| The Hurt Stalker | |
| Season 2, Episode 8 | |
 | |
| Air date | December 1, 2015 |
| Written by | Sara Saedi |
| Directed by | Michael Wale |
| Episode Guide | |
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The Hurt Stalker is the eighth episode of Season 2 and the twenty-first episode of the series overall. It aired December 1, 2015, and had 1.55 millions viewers.
Synopsis[]
Detective Babineaux arrives at the crime scene of a wedding planner who was shot to death, and is shocked to realize that he used to date the victim. To make matters worse, we learn that the murder victim was stalking Detective Babineaux, and that he is now the number one suspect in her murder. Liv and Ravi pose as an engaged couple in order to infiltrate the victim's wedding planning business. Meanwhile, Major is having a tough time dealing with Liv on stalker brains.[1]
Plot[]
Liv returns home and takes off her shoes so Gilda will not hear her. Gilda finds her anyway and asks where she's been, and Liv explains that she's been spending nights with her ex-fiancé and current boyfriend. Liv's roommate talks about how she and her ex tried to get together, but assures Liv that she and her boyfriend will do great.
The woman who dropped the package at Clive's house, Regina Sumner, is in a parking garage when a man comes up and calls to her by name. He attacks her and she slashes him with a knife from her purse. As she prepares to stab him, a man shoots Regina in the back and tells the first attacker to get in the car with him.
Later, Liv and Ravi are called to the crime scene. The officer identifies Regina as a wedding planner who rents space in the building. There are no CCTVs in the garage and no witnesses. Ravi spots bruises on Regina and realizes that someone punched her. Clive arrives, clearly tired, and recognizes Regina. He tells Liv and Ravi that he and Regina used to date. The officer finds a Beretta in Regina's car, and Clive admits that it's his gun.
Gilda goes to her father Vaughn's office and he offers her a Super Max taste test. She's more concerned that Major is sleeping with Liv, but Vaughn isn't concerned that Liv might find out that they have Major killing zombies for them. As they go to the lab, Vaughn assures Gilda that Major is a reliable zombie killer and is sure that he knows Major better than Gilda does. In the lab, Dr. Lockett tells them that the DNA sample from Liv was the key. Vaughn explains that Lockett's predecessor, Erving, had an unfortunate lab accident. They give their captive zombie Super Max and she goes berserk. Vaughn wonders when they'll see the same results in a human, and Lockett says that he needs a volunteer. The CEO says that he has someone in mind.
In the morgue, Ravi confirms that the bullet that killed Regina was a 9mm. Detective Cavanaugh is in charge of the investigation and arrives, and Ravi explains that someone beat Regina before someone shot her in the back. Cavanaugh notes that Clive was romantically involved with Regina and has no alibi. He also has Regina's phone, which has a message from Clive telling her to stop harassing him or it won't end well for her. The message was left one hour before Regina was killed.
Liv prepares to eat Regina's brain, and she and Ravi agree that it looks bad for Clive. As she finishes eating, Dale comes in and says that Clive has been in interrogation most of the day. She has the package that Regina left on Clive's doorstep. Inside is a scrapbook with Photoshopped photos of Rachel and Clive getting married. Dale warns that Rachel was an obsessive stalker, and Liv realizes the types of brains that she ate. However, she figures that she has to keep it down for Clive's sake. There are photos of Clive cooking and playing the piano. Liv doesn't get any visions, and Dale has to take the scrapbook back to Cavanaugh.
That night, Liv confronts Major at home and demands to know what woman is using his shower. Major explains that it's Ravi's shampoo, and she gets into bed with him and complains that he's texting. After Major dozes off, Liv can't help checking his phone to see who he was texting. The next morning, Liv asks Major who Rita--Gilda's fake name-- is. Major says that she was meaningless and threw herself at him, and says that he doesn't deserve her suspicion. Liv gets control of herself and explains that it's the brain she ate. She promises that she can fight it, gives Major back his phone, and leaves for work.
Once Liv goes, Major removes the injector gun from his bag and locks it in his safe. Liv comes back to apologize and is surprised to see that he has a safe. He claims that he had it installed after a zombie broke in, and refuses to open it for her. Liv dismisses her paranoia as the brain's effects and leaves.
At the station, Liv and Ravi watch Cavanaugh in Devore's office, presenting his case against Clive. Clive figures that he'll be suspended, and Liv assures him that they've got it. He tells Liv to take any visions to Cavanaugh, but Liv suggests that he open up and give them some basic details about Regina. Clive explains that they met at a wedding a few months ago, hit it off, and went a few times. Liv questions him about their emotional intimacy, and Clive says that Regina was a badge bunny who liked having sex with cops. He ended things then and Regina started sending him texts and emails in the middle of the night. Regina stole his gun the night before she was murdered.
Cavanaugh comes out and calls Clive into Devore's office. Before he goes, Clive tells Liv that Regina was suing a client. He advises them not to get caught questioning witnesses. Liv and Ravi go to see the client, Uma Voss, who runs Karma Cleaners & Alterations. Regina planned her wedding but then had to sue for unpaid fees. They go in posing as a couple planning their wedding, and ask Uma if she and her husband Matthew would recommend Regina. Uma says that Regina was totally incompetent and they fired her, but she showed up in the middle of the reception, made a pass at Matthew, and threw up on Uma's dress. Matthew comes in and Liv gets a vision of Matthew rejecting Regina's overtures and saying that they're done. He's holding a scrapbook just like the one that Regina gave Clive. Liv notices Uma's ring and she says that it was one of a kind. She then gets Matthew's police uniform and tells him to be safe.
As Liv and Ravi leave, Liv tells Ravi what she saw. She describes how Matthew tossed the scrapbook over a bridge, and Ravi recognizes the location and says that they should find the book. At the location, a bridge, Ravi finds the book while Liv calls Matthew's station house and confirms that he was on a call at the time of the murder. There's a photo of Matthew Photoshopped onto another guy standing next to a black SUV, and Liv figures that the original man is W.P. because one of the locks has Regina's initials next to W.P.
At the morgue, Liv runs the plates on the SUV in the photo and confirms that it was an official Seattle PD vehicle. However, it isn't registered to a specific officer. She's checked a cyclist website about black SUVs, and it has the same license plate as the SUV.
Later at home, Liv is reviewing Major's Facebook page for the name of interested women when Gilda comes in. Liv admits that she's seen a lot of women "throwing themselves" at Major, and mentions "Rita's" texts. Gilda wonders what Liv has found out, and Liv tries to resist the brains' effects. As she does, Gilda suggests that Major deserves to be punished.
The next day at the morgue, Clive comes in with po' boys for dinner. As they eat, Clive is relieved that they haven't been suspended for investigating the case. Cavanaugh comes in and asks who took the evidence from his desk. They insist that they didn't take it, but Cavanaugh doesn't believe them. Once he leaves, Liv insists that they've done everything by the book. She gets a hit on from the cyclist website asking for more details, and tells Clive not to ask questions.
That night, Liv goes to where the SUV was reported at the station. She finds it and breaks in, searching for evidence of who W.P. is. The door opens by remote and Liv hides in the back. As the driver takes off, Cavanaugh calls and Chief Walt Price answers. The detective says that the scrapbook has gone missing and figures that Clive took it. Walt warns that if the scrapbook gets out then it could ruin his wedding. He then hears Liv, pulls over, and turns to tell her that she's in trouble.
Liv is taken to jail and put in general lock-up. Ravi soon meets with her and she warns that she hasn't eaten since her first dose of brains. Liv insists that Ravi not tell Major that she's in jail because there's nothing he can do and he won't be back in town for 24 hours. Ravi has gotten news from the lab that there were two blood types at the match. One belongs to Regina, and they're checking the other against Clive. Liv is sure that it won't match.
Back in her cell, Liv tries to sleep while one of the other prisoners complains about being arrested. When Major gets back into town, he comes to see Liv. She figures that she can make it for 12 more hours, and assures him that her inner stalker is gone. When Liv goes back to her cell, she tries to sleep but the same prisoner is now snoring. Driven mad by her hunger, sleep-deprivation and general dislike of the woman, Liv goes into full zombie mode and prepares to eat her brain, but the guard says that she's been released. Ravi is waiting and explains that they released Liv a few hours early, and provides her with a brain smoothie. He admits that it's leftover Regina, and Liv warns that Major may not be happy. Liv shows Ravi the page she tore out of the scrapbook in the back of Price's car. It's a photo of the SUV with Price in the original shot. However, Liv notices that Regina is wearing Matthew's unique ring, and tells Ravi that it's time to solve the case.
At Max Rager, Major is training Vaughn. Vaughn drinks some Super Max and says that he's ready for more, and Major is surprised when he starts lifting more weights than ever. The CEO offers Major a few cans of Super Max for his "night job," and then loses his temper and screams at another employee who is exercising.
Back at the cleaner, Uma's brother Karl is working the counter when Liv and Ravi arrive. Uma comes over and Liv points out that Karl has a bandage on his neck. Ravi flashes his badge and explains that they're investigating Regina's murder. Liv asks why they have photographs of Regina wearing Uma's ring, and Ravi asks for blood samples. Karl runs for it out the back and gets in the company van. Cavanaugh has removed the wiring and is waiting to arrest Karl.
At the station, Liv sits in as Cavanaugh asks Uma why she married Matthew after she found out about his affair a week before the wedding. Liv figures that Regina sent Uma the scrapbook, and Uma insists that the book was fiction. She admits that Matthew and Regina slept together before the wedding, but Matthew confessed to it. Liv figures that Regina stole Uma's ring and slept with her husband, then sent her the book to rub her nose in it. Uma insists that she didn't kill Regina, and Liv says that it's Karl's blood at the crime scene. Cavanaugh asks if she's going to let her brother go to prison, and Uma confesses that the plan was never to kill her. She just wanted to harass Regina into giving the ring back. She pulled out the knife and Uma shot her to save Karl. Before Uma left, she took her ring back.
Price and Clive are watching in the observation gallery, and Price admits that Liv is doing impressive police work. Clive says that no one will have to learn about Price's scrapbook, and Price agrees to drop the charges against Liv. Meanwhile, Liv has Uma write out a full confession to save Karl. Before she confesses, Uma tells Liv that every man cheats.
That night, Major comes home and finds Liv trying to open the safe. She figures that there's something in the safe that will break her heart, and Liv admits that she ate more stalker brain when she got out of jail. Major asks how they get past it, and Liv begs him to open the safe. After a moment, Major opens it and reveals her engagement ring. He explains that he couldn't stand the idea of anybody else wearing it, and never gave up hope that she'd want it back. Crying, Liv hugs Major.
Later that night, a call comes in from Gilda. Major is sleeping but Liv sees it. It's an invitation for Major to come over. Liv pretends to be Major and tells Gilda to show her what she's wearing, and Gilda sends a picture of her lingerie.
Cast[]
Starring[]
Guest Starring[]
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Co-Starring[]
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Zombie Traits/Skills[]
Liv[]
- Regina Sumner – Unstable (jumping to conclusions and unnecessary paranoia), obsessive stalking (possessive of Major).
Brain Food[]
- "Brains on a log" — Liv makes celery sticks with peanut butter and brains as the 'ants'.
- "Regina Smoothie" – After Liv gets released from prison, Ravi brings her a smoothie made out of Regina's brain.
Comic Panel Titles[]
Title Meaning[]
- The Hurt Stalker - A play on the movie, The Hurt Locker, along with hinting at one of the episodes characters stalking others.
Trivia[]
- Karl and Uma likely got light sentences, given Regina escalated the fight; despite Karl initially assaulting her, he only intended to slap her once and give her a warning to stay away from Uma's husband and take back the ring she stole.
- Regina oddly was never arrested by the authorities beforehand. Given, quoting Dale, "The woman was an obsessive stalker. Crazier than an outhouse rat".
- Liv says, "It seems Regina took N.W.A.'s biggest hit literally". This is a reference to N.W.A's song "Fuck the Police", which is a reference to the victim's relationships with several cops.
- The chapter title, "I'm Only Happy When It Brains", is a reference to a song by the music band, Garbage. "I'm Only Happy When It Rains".
- Vaughn Du Clark's (Steven Weber) statement: "I've got the brains, we've both got the looks. Let's make some money!" is a play on lyrics from the Pet Shop Boys song "Opportunities".
- At the last scene With Major (Robert Buckley) and Vaughn (Steven Weber) at the gym, Vaughn says "I'm TNT, I'm dy-na-mi-te". Å reference to AC/DC's "TNT".
- The chapter title "Karma Police" is a reference to the song "Karma Police" by Radiohead.
- The chapter title, "99 Problems But a Stitch Ain't One", is a reference to a lyric in the Jay-Z song, 99 Problems: "I got 99 problems, but a bitch ain't one".
- The chapter "a very wrong engagement" is a reference to the 2004 French film A Very Long Engagement.
- The episode title, The Hurt Stalker, is a play on the 2008 movie, The Hurt Locker, along with hinting at one of the episodes characters stalking others.
- The chapter title "Dead Woman Walking" is a reference to what the prison guards on death row would yell out when taking a prisoner to their execution. Though Liv (Rose McIver) is already dead.
- The reference to a bike ride called the Chilly Hilly is to a real ride. It's put on by Cascade Bicycle Club
- The number plate on the SUV is 802GDT. The same number plate appears on the Porsche of the murdered Zombie High actor in "Method Head"
Soundtrack[]
Culture Club - Karma Chameleon (when Karl is trying to escape)
Everybody Hurts - Jasmine Thompson (when Major opens the safe)
Gallery[]
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Videos[]
