11 Reasons Why You Should Binge-Watch iZOMBiE

"That CW show about a female mortician who pretends to be a police psychic, who is actually a zombie, who gets visions from the brains of murder victims and then fights crimes? Is it actually good?" Answer: Hell-to-the-yes. Here are 11 reasons.

Have you heard of iZOMBiE?

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There is a new show on the CW which just finished its first season. It's called iZOMBiE and has been renewed for a second season.

It stars OUAT's Rose McIver as the main character: Olivia "Liv" Moore

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Liv Moore (get the pun?) is a former hotshot but uptight doctor who became the only survivor of a zombie outbreak at a boat party. After she was turned into a zombie, Liv gets a job at the morgue where she consumes the brains of murder victims, which give her visions of the victims' final moments. Liv soon finds a new lease on "life" when she decides to help the Seattle PD solve murders by posing as a psychic.

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The show is also is drop-DEAD hilarious and charming

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With a surprising amount of banter for a show about zombies

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Binge it during the summer break.

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Here are the 11 reasons why you need to watch it immediately.

11. The Creators' Track-Record

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The creators of iZOMBiE are Rob Thomas & Diane Ruggiero, who were responsible for Veronica Mars. That show shares a lot with iZOMBiE, which is far from a terrible thing. Both shows have a canny sense of humour, a deft touch for setting up human relationships, and a strong female protagonist who is unafraid to be an outcast. Veronica Mars and Liv Moore both know how to kick some serious butt.

10. New Twist on Zombies

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iZOMBiE smartly deviates from the typical tropes of the zombie genre, including the "brain-eating, undead apocalypse" approach. Unlike the zombies of The Walking Dead, iZOMBiE's undead are not mindless slouches and are eerily well-integrated into mainstream society, albeit in secret. Liv Moore is every bit as wicked-sharp as she used to be. Although she devolves into a "moaning, dumber" version of herself if she hasn't eaten brains recently, Liv uses her job at the morgue to not only procure her cerebellums but to also prepare them with copious amounts of Sriracha and instant noodles. Other zombies in the show also delight in artisanal cooking of their brains, sneaking bits of cranium into curries and antipasti platters. Many zombies even slather themselves in truckloads of self-bronzer to "pass" as human.

9. Comic Book Aesthetic

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iZOMBiE not only is based on an Eisner-nominated comic book but also is one of the first shows to actually integrate the comic artist's work into the television series itself. The award-winning artist for the comics, Mike Allred, drew the title sequence for the show, as well as the creative and awesome scene-transitions which add to the show's neo-noir feel.

8. Bradley James as Lowell Tracy

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Although the show has some great guest-stars including Veronica Mars alumni (Percy Daggs III; Ryan Hansen), Merlin's Bradley James shines as Lowell Tracy. He plays a British expat and indie musician who serves as a love interest for Liv. We can't talk about Lowell's dynamic story arc without spoiling the plot, but the character steals scenes with his charm, mystery, and sizzling chemistry with Liv. Subverting expectations at every turn, Lowell is one of the most surprising and delightful additions to iZOMBiE.

7. Detailed World-Building

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iZOMBiE's world-building is on par with Buffy and Veronica Mars. Through Liv's police work with Detective Clive Babineaux (played by Malcolm Goodwin), the show explores Seattle's underground human-trafficking crime ring for the zombies' food supply, as well as the mysterious energy drink company called Max Rager. Each of the show's 13 episodes adds vibrancy to Liv's world, which becomes more nuanced in the little details ranging from Liv's choice of hot sauce to the pop-culture references to OITNB and Game of Thrones.

6. Stellar Supporting Cast

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The supporting cast-members add a great deal of charm and humour to what could otherwise become a dull, gritty show. Although Malcolm Goodwin's Detective Babineaux and Aly Michalka's Peyton are both great standouts, Rahul Kohli in particular nails the role of Dr Ravi Chakrabarti, Liv's witty and effervescent boss. Every single character, from the smallest bit players to the larger supporting ensemble, injects the show with sardonic levity and gravitas which elevates the show.

5. Meta, Self-Aware, & Genre-Bending

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iZOMBiE is meta and self-aware, which manifests in the awesome way that the show buckles conventions and blends genres. Firstly, instead of portraying a zombie apocalypse, the show combines horror with the procedural genre: to solve crimes as a brain-eating zombie, Liv passes herself off as a psychic in a similar vein to Medium. However, the show then subverts the archetypes of the procedural genre by adding comedy, romance, and an overarching action-adventure arc seen typically in the superhero genre. iZOMBiE could be described as Buffy meets Veronica Mars meets Elementary, and that alone proves that the show constantly strives to push the boundaries of the expected.

4. Awesome Antagonists

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As the sleazy drug dealer-turned-zombie, Blaine (played by David Anders from Heroes and OUAT) serves as Liv's main opposition, leading a crew of undead criminals. Unlike the typical "zombie", Blaine's chief weapon is not his supernatural abilities but is his combination of amorality, business acumen, and charm. He provides brains for Seattle's "closeted" zombies by murdering people. And he's witty to boot.

3. Chekhov's Plot Twists

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Unlike many other shows of the "procedural/cop" genre, iZOMBiE has an overarching plot full of twists which actually pay off. Almost every new element introduced on the show later comes back to haunt Liv in some sort of Chekhov's Gun. For example, Liv's brother (played by Nick Purcha) gets a job in one of the earlier episodes which later pays off explosively in the Finale. iZOMBiE delivers plot resolution in spades.

2. Actual Character Development

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The pay-offs in plot twists are accompanied by discernible character development. Many characters change and evolve over the course of the show, most notably Major, Liv's ex-fiancé (played by One Tree Hill's Robert Buckley). Although Major starts off a mild-mannered love interest for Liv, he gains an action-packed plot line outside of being a romantic accessory of Liv, becoming something other than "vanilla".

1. Liv Moore: Feminist Superhero

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Although Liv doesn't wear spandex, she is undoubtedly a female superhero with her own origin story. She fights crime, juggles the "secret identity" of being a zombie, and faces several ethical dilemmas. Decidedly a feminist bent of the superhero genre, Liv is the badass character with all the agency instead of being a Lois Lane bystander, reversing the typical gender dynamics seen on other shows. Liv also makes some decidedly questionable and even cruel decisions which have widespread repurcussions, breaking the black-and-white morality often seen on television. Rose McIver portrays a heroine who is interesting, complex, and likeable.

Now, go watch the show.

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