Pratik Handore
‘The Bite’ is a comedy-drama series that follows two neighbors, Rachel and Lily, who deal with the various complexities arising from the Covid-19 pandemic. As they get used to living in quarantine and adjust to a virtual workspace, their problems are exasperated by the outbreak of a new deadly strain of the coronavirus that turns humans into zombies.
The show is created and written by Robert and Michelle King. It stars Audra McDonald, Taylor Schilling, and Steven Pasquale in the lead roles. The Covid-19 pandemic setting can easily make one ponder over the inspirations behind the story. If you are wondering whether the story draws inspiration from any real events or true stories, we’ve got you covered. Here’s what we know in that regard.
Is The Bite Based on True Story?
No, ‘The Bite’ is not based on a true story. That is certainly a relief for any concerned readers, as there is (currently) no strain of the coronavirus that is turning humans into zombies thirsting for blood. However, the backdrop the series is set against is authentic, as are the characters’ emotional conflicts. The Covid-19 pandemic played a large role in the conceptualization and production of the series.
Creators and writers of the series Robert and Michelle King, who are easily one of the hottest talents in Hollywood thanks to their work on shows such as ‘Evil,’ ‘The Good Wife,’ and its spin-off ‘The Good Fight,’ came up with the show’s concept while dealing with the pandemic. The couple is known for their politically correct and measured sense of storytelling that makes bold statements about various real-life issues and incorporates them into the fictional narrative of their shows.
The duo brings those strong modern and socially aware sensibilities to ‘The Bite’ through its semi-satirical take on the pandemic. Zombies are a fictional concept and have been previously explored in pop culture in films such as ‘I Am Legend‘ and ‘Zombieland‘ and TV shows like ‘The Walking Dead‘ and ‘Fear The Walking Dead.’ As it turns out, the Kings were also enamored by the concept and wished to do something in that space while also commenting on the Covid-19 pandemic crisis. This desire became the genesis of the show’s concept.
The series also draws a sense of realism through the performances of its cast. The fact that actress Audra McDonald, who essays the part of Rachel, is married to Will Swenson and their characters are lovers who are having an affair makes their performances more believable. Similarly, actor Steven Pasquale plays the role of Dr. Zach, Rachel’s husband working in Washington, and his real-life wife, Phillipa Soo, plays his co-worker/ assistant, Cydni.
The series was filmed amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, and therefore the crew was able to capture the paranoia and atmosphere associated with the pandemic and the resulting quarantine. Both Rachel and Lily continue to work relentlessly despite the pandemic. Their characters are seemingly used to comment on the financial dependency of the American working class on their jobs and the loss of financial security caused by the Covid-19 crisis.
Rachel and Lily also have to adapt to working in a virtual space and surviving a pandemic. The zombies appear to stand in as a physical manifestation of the pandemic’s threat that people often take lightly. The series also deals with how the pandemic and lockdowns have affected interpersonal relationships between friends, neighbors, spouses, and co-workers.
Ultimately, ‘The Bite’ is a fictional story that aims to take a shot at portraying the complexities faced by regular people in the supposed “new normal” in a world recovering from the Covid-19 crisis. It deals with various real-world themes tied together by the zombie-filled narrative, which conveys our real-life situation’s sense of urgency. The strong performances of its cast also lend a semblance of reality to the narrative.
Read More: Where to Stream The Bite?
