iZombie Versus Veronica Mars: Has Rob Thomas Struck Cult Fandom Again?

By now, most of you have probably heard of Veronica Mars in some way or another. If you weren't a fan of the short lived UPN turned CW teen drama with a cult following when it was on the air (arguably lost in the shuffle of the UPN/WB merger), then you probably caught wind of the record breaking Kickstarter campaign helmed by creator and showrunner, Rob Thomas, and the show's leading lady, Kristen Bell.

Lindsay Sperling

Published: Mar 16, 2015 08:32 pm

This article is over 9 years old and may contain outdated information

The Verdict

Recommended Videos

izombie

Overall, iZombie stands on it’s own well enough. Although it has clear hints of Veronica Mars entwined in the foundation of the story, the style of writing, and the characters, it’s more refined in just about every way. It’s no surprise that The CW chose to bring Thomas back into their collective ranks and take a chance on another genre series. The zombie trend is hit or miss in pop culture these days, so much like Veronica Mars, this show is more of the ‘Love it’ or ‘Hate it’ variety. It has the potential to rally fans in a similar way behind these more defined characters, but zombies are also a trend that not everyone is into, or wants to in on.

Thankfully, Rose McIver’s performance as Liv provides a strong lead for the show, as she has her own sense of purpose which will carry the narrative as it develops from its simplistic origin story to something more complicated down the line. Fans can look forward to the best that Rob Thomas has yet to offer with Liv fulfilling the role of heroine, and The Vampire Diaries‘ David Anders coming in as a strong, and clear cut, antagonist.

It you’re expecting a Veronica Mars with zombies, you’ll be severely disappointed here. iZombie is its own show in every way that matters. There are some indications of different stages of the zombie transformation that mirror more of a stereotypical version of these fictional creatures, but all in all, Liv and Ander’s character, Blaine, are able to live as functional zombies, giving the show a different take on zombies as a whole.

After only seeing the first four episodes, I’m already hooked. The CW has really stepped up its content in the last few seasons with surprise hits like The 100 which aren’t afraid to take risks or go against the grain, and I think iZombie offers fans something different enough to be catchy without being redundant. There are some things about the show that still need to fall into place, but with any new series, that happens over time. I just hope that viewers appreciate what iZombie has to offer at this point enough for the writers to get that opportunity.

We Got This Covered is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy

Author

Lindsay Sperling

Lindsay Sperling has A.D.D. and her tastes reflect it. Her movie collection boasts everything from Casablanca to John Tucker Must Die to every season of Sons of Anarchy to-date. She adamantly supported a Veronica Mars Movie (yes, she did make a donation to see it happen..and also possibly for the t-shirt), hopes that the Fast & Furious franchise continues far into the future, and has read every popular YA book series turned film in recent years (except Harry Potter..). When she's not on an indie film set or educating the youth of America, she uses her time arguably productive as a freelance writer.