iZombie Review: Looking For Mr. Goodbrain Part 1 (Season 3 Episode 12)

Now that’s how you end an episode with a bang!

Story lines are converging on iZombie Season 3 Episode 12, titled “Looking for Mr. Goodbrain.” Much of “Part 1” is setup for “Part 2,” but nothing in this episode feels like filler.

Ravi’s old boss, Katty Kupps, finally makes her return only to be killed off. While Ravi and Liv worry about the zombie expose in the paper, Katty  is more concerned about an illness she has been investigating called “Aleutian flu.”

Katty’s murder comes out of nowhere, but it provides a much more subdued, complex personality for Liv to take on. She finds herself drawn to the bar at the hotel Katty had been staying at.

She becomes more flirty and almost sleeps with the human men that hit on her. Thankfully, Liv always stops herself in time knowing she would infect them.

Katty was a rational, strong, intelligent woman, but she also craved something more visceral. Liv’s semi-cheating leads her to question Justin about their relationship status. He provides her with the answer she wants and needs, but that doesn’t stop her from returning to the bar.

Instead of another human man, Chase Graves walks into the bar. Liv is done for in this moment. You can see it on her face that she is attracted to him. Maybe it’s that Rose McIver seems to have chemistry with everyone or Jason Dohring is just that smoldering, but the sexual tension is palpable between them.

Their talk of sexual fantasies leads them up to his hotel room and onto his desk. Obviously Liv has cheated on Justin at this moment, and it’s hard to tell how much of this is a result of Katty’s brain or Liv’s own desire.

More importantly, Liv spots a napkin on Chase’s nightstand that has Katty’s name and room number on it. Is it possible that Chase and Fillmore Graves are the ones behind Katty’s death?

The whole “Aleutian flu” seems to be the same thing as the zombie virus. Katty had been interviewing passengers of a flight believed to have carried over the “flu.”

Clive goes to the last person Katty would have interviewed and that leads him to the doorstep of Carrie Gold, one of the higher-ups at Fillmore Graves. Oh yeah, and they are also fostering Weckler’s daughter.

Everything about Fillmore Graves and Baracus seems nefarious.We still don’t know who killed Wally’s family because Liv had a vision that Harley and his guys had nothing to do with.

So I am sticking with my theory that Fillmore Graves was behind it the entire time. Fillmore Graves also benefits from having Baracus elected as Mayor. They have maintained they are worried about the secret of zombies becoming public knowledge. But maybe that’s what they have wanted all along.

Peyton getting the job offer from Baracus could be good or bad. Working alongside him would allow her to be spy on his dealings. However, she could put herself in a dangerous situation should she be discovered.

Like Liv, Major’s relationship choices haven’t always panned out well. Natalie showed up on his doorstep is like a hopeful, breath of fresh air for Major. He went to great lengths to help her and set her free. Liv is still a zombie, but Natalie is someone Major cares about and could also share the experience of having been a zombie with.

I always wondered if the writers were trying to hint at romance for the two of them, and this installment paints an idealistic future that will never be. After finally hooking up and making plans to leave the country, Natalie gets blown up with the rest of Major’s friends from Fillmore Graves.

Harley turning into a zombie is expected. However, getting out of the freezer, killing his friends, and then showing up at the house party is unexpected.

I’m not surprised Harley would use a suicide bomb vest to take himself out along with the Fillmore Graves mercenaries. He was never going to accept the fate of being a zombie.

Major and Justin are outside the house during the explosion, but their friends and Natalie were in the line of the explosion. Natalie was human again, so she is for sure dead. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the others can come out. They may just be extra charred.

So where does this all lead? Fillmore Graves definitely has something to do with Wally’s murder, Katty’s murder, Weckler’s murder, the video files Weckler hid, and Baracus’ rise to Mayoral status. But for what end?

Creator Rob Thomas tends to craft many moving pieces to his shows. Just when you think there’s no way for them to be resolved or explained, he throws an amazing finale at you that leaves you satisfied.

What did you think of this episode of iZombie? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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

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