Like all fans, we’re sad to see iZombie go, but it had a great run. Of course, not everyone was pleased with the way things ended. That’s always the case, but iZombie fans have been entirely outspoken about their thoughts. We wanted to explore some of the reactions and share both sides. Before we get to that, it should be obvious but: SPOILER ALERT!! SERIES FINALE SPOILERS FOR iZOMBIE ARE COMING!!! If you need to pause and catch up, then please do that first because we’re not holding anything back, and neither were the fans and reviewers of the show.
All’s Well That Ends Well
If you were expecting another dark twist at the very end of the series, you were among the many upset fans who wanted a little more horror in this soon-to-be cult classic comedy show. More than a few people were surprised at the utterly unironic episode title and the tidy finish. A cheery ending with lots of missing pieces filled in isn’t for everyone, but we saw it coming. The show has always had an undertone of hope and positivity that helps move the darker elements along. From Liv on a bicycle riding through Seattle enjoying the last blush of the leftovers from the brain of an optimist who died badly to Ravi’s unwillingness to give up on her ever, there’s always been a hint of unapologetic joy and the sense that things must work out in the end.
Writer Rob Thomas wanted to make sure the fans got what they deserved from him. Despite the fact, he often has a darker end to his tales. Though we went most of the final episode thinking Liv and Major had both died (or at least been forced into separate hiding) it turns out they’re happily married. They’ve been living on Zombie Island with a new crew of adopted miscreants. They even extended the invite to their old gang to join them for eternity. Rob, for one, was thrilled with the ending. He felt fans deserved to have a tidy package where no major characters truly died.
Sad Ravi
Rahul Kohli, who played Ravi, expressed his gratitude and sorrow at the shows’ ending. He said, “…Thank you for taking a risk on some inexperienced random actor from London and believing in me when no one else did. I was all but ready to quit acting for good until iZombie came into my life.” Clearly, he’s not afraid to be like the character he played and lay it on the line. It just goes to show Ravi was always the real heartbreaker on the show. Even when it’s over the actor is still making us tear up and cheer for him. Talk about a show-stealer.
Dubious
Ray Flook of BleedingCool.com wasn’t sure what he most wanted from the season finale. As an avid fan he says he wasn’t sure if he most wanted the whole cast to die in a blaze of glory, a fairytale ending or something in between. Though he admits, he enjoyed watching Peyton get shot. Ray isn’t the only one who was torn on the issue of what should happen to the cast. Though as it turns out, a happy ending was always the intention if you ask Rob Thomas. Hopefully, there were enough ups and downs for everyone.
Not So Happy (With The) Ending
Over at Avclub.com, LaToya Ferguson of kinja.com felt the finale was a complete failure. She felt like writer Rob Thomas was too distracted between this and his Veronica Mars project to give iZombie the attention and finish it truly deserved. LaToya represents a whole subset of people who were expecting a very different end to the Battle for Seattle. We admit, for a while there even we thought it might end in a nuclear flash mirroring the fears of the real world whenever major confrontations are threatened or enacted.
Wishy-Washy
Denofgeek.com’s Kayti Burt made no bones about it. Stating “the whole ending feels like bizarro world,” she found the finish too cheery and ‘wishy-washy’ to be good. Kayti says the flash forward ten years was jarring and somewhat unpleasant. Plus she never really got invested in the love story between Major and Liv in the first place. Hence, for her, the payoff of them being not-dead yet undead together forever wasn’t worth it. The finale lacked stakes and consequence as far as this reviewer was concerned, and in some ways, she isn’t wrong. She wanted more character-driven moments and much more from Blaine when it came to his motives where Peyton was concerned. We certainly didn’t get that. Many fans disagreed with her on that and simply loved seeing the good guys win in the end, but everyone has a right to their own opinion.
Our Thoughts
It’s a rare and bold move to end on a high note in a non-children’s TV show. We’ll admit it; there aren’t enough wins in this jaded era. While there’s nothing wrong with a super dark, broody and upsetting ending for a horror show, this one was never really ‘like that.’ We always felt the antics of Liv, Clive, Ravi, Peyton, Blaine, and Major were less about how gory a zombie apocalypse can be and far more about how we all forget that things can still turn out okay even in the darkest of times. As Doctor Who might say, sometimes nobody dies. Not too often, but it should happen now and then. That said, we would have liked the finale to stretch over about three different episodes to give it the full treatment. However, we’re not unhappy about where they went with it.
Final Thoughts
We loved Liv Moore and her merry band of miscreants and companions. Her antics will be sorely missed in our watching schedule, but at least we can binge it all again whenever we want on Netflix. Doubtless, iZombie will be on our Must Watch List for October every year along with all our horror-based favorites. Share your thoughts on the way it ended in the comments below. You never know, maybe you’ll end up in one of our fan reaction pieces in the future. We’ll be waiting to see what Rose McIver (Liv) does next.
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