Is iZombie Underrated? Absolutely. Here’s the Case

It would be difficult to argue that zombies have not long been a staple of pop culture, but the 2010s were a particularly boom period for them on television. Along with all-time hits like The Walking Dead (2010 2022), there were plenty of strange experiments in the zombie/comedy space, such as Netflix1718 horror-comedy The Santa Clarita Diet. iZombie would be filed in the latter camp. This supernatural procedural dramedy was a moderate success on The CW, airing for five seasons without ever achieving blockbuster status, but developed a fiercely loyal fan base with its sharp humor, endearing characters, and blend of weekly crime procedural with an overarching zombie mythology.

It was loosely based on the Vertigo comic book series of the same name, written by Chris Roberson and drawn by Michael Allred. In the comics, the zombie protagonist Gwen Dylan is a gravedigger in Eugene, Oregon, who needs to eat a brain every 30 days in order to maintain her memories and hold on to her sanity. Her two closest companions are a ghost who lived in the 1960s and a were-terrier named Scott Spot, and the trio solves supernatural crimes, including threats from vampires and mummies. The TV adaptation, created by Rob Thomas and Diane Ruggiero-Wright, was faithful to the general premise of the comics, but did an about-face on everything else. Instead of Oregon, the show was set in Seattle. The only hint of Allred in the series was in its comic-book style opening credits, accompanied by a cover of Stop, Im Already Dead by Deadboy & The Elephant Men.

The protagonist was Liv Moore (Rose McIver), an ambitious medical student and bartender whose life changes after a boat party is turned into a zombie massacre. The cause of the virus is a combination of an energy drink called Max Rager and a tainted batch of a designer drug called Utopium. Liv is scratched by a zombie as she escapes the boat and wakes up in a body bag on the beach, undead and with a hunger for brains. She breaks up with her fianc, Major (Robert Buckley), to keep him safe, drifts away from her best friend, Peyton (Aly Michalka), and starts work at the medical examiners office to have a steady supply of brains.

Brains, Villains, and the Shows Unforgettable Characters

As is the case with every good drama, there has to be a memorable bad guy, and iZombie was not short on them. The zombie who bit Liv at the party, Blaine DeBeers (David Anders), was initially a dealer of the tainted Utopium but was now into brain trafficking, infecting the rich and turning them into his customer base. Blaine had an element of charm, but his ruthlessness and complicated family drama made him a likeable villain and often a reluctant ally.

Even the gags were sprinkled throughout. From the fact that Majors last name was Lillywhite to Blaines butchery shop in season one being called Meat Cute and Ravi and Majors dog being named Minor to a zombie bar called The Scratching Post, there was a constant source of winks and nudges throughout. Fans also became obsessed with the brainy dishes, from Livs innovative stir-fry recipes, pizza roll blends, and hush puppies to Blaines decadent high-class dishes such as gnocchi stuffed with medulla oblongata.

Romantic entanglements were also an important thread of the series, as Livs relationship with Major was initially written to be the central love story. However, many fans had a soft spot for Liv and her season one romantic interest, Lowell Tracey (Bradley James), a British musician who was unable to continue his performance career after becoming a zombie. Sharing that secret with him brought the pair closer together, and Lowells chemistry with Ravi was always a point of fan adoration. But that bromance came to a tragic end when Lowell was killed trying to take down Blaine, an event that caused fan outrage.

Over the years of the series, there was a colorful supporting cast. Jessica Harmons Dale Bozzio started as an FBI investigator before becoming Clives partner, while Bryce Hodgson first played Scott E., one of Livs memorable patients in a mental hospital, before returning as his twin brother Don E., who was working with Blaine. In between, a variety of guest stars added flavor, such as Daran Norris as sleazy local weatherman Johnny Frost or Steven Weber as the CEO of Max Rager, Vaughan du Clark. Rita (Leanne Lapp), Vaughans daughter, also met a darkly satisfying end in the second season finale, after she killed her father and ate his brains before being killed herself.

A standout episode, Flight of the Living Dead, saw Liv eat the brain of her former sorority sister Holly (Tasya Teles), who died in a suspicious skydiving accident and was prone to risky adventuring. Discovering her zest for life reminded Liv that her survival mentality was holding her back, as she examined her new life after turning zombie.

Despite losing some narrative drive in later seasons and delivering a finale that fans felt was rushed and unsatisfying, the charm, creativity, and love for its characters of iZombie helped it find a special place in fans hearts. In a crowded zombie market, it showed that there was room for a series that combined crime-solving, gross-out humor, and emotional storytellingone delicious brain at a time.