While one could argue that there have been “better” new shows (from a technical standpoint) that have debut on TV in 2015, I don’t think any freshman series has been as entertaining as iZombie has been since it premiered last month. Only six episodes into its first season, iZombie has gone from a strong series with great potential into one of the most fun shows on TV, a perfect mix of sharp dialogue, intriguing plot twists, and fantastic performances. And it only keeps getting better.
While I called last week’s “Flight of the Living Dead” the show’s best episode yet, tonight’s “Virtual Reality Bites” proves to be another high point for the young series, an hour that showcases everything iZombie does so well and only improves upon it. The show does a pretty masterful job at blending comedy, action, and drama, and while there’s no big fight or chase scene involving Liv this week, her complicated romantic life makes up for it, supplying just as much tension and suspense as any shootout or fistfight. Liv’s interactions with both Major and Lowell crackle with intensity, and “Virtual Reality Bites” does a nice job at giving both men more depth, so that when Liv kisses Lowell at the end of the episode it truly feels like a big moment instead of simply our main character choosing between two cardboard cutouts.
But Liv’s developing connection with Lowell isn’t taken too seriously; the two of them have a nice, easygoing rapport, and their chemistry is certainly charming. Making things even better in tonight’s episode is how the rotten brains that Liv eats cause her to be agoraphobic, transforming the confident, excited girl who was ready for their date into a video game-playing, junk food-devouring shut-in, who makes awkward excuses on the phone (before she remembers Lowell’s a zombie, too) and finds herself covered in Cheeto dust.
Additionally, Liv’s newfound fear of leaving her apartment nicely parallels her trepidation about entering into anything too serious with Lowell; much like someone with agoraphobia, who is scared of the unknown of the outside world, Liv is worried about the uncertainty of what could happen between her and Lowell. With Major, everything was so predictable, but this new romance is a chance for Liv to take a risk and fully embrace the possibility of life–in many ways, it could be much more rewarding and fulfilling than the expected rhythms of her and Major’s relationship. Liv getting together with Lowell is yet another step forward in her journey to reclaim her life, as she rediscovers the people and things that reawaken her passions and make her feel alive again.
Unfortunately for Liv, though, her emotional reawakening may have to take a backseat to a much more pressing matter: Blaine’s murdering of innocent teenagers. It’s incredibly refreshing how fast-paced the overarching story of iZombie‘s first season is moving, with Liv and Ravi finding out about Blaine’s extracurricular activities just when we are at the midpoint of Season 1. Taking this story to the next level, though, is how well it brings all the show’s seemingly isolated characters together. Clive, Major, and even Liv’s mom (and possibly soon her brother) are now somehow tied to Blaine, and with the investigation into the missing boys continuing, it’s all but certain that the characters who remain unaware of Liv’s secret will soon learn the truth about her.
A show like iZombie could have taken its time and slowly but surely drawn characters like Clive and Major into the zombie world. However, the show has made the smart decision to pull them into Blaine and his cronies’ orbit rather quickly (Clive comes this close to getting killed with a butcher knife in tonight’s episode), and it’s paid off wonderfully so far, adding an extra layer of excitement to a series that’s already insanely fun.
And really, while “fun” is a great word to describe iZombie, I think a better one would be confident. This is a young series that knows its strengths and continues to play to them. I can’t wait to see what it has in store for the second half of its first season.
Other thoughts:
– Everything having to do with Liv playing video games, from her initial disinterest, to Ravi’s enthusiasm, to her continually referring to her character as a “Polish troll” was terrific. I seriously could have watched an entire hour of Liv and Ravi on their computers, battling against other players, and I wouldn’t have gotten bored.
– Rose McIver keeps proving that she’s a star week after week on this show. Not only is she absolutely hilarious throughout the episode (again, “Polish troll”), but she also excellently portrays the conflicted feelings Liv has for Lowell. She’s excited, nervous, and enthralled all at the same time, and McIver plays all the different emotions perfectly.
– I actually really dug this episode’s “case of the week” and loved how the brother had no remorse for what he did. While he didn’t deserve to die, Simon Cutler wasn’t an innocent victim–he ruined people’s lives.
– Blaine somehow gets even more vicious in this episode, murdering Jackie after Clive shows up at the butcher shop, asking questions about the delivery boy Jackie killed. David Anders was such a fantastic choice to play Blaine, who is turning into one heck of a villain.
– So Liv’s brother is definitely going to end up working for Blaine, right? There’s no way they tease us with that at the end of the episode and then have it not come back into the show somehow.
– I’m quickly realizing that there isn’t a single character on this show I dislike. Sure, Blaine’s a murdering, brain-peddling psycho, but as I said above, he’s such a fun and charismatic villain–you’ve got to like him.
– For the record, I’m all aboard the Liv and Lowell ship. In fact, I very well may be the captain of it.
– Ravi’s enthusiasm for anything and everything will never not be entertaining.
– “I’m not taking back Tree Palace.” “You must!”
What did everyone else think about tonight’s episode of iZombie?
[Photo via The CW]
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