iZombie 1.08 “Dead Air”

The episode opens with a reminder of the things Liv can have now – namely, being touched. What looks like a steamy sex scene turns out to be a foot massage by Lowell as “dessert.” Liv and Lowell are no longer sensory-deprived when it comes to touch. Life, for zombies, constantly reminds them of what they can’t have. However, Liv is living and getting some of those sensations back.

While Liv is checked out having a good time with Lowell, Major’s new bff Ravi has to come to his rescue. Major gets beat to hell in the prison for going to the papers about the missing teens – his foster kids – when the police wouldn’t. Turns out, nobody took kindly to his decision.  “Who were you fighting with this week?” Peyton asks upon his release.  “I don’t know – the sons of anarchy?”

Dialogue is as witty as ever and Major is bloody as usual. Major’s character is developing steadily (developing more than just bruises and cuts) and he’s growing independent of Liv. As important as it is to have a strong leading lady, it’s nice to see that her ex-counterpart is growing as well and in his own ways. There were moments at the beginning of the series where the lovesick-puppy pining happened – mostly on Liv’s part. However, Major’s had his own “oh-crap-I’m-not-dating-her-anymore moments” too. Those moments have passed, as Liv is seeing Lowell and Major is occupied with work and getting justice for his kids.

Major has the best intentions and is fiercely loyal. He’s got a heart of gold and it gets him in to serious trouble. Despite being constantly beaten – emotionally by Liv (when she broke off the engagement), physically by the Candyman, prisoners and prison guards – he remains ever the optimist. Ravi breaks the news that his kids are gone. Major admits that in his gut, he knew it.

Initially I was concerned that is good-guy, boy-next-door-ness would be overdone and come off as fake. However, Major is as believable as any of the other characters on the show. His kindness isn’t contrived or artificial, but very authentic.

Beyond the Candyman battle, Major has girl troubles too. “This is so not what I signed up for… You are the dream combination of super-hot, funny and some whack job who doesn’t shower enough. You should get some help,” she tells him and leaves. He’s forced to prioritize his private life – his girlfriend – and his kids. She recognizes that she isn’t going to win and storms out. Major is slowly descending into hellbent madness trying to figure out what happened to the boys. This obsessiveness over the case is pulling him apart – and it’s so intriguing to watch these developments.

“I can’t talk about fight club… crap.” He says when Liv asks him what happened. Ravi and Peyton work to keep Liv in the dark about Major’s… condition. However, Liv’s sixth sense knows something is wrong and she goes over to his house. The cat is then out of the bag. He then sits Liv down and tells her that the Candyman had a brain in his car – a human brain. He’s convinced that the missing kids weren’t found at all.

While Liv gets to live it up with Lowell, she consumes a brain of a relationship/sex advisor who is a radio show host. This brain seems to give Liv all sorts of insight into relationships – hers, Majors, and even Ravi’s potential (or not-potential) relationships.

Ravi and Peyton run into each other at the jail while Ravi is rescuing Major. They share a look – a moment. Ravi falls for her and asks Liv later to inquire if Peyton is seeing anyone. Peyton is very nonchalant about her potential suitors – a start-up entrepreneur, another lawyer, etc. She doesn’t seem impressed by these suitors. Liv takes this info back to Ravi, but doesn’t present it in the most tactful way. “She’s a lawyer who looks like a Victora’s Secret Model,” she tells him. “You think she’s out of my league!” The answer: yes. Liv’s blatant, semi-bitchy exchange with Ravi is their first real fight.

However, as the brain fades, Liv dispenses advice to everyone that is actually worth listening to. She tells Peyton to accept Ravi’s invitation out. She comments on Major’s sweetness and kindness – as the show cuts to him buying firearms from the back of a guy’s trunk. She believes Ravi deserves to lighten up, to take a breath. “I can’t afford to lose you,” she says in her final monologue as the voiceover cuts to Ravi, who is handling the zombie-infected rat. He has on chain-mail gloves, but that’s no match for the albino, brain-eating rat’s teeth. It bites. It draws blood.

This is by far the most suspenseful ending to an episode and I absolutely cannot wait to see what happens next. All of the characters are dealing with such unique struggles, but those stories are interwoven so beautifully into iZombie.