iZombie - Max Wager

*** / ****

I think what really works in the favor of Max Wager is how the ongoing case of a lowlife gambler named Harry ties to the season two story arc involving Liv’s bestie, Assistant DA, Peyton. Peyton is a character I hope gets much more attention…no, not just because she’s fetching. I am quite over the moon that the creative team finally unveiled Stacey Boss, the much-mentioned Seattle kingpin played by the unexpected character actor, Eddie Jemison. Jemison is typically cast as diminutive, harmless lightweights, never framed as he is as Boss, with a calm, chatty air about him. Boss is confidant when confronting Peyton in her office, looking up at an investigative white board dedicated to him. He throws his rep at her, and you can see Peyton trying to talk tough and disguise her obvious fear of him. Despite his size and stature, Boss’ arrogance and ability to avoid arrest and prosecution has afforded him the luxury to just walk into the lion’s den without concern. Jemison just slides right into this role as if it was a suit perfectly tailored for him. His scenes in the barber shop with Steven Williams, getting a shave and cut, describing in detail how to get a guy to commit suicide through the threat of killing him family as Liv listens on quite unsettled are especially memorable. Williams, I have to mention, is a nice welcome face…big fan of The X Files and seeing Deep Throat #2 was a pleasant surprise. He’s briefly a suspect due to his bookie side-job, as Harry owed him aplenty in gambling debt. Funny barber shop scenes involve an attorney associate always encouraging Williams to use hypotheticals and another gambling “employee” taking bets over a phone for him…avoiding anything criminal, this trio are masters. Liv and Clive do work the investigation (with a little help from Harry’s brains, his visions giving Liv bits of experience involving gambling trouble), meeting the victim’s wife at his funeral and a basketball veteran (Lakers’ own Rick Fox) who was a college buddy of Harry’s. Shaving points, blackmail, gambling debt, and hired Serbian assassins on motorcycles; Harry sure did himself no favors!

Clive in awe of Fox’s NBA star while Liv undergoes a gambling fever (her bets with Williams are actually successful!) are highlights. I love Harmon, the FBI agent investigating Major’s rich zombie cases, and her witticisms. Her Dale Bozzio might not have a lot of screen time but she certainly makes the most of it. Her mad chemistry with Clive is a definite asset while Ravi spends most of his time in the morgue lab determining if it is okay for Major and Liv to have sex. Ravi agonizingly studies under his microscope samples and dedicates his time trying to find condoms that will defy Liv’s zombie virus…sadly Liv’s condition will not allow her to have sex with Major. Both decide to try other ways to keep that fire burning, but will Liv being a zombie ultimately ruin the current romantic idyll?

Blaine’s animosity with his father, Angus (Robert Knepper), is re-introduced. Blaine hates Angus for what he did to “gramps”. Angus was turned zombie by Blaine as revenge but it instead created a monster. Angus wants Blaine to target a rival’s son, with orders to have his brain (and cause his rival particular anguish) delivered to him. Blaine agrees reluctantly as Angus threatens to turn him into a zombie again. Yep, Angus learned from Blaine’s makeup artist that he was no longer a zombie. The roles reversed, it does appear as if Blaine is in a pickle. But Blaine plans for Angus to eat the brains of his dearly departed grandpa (departed thanks to Blaine and a pillow over his head). No more wasting away in an old folks home for gramps as Blaine achingly puts him to rest, as somber music works as background to this *end*.

Major dumping Angus in a freezer after kidnapping him, this seems to work as a unique development in the favor of Blaine. So Major’s forced execution work links to Blaine, a clever twist certain for a significant payoff down the road.