iZombie: The Hurt Stalker

This iZombie review contains spoilers.

iZombie: Season 2, Episode 8

In tonight’s episode of iZombie, Liv eats a brain that makes her hyper paranoid, specifically of the romantic connections in her life — i.e. Major. The complicated part of this potentially non-issues is: Liv has a very good reason to be paranoid about Major.

Liv should be suspicious of Major.

As viewers, we know that Major is keeping some dangerous secrets from Liv. Ones he shouldn’t be. It is the reverse of their dynamic last season, when it was Liv who was keeping things from Major (namely, zombie-ism), and it didn’t feel any better then than it does now.

Because, in both cases, this isn’t information that Liv or Major has the right to keep. Not really. Not when it affects peoples’ lives. Not when it effects the lives of the very person they are trying to keep in the dark. It is selfish and it is sad and it is totally relatable. Who hasn’t told a lie or a half-truth to ensure that a person you love is safe? To ensure that a person you love sees you in the best possible light? Sure, it usually doesn’t involve zombies, but you get the picture.

Point is: This isn’t going to end well. And it shouldn’t. Liv should have a major problem with the fact that Major has been keeping the secret of his fake zombie assasinations from her. Not to mention the secret that her roommate is working for a company that would have no problem killing her if she got in the way of their business, and who is actively spying on her. This is a massive betrayal of trust.

Clive is under suspicion of murder.

No one who actually knows Clive — aka the people who are doing a bulk of the investigation into Clive’s ex-girlfriend’s murder — seems to think he actually committed the crime. But, of course, they have to investigate. But that doesn’t stop Liv and Ravi from doing some (adorable, especially on Ravi’s part) investigation of their own.

I’m glad that iZombie seems to realize that Clive is an underdeveloped character compared to most of the other main characters on this show. To be fair, the show has been making greater strides in season 2 to correct that neglect. Because of this, I’m willing to let iZombie get away with their explanation that Clive likes to keep his work and personal lives separate.

Of course, that isn’t completely true, is it? Clive may try to do that, but he is currently dating his co-worker and, in one of the most adorable moments of this episode and show, actively cooks and brings food for Ravi and Liv, but doesn’t want them to know he made it. More of this, please. Actually, I would take an entire episode of Ravi and Clive just watching Game of Thronestogether. Liv can come, too. She made that Lannister reference that one time.

Max Rager is scarier than ever.

Another episode I could get behind? One focused entirely on Vaughn du Clark and Gilda. These two are hilarious, scary, and have one of the more intriguing relationships on the show. Does Vaughn love his daughter? Does Gilda love her father? Have they always been in one another’s lives?

Furthermore, it would be great to spend more time delving further into the machinations of Max Rager as a company. We have seen the sort of testing they do — both on hungry zombies and, apparently, on the CEO himself. What is Max Rager’s end goal exactly? Is it really all about profits? Or does Vaughn have an ulterior motive? Whatever the explanation, I just know I enjoyed their surprisingly lengthy scene together tremendously.

But, guys? Super Max is super scary and seeing the effects of both humans and zombies on the product, I fear for the future of Seattle. But also, sometimes, kind of want this show to embrace the zombie genre a bit more thoroughly. Like, I would be cool with a larger zombie outbreak storyline. Raising the stakes in this way might change the show, but also zombies that can run 10 mph might be worth it.