Resident Evil Netflix - Continuation or reboot?

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Hold onto your seats ladies and gents because this continuation or reboot on Netflix of the Resident Evil franchise will either confuse the heck out of you or keep you entertained. Although I have spent the first season trying to put the puzzles together I am not sure I quite get it at this stage.

In what I would have guessed was a reboot or an entirely different story arch because if its got milk why not milk it kind of scenario right? but then I get hit with a few subtle hints that this is a continuation of the previous films by use of terms like "old racoon city" and a news article about past issues with the T-Virus.

There are even uses of actual former game and film characters which... also turn out to be clones. Did not see that one coming I have to admit!

There is one thing about this series that stands out and from what I am hearing the reboot Racoon City which I am yet to see, is that it sticks true to some one the main Zombie themes in relation to character animals.

In previous themes we watched Alice take on umbrella and she got some pretty serious powers and yes there was Zombie dogs but not much else. Within the first 15 minutes of episode 1 we're confronted by a giant Zombie millipede of some sort. The Zombie dog is reflective of the game and we event get a look at a giant Zombie spider.

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The thing that really got me in way of zombies staying true to the game was the licker scene in the tunnel Oh how I remember encountering one in the second game in that hallway next to the chest.

Check the chest for items then go to the next room, walk down the hallway and BAM! up into its teeth you went! We didn't get to see many Lickers in the original movies and I am guessing that had a lot to do with budget restraints but CGI is a lot more advanced these days and popping them in was a lot more easier.

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Seeing the new franchise seems to be following game canon I am hoping for a proper return of William, the wonderful villain that scared the jeepers out of me back in the 90s. Oh yeah, these games were all the rage back then almost got banned. If you play them now though mainstream media is a lot scarier.

The original films loosely followed the video game canon they were still decent viewing until they jumped the shark and came up with some really odd story plots. But their reboot of late seem to be staying a lot truer to game form.

But the burning question that I still have is where does this Netflix series fit? as mentioned above we have references to Racoon City and this one is called New Racoon City. There is a loosely mentioned back story about what happened in the past and we have clones in the new series.

If it is anything to guess I think in season 2 we will see a broader story of maybe an expanded universe and some more answers!

Have you started watching yet? what are your thoughts so far?