Liv and her boyfriend become closer when she shares the brain of a former daredevil with him; Blaine is back to his old ways; Ravi makes progress in his new research; a discover puts Major in grave danger.

iZombie is an ok episode with one focused on the murder of a daredevil and an attempt to move the various stories forward. The issues lay in the fact the murder mystery isn’t all that interesting and while Rose McIver is her usual amazing self in the acting aspect, it’s not enough to distract from the rest of what’s going on.

There’s some focus on Liv and her boyfriend which is a rather blah storyline. The attraction is clear but the case hasn’t quite been made to me caring.

Then there’s Major being human now and cured. Why doesn’t he quit his job? I can’t figure this out. Why put himself in danger?

Then there’s Blaine, who’s back to his old self. While it’s interesting to see him get his revenge it has a been there done that aspect to it.

The good of the episode is a bit more of a focus on the anti-zombie folks as a decision is made to infiltrate them. It’s also a little odd that other avenues aren’t taken to take care of them, like turning them into zombies or outright killing them.

For as different as the season began, in these last few episodes it’s all gotten back to where it was seasons ago. The series looked like it was evolving in its formula this season and in some aspects it’s branching out, but in others it’s taking a bunch of steps back.

Hopefully this is just a bridge episode moving things along and getting us to the next phase of the season, but this is an episode that’s largely forgettable in so many ways.

Overall Rating: 7.05

When a womanizing preschool teacher is murdered, Liv and Clive bring the teacher’s jealous girlfriend in for questioning; Peyton is assigned an interesting case; Blaine gets into a bad situation.

iZombie interestingly runs multiple stories in a bit of a different way this episode where it has the murder investigation (pretty standard), the bigger story for the season, and then they continue some from the dominatrix episode, and to see the series pick that up (without it clearly connecting to anything else yet) is interesting, as it gives the series something else to juggle and entertain us.

As usual, Rose McIver in the main role is amazing as she eats the brain of a school teacher and takes his lessons to a bit extreme, especially when it comes to interrogating the suspects. That brings the humor to interesting levels and McIver goes over the top and delivers it all in a somewhat creepy way (but really funny). How Clive reacts to it all helps add to the humor as his amusement at first turns into irritation eventually. There’s also references to things she does not on the screen which really brings the laughs and does so by having us imagining what she did (and what else she might have done). I’m sure our imagination is funnier than anything the writers would have been able to deliver.

The other two other plotlines are interesting. You’ve got the bigger story of the zombie brains war and the individuals hunting for proof of zombies with Major stuck in the middle of that. This episode is a good one in that it adds a little to that, but doesn’t dive too much in. But, the thing I really like is the follow up to the dominatrix episode where the person may been using the information for blackmail. Where that goes is interesting and while I expect that to dovetail into the bigger story, it very well may not. It’s nice to see it come back the way it does.

The episode is a good one that feels like it’s adding layers to what’s come before as much as it is moving the plots forward. The episode feels like it’s a step into making episodes a bit more complicated going forward.

Overall Rating: 7.95

Liv Consumes the brain of an irresponsible narcissist who has been murdered; Peyton learns some shocking news; Ravi experiences a substantial setback.

iZombie really plays into the cure with an episode revolving around Major taking it and resulting in one hell of a reveal at the end of the episode. The season, as short as it is, has been building to these moments in a weird way and things play out with a combination of humor and a bit of heart.

But, anchoring the acting, as usual, is Rose McIver who plays off a new personality this time in a rather subtle way. It’s not quite the over the top performance we’ve seen before but done in a much more low-key style. It’s solid in so many ways and seriously she deserves some awards for her acting. But, this episode downplays the personality and the murder as a whole instead using it for some humorous moments throughout the episode and as a reason for the way some things play out.

It’s tough to totally explain the episode without revealing the twist but the way it ends really changes what we’ve seen this season and gets you to rethink some things, which is really good. It also plays off of the heartfelt moments from last episode, probably the best scene(s) of the entire series.

iZombie is finding its footing this season by shaking things up a bit and not being afraid to break its mold in some ways. But, even when it does that, it knows where its success is and what makes the series one I come back to every week.

Overall Rating: 7.95

When Liv consumes the brains of a dominatrix, her bossy and controlling personality makes everyone a little uncomfortable, especially Clive. Meanwhile, Blaine and Peyton have a heart-to-heart.

iZombie gets a little kinky in this episode when Liv and company have to solve the murder of a dominatrix which brings in some characters who have had some screen time in previous episodes. It’s fun to see them come back, especially their squirming.

Rose McIver as always delivers a fantastic performance. In this case a dominating character who at the same time makes herself intimidating and sexual. It’s what you’d expect from a dominatrix and no matter how silly of subtle the command, there’s an excellent wink, nod, and whip to it all.

But, the episode really focuses on Major who has a major attack after being roughed up and is forced to take the zombie cure. It’s a touching moment that the season has been building towards and though short, how its handled by everyone is very sad and feels perfect in many ways. It’s absolutely fantastic and I know it has me counting down to the next episode to see what might happen.

The episode is a fun one like the series generally is. It mixes humor and heart and delivers on both in a lot of ways. A solid entry that had me caring about the characters and hoping for the best for Major.

Overall Rating: 7.80

Liv consumers the brain of a murder victim who had the reputation of being an office gossiper; Blaine and Peyton grow closer as they wait to see if Ravi is able to reverse the effects of the cure; Major is one step away from fulfilling a promise.

iZombie gives us an episode that mostly sticks to its formula in this episode but what the series seems to be doing in its third season is adding in a bigger mystery, well really mysteries.

Most of the episode focuses on a murder which has Liv consuming a brain to help figure out who the murder is. It’s the usual for the show and Rose McIver is always fantastic playing off the various personality quirks of her new brain. That story is interesting and there’s lots of fun, and funny, moments that keep it interesting.

But, the episode is really about those ongoing stories.

The fix to the zombie cure, the zombie killer, Blaine and Peyton, that’s all explored here and then some. And I think that’s where this season is really standing out. It’s able to mix in four or five different plotlines in a way that’s not completely clear how they all come together and every single bit feels like it has more than enough time to move it forward and entertain.

As always, the cast is fantastic and how they interact always stands out. When it really comes to having fun and seeming like they’re having fun, this cast and show really stands out. And here too, we get that, even when the story itself is a little dark.

iZombie constantly entertains and this season has picked up after a slow and odd start. Consistently it delivers one of the most fun hours of television and consistently has me laughing and putting a smile on my face.

Overall Rating: 7.65

Liv consumers the brain of a murdered lifestyle guru; Ravi’s former boss gets closer to uncovering the truth; Blaine and Peyton grow closer.

iZombie continues to stick to its formula in the third episode of the season which feels like a more cautious set-up than anything too groundbreaking.

The episode involves the murder of a guy that feels like an over the type yoga instructor and that aspect of the episode isn’t too exciting at all. It’s easy to figure out who the murderer is early on and nothing adds a whole lot to Liv or Clive. There’s a few funny moments, but overall, it’s fairly blah when it comes to the whodunnit stories we’ve seen in the past.

The bigger part of the episode involves Ravi and Blaine, really Blaine’s father. We see a new operation being set up by Blaine’s father and it’s the early moments of the story, but it feels rather familiar and what we’ve seen before, because it just feels like something Blaine has done. So nothing really new there.

The bigger story involves Ravi and Peyton and Ravi being an utter douche towards her. This season is adding some depth to him, but he’s being a dick so it’s kind of hard to like him. And as it stands if Peyton winds up with him, it looks poorly upon her too. That’s the biggest fireworks on the episode, it’s all pretty bland otherwise.

This third episode isn’t bad per se. We get to see Major act out a bit as a zumba instructor, but for the most part, the episode feels safe, almost too safe. With the first episode of the season being so different and the second adding a decent amount to Clive’s story, this third one just doesn’t quite work. An entertaining hour, but one that’s rather forgettable.

Overall Rating: 7.15

Liv, Clive, and Ravi suspect foul play was involved in a fatal car crash; Clive reveals his connection to a murdered family; Peyton tries to make peace with Ravi.

iZombie returns more to its normal formula with two cases that feel much more like the previous two seasons, but also with a twist as one ties into the greater narrative that began in the previous episode.

The first case is about a father and daughter who are killed in a car crash and things seem a little fishy. That leads to Liv and Major eating their brains with Liv taking on the father and Major the teenage daughter. That brings the humor as we get to see the two acting each stereotypical personality and delivering things in a way that had me smiling throughout the episode. Yes, it plays a bit too much into stereotypes, but it’s still entertaining in a way mostly due to the actors themselves, especially Major talking about abs and selfies.

The second story plays off of what began last episode with Clive and the family he found out were zombies. We get the full history here as they are unfortunately killed. There’s someone out there who’s killing zombies, but why? That seems to be the big picture, who knows, who’s killing, and how do they find the killers without causing a panic. The concept is a bit too much like the Chaos Killer story which I hated and who knows if that’ll play in here. It should since it’s really similar. The best part is that it gives a lot more depth into Clive who hasn’t had a lot of focus in the series. To see him pushed in the spotlight more is more than overdue as he’s been a great anchor and playing the straight man to the crazy.

The series is closer to what we’ve previously seen and it’s a stronger second episode than first due to that. I can see the big picture coming into focus with this episode and it feels like a bit old and a bit new. Hopefully, we get something that’s a bit different than the previous two seasons, but so far it’s an interesting start.

Overall Rating: 7.85

Liv finds there are more zombies in Seattle than she previously thought; though exonerated for the Chaos Killer crimes, Major remains a pariah; Blaine is accused of lying.

iZombie returns for its third season with an interesting first episode that picks up on the end of the previous season while also setting the series into a new direction with a big picture story.

When we last saw the series Max Rager is done and a zombie outbreak has been stopped and now for the cover up. That goes pretty high up as we find out there’s even more zombies and they have a goal of making Seattle a zombie paradise/sanctuary.

The concept is really interesting, especially when you think about it in the bigger debate over sanctuary cities, but how things are laid out within the story feels a bit out of left field really shifting the series away from the whodunnit type stories we’ve seen in the previous two seasons. That aspect is jettisoned instead the entire episode is focused on wrapping up the previous season while setting things up for what’s to come in this third season.

That shift is good, because things need to be shaken up for formula, but the abrupt way it’s done doesn’t quite work here. The show usually shines when it focus on the characters’ eating brains and acting out their new personalities, and that’s not really here. The humor is gone and while this is a first episode of a season it feels like it’s more of an addendum to the previous one.

We’ll see where this goes, but the big concept doesn’t feel like it quite works, but the series at least shakes things up and takes things in a different direction. We’ll see how far they’re willing to try out new things as the season progresses.

Overall Rating: 7.2

Season 2 ends with Liv, Babineaux and Major crashing Vaughn’s Super Max Rager party, where Rob Thomas performs a song from his solo career. Meanwhile, Blaine reaches out to Peyton for help, which does not sit well with Ravi.

iZombie wraps up the second season with an over the top episode that’s bloody fun. The finale wraps up the Chaos Killer storyline along with the Max Rager story in an episode that does tie together so many plot lines that date back to the first season.

First, the episode has a lot of fun with singer Rob Thomas who makes an appearance. For those that don’t know a different Rob Thomas is the producer of the show, and the two are often mixed up. So, the show decides to end that issue in some ways…. Though Thomas didn’t do himself any favor as he sounded horrible singing.

Now, on to the things that matter.

There’s a big party and zombie outbreak which has Liv, Major, and Babineaux going hardcore zombie killers with lots and lots of action. Plot lines are completely shut down, and only one from this season really remains open (Blaine).

But, the episode gives us a hell of a twist at the end which should make one hell of a third season. This second season has been a bit of a hit and miss, mostly hits, but the show wraps things up nicely not taking itself too seriously.

Can’t wait to see what the show does next!

Overall Rating: 8.2

Liv and Ravi need help and find an unlikely ally in Blaine; Babineaux and Dale Bozzio pursue a new lead in an old case; sleazy Brant Stone comes to Major’s rescue; Vaughn’s evil side reaches a whole new level of mean.

iZombie begins to wrap up its second season with this first part of the two part season finale. This episode alone is worthy of being the finale itself with lots of twists, turns, and reveals, some of which I didn’t expect at all.

Yeah, there’s just so much in this episode alone and to go into a lot of it, it’d just ruin it all, but the series goes places I didn’t expect at all and there’s reveals I didn’t expect to happen for a bit longer.

The episode completely circles around Major and his arrest as the Chaos Killer. There’s lots of predictable things presented, but what the episode does really well as treat the whole situation as a ticking time bomb until Major turns in jail and all hell breaks loose. That is pretty fun I think and something that’s new to the series.

There’s one huge thing at the end of the episode that will possibly change a character in a major way, and changing characters is a common thing in this episode. There’s a bunch of that, lots of that. And team zombie looks to be expanding in many ways.

The end of the episode sets up what should be one hell of a season finale… luckily we don’t have to wait long to see it.

Overall Rating: 7.9