iZombie 4×1 Review: Are You Ready For Some Zombies?

It has been almost an entire year, but our favorite zombie show is back! “Are You Ready For Some Zombies” welcomed season four, and there is a lot to take in, including the newly walled New Seattle. Life will never be the same for our characters, and although it looks like they will be encountering a lot of the same problems of prior seasons, such as black market brains and murders, there will be lots of politics to look forward to in season four. iZombie is back!

“Are You Ready For Some Zombies” had a bit of a slow start and a lot of exposition, but it was a pretty decent season-opener. There was a little bit of time jump of about four months since the season three finale, and a lot happened since then, including the exodus of humans from Seattle and the subsequent wall. The rules inside the walls have changed, too: all of the detectives are in human/zombie pairs, which works out well for Liv and Clive…they can stay working together! Bozzio, who we learned was infected with the zombie virus at the end of season three, appears to be running Homicide now as well. I love seeing all my faves working together!

Another big change is Ravi. His fate ended as the major cliffhanger at the end of season three, and it was a really fun reveal to viewers as to what happened. (Well, the reveal of him licking the brains was fun, but the exposition was a little tedious). Rahul Kohli is so good at physical comedy that I think that this “time of the month” zombie transformation has a lot of potential for being very hilarious. I hope the writers don’t overdo it, because it could easily become a plot device or writing crutch, but it could also be really fun. (I mean, a nudist brain? I did not see that coming.)

Major is still working for Fillmore Graves and trying to keep the peace. Unfortunately, not everyone is welcoming to the zombie population.  Luckily, Chase Graves is giving Major the opportunity to round up young, homeless zombies to make them more productive members of zombie society (well, that is what he wants Major to think), which is right up Major’s alley from his previous life. Although I think Major’s character is continually the most improved, I found his arc to be the least interesting in the season opener. Hopefully it will pick up next week.

That brings us to the introduction of the major political arc of the season: Angus McDonough (aka Blaine’s dad) and his religious radicalism. I knew it was just a matter of time before Blaine’s cockiness and treatment of his father would get the best of him, and it apparently has. Now that Robert Knepper has been promoted to series regular, I am sure that Angus will play an undeniable large role in season four, and will likely continue to be a foe to Blaine and his interests.

Speaking of those interests, Blaine seems to be doing quite well for himself. Not only is The Scratching Post a zombie hotspot, but he apparently owns (or at least supplies) a very fancy restaurant that caters to both humans and zombies alike. Out of all of the outlandish parts of the show, this is the one that I just cannot get over. Zombies and humans sitting together, having a fancy dinner with a shared kitchen. This would probably never happen in real life.

“Are You Ready For Some Zombies” really opened the door for a lot of great storytelling and some really interesting plots, especially the zombie guillotine (which I am positive we will get to see used this season) and the fact that zombies can get the death penalty for scratching a human and subsequently turning them into a zombie. Another story that will undoubtedly be revisited is the relationship between Fillmore Graves and the so-called “Dead-Enders”–the violent anti-zombie resisters.

Overall, there was a LOT that happened in the season opener, and sometimes that can result in a just-okay episode (which I felt that this was). I am okay with that, though, because it really did what a lot of season premieres need to do in introducing arcs and opening doors to what lies ahead for the season. Although the Brain-of-the-week will be back this season, it will be time to focus on the zombie/human politics, and I am so here for that!

What did you think about the iZombie season four opener? Let us know in the comments!

Author: Erin

Erin has reviewed many shows over the years including Orphan Black, iZombie, Penny Dreadful, and Killing Eve. She has a keen eye for on-screen chemistry, and loves to tackle the subject of casting. She is also our horror aficionado. She live tweets shows, and loves to share her feelings. Erin has a BA in History, and likes to analyze the lore behind historical fiction. She attends San Diego Comic Con every year and has also attended C2E2 and WonderCon.

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