iZombie: Dead Air

May 6, 2015 3:05 PM - Season 1, Episode 8

Liv and Clive work together to solve the murder of a morning radio talk show host who specialized in relationship straight talk. Liv becomes filled to the brim with insight after consuming the brains, making Clive extremely uncomfortable when Liv starts getting personal. Meanwhile, Peyton steps in to help Major, and Blaine issues a warning. Lastly, Ravi’s unexpected romantic connection has the potential to make things awkward for Liv.
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich (18 comments total)

I enjoyed this episode a little more, as it advanced some of the various plotlines and wasn't as episodic. I still have hope that when things start happening that really matter on an ongoing basis, the show will improve. Major's character is changing quite a bit, for example, and that's interesting. We keep seeing Peyton, but she's just been kind of sitting there, disconnected. If she starts dating Ravi, that would make her relevant. And I don't think that Ravi is going to be zombiefied by the rat, but it's possible (I hope so, because that would mean that Things Are Happening). All these zombies everywhere -- that's not tenable much longer within this episodic, procedural format.
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 5:31 PM on May 6, 2015

If they ice Ravi, I quit the show cold. I don't care - I have not quite forgiven them yet for the gradual displacement of Wallace but Ravi hangs my moon in the damn sky.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 6:10 PM on May 6, 2015 [2 favorites]

My money is on Ravi figuring out a "cure" that stops his zombification but doesn't work on people who are already gone.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 7:19 PM on May 6, 2015

I will be interested to see how they keep Ravi from being zombified. It's surprising that the captain wasn't in charge and didn't jump to talk to Liv. He knows she's a zombie. Talk to her. Does Liv get paler every episode or is it just because ALL the other zombies look normal?
posted by Ik ben afgesneden at 7:35 PM on May 6, 2015

The other zombies have money, comparatively - they were tanning or dying their hair, while Liv as a med student never seemed particularly into the whole fashion thing from the flashbacks either. It makes sense that part of her zombie-PTSD is being au-natural with her zombie look and not dressing up particularly. I sorta hope now that she eats a fashionista's brain and does a makeover now....
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 9:05 PM on May 6, 2015 [2 favorites]

I laughed at the "ethereal Tinker Bell" comment. Rose McIver played Tinker Bell on Once Upon a Time.
posted by Justinian at 11:37 PM on May 6, 2015 [3 favorites]

I do hope Ravi manages to prevent his own zombification. There are already too many zombies as far as I'm concerned. Tell your story gradually, show! Ease into it!
posted by Justinian at 11:38 PM on May 6, 2015 [1 favorite]

I'm with the folks here who want more Ravi in the show. Rahul Kohli absolutely killed it in this episode, which I felt was otherwise kind of meh. Also, the show just got a second season, so here's to hoping that they flesh out the characters a bit more.
posted by zombieflanders at 7:21 AM on May 7, 2015 [4 favorites]

I enjoyed this episode! Some "whodunnit" but it definitely wasn't the main focus at all. Thus, minimal Clive which was okay with me. I am glad that some of the storylines--Major, Payton, Ravi--all seem to be coming together. I also hope that Ravi doesn't become a zombie. The scientist in me wonders what the hell he was thinking because even if he didn't have access to high tech facilities he certainly could have been protecting himself more or at least not talking on the phone while dealing with a zombie mouse. Ravi don't be dumb!

I'm also wondering if Liv's little brother will end up getting a job at that place? And if/when we'll see rich zombie booty call lady?

Also agreeing that it feels like there are too many zombies! I'll be interested to see how that goes. Also, in the earlier episodes with Liv's friend who was in permanent zombie rage...I'll be interested to see if that is brought up again.

Anyways, I'll keep watching. And I feel good that it was just renewed for season 2.
posted by lucy.jakobs at 9:40 AM on May 7, 2015 [2 favorites]

I think this is a good show that has the potential to be great, and it just isn't. I so want it to be great, but it isn't. Naberius said a few weeks ago that it's always just minimally good enough to watch the following week, and that's exactly how I feel. Please show, figuring out what is working (e.g., Ravi, Blaine, Ravi again) and ditch what isn't (e.g., overly complicated Mysteries of the Week, bland characters like Liv's family).

And if/when we'll see rich zombie booty call lady?

Didn't Blaine murder her?
posted by joan cusack the second at 10:19 AM on May 7, 2015 [1 favorite]

Yes you're probably right she was murdered I think. I forgot about that.

And yeah I'm holding on to the hope it'll be great, but if I'm not wowed by the rest of the season and really looking forward to season 2 I can see myself just forgetting about the show and not following it once the season starts.

I was also comforted by the fact that the police zombie captain guy moved all of the bodies that Blaine destroyed. Perhaps the zombie web isn't quite as big and crazy as it seems like it is now. Also, who made the police captain a zombie? That's what I'd like to know. How did he come to be working for Blaine, especially since he's the police captain and presumably has more access to dead bodies (especially now that he knows Liv is a zombie) than Blaine. But maybe not?

Also, Liv had a flashback to Jerome being kidnapped. Does that mean she had just eaten his brain? How come it was so "fresh" unlike two episodes ago when she ate the doughnut guys nasty brain?
posted by lucy.jakobs at 11:59 AM on May 7, 2015 [1 favorite]

Doughnut guy wasn't carefully preserved and prepared for optimal brain-flavor?
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 12:14 PM on May 7, 2015

Remember, they're in Seattle. Jerome's brains are artisinal, vacuum-sealed and kept in a carefully-monitored freezer to preserve that taste you just don't get with improperly stored brains.

And now that I think about it, this is starting sound like a "can I eat this" AskMe.
posted by zombieflanders at 12:24 PM on May 7, 2015 [4 favorites]

Eponybraaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiins
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 12:26 PM on May 7, 2015 [5 favorites]

I'm no fancy-shmancy zombie, I get mine from Trader Romero's like most working stiffs.
posted by zombieflanders at 12:44 PM on May 7, 2015 [7 favorites]

I'm an inveterate pun-hater. But that was pretty good.
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 1:03 PM on May 7, 2015

The question of how much brain you need and how often is seriously beginning to bother me. Zombies are only ever shown eating a small amount but the way they go through people seems to indicate they need the entire brain. The best clue I can remember is when somebody mentioned deliveries a couple of times per week.
posted by Ik ben afgesneden at 8:44 PM on May 12, 2015

i liked how musician boyfriend said "meet cute" midway through the episode. i was like - ah-ha! i knew it! he's no good! - and that might not be fair - lots of the zombies seem to be victims of blaine, but in that role they become complicit in their parts. i dunno - i don't trust him.

i kinda hate that the police chief works for blaine - i was hoping there was a bigger conspiracy and blaine was just a part of it.

this episode had too many great quotes to remember! i really enjoyed it! of course, i continue to like mystery/crime/monster of the week shows and it's fun to see it in this context for me.

every episode i watch i think more and more that i want liv's haircut.
posted by nadawi at 8:04 PM on October 25, 2015 [1 favorite]