Ep 4. Wag the Tongue Slowly

Seattle medical resident Liv Moore (Rose McIver) is a zombie. She's got white hair, pale skin, and a ravenous hunger for brains--but she's learned to adapt her new diet by working as an assistant medical examiner for the Seattle PD, snacking on the brains of murder victims to access their memories and help solve crimes. In season 3 episode 4, "Wag the Tongue Slowly," Liv and her human partner Clive (Malcolm Goodwin) investigate the murder of a rich socialite named Lacey Mazzuchelli, who was killed by a poisoned smoothie at a trendy juice bar.

Lacey's friends and family are all suspects--her husband, her sister, her yoga instructor, and the shady owner of the juice bar. Along the way, Liv eats Lacey's brain and takes on her bubbly personality, which clashes hilariously with her own snarky, deadpan style. Liv also discovers that Lacey was secretly working with a notorious gossip blogger named Johnny Frost (Daran Norris) to spread rumors about her friends.

As Liv and Clive unravel the case, they uncover a web of lies, jealousy, and blackmail. The suspects all have motives--Lacey's husband wanted a divorce, her sister wanted her money, her yoga instructor wanted revenge, and the juice bar owner wanted to cover up his own involvement in a food poisoning scandal. Meanwhile, Liv's boyfriend Major (Robert Buckley) is still struggling with his own zombie powers, and her roommate Peyton (Aly Michalka) gets caught up in a political scandal involving the city's zombie population.

"Wag the Tongue Slowly" is another witty and fast-paced episode of iZombie, full of clever wordplay, colorful characters, and surprising plot twists. Liv's brain-eating shtick is a fun gimmick that never gets old, and her interactions with Clive, Major, and Peyton give the show a strong emotional core. The mystery itself is engaging and unpredictable, with plenty of clues and misdirections to keep viewers guessing.

One of the standout scenes in the episode is when Liv attends a murder-themed dinner party as part of her investigation, dressed as Marie Antoinette and snacking on a brain-filled cricket cookie. The party guests all have their own bizarre secrets and agendas, and the tension builds to a thrilling and unexpected climax.

Overall, "Wag the Tongue Slowly" is a great example of what makes iZombie such a fun and addictive show. It combines the macabre humor of other genre-bending series like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Pushing Daisies with a smart and socially-conscious take on the zombie mythos. With its lovable characters, clever writing, and inventive premise, iZombie is sure to keep fans brains-er, I mean, glued to their screens for many more seasons to come.