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Spoilers (1)
It is a loose adaptation of the comic book series of the same name created by Chris Roberson and Michael Allred, and published by DC Comics' Vertigo.
Zombies Liv (Rose McIver) and Blaine (David Anders) are shown eating brains in almost every episode. McIver and Anders have repeatedly stated in interviews that the "brains" are made out of gelatin and taste very unpleasant. Both actors have stated they use spit buckets after each scene they have to eat a brain.
The main character's name, Olivia "Liv" Moore, is a pun on her zombie status (she gets to "live more" after her death).
During one of the episodes, Lowell and Liv are talking about tanning and one of Lowell's lines ("I can't pull off that ethereal fairy look as you do") is a reference to a role Rose McIver had in Once Upon a Time (2011) where she portrayed Tinkerbell in season 3 of the series in 2013.
Rose McIver (Liv) and David Anders (Blaine) were both on Once Upon a Time (2011) as minor characters. McIver was Tinker Bell and Anders was Dr.Whale/Frankenstein.
The character "Liv Moore" is based on the protagonist of the Vertigo comics, "iZombie". In the comics, the character's name is, "Gwen Dylan".
The series is set in Seattle, Washington (although filmed in Vancouver, Canada), while in the comics it's set in Eugene, Oregon.
In 1.02 Liv gains the ability to paint, thanks to eating a brain. In the comics, she already has this talent, and paints what she sees after each meal.
The character "Major Lillywhite" is named after Major Applewhite, who was a Univesity of Texas quarterback. The University of Texas is Rob Thomas's alma mater.
In the episode "Real Dead Housewife of Seattle", Liv speaks the line "a long time ago, we used to be friends." This is a reference to Rob Thomas' earlier series Veronica Mars (2004) which had the theme song "We Used to Be Friends" by The Dandy Warhols, which has the lyric "a long time ago/we used to be friends."
In the second season, the recurring guest character played by Jessica Harmon is a FBI agent named Dale Bozzio who is tasked with a missing persons investigation. Dale Bozzio is the name of the lead singer of '80s New Wave band "Missing Persons".
In the episode "Love and Basketball," Liv asks a suspect if he went to Hearst College. This is a reference to the college the protagonist of Rob Thomas' other show, Veronica Mars, went to.
The opening song "Stop I'm Already Dead" is from New Orleans band "Deadboy & The Elephantmen. That band was fronted by Dax Riggs of the 90's Metal band Acid Bath. This song can be found on the album "We Are The Night Sky"
Guest stars Percy Daggs III, Daran Norris, Ryan Hansen, Ken Marino, Enrico Colantoni, and Jason Dohring have worked with Rob Thomas on the TV series Veronica Mars (2004) and the movie Veronica Mars (2014).
On iZombie episode "The Exterminator" they used a handful of names of former Seattle Supersonics for the episode's character's names. Included were Marvin Webster, Wally Walker, Fred Brown, Gus Williams and Don Watts (known widely as Slick Watts).
Season 2 Episode 13, mr boss tells drake to kill a man, the address drake is suppose to go to is 555 Brooksbank, which is the studio address where iZombie is filmed.
Both David Anders and Robert Knepper, were part of the cast of Heroes (2006), but in different seasons, David Anders was part of the cast in season two, with the ability to regenerate, while Knepper was part of the cast in season 4, having the power of Earth manipulation.
In the episode 'Cape Town', one of Blaine's henchmen asks him to figure out what was wrong with a dying man. Blaine replies, "I'm a brain dealer, not a doctor." This is of course first a reference to the running joke on the original "Star Trek," in which "Bones" McCoy would often exclaim, "I'm a doctor, not a (blank)"--"I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer"; "I'm a doctor, not a mechanic"; "I'm a doctor, not an escalator"; etc. The line also refers to 'David Anders'' role on Once Upon a Time (2011), in which he plays both Dr. Frankenstein and Dr. Whale.
The video game Liv's ex-fiancée is playing when she looks through his window is a Polish made zombie game called Dying Light.
In the first two seasons, the line "are we having fun yet?" is referenced. In season one, it is said by the boy explaining that a local drunk shouts it. In season 2, Vaugn shouts it at Major and Gilda. The line is linked to Adam Scott's character from Rob Thomas's Party Down. The character (Henry) had said the line in an advert and couldn't get work because it was so well known.
The theme song "Stop, I'm Already Dead" Performed by Deadboy & the Elephantmen also features in the opening scene of another zombie production, the re-make of "Day of the Dead" (2008),
In the episode "fifty shades of grey matter" Liv is about to listen to an audio excerpt of the book "The Upright Position", read by Kristen Bell. Liv states that she's "always felt a kind of connection to her". Kristen Bell is in Rob Thomas' show Veronica Mars
Aly Michalka's second CW show. This time she is a reccuring character rather than a regular.
In the Pilot episode, the line "Cagney and Pasty" that Babineaux mumbles to himself referring to his new partnership with Liv, in addition to being a reference to the series Cagney and Lacey, was also used in Rob Thomas's other series, Veronica Mars. The exchange was between Veronica and Tim Foyle in season 3: "Are we working together now? Starsky and Butch?" Veronica replies, "Cagney and Pasty."
David Anders also plays a zombie in the movie, The Revenant (2009).
Greg Finley plays a zombie in the series. He also made an appearance in The Flash as Tony Woodward/Girder in season 1, and in season 2, he appeared as the zombie version of his character.
In the episode "Hurt Stalker" the number plate on the SUV is 802GDT. The same number plate appears on the Porsche of the murdered Zombie High actor in episode "Method Head".
In series 2, episode 10, Liv and Clive are investigating a murder on the set of "Zombie High". One of the Zombie extras says that it would be cool if there was a show where the star is a zombie. Clive says "that's dumb".
Major's new girlfriend,who is properly introduced to Liv, in season 1 episode 4, is named "Corrine". Rose McIver ,who plays Liv,previously starred in the lifetime movie Petals on the Wind,(adapted from the novel of the same name) as Catherine Dollanganger. Her mother in the film (portrayed by Heather Graham) was named Corrine.
Spoilers
Showrunner Rob Thomas has often inserted references to a more-famous Rob Thomas (the one who is the lead singer of the rock band Matchbox 20) into his shows, often in a jokingly derogatory context. In iZombie he continues that tradition, first by having the rock star make a guest appearance as himself (on the episode Salivation Army) and then by having his brain be eaten by rampaging zombies.