iZombie - The Exterminator
While Blaine takes a back seat in “The Exterminator”, Olivia
fills in much to her detriment and dismay. She eats the brains of a man who was
run over by a car. This man, as it turns out, was a hit man masquerading as a
square. He was a stone cold sociopath and Olivia gradually takes on his
non-feeling characteristics. Feeling no pain, not caring about anyone that
might be hurt by her ambivalence, and in a moment where Ravi is dire need of
her help, that sociopathic presence of that hitman results in almost watching
him die; Olivia has her worst brains yet. She sees through his eyes as he
shoots a guy right in the head because he didn’t pay a debt he owed. Seeing
someone killed through the eyes of the killer is alarming, at first, but
reduced to a walking, cold-blooded, apathetic creep eventually removes those
decent, emphatic qualities that make her such a treasure. It appears as if
Major is ready to move on as a slight video of another girl and him kissing on
a social media site, and with the sociopathic brains Olivia doesn’t react much
to her best friend’s surprise (Aly Michalka, as Peyton Charles, attorney).
Olivia fails to realize the impact of her involvement in getting an innocent
man off much to Peyton’s embarrassment when her psychic “gift” leads her to
Babineaux. Olivia challenged Babineaux’s work ethic and desire for keeping an
innocent man out of prison, and knows a lot about guns.
I hadn’t yet mentioned much about Peyton although I think
she’ll be a pivotal character in keeping Olivia honest. She loves her
unconditionally but worries about her sudden shift into this distanced and “too
often at arm’s length” morgue-working oddball. This episode has the two going
through a lot. Peyton was about to try her first big case and because of Olivia
it was dynamited. And with Major somewhat abandoned and left to wonder how it
all went wrong, Peyton doesn’t let Olivia off the hook. But Olivia simply can’t
tell her bestie and beloved she’s a zombie. How does someone even do that
really?
The creative in the writer’s room are not about to allow
those in Olivia’s life to just remain sidelined. Olivia doesn’t need them away
from her. She needs to remain tied to society, to friends, to family. She’s a
zombie, sure, but they don’t know that. Olivia is still their friend, ex-lover,
daughter, and sister. Ravi, also, is the new friend in her life that also
reminds her of her humanity. When the sociopathic tendencies of the hitman pass
on to Olivia, her inner humanity was able to break through in Ravi’s time of
need. Ravi and Olivia discover her former colleague at the hospital for which
both worked. This friend fell into a pit in this abandoned area on the
outskirts of the city. Without brains, this friend has deteriorated into a
rotten corpse, with a brain completely ravaged, with eyes no longer revealing
the person once behind them. Ravi believes it is possible to reverse her
condition by feeding her fresh brains. He wants to study her as he does Olivia,
but unfortunately once the zombie deteriorates it is all hunger. Ravi
accidentally slips down into the pit as the zombie moves towards him to seize
upon him as Olivia doesn’t break a sweat, move a finger, or seem heroic at all.
Ravi has to beg for Olivia to help him, and somehow she fights through the
influence of the hitman’s brains, rescuing him. Beating the zombie to a pulp,
Olivia goes into that “beast mode” again, full on rage and fury behind her
blows. Heaving and hissing, Olivia has to come back to herself as Ravi
obviously shows concern that she might turn on him as well. This will be an
interesting dilemma to watch going forward.
A friend of Major's is looking for his friend, and they turn to Olivia for help. Olivia goes to Babineaux, and this missing friend gets some needed attention Missing Persons just couldn't bother to provide. However, it is soon realized that perhaps Blaine might be responsible. The friend is asking folks around town and he runs into Blaine where skateboards and the like congregate. This is the perfect opportunity for Blaine to perhaps secure some fresh brains! Becoming the signature villain of the show, it is clear that few are safe.
Devon Gummersall
guest stars as the emerging suspect eventually surfacing in Olivia’s
memory along with the make and style of his unique car. He is a big shot in
Seattle and openly challenges and mocks Babineaux when interrogated.
Narcissistic and empowered by his stature, Gummersall needs to brought down a
peg or two, or three, or four… A nifty trick involving an orange vest and Ravi’s
help might just get him to sign a confession.
I also wanted to mention that I can only imagine how much of
a thrill it must be to be stretched every episode as an actress as McIver not
only plays her character but takes on personalities and quirks from those that
have died. She is ultimately often two people every episode…McIver, to her
credit, able is up for the challenge and never fails to impress. I just love this woman.
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