Have a brain puree!
Olivia “Liv” Moore (Rose McIver) has just discovered that zombies are real…because she is one. With a job at a morgue working for Ravi Chakrabarti (Rahul Kohli), Liv discovers by eating brains of the victims, she not only gains their traits and personalities, but she gains clues to their deaths. Liv is trying to rebuild her life while working with detective Clive Babineaux (Malcolm Goodwin) to solve crimes, and she’s finding she might not be the only zombie out there. Liv’s ex-fiancé Major Lilywhite (Robert Buckley) discovers kids are disappearing from his organization and his search could put himself in conflict with Liv’s zombie past.
This could be a problem
iZombie—Season 1 is a zombie detective comic book adaptation. The series aired on the CW and adapted the DC Comics Vertigo series iZombie by Chris Robertson and Michael Allred (who illustrates the opening sequence and serves as co-creator). The series received positive reviews.
I actually read a number of iZombie comic books. It was a fun comic series. It had great art and snappy writing…it was fun. The TV series adapts aspects of the comics, but it also isn’t a straight-up adaptation. Like many of the comic book TV series adaptations out here, the series is a blend of comedy, detective series, and horror.
Everybody was zombie fighting!
The series is a blend of episodic and over-arching story. It benefits from series like Buffy the Vampire Slayer (or even Veronica Mars which was made by the co-creator Rob Thomas). It is a fun drama blend that is a quick watch and has a horror theme to it that is fun. With series like The Walking Dead and other zombie shows carrying the horror theme, it is nice to a flipside to those series.
The series is a great showcase for Rose McIver. She comes off a lot like Kristen Bell of Veronica Mars fame, but she also is given a lot of range due to the “brain-eating” aspect of the storyline. It allows her to essentially play different characters while still playing her primary character. She’s backed by a rather generic supporting cast however that falls into typical Buffy the Vampire Slayer tropes including David Anders who just feels like a Spike rip-off…I do kind of like that Robert Buckley is almost the damsel-in-distress type character as the aptly named Major Lilywhite.
Eat Up!
The series is pretty stylized and accepts its comic origins. There are comic-scene transitions and the basic feel is like a Mike Allred series (if you’ve read a comic by Allred, you’d understand). There is a skeevy factor to the brain-eating which is taken very (intentionally) nonchalant…it can be a real gross-out.
The first season of iZombie is a fun run and does a nice job setting up season two. The characters are interesting and the story is compelling so it makes it worth seeking out. It is a different zombie story for fans of the zombie genre and it is always good to have a change. Pop open a Max Rager and enjoy!
iZombie—Season 1 Complete Episode Guide:
“Pilot”
1.1 Pilot Airdate: 03/17/15
Olivia “Liv” Moore (Rose McIver) is reborn as a zombie after an outbreak on a boat. Now her life as a doctor has turned into a job at the morgue and her fiancé Major Lilywhite (Robert Buckley) doesn’t understand why she’s turned him away. When her boss Ravi Chakrabarti (Rahul Kohli) learns about her affliction, Liv finds herself working with detective Clive Babineaux (Malcolm Goodwin) to find the murderer of a call girl…whose brains Liv ate.
“Brother, Can You Spare a Brain”
1.2 Brother, Can You Spare a Brain Airdate: 03/24/15
An artist named Javier Abano (Claude Knowlton) is murdered, and Liv is investigating the case. Liv discovers that she’s gained appreciation for art through Javier’s brain and finds that it gives her another reason to connect with Major. Discovering the zombie who made her, Liv questions if Blaine DeBeers (David Anders) can be trusted. Liv suspects Artie Fiss (Jeffrey Vincent Parise) in the murder of Javier and Clive suspects the wife Lola (Judy Reyes).
“The Exterminator”
1.3 The Exterminator Airdate: 03/31/15
Liv finds she’s eaten the brains of a hitman and ruins the case of her roommate Peyton Charles (Aly Michalka) as a result. As Liv and Peyton seek the real killer, Liv finds that the killer’s psychopathic tendencies are affecting her day-to-day life. Ravi discovers another zombie who has gone feral…and an experiment could pose a problem for Liv. Liv tries to deal with Major having a new girlfriend.
“Liv and Let Clive”
1.4 Liv and Let Clive Airdate: 04/07/15
Liv finds her brother Evan (Nick Purcha) has come for a visit as she investigates the potential tip that Clive could be a dirty cop. Blaine sets up his own zombie brains-for-sale business complete with zombie workers, but Blaine’s workers consider setting up their own franchise. Liv worries that Major is moving on when she sees him with another woman.
“Flight of the Living Dead”
1.5 Flight of the Living Dead Airdate: 04/14/15
A skydiving accident kills a woman named Holly White (Tasya Teles) who Liv went to school with. When the death is deem suspicious, Liv sets out to investigate Lowell Tracy (Bradley James). Major finds that one of the kids from the house is missing and goes to Clive for help to find him. Liv discovers a secret about Lowell.
“Virtual Reality Bites”
1.6 Virtual Reality Bites Airdate: 04/21/15
Major recovers from the attack by the “Candyman” (Aleks Paunovic). An internet troll is killed, and Liv investigates the murder while returning to dating with Lowell. Trapped in her home with agoraphobia, Liv is forced to get involved in an online roleplaying game to find the killer.
“Maternity Liv”
1.7 Maternity Liv Airdate: 04/28/15
The death of a pregnant woman has Liv feeling maternal when she eats her brains. Clive finds himself bumped down due to a bad press release as he helps Liv search for the killer. Major investigates his lead on the Candyman but finds himself in his own trouble. Liv questions a cool-down with her new relationship with Lowell. Clive’s boss Lieutenant Suzuki (Hiro Kanagawa) might have a secret of his own.
“Dead Air”
1.8 Dead Air Airdate: 05/05/15
The death of Liv’s favorite shock jock named Sasha Arconi (Erica Cerra) on-air has Clive and Liv investigating. Major deals with fallout of going after Julian “Candyman” Dupont and questions the official record that Margo (Enid-Raye Adams) and Mark Shephard (Charles Andre) were responsible. Ravi sets his eyes on Liv’s friend Peyton but learns that his experiment with zombie rats could be a success.
“Patriot Brains”
1.9 Patriot Brains Airdate: 05/12/15
Liv finds out where Lowell gets his brains and questions Blaine’s connection to the Seattle police department. Ravi finds himself bitten by the zombie rat. A paintballer is killed, and Liv and Clive investigate the man’s ex-wife Penny (Erica Luttrell) and her new husband Sean (Percy Daggs III). Blaine finds a new challenge from his client. Blaine orders Major’s investigation stopped, and Liv and Lowell set out to stop Blaine’s “business”.
“Mr. Berserk”
1.10 Mr. Berserk Airdate: 05/19/15
Liv deals with the death of Lowell and investigates the murder of reporter Rebecca Hinton (Sunita Prasad)…but finds herself dealing with Rebecca’s alcoholism. Major questions if he’s delusional with the survival of Julian and debates institutionalizing himself. Liv, Clive, and Ravi discover that Rebecca’s investigation could tie back to Max Rager executive Vaughn Du Clark (Steven Weber).
“Astroburger”
1.11 Astoburger Airdate: 05/26/15
Major’s new friend Scott E. (Bryce Hodgson) has been killed, and Liv finds herself fighting Scott’s delusions as she investigates his murder. Blaine learns that Liv and Lowell were involved. When Major reveals that Scott has a video of the Lake Washington Massacre, Liv searches for the video, and a local weather man Johnny Frost (Daran Norris) could be the key.
“Dead Rat, Live Rat, Brown Rat, White Rat”
1.12 Dead Rat, Live Rat, Brown Rat, White Rat Airdate: 06/02/15
Major has captured brains from Meat Cute shop, and Blaine has vowed to get them back. The possible death of a student cheerleader named Kimber Cooper (Stephanie Bennett) at the hands of a zombie has Liv being more optimistic than ever. Ravi’s attempts to cure the zombie rat could be problematic. A band called the Asshats could be behind Kimber’s disappearance, but when the Asshats starts dying, there could be a bigger mystery…and Liv finds that her past could have consequences.
“Blaine’s World”
1.13 Blaine’s World Airdate: 06/09/15
The return of Sebastian Meyer (Matthew MacCaull) has Max Rager, and Vaughn Du Clark under investigation. Major is held prisoner at Meat Cute by Blaine as he searches for his astronaut brains. With a big showdown at Meat Cute, Major may finally get the answers he’s been investigating, but the events could also cost Liv everything.
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