iZombie Review: Dot Zom (Season 5 Episode 4)

iZombie looks to try something a bit different with a calculated data-mining brain that has its upsides and downsides.

Which is how one may come to feel about iZombie Season 5 Episode 4, “Dot Zom,” as this newest installment tries to tell a bigger story not all viewers may be eager to rally behind.

But with Liv on analytic genius brain, the story-telling is smart and the murder mystery complex. Add in some entertainment from our resident Seattle showman, Blaine and you’ve got one solid episode.

The murder of a data-mining CEO turned apocalypse bunker enthusiast isn’t exactly murder-of-the-week material. No, this case is clearly introduced to further the seasonal arc and for the most part, it does.

With a winning iZombie formula to back it up, this episode gives us an intriguing murder-mystery that ties the season’s larger plot seamlessly into the story.

While it’s not exactly shocking that data from the murder victim’s tracking apps can be combined to reveal the living habits that will expose every zombie in Seattle (Vaughn Du Clark kinda did it first) but what is shocking is how effective this ticking time bomb can be for the series.

If you’re like me and still harbouring distaste towards this New Seattle setup than the prospect of a zombie versus human apocalypse may not be all that intriguing knowing all the tedious political metaphors that will have to go into it.

If an apocalypse is coming I want Max Rager basement party level apocalypse, not kidnapping zombie teachers in a van level. I know this episode is calm and calculating on this newest brain, but embrace the chaos iZombie or risk another Brother Love blunder.

The new conflict is easy to invest in, but unfortunately, iZombie’s newest villain is not.

Forgive me but a creepy guy in the poorly lit van giving pro-zombie speeches doesn’t exactly scream great villain to me.

Stacey Boss, Blaine, and Vaughn Du Clark all gripped and captivated us from the moment they appeared onscreen, but this new boss doesn’t seem to bring anything new and exciting to the table — yet.

All I can say is cringy CGI head bashing and a forgettable first impression for a villain acting like we should know him doesn’t help accentuate an already politically polarizing plot.

Hopefully, this new boss has a few surprises in mind because as this show’s faulters and successes have shown, a villain makes or breaks a season.

Thankfully not all character introductions fall short for “Dot Zom”.

Gage Golightly’s Al is just the right amount of mysterious and each of her interactions feels premeditated as part of a bigger plan — a plan she gives a clever hint to when she name drops Floyd Baracus.

It’s so refreshing to see a character introduced in Blaine’s gravitational pull that isn’t a love interest or rival villain. It’s likely Al sees past Blaine’s tricks (finally someone does) and is looking to build enough evidence to charge him for the Mayor’s death.

Most of Al’s motivations are still unclear but it looks like she will be sticking around for a little while to wreak havoc on Blaine’s world. We love to see Blaine pull off epic Capoeira fight scenes but we also love to see Blaine get the reckoning he deserves – and Al may just be that reckoning.

“Dot Zom” excels at expanding Seattle into new territory and stumbles in the comedy department as data-mining jokes don’t exactly speak to a large audience.

Regardless, iZombie is hopeful in moving towards the greatest final season showdown yet – a full-fledged zombie apocalypse.

Can the apocalypse give viewers an epic climax while still allowing ur characters enough normalcy to bond in their final moments? Only time will tell how promising the end of the world will be for the end of this show.

What did you think of this episode of iZombie? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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iZombie airs Thursdays at 8/7c on The CW.

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