In the third episode of the second season of iZombie, Liv eats the brain of a socialite and wonders if she has any friends left. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch iZombie.Â
Oh my god, this show is unreal sometimes.
I love that we’re now in the second season of iZombie and the audience just accepts many things that are otherwise so ridiculous that outsiders wouldn’t be able to understand it. Like, this show is about someone who can become someone just by eating their brains. It’s also about a horrifying sports drink CEO willing to do anything to make a profit. It’s also about the quietest zombie apocalypse of all time. It’s also about tons of interpersonal relationships and modern dating and it’s a thriller and a serialized fantasy and a police procedural and –
I think you get the point. It’s so many things at once, and it somehow doesn’t feel cluttered to the point of incoherency. The numerous plots that intersect and collide in “Real Dead Housewife of Seattle” certainly reminded me of the same deft storytelling from Veronica Mars (especially the callback to plots from past episodes), but the genre basis of this show means they’ve got so much more to play with.
Dead Housewife
If there’s any flaw here, I think the main case suffers a little bit towards the end. The cast mostly makes it fun because, like “Zombie Bro,” the writers deliver a scathing parody of this specific culture through the various characters. Plus, it’s incredibly fun to watch Rose turn into Taylor because it’s not something I would have thought was a part of her. I mean, it’s the whole zombie thing; she maintains a specific look for a reason, and it never seemed to matter that she climb any sort of social ladder. But what’s fascinating about this case is that it allows Liv to reflect on the state of her relationships. Taylor’s life was messy and complicated, often by design, but there’s not necessarily anything wrong with that. If anything, many of the folks who surrounded Taylor were even worse for her.
So what of Liv? Ravi’s off seeing someone new; Major refuses to talk to her; Babineaux has no interest in socializing outside of work; and then Peyton returns, but only when they all see her during a press conference. From Liv’s perspective, she’s been abandoned. Perhaps understandably so, of course, given that her own choices have pushed people away. But that’s the tragedy of this story: Liv makes a friend. And perhaps Bethany was sincere in this one instance! Maybe she really could have been friends with Liv. However, the one time Liv gets close to someone in “Real Dead Housewife of Seattle,” IT TURNS OUT THAT THE PERSON HIRED SOMEONE TO MURDER TAYLOR. Oh god, SHE CAN’T EVEN HAVE A NORMAL FRIEND.
Thanks for hurting me, and then reminding me that maybe things aren’t all terrible. Peyton. PEYTON HAD A CAKE MADE FOR HER. STOP IT.
Major
I wouldn’t say that he’s unforgivable at this point; he’s still a likable character who has been forced into a terrible arrangement by some awful people. I get that, and it makes it easier to feel sorry for him. I don’t envy his position, and watching him stumble through one awkward situation after another is a difficult thing. Thankfully, we’ve gotten so much of his character that the challenge is worth it. We know he cares about Liv, though we might not be certain that he’ll ever reciprocate how she feels about him. That’s okay; that dramatic tension can be dragged out for a while.
But the dude is now murdering people who might very well be doing absolutely nothing that warrants their murder. Neither of the two zombies he kills appear to have killed anyone or eaten them. I’m guessing that this is the main explanation for his drug use. Jesus, how much guilt must this one character be experiencing? Way too much for a sober mind to deal with, I imagine. And how the hell is he going to deal with this? I know it seems obvious to me that he should just tell Liv what’s going on, but at the same time, I feel like the show has done a fine job showing us why he’s been reluctant to include her in his life anymore. At the same time, this secret cannot last that long. IT’S INEVITABLY GOING TO COME OUT. But how? And what happens when they all realize who Gilda is? WHAT IF MAJOR COMES OVER TO LIV’S APARTMENT AND SEES GILDA THERE???
Vaughn
I always knew that Vaughn was sanctimonious and bold, but y’all. I DID NOT EXPECT THAT ENDING. But the truth is that Vaughn’s the type of villain who grandstands, who shows off whenever he can, who makes rash decisions like this one (FEEDING TERRENCE TO A ZOMBIE, OH MY GOD) because he can. That’s what makes him so intimidating. Look at everything he’s accomplished so far! He’s pulled off so much without any of it sticking to him, which is obviously frustrating for Liv, Ravi, and Babineaux. But he keeps winning. He keeps getting what he wants. Is that sustainable? Will he make a mistake before the end? And what’s his endgame anyway?
Peyton
I’m just so glad she’s back, and I desperately want a reunion scene between her and Liv. NEXT EPISODE, PLEASE.
The video for “Read Dead Housewife of Seattle” can be downloaded here for $0.99.
Mark Links Stuff
– I am now on Patreon! There are various levels of support, from $1 up to whatever you want! You’ll get to read a private blog, extra reviews, and other such rewards.
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