iZombie 1.03 “The Exterminator”

This episode is full of ugly reality checks for Liv. It’s a look at the more dangerous side of zombieism. Liv always does her best to do good by the brains she’s eating, but not every zombie is as responsible as she is. She’s confronted with a few horrific circumstances, however, she doesn’t handle them as “regular” Liv does.

“If you didn’t have that bone saw, think for a second what you would do to get the brain.” Blaine tries to paint himself as a helpless, hungry zombie but Liv’s gut knows better. He can’t be trusted. However, Blaine has a point – Liv was lucky that she was able to pick up a job as a mortician. She’s forced to think about what she would do if she didn’t have the job she did. Where would her next meal come from? What would she do to get it? Who would she hurt?

Ravi and Liv investigate a “zombie sighting” at a nearby abandoned port. Trapped in a pit is… a zombie. Not a Liv or Blaine-type zombie, a zombie that hasn’t eaten in a very long time. A Walking Dead or Zombieland-type zombie. What’s worse – it’s one of Liv’s coworkers from her past life.

But, due to the brain she’s eaten – an apathetic, nonplussed, indifferent brain. Which means that all of these things that should be scary or upsetting… aren’t. Liv chucks a few rocks at her zombie friend Marcy. “What, she doesn’t care,” she tells a startled Ravi. “Maybe zombieism is reversible!” Ravi hypothesizes, which would mean they’d be able to save Marcy. Liv couldn’t care less. These astonishing circumstances just bounce right off Liv’s cold, hit-man brains.

Also, a body shows up on Liv’s table (the brain she’s eaten) who is linked to her roommate Peyton’s case. She’s with the DA’s office and she is so sure that she had the right guy in a hit-and-run case. That is, until Liv and Babineaux derail her case based upon the visions Liv receives after consuming the brain. Peyton finds out and explodes on Liv and she doesn’t care. Her cold, calculating brain remains stoic and focused on the case at hand, even at the expense of Peyton’s feelings. Liv realizes the brain is severely altering her view of the world for the worse, but there’s nothing she can do but digest it.

“I’m cold. All the way through me. And the closer we get to Marcy, the frostier I become.” Liv comes to the realization that they have to kill Marcy. “I can see Ravi’s hope for what it is – fear. He can’t deal with what it means if Marcy hasn’t improved. He can’t deal with it, but I can.” Ravi falls into the pit with the zombie and comes too close to becoming one himself. Liv stands there and watches, which is the scariest, most heart-stopping moment of this whole episode. She has to battle herself – brain vs. Liv. Liv goes full-on zombie mode and kills Marcy to save Ravi. This is the first time Ravi is exposed to full-on zombie mode and Liv nearly kills him too.

This scene is the best part of the whole episode for several reasons. First, it shows the war Liv rages with the brains she consumes. She has to take control for herself in order to save her friend. “This brain, it isn’t who you are,” Ravi says to her. Second, it’s a solid relationship builder for her and Ravi (as if they needed it, but it’s still nice to see). Ravi is constantly, unwaveringly on Liv’s side and it shines brilliantly through in moments like this. Last, something changes in Liv when she kills Marcy. She may have been under the influence of the killer brain, but it was still her decision. As she comes down off the brain, she realizes what she’s done. “Marcy was a person. She was alive. And I killed her.”

When the digestion does finally happen, the world comes crashing suffocatingly down on Liv. Thankfully, she has support around her despite her initial frostiness. Peyton holds her as she cries over a video of Major and his new ladylove. “That’s the thing about pain, isn’t it? Really feeling it doesn’t make it stop. It just shows you you’re still alive.”

Through most of this episode Liv was under the influence of a stoic, cold hitman brain. However, it doesn’t make her less interesting, nor does it damage the story. It actually provides a few heart-pounding moments, even if it’s the audiences’ heart pounding and not necessarily Liv’s. iZombie continues to be riveting, endearing and captivating. Liv’s need for another brain matches my hunger for more episodes.