*Spoiler alert for Season 4, Episode 4 of iZombie
Rose McIver as Liv Moore and Daran Norris as Johnny Frost on iZombie. Photo courtesy of Geekiary.
There have been no murders in New Seattle this week, Detective Clive Babineaux laments. He has no case to work on, and is incredibly bored. Fear not, for the most recent episode of iZombie is nowhere near boring. There are brains to eat – specifically those of the bus crash victims from the previous episode. Liv eats the brain of a former theater director, while Ravi, experiencing one of his periods of lust for brains as a symptom of his zombie cure, eats the brain of a heroine addict. Yeah, not the best choice, except that he does it to try to impress Peyton as she tries to find the dog of the child of said deceased addict. Awwwww.
We left off last episode with Mama Leone’s (AKA Renegade) head getting smashed open by a guillotine (ick), and inspired by her sacrifice, Liv deciding to take her place. Cut to this week’s episode, and acting under the show-must-go-on motto of her current brain, Liv is determined to see this through. This is a real shift for Liv’s character as previously she’s always played the good little zombie. Up until now, Liv has worked for the police, caught murderers, got her brains the cruelty free way, and periodically saves world from those who would use the zombie virus for less virtuous reasons. But now she’s getting in the game. It’s no longer simply good zombies vs. bad zombies. There’s a grey area that includes the military ruling faction Filmore Graves. Filmore Graves is the only thing standing in the way of anarchy and violence regarding human-zombie relations, and are the ones most trying to keep the zombie virus from spreading. Sounds like the good guys right? Except sometimes they don’t make the most ethical, compassionate choices (see Mama Leone getting her head crushed). Being an extremely compassionate person, this troubles Liv greatly, and Mama’s sacrifice finally pushes her over the edge, and convinces her to start her criminal career.
Surprisingly, Major and Liv’s relationship seems fine this episode, while I expected them to be on the outs after Major stood by as Mama was executed. While Liv doesn’t seem angry at Major for the moment, she is no less determined to see Mama’s vision through. At first Mama’s former crew (or at least the ones that would show up) are unimpressed by Liv, and doubt her ability to do what Mama did. But Liv gets them on her side when she comes up with the performance of a lifetime, as she and Mama’s crew don costumes, props, and learn their lines to dupe the authorities and sneak one last group of people through New Seattle’s borders. Liv is perfect and hilarious as pseudo-director, pushing the members of her new team to believe their characters, so that those they are trying to fool will believe them too. (There’s also an awkward moment where Liv directs the guy giving the sexual harassment seminar, which isn’t a very good one as it’s all about the victim’s ability to give a strong “no” to their harassers. Seriously iZombie? Get with the #MeToo movement.)
On the other side of things, Blaine finally realizes his dad’s no longer in the well. Took him long enough. He comes back to the restaurant to find his father and his disciples waiting, demanding that he feed them from now on at least once a week. Blaine’s father’s level of control over his followers is frightening, and makes me think that he’s a real rising villain in this story. His radicalism has the potential to be way more dangerous than either Filmore Graves or Blaine’s perpetual criminal enterprise.
This episode had high stakes, but was also funny and quirky as always, once again proving that this show has a handle on their drama-comedy balance. Also can I just say finally! that Peyton and Ravi are back together. They may be my favorite couple of the show. #Reyton. The episode ends with Liv officially becoming the new Mama, and having to choose who gets saved next. The stakes just keep getting higher.
