iZombie, Episode 24, “Fifty Shades of Grey Matter” Broadcast on February 2, 2016
Written by Deirdre Mangan & Graham Norris
Directed by Mairzee Almas
“Previously on iZombie,” Blaine is assisting Peyton in identifying the members of a crime syndicate, Blaine brings a body (Drake) to Liv so that she and Ravi can help “resurrect” it so Ravi can use its tainted blood to find a cure for the tainted Uptopium, two bodies full of the drug lie buried in a field, Bozzio questions Blaine and shows Clive that Blaine is the killer she’s looking for.
“If Books Could Kill,” a sick librarian saves a peer from being killed by a patron whom she kicked out for watching snuff videos on the computers. The do-gooder librarian’s cough worsens until red phlegm comes out of her mouth. She falls unconscious to the floor. Cue opening title credits.
“Bookworm Food,” A few days later, librarian Grace is dead and Ravi’s discovered she was poisoned with hemlock. Clive wants Liv to accompany him to speak with the dead woman’s husband to see if she can pick up anything from him. With Clive gone, Liv chows down. That night, Drake stops three men who want to talk with Blaine, who doesn’t want to be disturbed. They want in because another stash house got raided and they think there’s a rat in his crew. Drake continues to say they can’t go in and that’s when things get physical, ending with Drake going into full-on zombie mode. When done, he goes to Blaine, who gives him a pep talk about staying the path. The next day, Clive and Liv go to visit Mr. LeGare, and get a surprise — he’s in a wheelchair, for life. He reveals that Grace just sold a romance novel which is about to be printed. He reveals there was only one person who was hostile to Grace: Muriel at the library — the one that was almost killed. Muriel is stunned. She, too, is a writer, but wasn’t jealous of Grace’s novel. She has the book on audio and lets them hear a passage. Airplane innuendo leads to the first commercial break.
Well, Rose McIver certainly got to play a very different side of Liv! Her change in behavior was really funny, especially around her boys, Clive, Ravi, and Major. Her scenes with Drake were also fun. The mystery seemed a little simple, since there weren’t too many character to choose from, but, like tonight’s episode of The Flash, it’s the character interactions that make this fun. Robert Buckley has got a really strong sense of panic, not to mention a really sad good-bye, while the stuntmen make him look like Steve Rogers running. Also getting a solid scene was Aly Michallka as Peyton. Something happens that’s been expected, but the end of the episode has Peyton regretting that something. And speaking of something, David Anders was on fire as Blaine, working the mob boss angle, the confidant, and an absolute bastard in his final scene. The last moment involving Liv is going to have fans squirming for a week.
The good: The script by Mangan and Norris, Rose McIver, Aly Michallka, David Anders, a great shout out and cameo from Kristen Bell, nice long shot of a bus, and perfect reference of a Cher movie.
Fun lines: “Attaboy,” “God help me!”, “I’ll do it!”, “Have we?”, “Strangely enough, nooooo…”, “I like you a lot,” “You look good on a white horse,” and “What happens next is on you.”
The bad: The mystery’s solution was easy and it’s conclusion quick.
The final line: Mystery blah, but characters outstanding. Some solid, steamy laughs in this episode, with a heavy dramatic ending. Overall grade: B+
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