iZombie - Insane in the Germ Brain/You've Got to Hide Your Liv Away - Double Review

iZombie season 4 is barreling to it's close and much like it's predecessor seasons, it seems like things are really set to hit the fan in the season finale. Season 4 has been great at delivering it's premise of a contained zombie apocalypse and the many sides of the debate that go into the humans vs. zombies. I know that there are some people that have really enjoyed the tone of the season, while others have felt that it has faltered in comparison to previous seasons. Either way, iZombie is getting one more season to finish telling it's story and it'll be interesting to see how much of this seasons power struggle and the events of the finale play into iZombie's fifth and final season. (Oof that hurts) Insane in the Germ Brain and You've Got to Hide our Liv Away have set the stage for what promises to be an emotional and action packed season ender.

Insane in the Germ Brain
This is actually the kind of brain that I have been craving for Liv. One that has a defining trait, but that doesn't become Liv's only defining trait in the episode. The case wasn't ground breaking, a zombie kills a human for making fun of his wife, but I think the brain itself was showcased nicely and blended well into the episode without going too over the top, especially with everyone so sick around her. ( WHY DID NO ONE REMIND LIV THAT SHE CAN'T GET SICK, AT LEAST ONCE?) Either way, the brain wasn't the point of the episode, but a mere distraction to the gut punch the show wanted to deliver at the end. Look, I know some people probably teared up at Isobel's death, but me personally, I wasn't that moved. I felt for Ravi and Liv, but even then it felt there heartbroken reactions were premature. I think Isobel's appearance is like that of Liv's one-season boyfriends, not enough time to truly care when they bite the dust, but enough time with Liv to care how it affects her. Clearly Ravi and Liv have grown attached to her and in a war torn city, it's probably hard to see someone so young and seemingly full of life die but each time Isobel faked her demise, it was clear she wouldn't survive the episode and that soured the reveal a bit. It was great seeing Liv play Peyton in order to bring Isobel's mom into the city and germaphobe freak out as the citizens flocked her was unexpected but seemingly realistic for the most part. Again, I'm not saying her death didn't matter, because it does matter to me, but only in how Ravi and Liv(mostly Ravi react to it). It was a little off to me that she died off screen, but Ravi showing up for her magical wish driving lesson only to plead with her to stop faking was really sad. Rahul killed me in that moment. Get this man an Emmy or at least a TCA/PCA! I really thought we'd have more time with Isobel as she was introduced so late in the season and that we'd see her alive playing a bigger part in the vaccine, but this works too.

The Angus religion plot has really weighed on me this year. I'm not an overly devout religious person, but something doesn't still all the way right with me about Angus using the Lord as his speakerbox to incite the apocalypse and maybe that's exactly the point. It's not supposed to sit right, but sometimes my uncomfortably with it, makes it hard to stomach, no different than when it happens in real life. Don E on director brain and filming Angus' proclamation to the world seems like something that would've happen long ago honestly. No follower had a phone and filmed his message to their social media? Seems like a far reach, but I guess I could see it. The lines of the church are never made more clear this episode than with Angus' speech, which once it makes the airwaves inspires violence. Tuckers' friend being the one to attempt the assassination felt a little like overkill but it helped bring home the line in the sand message once Tucker calls him just food to Angus after he thwarts his former friend's attempted assassination of Angus.His friend may be the first human to attack, but he won't be the last.

Who would of thought the Russ storyline would eventually lead to Major to the point where he began to realize how much of a monster Chase Graves is. I'm glad we put an end to Major's undercover plot this week, but man was that shoot-out pretty intense. I didn't know what was up when Webb and Gladwell walked into the celebration, but Major's desperation to get Chase to let him handle the Russ escaping situation was hard to watch. Now the young lovers have been ripped apart and Major is sad, because deep own Major thought he was protecting these kids by leading them and now one of them was dead. I'm glad that Chase's true colors are about to be seen by all, and honestly Jason Dohring has been downright scary with his descent into madness this season, that I'll be sad to see him go if he does go, but I'll also feel the vindication in his death.

Some romantic relationships are tested this week as well and not all of them made it out of the fire. Ravi got a chance to meet Peyton's parents this week before her trip to DC. Things seem bumpy at first, but once Ravi stands up to her father, things get better until her parents suggest she make her trio a permanent one. They know that brains are going to stop coming and it's either going to be humans survive and zombies die and the walls come down, or zombies overtake new-Seattle and then the town is nuked, and Peyton would be safer far away. Ravi agrees with them but Peyton, acting mayor is full of resolve to come back, event though her later goodbye felt as if it could've been forever... stay tuned. Clive and Bozzio fianlly broke up this week and it was as hard as I imagined it would be. Dale heard the dash cam conversation that Clive has with Liv regarding wanting kids and that not being an option with Dale, so she tells him she found someone else,and ends things between them. (Sad Face)

This was a Blaine-less episode that still ended up pacing a few punches. Dale and Bozzio's break up, Major losing one of his team, Isobel's death and Peyton's ambiguous exit all made up for a pretty shut and close case of the week. I loved that Liv's Peyton impersonation was basically a wig and her clothes, but it was still pretty funny. Clive jumping into Michelle's arms was a little strange to me, but I can by it, he ran into the arms of someone he knows for sure wants him and he thinks the thought of could hurt Dale. Not exactly tactful, but definitely human like. I do wish Peyton had been the one to stand of to her dad and that it wasn't used as a moment to make Ravi a hero to her, but it happened and there's not much we can do about it now. Oh and Yes, Chase/Major are in fact my new iZombie OTP. B

You've Got to Hide Your Liv Away
iZombie never throws any real punches in its' penultimate episode, so this episode was going to be no different. While there are a few developments, a lot of it felt like endless exposition and set up for the next episode to come. Ravi on the white-girl (their words, not mine) brain was…interesting? I think coming off some top-notch acting with Isobel’s death it was bit jarring to see Ravi so…vain. Ravi and Clive in the scratching post with his top unbutton and Clive’s dead-pan delivery of his annoyance made up for a lot of cringe I was feeling while watching. I love that Clive admits to comparing him to Liv pn the case, though I do hate how quickly they brushed over the reveal that Ravi gave Clive. Clive now knows Liv is renegade and has been kidnapped, but sure let’s immediately try and solve this murder. The murder ends up being connected to Angus and his church though, which is one thing that iZombie really excels at, connecting all the dots as the season comes to a close. It seems that Angus is the culprit at first, bringing Clive and Angus face to face in an interrogation room, but it turns out young Tucker is the who killed her, inspired by Angus’ speech. It was totally weird and creepy to see the church members praying in the middle of the station, and I was thrown for a loop when Inspector Lambert set Tucker free and sent him back to Angus with the message about having an ally in Fillmore Graves.

Still, it was interesting how White-Girl had paid 14 million for the zombie cure but still wanted to capitalize to look like a zombie. I loved the tongue-in-cheek commentary there even though I couldn’t stand the brain. Luckily, Ravi gets off the brain and gets back to the science trying to find a way to link White-Girl’s brain to Isobel’s brain and discovers after some experimentation that he may not have found a vaccine, but a cure. With iZombie heading into its final season, it makes sense to finally put a cure in to play and hope that this one stays in play.

I love that Liv is such a bleeding heart and everyone knows it. Once word got out that Curtis would be killed until she revealed herself, you know Liv won’t let that happen. I didn’t expect Major to try and get involved and him kidnapping Liv was not on my list of things I wanted to happen. This whole plot really bothered me, because never should Major be allowed to force Liv to do anything because he thinks it is best for her. Liv and Major on old couple brain was just awful. I’m not for these two ever getting back together and all the hoopla about the brain not being in control and them missing and wanting each other felt shoe-horned in by the writers. These two have barely glanced at each other not in anger for me to even remotely want this. Thank goodness for the twist that the woman brain of the couple killed them both because she grew tired of her husband. Liv locking Major up had me cheering almost as much as the proposal in this episode. Even better that she showed back up to save Major from Russ, but still left him locked up.

Of course, while she was playing house, this season’s expendable boyfriend Levon is busy turning himself in right as Curtis is going to be executed. I could’ve cared less, but his plan came undone when Liv comes waltzing into Fillmore Graves and announces that she is Renegade to Chase. Chase is all set to release Levon, but because he’s Liv’s lover he has a death wish and attempts to overthrow Chase, which just ends up with both on the chopping block. Also, Hobbs tricks Major into talking about rebellion against Chase, and takes that soundbite back to Chase. Safe to say that even when Major breaks free, he won't be welcomed back by his former bestie.

Angus isn’t ready to send his flock out into the world and cause mass destruction because he is waiting on a sign from God, so Blaine manufactures one and causes it to rain brains in order to protect his own diabolical real-estate plan. My money is own season 4 ending with a reset where there is no more Fillmore Graves/Chase Grave and Angus and there are only a handful of Zombies left including Liv and Blaine where the latter is the big bad of the season. (fingers crossed)

The best part of the episode was that Clive was made privy to while Dale broke up with him. I expected him to confront her, but I didn’t expect him to kiss her passionately and propose! She is the non-negotiable piece! Ya’ll, I swooned so hard. Our boy wants to become a zombie for her! I fear this will end bad, but I’m going to try and enjoy it now. So, while this episode was merely setting up the pieces for what sure is to be an eventful finale, it was nice to see Liv put Major in a cage and do what she wanted, and I’m so happy that Dale and Clive are engaged. Everything else is simply a cause waiting for an effect that I’m sure is to come in the finale. B.

The iZombie season 4 finale, And He Shall Be a Good Man, airs 5/28 on the CW.

What do you think will go down in the finale? What did you think of these episodes? Sound off below!