Wednesday, March 18, 2015

On The Air: iZombie (2015)

5 years ago, DC Comics' Vertigo division introduced a quirky supernatural series, iZOMBIE, which continued for nearly 2 1/2 years. The lead character took a job as a gravedigger to support her appetite for human brains.  Her best friends were a were-dog and a ghost. Y'think maybe it was inspired by the British TV series, Being Human, before that series emigrated to the US?

After the book was cancelled, the CW network, a partial corporate sibling to DC, picked up an option on an adaptation of the series, but there would be a few changes, due largely to Being Human arriving in the US on SyFy. The lead, formerly Gwen Price, was rechristened Olivia "Liv" Moore, and instead of being a gravedigger, Liv works for the Medical Examiner's office in Seattle.

Hmmm. Quincy crossed with The Walking Dead and The Dead Zone. Why the latter, you ask? Because Liv (Rose Maciver) absorbs the memories of murder victims, plus some perculiar habits, depending on the case, just from ingesting some brain cells. Her boss passes her off as a psychic (Psych says hello) to a rookie police detective, who then begins asking for Liv's help.

Co-creator Mike Allred contributed new artwork for the show's opening sequence. The TV show is in the capable hands of Rob Thomas (ex-Veronica Mars), who directed the opener. Liv, like other detectives, narrates her own adventures.

Following is a trailer:



To make room, CW has moved Supernatural to Wednesdays for the rest of the season, at least, meaning iZombie (note the lack of caps) will be coupled with DC stablemate The Flash, and air opposite Marvel's Agents of SHIELD, which is too tied up with Marvel's cinematic universe for casual fans to keep track. I'd not be surprised, though, if iZombie eats into SHIELD's audience to be renewed for a 2nd season. The fact that Liv is now working in the medical examiner's office opens the door, if Thomas and Flash showrunner Greg Berlanti are interested, to a crossover between the two and/or Arrow, Berlanti's other CW hit. You just never know.

Rating: A.

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