Liv consumes the brains of a cantankerous old man to help gain insight into his death. After receiving an anonymous call on the tipster hotline, Liv and Clive stop by the residence of Byron Thistlewaite, to question the mysterious caller. Ravi suspects that Major might be experiencing a side effect of the cure. Liv pays Blaine a surprise visit.
Liv was emotionally defeated by the end of the first season. Peyton left town after learning her roommate was a zombie. Major felt massively betrayed upon learning that Liv had turned him into a zombie as well. She didn't earn much good will by using the cure on him instead of herself either. The materials Ravi used to make the prototype cure given to both Major and Blaine are gone. He will have to find another way to create it. And then, the season ended with Liv's brother getting caught in the explosion at the Meat Cute and Liv realizing that she can't give her blood in order to save his life. All of these moments have forced Liv to see himself as the monster who deserves to be alone. That headspace is still very much on display throughout this episode as the second season gears up for what promises to be a twisty, fun and dark ride.Liv's emotional state at the start of "Grumpy Old Liv" isn't helped by the fact that the latest case-of-the-week forces her to consume the brains of a cantankerous old man. The balance between the ongoing stories and the weekly cases hasn't been completely perfected yet. This case in particular feels like it only exists in order to add some levity to the overall hour. When Liv exhibits the personality traits of the deceased, the writing can tend to go a little broad. That is very much apparent in this first episode back. It doesn't get in the way of her interacting with the ongoing stories of the season. But it does bring about some awkwardness with Ravi and Clive when she starts spouting some racists remarks. Those aren't meant to be taken seriously. She's on old man brains. It's excusable. And yet, that only really works with Ravi. When she makes a joke about Asians being horrible drivers, Ravi is able to respond with humor because he's aware of what's going on with Liv. But then, she refers to Clive as "one of the good ones." That didn't work so well because now Clive is going to think he's working with racist. That's not Liv at all. But shouldn't Clive start questioning who he has partnered with on all of these cases by now? Doesn't he think it's weird that she goes a little crazy and unlike her self every time they work together?
But again, the case isn't meant to be the truly enticing thing of this season premiere. It allows Liv to remember that she can't give up on her life just because things have gotten more depressing as of late. Her brother is alive but he's still in the hospital three months later getting ready for his third surgery to remove shrapnel. But both he and her mother are furious with Liv for not wanting to save his life. It's more complicated than that for Liv. She is keeping this explanation from them that could mend the family bond. And yet, Ravi has been the only person to react well to the news. Neither Peyton nor Major took it particularly well. Liv will keep fighting for her family. She doesn't want to give up on them just yet. But it's definitely difficult with this massive secret hanging over her.
If Liv is defeated in this premiere, then Major is broken. He lost everything last season. He is still alive. But he has no direction or purpose in his life. He's not on good terms with Liv and he's only opening up to Ravi when it comes to the side effects of the cure. He is now wasting away with a personal trainer job that isn't as fulfilling as the work he used to do with the homeless of Seattle. He is searching for direction. But when he gets an opportunity, it's much more sinister than he ever could have imagined. The best part of the first season finale was Major launching an assault on the Meat Cute and taking out all the zombies there. That day is still causing so many problems. Clive is certain that the case isn't as cut and dry as the rest of the police department wants to believe. He's pumping Liv for information in the hopes that she'll crack and open a hole in Major's alibi. But this attack has also gotten Major on Vaughn and Max Rager's radar.
Max Rager is still a very formidable company despite the recent allegations of the major side effects their new product has. Vaughn is still living large, traveling the world and closing deals. The company is still worth billions. Steven Weber plays Vaughn with such delightful menace. It's a lot of fun to watch despite the pending darkness that surrounds this story. This company has a ton of resources and power right now. They are able to tap Liv's phone which provides a valuable stream of information. That's how they learn about Major's skills. They are able to blackmail him into eliminating zombie threats for them. If he doesn't, they'll share to the police that Major was the one to kill all those people at the Meat Cute. It's a precarious and lethal situation Major finds himself in. He was searching for direction but this threatens to compromise him in a way that he may never come back from. And yet, that's an incredibly exciting story arc for the season. He is being forced to do bad things - kidnap zombies who just want to live normal lives, shoot them in the head and dump their bodies in the river. It's a dark and tragic arc for a character who has really become a crucial part of the show.
Some more thoughts:
- "Grumpy Old Liv" was written by Rob Thomas and directed by Michael Fields.
- Blaine has started a new job as the owner of a funeral home. He was inspired by Liv on how to get the brains he needs to keep his zombie business alive despite him no longer being a zombie. However, it appears he's also making a play for the drug business of Seattle.
- Liv meets with Blaine again because she unfortunately needs his help in obtaining the drug that made her into a zombie in the first place. He only helps because the side effects of Ravi's cure are unknown and he might need their help in the future to stay alive.
- Liv's new roommate is also Vaughn's assistant at Max Rager who seems to be complicit with his nefarious plan. They sure are keeping their eyes on her.
- The killer in the case of the week story is played by Veronica Mars alum Adam Rose. It was a fine case about a split second decision greatly impacting the rest of his life. But it was nothing more than that.
- The one major side effect Blaine and Major are experiencing is the ability to sense if someone is a zombie. The show deliberately points out that their hair stands on end when one is close to them.
- Blaine: "Major Lilywhite, the most presciently named zombie of all time, roams the earth."
- Vaughn: "Is that my cue to start cackling maniacally, or should I wait for you to provide the details?"
