iZombie Review: Even Cowgirls Get the Black and Blues (Season 2 Episode 4)

Leave it to iZombie to make us laugh, cringe, and then roll up into a tiny ball of feelz that we never want to get out of. (Someone hand me my snuggie.)

“Even Cowgirls Get the Black and Blues” finally gives us some of the things we were hoping for, sprinkled with a dash of unexpected.

Let’s dive right in, cowboy!

THE GOOD

Ravi, Ravi, Ravi. Can we have more of him? Especially the way he is in this episode.

He is on top of everything, especially his friendships. He assists Liv in her investigation and listens to her belt out some sweet tunes with her new guitar. On their down time, he braves going to Liv’s first show in a cowboy outfit. He even wears the hat and knows the lingo.

Then there’s Major and his never ending spiral of despair. Ravi lets him for weeks, thinking he will  pull himself out of the funk he’s been in since almost dying and being turned into a zombie. No more. Ravi is at the end of his rope after Major’s recent ‘hot and cold’ attitude! So, he confronts his friend and makes sure that he knows that Ravi notices all the weird behavior. They’re no longer just connected to each other through Liv. Ravi and Major are best friends now (especially after going out clubbing and drug scouting.)

He’s even there for Peyton. Not in a big way, but he allows her to stay at his home with Major after being ambushed while on a date. This is his ex-girlfriend, and if he truly didn’t want her to stay there, he would l her. He’s uncomfortable and clearly not over her, but he’s nice and there for the people he cares about. Even the ones who run away.

To top it all off…HE’S HILARIOUS! He doesn’t go over the top with his jokes. He just slides right into them. He takes the opportunity to make cowboys and Indians jokes when at a western bar. He even slips in a joke about the Hemsworth brothers on an elliptical, sweating it out to make a new pheromone perfume (that would sell out in minutes. Don’t lie. You’d buy it.)

It comes so effortlessly to this character, even in the middle of all this crazy stuff happening to them. He’s that light that every show needs and deserves.

Ravi is the one we should wrap up in a blanket and protect from this big and bad zombie world. If something were to happen to him the group, and the audience, would fall into disarray and we all know it!

THE BAD

There are a million things that could be chosen for the Bad. But the one that keeps bugging me is Peyton & Blaine flirting. They were getting to know each other in this week’s episode because of a case Peyton is working on. And what sets me on edge is that they look so natural together. The body language is open and relaxed. We see those flirting eyes and smiles.

And Peyton thinks Liv would like him? Pretty sure that Liv would pull his intestines out if she found out that her kinda frenemy is around her best friend. I take the words  back. He’s more than her sometimes friend and, more often than not, enemy. (Just remembering all the evil he did last year, like killing Liv’s boyfriend last year and turning dozens of people into zombies for his business.) Blaine is the nemesis to watch out for this season. There’s no doubt that he knows who Peyton is. Blaine makes it his business to know everything. For all we know the flirtation is a ruse and he’s just trying to get close to Liv because he has a thing for her.

Blaine is a sneaky git who would pull something like this to cause trouble and keep a tab on his zombie best friend. But don’t worry Blaine, we’ll be keeping an eye on your too! You will not fool us with your easy flirtation and smooth grin.

THE UGLY

Major spiraling. He’s all over the place. Even waking up next to Gilda didn’t phase him. He just gets up and spends the rest of his time high on utopium. Then comes the confrontation with his friends.

Liv: We’re a dream that’s dead.

It doesn’t  phase him at all. He pushes her away once more in hopes that she leaves him alone or actually realizes that there’s  something more going on with him. His words hurt and actually manage to do the latter. The  link with Liv is seemingly broken when she walks out and he doesn’t stop her.

Then comes Ravi. His friend is done with letting Major doze off playing games all day and watching his life go by. But Major just brushes him off two. Ravi is his second closest friend and, in his mind, he’s one of the last obstacles he has to get through so can wallow. He wants to be depressed with his new best friend utopium.

The biggest confrontation and shock of the night happens when he goes out to buy drugs. Out of all the people that he can buy drugs from, it’s one of the kids he tried to help at the shelter. To Major, it feels like being smacked in the face with the person he was and how he tried to change lives for the better in the past. Now, he’s on the other side. Now, he’s completely different from that man and walking down the path he warned others not to follow. That’s when he realizes he can’t hide from it anymore.

That moment of clarity sends him to Liv’s door. He needs help, and he knows the best place to get it and someone who won’t turn him away.

Closing

Don’t think the Liv/Major kiss was forgotten about. It had everyone squealing, after crying when he showed up. It’s a misplaced scene that honestly doesn’t need to happen in that moment, but whatever. It happens. We’re good. Major’s asking for help. He’s finally taking the step and we’re waiting for Gilda to inevitably walk in on the scene and ruin everything.

Other Observations:

• Major and Minor. Sounds like the start of a good show.
• Don’t think we didn’t see Babineaux flirting with the new FBI agent.
• Who is this mysterious zombie who only text messages his responses? He’s kind of adorable.

Please leave us any comments, concerns, or if you just want to poke and prod at the Major/Liv kiss, in the section below! And be sure to check out the TV Fanatic Round Table discussion for every new episode of iZombie.

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iZombie airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on The CW.