In general, I don't have an issue with the writers choosing to exaggerate the traits of the weekly victims, particularly as we get further into the show's run and the different brains start to bleed together; it serves to give each episode more of an identity. We simply need to see Liv herself shine through the insane dialogue and accents. In 'Don't hate the Player...' Liv herself is almost absent, save for her attempts to use her bravado to make off with that ID printer. In 'Chivalry is Dead', a brain driven by principals that are more dated than they are offensive, helps to steer Liv in a more palpable direction.
The medieval accents were fun for sure, and I always get a kick out of seeing Clive struggle to keep his cool in these ridiculous situations. Though it grew tiresome as the episode wore on, and I started to question why this LARPer never spoke normally even outside of his LARPing group, the idea of tying his archaic ideas of saving those in need into Liv trying to help her coyotes get people across the border worked well in the context of the episode. This is clearly evident in her distress over not being able to keep her word to a sick girl named Isobel, whose attempts to sneak into Seattle initially appeared to be at risk.
In the end Isobel manages to get into the city safely, but disaster strikes again when Liv's scratch doesn't cure her of her illness. The introduction of a case like this is smart at this point, especially since we are in desperate need of a vaccine to prevent impending doom. With a potential nuke on the horizon if the spreading zombie epidemic doesn't end, this may be the only way to save Seattle. But how will their inability to save a dying human with zombie-ism affect Liv and her team?
It's clear that there is a lot of respect forming for Liv and her selflessness amongst the Underground Railroad. I was worried that Peyton wouldn't have the same level of respect when she discovered the truth about Liv’s role as Renegade, given her role in the Mayor's office. In the end, she has the opposite reaction. She even goes so far as to help Liv in her quest to help get people into the city safely by providing Liv with the funds she needs to bribe officials to get these people across the border, something I expect to come back and bit Peyton in the ass at some point. It’s a relief, especially since I feel like her characterization has been one of the more consistent arcs so far this season, if only for her diluted screen time in comparison with the rest of the cast.
Blaine's arc remains equally as consistent, with his exploits livened up here with a surprise appearance by Stacey Boss. His reappearance here is a bit random, but I'm glad he hasn't been forgotten about completely. Boss was a force to be reckoned with back during the second and third seasons, and it would make sense that he'd still have some sort of pull left to be able to get into Seattle. Will he have some sort of confrontation with Peyton? The money he was looking for is what she ended up using to help Liv. Blaine may have the memories in the accountant’s brain he ate to discover the truth about where the cash has gone. Maybe some lingering love for Peyton will stop him from exposing her.
Plus
That assault on the prison van was extremely brutal, even for this show.
There is a bit of a parallel to draw between the adultery involved in the case of the week and Clive and Bozzio’s relationship struggles.
He Said, She Said
Liv: “'Tis an honor, fair lady, to return thine most noble soul from the edge of the abyss.”
It was full of some rather boorish dialogue, but this episode manages to mostly succeed in maintaining the humor of Liv’s current state of mind (so to speak), while still driving home how important her role as Renegade is to those in need.
7/10
Also posted at Doux Reviews.
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