iZombie Season 3 Episode 7 Review: Dirt Nap Time

This iZombie review contains spoilers.

iZombie Season 3, Episode 7

iZombie’s “Dirt Nap Time” isn’t quite able to capitalize on the momentum the show has had in recent episodes surrounding reveals around the zombie cure, instead slowing down the story in some awkward ways.

The biggest grievance this episode committed? The obnoxious preschool teacher brain Liv was on, which had her acting like a complete moron. (Though had me wondering what it would be like to have Liv on child’s brain.) Like some of iZombie’s other problematic brains, the effects of the brains felt too much like cariacture to work on any character level. While Jamie was a complicated dude, seemingly great at working with young children and yet a serial philanderer with many of his charges’ mothers, it was only sock puppets and silly songs that seemed to shine through into Liv’s behavior.

On a more general level, iZombie had a lot of dangling plot thread to continue weaving. The plot thickens in some intriguing ways in “Dirt Nap Time.” Here’s everything that went down…

Who stole the cures?

Liv is understandably furious in the wake of the zombie cure theft, going after a very human Blaine and nearly choking him to death before Ravi talks her down.

Though Blaine is a despicable excuse for a human or undead being for his amnesia ruse, he claims that he did not steal the cure, and I am inclined to believe him. Don E., too, seems to know nothing of the theft. That leaves Blaine’s dear old dad as the likeliest suspect. Though iZombie has a habit of zigging when you expect it to zag.

Could someone else be in possession of the remaining cures? Perhaps Natalie? Or Filmore Graves? On this show, the possibilities are many (though admittedly thinned by the cone of secrecy around Ravi’s cure).

Meanwhile, Blaine is having a rough time post-amnesia con reveal. He sings sadly across his lounge, conducts his brain business without joy, and ultimately gets shot in the side as a message from his father. Blaine may live to see another day, but it’s hard to see a lot of hope in this character’s current life path. I’m not used to seeing Blaine so out of sorts.

This dominatrix plot has legs.

The dominatrix murder-of-the-week mystery is the unsuspecting plot that keeps on giving. It looks like Weckler, the man who confessed to killing the dominatrix, was forced to do so. Just when Peyton is getting close to convincing the man to hand over the memory drive with the video footage on it over, another defense attorney swoops in and Weckler ends up dead.

It’s unclear, at this point, how the dominatrix death relates to the larger iZombie mystery. Could it be related to Mr. Boss? (Peyton’s involvement in this plot makes me lean in this possibility’s direction.) Or somehow loop back to Filmore Graves? How is Baracus involved? To be honest, I have no idea — and, in this television day and age — that’s a pretty great feeling. With Liv set to eat Weckler’s brain (and Peyton’s determination in general), it’s only a matter of time before Team Liv gets to the bottom of this mystery.

Major tries to hide his alive-again status.

Elsewhere in the ep, Major tries to hide his human status from his mercenary buddies. Justin pretty much immediately figures it out (because he actually pays attention), and it becomes increasingly clear as the episode progresses that Major won’t be able to keep it a secret from the rest of Filmore Graves forever. 

One close call comes in the mercenary gang’s expedition to The Scratching Post. When they’re given the ghost pepper test, all of the zombies pass with flying colors. Then, it’s Major’s turn and, I have to admit, I had no idea what was going to happen (though I was yelling at the TV for Major not to put that pepper in his mouth). Interestingly, Don E. comes along, vouching for Major so he doesn’t have to take a bite or make a break for it. (Apparently, he is a Major fan. Frankly, who isn’t?)

Justin and Liv go out on a date; he is probably doomed.

I have to admit: I’m a little confused following the events of recent episodes that Liv and Major aren’t back together in some sense — or, at the very least, that Major might be a bit more conflicted when Justin asks his permission to court Liv. Apparently not. There’s slow-burning a romance and then there’s mishandling it. Be careful, iZombie.

Liv and Justin end up going out on a date and really hitting it off. Things are looking good for the zombie lovers until Justin gets a lead on Harley Jones, the anti-zombie vigilante who isn’t remorseful in the slightest about Wally’s death. When Harley runs over Justin with his car and the zombie brushes it off, Harley manages to record it all. Definitive proof that zombies do exist. Oh boy. Was Justin just hit with the curse that comes with dating Liv?