TV Review: iZombie
Updated: May 27, 2019
In a time where supernatural and Sci-Fi have become mainstream, its hard for someone who has been a fan of the genre pre-vampire boom of ’08 to take something like the newest zombie TV series seriously. You can be drawn in by well executed decaying limbs and empty eye sockets, but when the zombie is bleach blonde and looks more like she’s been on a bender than in the grave, you may have your doubts. I’m here to put those doubts to rest. iZombie is in its second season on the CW and once I started it, I was hooked. Within 4 days I had watched all 19 streaming episodes.
This Sci-Fi comedy follows Liv Moore (pun intended) a talented surgeon who is engaged to the handsome boy next door, Major Lilywhite. At Major’s suggestion Liv decides to let her hair down and hit a boat party with a colleagueand step out of her comfort zone. The boat party goes from bad to worse for Liv when a massacre begins and in her struggle to high tail it out of there, she is scratched by a red eyed psychopath. Waking up alive but craving a juicy frontal lobe, Liv confused and unsure if she’s grateful for her continued existence, wishing she was dead, or if she’s just hungry.
Skip forward a few months and we’re watching our fledgling flesh eater navigate her life while trying not to snack on her loved ones. Working as a medical examiner, Liv has a source of her daily dose of vitamin B, but we soon realize there are some side effects to eating a brain. After a plate of habanero eggs and brain bacon, Liv inherits the personality traits and memories of its previous owner, and in some cases, that includes their murder.
Finally finding purpose in her new zombie life, Liv uses these visions and some eccentric traits she’s picked up from the vic to keep her grounded in her new undead life and solve the crime. This gives Detective Clive Babinaux a new partner, and a serious test of his patience. While this unfolds, Ravi (Liv’s boss, friend, and only person to know her secret) uses his medical prowess attempting to create a cure for zombieism.
iZombie is a refreshing take on a genre that if not done correctly, can look hokey and tired. Rob Thomas does a great job of balancing supernatural elements with detective drama, keeping the show full of laughs while still leaving you itching to watch the next episode. The cast is great, the character dynamic is flawless and Liv is a fantastic lead who is easy to empathize with. Of course we can all relate. I mean, even without a diet of brains, aren’t we all just trying to find our purpose?