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S02.E05: Love & Basketball


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Liv, Detective Babineaux and Ravi investigate the mysterious death of a peewee basketball coach. Liv, consumed with overzealous coach brains, gives Major a much needed pep talk. Meanwhile, things get a little crazy when Blaine and Ravi are forced to work together to recreate the cure. Lastly, Detective Babineaux receives a surprise visit from Suzuki’s widow Helen.

 

Promo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD4-gHC1VxM

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I thought they were telegraphing that Liv was going to go vigilante on bad father. I did not see Clive coming at all. And it makes me wonder what about him we don't know (other than everything).

Also, if they would get Blaine with evil daughter minion of evil so their scenes would be together, it would really facilitate the process of the timely fetching of refreshing beverages and the scheduling of possible bathroom breaks in my household.

  • Love 3
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Things I liked quite a bit:

Bozzio's antics while Clive was getting dressed down over his call to the late chief's widow.

 

Ravi and Blaine's free-for-all.

 

Blaine's exasperation at Ravi's lack of response to the song!

 

The back-and-forth between Major and Liv.

 

Ravi's speech to the not-Hopes.

 

Things I love to hate:

All things Rita/Gilda and Dr. Irving

 

 

 

I enjoyed that Clive thought  that seeing the pictures might jog a vision. That wasn't pushy or mean and it was asked nicely.

 

I love that Ravi has a nemesis. I have a feeling that may come into play before everything's over for the season, but I love that actor!  The "It must help to have an accent to make it seem..." and all the other zingers.  Liv and Clive's unease was equally enjoyable.

 

While I am not about police brutality, I thought Clive was actually pretty controlled with T.J., the abusive dad. You know there is backstory about that response.

 

I love Ravi's and do not hold his solution to the free-for-all against him; he'll do enough of that himself.

 

That Alan Young, the astronaut, is coming back to potentially bite Blaine's ass leaves me hopeful, as does the widow's "present" for Clive.

 

I also want Our Heroes to get pictures from the boys from Steve Nash's camp! (My fave ex-Maverick!)

 

Next week looks fun and intriguing!

Edited by Actionmage
  • Love 1
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I really liked this episode. Lots of nice character moments for the whole cast. Lots of nice couple moments for Major and Liv. Her coach personality was exactly what Major needed this week.

I am growing weary of Gilda and her snark. Am I the only one confused by the doctors stupidity? Has she really not figured out the zombie thing that Liv and Ravi figured out in all of five seconds? That zombies need to regularly eat brains to stay human? Her condescending attitude makes me long for that poor locked up zombie to get loose and chow down.

I loved Ravi and Blaine's fight music and all. I am looking forward to more scenes with them.

Edited by blugirlami21
  • Love 4
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I think this was the best episode this season, it wasn't just an excuse for Liv to act like someone else. Loved Clive's smackdown of the abusive dad, and.......

 

I am growing weary of Gilda and her snark. Am I the only one confused by the doctors stupidity? Has she really not figured out the zombie thing that Liv and Ravi figured out in all of five seconds? That zombies need to regularly eat brains to stay human? Her condescending attitude makes me long for that poor locked up zombie to get loose and chow down.

I agree, Gilda isn't adding anything to the story, she's just annoying, & the doctor is a moron if she hasn't figured it out yet.

Edited by GaT
  • Love 4
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Thank goodness the former police chief's wife showed up and gave Clive that brain.  Now, I don't think he's going to automatically go to the zombie theory or anything, but I'm hoping this is going to put towards that path soon.  I really want him to start being more in the know, and allowed to be in the main arc soon. Although, he is slowly getting more to due, between his scenes with the FBI agent and him beating down the abusive dad, which I suspect is going to lead to something.  Perhaps he had an abusive parent or knew one when he was younger?

 

Case of the week wasn't all that important (did we even actually see the killer?), but I did kind of like the idea of Liv using it to help Major.  Sure got lucky that it happened to involve a dead coach and a basketball team!  Don't think that strategy would have been as effective had it happened to be the fraternity or country singer case instead, heh.

 

The Ravi/Blaine fight amused me very much.  I really want more scenes of those two now, because they were comedic gold together.  Also loved Ravi's feud with that other coroner in Tacoma.

 

"Boba Rat."  What?  I'm apparently easily amused tonight.

 

Gilda now got a drop of Liv's blood and I'm guessing whatever that Max Rager doctor has planned for it, isn't going to be good.

 

I get that maybe you can't have time for everyone, but it was weird that there wasn't even a mention of Peyton, after the big deal over her return these past few episodes.  Then again, we haven't seen checked in on Liv's mom and brother since the premiere, although that's not exactly on top of my list of things I want to check into.

  • Love 1
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I think this was the best episode this season,

 

I agree. Everyone had a moment to shine.

 

Loved Major and Liv. These two are a delight to watch together - it's very clear that they belong together and not just as lovers. They made me believe that they were friends. But Major needs to tell Liv everything, otherwise it's hard for me to root for them.

 

Liv's basketball coach was the best one yet -  even better than her fratbro. I especially loved the way everyone reacted to it.  As others have already noted, she was exactly what Major needed.

 

Ravi and Blaine were hilarious together. More of them please. Ravi's little pissing contest with the other M.E was fun too. I don't know why exactly but Blaine in his funeral home director role cracks me up.

 

Clive is slowly but surely making progress in the Meat Cute case. He is obviously going to find brains in the widow's little box - can't wait to see where this goes.

 

 

I am growing weary of Gilda and her snark. Am I the only one confused by the doctors stupidity? Has she really not figured out the zombie thing that Liv and Ravi figured out in all of five seconds? That zombies need to regularly eat brains to stay human? Her condescending attitude makes me long for that poor locked up zombie to get loose and chow down.

 

Yes to all of this. The doctor is an idiot and Gilda's smugness is getting hard to take. She thinks she is so amazing and yet, doesn't have the good to back it up. i was rooting for the zombie too. Who knows, maybe in the season finale, she gets loose and takes care of Gilda and the doctor.

 

I get that maybe you can't have time for everyone, but it was weird that there wasn't even a mention of Peyton, after the big deal over her return these past few episodes.

 

Huh! I didn't even notice she wasn't there. Bummer. But if I had to choose, can't they give Gilda's screentime to Peyton. Peyton doesn't make me stabby.

Edited by norask
  • Love 2
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Hey, Hearst College! A Veronica Mars shout-out! :-)

 

Nice to see Liv with the brain of a fairly normal, functional person this week. I didn't like the way she had specific knowledge about athletes, that seems like random info to have when she can only see the rest of his life through triggered flashbacks. But aside from that, I like the way they handled it this week. 

 

Most weeks, honestly, I don't-- I don't like when Liv is TOO MUCH a different person week to week, because then it doesn't really feel like there's a Liv at all, so who is this character we're supposed to care about? I think they should do it more like it was at the beginning-- her being influenced (but not completely overwhelmed by) ways of seeing the world, language fluency, natural talents and skills that have been so honed that it was second nature to the person, any mental illness and other psychological stuff; that sort of thing. It just stops feeling like Liv is a person with any continuity of personhood when she takes on more literal aspects of their personality, like completely changing her speech patterns ("bro" all the time, ridiculous Texas similes, etc), suddenly giving her backwards opinions when her intellect and experience should override that (OvertlyRacist!Liv, really??). I like it when she's influenced by the person, but not when she essentially BECOMES the other person. Especially since there are always brains in Liv's system, so there WOULDN'T be any point where she's "just Liv". 

 

But yeah, as I said above, specific sports knowledge aside, I did like how they handled her this episode. I liked her crazy pep talks that are things that she would have said anyway, but she was just WAY over the top and enthusiastic about how she said them. I also felt like the plan to get Major coaching that kid's basketball team was kind of Liv-Liv and CoachBrain-Liv coming together to form a great idea, which I really enjoyed.

 

I also genuinely laughed out loud when Blaine was singing "Friday I'm in Love". 

Edited by Anisky
  • Love 2
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Blaine and Ravi were hilarious! Love it. Need more please!

 

Major is starting to feel to me like a character who will meet a tragic death, and not just turn into a zombie death, but a real one. I still don't quite see the point of him or how he and Liv could be a couple.

  • Love 1
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After Ravi busted out Bon Jovi lyrics at the crime scene and no one reacted, you'd think he would be more supportive of Blaine singing The Cure. Totally cracked up when they then used the same song for the fight scene. I also liked that after Ravi managed to destroy the zombie killer, instead of getting mad or giving a MWA HA HA villain speech about how he would make Ravi pay, Blaine just dusted himself off, said he got in his cardio for the day, and skedaddled.

 

Loved the Hearst College Veronica Mars shoutout! Clive going to threaten RJ's abusive dad reminded me of when Sheriff Lamb had a human moment and did something similar. I guess we'll be getting a "Clive was abused as a child" backstory in the near future? Or maybe he just handled an abuse cases that really affected him.

 

Oh, Major, put it back in your pants! Having sex with your ex isn't worth the risk of potentially being rezombified. I couldn't believe a grown man was practically begging for sex like that. First Stefan and Caroline on The Vampire Diaries and now Major and Liv - what's with the "we can't have sex" storylines lately? And haven't these people watched Pushing Daisies? Ned and Chuck got around the whole "no physical contact" hurdle with pieces of Saran Wrap. I understand Liv wanting to be cautious but at the same time I kind of thought well, you just exchanged bodily fluids with the kissing so if you infected him, it's already done.

 

I love Ravi's ME nemesis. I'm not saying I want them driving to Tacoma every week just so those two can snipe, but hopefully we will see more of Metzger in the future. Ravi is such a nice guy with Liv and Major so it was fun seeing him get argumentative and kind of snotty with this guy.

 

Loved the Dr. J joke from Major and Agent Dale rowing her imaginary boat while Clive was getting yelled at.

 

We definitely have confirmation that Liv's roommate is using the name Rita at Max Rager. The text Major got at the end of last week's episode said it was from Rita and this week she brought it up. The guy who came into the Max Rager gym with Major also referred to her as Rita. Since she is using that name at work, I'm assuming that's her real name and that Gilda (the name she uses with Liv) is fake.

  • Love 2
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Heh, I liked the juxtaposition of Liv being totally not interested in Ravi explaining to her what a Nightwatchman is in Cricket before she had a feed, to her being super into Basketball after she was on the brains (and conversely Ravi not interested in Basketball).

Edited by Agent Dark
  • Love 1
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I don't think the doctor is that stupid. If she genuinely thought that the zombies were mindless creatures she would have shown some reaction to the thought of one of them having a lucid, selfless conversation with Major, even if it was being disturbed that the large man who kills people and can get past security is obviously hallucinating.

Instead she talked to him like a kindergarten teacher would talk to little Erroll who just pointed out that Ashley's mom smells bad. I think she knows. I think she's unconvincingly playing dumb because she wants plausible deniability about a bunch of people being murdered for hire.

Let's just say, either the doctor or the actor who plays her is a really bad actor. I'm tentatively voting doctor.

Edited by Julia
  • Love 2
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Well it was mostly her condescending attitude but it was also the fact that she seemed confused by the starving zombie she had tied up and the fact that she wanted blood from a high functioning zombie.

That's not hard to find. She could just kidnap one of the people she thinks is a zombie. That makes getting Liv's blood make even less sense.

And Liv can take care of herself. So I'm not that worried about the doctor getting her blood.

  • Love 1
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I"m kind of with the recap on Clive. I'd really like to see there be some impact on him from the beatdown thing. It seems pretty obvious that there was something personal going on, but that's kind of a dicey thing to leave hanging too long. It's a little hard to be 100% behind someone who beats the crap out of whoever triggers their issues, especially if you don't know what those issues are. 

 

I like Clive, but we know nothing about him. They could decide he's triggered by someone cutting in line at McDonald's and we'd have nothing in canon to point to.

  • Love 2
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I really liked this episode. Lots of nice character moments for the whole cast. Lots of nice couple moments for Major and Liv. Her coach personality was exactly what Major needed this week.

 

I'm no shipper, but I was glad to see Major and Liv friendly again and Major off drugs and coaching kids. This is the major we know and love!

 

"Boba Rat."  What?  I'm apparently easily amused tonight.

 

Boba Rat made me LOL!

 

I"m kind of with the recap on Clive. I'd really like to see there be some impact on him from the beatdown thing.

 

This is more of a Rob Thomas thing. In Veronica Mars, when Sheriff Lamb found out the Mannings were abusing their young daughter, he threatened them and then staked their house out every night to make them nervous. I like the idea of law enforcement being tough on abusive parents, even though it almost never happens in the real world. That scumbag abusive dad got what he deserved, and good on Babineaux for doing it.

Edited by Hollyhox
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This is more of a Rob Thomas thing. In Veronica Mars, when Sheriff Lamb found out the Mannings were abusing their young daughter, he threatened them and then staked their house out every night to make them nervous. I like the idea of law enforcement being tough on abusive parents, even though it almost never happens in the real world. That scumbag abusive dad got what he deserved, and good on Babineaux for doing it.

 

Except for the part where the system was already working, since CPT was already on the case, and the part where the father most likely responds to the humiliation by further abusing the kid since Clive can't watch him 24/7, and the part where cops should not be assaulting private citizens in lieu of involving the law. Which are real big parts.

  • Love 3
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This show has so many balls in air at the moment that I'm a bit worried about how they're going to stick the landing, but it is just so utterly charming that I don't even know that I care. I could probably do with less of the Max Rager stuff but that's only because I'd happily just watch 42 minutes of Ravi doing Ravi stuff with everyone. 

I feel like this episode had more quippy one-liners than usual and I laughed way too much at all of them. I know I'm easily amused, but it's hard to go past a dorky Bon Jovi joke. 

Edited by MissEwa
  • Love 2
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Except for the part where the system was already working, since CPT was already on the case, and the part where the father most likely responds to the humiliation by further abusing the kid since Clive can't watch him 24/7, and the part where cops should not be assaulting private citizens in lieu of involving the law. Which are real big parts.

 

Except for the part where this is just a television show. I enjoy watching a monster getting a beat-down he deserves on a fictional television show.

  • Love 1
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Except for the part where this is just a television show. I enjoy watching a monster getting a beat-down he deserves on a fictional television show.

 

Mileage varies. I just question my visceral response in cases like that because I do wonder if things like that desensitize us. After all, there were Senators in the congressional hearings on torture saying that we should allow it because it works when Jack Bauer does it.

 

I guess I was totally scarred when I saw the cavalry coming over the hill in Birth of a Nation, which of course we're pretty much hardwired to read as"Oh, thank god, we're saved," but in that case they were all Klansman. It made me kind of distrust my lizard brain where entertainment is concerned.

  • Love 1
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Between Boba Rat (Ratt?) and "Never tell me the odds" the Star Wars references were fun (too many would have been forced.)

 

I also liked Blaine singing The Cure, then "why do I even try?", then playing the song in the background. 

 

When this show is good, it's REALLY good.

 

 

 

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I want more Clive back story but I would also be fine with the explanation for confronting RJ's dad to simply be "hates kid beaters."

 

Well, yeah, but he hates murderers and drug dealers too, and he managed to control himself with them. He just endangered his job to get this one guy. I have to think that's about something.

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They've got me shockingly invested in both Major, and Major and Liv as a couple. I wouldn't have expected it to work on me, but the stuff with Major having to kill the zombies is a real knife twister. The only problem is I can't quite remember why/how they are forcing him to do it, because I wasn't paying enough attention early in the season. I'm about ready for him to push the redhead off a balcony, though.

Blaine is still not working for me.

  • Love 1
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1) I laughed all the way through Blaine and Ravi's fight. Loved it.

2) I did NOT like Clive beating up the deadbeat dad. This is.... extremely uncomfortable material, to say the least.

3) I want Liv's outfit from the wrap-up interrogation.

4) Why isn't this show about Ravi?

  • Love 4
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Hearst College, yes! The only thing that scene lacked was the guy yelling, "Come on, Fennel, make the jumper!"

 

Ravi is the best. And I'm liking Major more and more with each episode.

 

More Peyton, less Gilda, please. The only thing I can think in Gilda's scenes is that her hair looks like it should be in a shampoo commercial. 

 

Blaine as a character just does not work for me. I do not understand how he, as a killer, who makes zombies, can be framed in a comedic light while the entire Max Rager crew is framed as evil. As far as I'm concerned they're all the same. But oh, tee hee, Blaine has some snarky lines so he can be in an amusing fight with Ravi and we'll all have a little chuckle over it.

  • Love 2
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(edited)
The only thing I can think in Gilda's scenes is that her hair looks like it should be in a shampoo commercial.

 

She does have some gorgeously shiny hair! Does that mean she's the izombie version of Dawn on BtVS? Annoying and useless but such shiny hair.

 

When Gilda asked Dr. Irving if she expected her to shiv Liv to get some blood, I thought for a second that maybe, just maybe, she was starting to like Liv but nope, she was just concerned with not being too obvious about getting a blood sample. She was downright cold when she blotted Liv's blood with a napkin and tucked it away inside her top. Now I kind of hope that she had a tiny cut or bug bite that came in contact with the napkin and she inadvertently turned herself into a zombie.

Edited by ElectricBoogaloo
  • Love 3
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Why isn't Blaine on the Max Rager radar? I know he's cured, but they have no reason to know that, and moreover he's the cause of zombie-ism spreading so rapidly. If they are tracking people who buy hot sauce (I'd love to know how they got that info-- grocery records?), how do they have no clue about Meat Cute or the funeral racket?

  • Love 4
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My assumption is that Blaine doesn't bother to do things as mundane as shopping for himself so there wouldn't be records of him buying hot sauce. Or maybe he ordered hot sauce in bulk through Meat Cute which wouldn't raise as big a flag since it was a food place. Even if that was a noticeable purchase, he wasn't listed as the owner or an employee there so there wouldn't be a paper trail connecting him to the purchase.

  • Love 2
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Kinda meh on the episode, other than Ravi (as usual) and especially the Ravi/Blaine fight which was just HILARIOUS, capital letters.

 

I had high hopes after the season premiere but overall I'm disappointed in the way this season continues. Of course, my biggest gripe is the torturous Major/Liv romance which gets way too much screen time. I've also hoped for more character and plot development. The show's just too static.

  • Love 1
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I'm hoping events will ultimately shake out so that Peyton (or maybe Ravi somehow? I was thinking of him first until I remembered Peyton's actually met Gilda), with her fondness for classic films and her ability to poke around as a DA, will be able to make the Rita/Gilda link. Gilda's even a redhead! I hope that doesn't end poorly for Peyton, because I like her and Liv needs a girlfriend, and if Peyton ends up fridged I will be Displeased.

  • Love 6
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If they are tracking people who buy hot sauce (I'd love to know how they got that info-- grocery records?)

Those damn loyalty cards! I knew I was right be to using Jenny's phone number when I shop! (867-5309)

  • Love 5
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Those damn loyalty cards! I knew I was right be to using Jenny's phone number when I shop! (867-5309)

God damn it!  I JUST got Walking in LA out of my head. 

 

I really enjoyed this episode.  Though I am growing a little weary of Rita/Gilda, even she had some moments I enjoyed ("It's like watching my mother refold a map").   Dale rowing and "walking down stairs" as Babineaux was being yelled at made me love her more than the candle comment last week (which was trying a bit too hard, but I appreciated the attempts to flirt with Babineaux who should be flirted with).

 

I have always liked Major, but not really been a shipper.  That said, when Major watched Liv give her pep talk and then said "You're so weird", it was the first time I utterly bought that he absolutely loves and appreciates that woman. 

  • Love 3
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JENNY!!!!!

 

I'd think Major and Gilda/Rita would run into each other at Liv's apartment, but if not then I think it would be a good way to get Peyton involved with "the team." Either that, or she gets involved because of Major's murders. They've done a good job of giving everyone a reason to wind up working together, but a bad job of actually having them do it.

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Dale rowing and "walking down stairs" as Babineaux was being yelled at made me love her more than the candle comment last week (which was trying a bit too hard, but I appreciated the attempts to flirt with Babineaux who should be flirted with).

 

That was the best. I'm shipping them hard.

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She does have some gorgeously shiny hair! Does that mean she's the izombie version of Dawn on BtVS? Annoying and useless but such shiny hair.

Not quite. She's Eve, the not-Lilah from Season 5 "Angel."

And also: I think zombie shows can stop adding religious guys named Gabriel to the mix.

At least this one died quickly. One down, one to go.

  • Love 1
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Not quite. She's Eve, the not-Lilah from Season 5 "Angel."

And also: I think zombie shows can stop adding religious guys named Gabriel to the mix.

At least this one died quickly. One down, one to go.

 

Um, she's not the same actress. Or do you mean character-wise?

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