One of the more odd pilots in recent years, the zombie comedy/crime series, Babylon Fields, is officially dead. CBS was teasing folks with the idea of ordering some episodes for a mid-season replacement, but they’ve declined, and based on these clips that are popping up online (I expect the entire pilot to be available soon, if it isn’t already), that’s a rotting shame. It doesn’t look like it was going to garner any awards or critical praise, but I’d easily give a show starring Titus Pullo investigating a zombie’s death at least 4-5 episodes to find it’s feet.

Even after announcing its “Babylon”-less fall lineup at upfronts, CBS executives held out the possibility of a midseason order. Sadly, “Babylon” missed the final cut. Had the show received a pickup, “Babylon” would have taken CBS’ fall 2007 experimentation phase to a whole new level. “Babylon” just might be the weirdest pilot you have never seen.

The show explores the emotional and societal ramification of loved ones coming back from the dead. You know, like in “Pet Sematary.” But by the end of the episode, the zombie thriller is crossed with a crime procedural. So small-town police detective Stevenson is given a murder to solve while zombies wander the streets. It’s “ZSI.”

The “Babylon” brand of zombies are not all moany-stumbly like in most films about the living dead. But they remain, quite clearly, deceased—autopsy scars, open wounds, bad skin, worms, etc. The zombies walk back to their former homes. They talk to their former loved ones. And have sex with them.

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