There many conflicting factions now on iZombie. Fillmore-Graves is kind of on their own side, Dolly Durkins’ “Dead Enders” are rabidly anti-zombie, Liv’s network is trying to make life better for some on the outside, and the US Government wants an excuse to wipe New Seattle off the map. There are a lot of moving parts in this, the final season of the show. We even lose two characters who have been around awhile in “Dead Lift.”

Liv and Clive are still trying to locate the victim from the video murder in last episode. Their attempt to find a body in the park takes a most unexpected turn, and brings them back to square one. Baron takes some extraordinary steps to help the girls out of the trouble they ended up in last episode, with a bit of help from brother Oliver. Filmore-Graves upper management has a meeting to update the utter lack of progress on the bombing investigation from last episode, and there are definitely major disagreements in the organization. Major proves he’s a better leader than some of his critics thought, and he goes home to a nice surprise of Liv cooking for him.

 

They share dinner, and Major vents about his day, with a lot of geek references along the way. Peyton and Ravi are having a good evening… until Peyton sort of fails the work/life balance test horribly. They have a very double entedre conversation which mostly seems to be to set up the concept that the city council is down to two members and can’t move forward. This leads to a cutting back and forth bit of Peyton trying to get the two to agree on anything, one of them surprisingly played by Kareen Abdul-Jabbar.

 

Liv has eaten more brains, and the new personality is a fitness-obsessed gym-rat. Clive does his usual amused acceptance as they strike another name off their list of potential victims. They spend enough time with this one that you know something’s going to come up with her. Ravi, trying to do some work, is the next person Liv’s new self is inflicted on. Clive is still running the game for Ravi’s group, and I can’t tell you how much I love that being an ongoing thing. This also set up another minor subplot for the week involving one of the gamers.

 

The next scene involves a Filmore-Graves patrol debating some of Major’s policies. The debate is cut short by a sniper attack that costs us a familiar face. Apparently, the writers are going to take advantage of this being the final season. Major is shaken by the news, and retreats to the locker room to grieve. Even there he can’t get any peace as hears some of the troops grousing about his leadership and mocking him. Major steps in and takes charge. While that’s going on, Baron shepherds his charges closer to Seattle.

 

Liv’s rant about calories gets interrupted when they hear a shots fired call at Warm Bloods, a bar that caters to the anti-zombie crowd. She and Clive arrive and, since she’s a very obvious zombie, they don’t get a warm reception. Fillmore-Graves shows up to investigate, and aren’t much more welcome than Liv was. Major gets taunted about coverups as he tries to get the basic facts of the shooting. Ravi catches Peyton in a harmless white lie on the phone and brings her an idea to help with the zombie and city PR problems.

 

Dolly Durkins, at her food truck, stirs up more trouble about the incident at Warm Bloods, and then talks about the vigilante anti-zombie patrols along the walls, and hopes for scalps. The world would really be a better place without her. After that intro, one of said patrols runs into Baron’s group, and that goes badly. One of them has a crossbow, and I can’t help but wonder if that’s a nod to Daryl Dixon over on Walking Dead.

 

Liv keeps being weird, Clive is trying to do a kind of homework, but they get interrupted by Vampire Steve coming in with a sort of good news/bad news issue. Dale Bazzio pursues a lead, which gets them another lead, which leads to some really unexpected results. The entire task force meets up to discuss this new development, and no one has a great idea what to do next. Major comes up with  shady plan that no one likes, but no one has any better ideas. Filmore tracks down the Warm Bloods shooter, and it’s not a good discovery for them.

 

Liv meets up with what’s left of the Baron/Oliver party, and gets some sad news. Oliver gets what he came for, and then proves to have horrible judgement almost immediately. In a carefully orchestrated, multi-level plan, the team puts Major’s scheme into effect. There’s (really) fake news, and some results that make most of the factions happy. The team neatens up a few details and loose ends, and it seems like thing are working out all right for everyone.

 

Ravi and Peyton follow some of Liv’s earlier advice, which apparently works quite well. Peyton tells Ravi how she came up with funding for their current idea, and she’s apparently playing for bigger stakes now. Then again, with the city’s future in doubt, why not take some risks? The episode ends with Dolly taking care of some of her own loose ends, which tie back to an earlier scene and something I was wondering about.

 

What I liked: the opening scene was entertainingly unexpected, and helped with some of the lurking mystery. Clive’s jaded acceptance of Liv’s various shifts in personality is always fun to watch. I loathe Dolly, but she’s clever at least. I love that the throwaway bit with Clive becoming a gamer has become a recurring thing.

What I didn’t: Major is doing what he needs to, but he’s going down a dark road. I liked both the characters killed this week. The anti-zombie folks seem improbably well organized and well equipped. Oliver and Company (see if anyone gets that reference) are going to be nothing but trouble. The weird political situation in the city seems a bit forced.

 

I’m still enjoying this show. With everything building up so much, I can see why they’re ending it, but I’m going to miss it. This was a good episode. I’ll give it a 3.5 out of 5.