Ep 2. Dead Lift

Despite rearing their head for quite some time, zombies are still a relatively untouched niche in the TV world - there have been a few successes in the form of The Walking Dead and iZombie, but for the most part, it's still up for grabs. However, iZombie is making a strong case for becoming the go-to zombie show with each season - its latest, season 5 episode 2 "Dead Lift," is no exception.

As the episode begins, we catch up with Liv (Rose McIver) and co. three months after the events of the season 4 finale - the zombie virus has now been publicly acknowledged by the city of New Seattle, and with a place in society comes a whole host of new problems for our protagonists. For instance, there's now a government agency known as the Dead Enders keeping an eye on the zombies and their brain consumption habits - and in turn, the zombie underground movement called the Filmore Graves has become increasingly aggressive. Add to that the fact that the humans that remain in the city are growing more and more resentful of their undead counterparts every day, and you've got a lot of tension mounting.

Against this backdrop, "Dead Lift" sees Liv and Clive (Malcolm Goodwin) investigating the murder of a wealthy gym owner, found strangled with a protein shake bottle. The victim was beloved by his clients, but hated by his employees - including a particularly spurned cleaner, who spilled boiling coffee over his crotch area in front of everyone during his final days. Meanwhile, Ravi (Rahul Kohli) is trying to cure the zombie virus for good - but in order to do that, he needs to first capture and study a live, un-injected zombie.

As with any episode of iZombie, the central investigation is both intriguing and generally well-executed. It's an enjoyable, tightly written whodunnit that bears all the hallmarks of the show's best episodes - plenty of red herrings, twists, and turns that lead to a satisfying reveal. However, as ever with iZombie, it's the character moments that really make the show stand out. In particular, Liv's ongoing struggles with the fact that she's now essentially a zombie celebrity - a poster girl for the undead population - adds an extra dimension to the proceedings. Throughout the episode, we see her being fawned over by fans, getting stopped for autographs and selfies, even being photographed smoking a joint. For someone who's used to staying under the radar and working in the shadows, it's a lot to adjust to.

Meanwhile, Blaine (David Anders) - now in charge of his own brain-selling empire after being exiled from the Filmore Graves - is back to his old tricks, but with a twist: he's now attempting to uncover the mole in his organization by testing his top employees' loyalty with a secret, deadly blend of brains. Anders is always a great villain, but his performance in "Dead Lift" stands out as one of his best - he's both hilarious and menacing at the same time, managing to be utterly despicable but still somewhat likable.

One of the strengths of iZombie has always been its ability to juggle multiple plotlines at once, and "Dead Lift" is no exception. As well as the murder investigation and the ongoing zombie/human conflict in New Seattle, we've got Ravi's attempts to create a zombie cure, and his growing relationship with new character Jordan (Judy Reyes), a doctor with an uncertain allegiance. It's a lot to take in, but it never feels overwhelming or overstuffed - the pacing is tight, and the little character moments scattered throughout the episode help to reinforce the emotional grounding of everything that's going on.

All in all, "Dead Lift" is a strong start to iZombie's final season - it's fun, engaging, and offers enough intriguing plot threads that it's genuinely hard to say where the show will go next. We've got the overarching story of Ravi's cure, the escalating zombie conflict, and the ongoing villainy of Blaine to contend with - not to mention whatever new mysteries the show throws our way. It's a testament to the show's writing and performances that five seasons in, it still feels fresh and engaging - and it's a bittersweet reminder that we'll only get a few more chances to enjoy it.