Reviews
[TV Review] “iZombie” Episode 2.09: ‘Cape Town’
For being a mid-season finale, this week’s episode of iZombie didn’t have much in the way of stakes. There were plenty of emotional moments, to be sure, but overall it just felt like another standard episode of iZombie. Not that this is a bad thing, since iZombie is awesome, but it does make the episode feel more than a little anticlimactic.
Liv and Major have finally imploded. After using Major’s finger to look at his text messages(!) at the end of last week’s episode, “Cape Town” opens in media res during their fight. We didn’t meet up with them again until later in the episode after Major had had a serious heart-to-heart with a zombie hooker (more on that in a bit), but it was enough to send Liv over the edge and break up with Major.
This has been a long time coming, as it is very clear that Liv and Major were destined for doom, especially in a relationship with no sex. It’s admirable that they tried, but until Liv is either cured (which let’s face it, will never happen) or Major give in and becomes a zombie, there is no future for these two no matter how much all of us may want it. iZombie will eventually have to make a decision on these two, otherwise the series will continue to be plagued by the “will they or won’t they” trope that has proven fatal to so many other shows. We care deeply about Liv and Major, but it’s time to figure things out. Luckily, Liv took a step in the right direction by ending things.
Another relationship that ended tonight was that of the one between Clive and Liv. The mystery of the week was one of the more memorable ones, with Liv eating the brain of a masked superhero vigilante nicknamed “The Fog” who took it upon himself to rescue the wrong person (who, in a nice twist, ended up being the murderer). Said brain caused Liv to go even more vigilante-y than she normally does, and it was refreshing to see Clive finally put his foot down after Liv was nearly murdered when she tried to take down the bad guys. Losing both Major and Clive in the span of one episode will undoubtedly have long-term repercussions for Liv, so it will be interesting to see how the rest of the season plays out.
Oddly enough, the best (and most emotionally resonant) part of the episode was Major’s entire arc with the female zombie hooker. In what seemed to be just another routine zombie kidnapping by Major, the supposed victim was revealed to be a suicidal zombie hooker.
It was a nice little twist that was made all the better by the heart-to-heart that took place between the two characters. Major was finally able to open up to someone about his secret life. It’s disappointing that it wasn’t with Liv, though at least Major was able to explain that he was opting not to tell Liv in order to protect her. Still, that excuse comes off as sort of a cop-out for the character (and the series). The confessions from the zombie were quite heartbreaking, especially after learning that she was being forced to have sex in order to obtain brains.
The catharsis earned from this scene was easily the highlight of the episode, and seeing Major agree to kill her if a cure was never found was a nice moment between the two characters, but as cathartic as it was, I can’t help but dislike the fact that none of this was happening with Liv. Why bring in a new character to help Major understand what it is Liv is going through on a daily basis?
Finally, we’ve got Blaine and his newly-made zombie Drake, who also just happens to be Mr. Boss’ driver/henchman/assistant. Not much headway was made on this front, and it was mostly used to set up the back half of the season, but it was intriguing nonetheless.
“Cape Town” was sort of a low-key midseason finale, and while there were plenty of emotional repercussions for Liv, there wasn’t much focus on the season-long arc, making it for a middling episode of the series.
Random Notes
- Apologies for the delay in getting this up. Yay internet problems!
- Don’t get me wrong, I want Liv and Major to be together, but they need to get all of their shit out in the open and figure things out.
- The ending tag was a real sucker punch, wasn’t it? Ravi’s cured rat reverted back into a zombie after 162 days, which means this whole cure thing may just be a MacGuffin. Of course, this means Blaine and Major may be turning back into zombies soon, which means Major and Liv can actually be together.
- Chapter Titles of the Week: Violent Night; Major Falling Out; Santa Claus is Running the Town; Hashtag Hashtagged; One Tree Kill; You Better Not Pout; Mary, Mary, Why You Buggin’? Violent Night was my favorite. Call me predictable.
- Brain Recipe of the Week: Brain Submarine Sandwich! It actually looked pretty tasty.
- Ravi has always wanted to design his own utility belt. Of course!
- “So all this Santa delivers to our city…is crime.” -Liv’s superhero-isms on The Fog’s brain were pretty hilarious.
- “I may have buried the lead here. Zombies are a real thing!” -Blaine to the new zombie.
- Hashtag, Ghost Cobra, Grey Area, Megafist, Blue Swallow were some of the various superhero names. I think I may have missed one or two. Their costumes were undeniably hilarious though.
- “Yeah. I literally got screwed into becoming a zombie hooker.”
- “I’m the nightmare before Christmas!” -I think I clapped when Liv said this.
- Remember when Liv had a mother and a brother?
- See you all on January 12th when iZombie returns for its remaining 10 episodes!
Caitlin Cronenberg’s directorial feature debut, Humane, sees a global crisis puncture the safety bubble of an affluent family in a darkly comedic and violent fashion. Borders clamp down tight as governments resort to voluntary euthanasia in order to reduce the population within a year to stave off catastrophe. While Humane is far less interested in the wider-scaled intricacies of its setup, the social commentary has enough bite, and a compelling cast ensures a darkly funny chamber piece.
Set in a rich Ontario neighborhood, Humane introduces the York family through narcissistic patriarch Charles York (Peter Gallagher). The image-obsessed, somewhat retired news anchor has invited his grown children to his sprawling home to break the news that he’s decided to enlist in the government’s assisted suicide initiative along with his celebrity chef wife, Dawn (Uni Park). The news doesn’t go over well with Charles’ children: prickly pharma executive Rachel (Emily Hampshire), aloof government mouthpiece Jared (Jay Baruchel), recovering addict Noah (Sebastian Chacon), and struggling actress Ashley (Alanna Bale).
Before they can talk Charles out of his decision, private contractor Bob (Enrico Colantoni) arrives to fulfill his quota, and he’s not leaving without two filled body bags.
Cronenberg approaches Michael Sparaga’s script with an understated gallows wit. Set almost entirely within the York household, the ticking clock predicament and worldbuilding are framed from the perspective of an entitled family. Rachel, Jared, Noah, and Ashley are so caught up in their own struggles and infighting that it’s often left to the TV to convey the magnitude of the world’s plight. These small background touches, where you’ll find voiceover cameos from the likes of David Cronenberg, underscore just how out of touch the York family is, fueling the biting commentary on the escalating madness.
Humane looks and feels like a stage play, with minimalist production design and direction that lets the dialogue-heavy performances take center stage. The lengthy conversations and deliberations between siblings propel the plot forward while fleshing out the world and its characters, leaving a lot resting on the cast’s shoulders. Even trickier is that, save for Rachel’s daughter Mia (Sirena Gulamgaus), the Yorks are not remotely likable on paper. The smart casting winds up shifting allegiances throughout, especially the more Bob’s unflappable, upbeat mask cracks, exposing a sinister edge.
Though Hampshire often surprises with her barbed line delivery and cutthroat attitude, Humane belongs to Colantoni’s tricky two-faced character. His winsome portrayal earns easy rooting interest against an elite, snobby family, and a heel turn gives them the opportunity to earn sympathy if they choose it. It’s through Bob that the York siblings become more compelling as they grapple with their life-and-death predicament.
The York family saga escalates the violence and reaches a satisfying conclusion. Caitlin Cronenberg makes good use of the modest budget, letting the dark sense of humor and an entertaining ensemble do the heavy lifting. The York family isn’t very complicated, though, and the social commentary is too superficial and straightforward to leave a lasting impact. Not all character choices feel organic or earned, either. Still, Cronenberg’s mischievous sense of humor makes for an entertaining time.
Humane releases in select theaters on April 26, 2024.
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