Now this is how you do a season finale! There were at least three moments in the episode where I audibly gasped during “Blaine’s World” (Major getting stabbed, the Meat Cute exploding with Evan standing outside, and Liv saying she wouldn’t donate her blood to save her brother) and any episode of a television show that can make me do that is fantastic. It’s a good thing iZombie is coming back in the fall, because if we had to wait until next March for a new season it wouldn’t be pleasant.
Everything was tied together in the end of “Blaine’s World,” and neither bad guy was killed off of the show for good. Both Blaine and Max Rager CEO Vaughn Du Clark both emerged from the episode bruised and battered (and cured, in Blaine’s case), but it looks like they will be back next season to go head to head with Liv.
Surprisingly, most of the episode was focused on Major (Ravi had surprisingly little screen time and Peyton didn’t even make an appearance). I’ve said it several times in my previous reviews (and I will refrain from doing so once the second season begins), but Major has become one of the best (possibly the best) parts of the show. His arc all season has been phenomenal, with the only weak point coming from Liv’s reluctance to tell him the truth. Even that issue was remedied once he confronted Liv about all of the secrets she has kept from him all season.
It was a cathartic scene between Major and Liv, brilliantly acted by Rose McIver and Robet Buckley, with Major essentially voicing every thought the audience has had all season. Liv is the main character of the show, but it’s hard not to side with Major in this argument. All of Liv’s motivations for keeping things from Major have been purely selfish, and not in his best interest. It was wonderful to finally see the two hash it out.
Also nice was to see Major kick some serious ass. After creatively escaping from Blaine’s freezer (which was a unique and original form of torture) he went Rambo on the entire staff of the Meat Cute in a thrilling sequence that I would like to see more of in the second season. Hopefully that tease of Clive ordering a gun residue test on Major will just lead to Liv opening up to him as well, as I don’t particularly want to see a season of Major on trial for mass murder.
I don’t want to make it seem like Liv was a supporting player in her own season finale. She still had plenty to do, but none of it was particularly interesting until the final act. McIver got to show off her acting skills by making some tough decisions during the episode. Her decision to turn Major and then cure him again after their heart-to-heart was powerful, but it was watching her decide not to donate blood to her brother that held the most weight. It was also a surprising choice for the season cliffhanger, but that’s what made it work.
Elsewhere, Suzuki blew up the Meat Cute, but not before writing Blaine’s name in blood all over the walls (at least I think it was Blaine’s name). This was a jam-packed finale with plenty of phenomenal moments. It’s everything a season finale of a show should be. Let’s hope season two can live up to the high bar season one has set.
Random Notes
- Chapter Titles Of The Week: Major Cold Spell; And Then There Was One; Meet The New Boss; Great Balls of Ire; Getting a Bum Rap; Don’t Turn Around, Uh Oh; Bloodbath and Beyond. I vote for Bloodbath and Beyond.
- Zombie Power Of The Week: Super Snarkiness! Not one of my favorite brains this season but Liv did get some funny one-liners.
- “Not to speak ill of the dead but she’s kind of a snarky little bitch.” -Liv on Theresa
- “Hey! Creepy Stares-A-Lot. I’m not on a sex cam I can see you!” -Liv to new employee.
- The shot of Tommy’s brainless corpse was pretty gruesome by CW standards.
- “He made a funny sound while spitting on you?” -Liv, when the homeless guy was trying to describe the explosion.
- So…Vaughn Du Clark’s master plan for his energy drink is to make it so that sleep is a thing of the past? Alright. It’s not exactly genius, but alright.
- That Super Max can sure did look like a Red Bull knockoff didn’t it?
- Blaine’s first meal as a newly-cured zombie? Hot Pockets.
- “Just what we need: a noise complaint! You’ve got the slow and agonizing death thing under control, right? Great! I hope it hurts.” -I love David Anders, and I’m happy he’s sticking around next season so we can get more wonderful lines like this.
- “Make more now bitch!”
- That’s it for the first season everyone! Hope you’ve enjoyed reading my reviews as much as I’ve enjoyed writing them. See you again in the fall when Season 2 premieres!