Radio. They were probably two of the most familiar faces on your television. Starting back in the 80's, Grant Goody began his career on 80's and off and went on to Northern Exposure. And Ted McGinley started on the Love Boat and Happy Days and made his mark unmarried with children. Now both actors are involved with a new DVD project called Redeemed.

But I was curious about how all these long careers began. I first asked that of Ted. I was at the University of Southern California. I was playing water polo. I was on a water polo scholarship there. And had aspirations to play in the 84 Olympics. And I got into trouble when I was at the end of my sophomore year going into my junior year. Because I started a girlfriend I was dating at the time. I said, you should start modeling.

And I had no idea what that was. I mean in those days you know you got a serious catalog. And I would just look at it and say, well who are the guys in the catalog who are the guys who made the jackets? I mean I didn't really look at it. Anyway, so I ended up doing commercials and did some modeling. And then that sort of led to me getting into the business. I mean literally I got Happy Days without ever looking at a script. It was a little different for Grant.

I'd shown my career a little bit inside out and backwards. I actually did one life to live after I did 80 to not. I know my manager at the time wanted to shoot me. So I've had an interesting varied career but it didn't follow any normal trajectory. Usually you'd start liking a shelf and then you go to 9th Island and you go to film. Ted said that even with all the new mediums available out there, sometimes roles are a little tough to get.

So now as I age up it's much more difficult. I mean there are far fewer parts. And now we have a very diverse, when you look at the landscape of television and film, diversity is so much a part of it. And so there are far fewer parts for a guy like me. You know when you're young, between 17, 16 and 25, there's about 15 parts on every show for guys that age.

And there's a lot more opportunity. There's one judge, there's one dad, there's one grandfather, and then half of those are split up into different diversities. So it just narrows it down greatly. And then now you see a lot of people from film moving into TV because one, you get to stay home generally. Or two, it's a more consistent job.

And three, you know, there's just kind of, yes, there's more opportunity around the country. I mean, because you and I could make a movie. You and I now have the technology to go out and just make a movie. But it's not, the opportunities of really good quality stuff are fewer and far between. Random minutes too. There's been a lot of changes over the time he's been in the business. The business is so different now.

It's, you know, when I was, when we were doing it, it was enough to retrieve networks. So you basically, someone said back then, being famous meant something. Now it's like there's so much everything going on. There is more opportunity for actors, but I don't know if there's an opportunity for actors to make a living as actors. Meaning there's a lot of disparate work.

There's a lot of different shows. There's a lot of different avenues, you know, even small films that you do. It's almost like a musician playing small clubs now. You can make a living, but I think it's back when I was there at least, it seemed more that it was easier to actually have a career. The town also seemed smaller back then.

As I said, both actors are involved with the direct to DVD drama Redeemed. Redeemed is a, you know, it's made by Pure Flix, which is a company that puts out family-based entertainment. And they do, they have a huge market within the Christian community. And this particular movie deals with infidelity. And it's, you know, it's something, they put out these films based on that they think will help couples, help families stay together.

And this is really about unfaithfulness and how the emotional and physical infidelity begins. And what happens to a couple and what happens to basically society. And it's a, you know, it's a touching little movie, but they make these movies, they know what their market is and their market is dying for their product. I think they're the largest independent film studio currently. Wow.

It's unbelievable how well this company is doing. Redeemed is the brainchild of Pure Flix, folks who do family-friendly films. In fact, they're the largest producer of those types of material. And I asked Grant how he got involved. I think just from basically because it's in the Christian market and I used to do music ministry.

I've been, you know, I'm not running around out in front like someone like Kirk Cameron. I am a Christian. They know that. I think they just found a way to contact me and I've worked with some of these people back when doing different things. So just like everything else in show business, kind of a who-you-know situation.

Outside of this project, right now Grant's involved with a regional outdoor travel show called Northwest Backwoods. It's been on the air for 16 seasons in Seattle and I was curious how that all got started. We moved up to Seattle in 1989 to get out of L.A. I just saw the handwriting on the wall. I saw older actors that I was playing a lot of tennis with and doing charity tournaments with.

You know, even Dick Van Patten, Chad Everett, all these people. And I thought, do I still want to, like, live out my life here, you know, waiting for the thunder rain? So we moved to Seattle and kind of started a new life. That show, Northwest Backwoods, came up after I'd been there for about seven or eight years. I worked on Evening Magazine.

I had my own segment on Evening Magazine. And then they developed this show called Northwest Backroads for me as a host. And it's been running ever since. It's becoming the Lawrence Welk Show of Northwest. And it just was the greatest opportunity and my favorite project of all time that I've ever worked on.

Because I got to travel to the Northwest, do all sorts of athletics, recreation, meet all sorts of, you know, good, fun, crazy people. And it's the most beautiful region, I think, in the world. Unlike a lot of actors who at times spread themselves out from acting to directing to producing, Ted's always felt his place was to be right in front of the camera. And I asked him if that was a choice he made early in his career.

Yes, I perhaps foolishly, you know, but yes, it was. I think part of it was that it was something I wanted to improve on. It was something I wanted to get better at. And it was something that I enjoyed the challenge of, I did, I enjoyed the challenge of acting. And I had enough work where it was sustainable, like that was enough.

And then I started a family and so the rest of my, you know, I guess the rest of my energy went to my family and my kids and my wife. And if I had stayed single, I definitely would have directed just because I would have had much more time and whatnot. And now I'm sort of starting to think that as I age up, if I'm not going to work anymore, maybe I'll direct some stuff. I met with a guy yesterday, asked me to direct a movie. So with everything on his resume, what was Grant's most challenging role?

In terms of acting, the biggest challenge has been live theater, but that's the good challenge. I mean, not a negative challenge. It's just that that's the one that requires the most time and energy and effort, but it is also the most rewarding. So the theater that I did, especially in Seattle at times over the years, has been among my favorite things to do. On TV, I don't know if anything's really been that challenging.

Most of the parts I've been able to do, I've enjoyed. And it's, you know, I can't say, you know, I'm sort of with Jennifer Lawrence in terms of the acting thing. You know, it isn't rocket science or changing the world through medicine. It's entertainment. So those of us who've been able to make a living at it are very fortunate.

It's just basically, yes, it can be hard work, but boy, who could pick a better job in many ways? Ted McGinley and Grant Goody, in Redeemed, available right now on DVD and on Video On Demand at ZMoreAtPureFlicks.com. The flight radio. And jump into all the latest in pop culture. So in the case of the recently departed Wolverine, what happens to all the other titles that Logan is in?

Well, for one, there'll be a new restart for Spider-Man and the X-Men. That's the new title. It'll be an ongoing series with Peter Parker taking over the head of the Jean Grey School. Number one issue will debut in December, written by Elliot Kalin and drawn by Marco Fiella. James Franco has launched his first web series.

It's on AOL. That's called Making a Scene with James Franco. There'll be three episodes right off the bat in which Franco will recreate iconic movie moments. This time from films like Godfather, Batman, Titanic, Grease and more. Franco promises more episodes at a later date.

Fresh from Guardians of the Galaxy, Chris Pratt takes the stage for Saturday Night Live in the sketch comedy programs. 40th season premiere that'll come up on the 27th of the month. Ariana Grande will be the musical guest second to host to follow him. The next host will be Sarah Silverman following in week two. Oddly enough, Sarah was fired after one season as a featured player on the show back in the 1993-94 season.

If you're a fan of DC's New Frontier series or any of the work of Darwyn Cooke, well December's going to be a little extra Christmassy for you, with Darwin doing 23 variant covers for DC Comics in that month, all in his own personal style. Each cover has a retro feel to it, and the titles include all the usual ones, including Action Comics number 37, Aquaman number 37. There are also the issues of Batgirl, Batman, Batman and Robin, Batman Superman for that month, and many other DC titles.

All the art, by the way, will be in the wraparound landscape format as well. Check with your retailer as far as availability goes. Look for strong ties in Marvel movies to continue, including a big link between the third Captain America film and the third Avengers film, that according to Captain America director Joe Russo, who says that the next Captain America film will set the stage for the Avengers movie that follows that just like Winter Soldier,

also set things up for the Avengers Age of Ultron, scheduled in theaters next year. A little sooner than that, we'll see a flashback to World War II and the Howling Commandos as well, on the series premiere of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. coming up in a couple of weeks. Familiar faces will include Neil McDonough, who is Dum Dum Dugan, and also Hailey Adwell, playing Agent Carter, setting up, of course, her series that will premiere on ABC sometime early in 2015.

Independence Day director Roland Emmerich and Keanu Reeves are co-executive, producing a new Matrix-type science fiction series called New Angeles, about a man who escapes into a virtual reality world, sounding a little familiar, especially to Keanu. No word yet on exactly what network may be looking at this for a possible pilot. It's a little hard to keep up with all the news from Warner Bros. about possible television and movie projects involving DC comic characters.

First of all, there was a strong rumor this week, almost a news story, that Warner's was planning a Legion of Superheroes film, based on the success of Guardians of the Galaxy. No real official word on that. However, Variety reports that as far as the TV side goes, Warner's is planning a one-hour live-action adaptation of Teen Titans. It'll be based on the Marv Wolfman George Perez era of the book, and it's even got a network attached to it, according to Variety.

That would be TNT. Executive producers will be Akiva Goldsman and Mark Hames. Goldsman was attached as an EP of a feature film based on the Titans that was planned back in 2007. He also was involved with Fringe and wrote A Beautiful Mind as well. In the meantime, Greg Berlanti from the Arrow television series has pretty much confirmed the fact that there's a Supergirl pilot also in the works from Warner Bros.

We ran the initial story on that a few days ago, but beyond Greg's confirmation, no other word yet on the possible pilot. Sales of graphic novels and comic stores up again in August, this time just about 8%, maybe even a little more than that. However, keep in mind there were five shipweeks during the month of August, so that certainly helps. But still, compared to the numbers of 2013, it is in the plus category. So what were the top ten best-selling graphic novels in comic stores in August?

Well, it starts at number ten with Saga, Volume 2, The Great Paperback from Image. Get ready for more Saga, Volume 1 and Number 9 again from Image. The Watchman, Hardcover back in again from DC at number eight. At number seven, the third Saga, Volume 3 in Trade from Image. At number six, Guardians of the Galaxy, The First Trade Paperback, which seems to make some sense.

That's, of course, from Marvel. At number five, the Batman Earth 1 Trade Paperback. At number four, the Trillium Trade Paperback. That's from DC. At number three, Deadpool vs. Carnage.

At number two, the Fables Trade Paperback, 20th in line there, and that's the one called Camelot, by the way. And the number one best-selling graphic novel in comic stores in August from Marvel, Thanos Infinity Revelation, The Hardcover. The point, the point. The latest entry to satisfy our need for zombie fever is Z Nation, a new show that just hit on the sci-fi network. And it takes place three years after the zombie virus has gutted the country, and a new group of heroes are transporting the only known survivor of the plague across country in hopes of finding a cure.

I sat down with Z Nation showrunner and executive producer, Karl Schaeffer, and the first thing we tackled is how this show is different from what's already out there. Yeah, I mean, first off, there is obviously a great zombie show in The Walking Dead already on, so our mission is sort of to go where they don't. And I think that the biggest difference between us and them is our series has a sense of hope, and also a sense of humor. We're kind of trying to put the funds back in the zombies. Our heroes have a mission that they're on, so we're traveling every week, we're going across the country.

They're not just sort of fighting for survival and hunkering down in one place. They really have somewhere to go and something to do. Our characters aren't afraid of zombies necessarily. I mean, they're wary of them, and zombies are certainly dangerous to them, but they take the fight to the zombies. We try and have as much action in an episode as The Walking Dead has in half a season.

There's a lot of black humor in our show, a lot of social satire, but primarily it's that sense of hope and mission, and that the characters are really taking it to the zombies as opposed to being afraid of them and hunkering down. And if you were going to go through the apocalypse, I think you would rather go through the apocalypse with our guys because they've got somewhere to go and something to do, and I think that'd be triumphant in the end. Every version of the zombie mythology has a little bit of a difference. I asked Carl about how this one plays out. Well, one thing about The Walking Dead is they're taking a very realistic, straightforward look, and they won't call them zombies. They'll call them anything in the world but zombies.

And in our show, we wanted to put it in a universe where people know about zombies. They've seen zombie movies. They've seen Night of the Living Dead. So we have all kinds of zombies, and we wanted to be the zombie show that says, yeah, we'll do that kind of zombies. We have fast zombies, slow zombies, animal zombies, we have a zombie bear, we have zombie babies, and our zombies are evolving too.

Our main character, Murphy, who's been infected with the zombie virus and given a vaccine, is going to be evolving over the course of the season into what eventually may become a human zombie blend. So we wanted to leave the world wide open for the zombie virus to evolve and the type of zombies we deal with to evolve. And I think every week you're going to see our zombies doing something different that you haven't seen zombies do before. Carl said he was absolutely thrilled to have Harold Purnell, fan favorite actor from Lost and Constantine, in the pilot. First off, he's just a great guy, but he was totally committed to it and didn't treat it like he was coming to do a low budget show for the money or anything like that.

I mean, he really had a big influence on the rest of the actors. We have a lot of local Washington talent and some people who are much less experienced in the cast. He also had some other very experienced cast members, but he just brought up every scene he was in and really brought a sense of commitment and drama to what he was doing. And also it was great with the rest of the cast. We had some of our sort of younger local cast members who were a little intimidated in the first couple of days of shooting, I think.

He would pull them aside and say something to them, and I don't exactly know what it was he was saying to them, but then the next take, they would just be a whole step up better at what they were doing. So he was a blast to work with, and it was a shame to see him go. And I think he had a really good time too and was a little wistful about leaving just after one episode. But he was great to work with, and you could certainly see why he works so often, and there's so many classic sort of genre movies and programs and things like that. You look at his resume and he's just in…he's one of those guys that everything he's in is good.

And I think he helped make this one of those good things that he was in, so he was great. As a fan, I was really happy to see him in it. What can you tell us about the makeup effects company bringing your zombies to life? Oh, Sinax? Sinax is great. They sort of came to us through the asylum.

And what they brought was just the ability to do a lot for a little money. And we worked really hard on trying to get the physical effects and makeup to look good with the photographic look that we were doing with the show. We're trying to make a real specific look for the show. So if you're just tuning around the dial and you come across our show, it looks different from all the other sci-fi shows and most of the other shows on TV. And getting the makeup to look right after going through that process was a lot of work.

And for the small team they have, they just do a great job. You know, cranking out 25 zombies a day of all different types. And they've been fantastic. Corinne Foster and her team have all really come through. And it's been a tough long shoot.

With a lot of work and not enough resources normally to do it, but they've delivered every time. New actors, limited budgets, were these all the challenges that he had to face? Well, I think we're a reasonably low budget show. So trying to give it a sense of scope and scale. And also just that somebody has thrown down the gauntlet that the bar is set pretty high for zombie shows.

But I think we've faced the challenge of any show. Just making great characters and interesting storylines and doing it all for a price. And making a show that travels across the country was really hard to do. But we found a great location. We shot the whole thing in Spokane, Washington, which has been fantastic. And just has so many different looks within the Spokane area.

From mountains and lakes and rolling, beautiful rolling wheat fields and farms and desert. So we really, I think, did a good job of making the show feel like it's traveling across the country. And we're in a different place every week. Sci-Fi rolls out new episodes of Z Nation every Friday. You can see more too right now at Sci-Fi.com.

Except for right now we're back in a few days and back in Gotham with more on that series. Enter the Fox in just a few days. Plus the cast of the much beloved Wonder Years get back together to talk about that brand new DVD set we waited so long to get. All that and more and it'll all be right here on websites like ComicMix.com, MichaelDavisWorld.com, GetThePointRadio.com, and in the iTunes podcast directory too. Keep up with what's happening in our world right now on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram under The Point Radio.

See you back here in a few days. GetThePointRadio.com