In The Flesh S1E1 - "Episode 1" Recap

A woman named Lisa Lancaster, who is a member of the HVF, gathers supplies at a grocery store with a rifle in her shopping cart and speaks with her sister Patty about what to pick up. She encounters a young female zombie that is chewing on a body and Lisa falls, injuring her leg. She shoots at the girl and then her weapon jams. Lisa tries to get away but another zombie, Kireren, catches her.

All of this is a nightmare of Kieren's and when he wakes, Dr. Shepherd tells him that these increasingly vivid memories are good because it means his brain functions are returning. The doctor reminds Kieren that he'll be going home soon and his parents are looking forward to seeing him. Kieren says he is a zombie and has killed people but Shepherd corrects his language, reminding him that he suffers from Partially Deceased Syndrome. Kieren is struggling with guilt over his pre-medicated actions. He goes through the release centre where he is given various supplies, including coloured contacts to match his original eye colour.

Back in Kieren's home village of Roarton Vicar Oddie and Human Volunteer Force soldiers are leading a ceremony in the cemetery in memoriam of the recently deceased. Kieren's parents, Sue and Steve, are trying to sell their home to a couple and their daughter Jem exhibits off-putting behaviour. She comes out wearing an HVF armband and Sue tells the couple that the organisation is still carrying on in their area even though they have been defunded. The couple leaves, saying they're looking for something more remote, and Kieren's parents realise that they must also have a child suffering from PDS. Jem storms out, refusing to accompany her parents to pick up Kieren and Steve assures Sue that Jem will come around.

Kieren takes part in group therapy and blames himself for his kills. His roommate Alex reminds him he would have died (permanently) if he hadn't eaten. Alex is also upset at the fact that humans were given medals for killing people with PDS. An argument breaks out and the session leader tells them they are simply acting out because they're on edge about going home soon. He asks Kieren whom he is most looking forward to see and he replies that he wants to see his sister Jem.

Jem is visiting a bar and meets with the HVF leader, Bill Macy, and he warmly greets her, saying she is their best shooter. He tries to order a round of drinks but the owner of the establishment says that HVF will no longer receive free drinks as she cannot afford it. Bill then hands out patrol routes to the men and and is insistent that there are still Rotters out there. He says they'll deal with the ones that are coming back and passes out walkie-talkies which he has paid for himself. He asks Jem if she is alright and she says it's just stuff. They toast to the fallen, all of whom have pictures up on their wall.

Kieren tries to reassure Alex that the rumours about riots aren't true but Alex won't believe him and gives him the name of a man he says he can trust, called the Undead Prophet. Music begins to play over the loudspeakers, leading them to head to the central chamber to receive neurotriptyline injections. Kieren sees Alex sniff some hidden substance and when he goes in and receives his injection, he begins to spit out black bile and goes berserk. He is quickly subdued by the guards and taken away. That night, Kieren and other sufferers are given their personal possessions and loaded onto a truck.

Early in the morning, when it's still dark out, Sue and Steve get into their car to go pick up Kieren. One of their nosy neighbours spies them from his window.

Kieren wakes up, following another nightmare of his attack on Lisa and goes to put his contact lenses and facial mousse on to make his complexion resemble those un-afflicted his condition. He looks again at the paper from Alex and sees that it has the URL of the group, the Undead Liberation Army, and a password. One of the workers comes to retrieve him and bring him to his parents. Sue becomes emotional, and both his parents are amazed at how normal he looks. He says it's simply because of the mousse before he heads to the car with his parents and the worker accompanies them. He warns them that it will take time for people to adjust and enquires about the HVF. The Walkers say there have been some difficulties but that they aren't as resistant to assimilation.

Back in Roarton, Vicar Oddie is at a gathering where he is speaking against the Rotters, while the villagers enthusiastically agree with his hate-speak. MP Giles Weir is brought up to speak and attempts to explain that the sufferers are not medicated and legally required to continue their treatment. Bill says that the government promised to send help but none ever came. Giles says that with the limited resources had to go to the cities first. Ever the diplomat, he expresses his gratitude to the HVF for their work and the inspiration is gave to other rural areas but he is shouted down by the crowd, led by mayor Ken Burton and he is then ushered out by his assistant.

As he is being driven home, Kieren spots pro-HVF signs and asks who the HVF are but his parents evade the question. As they get back into town, they are surrounded by people leaving the gathering hall. Steve has already had Kieren hide in the back seat and covered him with his jacket. Ken comes over and tries to get into the car so they can drive into town together but luckily for the Walkers, Ken is called away by Shirley Wilson and the Walkers drive off hurriedly. They get home and back into the garage while another neighbour watches from across the street. Kieren is confused about the secrecy but his parents assure him that everything will be alright. He is amazed to learn that they had kept his room as it was and heads upstairs.

Sue pays the Walkers a visit and says she knows that Kieren is back. She tells them she was trained a PDS community caregiver and is brought inside to administer Kieren's neurotriptyline injection. She instructs them on how to do it for future reference. When Kieren receives it, he has more memory flashes of beating Lisa unconscious. Shirley lets them know he will have to receive an injection every day and advises them to keep Kieren inside for the foreseeable future. Steve brings up the PDS protection act but Shirely says there might be a spot of bother. Shirely pulls Sue aside and gives her a taser as required by law. Sue doesn't understand why she would need it and Shirley explains that PDS teenagers have begun taking a drug called Blue Oblivion and that if Kieren takes any blue pills, she should use the taser and call Shirley immediately. She tells her to call her if she needs anything but to not tell anyone that she is a PDS caregiver, including her son Phillip.

The Roarton town council are discussing Halloween while Bill would rather complain about nothing being done about the HVF. The clerk, Phillip, speaks up and says that having people go out dressed as monsters would be distressing to the townspeople. Bill then changes his vote, thus maintaining the ban. Oddie then invites Phillip to his office for a drink and says there are whispers of PDS sufferers being integrated back into the town. He then asks about Phillip's mum, who Phillip says still works at the hospital but then Oddie says he has stopped by the hospice and she no longer works there. Phillip doesn't understand, as she has left for work every morning, and Oddie suggests that he find out.

Kieren sits down for dinner with his parents and asks where Jem is. Sue assure him that she'll be there shortly. Kieren tells her that he no longer eats but she asks him to pretend. He obliges her and then Jem walks in and says that she won't come in as long as "that" (Kieren) is there. He walks out but when Jem comes in, she complains about the food and leaves again. Kieren goes up to his room and looks overhis old paint brushes. He then pulls out a box of photos and looks at one of him and Jem from some years prior.

Bill and his wife Janet celebrate the birthday of their dead son Rick. They place a cake on the mantelpiece where they have put a shrine together for him.

Shirley is at home and Phillip asks after her day. She says she has been on her feet all day at the hospice and he doesn't confront her about his learning that she no longer works there. She goes to bed and Phillip snoops through her laptop and finds the files on the PDS cases of Roarton. They are password-encrypted and he's unable to guess it. Shirley catches him and when she asks what he's doing, he claims to be watching pornography to reveal stress. He says he might be a sex addict and claims he'll go cold turkey right now. She tells him to scan it for viruses and heads off to bed.

Kieren dreams and gains more memories of feeding on Lisa. He wakes to find Jem standing over him, briefly seeing her as Lisa. She asks what he is, since her brother was a kind, gentle person whereas he is a monster. She tells him to prove he is who he claims to be by saying something only Kieren knew. He tells her about how she walked on her tiptoes for nine months when she was eleven. He goes on to explain that she didn't want to be noticed so he made her a hardcore metal mix CD. Jem begins to cry and says he didn't leave her a note. Kieren says he wanted to disappear after Rick Macy's death and he blames himself for Rick's joining the Army. Kieren apologises and Jem curses at him and throws a drink at him. Steve comes out to ask about the shouting and Jem says Kieren can't kill himself twice before slamming the door shut to her room.

The following morning, Kieren plays the game of Life with his parents and upon spotting the stack of board games his parents have brought out, it's clear he won't be leaving the house anytime soon. Jem it at the Roarton train station, drinking alone.

After he is left alone, Kieren goes onto the computer and visits the ULA website. There's an advert for Blue Oblivion and a hooded figure delivers a recorded message that says it was filled with guilt until it was able to move past the shame. It talks about how they are truly blessed for having been resurrected from the dead. When Steve comes in, Kieren closes the tab and claims to be checking the weather.

Oddie visits Bill and shares a file, saying that they have intelligence on a PDS sufferer in their town. He spouts scripture about being a shepherd and then Bill goes home, putting on his camo jacket and collecting his rifles. He tells Janet there's a Rotter in Roarton and says he's off to kill it, calling himself the shepherd.

Jem hears Bill on her radio telling the other HVF forces that he's headed to the street she lives on to get a Rotter. She gets home and warns her parents and Kieren. Jem loads a revolver, Sue and Steve grab anti-zombie weapons from the shed, and then Steven tells Jem to hide Kieren. She takes him upstairs and hides him in a closet.

Bill, Gary, and Dean arrive and Dean comes to their door, ringing the doorbell. Steve answers and Dean asks for Jem. Steve calls her down and she heads outside with Dean. Kieren goes to the window and watches as Ken's wife Maggie is dragged out onto the street. Ken pleads for them to stop and Bill points out that the last time he had seen her, she was in a casket. Ken claims it was Maggie's sister but then Bill point his rifle at her head. She pleads for mercy and then he lowers his gun. He tells her to take out her contact lenses. She does so and her eyes are shown to be yellow and then Bill shoots her dead. Ken cries over his wife's corpse in the middle of the streets and the HVF begin to drive off.

Jem goes inside and Sue asks if she's alright. She shakes her head no and Sue hugs her. Steve heads upstairs where he quickly realises that Kieren witnessed what just occurred and sits down next to him. Bill returns home to find an MP sitting with Janet. He thinks he's about to reprimanded and claims he did what he had to. He is then informed that they found Rick in Afghanistan. At first, he's thrilled but then Janet explains that he is only partially alive.

Steve tells Kieren everything's going to be alright and heads back downstairs. Kieren goes to visit Jem in her room and finds that she is putting her loaded revolver beneath her pillow. He then walks away, leaving her alone.

In The Flesh airs on Sundays on BBC Three at 10PM.