S01.E11: Astroburger

[shapeshifter]

When Liv eats a mentally ill guy's brain, she becomes the most unreliable of narrators. http://previously.tv/izombie/seeing-isnt-always-believing/

...Anyway, Major actually just checked himself out of the joint, and when they all sit down to watch Vertigo, Ravi remembers that the plot is about being crazy and looks uncomfortably at Major...

Dear recapper,

Not so much.

Yours truly,

shapeshifter

What I saw was psycho-brain-fed Liv freaking out about watching Vertigo, and Ravi noticing her freak out, so stearing them away from the scary (not really, IIRC) movie.

Right?

[editorgrrl]

What I saw was psycho-brain-fed Liv freaking out about watching Vertigo, and Ravi noticing her freak out, so steering them away from the scary (not really, IIRC) movie.

Right?

Nope. Major even joked about Liv not letting him watch Harvey, either. And when she balked at watching a zombie show, Major assumed it was yet another attempt to protect the crazy guy from getting his feelings hurt.

Edited May 28, 2015 by editorgrrl

[rove4]

Just binge watched the series, though now I wish I had held out for another two episodes. Ah, well...

I've enjoyed the series and think it's getting better. I too was totally fooled by the double fake outs. They lulled me into thinking the devil hallucinations were the extent of the crazy brain effects. I did think it odd that Johnny Frost was tagging along with Liv so much but I was enjoying the performance too much to really think about it.

The Major fake out, aargh!! I so want Liv (or Ravi, not even picky about who at this point) to tell him the truth so this was just viewer cruelty. I was suspicious that he took the news so well but my first thought was, "this better not be a damn dream" so kudos, show.

Personally I really like Major. At first, yes, I thought he was boring but I've really enjoyed his storyline. I liked Lowell too but he didn't really have a storyline. His sole function was to be the temporary love interest. Meanwhile, Major has had a storyline that has been independent of Liv. And I like that he's out there trying to figure out what's happening since Liv and the police keep putting it on the backburner.

I also think his chemistry with Liv is just fine. Normally I don't care for couples who have a history that predates the show (never cared for Veronica/Duncan) but I'm fine with it here. Frankly, I would've crawled into bed with him too after hearing his sleepy voice, lol. Oh, and if there are more shirtless Major scenes I won't complain.

[shapeshifter]

In hindsight, bare chested Major should've been a clue that it was a hallucination. It seemed out of the blue.

[GaT]

I don't know...if, or should I say when, Major sees the video of Liv noshing on dude's brains, I could see him trying to kill her.

 

Or at least, I think if I were in Major's place, I would behead first and ask questions later. 

But he's been hanging around with her, even seeing the video, he knows she's not a crazed killer just after brains.

[wayne67]

I don't know if I can deal with this show any more. I keep waiting for the protagonist to be proactive about the whole Blaine harvesting teens for profit but there seems to be little forward momentum and I'm so over "keep the love interest in the dark" nonsense. Major is chasing zombies and endangering his life because Liv and Ravi who are supposedly his friends won't tell him the truth.

[editorgrrl]

In hindsight, bare chested Major should've been a clue that it was a hallucination. It seemed out of the blue.

Another clue was that after "perfect houseguest" Major slept on the couch he folded all the bedding—and the pile looked fresh out of the package. (Or at the very least, ironed.)

I clocked it, was totally confused, and still didn't realize that Major went home after awkward movie night.

Edited May 28, 2015 by editorgrrl

[jhlipton]

I don't think it would be that tough at all. The astronaut was portrayed as a public figure whose schedule is relatively well-known, and had a couple of events on the schedule. All you had to do would be to figure out where he would be (in this case, a book signing or something), and lay in wait, charm him with some B.S. story, and brain him.

 

And then de-brain him!

[swanjun]

A few points:

1) I'm pretty sure that was Daran Norris voicing the devil.

2) I was totally fooled by both hallucinations. Nicely done, show!

3) I really liked how they showed that Blaine had indeed killed the astronaut without spelling it out.

4) Man, what on Earth could season 2 be? I mean, I suppose we are not going to get a cure, but I am really worried what that means for Ravi. And I don't think Blaine should die yet, because there isn't any good candidate to take his villainous place. (I mean, the Max Rager CEO guy exists, but meh.) But yet, I don't want it to feel wrong that they *don't* attempt to deal with Blaine, y'know?

5) Count me in amongst those who totally had Camelot Hotel thoughts!

[dubbel zout]

The cure probably won't help everyone. I could see it making some people worse because of their body chemistry or whatever. Nothing is ever 100 percent.

 

I loved the devil hallucinations. They sort of reminded me of Gachnar, the tiny demon from the "Fear, Itself" ep of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. 

[fastiller]

They're recapping over at IO9 (not to dissuade you from recaps here at Previously!).

 

We Can't Trust iZombie's Brains. And That's a Good Thing.

 

One thing that she pointed out was this:

 

Liv’s hallucinations first take the form of a talking food mascot. The whole thing, especially the devil mascot’s gravelly voice, gave me a pleasant flashback to Wonder Falls.

 

which I 100% agree with 'cause I also flashed back to Wonderfalls when the Devil spoke (voice and CGI).

[Sakura12]

I didn't mention it, but yeah, I thought of Wonderfalls as soon as the Cheetos Devil started talking. It reminded me of Jaye and the talking Cow Creamer. That was a great show. 

[Free]

In hindsight, bare chested Major should've been a clue that it was a hallucination. It seemed out of the blue.

 

It did feel random, the last we saw of him was going after Blaine and he took the zombie reveal too well for it to be real.

[Sakura12]

Major I got when he took the zombie reveal way too easily. But I had to have Frost spelled out to me by him disappearing. Lol. I like that they made the hallucinations obvious but didn't hit us over the head with them so some of us would be surprised that we were fooled.  Good job, show.

[kieyra]

I seem to be the opposite of most, I assumed Major was fake from the moment he claimed to have checked himself out of the clinic, and after that I was just waiting for the clock to run out on Liv confessing to being a zombie. But I kind of hate that sort of fakeout in the 'major secret revealed' trope so I was hypervigilant about it. 

 

But they got me with the weather guy, right up until the dissolve. 

Also did not see the reverse-confession from Major coming.

[jhlipton]

Man, what on Earth could season 2 be?

Good question.  They might have erred in making Blaine have such an extensive operation, including "owning" the police chief.  I understand that they wanted an OMG feeling for ratings so there would be a season 2, but they've kind of boxed themselves into the "Bigger, harder, faster" * syndrome that kills so many shows around the 3rd season.

* "That's what she said

 

I seem to be the opposite of most, I assumed Major was fake from the moment he claimed to have checked himself out of the clinic

I think Major did check himself out. Movie night was real, I think; the hallucination started when Major left the first time.

Edited May 28, 2015 by jhlipton

[fastiller]

Good question.  They might have erred in making Blaine have such an extensive operation, including "owning" the police chief.  I understand that they wanted an OMG feeling for ratings so there would be a season 2, but they've kind of boxed themselves into the "Bigger, harder, faster" [*] syndrome that kills so many shows around the 3rd season.

 

[*] "That's what she said

 

TWSS/TWHS never fails to make me laugh, so - considering the week I've been having - thanks bunches for that jhlipton!

[jhlipton]

My pleasure.

[Sakura12]

I thought Major did check himself out of the mental hospital? That part was real because Ravi and Peyton were talking to him. He was fake after he left and came back to sleep over. That's where they got me. I could buy Major being scared to go home. But that should've been my first clue, Liv's halluciMajor was much smarter then real Major. 

Edited May 28, 2015 by Sakura12

[editorgrrl]

They're recapping over at IO9 (not to dissuade you from recaps here at Previously!).

We Can't Trust iZombie's Brains. And That's a Good Thing.

 

The more recaps, the merrier. Here's Entertainment Weekly's. I found this an interesting topic for discussion:

I’m not sure if I like Ravi and Peyton together. But I dug the new eccentricities they’re hanging on Peyton, making her stock best friend/roommate character at least a little more interesting. She wants to watch Vertigo? She’s partial to wearing short shorts and 10 pairs of socks around the house? Suddenly, I find myself crushing on her. Or do you think these were Liv’s delusional projections, too? 

[Sakura12]

If the whole episode was Liv's delusion then yes I agree, Liv's version of the characters are much better than the actual versions. 

[kieyra]

Sorry, I didn't mean to suggest Major didn't check himself out of the clinic (as it became apparent that he had). I just meant that was when I started being on the lookout for fakery. 

Edited May 28, 2015 by kieyra

[marcee]

When Liv confessed to Major, I began chanting, "Please let it be real. Please let it be real." I didn't hone in on crazy-brain being the reason for the hallucination but I just knew it couldn't be that easy. And, like everyone else, Frost was a complete surprise to me.

[Impish Dragon]

At first, I kind of appreciated the inversion of the old trope (or not so old, if you ask The Flash) of the hero having to hide his secret identity from his girlfriend for her "protection" or because she "couldn't handle it," even though his guy friends seem to handle it just fine. But now I realize that I hate that trope for reasons other than its blatant misogyny, like the fact that it is very frustrating from a storytelling perspective! Just tell Major already! He is NOT safer or healthier not knowing! Gah!

 

I can't stand this trope.  It makes the hero look bad and beyond the misogynistic aspect, it's just plain cruel.  I can understand the first time the love interest is in danger not telling them.  Hopefully it's a case of one and done.  But when it happens again (and again), you can't claim you are protecting someone when the secret is actually not. 

 

I initially got excited when Major kissed Liv and she opened up to him.  However, he seemed to accept the truth too readily.  Such a shame.  It was an intense emotional moment between the two.  They both had tears in their eyes.  I thought they would eventually get back together with guitar boy dead, but it doesn’t appear that will happen since Major found out the truth on his own.  Once he learns Liv knew about zombies all along, I don’t see how he could ever trust her again. 

Poor Major.  Despite being the perfect fiancé and an altruistic person, he was called boring. 

Recently, he purchased a gun, spent time in jail, fought zombies, shot zombies, rode in their car trunk, and stole their stash of brains.  Now people call him stupid.  From boring to stupid.  He just can’t win.  Lol.

 

I've finally figured out what it is about Major that bugs.  It's the actor.  I'm not saying he is terrible, just...I don't know, lacking in something.  I'm the type that doesn't have a preference of good guy/bad boy.  It really depends on the character and the actor.  I like the character of Major, but, for me, the actor (who's name escapes me and I'm too lazy to look up) just isn't compelling.  And his lack of chemistry with Liv doesn't help. 

[theatremouse]

Somebody tell me if I'm wrong:

As yet, until the moment he showed up with pilfered brains, Liv had no idea Major was going all hiding in bad dudes' trunks, right?

She knows he stupidly got into a fight at a skate park over his missing teens (before she knew said dude was a zombie). She knows said dude showed up in Major's house and Major shot him? But that can't really be pinned on Major. Although it does speak to his general danger since picking said fight, as they know who he is and where he lives and were vexed enough to bother going after him (and Liv also knows dude is a zombie and works for/with Blaine). So Liv has every reason to suspect Major is totally not safe at any given moment in a general sense, but! until he showed up with the coolers, other than the initial skate park incident, she had no idea of all the ridiculous other dangerous things Major's been up to round town, right? She didn't know he was basically looking to get killed?

[jhlipton]

If the whole episode was Liv's delusion then yes I agree, Liv's version of the characters are much better than the actual versions. 

 

I'm fairly sure that the "real" Major referenced movie night, so, alas it cannot be.

[EyewatchTV211]

A few points:

1) I'm pretty sure that was Daran Norris voicing the devil.

5) Count me in amongst those who totally had Camelot Hotel thoughts!

1) You are correct. I follow some of the actors on twitter. I believe it was the actor who plays Clive who shared this information during the episode.

5) Me too.

[swanjun]

Damn, I'm smooth.

[Moviesnob]

I agree with the Veronica /Duncan parallels - I was thinking that during the entire show. I think i'm going to end up shipping Liv/Ravi way more than I did Veronica/Wallace, though. Major is also much more interesting than Duncan ever was.

I'm thinking Ravi may try the cure out on Blaine first a test - and it winds up killing him. It would make way for a new big bad next season, and keep the zombies around.

Usually I hate takebacks (Smallville, Arrow), but this one was done so early in the show and so well I can forgive it.

Edited May 29, 2015 by Moviesnob

[Free]

 

I can't stand this trope.  It makes the hero look bad and beyond the misogynistic aspect, it's just plain cruel.  I can understand the first time the love interest is in danger not telling them.  Hopefully it's a case of one and done.  But when it happens again (and again), you can't claim you are protecting someone when the secret is actually not.

 

Same here, it's just something that's always irked me especially when it's done in a way that probably hurts said love interest rather than help protect them.

Edited May 29, 2015 by Free

[Ubiquitous]

Dear recapper,

Not so much.

Yours truly,

shapeshifter

What I saw was psycho-brain-fed Liv freaking out about watching Vertigo, and Ravi noticing her freak out, so stearing them away from the scary (not really, IIRC) movie.

Right?

I thought thzt was for Major's sake as well.

[kieyra]

I think some of these points of confusion are due to some very strange directing/editing beats this show has. 

[editorgrrl]

I think some of these points of confusion are due to some very strange directing/editing beats this show has. 

 

I kind of liked not knowing what was going on. One of the things I love about Better Call Saul is that TPTB never underestimate the audience's intelligence.

 

It's also a good strategy—I was tempted to watch the repeat Thursday at 8 p.m. just to look for clues I had missed.

[tennisgurl]

 

I agree with the Veronica /Duncan parallels - I was thinking that during the entire show. I think i'm going to end up shipping Liv/Ravi way more than I did Veronica/Wallace, though. Major is also much more interesting than Duncan ever was.

I feel like this show is a chance to do Veronica/Duncan in a more successful way. Maybe its just because I like the actor better, and actually think that he and Liv have some real chemistry, but I agree that he is WAY more interesting than Duncan. And I never even hated Duncan like some people did! I just think Major is a better character. Plus, there really isn't a Logan right now as the "other guy" in the Vmars triangle. I can see myself shipping Liv/Ravi at some point as well, but I don't see it happening. Unlike Duncan/Veronica, who I NEVER bought as a couple, even in their happy teen flashbacks, I could get behind Liv/Major. 

 

After watching The Flash and Arrow this last season, I am very partial to people telling the truth to their friends and family, even if they think keeping them in the dark is for the best. Its NOT for the best! Just tell Major damn it!!

[Chicago Redshirt]

But he's been hanging around with her, even seeing the video, he knows she's not a crazed killer just after brains.

He might know that she's not always a crazed killer just after brains. But he can't know when she might become a crazed killer after brains, or what she might do to him once he knows her secret. For all he knows, she's been in on the murdering-street-kids business.

 

I don't know if I can deal with this show any more. I keep waiting for the protagonist to be proactive about the whole Blaine harvesting teens for profit but there seems to be little forward momentum and I'm so over "keep the love interest in the dark" nonsense. Major is chasing zombies and endangering his life because Liv and Ravi who are supposedly his friends won't tell him the truth.

To be fair, as we saw in this episode, Major knows the truth and is willingly endangering his life because reasons.

 

He's just endangering his life in a less-smart way than he would have if Liv and Ravi had been straight with him from the start.

Also, Liv did try to snipe Blaine, but lost her nerve. I suppose she could have tried killing him when he showed up to the morgue, but I will give her a pass on that.

 

4) Man, what on Earth could season 2 be? I mean, I suppose we are not going to get a cure, but I am really worried what that means for Ravi. And I don't think Blaine should die yet, because there isn't any good candidate to take his villainous place. (I mean, the Max Rager CEO guy exists, but meh.) But yet, I don't want it to feel wrong that they *don't* attempt to deal with Blaine, y'know?

One does not simply cast an actor like Steve Weber for a one-and-done appearance. I imagine we'll be seeing more of him in S2.

 

I would like to see more about how zombie-ism first started in this universe. Eventually, it will also become public knowledge and the show will deal with the ramifications of that.

 

Never read the comic, but I understand that it has other supernatural creatures. It could branch out to some of those (although hopefully, not as badly as True Blood eventually did.)

 

On another topic, it seems to me that there'd be no guarantee of having cool space flashbacks from eating Allen York's brain rather than random flashbacks of him being murdered. It doesn't seem so far like the zombies (or at least, Liv) can control what triggers flashbacks or when. It'd be very possible that you'd be paying $250,000 for nothing but getting random personality traits of Allen York and flashbacks to his being killed.

 

Also, maybe I'm wrong, but I think the police zombie we've been seeing is the head of the homicide division rather than the overall police chief. Which makes sense, because the head of homicide would be more in a position to steer homicide investigations, cover up, etc. than a police chief would be.

Edited June 1, 2015 by Chicago Redshirt

[shapeshifter]

...Never read the comic, but I understand that it has other supernatural creatures. It could branch out to some of those...

Not me. I prefer scifi to fantasy or magic and would probably stop watching if that's what it becomes.

 

...On another topic, it seems to me that there'd be no guarantee of having cool space flashbacks from eating Allen York's brain rather than random flashbacks of him being murdered. It doesn't seem so far like the zombies (or at least, Liv) can control what triggers flashbacks or when. It'd be very possible that you'd be paying $250,000 for nothing but getting random personality traits of Allen York and flashbacks to his being killed...

Good point. For 250K they ought to serve the astroburger in a simulated space capsule environment.

[editorgrrl]

One does not simply cast an actor like Steve Weber for a one-and-done appearance. I imagine we'll be seeing more of him in S2.

Also, maybe I'm wrong, but I think the police zombie we've been seeing is the head of the homicide division rather than the overall police chief. Which makes sense, because the head of homicide would be more in a position to steer homicide investigations, cover up, etc. than a police chief would be.

Suzuki is a lieutenant, not a captain.

[FurryFury]

I feel like this show is a chance to do Veronica/Duncan in a more successful way. Maybe its just because I like the actor better, and actually think that he and Liv have some real chemistry, but I agree that he is WAY more interesting than Duncan. And I never even hated Duncan like some people did! I just think Major is a better character. Plus, there really isn't a Logan right now as the "other guy" in the Vmars triangle. I can see myself shipping Liv/Ravi at some point as well, but I don't see it happening. Unlike Duncan/Veronica, who I NEVER bought as a couple, even in their happy teen flashbacks, I could get behind Liv/Major. 

 

After watching The Flash and Arrow this last season, I am very partial to people telling the truth to their friends and family, even if they think keeping them in the dark is for the best. Its NOT for the best! Just tell Major damn it!!

Major's actor obvious isn't as bad as Teddy Dunn and the character is also not that annoying, but for some reason this love story really doesn't appeal to me in any way. I can't say I was especially invested in Lowell either, but at least Bradley James had way better chemistry with Rose McIver and felt more dynamic as well.

 

I would have preferred for the show to bring another love interest in season 2, TBH. I kinda feel like new Liv deserves a new boyfriend as well. Major was a part of her old self and the show likes to hammer down the point that becoming a zombie finally helped her to get out of her shell. It would just feel more thematically appropriate for her to find a new love as well (preferably somebody more interesting than Major).

[jhlipton]

Not me. I prefer scifi to fantasy or magic and would probably stop watching if that's what it becomes.

 

I think other "supernatural" types could be introduced with the same kind of McGuffin  and unobtainium used for zombies.

[Julia]

I think other "supernatural" types could be introduced with the same kind of McGuffin  and unobtainium used for zombies.

 

And SF/fantasy/magic aren't really as clear distinctions as all that. This is unlikely to become the next show where computers play chess with action figures, but that doesn't mean it isn't a form of SF.

Edited June 1, 2015 by Julia

[LoneHaranguer]

 

Also, Liv did try to snipe Blaine, but lost her nerve. I suppose she could have tried killing him when he showed up to the morgue, but I will give her a pass on that.

It would have been so much easier if Liv hadn't thrown out the leftover hit-man brains.

[jhlipton]

It would have been so much easier if Liv hadn't thrown out the leftover hit-man brains.

 

I dunno -- wouldn't there be an expiration date on brains?  I suppose she could vacuum-seal any brains that might prove useful (hit-man, artist, brain surgeon, etc) for selective sampling...

[Bruinsfan]

Oh, Liv. Rule #1 of breaking and entering: wear gloves! Don't leave fingerprints! I yell this at the girls on Pretty Little Liars all the time too.

If her eccrine glands aren't producing sweat on her fingers she might not leave fingerprints. It's at least a possible side-benefit of being a zombie.

[AudienceofOne]

Actually, I called that Major was a hallucination  ... But Johnny Frost I was totally blindsided by!

 

 

I was the other way around. I didn't see Major coming at all but there's a scene where they cut back to Liv and Johnny Frost is in her apartment. I did a double-take because... why? I was about to call bullshit when they made the hallucination reveal. Well done, show.

 

I think Liv is all about Major because she never stopped being all about Major

 

 

Exactly. And in retrospect the entire Major hallucation was about him accepting her for who she is now and her living out a fantasy that they can be together.  

 

I think Major did check himself out. Movie night was real, I think; the hallucination started when Major left the first time.

 

 

Yes, the hallucination started when Major "came back". Of course, he actually went home; he came back because she wanted him to come back. It's what made the hallucination work because we saw him interacting with everyone in the scene before so knew he was out of the hospital. And since he was there voluntarily there was no problem with him checking himself out.

 

I dunno -- wouldn't there be an expiration date on brains?

 

 

 

I don't know about the intracies of brain storage but, like most meat, it'll probably last longer if it's stored properly. I get the feeling the zombies prefer to eat it fresh so I guess freezing wouldn't be an option?

Edited June 9, 2015 by AudienceofOne

[jhlipton]

. I get the feeling the zombies prefer to eat it fresh so I guess freezing wouldn't be an option?

 

If you do freeze, make sure to vacuum-seal!

[Julia]

Actually, you'd probably need to poach them before you froze them. Brains are over 90% cholesterol by weight, and you'd probably pull out a bunch of fat shards.

[aradia22]

On the one hand, Major keeps doing things that put him in the "too stupid to live" category now that he knows how powerful "The Candyman" is. On the other hand, I still get super tense when he's in danger and it's kind of nice to have a character who isn't nigh well invincible like Liv. If only she would just fill him in on the zombie thing so he could stop putting himself in so much danger. Did he really need to lock himself in the trunk of the car to end up at Meat Cute. For God's sake, Julian already showed the cop his business card when Major broke into his car and found the brains. We already had this clue!

 

I love that Odessa turned out to be the bad guy.

 

"I don't know how she lives with herself. She violated every conceivable moral and ethical code because she thought that life had cheated her out of the happiness she deserves." Projecting, much?

 

So Blaine the character is terrible but I'm really starting to like the actor. He's starting to get to Alan Tudyk levels of secret weapon status. I still miss Lowell though.

 

I'm intrigued by the neck stabbing. We know they don't bleed as much when shot but how do zombies heal? Liv was unsure about poison. How do they have to be injured to be killed?

 

I really wasn't expecting a possible cure this quickly. There must be some complications. I'm interested in how this will play out. Ravi has the possibility of a cure. Major is on the warpath. And in the middle we have Blaine's customers and his evil organization. Should they be cured? Should they be killed? Should they be punished for their actions?