iZombie 1.12: Dead Rat, Live Rat, Brown Rat, White Rat

iZombie has proven several times that it can juggle different genres and tones, switching between drama, comedy and horror several times in one hour. It’s the rare scripted show that can pull something like this off, but iZombie’s campy nature makes it all possible, and when it works, it works incredibly well. This episode is the perfect example of that type of switch up in action, and it was yet another precedent for this show being one my favourite newcomer in years.

Obviously Liv’s teen brain experimentation was the funniest part. I think I’ll take preppy Liv over stoner Liv, personally. The script here was just as clever as it was laugh out loud hilarious. My favourite part was the interrogation with Zombie victim Kimber’s bestie Tate.

Then there was Kimber’s brains making Liv girl out with Peyton, who I finally clicked with this week, just in time to watch her high tail it out of town, bailing on her trip away with Ravi. I think I really got why Peyton was so hard on Liv when she saw her best friend’s life start to unravel. She just misses the friend she used to have. I also don’t blame her for running off, either. Who would want to stick around after watching their former best friend stab some random psychopath in the head with a kitchen knife?

That scene in Liv’s apartment was a great example of the mesh of tones that iZombie seems to so easily juggle, with the over the top dialogue bouncing off the even more over the top action. Sebastian, the psycho hitman returned in zombie form to get some payback for what Liv turned him into. Obviously Liv didn’t die a total creep, so she didn’t resort to hurting the people close to her to satisfy her cravings for brains; blaming her for breaking Aunt Edna’s skull open wasn’t fair. She stopped herself and found a different source. He had no excuse and deserved the justice that Liv dished out.

I wonder was this showdown a preview of a potential big fight between Liv and Blaine next week. She keeps saying that she’ll take him out as soon as she gets the chance; could Major’s capture give her the motivation she needs to end him for good?

Plus

All of the I Know What You Did Last Summer throwbacks were hilarious.

This episode gets extra bonus points for poor Clive eating Liv’s brain pizza.

Liv’s brother is finally about to get caught in the middle after a few hints at him snagging a job at Meat Cute. I’m still not sure about the convenience of this, but I’m excited for some hijinks with it next week.

I love Major, but he was really stupid to go head first into the brain filled belly of the beast.

He Said, She Said

Kimber: “The only reason I’m actually agreeing to this is because my dad just got his gall bladder removed and there’s no way he could handle the stress right now.”

Liv: “I think you’re a dead man.”
Sebastian: “Thank you, captain obvious!”

With the stakes raised and the characters in some very interesting places, next week’s finale looks like it will be a lot of fun. I think we’ll probably see some bloodshed, too. Will someone else in Liv’s life join her zombie crusade? Things aren’t looking so good far Major right now, is he in for a rude awakening? I can’t wait to find out.

9/10

Also posted at Doux Reviews.