iZombie – Killer Queen

By: Maggie Stankiewicz

This episode picks up exactly where last week’s left off with Ravi (Rahul Kohli) and Liv (Rose McIver) trapped in Martin’s (Bill Wise) little shop of horrors. The idle disposition of the Romero-esque zombies perplexes Ravi, but they manage to slip into the cell and escape through the window while Martin is distracted by Enzo (John Emmet Tracy). Enzo busies himself encouraging Martin to execute his plan more steadfastly. As the two men enter the laboratory, Martin realizes that samples of his Utopium batches are missing. He orders Enzo to alert to the troops – they’ll need to move their base of operations. Across the city two drag queens go through the motions of their pre-show ritual. When one steps away to fetch herself some fake nails, her drag partner Mike (Ari Cohen) is killed – foul play. Not too long after Liv and Ravi discuss the next step in finding the cure for zombies. Ravi intends on sending the Utopium to Charlie (Quinta Brunson) for examination. Clive (Malcolm Goodwin) joins the two medical examiners in the morgue with some additional clues on their fabulous murder victim.

Liv meticulously creates a dish fit for a queen, rainbow colored brain-infused Jell-O. Mike’s brain immediately injects a burst of color into Liv’s personality and in the clothing choices of Seattle’s finest. Donning a body-contouring, bright red number Liv makes her way to interview Howard (Jeff Joseph) who is Mike’s ex-husband. The ex has a rock-solid alibi and directs the police duo in the direction of Mike’s partner Gary (Todd Sherry). Before they interview Gary, however; Liv calls Ravi in for a quick verbal sparring match and then to watch the interrogation of a bar– who just so happens to be the now ex-girlfriend of a former zombie Edward Franzen. The hostess named Clarissa (Ashley Roxburgh) claims that Frank’s wife killed him just after he took the cure. This brief detour hops right back on the tracks when Gary arrives at the station, full of drama and whimsy. Gary too has an alibi but remains cooperative with Liv and Clive. Gary and Mike had purchased the bar together, but Gary sold his share back to Mike years prior. Gary discusses the emergence of Drag in the zeitgeist and expresses his negative view on the new generation of Drag Queens, especially in the all sass-no class performer known as Bitchkraft (Lyle Lettau).

Gary claims that Bitchkraft wants to watch the the elder Queens fall and tells Liv and Clive that Bitchkraft will be performing at the club that night, if they’re interested in speaking with her. Liv runs home to dress for the occasion and spots Graham and Riley as they prepare to smuggle some kids out. Liv remains oblivious to their tyranny and meets Clive at the bar to question Bitchkraft. Of course, the young drag queen denies any involvement in Mike’s murder. Bitchkraft goes to perform, allowing Liv and Clive the opportunity to speak with Howard about the gentrification and commercialization of the area. In the midst of the performance Liv collects a rhinestone from the stage, one that matches the stones on Mike’s gown. She takes the evidence back to the lab to compare with Bitchkraft’s rhinestones – implicating her in the murder.

The news of Frank’s death travels through all of the tunnels and hit Blaine’s ears, which presents itself as a problem for Blaine (David Anders). Blaine’s criminal activity is punctuated by random bursts of cuteness and stupidity at the hands of Don E (Bryce Hodgson) and his bride-to-be Darcy (Valerie Tian), but the Zombie Kingpin doesn’t let their antics derail him too much. This tidbit of information, specifically regarding Edward’s girlfriend, piques Ravi’s interests as well. Ravi comes up with his own scheme to get information…the only thing missing is some help from Major (Robert Buckley), whom he promptly bribes with fresh brains and homemade cuisine. If Clarissa’s boyfriend became a human he may have a connection to the missing Freylich’s kids. Clarissa has expressed her desire to get out of Seattle. Major, being a handsome fellow in a position of power, is exactly Clarissa’s type. He agrees to meet up with the woman.

The next day Major meets up with Clarissa for a date and some intel-swapping. As they converse Clarissa reveals that she might have a plug in to someone with the cure. Major feigns interest and agrees to Clarissa’s request of taking her with him should he get out of the city. Major slips the woman a tracking device (unbeknownst to her) and meets back up with Ravi to try and rescue the missing teenagers. When the boys follow the tracker planted on Clarissa they arrive at an old warehouse. Major tells Ravi to keep lookout while he surveils the front and Ravi obeys – but not without managing to find the bus full of kids. As soon as he confirms that the kids are alive, shots are fired. Luckily, they make it out alive and drive the kids to safety.

Graham and Riley’s successful mission (for Martin, of course) – is communicated to the mastermind and Enzo. Once it’s confirmed, Martin tells Enzo it’s time to cute Graham’s boyfriend Stephen loose. Enzo is displeased with Martin’s desire to let Stephen go and convinces him to allow the execution of the man. The duplicity is rampant tonight. While all of this excitement is happening, Blaine follows up on his pending wire transfer only to discover that Don E has been selling his brains to Fillmore Graves. Coincidentally, it’s Don E’s wedding night. Blaine shows up as the festivities kick off and takes Don E into the backroom of The Scratching Post. Darcy is laying there, dead, in her wedding dress. Blaine tells Don E that her body will need to be delivered to the client.

Liv and Clive bring Bitchkraft in to the station to ask him about the glue-on rhinestones, as well as security footage that suggests her presence on the night of Mike’s death. Bitchkraft insists that she is being setup and Liv gets a vision of Cher on the night of the murder. Liv recollects a familiar face owning a dress similar to that of Cher’s as Gary. The dynamic duo makes their way to the bar to confront Gary of killing his partner to protect the bar from becoming a parking lot and to discuss his attempting framing of Bitchkraft. Gary crumbles and confesses. After Clive gets him cuffed Liv gets the call for a dumped body and discovers that it’s Graham’s boyfriend, Stephen. Despite Enzo and Martin’s betrayal of their deal with Graham, he and Riley are still doing their job. This time it’s infiltrating an establishment in Nevada to crash an electronics convention. Graham returns home to help Ravi care for the kids he and Major rescued and then sits down with Liv for a devastating chat. As soon as Liv tells Graham that Stephen’s body was found he breaks down and tells her the truth. About everything. As he describes his extortionists, Liv realizes that Martin is pulling the strings.

Liv calls her father to confront him, yet again. Martin tells her that he’s bringing the fight right to the enemy. She begs him to stop, appeals to his emotion…and it seems to work. Liv’s tears are enough to slowly erode Martin’s foundation. He hesitates in following through on his plan (which includes mass murder) – until Enzo once again appears. Martin tries to tell Enzo to wait, but he is the devil on Martin’s shoulder always pushing. Always plotting. When Enzo realizes that Martin is considering putting a stop to their plan he shoots Martin. The first shot doesn’t kill him, but the second one does. Liv watches as her father falls to the concrete. It’s war time.