You can bet on this.
Warning: Full spoilers for the episode below.
It’s all still coming together. iZombie has put characters and story points on carefully crafted collision courses over and over again, but it’s still pulling the circle in closer. This show doesn’t exactly move at a slow pace, but they leverage each moment of anticipation and throw back something smarter than you expected. And at this point, I expect smart things. Case in point: tonight’s episode connected Major to Blaine in a new way and embedded Peyton further into the thick of it.
Before discussing those elements, let’s talk about the introduction of Stacey Boss. The subtle and then grand entrance of the character couldn’t have been smoother. From his first words from the barber’s chair, it was apparent the guy was important — and not just because he’s Eddie Jemison. Bringing in the big boss who we’ve heard so much about in a way that was tied to the case of the week was clever. His appearance in Peyton’s office and his speech showed he’s no fool to be trifled with. He’s intelligent, demented, and confident. It’s no wonder he’s in charge of the city. He’s bad in a way that’s completely different from Blaine or Clark.
The actual case of the week? Eh. Casting former NBA player Rick Fox as Calvin Owens was fun, and it was cute to see Clive go into fanboy mode. But overall, like most of the other cases this year, it was forgettable. The effect of Harry’s brains on Liv seemed mild though and getting more of Liv was a nice change.
iZombie: “Max Wager” Photo Gallery:
iZombie: “Max Wager” Photos
iZombie: “Max Wager” Photos
iZombie: “Max Wager” Photos
iZombie: “Max Wager” Photos
iZombie: “Max Wager” Photos
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iZombie: “Max Wager” Photos
iZombie: “Max Wager” Photos
iZombie: “Max Wager” Photos
Back to Blaine: he went through some surprising turns. His daddy issues are so big they can’t be defined. His drunken talk with Liv is probably the most vulnerable we’ve ever seen him. He doesn’t need to be redeemable — I’m fine with bad guys simply being evil — but seeing a greater range makes Blaine more interesting. It certainly adds some color to his drastic actions. You could almost pity him after his dad knocked him down several pegs. Almost.
Speaking of Blaine’s dad, he was on Major’s list. Major’s a walking balancing act these days, and it’s remarkable how he can be so lighthearted and adorkable with Liv while going about his work for Max Rager. Sure, we learned he’s not actually killing zombies, but eventually his freezer full of secrets is going to cause problems. No matter how precious Liv and Major are right now — and I’m glad the relationship is being explored on screen rather than on the sidelines — there’s some pain in watching them get close again. When Liv inevitably finds out about Major’s extracurricular activities, it’s going to be awful.
One final note: Bonus points to the writers for having Clive raise an eyebrow over Liv’s here and gone basketball knowledge and then having him catch her watching basketball clips in the morgue to cut off any suspicion.
iZombie is killing it this season with tying together storylines and building layers of terrific plots and character development. It’s like watching a brick wall being constructed — the mortar is the case/brain of the week and the bricks are the overarching plot points — but way more exciting.
