iZombie - He Blinded Me... With Science
My favorite iZombie episodes are the ones where the case
Clive and Liv are working on actually factor into the seasonal story arc, and
for me the early part of the series did it so well. The arson victim actually
was, to Vaughn Du Clark, a “research scientist”, so Liv’s highly intellectual,
analytical brain goes to work, not only deducting how her victim died (or what led
to her death) but also whether or not to trust Drake by breaking down
scientifically “merits” and “demerits”.
Liv at her most frustrating is when she defies “protocol”.
There is a certain line you don’t cross if she wants to continue to work
alongside Clive. She previously made a mistake of breaking into a location she
shouldn’t have and was imprisoned for it. This time she disguises herself as a
scientist hoping to work at Max Rager as a researcher, even noticed from a
distance by Rita. Rita, we learn, is Du Clark’s daughter. Du Clark, fully
addicted to and under the effects of Super Max, is aggressive (to the point
that Major is nervous around him), hostile, prone to triggered rage, super
strong and all his instincts and senses heightened. Rita being socked in the
face by Liv certainly left him quite bent out of shape, to where he hurls one
of those “clairvoyant 8-balls” at Major and right into a wall. Liv learns of a “secret
basement”. Du Clark flirts with “incinerating” Liv, but he is able to shoo away
the impulses of the Super Max coursing through him, allowing her to leave,
giving away nothing except to allude to how all companies have a private area
for “trade secrets kept behind closed doors”. This was a close call. She just
can’t seem to help pushing it as far as she can. I guess for those dedicated to
the show, this was something you had to worry would eventually bite her on the
ass.
The labyrinthine story arc, and all the characters caught in
it, is further progressed, too. Drake is on Du Clark’s zombie list to be “put
on ice”. Drake also has a trace put on his car by Liv, so his activities,
including working for Mr. Boss, are detailed for her. She wants to confront him
at a pirate-themed restaurant, but before he can meet her at a table, Mother
calls and Major hits him with the hypo knockout juice. Into the trunk, out like
a light, Drake is now another Major victim. Du Clark does indeed have a zombie
in his secret basement, as Liv sees through the scientist brain. Du Clark loves
to poke and prod and experiment with this zombie, while his daughter assists.
This go-around, the zombie rips from her cords keeping her in place on the
treadmill, attacks the latest unlucky scientist on Du Clark’s payroll, and even
Rita is no longer immune to the zombie rampage. Du Clark, though, gets away, leaving
his daughter to fight the zombie on her own…nice guy, this very wealthy
dirtbag. Du Clark, true to his nature, hits the booze once he returns to his
office, sealing off his doors from a very damaged Rita wanting to talk to him.
Then there is Blaine receiving an untested Ravi cure that
could very well either heal or kill him, while Major worries about his own
eventual zombie reprisal. Blaine gets all soft and sentimental, since he could
very well die, leaving behind wills and plans for Don E and Blond Mute Muscle,
while also donating funds elsewhere.
And the case, yes, the case. The scar-faced victim, her twin
sister, Alberta kerosene, and the arson. A ruined life for both sisters is
plenty motive to burn the scientist responsible for the accident and not
apologizing for her involvement in it. The scientist’s partner in the study—not
even responsible, really—lost his credibility and ends up at a pirate-themed
restaurant, miserable and shunned.
And, if all this wasn’t enough, Clive and Bozzio are getting
closer to Blaine and the human brain operation he supplies to his clients.
Phew, quite a bit to cover there! 4/5
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