iZombie | |
---|---|
Genre | |
Based on | |
Developed by | |
Starring | |
Narrated by | Rose McIver |
Opening theme | "Stop, I'm Already Dead" by Deadboy & the Elephantmen |
Composer | Josh Kramon |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 5 |
No. of episodes | 71 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producers |
|
Production locations | Vancouver, British Columbia |
Camera setup | Single-camera |
Running time | 42 minutes |
Production companies |
|
Original release | |
Network | The CW |
Release | March 17, 2015 – August 1, 2019 |
iZombie is an American supernatural procedural drama television series developed by Rob Thomas and Diane Ruggiero-Wright for the CW. It is an adaptation of the DC comic book series iZombie created by Chris Roberson and Michael Allred. The series premiered on March 17, 2015, and ran for five seasons, ending on August 1, 2019. It follows the adventures of doctor-turned-zombie Olivia "Liv" Moore (Rose McIver), a Seattle Police medical examiner who helps solve murders after eating the victims' brains and temporarily absorbing their memories and personalities.
Seattle medical resident Olivia "Liv" Moore is turned into a zombie while attending a boat party. She abandons her career and breaks up with her fiancé, much to the disappointment and puzzlement of her family. She discovers that if she does not periodically satisfy her new appetite for brains, she will turn into a stereotypically primitive and homicidal zombie. Instead of feeding by killing innocent people, Liv decides to take a job at the King County morgue and eat the brains of the corpses she autopsies. Her secret is guessed by her boss, Dr. Ravi Chakrabarti. Ravi soon becomes Liv's friend and confidant, and as a scientist, he is intrigued by her condition.
Whenever Liv eats a dead person's brain, she temporarily absorbs some of their personality traits and skills, and she experiences flashbacks of that person's life. In the case of murder victims, the flashbacks offer clues about the killer. Liv uses this new ability to help Police Detective Clive Babineaux solve crimes. Though she initially passes herself off as a psychic, Clive eventually learns the truth about her and zombies. Meanwhile, Ravi works to develop a cure for Liv's affliction, in the hope that one day she will be able to return to her former life.
Throughout the first few seasons, the number of zombies in Seattle gradually increases, while various factions try to cover up their existence, fight them, exploit them, or protect them. At the end of the third season, a zombie-run private military company infects thousands of people in Seattle with the zombie virus and imposes martial law on the city to create a safe haven for zombies. The final two seasons deal with the struggles and conflicts of living under these conditions; Liv becomes the leader of a human smuggling operation bringing people who want to become zombies into Seattle.
iZombie was officially picked up on May 8, 2014, [5] and premiered on March 17, 2015. [6] On May 6, 2015, the CW renewed the series for a second season. [7] On November 23, 2015, the CW ordered six additional episodes for the second season, bringing the episode count to a total of 19 episodes. [8] iZombie was renewed for a third season on March 11, 2016. [9] iZombie was renewed for a fourth season on May 10, 2017, [10] which premiered on February 26, 2018. [11] iZombie was renewed for a fifth and final season in May 2018, [12] [13] which premiered on May 2, 2019. [14]
Season | Episodes | Originally aired | Rank | Average viewers (in millions inc. DVR) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First aired | Last aired | |||||
1 | 13 | March 17, 2015 | June 9, 2015 | 154 | 2.51 [15] | |
2 | 19 | October 6, 2015 | April 12, 2016 | 174 | 1.68 [16] | |
3 | 13 | April 4, 2017 | June 27, 2017 | 160 | 1.37 [17] | |
4 | 13 | February 26, 2018 | May 28, 2018 | 191 | 1.24 [18] | |
5 | 13 | May 2, 2019 | August 1, 2019 | 140 | 1.01 [19] |
Rob Thomas was approached by Warner Brothers to develop the series while he was editing the film version of Veronica Mars . At first, he refused, but Warner Brothers was insistent, and he eventually took the job. [20] Prior to iZombie, Thomas was attempting to pitch his own zombie television series; when AMC picked up The Walking Dead , it was "so similar to what we were doing, it just killed that project", according to Thomas. [20]
The opening credits for the series are drawn by Michael Allred, the main artist and co-creator of the original comic book. [21] The series' theme tune is "Stop, I'm Already Dead" by Deadboy & the Elephantmen. [22]
On October 5, 2015, the CW ordered five additional scripts for the second season; [23] however, on November 23, 2015, the network ordered six additional episodes into production, bringing the season order to 19 episodes. [24]
Alexandra Krosney originally played the part of Peyton Charles. [25] After the series was ordered, she was replaced by Aly Michalka, and the role was changed from regular cast to recurring. [26] On May 22, 2016, Michalka was promoted to series regular for the third season. [27] Nora Dunn was initially attached to play Liv's mother; however, it was changed when it was realized that her character was going to play a smaller role than initially envisioned. She was replaced by Molly Hagan. [28] Rob Thomas has stated that this move was a financial decision. [28]
On July 21, 2017, it was announced that Robert Knepper had been promoted to series regular for the fourth season. [29] [30] On September 27, 2018, it was announced that Bryce Hodgson had been promoted to series regular for the fifth and final season. [31]
David Anders stated following Knepper's departure that while he had suggested Rutger Hauer to play his character's father, he believed Knepper did well in the role. [32]
Late in 2017, in the wake of sexual assault allegations against Robert Knepper, the CW conducted an internal inquiry. Finding no evidence of misconduct transpiring on the set, it was announced he would be remaining on the series. [33] McIver and Kohli released statements following the decision, with McIver stating she supported and admired the bravery of women coming forward in general; Kohli said he did not feel comfortable giving his full thoughts at the time. [34]
Knepper personally announced his promotion in a video released at Comic-Con but did not partake in promotional interviews for his role following the allegations, nor did he attend the fourth-season wrap party. [35] [36]
On January 12, 2018, it was announced that the studio had conducted a second investigation. CW president Mark Pedowitz stated, "Again, the investigation related to the set and his behavior on the set. They found no wrongdoing on the set." [37] Pedowitz elaborated that Knepper had signed on for a single season and that his exit from the series had already been planned. [38] [39]
The first season received generally positive reviews. [40] Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gave the series a 92% approval rating, with an average rating of 7.65/10, based on 52 reviews. The site's critical consensus states: "An amusing variation on the zombie trend, iZombie is refreshingly different, if perhaps too youth-oriented to resonate with adult audiences." [41] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 74 out of 100, based on reviews from 38 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [42]
Amy Ratcliffe of IGN rated the pilot episode 8.4/10, praising the series' "casual take on zombies" and Rose McIver's performance as Liv. [43] LaToya Ferguson of The Onion's The A.V. Club graded the series an A− and stated the series is better for diverging from its comic book origins. She praised the series for having the same quick-witted banter as Veronica Mars and observed it measures up well against Pushing Daisies , noting: "Television can only be better for having the voices of Thomas and Ruggiero-Wright back on a weekly basis". [44] Inkoo Kang of the Dallas Observer called the series, "dazzlingly, tirelessly witty" with an "acute attention to human relationships", and praised it as "the summer's most underrated series". [40]
The second season was also met with positive reviews. It holds a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 14 reviews with an average score of 8.39/10. The website's consensus states: "iZombie smoothly shifts gears in its second season, moving between comedy and dramatic procedural while skillfully satirizing modern society along the way." [45]
The third season received further praise with a score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 10 reviews with an average rating of 8.56/10. The website's consensus reads, "Broodier and brainier, iZombie's third season may be its best yet". [46]
The fourth season has been met with similar praise. It earned a score of 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 12 reviews, with an average rating of 8.13/10. The website's consensus reads, "iZombie's fourth season boldly flips the board on the series narrative, injecting fresh blood into its amiable corpse and promising that it won't go stiff anytime soon". [47]
On Rotten Tomatoes season 5 has an approval rating of 71% based on reviews from 7 critics. [48]
The series finale was met with notable negative response, however. In March 2022, nearly three years after its airing, Paste reflected that both the finale and final season as a whole seemed to have suffered due to Rob Thomas' preoccupation with the concurrent revival of Veronica Mars , and stated "The finale of iZombie was one of the worst TV viewing experiences I have ever had. As the minutes unfolded I became filled with horror watching everything fall apart. The characters I had loved for five seasons turned into strangers. And when the credits finally rolled, I found myself questioning all the love I had put into it." [49] The same month, Rahul Kohli admitted dissatisfaction with the finale, saying that he felt that it "sucked" and was "super disappointing". [50]
Season | Timeslot (ET) | Episodes | First aired | Last aired | TV season | Viewership rank | Avg. viewers (millions) | 18–49 rank | Avg. 18–49 rating | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Viewers (millions) | Date | Viewers (millions) | ||||||||
1 | Tuesday 9:00 pm | 13 | March 17, 2015 | 2.29 [51] | June 9, 2015 | 1.45 [52] | 2014–15 | 154 | 2.51 | TBD | 1.0 [53] |
2 | 19 | October 6, 2015 | 1.53 [54] | April 12, 2016 | 1.22 [55] | 2015–16 | 174 | 1.68 | TBD | 0.7 [56] | |
3 | 13 | April 4, 2017 | 0.95 [57] | June 27, 2017 | 0.86 [58] | 2016–17 | 160 | 1.37 [59] | TBD | 0.6 [60] | |
4 | Monday 9:00 pm | 13 | February 26, 2018 | 0.99 [61] | May 28, 2018 | 0.74 [62] | 2017–18 | 191 | 1.24 | TBD | 0.5 [63] |
5 | Thursday 8:00 pm | 13 | May 2, 2019 | 0.73 [64] | August 1, 2019 | 0.75 [65] | 2018–19 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
Season | Episode number | |||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | ||
1 | 2.29 | 1.99 | 1.81 | 1.77 | 1.85 | 1.80 | 1.69 | 1.62 | 1.70 | 1.50 | 1.56 | 1.80 | 1.45 | – | ||||||
2 | 1.53 | 1.22 | 1.29 | 1.47 | 1.43 | 1.40 | 1.17 | 1.55 | 1.37 | 1.17 | 1.43 | 1.43 | 1.25 | 1.45 | 1.21 | 1.25 | 1.07 | 1.36 | 1.22 | |
3 | 0.95 | 0.87 | 0.75 | 0.97 | 0.93 | 0.97 | 0.86 | 0.98 | 0.92 | 0.71 | 0.78 | 0.77 | 0.86 | – | ||||||
4 | 0.99 | 0.77 | 0.76 | 0.73 | 0.72 | 0.80 | 0.81 | 0.68 | 0.68 | 0.78 | 0.72 | 0.64 | 0.74 | – | ||||||
5 | 0.73 | 0.58 | 0.57 | 0.69 | 0.67 | 0.67 | 0.70 | 0.60 | 0.62 | 0.57 | 0.71 | 0.61 | 0.75 | – |
The fourth season received the ReFrame Stamp, which is awarded by the gender equity coalition ReFrame as a "mark of distinction" for film and television projects that are proven to have gender-balanced hiring, with stamps being awarded to projects that hire female-identifying people, especially those of color, in four out of eight critical areas of their production. [67]
Award | Year [a] | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Leo Awards | 2016 | Best Cinematography in a Dramatic Series | Michael Wale (for "Zombie Bro") | Nominated | [68] [69] |
Best Make-Up in a Dramatic Series | Amber Trudeau, Malin Sjostrom, Cory Roberts and Rebekah Bak (for "Method Head") | Won | |||
MTV Fandom Awards | 2015 | Best New Fandom of the Year | iZombie | Won | [70] |
Teen Choice Awards | 2015 | Choice TV: Breakout Show | iZombie | Nominated | [71] |
2016 | Choice TV Show: Sci-Fi/Fantasy | iZombie | Nominated | [72] | |
2017 | Choice TV Show: Actress/Comedy | Rose McIver | Nominated | [73] | |
2018 | Choice Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Actress | Rose McIver | Nominated | [74] | |
Choice Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Show | iZombie | Nominated | |||
2019 | Choice Summer TV Actress | Rose McIver | Nominated | [75] |
The first three seasons of the show have been released on DVD and Blu-ray by Warner Home Entertainment and the Warner Archive Collection respectively. The fourth season did not receive a release due to rights issues, according to Warner Archive. The fourth season cannot be purchased on digital stores, but is available for streaming on Netflix. The fifth season was not released either, supposedly due to the fourth season not being released. However, unlike the fourth season, the fifth season is available for purchase on digital stores.
Complete season | DVD/Blu-ray release dates | Additional info | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Region 1 DVD/Region A Blu-Ray | Region 2 DVD | Region 4 DVD | ||
1 | September 29, 2015 (DVD) [76] July 12, 2016 (Blu-Ray) [77] | September 22, 2016 [78] | March 16, 2016 [79] | Each season release contains additional features, which include deleted scenes and Comic-Con panels. |
2 | July 12, 2016 (DVD & Blu-Ray) [80] | May 29, 2017 [81] | March 29, 2017 [82] | |
3 | October 3, 2017 (DVD & Blu-Ray) [83] | — | April 4, 2018 [84] | |
4 | — | — | — | Warner Archive claims that the fourth season "has clearance issues which preclude a Blu-ray release". [85] |
5 | — | — | — | |
Grimm is an American fantasy police procedural drama horror television series created by Stephen Carpenter, Jim Kouf and David Greenwalt, and produced by Universal Television for NBC. The series premiered on October 28, 2011, and ended on March 30, 2017, after six seasons consisting of 123 episodes. The series' narrative follows Portland homicide detective Nicholas Burkhardt, who discovers he is a Grimm, the latest in a line of guardians who is sworn to keep the balance between humanity and mythological creatures, known as Wesen. The series features a supporting cast with Russell Hornsby, Bitsie Tulloch, Silas Weir Mitchell, Sasha Roiz, Reggie Lee, Bree Turner, and Claire Coffee.
Arrow is an American superhero television series developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow, a costumed crime-fighter created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, and is the first series of the Arrowverse, sharing continuity with other related television series. The series premiered in the United States on The CW on October 10, 2012, and ran for eight seasons until January 28, 2020. Arrow was primarily filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
The Originals is an American fantasy supernatural drama television series that began airing on The CW on October 3, 2013. It is a spin-off of The Vampire Diaries and the first television series expansion of the franchise based on its parent series. The series follows vampire-werewolf hybrid Klaus Mikaelson as he and his family become embroiled in the supernatural politics of the French Quarter of New Orleans.
The 100 is an American post-apocalyptic science fiction drama television series that premiered on March 19, 2014, on The CW, and ended on September 30, 2020. Developed by Jason Rothenberg, the series is loosely based on the young adult novel series of the same name by Kass Morgan. The 100 follows post-apocalyptic survivors from a space habitat, the Ark, who return to Earth nearly a century after a devastating nuclear apocalypse. The first people sent to Earth are a group of juvenile delinquents who encounter descendants of survivors of the nuclear disaster on the ground.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine is an American police procedural sitcom television series that aired on Fox, and later on NBC, from September 17, 2013 to September 16, 2021, for eight seasons and 153 episodes. Created by Dan Goor and Michael Schur, it revolves around seven New York City Police Department (NYPD) detectives who are adjusting to life under their new commanding officer, the serious and stern Captain Raymond Holt. This sitcom features an ensemble cast of Andy Samberg, Andre Braugher, Stephanie Beatriz, Terry Crews, Melissa Fumero, Joe Lo Truglio, Chelsea Peretti, Dirk Blocker, and Joel McKinnon Miller.
NCIS: New Orleans is an American action crime drama and police procedural television series that premiered on CBS on September 23, 2014, following the twelfth season of NCIS. The pilot was written by Gary Glasberg. Produced by CBS Studios, Wings Productions and, for the first four seasons, When Pigs Fly Incorporated, the series stars Scott Bakula and CCH Pounder. The series, set and filmed in New Orleans, is the third series of the NCIS franchise. In May 2020, the show was renewed for the seventh season, which premiered on November 8, 2020. In February 2021, CBS announced that the seventh season would be the series' final one. The series concluded on May 23, 2021, making it the first show in the NCIS franchise to end.
The Flash is an American superhero television series developed by Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg, and Geoff Johns, airing on The CW. It is based on the Barry Allen incarnation of DC Comics character the Flash, a costumed superhero crime-fighter with the power to move at superhuman speeds. It is a spin-off of Arrow, existing in the same fictional universe known as the Arrowverse. The series premiered in the United States on The CW on October 7, 2014, and ran for nine seasons until May 24, 2023. The series follows Barry Allen, portrayed by Grant Gustin, a crime scene investigator who gains super-human speed, which he uses to fight criminals, along with others who have also gained superhuman abilities.
Jane the Virgin is an American romantic comedy-drama and satirical telenovela developed by Jennie Snyder Urman. The series premiered October 13, 2014, on The CW and concluded on July 31, 2019. It is a loose adaptation of the Venezuelan telenovela Juana la virgen created by Perla Farías. It stars Gina Rodriguez as Jane Gloriana Villanueva, a devout 23-year-old Latina virgin who becomes pregnant after an accidental artificial insemination by her gynecologist. It parodies common tropes and devices in Latin American telenovelas.
Supergirl is an American superhero drama television series developed by Ali Adler, Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg that aired on CBS and later The CW from October 26, 2015, to November 9, 2021. Based on the DC Comics character created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino, the series follows Kara Zor-El, Superman's cousin, and one of the last surviving Kryptonians from the planet Krypton.
DC's Legends of Tomorrow, or simply Legends of Tomorrow, is an American time travel superhero television series developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg, and Phil Klemmer, who are also executive producers along with Sarah Schechter and Chris Fedak; Klemmer and Fedak originally served as showrunners, while Keto Shimizu became co-showrunner with Klemmer starting with the fourth season. The series, based on the characters of DC Comics, premiered on The CW on January 21, 2016, and ran for seven seasons until March 2, 2022, before its cancellation on April 29. It is a spin-off set in the Arrowverse and features characters introduced in Arrow and The Flash, along with new characters.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is an American romantic musical comedy-drama television series that premiered on October 12, 2015, on The CW and ran for four seasons, ending on April 5, 2019. The series was created, written, and directed by Rachel Bloom and Aline Brosh McKenna and stars Bloom in the lead role as Rebecca Bunch, a lawyer who moves from New York City to West Covina, California, to pursue her ex-boyfriend from high-school summer camp. Many of the musical numbers take place in Rebecca's imagination -- while these numbers often represent Rebecca's real interactions and encounters, the music is entirely imagined.
The fifth and final season of Prison Break is a limited event television series and a revival of the original series created by Paul Scheuring that aired on Fox from 2005 to 2009. The season is produced by 20th Century Fox Television in association with Adelstein Productions, Dawn Olmstead Productions, One Light Road Productions and Original Film. Paul Scheuring serves as showrunner, with himself, Marty Adelstein, Neal H. Moritz and Dawn Olmstead, Vaun Wilmott, Michael Horowitz and Nelson McCormick serving as executive producers. McCormick also serves as director. The season premiered on April 4, 2017, and concluded on May 30, 2017, consisting of 9 episodes.
Bull is an American legal drama television series created by Phil McGraw and Paul Attanasio and starring Michael Weatherly. CBS ordered the pilot to series on May 13, 2016, and ran for six seasons on from September 20, 2016, to May 26, 2022.
The first season of the American television series The Flash premiered on The CW on October 7, 2014, and concluded on May 19, 2015, after airing 23 episodes. The series is based on the DC Comics character Barry Allen / Flash, a costumed superhero crime-fighter with the power to move at superhuman speeds. It is a spin-off from Arrow, existing in the same fictional universe, and was produced by Berlanti Productions, Warner Bros. Television, and DC Entertainment, with Andrew Kreisberg serving as showrunner.
The Vampire Diaries Universe is an American media franchise and a shared universe that is centered on various interconnected television series airing on The CW. The series were developed by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec, and based on characters who appeared in the original novel series, The Vampire Diaries, by L. J. Smith.
"And He Shall Be a Good Man" is the thirteenth and final episode of the fourth season of the American science fiction television series iZombie. It was released on The CW on May 28, 2018. The series stars Rose McIver and revolves around medical examiner Olivia Moore, who was turned into a zombie and must eat brains to sustain herself and solve crimes. The episode was written by Rob Thomas and directed by Dan Etheridge.