Courtesy of The CW
It’s party time as Liv (Rose McIver), Major (Robert Buckley) and Ravi (Rahul Kohli) hit the town.
Let’s bitch it out…
It’s bro time, man! In the aftermath of a murder at a kegger party, Liv turns into the ultimate frat bra, which is not a great thing because the guy was a huge piece of work. The case of the week is substantially uninteresting – even the reveal that the wrong Chad was killed feels anti-climatic. Aside from Liv’s frat boy impression, complete with open-mouthed smirk, most of the frat boy murder stuff is a full-on bore.
That leaves the emotional / character development aspects of the episode to carry the hour. Unfortunately even these feel a bit lightweight: watching Liv, Major and Ravi indulge in party antics is good for a laugh, especially Liv’s enthusiasm for beer pong (naturally) and Ravi’s morning-after tape recordings. Less compelling is what’s happening in Major’s story line. After accompanying Ravi to the dance club to act as the sober sister while Ravi investigates the effects of Utopia, Major’s guilt over last week’s murder gets the better of him. Following Liv’s rescue, they have a cute-coupley moment in the bathroom as he comes down, but the episode ends on a downer note when it is revealed that Major is isolating himself to double-down on Utopia. Last week I was intrigued by Major’s new role as a zombie-assassin, but the drug addiction story line holds no such promise. I’m sincerely hoping that this is resolved quickly and efficiently. (You can read exec producer Rob Thomas’ thoughts on Major’s story line here)
Courtesy of The CW
Other Observations:
- Blaine (David Anders) initiates a war by expanding into new character Mr. Boss’ drug dealing territory. The unseen drug kingpin fails to make a substantial impression because Mr. Boss is awkwardly introduced – it’s unclear that Blaine is making a move until late in the episode when the bodies of low-level drug dealers turn up dead. As an ominous Big Bad, Mr. Boss could turn into something, but this is an unbalanced start.
- This episode also introduces Blaine’s father Angus (Robert Knepper), a successful businessman who drips disdain for his son’s money-wasting ventures. The casual reveal that Blaine turned his own father into a zombie (Angus was his first victim) is hardly surprising, though it certainly confirms that Blaine has been profiteering from zombification from the very start.
- Pathetic-coming-down Major is super cute, even if his confession that he’ll protect Liv skirts the line between adorable and semi-patriarchal.
- Liv on frat brains is admittedly pretty fun: the make-up job on Ravi is rudimentary douchebag, but the spanking skeletons are hilarious. Naturally she’s also kinda-bisexual and super excited by the idea of Furries.
- Bonus points for Major making fun of Ravi using My Little Pony / bronies.
- Not gonna lie: Liv’s police tape dress for the frat boy wake party is inspired. Plus it’s super cleavage-y, which is very frat boy appropriate.
- Gilda (Leanne Lapp) tags along with Liv to the party (dressed in a less flashy garbage bag dress). Liv’s antics at the party cues Gilda in to the weirdness that is Liv’s new life. If she wasn’t a Max Rager spy, this would probably all seem very strange to her.
Best Lines:
- Ravi (as Liv burps): “And so it begins.”
- Clive (Malcolm Goodwin): “You’re like the box of chocolates from Forrest Gump. I never know what I’ll get.” Liv: “You’re getting chocolate.”
- Justin Prentice’s fratboy Brodie (calling Liv): “I got your deets from the Jamaican dude at the morgue.”
- Major: “Because everything about me says I’d be great at scoring drugs?”
- Brodie (explaining the dog fighting trophy): “Oh no, but it’s not mean. The girls know they’re ugly.”
- Ravi (listening to his tape recording of himself): “Major, do you know what we need for the house? Velvet!”
- Blaine (chastising his make-up artist): “More milky Tilda Swinton and less Casper’s ass.”
Your turn: what did you think of the case of the week? Are you excited about Major’s new development? What is Gilda’s endgame? Did the whispers of Mr. Boss intrigue you? Excited to see Knepper guest star on the show? Sound off below
iZombie airs Tuesdays at 9pm EST on The CW