iZombie: Salivation Army

"This is Seattle, not Sleepy Hollow!"

Where to begin? This is a truly epic finale that changes everything, introduces a new baddie and seems to fire the starting gun on the zombie apocalypse. If it wasn't for the fact that it features the lead singer of the awful Matchbox Twenty as himself it would be truly awesome, but we can't have perfection. It seems Du Clark likes fake grunge crap, which is truly evil. At least Blaine likes the real thing.

The whole episode consists of Liv, Major and Clive in a mission to Max Rager to infiltrate a party while everything goes wrong and wild zombies- I love the way they're referred to as "Romeros"- are let loose. I suspect next season will be very different. 

At last Clive now knows everything and can play a full part in this big episode, full of big things happening. Don E is shot as Me Boss takes over. Drake becomes a Romero, which sucks for Liv but probably bodes well for her and Major. Blaine helps Ravi to save Peyton- his character is clearly being majorly revamped.

We end with Du Clark, after much twirling of his moustache, getting his comeuppance at the hands of a bunch of hungry Romeros as Major lets him doe. And it seems we have a new big bad, with a zombie now in charge of Max Rager...

An awesome episode of an awesome season of an awesome series. iZombie deserves to be much more ubiquitous.

iZombie: Reflections of the Way Liv Used to Be

"Like me for my antidotes, love me for my anecdotes."

A swotty student is murdered and it's all linked to study drugs and a corrupt undercover cop within vice. It's a nice whodunit, if inevitably a bit perfunctory at this late stage of the season, but we get to see Liv on swot brain, and it's really underlined how unusual Clive is for not being at all corrupt.

Meanwhile, amnesiac Blaine's employees are taking advantage and claiming to be in charge. Ravi tells Liv that Major is a) the Chaos Killer, except without the killing part, and b) a zombie. And Vaughn fails to win a "father of the year" award for his treatment of his zombified daughter Rita. There's a lot going on. We even meet the most annoying of the frat boys from Zombie Bro again.

It's all about the ending, though: Dale and get FBI mates arrest Major for being the Chais Killer. Two episodes to go. This season is amazing.

iZombie: Pour Some Sugar, Zombie

"That was like interrogating a puddle."

There's a murder just outside a strip club, and Liv ends up eating stripper brain. This is a particularly good and clever whodunit, but we're far too close to the end of the season for that to be the only focus of the episode, much as it takes centre stage more than it has lately. 

Peyton's new roommate is Peyton, meaning that they, Major and Ravi have a Friends thing going on- nice bit of metatextuality going on there. And the twist here is that stripper brain gives Liv an insight into Mr Boss that Peyton is eager to glean; cue comedy scenes of her trying to get Liv to have a vision. And the episode gets bonus points for Ravi humming "The Stripper".

It's good to see Johnny Frost again: he's the same actor who played Spottswoode in Team America: World Police, you know. 

The end of the episode is littered with bombshells, though. Post-cure, Blaine has amnesia! Ravi opens Major's safe and realises he's the "Chaos Killer"! Liv realises that Drake is an undercover cost, and missing! And... Major is now a zombie.

Excellent stuff. But,considering all the arc-related bombshells we get, I suspect that it's the last big emphasis on the weekly whodunit we will get until the end of the season...

iZombie: He Blinded Me... with Science

"You Americans and your violence!"

This week's murder victim is a research scientist who ends up burned to a crisp; cue Liv acquiring scientist brain. We also get some rather dramatic arc stuff to remind us that the season finale is not far off.

Ravi learns that Blaine is a zombie again, and Blaine learns that his days are therefore numbered. While Liv and Clive navigate a good if a little perfunctory murder mystery involving a pair of twins and Max Rager being used as a red herring, Major calmly explains to Vaughn do Clark that he slept with his daughter and Liv rather naughtily does some undercover work behind Clive's back- will this come back to bite her? And what of the captive full-on zombie in Max Rager's basement that Liv sees clearly in a vision?

This is, perhaps, a rare example of the murder mystery plot feeling like an afterthought with all the arc stuff going on; iZombie is usually perfect in judging this balance. But it's an exciting and entertaining episode, especially the (admittedly predictable) ending where Liv, suspecting Drake to be a bit dodgy, arranges to confront him... and he doesn't turn up because Major kidnaps him. Ouch.

But even that doesn't beat the unexpected moment where Rita is scratched by the Max Rager captive zombie, and is imprisoned by her increasingly pantomime villain-sequel father...

iZombie: Eternal Sunshine of the Caffeinated Mind

"Your lips are moving, but it's the system working!"

Another excellent murder mystery this week, with a coffee shop (how very Seattle), positivity brain and  boyfriend who pretends to be French, complete with outrageous accent. 

We also have Ravi's attempt at a cure for zombieism not going well, much like his attempt to chat up a girl who, shock horror, doesn't get his Star Wars references. She is, naturally, the killer. All right-minded people know Star Wars.

We end with Blaine being kidnapped by Mr Boss and cronies while singing A Whiter Shade of Pale, having his throat cut and being buried in a shallow grave. It hardly takes a genius to realise that at the end of the episode he will rise as a zombie, but it's an entertaining sequence. As is Liv finding out that "Gilda" was the Rita who was sleeping with Major, punching and evicting get.

This is very good stuff and the finale is getting awfully close...

iZombie: Physician, Heal Thy Selfie

"You're a disgrace to your country's proud history of functional lushes!"

Liv is getting on well, if you know what I mean, with zombie Drake, while Peyton and Ravi continue go get on very well for exes, getting sloshed together on a regular basis. But this week's murder starts off with three corpses... and no heads. Oh dear.

However, Liv still gets to eat a brain, via one of those delightful culinary montages that have become a real highlight of the show, that of a true social media obsessive. Cue everything being tweeted and Facebooked.

Peyton's boss, Mr Baracus, is apparently dead; he most certainly ain't going on no plane. Major spends much of the episode squirming over the fact that he stated that Baracus was not a zombie, yet he so clearly is; this allows Du Clark to look suitably menacing to whet our appetites for what is no doubt coming later in the season. Meanwhile, Liv checks out the background to Drake; is he boyfriend material? 

Also notable is the meeting between Blaine and a delightfully menacing Me Boss, who clearly established himself as the alpha male, and Peyton's failed attempt to resign over buggering up Blaine so badly. Baracus ends up in Major's freezer. It's an odd episode, all arc, arc, arc with only a superficial murder mystery, but a good episode nonetheless.

iZombie: Method Head

"You know what would be fun? A zombie show where the zombie's the star!"

iZombie is back after the Christmas break, and this time the murder takes place on the set of Zombie High, a TV show. It's all a bit metatextual and the murder mystery side delivers well.

But there are all sorts of arc threads going on at full pelt. To start with, Ravi has to confirm to Liv and Major that there's no way they can have sex without him developing a sudden taste for brains. We're now very focused on the quest for that tainted utopium, now narrowed down to a mere 100 acres.

Liv is still in the doghouse with Clive, although that situation, predictably, doesn't survive the episode. They were never just going to drop the format like hat and iZombie, while not rigidly so and while very much running with multiple plot arcs, is nevertheless a very formulaic show deep down, and long may it remain. Unless, you know, they do something else cool.

Anyway, Liv on actor brain is cool. Major is having to tread an increasingly fine line with the delightfully villainous Vaughn Du Clark (an absurdly Frenglish surname, that), and Dale of the FBI is on Blaine's trail. iZombie just continues being brilliant.

iZombie: The Hurt Stalker

"They're like drummers in Spinal Tap..."

It's an interesting twist: Clive's stalker ex is murdered with his gun and he's a suspect, if a little half-heartedly, meaning he's off the case and Liv and Ravi get to show what they're made of. It's also a good showcase of Clive's character- calm, methodical, good under pressure, but with individual quirks and a deadpan humour. This is the best Clive episode yet, showing a hinterland of gumbo cuisine and Game of Thrones fanboyishness, which really goes to open him up as a character.

Meanwhile, Liv has paranoid stalker brain, which makes her paranoid about Major and is not good for her relationship. It's also an episode that sees her spend a few days in jail until she's released- and given brain- just in time. We get a final revelation that Major has a secret- he's keeping the engagement ring. He has hope.

For once the mirder mystery is a bit perfunctory- acceptable every now again- but this is a fine character episode.

iZombie: Love & Basketball

"So far it looks like all our problems could be solved by condoms and rock salt..."

Another episode, another theme, another type of brain (basketball coach) and another solid and entertaining murder mystery made even more entertaining by basketball Clive's fanboy side. But we also have Liv and Major wanting to get back together; can it work? Is there a way they can have sex? Can they rekindle their relationship?

We also get cricket fan Ravi explaining to Americans what a nightwatchman is; points for that too. Meanwhile, Max Rager send Gilda to sneakily obtain some of Liv's blood for the development of Supermax. Supermax is clearly going to be both a Very Bad Thing and a big part of the season finale, I'm expecting.

Ravi obtains some boat party utopium, which is good, and spars with an unfriendly and vaguely racist pathologist from Tacoma; I suspect he will turn up in a later episode as an annoying obstacle. And Blaine sings The Cure's "Friday, I'm in Live". It may be a terrible pun in context but, for a baddie, Blaine has worryingly good musical taste. I'm reminded of David Cameron liking The Smiths. Alas, the utopium is destroyed, so no cure yet.

We end with Liv and Clive together again, seemingly, and the widowed Mrs Suzuki has something for Clive- a human brain kept in the fridge by her late husband...

The murder mystery, visual style characterisation and wit are as good as ever- I love the chapter titles. And now the season arc is ramping up. I'm loving iZombie. It really ought to be more widely seen.

iZombie: Even Cowgirls Get the Black and Blues

"I hate that phrase 'made love'. It's like sex went and hired a PR firm."

Another solid murder mystery this week as iZombie does country. It's a tale of tragedy, love and heartbreak while Liv plays country guitar.

Meanwhile, Major is still going off the rails and he and Liv are on cold and awkward terms. And Peyton gets an ally in taking down the mysterious Mr Boss- Blaine. It's a story-of-the-week episode but with a lot of season arc set-up happening behind the scenes.

This isn't a landmark episode but it's a good one; the resolution is clever. And we seem to end with Liv and Major possibly getting back together as he seems to hit rock bottom...

iZombie: Real Dead Housewife of Seattle

"I've never had a lady who lunches for lunch..."

This week is a particularly well-constructed murder mystery, playing by the rules, and the revelation of the killer is particularly satisfying. That box is ticked, and it's an important one. But we also have characterisation, and a story arc that is gathering pace.

Major is still being made to go after zombies for Max Rager, and kidnaps a particularly nice-seeming one. Vaughn, from Max Rager, had sex with the victim, who was married to an important member of the board, and is threatened by him... leading to death by zombie. And yes, as the wife and I thought, Liv's new roommate Zilda is a Max Rager spy... and she's seducing Major.

Meanwhile, Peyton is back- and she's been appointed district attorney and effective utopium czar for Seattle. I wasn't expecting that. It's also nice to see that she's calmed down, is fine and realistic about Ravi moving on, and is still a good friend to Liv. But where is her arc going?

A particularly good episode in a series that continues to be brilliant. More please.

iZombie: Zombie Bro

"You're like that box of chocolates from Forrest Gump- you never know what you're gonna get."

This time we get an episode set in the bizarre world of American college fraternities; one can't help but think that all these keg parties would be somewhat unnecessary if only the Americans would lower their drinking age to something sensible (I mean, 21???!!!!) and put bars on campus. Still, it's their decision. Anyway, frat boys are a thing, and it's a very weird institution.

This week Liv dines on the brain of a murdered frat boy and gains the urge to play silly drinking games; Rose McIver is utterly magnificent here. It's a fun episode and a good whodunit, tinged with real tragedy in its resolution. 

Meanwhile Ravi goes out some utopium as "research", which leads Major to tag along and do the same, with inevitable consequences; the stuff is essentially ecstasy. But the death of Ravi's zombie dealer leads him (and Liv) to realise that there's a zombie serial killer about. If only they knew who it was..

Meanwhile, we meet Blaine's equally nasty father-a zombie, of course. And we end with the bombshell that Major is now a utopium addict. Another excellent instalment of a promising season, then.

iZombie: Grumpy Old Liv

"Are you eating that or impregnating it?"

Time to start a new (and slightly longer) season of iZombie, and Liv is estranged from her family who, for obvious reasons, do not and cannot know why she refused to give blood for her gravely injured brother Evan. It's deeply unfair, potentially very upsetting viewing and thus not dwelt upon. We shall have to wait and see if there's a good narrative reason for it happening.

In the meantime, though, Liv is doing what she does, eating brains, having visions and solving crimes. This week's cerebellum-based meal is a bitter, gimpy and vaguely racist old man. The racist side is, again wisely, not dwelt upon. 

Meanwhile, Major is still aimlessly unemployed and Peyton is still AWOL. Liv has a new roommate who is described as being boring because she works for her country's tax authority. Ahem. Still, at least she's made interesting at the end by virtue of being an undercover spy for Max Rager. The killer (spoilers) has a t-shirt emblazoned with "T-shirts are passé" which made my wife and I laugh. He also has his alibi of watching Arsenal vs Chelsea in a pub, and correctly refers to the sport as "football", yet he's an American in America. Wow. We may have buggered up our relations with all our neighbours a few years ago, but it seems the relentless march of British sports continues apace, even into the USA. 

Oh, and Blaine is now a funeral director, using the brains of the deceased to feed his zombie clients. Lovely. But, if he doesn't help Liv find the story behind the tainted utopium, the side effects of the cure may kill him. It seems he isn't quite in control. Even worse, we end with Max Rager blackmailing Major into embarking on a zombie killing spree. It's a superb start to what promises to be another brilliant season.