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[TV Review] “iZombie” Episode 1.12: ‘Dead Rat, Live Rat, Brown Rat, White Rat’

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iZombie

With just one episode left in the season, iZombie had a lot of loose ends to tie up with this episode, and boy did it deliver! It was a jam-packed episode, to be sure, but so much development was made and many of those aforementioned loose ends were tied up (although Major still didn’t learn Liv’s secret). There were a few issues involving Liv’s brother’s reappearance (more on that later), but this was definitely one of iZombie’s best episodes, and a perfect way to head into the finale. 

First of all, the references to I Know What You Did Last Summer were amazing (as was the fact that a character actually called out the similarities to the film). I’m a child of the 90s, and I love that movie. The cold open (which is possibly my favorite one of the season) had our newly zombified Sebastian getting hit by a car full of teenagers (one of whom is Bex Taylor-Klaus, who plays Sin on Arrow!). They bury him “alive,” only for him to dig himself out of his grace and kill one of them.

What was so great about this episode is that it really gave Rose McIver a chance to play around (more so than usual). She ate not one, but two brains tonight. While the stoner persona was quite hilarious, I preferred the ditzy cheerleader brain, as it made Liv the most fun and personable she has ever been on iZombie.

What iZombie also managed to do this week is have a lot of comedy with an equal amount of horror. This is possibly the darkest episode the show has done all season. It’s can be difficult to strike a balance between horror and comedy, but “DR, LR, BR, WR” (I refuse to type the entire title again) pulled it off masterfully. The final montage of the episode set up what could be an exciting season finale. My only question is, who murdered(?) Bex Taylor-Klaus? It wasn’t Blaine, so I guess that leaves a Max Rager employee? Hopefully we find out next week but that might be something that gets left until Season 2 to resolve.

iZombie

The major development of the episode was Peyton finding out the truth about Liv. While the scene between McIver and Aly Michalka was great, it’s disheartening that Peyton has had the least amount of screen time among Liv’s close circle of friends. That made the revelation slightly underwhelming since we don’t connect with Peyton nearly as well as we do with a character like Major (TELL HIM), but the two actresses pulled it off. Also, it should be noted that the fight scene between Liv and Sebastian was phenomenal. More of this in Season 2, please.

Speaking of Major, he found himself in even more trouble this week, as he ended the episode tied up in the Meat Cute kitchen. I’ve loved everything involving Major this season, which I have mentioned before. While I don’t think iZombie will be bold enough to kill him, it’s possible they could turn him into a zombie. My only gripe about his storyline involves Liv’s brother, Evan. Once he walked into the Meat Cute (with Major tied up in the back) I nearly groaned. The reason for this is that it was teased six episodes ago. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad it finally happened, but the fact that it took so long was frustrating. We haven’t seen much (any?) of Liv’s family since “Maternity Liv” so to have that ball dropped on us out of the blue was surprising, but frustrating.

I know it sounds like I bitched a little too much about “Dead Rat, Live Rat, Brown Rat, White Rat,” but I really did love the episode! It’s one of iZombie’s strongest episodes yet and set up what could be a potentially fantastic finale next week. Thank God we’re getting a second season!

Random Notes

  • Chapter Titles Of The Week: Why Did The Zombie Cross The Road?; Remains Of The Day; But I’m A Cheerleader; Band On The Run; The Day The “Music” Died; Stoner? I Hardly Knew Her; Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner. I give the edge to But I’m A Cheerleader, mostly because I love that movie.
  • Zombie Power Of The Week: There’s TWO this week! Ditzy Cheerleader and Lazy Stoner.
  • “Somebody needs to do chest compressions to the beat of ‘All For The Best’ from Godspell!” -I’m a huge sucker when TV shows and movies spoof religious fanatics. I find it absolutely hilarious.
  • “Why are you here and not carrying astronaut brains?” -I love the nonchalant way brains are discussed on iZombie.
  • All of Liv’s cheerleader-speak was hilarious and very Elle Woods-y.
  • Clive ate brains and got them confused for….mushrooms? Alright.
  • “What is this bizarre seque that’s happening right now?” -Blaine, on Julien discussing the “health inspector’s” physical appearance.
  • “You saw I Know What You Did Last Summer 2?” -It bugged me that Liv got the title wrong, but her delivery on this was too funny for me to care that much.
  • Liv, there actually IS a third I Know What You Did Last Summer. And it’s terrible. It’s called I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer.
  • “I need to drink some more cheerleader. Put some pep in my step!” -There’s that nonchalantness again.
  • The season finale is next week, you guys! See you then! Until that time, here’s the promo:

A journalist for Bloody Disgusting since 2015, Trace writes film reviews and editorials, as well as co-hosts Bloody Disgusting's Horror Queers podcast, which looks at horror films through a queer lens. He has since become dedicated to amplifying queer voices in the horror community, while also injecting his own personal flair into film discourse. Trace lives in Austin, TX with his husband and their two dogs. Find him on Twitter @TracedThurman

Books

‘In Search of Darkness’ Book Review: A Must-Have for ’80s Horror Fans

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In 2019, the documentary of 80s horror In Search of Darkness became an instant hit with horror fans. Now, a beautiful coffee table style companion book is available and is a must-own for all fans of one of horror’s greatest eras. The book is a walk down the horror aisle of the best mom and pop video store in the heyday of VHS, featuring full color photos, poster art, insightful essays and more. More than just a nostalgic throwback, In Search of Darkness is the kind of book I wish I’d had back in my years as a burgeoning horror fan but is also satisfying for the film fanatic I have become in the years since.

The format is beautifully and simply laid out, with at least a dozen (usually more) movies from each year of the decade presented in order of release accompanied by informative and insightful essays by the authors Heather Wixson and Patrick Bromley. Both authors have been mainstays of film journalism, specializing in horror, for many years. Wixson began her career in 2007 with Dread Central and has spent the past ten years as the Managing Editor of Daily Dead, from which she recently retired to focus on books and other projects. She has devoted the past several years to interviewing and writing books about the Make-up and Special Effects wizards that have brought so much to film over the years, specifically the horror genre.

Bromley is a film journalist and critic whose work can be found all over the place including right here on Bloody Disgusting. He recently provided the commentary for the Vinegar Syndrome release of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and is known as something of a Tobe Hooper expert. He is also the founder and editor of F this Movie!, an eclectic film website, and host of its accompanying podcast. So, to be clear, the authors know their stuff.

Wixson and Bromley divide writing duties roughly in half and though each has a distinctive voice, their writing styles dovetail beautifully into a cohesive whole. Each author plays to their strengths. Being familiar with both their work I didn’t even have to look at the bylines to know that Heather covered Christine and Terror in the Aisles and Patrick took on The Funhouse and Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers. Wixson’s passion for make-up effects is clear and comes through in many of her contributions. In general, Wixson takes on the “big” titles, the movies that defined the decade the most, and Bromley covers what the more cynical among us might call schlock, but he would likely call pure cinematic bliss. There are exceptions and surprises, of course, as there should be (Patrick covers The Shining for example). Each essay dives into the history behind the film, the major players involved, the reception, and legacy with often surprising aspects drawn from interviews with the filmmakers from various sources and insights from the authors.

For all their in-depth explorations of each film, in general the authors keep their critics’ hats safely stowed, keeping in mind that every entry on the book has its fans. In fact, they may well have sold me on finally hitting play on some of the schlockier offerings of the decade like Evilspeak, Nightbeast, and Blood Diner. Hell, I may even give The Beast Within a spin for shits and giggles. The point is that this book is a celebration through and through. The authors are honest about the critical receptions of the films, which were often unkind, and sometimes let their own opinions shine through, but recognize how beloved even the schlockiest films can become given time and availability. And that is an ongoing theme of In Search of Darkness. What may have been dismissed in its day often becomes revered as the years pass. Variations on the phrase “the years have been kind to…” referring to various maligned projects like The Thing, Halloween III: Season of the Witch, The Blob and many, many others, can be found throughout the book for good reason.

Each chapter of the book also includes a rundown of the top horror movies at the box office for the year as well as the top movies of all genres for context. The final page for each year highlights some of the major news and pop culture events including the top songs, albums, and television shows. There is a large central section that pays tribute to the talent involved with the greatest horror films of the 80s including directors, actors, effects artists, and more. This section includes brief biographies of John Carpenter, Wes Craven, Stephen King, Tom Savini, Barbara Crampton, Robert Englund, and many others presented in a dynamic and engaging fashion.

One of the beauties of the book is that it covers so much ground. Sure, you’ll find Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Hellraiser, and the Halloween sequels in it, but you’ll also find deeper cuts like The Changeling, The Being, and Tetsuo: The Iron Man. I was happy to find the same love given to Frank Henenlotter and Larry Cohen as to George A. Romero and David Cronenberg. In other words, In Search of Darkness is extraordinarily eclectic, highlighting the diversity that truly defined what is often viewed as a homogenous decade. The authors make the case that the 80s was horror’s greatest decade, and with what they lay out throughout this book, it’s tough to argue against that. I even came across a film or two I hadn’t even heard of before, which has become increasingly rare as the years go by.

At just shy of $85, the cover price may give some horror hounds pause, but believe me, it’s worth every penny. This is a beautiful volume that every fan of 80s horror will want on their shelf or prominently displayed on their coffee table. Filled with favorite titles, hundreds of full color photos, insightful and informative writing, this is simply a must own.

You can order your copy now.

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