Revival Episode 1 recap: The sudden resurrection of the dead in a rural town

Syfy's latest supernatural horror series, Revival, premiered on June 12, 2025, and is based on the American comic book series by Tim Seeley and Mike Norton.

Starring Melanie Scrofano in the titular role as a local policewoman (Dana Cypress) in rural Wisconsin, the story follows a strange occurrence in the town, where the dead are suddenly resurrected with their personalities and memories intact.

Revival Episode 1 saw Dana investigate the strange occurrence in her town, as dead people suddenly resurrected to life, and she witnessed a shocking sight related to her sister Em.

Here is the recap for Revival Episode 1.

The dead come alive in Revival Episode 1

Revival Episode 1 sets the events of this supernatural horror series in motion. Episode 1 opens in a local crematorium, where the crematorium operator Randy is showing an intrigued woman, May Tao, the intricacies of his job.

As Randy puts a body inside the incinerator, they hear a loud thudding from the machine, suggesting the dead body is alive. Suddenly, the incinerator's door opens with a thud, and the dead come crawling out, covered in flames. Soon, all the dead bodies of the graveyard begin resurrecting, as Randy and May watch in horror.

Elsewhere, local policewoman Dana Cypress is in an argument with her father Wayne when they are interrupted by calls about the strange happenings in the town. When Dana leaves in her car, she is shocked to see the dead climbing out of their graves and roaming the city in a confused and dazed state, and this day marks the 'Revival Day'.

Dana gets a new partner in Revival Episode 1

A month after 'Revival Day', things are finally returning to normal. We also meet Dana's sister Martha/Em, who lives with her roommate in a college dorm.

Elsewhere, Dana tries to hook up with a stranger at a bar when she is interrupted by her father's phone call about a dead horse. Leaving the stranger behind, she heads to the woods and sees the dead horse, with human teeth and other dead animals in the vicinity, which adds another layer of mystery to the town.

Dana later learns that she is being assigned a new partner from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and is shocked to learn that he is none other than the stranger from the bar, with whom she was about to hook up. Her new partner, Ibrahim, tells her that the dead horse was claimed by the CDC, which has found human teeth in its stomach.

Dana and Em investigate together in Revival Episode 1

Dana feels that the dead horse is somehow connected to the revivers, and she later learns about a truck covered with a tarpaulin that might be responsible for transporting the dead horse.

Later, while driving around town, Dana finds her sister Em sleeping on a bench, who also joins in the investigation. The sisters come across the same truck covered with a tarpaulin, parked alongside a property owned by the Dittmans.

While the owners feign ignorance when questioned about the truck and the dead horse, they direct her to a barn. While Dana visits the barn, Em waits in the car.

Moments after Dana steps into the barn, a mad old lady drops from the ceiling, nibbling on her broken teeth as more grow in their place. While Dana is trying to fight the old lady, who is a reviver, Em arrives on the scene but is fatally stabbed by the lady.

As Dana continues to fight the lady, Em's wounds miraculously heal, and she carves the old lady's head open, as Dana watches in horror and realises her sister is also a reviver.

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