S02.E06: Max Wager

[LoneHaranguer]

 

Blood only, I think.  HIV / AIDS is spread through specific bodily fluids -- you can't get it from kissing.  Zombe-itis seems to work the same way.

Early on, there was a documented case of oral transmission, spurring a warning from the Surgeon General about contact within an hour of brushing your teeth. The zombie virus can slip through smaller breaks than HIV, so Major could be at risk just kissing Liv during dinner.

 

 

Once you've had a virus, how are you going to get infected by the same exact virus again?

Viruses are always mutating, so it wouldn't be the same exact zombie virus again.

[rue721]

Blaine and Major have a physical response whenever they're in the presences of someone who's currently infected by the zombie virus -- their hair stands on end. In the world of this show, I think that means that they're having an immune response to the virus.

 

If Blaine has been immunized from the form of the virus that's currently infecting people, but he wants to become a zombie again, then maybe he'll have to find a zombie that doesn't make his hair stand on end (and who is thus probably infected by a version of the virus that he's not immunized against). Or maybe he'll have to try to get the virus to mutate some other way.

 

I think it's possible that they will eventually create a vaccine for the strain of the zombie virus that Liv currently has, but that Blaine will meanwhile find or create a strain of the virus that's mutated enough to infect him despite his immunization. I don't think that it would be that difficult for them to create a new vaccine even then, and to stop the spread of the virus in general, but they might run into a problem with the people who are already infected. Cures are pretty tough to create, especially if people (like Blaine) don't *want* to be cured.

 

Also, thinking ahead to stopping the spread of the virus -- if Ravi does come up with a vaccine, they could probably distribute it through vaccine-tainted food. I don't think an aerosolized vaccination would work, because the virus doesn't seem to be airborne. And they're not going to want to rely on people volunteering to come in for vaccines (especially since they won't want to advertise what the vaccines are vaccinating against, lol). But does eating food tainted with the virus get you sick? I know that you can get TB by eating the meat of pigs that are infected by TB, but tbh I don't really know how that works or whether it would be applicable to the zombie virus (which doesn't seem to be carried by saliva). Ooooh if they do want to use tainted food to vaccinate people, though, I guess they could use the new Max Rager drink as the delivery device.

 

But anyway, afaik, they haven't even mentioned vaccines on this show! So probably getting ahead of myself :P

[marcee]

I'm kind of confused as to why Major was so torn up he went on a long drug binge. Freezing the zombies is a great temporary solution, given enough backup generators and locks on the doors. And if there's no cure, maybe permanent. Do this is vastly better than merely hoping none of the functional zombies is feeding on brains of murder victims and they'll never make another zombie, not even accidentally. Ravi's (and Liv's) plan relying on humanity being lucky enough to avoid zombie apocalypse until a cure is available is very Ravi the Mad Scientist. Feeling self destructively guilty (as opposed to a little guilty,) is incomprehensible. Unless he thinks he's killing them? But if he thinks that, why is he leaving the evidence in such an unsafe location?

Seems to me the drug binge was probably just a reaction to the recent downward spiral of his life. He misses Liv, he lost his job, the kids he was supposed to be looking out for died, he spent some time in a mental institution, he almost died, he's sleeping with a terrible person, he's being extorted/blackmailed, he's concerned for his ex-fiance and he doesn't see the potential for a happy future for himself... regardless of whether or not he's actually killing the zombies, I feel like he's been through enough to excuse his need for an 'escape'.

Edited November 12, 2015 by marcee

[Tara Ariano]

In case you missed it, here's the Previously.TV post on the episode!

 

iZombie Says Hello To The Boss
Liv meets more guest stars than you can shake a Utopium-tainted stick at.

[CletusMusashi]

I'm happy that the zombie thing has been retconned into a virus, instead of that nonsense last season about how the chemical activates dormant ancestral genes. Pretty sure that neither humans nor rats had a albino ancestor with super-healing powers that survived by eating the brains of... a species that hadn't even evolved from it yet for them to eat, so I guess it was also a time traveler or something... I hate retcons, but this one was desperately needed. Because the other crap was seriously making my skull hurt. 

Edited November 12, 2015 by CletusMusashi

[Cranberry]

I don't remember that at all! Which episode(s) did they say that in?

[maxineofarc]

Except I think the brains have a sell-by date, and it seems unlikely that Major is going to defrost Blaine's father while his grandfather's brain is still viable.

Hmm. Suzuki's widow brought over a piece of brain he had in his freezer- I wonder if freezing would preserve whatever it is that transfers visions/personality traits, if it works to preserve a zombie without any loss of personality?

I thought Blaine wanted to make Angus suffer, and that's why he took grandpa's brain, in addition to a mercy kill. He obviously loved grandpa (since he called the nursing home Angus put him in "a hellhole," but the one we saw seemed pretty nice, my thought is that Blaine was paying for it with his new ill-gotten gains) and blames Angus for his condition, and forcing Angus to suffer whatever ill effects Grandpa was going through at the end of his life would seem like fitting punishment. But I also like the idea mentioned above, that he maybe wanted to spend time with his pre-catatonia grandpa in some way.

I really did think Major was killing those zombies... but if anyone who doesn't know about the zombie business finds a freezer full of corpses in his storage locker, it won't be much different than if he had.

[Cthulhudrew]

My guess is that Blaine thought that Grampabrain would allow him to guilt-trip his father into signing over the family business.

 

My thought was that if his dad flashed on the memories of how cold-bloodedly Blaine killed off the one person he supposedly loved, that his father would know just how dangerous Blaine could be and back the f off.

 

Or maybe be guilted into realizing how horrible a father he was that his parenting could result in this. 

 

But probably the first one.

[jhlipton]

Getting in on the vaccine thing, the flu virus has been around a long time and has eons to evolve into different versions.  Since kids only get one type of vaccine for polio or smallpox, I think it safe to say only one version of these viri exist.  Zombitis Raviolus is a really new virus and I doubt can mutate that quickly.  If it does, it might go Andromeda Strain on us and be totally benign (well, other than eating every bit of rubber it finds...)

[maxineofarc]

I hope it's actually called Zombitis Raviolus. How would it spread through a scratch if it's a virus, though? It would have to be more than fluids, zombies would just sort of have to be all-over zombie cooties.

[LoneHaranguer]

 

I really did think Major was killing those zombies... but if anyone who doesn't know about the zombie business finds a freezer full of corpses in his storage locker, it won't be much different than if he had.

Until they thaw out.

[dcalley]

Getting in on the vaccine thing, the flu virus has been around a long time and has eons to evolve into different versions.  Since kids only get one type of vaccine for polio or smallpox, I think it safe to say only one version of these viri exist.  Zombitis Raviolus is a really new virus and I doubt can mutate that quickly.  If it does, it might go Andromeda Strain on us and be totally benign (well, other than eating every bit of rubber it finds...)

I know this is getting off topic, but kids worldwide aren't vaccinated against smallpox anymore because the disease was eradicated 35 years ago. (The U.S. stopped vaccinating in 1972.) The vaccine is available for those who work with the virus (and for all Americans if something horrible happens and the virus comes back!).

[CletusMusashi]

I don't remember that at all! Which episode(s) did they say that in?

You know, I'm not sure which one it was in any more.

But I did just find a link discussing it:

http://dr-archeville.tumblr.com/post/118779282107/more-science-of-izombie-so-after-his-initial

Like I said, I won't miss it. I'll take the predictable Z-virus cliche over worrying about them turning Ravi into Suresh.

Edited November 13, 2015 by CletusMusashi

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I really did think Major was killing those zombies... but if anyone who doesn't know about the zombie business finds a freezer full of corpses in his storage locker, it won't be much different than if he had.

Until they thaw out.

He'd better hope there isn't a power outage! Edited November 13, 2015 by ElectricBoogaloo

[CletusMusashi]

I like the idea of a power shortage, just to get things interesting again. But the power would have to be out for a long time. A closed freezer with a lot of stuff in it can stay frozen for days, easily.

So i'm thinking Major is gonna have to caught, either by Clive and Dale or by Blaine's Zombie Mafia.

Edited November 16, 2015 by CletusMusashi

[dcalley]

Major must have one hell of a power/mannequin bill!

[Bort]

Doesn't Major come from money? Maybe there's a trust fund he's dipping into for his mannequin expenses.

[CletusMusashi]

Or it's an abandoned mannequin factory. I mean, unless Batman cartoons have severely lied to me, I understand that it is normal policy for a business that closes down to leave all of its merchandise... and machinery... and to keep paying the electric bill...

[LoneHaranguer]

 

I mean, unless Batman cartoons have severely lied to me, I understand that it is normal policy for a business that closes down to leave all of its merchandise... and machinery... and to keep paying the electric bill...

I think you'd pirate the electricity. It's realistic that the rest be kicking around while bankruptcy proceedings drag on, but Major's a lucky guy that there happened to be a closed business with just what he needed.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

If he's smart, he has a backup generator!

[aradia22]

 

Poor Blaine. He basically killed his grandpa for nothing it seems. I'm actually coming around to his character. He's not a one note villain anymore.

I wish he'd had a better plan than 'make dad feel bad with grandpa's memories.'

 

I'm not so impressed with Stacy Boss...doesn't seem very menacing. I hope he changes my mind over the next few weeks.

I think they're going for a creepy menacing than a more overtly threatening menacing. Like a this guy is crazy and unpredictable. I think it kind of worked to have a smaller seemingly ordinary guy.

 

I'm still confused on how Ravi tested whether the virus would go through condoms using a microscope. Whatever. TV science.

 

I like happy Major. He gets better jokes. I'm undecided on whether I'm relieved he's not killing people or disappointed that we keep avoiding real consequences.

[aradia22]

 

Without a body, there would probably be a veeeeeeery long probate. I would think Blaine gets no inheritance for a loooooooooong, loooong time. For all anyone knows, Daddy went on a vacation somewhere. He's living with the missing astronaut under assumed names.

I would not be surprised if his dad wrote him out of the will or even put in a "if I show up dead, investigate my son" clause.

 

And it seemed like his grandfather knew he was going to do it, with the way he kept trying to protest.

If becoming a zombie can bring you back from the point of death (Major) whose to say it might not have helped Blaine's grandpa. I thought that was where it was going before the pillow came out. Blaine has fewer qualms about turning people into zombies. And while he enjoys being human, he also sees the benefits of zombieism and arguably his grandfather wasn't living much of a life bedridden anyway so who is to say that he would have hated eating brains if it meant regaining his health? I thought the grandpa was agitated hearing about Angus and it was the precursor to Blaine somehow engaging him in his fight to take down Angus. But I guess someone needs to be depressed now that Major's happy.

 

Except I think the brains have a sell-by date, and it seems unlikely that Major is going to defrost Blaine's father while his grandfather's brain is still viable.

I'm not so sure they do. We've mostly been getting fresh brains because of Blaine's business and because naturally the police are going to be investigating recent murders. But we did get the guy whose brains were liquified and they were still viable. Maybe we'll get a cold case one day to help establish the rules of this.

[editorgrrl]

I'm not sure which [episode] it was in any more. But I did just find a link discussing it:

http://dr-archeville.tumblr.com/post/118779282107/more-science-of-izombie-so-after-his-initial

Like I said, I won't miss it. I'll take the predictable Z-virus cliché over worrying about them turning Ravi into Suresh.

From season 1, episode 8, "Dead Air":

Ravi: The human genome is full of so-called "junk DNA," right? Veritable sleeper cells of evolution, waiting to be called to action by a change in environment or circumstance. Enter a chemical cocktail of tainted Utopium and Max Rager. Cocktail wakes up dormant genes, which then transform an ordinary human or rat into a zombie at the cellular level.

Liv: So, you'll use antibodies from Zombie Rat to synthesize a gene therapy–based cure?

Ravi: That's the plan.

From CletusMusashi's link:

The antibody-and-gene therapy idea is promising, though. Extract antibodies from the zombie!rat, break down their makeup, figure out a genetic sequence that would cause cells to create a similar but more potent antibody, splice that into a rat, and see if it can fight off the infection.

But why must Ravi reinvent the wheel by creating another zombie rat? Can't he use antibodies from any zombie?

Edited November 22, 2015 by editorgrrl

[HawaiiTVGuy]

It seemed like Blaine's grandfather may have been suffering from dementia or maybe some other mentally debilitating illness. It is possible that Blaine was hoping that those traits of his grandfather's brain would be transferred to his dad when his dad ate them.

Not exactly fool-proof, but probably worth trying, and I am sure that the grandfather's condition made it a lot easier to rationalize for Blaine.

[AudienceofOne]

Isn't zombie-ism spread through bodily fluids? If that's the case, what about all the open mouthed kissing Liv and Major did before she stopped him in the previous episode?

 

 

This is my problem with it. If it's spread through bodily fluids, it's spread through saliva. We saw in S1 it can be spread through blood. But if kissing isn't enough to transmit it (and that's the case for quite a few sexually transmitted diseases) then why does a scratch do the trick? A scratch shouldn't transmit much from the scratcher to the scratchee. It's more likely to get blood from the scratchee under the scratcher's fingernails. So if all it takes is for a few skin cells to get into their bloodstream to turn them, then Liv should need to be in a permanent hazmat suit to stop transmission.