5 Reasons You Should Be Watching iZombie

We’re almost ready for most of our favorite shows to come back for 2017 — but there are some that aren’t quite so close.

For instance, iZombie, the funny and heartfelt romantic-comedy-zombie-drama from Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas, won’t debut its season 3 until April. That gives you plenty of time to jump on Netflix and get caught up…but why should you?

The show centers on Olivia “Liv” Moore, a medical student who’s turned into a zombie while at a party and has to eat brains in order to retain her humanity and not become a shambling, ravenous beast like you see on The Walking Dead.

The catch? When she eats a brain, she gets psychic impressions from them, taking on the memories of the deceased and experiencing visions of their lives.

Of course, this being television, she takes that as an opportunity to do some good, moving her job to the morgue and eating the brains of murder victims in order to learn what happened to them and bring their killers to justice.

So what is it we love so much about iZombie? Read on.

THE MYTHOLOGY

The mythology of the show is simple, but rich. 

Each season, they’ve introduced a threat that totally makes sense in the context of the pilot and Liv’s zombie “origin story,” but builds on the past.

In season 1, it was Liv vs. bad zombies.

In season 2, it’s Liv (and bad zombies) vs. the corrupt corporation who created the zombies.

In season 3, we have what looks to be a militant group of zombies who are better organized and less selfish than the drug dealer/gangster zombies from the first season, and who want to change the world rather than just making it easier for themselves.

Meanwhile, there are interesting and relevant subplots for every character, be it Ravi’s search for the zombie cure, Blaine’s power struggles with his father, or Major’s two-season-long descent into madness.

THE OPENING CREDITS

iZombie features an opening titles sequence utilizing the art of Michael Allred, the Madman creator and Silver Surfer artist responsible for the art on Vertigo’s iZombie, the series on which the show is based.

That, along with a catchy theme song and some really nice bits of humor in the credits, makes it our favorite 

YOU LIKE PUNS? OHHHH, WE’VE GOT PUNS.

There’s so much wordplay in this show. Some of it is a little bit groan-inducing, but on the whole it’s a ton fo fun. And occasionally you don’t notice it until your second or third time through an episode, and then you slap your forehead like a sitcom character.

The main character of the series is a zombie named “Liv Moore.”

There was a butcher shop called Meat Cute.

You get title cards like “Mistrial and Error” and “Die, Fidelity” in establishing shots.

Hell, there’s even episode titles like “Flight of the Living Dead” and “Virtual Reality Bites.”

…Oh, and Rob Thomas, the creator of the series, got Matchbox 20 frontman Rob Thomas (no relation) to come play himself in the season 2 finale.

It’s like they’re filling a show about eating brains with little brain teasers.

RELATIONSHIPS

There are a number of relationships at the heart of the show, and we’re not just talking about the romances. 

Whether it’s Peyton’s relationship with Ravi, Ravi’s with Clive, or Clive’s with Major, there are a numbe rof cool, unexpected dynamics that have shaped the first couple of seasons of the series.

And, yes, like so many of The CW’s superhero shows, they all deepen and improve once people start to learn Liv’s secret.

THE CAST

There is not, on the whole, a funnier, more charming or entertaining cast in television than the iZombie crew.

At least half of the series regulars could have their own entries here. Rahul Kohli is so brilliant, it’s a crime that he hasn’t been nominated for more awards — and certainly he’s not hurt by the fact that Ravi as a charcter is smart, funny, and fun.

Rose McIver has to do as much heavy lifting as any actor on television, managing to retain what makes Liv special and likable while still allowing herself to be at least sort-of taken over by the spirit of other characters week in and week out.

Even secondary characters like Leanne Lapp’s Rita are so perfectly cast that you hate to see them go.