"If they can control the dead then they can control us" -- Bill
I recently posted the trailer for season 4 of True Blood, but I thought I'd indulge you with a second. This one is a little tastier, with a look at exactly what the new season's going to involve. It's the "witches versus vampires", and that may not as awful as it sounds. In fact, this trailer has me slightly more optimistic about the return of True Blood--how about you?
"Oh great, now I have to deal with witches?" -- Sookie
HBO have released the first trailer for True Blood's fourth season that includes new footage. What do we have in store for us? Um, more of the same. There's no clear sense of what season 4's story is, and this year's apparent emphasis on witchcraft isn't noticeable from anything here. Instead, we have a semi-naked Anna Paquin and Joe Manganiello showing his granite-like six-pack. It's all just a little tease at this stage, so hopefully a more substantial trailer is just around the corner...
Are you excited for True Blood's return? Were you happy with the third season? I thought it was pretty terrible, mainly because 80% of the storylines didn't even resolve. It felt like a show that's headed out of control, with showrunner Alan Ball indulging himself and failing to keep a tight reign on the plot and the show's ludicrously expanding ensemble. I can only hope Ball realizes just how disjointed and nonsensical season 3 felt to viewers, and can see past the misplaced adulation from diehard fans (not to mention the healthy ratings), to realize he needs to get a grip of things before it falls apart. I still really like the show's tone, style, sensibilities, and pace... but I want to feel like I'm being told a proper story, not spoonfed inciting moments and shocking cliffhangers.
True Blood returns to HBO on 26 June.
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Channel 4 aired the terrestrial premiere of True Blood's second season on Thursday night, but the vampire drama's long-awaited return only attracted 980,000 viewers at 10pm, with a lowly 51,000 watching on the time-shifted Channel 4+1. This is especially disappointing because True Blood's series premiere last year lured 1.6 million eyeballs, so it's lost a sizeable chunk of its audience since then. Why is this..?
While you can never be sure, but given how passionate True Blood's fanbase is, I'd say the majority of British fans have already seen season 2 -- via online torrents way back last summer, or perhaps on digital channel FX earlier this year. If so, it's evidence that the arrangement Channel 4 has with FX to alternate broadcast months after seasons debut in the States, just isn't good enough. Fans simply won't wait 12-months for new episodes, knowing they'll be an entire season behind the US -- particularly as many fans are teenagers/young adults who spend time on Facebook/Twitter and thus have the hassle of trying to avoid online spoilers.
At the very least, FX should be premiering season 3 now (immediately following HBO's finale last weekend), with Channel 4 showing the same season just after Christmas -- a gap of approximately 4 months from the HBO premiere. That would perhaps satisfy less voracious fans who aren't so exposed to online chatter, but it would obviously be preferable if FX aired episodes days/weeks behind HBO's schedule, meaning Channel 4 staredt their run in September. Something tells me nothing's going to change, but perhaps if ratings continue to slide Channel 4 may try to renegotiate their scheduling for season 3... maybe.Read more...
HBO have released a superb two-minute video chronicling (nearly) every single death scene in True Blood, up until the late-season 3 point. It's done in the style of an Academy Awards obituary film, and the incongruity of violently gruesome deaths to soothing music is rather amusing. Obviously, DO NOT watch this unless you've seen till the end of season 3 (i.e. US-pace, at time of writing). [via TV Squad]
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That star rating on the left is a generous reward for every part of the finale that touched on Russell Edgington's (Denis O'Hare) fate, because everything else about this finale was horribly disjointed, plain boring, tedious setup, or an assortment of piffling scenes to fill time. "Evil Is Going On" was essentially a microcosm of this ungainly third season.
Season 3: RIP
To recap what happened: Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) started to have more frightening visions, before being comforted by Jesus (Kevin Alejandro) and told that he's tapped into some latent magical powers; Hoyt (Jim Parrack) affirmed his relationship with Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll) by buying a house, to the consternation of his mother; Sam (Sam Trammell) revealed he's a shape-shifter to Tara (Rutina Wesley), then chased down his brother Tommy (Marshall Allman) who had stolen cash from his safe; Jason (Ryan Kwanten) helped Crystal's (Lindsay Pulsipher) meth-dealing family avoid a DEA raid; a compassionate Sookie (Anna Paquin) rescued Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) and Edgington from dying in the sunlight; before Eric, having seen a vision of his dead maker Godric, found a way to keep the half-incinerated Edgington alive but contained for at least a century...
My issues with "Evil Is Going On" are the same as they've been all season: the majority of storylines hold little interest to me, and it was particularly frustrating to see them all reach no worthwhile conclusion. You invest nearly three months of your TV viewing, only to find you're going to have to wait nearly a year to see some pay-off? Unforgivable.
The burden of Jason, Sam and Lafayette's weak subplots looks set to continue into season 4, denying this episode a strong sense of finality. I wouldn't be surprised if many viewers assume there'll be another episode next week. Edgington's storyline was the only beating heart here, despite the fact season 3 never really capitalized on the character's potential or Denis O'Hare's gleefully deranged performance. I have to question the wisdom of keeping Edgington incapacitated for the entire episode, too -- dragged around by a silver chain and finally buried alive in cement.
It meant there was no real sense of threat to this episode, just an hour where three of the show's leads revealed unpleasant aspects of their personalities: Eric opting to ignore Godric's pleas for forgiveness in order to get callous revenge; Bill turning traitor and burying Eric alive, to protect the truth that he was originally asked to befriend Sookie by queen Sophie-Ann (who always knew she was a faerie); and Sookie pouring the goopy remains of Talbot down a waste disposal unit, yelping with glee in a rather disturbing manner. It all means I spent this episode feeling sympathy for the season's villain, which isn't how it should be.
The one definite success of this finale was in providing a fundamental shift in the Bill/Sookie relationship, with Eric escaping his burial (how exactly?) and exposing Bill's guilty secret to Sookie, who promptly spurned her lover. Not before time, it looks like season 4 won't have to swim in circles with the Bill/Sookie romance, and any reunion will have to be hard won. At any rate, Sookie is likely to start dating werewolf Alcide (Joe Manganiello) for awhile, now he's been made a regular.
As is tradition, the finale ended on a few cliffhangers: Sookie being teleported to faerie-land by Claudine (Laura Pulver) while in the cemetery at her gran's grave, following her breakup with Bill (confirming these "extinct" faeries have a physical presence in reality); and Bill engaging in a duel-to-the-true-death with vampire queen Sophie-Ann (Evan Rachel Wood), the outcome of which doesn't seem to be in question. There's no way they're killing off Bill, so either Wood's being written out of the show, their fight will be interrupted, or a draw declared. The door's also been left open for Edgington to return, which I'm pleased about, but perhaps isn't likely.
Oh, vampires have reflections...
Overall, it's a terrible shame that True Blood's become a show I now roll my eyes at. It's always been silly with a half-improvised attitude to storytelling, but until season 3 there was always a clear focus at the centre and fewer pointless distractions. In thinking back across this third season, it's laughable how many of the storylines went nowhere interesting, weren't resolved, or have yet to really get started by the finale. Is this what happens when Alan Ball knows he can afford to plan into a fourth season, because the future of True Blood is assured? If so, I'm not a fan of the supernatural soap opera the show has become as a result, because every episode has been incredibly messy and reliant on frequent gore, sex and violence to perk interest.
Think back on all the memorable moments of the past dozen episodes -- how many are character-based moments or a well-delivered twist in the tale? Very few, if any. How many unforgettable moments involve decapitated limbs, ripped out spines, head-twisting sex, and naked flesh? Most, if not all. Is that what a season of TV should be remembered for? Kudos to the special effects department this year, but shame on the writers.
Asides
Tara being told Sam's a shape-shifter was a momentous moment, so why did it fall so awfully flat?
Considering Godric's appearance, I guess there are ghosts in True Blood's universe now. Seriously, my facetious comment that Bigfoot will be waiting tables at Merlotte's by season 5 isn't so far-fetched
Wasn't this season supposed to be all about werewolves? Yeah, that went well. Good luck with the significantly less exciting witches next season.
WRITER: Alan Ball DIRECTOR: Anthony Hemingway GUEST CAST: Joe Manganiello, Kevin Alejandro, Marshall Allman, Todd Lowe, Denis O'Hare, Jim Parrack, Carrie Preston, Lindsay Pulsipher, Lauren Bowles, Jessica Tuck, James Harvey Ward, Grey Damon, Melissa Rauch, Lil Mikk, Carlson Young & Natasha Alam TRANSMISSION: 12 September 2010 - HBO, 9PM
[SPOILERS] As penultimate episodes go, this was a snooze. The way storylines have been mixed this year has been a real problem for True Blood, always noticeable when a compelling subplot is swiftly followed by an extended period of utter dreariness. I've complained about this all season, and I don't get the feeling Alan Ball perceives this as a problem, which is a real shame. I really don't follow the logic of starting or resuming storylines that haven't been a sizeable part of season 3 -- as preparation for season 4, or otherwise.
To recap the shenanigans: Bill (Stephen Moyer) rescued Sookie (Anna Paquin) from Fangtasia, but they didn't get far before Edgington (Denis O'Hare) recaptured them on the highway -- helped by Eric (Alexander Skarsgard), who's allied himself with Edgington by promising the vampire king that half-fairy Sookie's blood will protect him from sunlight; Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll) and Hoyt (Jim Parrack) resume their courtship, with Jessica admitting she killed a trucker because she couldn’t control her bloodlust; Sam (Sam Trammell) returns to work in a drunken state and causes half his staff to leave because of his rudeness; Arlene (Carrie Preston) decided to get an abortion with the help of Holly's (Lauren Bowles) witchcraft in the woods; Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) suffered nightmarish flashbacks because of his V trip with Jesus (Kevin Alejandro); Crystal (Lindsay Pulsipher) revealed to Jason (Ryan Kwanten) that she's a "were-panther", before he later realized that teen rival Kitch (Grey Damon) is going to beat his high school records because he's been taking V; and Tara (Rutina Wesley) confronted Andy (Chris Bauer) about his cover-up with Eggs' death, before apparently rekindling her romance with Sam.
It saddens me to say this, but everything unrelated to Edgington tested my patience here – with the possible exception of Jessica's storyline, because it was very brief and I'm grateful to see her reunited with Hoyt. The rest of the storylines made me angry for various reasons: who cares about Lafayette having bad hallucinations, or his entire storyline this year? Who cares that nice-guy Sam's having a public meltdown? Who even remembered that Jason had a rival in a young kid called Kitch earlier this season? Is Tara still crying over Eggs? Crystal's big secret is that she's a "were-panther" – seriously? Who thought that was a good idea? And now we're laying the groundwork for Arlene becoming a witch, I assume – but is that a good move for her? There are less and less regular human characters you can invest in, which does feel like a problem to me. And where the heck has werewolf Alcide gone? Worryingly, that character's going to become a regular next season! Is that necessary, or wanted, by anyone who can see past his rippling muscles?
Quite frankly, True Blood's on a precipice. The show is still fun because it's silly, gruesome, and crazy enough to keep you watching for the abundant violence, sex, nudity, hammy acting, and occasionally juicy dialogue -- but Alan Ball needs to get a grip on the disorderly universe he's inherited from Charlaine Harris's novels, because it feels out of control. The cast is so huge that 70% of them have been given pointless or weak storylines -- as something to justify their presence, rather than anything the audience is actually interested in seeing. And some of the story arcs this year have been terrible -- with the sole exception of most tethered to Russell Edgington, but even the way his storyline's been handled has left me cold at times. Remember that wonderful climax with Edgington declaring war on mankind during a live news broadcast? The show just hasn't capitalized on that delicious threat. Indeed, most of the characters on the show seem blissfully unaware that even took place on national TV!
I guess the secret behind True Blood's continuing success is that it punctuates every hour with at least three memorable moments, and the cliffhangers are usually stimulating enough to lure you back -- like this week's one with Eric handcuffing himself to Russell in broad daylight. But while that's an enviable skill, it can't last forever. There will come a time (if it hasn't come already) when audiences tire of the shock-tactics and begin to realize there aren't many credible or motivating characters doing logical, interesting things. It's often said that a popular show takes a few years to die, because it has so much momentum and mass perception takes awhile to change. I suppose that means Alan Ball's team need to ensure season 4 bounces back, because otherwise it'll just become a horror circus that should have left town long ago.
WRITER: Nancy Oliver DIRECTOR: Daniel Minahan GUEST CAST: Kevin Alejandro, Marshall Allman, Todd Lowe, Denis O'Hare, Jim Parrack, Carrie Preston, Lindsay Pulsipher, Lauren Bowles, Jessica Tuck, James Harvey Ward, Grey Damon, Melissa Rauch, Lil Mikk, Carlson Young & Natasha Alam TRANSMISSION: 29 August 2010 – HBO, 9PM
[SPOILERS] This was a lazy episode from Kate Barnow and Elisabeth Finch; an hour where a lot of the season's questions were answered in mostly uninteresting ways, almost because there was no other way to push the story along without people just blurting out truths and secrets. It also laid groundwork for the witches-centric fourth season, and that already feels as lame and ridiculous as I'd feared.
The kitsch rabbit ornament was a mistake
To recap the blitzkrieg of storylines: Jesus (Kevin Alejandro) and Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) took V together and shared a trippy altered state that allowed them both, as latent "shamans", to jump back in time and witness their mystical, freaky ancestors; Bill (Stephen Moyer) revealed to Sookie (Anna Paquin) that she's a faerie, an ancient race who were hunted to near-extinction by vampires; Eric (Alexander Skarsgård) prepared to battle Edgington (Denis O'Hare) by updating his Last Will & Testament, before being persuaded by progeny Pam (Kristin Bauer) to use Sookie as bait; Jason (Ryan Kwanten) was tasked with protecting his sister from harm, later admitting to Tara (Rutina Wesley) that he killed her boyfriend Eggs; Hoyt (Jim Parrack) told Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll) he still loves her, only to be attacked by love-rival Tommy (Marshall Allman) in the guise of a pitbull -- thus requiring Jessica's blood to heal his wounds; Sam (Sam Merlotte) grappled with his guilt over nearly beating a man to death, stirring memories of his past as a clean-shaven conman who accidentally killed two thieves; Crystal (Lindsay Pulsipher) revealed she can shape-shift into a panther; Arlene (Carrie Preston) told Terry (Todd Lowe) that her unborn baby is most likely Renee's; and the grieving Edgington slept with and killed a male prostitute, fantasizing that the gigolo is his dead lover Talbot.
It's become a familiar response from me now, but while most episodes of True Blood are entertaining in their general attitude, violence/sex/gore, and breadth of storylines, it's all put together in a very slapdash manner. My feelings towards "I Smell A Rat" fluctuated every five minutes, making me think it might be kinder to rate each storyline on its own separate merits. Every time I compile the above synopsis of each episode's events, it always reads as incredibly exciting stuff, but the problem I have with True Blood is how it's putting its pieces together these days. It lacks grace and focus.
Sookie's a faerie, which she amusingly pre-empted the audience in proclaiming as "lame". It's okay to manipulate existing folklore to your own ends, but since when have faeries been adult-sized and unable to fly? Still, the reveal that vampires basically hunted faeries almost to extinction because their blood is so delicious was a nice touch, although I'm not convinced that a 3,000-year-old vampire like Edington wouldn't have been able to guess what Sookie is. Telepathic, scrumptious blood, able to project energy blasts from her hands -- surely he'd have known that's indicative of faeries. Sophie-Ann knew about maenads from Ancient Greece, and those who learn what Sookie is don't seem to look that surprised.
I'm not sure what to make of Lafayette and Jesus's storyline, and I use that term loosely. It's so late in the season that I suspect their entire storyline has been preparation for next year, but the idea of them being shamans with magical abilities doesn't interest me. The show's becoming awash with too much hocus pocus for my taste. The extended sequence of Lafayette and Jesus having a delirious trip through time and space was wonderfully constructed and filmed by director Michael Lehmann, but it also dragged into abject tedium and felt irrelevant to the season at hand.
I was again reminded that a lot of True Blood's storylines rely on teasing a simple question: "what are they?" In season 1, what was that mysterious dog? It was Sam, a shape-shifter. In season 2, what was Maryann? She was a maenad. In season 3, what are Sookie and Crystal? We discovered both in this episode, but Crystal's was by far the silliest explanation. She just appeared in Jason's room in the form of a black panther, assumedly because the writers just couldn't think of any other way to dispense this answer. I assume she's not a shape-shifter in the usual sense, as that would be incredibly boring. But the alternative is that she's, what, a were-panther? I'm telling you, Big Foot's going to be waiting tables in season 5.
Much better was Jason's scene with Tara, where he consoled his childhood friend and became guilty about her outpouring of affection for him, in light of the fact he killed her true love. Kwanten doesn't get many decent emotional scenes on this show, but this was one of them, with Jason unexpectedly telling Tara the horror of what he did and risking their friendship. A pity True Blood doesn't engineer more scenes like this; simple human drama.
One strange subplot was the flashback to Sam circa 2003, which seemed to exist as another way to try and make his character interesting. They've tried making him a shape-shifter and giving him a reprobate family, but it hasn't really worked, so now he's been give some "edge" with a scurrilous past as a conman. I guess it helps clarify why Sam's so willing to give his tearaway brother a chance of rehabilitation, and explains a few questions about Sam's relative wealth in Bon Temps, but this is all happening very late in the season. What other TV show throws up brand new avenues like this in the home-stretch? I suspect Alan Ball and his writing staff know there's no threat of cancellation, so they can plan ahead much further than other TV shows dare to. But I'm not sure this is a good thing, because when a season should be getting tighter and more intense in its final batch of episodes, True Blood still feels like it's at mid-season and adding weight.
Bad breath, bad breath!
It was also disappointing that Edgington's marvelous threat to mankind on live TV wasn't capitalized on from last week. I appreciated the background debate on TV, with Nan Flanagan and the return of Steve Newlin, but Edgington himself was pushed to the rear of the episode. I'm hoping this is the calm before the storm. I just wish there had been more about the fallout of Edgington's horrific broadcast, because that would surely have been the topic of discussion on the world's lips, but the Bon Temps characters couldn't care less. Still, the moment when an anti-vampire mob put a flaming cross on Bill's lawn perhaps hinted that the show will do more with this development soon.
Overall, "I Smell A Rat" was hopefully just an unfortunate bump where the writers unburdened themselves of questions they can't find a compelling way to answer that unfolds naturally. It was generally quite fun, because there's no way to re-code True Blood's DNA in that respect (it features a mad vampire carrying round his dead boyfriend as a trifle, for goodness sake), but that doesn't mean it's particularly clever or inventive. I just hope the remaining episodes focus on the questions at hand, without so much distraction and foreshadowing of next season.
Asides
Look, nobody tell Sookie's nephew Hunter that he's a faerie. That kid's going to suffer some real beatings at school if word gets out.
Now that Hoyt's tasted Jessica's blood, I guess they're bonded for life. Tommy's not going to like that.
The whereabouts of faerie-land is still vague. I'm not sure if the characters there exist in the real world, or if they're stuck in that limbo.
When Sookie was dying in hospital a few weeks ago, would clapping have helped, now we know she's a faerie?
WRITERS: Kate Barnow & Elisabeth Finch DIRECTOR: Michael Lehmann GUEST CAST: Kevin Alejandro, Marshall Allman, Todd Lowe, Denis O'Hare, Jim Parrack, Carrie Preston, Lindsay Pulsipher, Lauren Bowles, Jessica Tuck, James Harvey Ward, Natasha Alam & Melissa Rauch TRANSMISSION: 22 August 2010 - HBO, 9PM
A quick heads-up about three notable shows on British TV next month. TCM are showing season 1 of HBO western Deadwood from 6-21 September*, E4's teen-comedy The Inbetweeners begins series 3 from 13 September, and season 2 of True Blood finally arrives on terrestrial Channel 4 on 2 September.
* Deadwood's another unfortunate blindspot of mine, not helped by the fact I'm not really drawn to westerns. It's a show I always hear good things about, so part of me's tempted to jump into these repeats. But it's going to be such a busy month for TV that I doubt I'll find time for it.
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[SPOILERS] This episode was as fragmented and scattergun as earlier episodes have been (like an explosion of buckshot to the face), but there was a pleasing amount of time focused on season 3's more compelling ideas (Sookie's true nature, Edgington's tyranny) and that helped enormously. Plus, "Everything Is Broken" contained one of True Blood's most hilarious and provocative endings of recent memory...
To recap: Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) grew even closer to Jesus (Kevin Alejandro), shortly before his runaway mother Ruby (Alfre Woodard) was taken back to her nursing home; Hoyt (Jim Parrack) went on a date with diminutive Summer (Melissa Rauch) but later admitted she's just a rebound relationship to Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll); Sookie (Anna Paquin) went to comfort her frightened cousin Hadley, realizing that her young nephew Hunter is a telepath like her; a sleeping Bill (Stephen Moyer) was transported to the effervescent meadowland of Sookie's people while he slept, assumedly because he drank so much of her blood; Jason (Ryan Kwanten) tried to protect Crystal (Lindsay Pulsipher) from her fuming father, who mistakenly believes Jason has kidnapped his daughter; Tara (Rutina Wesley) attended a support group for raped women following her ordeal with psycho vampire Franklin (James Frain), who returned to Merlotte's to torment her again; Tommy (Marshall Allman) annoyed the neighbours with a late-night sex romp, before upsetting Arlene (Carrie Preston) by stealing a tip; and Eric (Alexander Skarsgård) was interviewed by Nan Flanagan (Jessica Tuck) on behalf of the vampire "authority", about his insistence Russell Edgington (Denis O'Hare) is a threat to mankind, then later received off the record permission to kill the vampire king who slaughtered his family...
Once again, the majority of storylines are difficult to critique in isolation because True Blood's like a stream-of-consciousness soap-like novel -- and each episode is just a chapter. I'm mildly intrigued about what Crystal's deal is, but the character has quickly become exasperating -- which is intentional, but I'd have preferred a more calming tone because the rest of the season's subplots are also very hectic. Most disappointingly, the allure isn't because you care about Jason/Crystal as a couple but because the story's always teasing us about what Crystal's family are (they can escape handcuffs, but not rope...)
Lafayette's romance with Jesus is a rare moment of no-frills human connection, but it doesn't seem to be going anywhere now, and I'm at a loss to explain the point of Ruby. Fresh from appearing on her son's doorstep in an agitated state, she's already being sent back to her nursing home and doesn't seem concerned. Hopefully the Ruby, Lafayette and Jesus situation will become clearer in the remaining episodes, because right now it screams of the writers giving actors something to do as a way of killing time. Something to cut to, while the audience to catch their breath.
What worked brilliantly was shifting the focus onto Eric in relation to Edgington's threat, away from Bill and Sookie. Eric has more of a reason to want Edgington dead, and is generally a more compelling character with depths yet to explore. We also gained some overdue insight into the notion of a secretive "vampire authority", even if they appear to be the cliché of shadowy elders watching events via webcam and sending Nan Flanagan out into the world as their spokesperson. I'm just glad to see True Blood return to the well of vampire subculture and explaining more about their politics, social structure and values. The core idea of a world where vampires are coexisting with humans is what first attracted me to this show, and I'm grateful whenever True Blood returns to suckle at that rich vein.
The mystery over Sookie's nature is becoming slightly tiresome, but it was unexpected seeing Bill able to access the limbo-land Sookie's unconscious mind travelled to in hospital. It shows that this is a more tangible place and not a pure dream-state, although it's clearly on another plane of existence. There's plenty to see and discover here, and I'm excited to learn more, especially now Bill has been told what Sookie is and is poised to tell her. My money's still on some variant of a fairy.
I'm still not interested in Tommy's misbehavior, because there are too many characters being unruly this season, although he's more entertaining when being protective of Jessica. The writers should be pushing for more of a Hoyt/Jessica/Tommy love-triangle, if you ask me.
Finally, the climactic moment was rather marvelous, with Edgington (who's taken to carrying dead lover Talbot's sinewy remains around in a jar) interrupting a live news broadcast by punching a hole through the anchorman's back, and delivering a bloodcurdling declaration for mankind to fear the true face of vampirism he represents, before signing off with a cheery "... now, time for the weather. Tiffany?" Hilarious and disturbing, it also raises the stakes for the season and provided the first worldwide shake-up of the peaceful coexistence between humans and vampires -- which is just what this show needed.
Asides
It was great to see Franklin again, even if it was only to give him a more definitive and literally explosive send-off, but I wasn't convinced by Tara going to rape counseling. It makes sense, but those early episodes when Tara was being tormented by Franklin were played more for ghoulish laughs than anything we should get upset about. Suddenly being asked to treat Tara's ordeal with utter seriousness makes me feel the writers did a bad job with the tone of Franklin's character.
I don't like how waitress Holly has been introduced as a character. She was practically a background element last week, but here she was weirdly prominent in the life of Tara (at the rape support group) and giving Arlene advice about terminating her pregnancy. I suspect Holly was raped by Rene, Arlene's murderous ex and father of her child, so she's keen to make sure her rapist's child isn't born. Does that sound feasible?
WRITER: Alexander Woo DIRECTOR: Scott Winant GUEST CAST: Kevin Alejandro, Marshall Allman, Chris Bauer, Todd Lowe, Denis O'Hare, Jim Parrack, Carrie Preston, Lindsay Pulsipher, Alexander Skarsgård, Deborah Ann Woll, Alfre Woodard, Kristin Bauer, Lauren Bowles, Jessica Tuck, James Harvey Ward & Melissa Rauch TRANSMISSION: 15 August 2010 - HBO, 9PM
[SPOILERS] I have mixed feelings about "Night On The Sun". One the one hand, it was an hour of largely dull commentary on the state of everyone's love life; on the other hand, it contained some of the best acting this season from Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer. Ultimately though, despite an exhilarating climax (the type True Blood often delivers to try and make you forget the preceding idleness), I'm growing impatient with several stories and the incessant teasing...
Best not mention the ant hill...
This week, to recap the big developments: Sookie (Paquin) broke up with Bill (Moyer), unable to forgive him for nearly drinking her to death; Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll) tried to console the brokenhearted Bill, taking his mind off things by having her "maker" tutor her in vampirism; Crystal (Lindsay Pulsipher) arrived at Jason's (Ryan Kwanten) house with bruised skin and wet clothes, having fled her abusive fiancé; Sam's (Sam Trammell) parents left town, meaning Tommy (Marshall Allman) could continue working at Merlotte's alongside his brother; Tara (Rutina Wesley) had a nightmare about Franklin (James Frain); Lafayette's (Nelsan Ellis) crazy mother Ruby Jean (Alfre Woodard) turned up on his doorstep, having run away from her care home; Arlene (Carrie Preston) had a nightmare about the possibility her unborn baby's father is her serial-killer ex; Edgington (Denis O'Hare) went on the offensive to reacquire the invaluable Sookie; and Eric (Alexander Skarsgård) used Edgington's absence to kill his adored lover Talbot, as a means of avenging his own family's slaughter at Edgington's hand...
"Night On The Sun" actually had a decent theme running through its veins: can love and reason conquer evil and base instincts? This was tackled best with the Sookie/Bill storyline, with Sookie admitting it's just too dangerous to be in a relationship with someone whose nature poses a risk to her life. Tara likened Sookie's recent experiences to a battered woman from a clichéd Country & Western song; always going back for more punishment from a violent lover, convinced it's the price you pay for true love. Interestingly, Crystal's situation might fit that same description, but I don't get the impression she's in love with her fiancé -- more under his control and looking for an escape in Jason.
True Blood loves a mysterious tease, but they can become irritating over time. We still don't know what Crystal is yet, although I'm imagining something aquatic given how she had to escape by swimming -- even if she claimed that was just to ensure they couldn't smell her scent. It makes sense that she's a shape-shifter like Sam, but that would make her entire situation far too similar to that of Tommy's this season. If Crystal's a creature we haven't seen on the show yet, well, I already think this universe is too overcrowded with vampires, maenads, werewolves, 'shifters and whatnot -- do we really need to keep adding to that menagerie?
Of course, we've heard from showrunner Alan Ball himself that witches are on the way next year -- verbally foreshadowed by Ruby Jean in this episode, in the same way werewolves were mentioned in season 1. There was even the suggestion from Jesus (Kevin Alejandro) that he knows Lafayette has a great "power" he's in danger of abusing with his drug-dealing, but am I alone in hating the idea that more human characters will be revealed as having supernatural qualities? It's only a matter of time before Tara discovers she can levitate and Arlene becomes a soothsayer...
It all reminds me of latter-day Heroes, when the writers started to give uninteresting "normal" characters a few super-powers to keep them "appealing" to audiences demanding bigger thrills. Of course, Lafayette's still one of the most interesting personalities on the show -- so if the writers turn him into, say, a latent warlock casting spells, I won't be happy. This is all possibly unavoidable, because once you have a show where 90% of the characters are super-beings, the remaining 10% are too easily conquerable without some magical defenses of their own. There's already a danger that someone with Edgington's powers should have no problem kidnapping Sookie single-handed, and there are only so many times the writers can devise a way to keep Sookie safe when the sun goes down -- without turning her into a hermit. Mind you, if the residents of Bon Temps cut down on their nightlife and didn't work late shifts in bars, they'd have far less to worry about.
I liked the echo of women (Tara and Arlene) being tormented by their experiences in this episode, both taking the form of nightmares -- first with Tara imagining sadistic vampire Franklin joined her for a hot shower, then with Arlene seeing serial-killer ex-boyfriend cooing over the prospect of him having a posthumous child. A shame both scenes were so brief and had no lasting relevance in this episode, because both were moments of relatable human concerns.
Jessica goes out for dinner
As I said earlier, what rescued a lot of this episode was the tender moments of heartache between Bill and Sookie, with Paquin and Moyer both doing good work in their scenes together. I especially liked how it was Jessica who gave Bill the perfect way to parse his feelings, with the line "I want you to have the life you deserve and I cannot give it to you" in reference to Hoyt. The only downside is that the Sookie/Bill break-up lasted all of 50-minutes, because once Bill and Jessica had seen off Edgington, his wolves and Debbie (Brit Morgan), they were soon having passionate sex by way of celebration and realization they need each other to survive in this crazy world. I'd have liked to see their division last much longer, with Sookie perhaps growing closer to werewolf Alcide (Joe Manganiello) in the interim-- similarities to Twilight, be damned! -- considering how the split elicited better performances from both actors.
Overall, "Night On The Sun" was pretty good, but the soapy nature of the show's construction means it's still a blitzkrieg of great, good, bad, tedious and pointless moments. Some of it finds form, some of it doesn't, but True Blood usually finds a way to leave you wanting more -- apparently now Eric's called on the wrath of Edgington by giving the king's long-term boyfriend a different kind of penetration than the one he was expecting mid-coitus...
Asides
Interesting to note that Crystal's fiancé and his friends could sense Sam and Tommy were 'shifters, and that they themselves carried a strange scent. They're definitely not human, that much is obvious.
It disappoints me that True Blood's writers have given their two black characters crazy mothers -- in the shape of the near-identical characters Lettie Mae and Ruby Jean.
Merlotte's got another waitress called Holly. There are now more waitresses than customers, surely! As usual for any newcomers to True Blood, I'm guessing the remaining episodes will tease us about what Holly is, or who she's connected to. Blah, blah, blah - that's getting old, guys, please do something interesting.
WRITER: Raelle Tucker DIRECTOR: Lesli Linka Glatter GUEST CAST: Kevin Alejandro, Marshall Allman, Chris Bauer, Todd Lowe, Denis O'Hare, Jim Parrack, Carrie Preston, Lindsay Pulsipher, Alexander Skarsgård, Deborah Ann Woll, Lauren Bowles, Kate Luyben, Joe Manganiello, Brit Morgan, Don Swayze & Alfre Woodard TRANSMISSION: 8 August 2010 - HBO, 9PM
[SPOILERS] This episode worked because it wasn't congested with tedious subplots and focused on the storylines that are of prime interest, with just a few forgivable slips. "Hit The Ground" just felt closer to the early days of True Blood, and hopefully marks a turning point for season 3 with the writers delivering what audiences want, without exerting so much effort just to keep its ensemble busy.
Don't feed the vampire, honey...
To recap events: Sookie (Anna Paquin) staked Lorena (Mariana Klaveno) to escape Edgington's compound with the frail Bill (Stephen Moyer), thanks to Tara (Rutina Wesley) and Alcide's (Joe Manganiello) help; the anemic Bill's survival instinct caused him to drain Sookie of so much blood that her life was endangered, prompting Tara to abandon Bill in broad daylight and rush her friend to the hospital, only to discover a blood transfusion's impossible because Sookie doesn't have a blood type; Jason (Ryan Kwanten) started to investigate Crystal's background by interrogating her jailbird cousin, who says he'll cooperate if Jason gets him some meth; Sam (Sam Trammell) went undercover as a pit-bull at an illegal dog-fight, to put an end to his parent's scheme of using his shape-shifting brother Tommy (Marshall Allman) to make money; Hoyt (Jim Parrack) was asked by Summer (Melissa Rauch) to become her boyfriend; and after learning the truth about Sookie from Sophie-Anne (Evan Rachel Wood), Eric (Alexander Skarsgård) and Edgington (Denis O'Hare) arrived at Fangtasia to stop the Magister (Zeljko Ivanek) torturing Pam (Kristin Bauer)...
This was a particularly gruesome episode, with fountains of blood, copious fang biting, and a decapitated head that exploded into a squelchy mess when it hit the ground. I have to applaud True Blood's use of gore, which never fails to impress me in how it's portrayed, and often has a rejuvenating effect on my attention. True Blood's not a particularly clever or subtle show, so whenever the screen's being splashed with blood it feels like the show's just embracing what it does best: television grand guignol and vampire erotica.
Unexpectedly, we learned a lot about Sookie's true nature this week. She doesn't have a blood type, she's never been in a hospital (she wasn't even born in one), her blood is apparently an effective sunscreen for vampires, and there are very clear signs that she's some kind of "fairy" (for want of a better word) when she's mentally transported to an idyllic meadow full of prancing youngsters that contains an impossibly deep pond of golden light. She even meets a young woman called Claudine (Lara Pulver) there, who appears to be a friend/mentor, so there are definite signs Sookie's mystery is about to be answered conclusively. I think it's safe to assume the telepathic waitress is some kind of fairy, nymph or dryad, and I must admit there's a part of me that's worried about that development.
In fact, Alan Ball has confirmed that True Blood's going to explore witchcraft next season, and as the show's supernatural menagerie swells I can't help feeling nervous about that direction. While I understand a TV show needs to evolve and grow or risk stagnating, what attracted me to True Blood was the concept of a show about how the world would deal with the existence of vampires, used as an allegory for various minorities. A few years later, it's closer to becoming a Deep South Buffy The Vampire Slayer, which isn't what I originally signed up for. When Bigfoot becomes a regular, I think I'll be done.
Anyway, for the most part this was an effective and largely enjoyable episode. Even the general tedium of Sam's storyline is beginning to develop some humanity because it's essentially a struggle for a long-lost brother to help his less-fortunate sibling escape abusive parents. In fact, there's more sympathetic emotion in Sam's subplot than anywhere else on the show right now, which is a help. I just hope it's leading somewhere interesting, because I'm still not seeing Sam's parents as a dangerous threat. They just come across as bullies, really.
"Chain necklace? I asked for pearl..."
It was a shame Edington wasn't more prominent, only really turning up for some last act fun with the Magister, renouncing the vampire "Authority". O'Hare is such fun as Edington it's always a pleasure when he's around, and I love what they've done with Sophie-Anne (Evan Rachel Wood) this year (she's less annoying and far more sympathetic as a relatively young vampire who relied on her status to keep her subjects in order).
Overall, "Hit The Ground" was the best episode of season 3 we've had so far, because it had a focus and schlocky appeal that felt more balanced and adroitly paced than usual. Brian Buckner tends to write episodes I respond to better than most, and that was certainly true here. By simply refusing to shoehorn in the weak storylines for, say, Lafayette and Arlene, the episode was helped immeasurably. I just hope the writers take heed that we don't need a crush of plots and characters every hour, as the show works much better when its attention isn't split a half-dozen different ways.
Asides
How great to see the UK's own Lara Pulver on True Blood as Claudine, having really enjoyed her Disney-esque villainy in series 3 of Robin Hood.
Did anyone else have flashbacks to Lost when Sookie was being shown the pool of golden, magical water?
I didn't get the logic of Edgington renouncing the Authority to the Magister's face, yet requiring he marry him to Sophie-Anne using that same authority. It felt extremely hypocritical to me.
So what's the deal with Sookie's people? Why do they reside in this radiant limbo, while she's alive on Earth? Was Sookie's "dream" actually of a real place she can get to in the waking world? Can Claudine and the others visit the real-world, or be born into it? What is the significance of the "darkness" that fell over the meadow, forcing everyone to flee into the pool of water? Was is significant that the shadow only appeared when Bill arrived at Sookie's bedside in the waking world?
Will we get to see the vampire elite behind this "Authority" Edgington places no stock in? It would help give us some clarity about the vampire culture, because there must be someone making the big decisions for their race and assigning state royalty, etc. Who actually decided they should make themselves known to mankind, for instance?
The lack of Jessica is sorely disappointing, and one of season 3's biggest blunders.
WRITER: Brian Buckner DIRECTOR: John Dahl GUEST CAST: Marshall Allman, Mariana Klaveno, Denis O'Hare, Jim Parrack, Grant Bowler, Joe Manganiello, Brit Morgan, Evan Rachel Wood, Chris Bauer, Zeljko Ivanek, Kristin Bauer & Melissa Rauch TRANSMISSION: 1 August 2010 - HBO, 9PM
[SPOILERS] True Blood is a show comprised of trailer-bait moments and exhilarative cliffhangers, as the recent sizzle reel from the San Diego Comic-Con proved. It's just a shame that the show, particularly in this third year, isn't that great at compiling episodes of TV that work as a cohesive dramatic piece. It doesn't have subplots that support a central storyline, it just has lots of "stuff" happening that might coalesce into something approaching a story if you're lucky. It's almost like a collection of horror anthology scripts someone's shuffled together. And while that creates a certain level of enjoyable craziness to every episode, it's just so messy and unfocused that I'm still finding the bulk of season 3 watchable but rambling.
This week's smorgasbord played out thus: Sookie (Anna Paquin) was taken to Edgington's (Denis O'Hare) mansion for interrogation about her powers, prompting Bill (Stephen Moyer) to assault Edgington's aides and get himself handed to Lorena (Mariana Klaveno) for a slow, torturous death; Eric (Alexander Skarsgård) feigned allegiance to Edgington, focused on avenging the 3,000-year-old vampire's slaughter of his human family; Tara (Rutina Wesley) acquiesced to unhinged vampire Franklin's (James Frain) demands, secretly plotting to escape with Sookie by daylight; Tommy (Marshall Allman) gave in to a plea from his mother to continue using his shape-shifting ability to provide for his family (via illegal dog fighting); Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) grew closer to Jesus (Kevin Alejandro), but his drug-dealing caused upset when it came to light; Jason (Ryan Kwanten) was heartbroken to find that Crystal (Lindsay Pulsipher) has a fiancé and is pretending she doesn't know him; Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll) made an effort to befriend Arlene (Carrie Preston) by "glamouring" a customer into leaving her a healthy tip; and Sophie-Anne (Evan Rachel Wood) was forced into agreeing to marry Edgington as penance for framing Eric over the illegal sale of V blood.
As usual, I found a third of "I Got A Right To Sing The Blues" perfectly satisfying and occasionally very good, while the remaining two thirds was slightly tedious or at too much of an embryonic stage to get excited about yet. I was glad to see Tara shake off her labeling as a victim, finally, as she bludgeoned Franklin's head to a messy pulp with a mace and was instrumental in springing Sookie from captivity. I've always had problems with Tara's character, but she's certainly better when her fierce determination and feistiness is channeled into a proactive way that gives us hope humans aren't just the playthings of True Blood's supernatural creatures. They actually stand a chance of defeating them without super-powered help from a bartending shape-shifter, vampire sheriff, or hunky werewolf.
I'm also enjoying Denis O'Hare as Edgington, particularly now we're getting some information about his opinions and values regarding werewolves (sub-dogs he can control to his own end) and humans (a species that deserve to be enslaved, in a vague parallel to Adolf Hitler's desire for a Master Race). Considering the flashback to WWII earlier this season, I'm hoping this is another nod towards "Operation Werewolf" and the 1930s. Were the Nazi's aware of vampires and werewolves in this universe? Also interesting to note how Lorena was lamenting the passing of the '30s, seeing that era in a positive light, when it's widely seen as a dark time in human history.
There was a slight development in the mystery of Sam's (Sam Trammell) parents, who appear to have been using Tommy's shape-shifting to make money all these years, just as his mother was forced to do before him. In essence, Sam's father is a domineering slave driver who has his wife and child under the thumb, which is a plausible real-world downside that (rarely for True Blood) has the balance of power weighted in a human's favour.
Everything else wasn't worth the effort. Jason's story has a thin skin of mystery concerning who/what Crystal is, which is fine, but the idea of him becoming a deputy and his jealousy for that teenage boy who's essentially himself 15 years ago isn't working for me. I also have zero interest in Lafayette's love life, so that storyline is already tempting my fast-forward button. It's also a crime that Jessica's being given nothing to do this year (having stolen multiple episodes last season so effortlessly), although I like the possibility that she'll become a "daughter" for Arlene. Isn't that where things are headed?
Overall, "I Got A Right To Sing The Blues" had just enough forward thrust and inciting moments to raise it a notch over average, and I admit True Blood's never boring for any notable length of time. True Blood's strength is its commitment to entertain with an unbridled desire to please and horrify its audience over an hour. It's thick with characters and moments that provide regular "hits". It's just a pity it has ADHD and finds it difficult to build a serialized story that provides decent material for more than 30% of the cast, in a manner that keeps you confident the writers are following a thought out plan.
Asides
Is that really the end of Franklin? Can vampires repair themselves after having their skull split open like a watermelon? If not, I can't help thinking that's a waste of James Frain, who was one of this season's best newcomers.
I'm glad there appears to be some movement on Sookie's abilities (telepathy, telekinesis, energy blasts), but the writers will have to tread carefully. Giving her character too much power and control wouldn't be wise, as Sookie's role on the show has always been the plucky and defiant damsel. If she didn't need protection and could look after herself in this world of vampires and werewolves, I think her character loses too much of what makes her sympathetic.
WRITER: Alan Ball DIRECTOR: Michael Lehmann GUEST CAST: Kevin Alejandro, Annica Bejhed, Grey Damon, Grainger Hines, Cooper Huckabee, Lil Mirkk, Melissa Rauch, John Rezig, Hans Tester, Tanya Wright, Marshall Allman, Mariana Klaveno, Denis O'Hare, Jim Parrack, Lindsay Pulsipher, Grant Bowler, Joe Manganiello, Brit Morgan, Evan Rachel Wood & James Frain TRANSMISSION: 25 July 2010 - HBO, 9PM
Here's a crazy possibility for the True Blood universe. Speaking at the San Diego Comic-Con, showrunner Alan Ball mentioned his reticence to bring the character of Bubba into the TV series. For those who don't read the source novels by Charlaine Harris (myself included), Bubba is Elvis Presley, who was transformed into a vampire by a morgue attendant. However, the process wasn't entirely successful because of drugs in Presley's system, so Bubba (don't call him Elvis!) is now somewhat braindamaged.
I can understand Ball's reluctance to use that character (it could be a disaster if handled badly), but one fan attending the True Blood panel apparently shouted out Bruce Campbell's name as someone who could pull it off -- to which Ball smiled and replied "Bruce Campbell, huh?"
Campbell appeared as an aged Elvis in the cult movie Bubba Ho-Tep from 2002, giving a performance that earned a lot of praise.
Is it possible Alan Ball will reconsider the possibility of involving Bubba and sign up geek-favourite Bruce Campbell? Who knows. I haven't read the books, so I just can't envisage a braindamaged vampire Elvis working in True Blood. It could be a shark-jumping moment of epic proportions, right? But, at the same time, Bruce Campbell as a fanged Elvis in Bon Temps -- wearing the iconic white jumpsuit perhaps?! I'd love to see that. Would you?Read more...
The trailer to promote the second-half of True Blood's third season has been released on the internet, following its premiere at the San Diego Comic-Con. I've been disappointed by this current season so far, but I have to say this trailer has revived my flagging interest. I guess it's easy to put together a two-minute sizzle reel for a show like True Blood, but here's hoping we're in for six exciting episodes that capitalize on the slow burn we've had so far. It all looks fantastic, but looks can be deceiving. What does everyone else think?
Read more...
Here are five videos covering True Blood's panel at the San Diego Comic-Con, with Alan Ball, Anna Paquin, Sam Trammel, Rutina Wesley, Nelsan Ellis, Stephen Moyer, Deborah Ann Woll, Kristin Bauer, Joe Manganiello, Denis O'Hare, and Alexander Skarsgård all answering questions from fans. Enjoy!
[SPOILERS] Well, that was slightly better. There's still an overbearing amount of tedious subplots, but a few started to get interesting in the final third, and the central storyline is beginning to take shape. "Trouble" wasn't exactly an episode that reversed season 3's fortunes in one fell swoop, but it certainly felt like the writers may have started to turn the ship around.
The biggest problem continues to be the aforementioned glut of storylines, which feel like they only exist because True Blood's cast has expanded so much that actors need servicing in whatever way possible. Jason's (Ryan Kwanten) being used as comic relief in a ridiculous story about blackmailing Andy (Chris Bauer) into letting him become a deputy, but at least now he's met a mysterious blonde called Crystal (Lindsay Pulsipher), who at least offers us some charming romance and mystery. She'll probably reveal herself as a wood nymph, or something equally as silly, but I until then I can't deny I find Jason very endearing when he's being a dopey romantic instead of an idiotic horndog.
Another new character was added in the shape of Jesus (Kevin Alejandro); no, he's not the Messiah, but he's a very naughty care home worker for Lafayette's (Nelsan Ellis) ailing mother, whose taken a shine to Merlotte's short order cook and appears to be Lafayette's love interest this year. I'm not sure if this is a good development yet, but it's not really something I'm excited about. Again, it just feels like the writers need to give Ellis something to do, and the show has yet to tackle a homosexual relationship -- so why not?
More interesting and amusing was seeing Franklin (James Frain) take dive into psycho territory by whisking Tara (Rutina Wesley) to Edgington's (Denis O'Hare) mansion and tying her to a four-poster bed. He clearly has a fetish for domination and is mentally unstable, which is admittedly great fun because of Frain's twitchy performance and some funny gags (like him proudly texting the word "motherfucker" into Tara's phone with preternatural speed).
It's just unfortunate that Tara is forever playing the victim on this show, and Wesley remains one of the most excruciatingly screen presences on television. Her character's never been very likeable, so it's hard to feel any sympathy for her when she's being threatened or traumatized -- although I do find it bizarre that the show's most confident and strong-minded character is rarely allowed any moments of victory or happiness. Tara's the eternal victim of this supernatural world; daughter of an alcoholic mother, hoodwinked by fake exorcists, brainwashed by a maenad, boyfriend murdered, and now the inamorata of a disturbed vampire.
Sam's (Sam Trammell) storyline with his parents isn't working yet, but signs of intrigue are beginning to poke through. Sam's brother Tommy (Marshall Allman) seems to be a good kid at heart, but his family are clearly hiding something. In one scene, Sam's dad came bursting into his house, interrupting Sam and Tommy watching a nature documentary, and proceeded to rant crazily about Tommy losing sight of his responsibilities. I'm at a loss to explain this behaviour, but for some reason Tommy appears to have never had much freedom from his parents, and they've either come to rely on him to an uncomfortable extent (believing they "own" him) or there's a more supernatural reason behind this outburst. Knowing True Blood, it'll favour the latter option. I'm expecting the twist will be that Tommy really is bad news and someone who needs to be kept on a tight leash, but Sam won't accept that until it's too late.
The primary storyline with Edgington didn't take a huge step forward, but it helped that Eric (Alexander Skarsgård) is now involved with this story and, via an extended flashback to his Viking past, it seems that Edgington was the cloaked figure responsible for slaughtering Eric's human family and stealing his father's crown. In many ways, Edgington is becoming a direct replacement for Maryann from season 2: both ancient beings, both have history with a main character (Sam for Maryann, Eric for Edgington), and both have their obedient protectors (brainwashed locals for Maryann, V-addicted werewolves for Edgington).
Sookie (Anna Paquin) didn't have much to do this week, but things certainly got interesting when she was reunited with Bill shortly before Edgington and his werewolves arrived to kidnap her -- mainly because she protected herself with those handheld energy blasts we've seen in the past. An act of self-defense that seemed to delight Edgington, who hopefully knows exactly what Sookie is. Or will she continue to be an enigma for awhile longer?
Overall, I'm cautiously optimistic that True Blood's about to start an uphill climb for the remainder of the season now. The way episodes unfold is still very messy and lacks precision, but hopefully more storylines will begin to bounce into each other. Or will the Bon Temps-based characters (Jason, Jessica, Sam, Lafayette) face on particular crisis, while the Mississippi-based characters (Eric, Sookie, Tara, Bill, Edgington, Alcide) face another? That narrative split worked well for the bulk of season 2, so hopefully something similar is planned again that learns from a few mistakes last year.
Asides
I just realized the humour in Grant Bowler playing a werewolf, as the Kiwi actor's best-known for playing the character of "Wolf" in New Zealand comedy-drama Outrageous Fortune (remade as Scoundrels this summer on ABC).
So, the research on Sookie's family tree that Franklin found in Bill's home and delivered to Edgington: proof that Bill has only been interested in Sookie because he's been waiting for another Stackhouse with telepathic abilities since her grandfather died? I'm hoping for a flashback with Bill and Sookie's grandad to explain things.
Has Andy forgotten about the decapitated body Hoyt discovered in a ditch a few episodes ago? The Sheriff's department should be buzzing with the activity of a murder investigation, but he's instead got Jason filing and washing cars?
Tommy has a soft spot for Jessica, so hopefully that'll be explored. I suspect Tommy's a villainous presence, and Hoyt will have to rescue his ex with the help of Sam at some point.
Any theories on Crystal? No spoilers if her character's been explored in the novels, of course. She always seems to be alone and didn't want to go inside Merlotte's where a crowd would be -- is there something in that? Is she a ghost of some kind? Some kind of spirit only Jason can see?
WRITER: Nancy Oliver DIRECTOR: Scott Winant GUEST CAST: Kevin Alejandro, Annica Bejhed, Grey Damon, Grainger Hines, Cooper Huckabee, Lil Mirkk, Melissa Rauch, John Rezig, Hans Tester, Tanya Wright, Marshall Allman, Mariana Klaveno, Denis O'Hare, Jim Parrack, Lindsay Pulsipher, Grant Bowler, Joe Manganiello, Brit Morgan & James Frain TRANSMISSION: 18 July 2010 - HBO, 9PM
It still feels like there's 20-minutes of worthwhile plot and 30-minutes of idle nudging in True Blood third season. Where's the hook, zip and swagger of the two previous seassons gone? This year's so-called big stories (Bill's disappearance, the vampire king's political manoeuvring with werewolves?) still haven't grabbed my interest, as the show continues to jump around between the numerous storylines it has in play, or else introduce yet more characters in a world-building exercise I'm not convinced is necessary. They're clearly struggling to give the existing cast material, why swell your ranks so much? Sure, there's barely a moment where something's not happening to keep your eyes busy, but my mind's beginning to wander now...
"9 Crimes" at least ended with confirmation that vampire king Russell Edgington (Denis O'Hare) is providing a pack of werewolves with precious vampire blood, as part of a deal he struck with them a long time ago. I get the impression Edgington's going to use his army of obedient werewolves to conquer the neighbouring Louisiana state from fellow royal Sophie-Anne, but hopefully there's more to it than that. I mean, it was hardly unexpected that the vampire king in league with werewolves because he was introduced with a small pack of them as his "dogs" back in episode 2.
The biggest frustration in this episode was seeing Sookie's (Annie Paquin) peculiar reaction to being dumped by Bill (Stephen Moyer) via phone call. Considering Sookie/Bill has been the heart of True Blood from the start (even as the show's morphed into more of an ensemble), I was astonished to find that Sookie sulked for only a few scenes and then dived headfirst into a plot about helping her werewolf bodyguard Alcide (Joe Manganiello) reunite with his own former-lover, Debbie Pelt (Brit Morgan) -- by getting a bad-ass makeover courtesy of Alcide's tattooed sister (Dawn Olivieri). If the intention here was for us to think Sookie's just refusing to believe Bill, or wants to distract herself by playing matchmaker, then it wasn't handled badly by writers Kate Barnow and Elisabeth Finch. It just didn't feel like Sookie reacted plausibly to Bill's bombshell.
The other storylines were of mild interest, but everything still feels very disconnected and more tedious than it should be after four hours. Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) attracted hick trouble with his fancy new sports car, but was rescued from a beating by Eric (Alexander Skarsgård); Tara (Rutina Wesley) has found herself an abusive "boyfriend" in creepy vampire Franklin (James Frain), whom it was unsurprisingly revealed works for Edgington; Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll) took a waitressing job at the understaffed Merlotte's, only to be spotted by a young man from her human life; Lorena (Mariana Klaveno) believes she's finally broken Bill's infatuation with Sookie, unaware that he's plotting to have her killed after he helps Edgington dethrone Sophie-Anne; the Magister (Zeljko Ivanek) was tipped off about Eric selling vampire blood and arrived to search Fangtasia, forcing Eric and Pam (Kristin Bauer) to pin the blame on missing Bill; Arlene (Carrie Preston) fretted about her pregnancy, as if anyone cares; Jason (Ryan Kwanten) met a young pretender to his social crown in Bon Temps, then tried to blackmail Andy (Chris Bauer) into letting him become a cop without the rigmarole of procedure; and Sam (Sam Tramell) agreed to help his homeless parents get on their feet, after coming to an agreement with his brother (Marshall Allman) over their behaviour.
I'm still prepared to give True Blood the benefit of the doubt, because it took me five episodes to settle into the show back when it started, but I think season 3's having definite problems with its chosen storylines. Is Club Dread (the book this season's based on) one of the weaker tomes from Charlaine Harris, partly explaining Alan Ball's difficulty in adapting and improving it? I'm not sure myself, but it's clear to me that this year lacks an easily comprehensible problem and the way it's tackling its mystery with Edgington and the werewolves isn't working for me. Added to that, I'm struggling to feel anything for Sam and Jason's storylines (the latter is proving that Jason's a fun character it's a nightmare to create storylines for that aren't repetitive), and right now the only truly satisfying element of season 3 has been Franklin. English vampires are just cooler, right?
I still have hope that Eric's storyline with the illegal selling of V and Edgington's plans with the werewolves will knit together in a satisfying way by mid-season, but I really need to see some stronger sense of drive and purpose now. There's a lot going on, but I'm finding it hard to care, and occasional scenes with Sookie in her underwear or people's heads being twisted backwards during sex isn't enough.
Asides
I spoke about this last season, but in a world where vampires are a known element, I'm still struggling to see why there isn't a process for humans who have been turned into vampires. It just makes no sense to me that Jessica can't return home to her human parents, given True Blood's entire concept. The least the show could do is stress that vampires have promised mankind they won't create more vampires, so that's why they have to keep any new bloodsuckers a secret.
In one scene, Jessica grumbled that she'll never be able to legally serve alcohol because she'll always be under-18. A good line and a funny idea, but again rather silly given the reality of the series. Surely there would be a way to keep track of a vampire's true age when it comes to working regular jobs? Or would all child vampires be expected to stay in school forever, etc?
I loved the post-coital moment with Lorena, when she cricked her neck, following last week's jaw-dropping sexual acrobatics. In fact, Lorena's been one of this season's better characters. There's something delightfully twisted about her obsession with Bill and Klaveno makes a sly, convincing villain. True Blood's own bunny boiler.
Debbie Pelt is played by Brit Morgan, who some viewers might remember from The Middleman. Debbie's a world away from Morgan's effervescent role there – skanky makeup, swearing, and crowd-surfing while being stripped to her underwear by greasy bikers!
WRITERS: Kate Barnow & Elisabeth Finch DIRECTOR: David Petrarca GUEST CAST: Marshall Allman, Mariana Klaveno, Todd Lowe, Denis O'Hare, Jim Parrack, Lindsay Pulsipher, William Sanderson, Zeljko Ivanek, Grant Bowler, Joe Manganiello, Brit Morgan, Tanya Wright, Theo Alexander, James Frain, Gregory Sporleder, J. Smith-Cameron, Cooper Huckabee, Don Swayze, Natasha Alam, James Harvey Ward, Grey Damon, Jade Tailor, Dawn Olivieri, John Rezig, Eric Jungmann, Carlson Young & Kevin Fry TRANSMISSION: 11 July 2010 - HBO, 9PM
[SPOILERS] What's the story this year? I have no idea. Something about werewolves, something about vampire king Russell Edgington (Denis O'Hare), something about nothing. In previous years it was immediately obvious what the storylines were (a murder mystery, search for a missing vampire, etc), but season 3 is keeping its cards close to its chest. I'm sure there's a masterplan, but it would be nice if the writers started letting us in on it. There's only so many hours of jumbled events I can take without starting to feel distanced from the story.
To recap the goings-on: Bill (Stephen Moyer) considered Edgington's offer to join his kingdom; Eric (Alexander Skarsgård) gave Sookie (Anna Paquin) protection in the form of werewolf Alcide Herveaux (Joe Manganiello), who took her to a rough "wereclub" to investigate Bill's disappearance; Tara (Rutina Wesley) slept with vampire Franklin (James Frain), who later revealed himself to Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll) as the person who disposed of her dead trucker; Hoyt (Jim Parrack) discovered the headless corpse of said trucker in a ditch, prompting Sheriff Dearborne (William Sanderson) to quit over the high murder rate in Bon Temps; Sam's (Sam Trammell) parents arrived in town; Jason (Ryan Kwanten) resolved to become a cop, but worried about his poor academic skills; Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) was given a sports car by Eric, as reward for his V-dealing; Arlene (Carrie Preston) learned that the timing of her pregnancy means the father can't be Terry (Todd Lowe); and flashbacks to 1892 shed light on the time Bill revisited his human wife three years after "dying", to bury their young son Thomas, who had died of a contagious illness.
Another packed hour of content, but half of it felt like filler and the other half is following storylines I'm just not attached to. A continuing problem is Sookie's quest to find Bill, because we know he's perfectly safe, so the whole exercise feels pointless from the audience perspective. If Bill gets hold of a phone the whole problem goes away. But this kind of plot is the only way to utilize a character like Sookie -- the perky plaything of various hunky, supernatural protectors, using her mindreading to trace someone. Last year it was Godric, remember?
Of course, much of the past three episodes are laying seeds that will bare fruit later in the season, but it's a pity the primary storylines are so intentionally slippery to get a grip on. I think the mystery is supposed to be its own attraction, but only Franklin Mott's working in that regard; mainly because Frain's vampire P.I is a suitably bat-like creep who commands the screen whenever he's around, keeping you guessing about his motives. The fact Franklin's dipping into a few different storylines now is great, particularly because one of them is Tara and that character desperately needs some guidance.
Right now, I couldn't care less about Edgington and the werewolves that are spooking Sookie. As for the distractions with Jason wanting to become a cop, Arlene's pregnancy (the father must be someone from a Maryann orgy last year, right?), and Sam's irritating family of dropouts? I'm struggling to feel interested, although making Jason a likely deputy to Andy (Chris Bauer) feels like a wise move, albeit a development that's going to feel very implausible unless it happens between seasons. Truthfully, True Blood's ensemble has become so large that a good 70% of the cast, and thus 70% of every episode's content right now, is stuck doing soap storylines. Who's the father of Arlene's baby? It's the question nobody's going to be asking this summer.
The best subplot was easily the flashback to 1892, because it at least stirred big emotions, as we saw the moment Bill tried to reconnect with his human life, against his vampire maker Lorena's (Mariana Klaveno) advice. And, naturally, after praising his return as a miracle, Bill's wife quickly became horrified by her husband's "demonic" new form, and broke his heart by reacting very badly to this frigid, fanged echo of the man she loved. The scene was nicely played by Moyer, too, who always does a good job portraying Bill's inner struggle between his vampire nature and vestigial human feelings.
Finally, that scene. You know the one I'm talking about. Thoughts about "It Hurts Me Too" will undoubtedly be dominated by a spectacularly sadistic sex scene between Bill and Lorena, after her taunts caused him to snap and angrily act on their simmering sexual tension. What followed was a blackly amusing sequence of rough sex on a bed, Bill on top, which resulted in him literally twisting Lorena's head around back-to-front so he didn't have to look into her eyes and feel guilty. An ugly physical contortion Lorena actually seemed to enjoy in a sordid way, which made the whole scene even more uncomfortable to watch. It's as if Death Becomes Her filmed a rape scene.
Overall, "It Hurts Me Too" was another narrative soup of fun, tedious, annoying, mysterious, boring, exciting and horrifying moments. As a southern gothic smorgasbord of weirdness and gore, season 3's delivering. As a supernatural adult drama with juicy storylines you can't wait to see continue, I'm still waiting for the show to find focus and make me care.
Asides
The Bill/Lorena head-twisting sex scene will dominate people's minds, but spare a thought for the earlier Tara/Franklin bedroom scene. Rarely have eyelids fluttered so much during fake intercourse. That must have been a very embarrassing scene to film.
Eric sent a werewolf to protect Sookie from werewolves? Have I missed something here? So, some werewolves are affiliated with vampires like Eric, as appears to be the case with Edgington? Only the ones with "Operation Werewolf" tattoo's are actual enemies? Is there some kind of treaty going on?
WRITER: Alexander Woo DIRECTOR: Michael Lehmann GUEST CAST: Joe Manganiello, Marshall Allman, William Sanderson, Todd Lowe, Natasha Alam, Bryan Becker, James Frain, Cooper Huckabee, Andy Mackenzie, Lil Mirkk, Don Swayze & Tanya Wright TRANSMISSION: 27 June 2010 - HBO, 9PM
