Zombies and Werewolves and Aliens and Vampires and Cute Guys: the Disney Channel's "Zombies" Series

 

 I was recommended the Disney Channel's zombie musicals as a good place to extend the zombie mythos and look at cute guys. After reading the plot synopses, I'm not sure anyone over age 12 will be interested in watching, but there are certainly some cute guys.

1. Zombies

The first installment, entitled simply Zombies (2018), is High School Musical for kids too young to have seen High School Musical.  We see a society where zombies are outcasts, segregated into their own neighborhoods, subject to the usual prejudices that are applied to racial, religious, and sexual minorities: confused/illogical, devious, irrational/mystical, and violent.  Zombie Milo Mannheim (I'm using the actors' names to save time) is the Troy Bolton character, a football player who falls in love with the Gabriella character, Meg Donnelly, a cheerleader with her own "not fitting in" secret.  

The zombie-and-all-difference-hating head cheerleader is Trevor Tordjman, left, channelling High School Musical's gay-vague Ryan. It's been 12 years, but he stays gay-vague, feminine but with no expressed same-sex interest, with fans arguing whether or not he's actually gay.  

Another antagonist: Paul Hopkins plays the Gabriella character's bigoted father, who happens to be the head of the Zombie Patrol.  What a shocking plot twist for 12 year olds.

Allies include James Godfrey as a comic relief zombie who hasn't fully assimilated, so he speaks mostly in Zombie-Speech and makes wacky social faux-pas.

More zombies, werewolves, vampires, and cute guys after the break.

2. Zombies and Werewolves

Zombies and humans reconcile in the big finale, although there's some residual prejudice in the sequel, Zombies 2 (2020), about focus characterMilo running for class president so he can permit zombies to attend the prom. But they needed another marginalized group.  Why not werewolves?

The head werewolf and her brother, Pearce Joza, need to prevent an evil corporation from destroying the Moonstone that gives them their power. Plot twist: the long foretold Messiah, the Great Alpha, is someone you know from the first movie!

3. Zombies, Werewolves, and Aliens

With zombies, werewolves, and humans all living happily together, the third installment, Zombies 3 (2022) has nowhere to go but up -- with aliens.  While everyone is scrambling to apply to college and play in or cheer the big football game, three aliens beam down and give them a new quest.

They are looking for the map to Utopia, a new planet for their homeless species to settle on. Pretend you're 12 and never heard the word before.  They also want to compete in the annual Cheer-Off, because, you know, it's a tourist thing.

Plot Twist: There's already an alien living in town, the grandchild of an alien scout sent to Earth 50 years ago, and it's someone you know from the first and second movie!

 

Matt Cornett plays one of the aliens.  The fan wiki notes that he develops a "very closet" relationship with Bucky, the prissy gay-vague character.  A hint of gay romance, but only a hint. 

Another alien is nonbinary, played by non-binary actor Terry Hu.  A first for Disney.

Plus the Mothership is voiced by drag queen RuPaul.

4. Zombies, Werewolves, Aliens, and Vampires

Whoops, we forgot all about vampires!  They'll be fanging around in the upcoming Zombies 4, which sends the gang off to college.  Head vampire is apparently played by Malachi Barton, who looks a little young to play a college student, but there are also some hunky grown-ups in the cast.  Now, if we could just get some non-vague, open, loud-and-proud gay guys....