History YMMV / ZNation

* CosyCatastrophe: Barring a few episodes, where things get low in order to have plot, it seems most of the survivors of the intial outbreak have adapted quite well, outside of hordes, mutations or mini-outbreaks, most survivors view zombies as nothing but pests, very deadly pests, but ones they are all well-versed in taking down, outside of the circumstances listed earlier, The Main Group regularly encounter other survivors and settlements, generally seem to be doing okay on supplies, usually what goes ''wrong'' for these other groups is the Main Group themselves, being basically a walking DoomMagnet. Also of note is that while most survivors want a cure or at least a zombie-free area to settle in, nobody seems to be in a particular rush for it, even the people who hear of Murphy's bounty are only in it for just that, the bounty, not saving the human race.

* DoomMagnet: The main group, almost every group/settlement they encounter ends up wiped out, it's heavily implied that Murphy attracts Zombies unconsciously due to his connection to them.

* JerkassHasAPoint: Murphy, he might be an abrasive, cowardly jerk, but in ''Welcome to the Fu-Bar'' opening he correctly points out to Roberta that after [[spoiler:Garrett's Death]] she is the leader, she can't really afford to "Switch off" as she is the only one who has the authoritative nature to lead the group, after all, they certainly wouldn't follow ''him'', it doesn't work, but at least he tried, and he actually wasn't a dick about it.

* VillainDecay: Kurian. In his first appearance he's the most utterly terrifying human villain to appear in the show. In later episodes [[spoiler:he's subject to the whims of the Zeros.]]

** While Sgt. Lilly and Hector/Escorpion technically get main character billing, they always get more of a secondary focus (some tropers even called Lilly a FlatCharacter for a while) and have comparatively few appearances (sixteen and eleven episodes, respectively, in a show of sixty-five episodes). Nonetheless, Hector's ReasonableAuthorityFigure and TheAtoner arc and Lilly's eventual chemistry with 10K, TheLadette characterization, and being part of a BadassFamily in her first few appearances make them just as highly regarded as the core cast for some.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: The [[CreepyCute zombie baby]] is getting some love from fans as well.

** [[spoiler:Sarge]] getting a bridge dropped on [[spoiler:her]] in Season 5, largely to make way for [[spoiler:10K to get back together with Red even though Sarge hadn't shown any problem with that and had been willing to step back while she was still alive.]]

* CosyCatastrophe: Barring a few episodes, where things get low in order to have plot, it seems most of the survivors of the intial outbreak have adapted quite well, outside of hordes, mutations or mini-outbreaks, most survivors view zombies as nothing but pests, very deadly pests, but ones they are all well-versed in taking down, outside of the circumstances listed earlier, The Main Group regularly encounter other survivors and settlements, generally seem to be doing okay on supplies, usually what goes ''wrong'' for these other groups is the Main Group themselves, being basically a walking DoomMagnet, also of note is that while most survivors want a cure or at least a zombie free area to settle in, nobody seems to be in a particular rush for it, even the people who hear of Murphy's bounty are only in it for just that, the bounty, not saving the human race.
* CreatorsPet: Doc in Season 3 got a couple of episodes focused solely on him, an honor the rest of the cast did not get. Murphy had specific episodes too, but those were plot important that he was integral too. Doc just got put in filler that could have been done by anybody.

** Cassandra get's hit with this after Season 1, being probably one of the most well-developed characters in the group in terms of backstory, her and 10ks ShipTease and character development, only for Season 2 to turn her into a drooling, growling mind-controlled, barely sentient, slave of Murphy, a few scenes have 10k trying desperately to reach Cassandras human side, which all fail culminating in [[spoiler: 10k Mercying her when she tried to kill him, all of her past self definitively gone.]]

* ValuesResonance: Relative to the rest of the zombie genre. Most zombie stories seem to forget that zombies are human remains or, even worse, sick humans. This show, for all its campiness, directly deals with that issue by having characters give "mercy".

*** Amazingly, as of the end of season 3, at which point Murphy has started a cult whose members he can control psychically, and discovered that he has to eat a human occasionally to maintain his own mental stability, the writers have still kept this unclear. He's in charge, and doesn't hesitate to reap the benefits of his position, but he's also genuinely keeping his followers safe and everything running for the very real benefit of everyone. It could still very easily go either way.

** Did Garnett [[spoiler: take a bullet for Murphy]] because he cared about a member of his group, or because he was the only hope to save the world?

** [[spoiler:Lucy's death]] in "Back From the Undead". Driven home by [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4yRSeXTIUU the music.]]

** At the end of Season 1, Murphy [[spoiler: flees the lab, knowing that doing so will launch a nuke at everyone there]]. Was this an act of suicide? Was he just so terrified of Kurian that he wasn't acting rationally? Did he think that he alone might have a chance of survival? Did he really think he could get away in the van? Or was he savvy enough to already realize who Kurian really was, and saw this as the only chance to eliminate him?

* ArcFatigue: A rare case in which the stall can actually be tracked in terms of physical geographical distance. For the first season they made pretty good time from New York to California, getting as far as Colorado but in 'Doctor of the Dead' [[spoiler: Murphy runs from the group]], which culminates in them ending up in Wisconsin before they're back on track.

* CreatorsPet: Doc in season 3 got a couple of episodes focused solely on him, an honor the rest of the cast did not get. Murphy had specific episodes too, but those were plot important that he was integral too. Doc just got put in filler that could have been done by anybody.

* DesignatedHero: Murphy always fell into this category (if not outright VillainProtagonist), but more and more in season 2 the heroes seem to feel that the ends justify the means. Since getting Murphy to California is the possible salvation of all mankind, all other considerations become secondary.

** "Die Zombie Die... Again" is a BizarroEpisode which features only two cast members, develops only one, and only serves to lay some exposition for another episode which, by season 2, has at best nominal importance to the plot. Beyond that, it literally ends on AllJustADream. The episode could be omitted from the season, and pretty much nothing would be affected.

* JerkassHasAPoint: Murphy, he might be an abrasive, cowardly jerk, but in ''Welcome to the Fu-Bar'' opening he correctly points out to Roberta that after [[spoiler: Garrett's Death]] she is the leader, she can't really afford to "Switch off" as she is the only one who has the authoritative nature to lead the group, after all, they certainly wouldn't follow ''him'', it doesn't work, but at least he tried, and he actually wasn't a dick about it.

-->''"Sunshine?''"\\
"'''''MY NAME IS CASSANDRA!'''''" ''(taser to the mouth)''

** Although to be fair, ''Z Nation'' seems to be a Lighter and Softer version of Walking Dead in terms of post-zombie apocalypse TV Shows about survival....however, not to the degree that it can be considered a "rip-off".

** Yes, [[spoiler: Hammond]] is a DecoyProtagonist, but he was also an interesting and effective DecoyProtagonist, who, even if Warren was a more interesting character, deserved better than just [[spoiler: one episode]].
** [[spoiler: Sarge]]. getting a bridge dropped on [[spoiler: her]]. in season five, largely to make way for [[spoiler: 10K to get back together with Red even though Sarge hadn't shown any problem with that and had been willing to step back while she was still alive]].
** Cassandra get's hit with this after season 1, being probably one of the most well-developed characters in the group in terms of backstory, her and 10ks ShipTease and character development, only for season 2 to turn her into a drooling, growling mind-controlled, barely sentient, slave of Murphy, a few scenes have 10k trying desperately to reach Cassandras human side, which all fail culminating in [[spoiler: 10k Mercying her when she tried to kill him, all of her past self definitively gone.]]

* ValuesResonance: Relative to the rest of the zombie genre. Most zombie stories seem to forget that zombies are human remains or, even worse, sick humans. This show, for all its campiness, directly deals with that issue by having characters give "mercy."
* VillainDecay: Kurian. In his first appearance he's the most utterly terrifying human villain to appear in the show. In later episodes [[spoiler: he's subject to the whims of the Zeros.]]

* FanonDiscontinuity: "Die Zombie Die... Again" is a BizarroEpisode which features only two cast members, develops only one, and only serves to lay some exposition for another episode which, by season 2, has at best nominal importance to the plot. Beyond that, it literally ends on AllJustADream. The episode could be omitted from the season, and pretty much nothing would be affected.

* TearJerker: Roberta's reunion with her husband in Home Sweet Zombie, Roberta waits to die in the zombie tornado, her dead fireman husband emerges. The zombie tries to attack her, but due to his fireman gear, he protects her from harm and she gets to say goodbye.

* FoeYay: Warren and Murphy can be really intense around each other. They've been through a lot of shit together and probably get each other better than anyone else, but Murphy resents Warren for being his jailer and Warren resents Murphy for making it so difficult to get him to California. It can make scenes where they're really mad at each other feel kind of weird.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter: Yes, [[spoiler: Hammond]] is a DecoyProtagonist, but he was also an interesting and effective DecoyProtagonist, who, even if Warren was a more interesting character, deserved better than just [[spoiler: one episode]].

** Although to be fair, Z Nation seems to be a Lighter and Softer version of Walking Dead in terms of post-zombie apocalypse TV Shows about survival....however, not to the degree that it can be considered a "rip-off".
** Also Z Nation pulled a "great Zombie Jump" four years before Tallahassee did so in "Double Tap" and with a much greater number of zombies.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter:
Yes, [[spoiler: Hammond]] is a DecoyProtagonist, but he was also an interesting and effective DecoyProtagonist, who, even if Warren was a more interesting character, deserved better than just [[spoiler: one episode]].

** Also Z Nation pulled a "great Zombie Jump" Four years before Tallahassee did so in "Double Tap" and with a much greater number of zombies.

Yes, [[spoiler: Hammond]]. is a DecoyProtagonist, but he was also an interesting and effective DecoyProtagonist, who, even if Warren was a more interesting character, deserved better than just [[spoiler: one episode]].

* FoeYay: Warren and Murphy can be really intense around each other. They've been through a lot of shit together and probably get each other better than anyone else, but Murphy resents Warren for being his jailer and Warren resents Murphy for making it so difficult to get him to California. It can make scenes where they're really mad each other feel kind of weird.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter: Yes, [[spoiler: Hammond]]. is a DecoyProtagonist, but he was also an interesting and effective DecoyProtagonist, who, even if Warren was a more interesting character, deserved better than just [[spoiler: one episode]].