This week's True Blood is a riff on grief and mourning, especially on how to move through the pain to find strength to go on. It is a slower paced episode than last week's installment and the plots with the emotional heft to withstand scrutiny float to the top, while the weaker plots continue to sink. Fortunately, the vampire politics/revenge story gets a lot of focus, because that story thread continues to rivet attention as it moves from sweet affirmations of love to megalomaniacal world domination threats and nails every scene. Denis O'Hare as Russell Edgington has a big night as he delivers breaking news to the humans: Vampires are not just like you. They want to eat you. After they eat your children.
Last week, Eric exacted his revenge for Russell having his family killed by killing Talbot. During his stay with Russell, Eric appeared to be thinking on his feet, trying to use the king to save himself and Pam from the Magister while using Talbot to get to the king, with an eye to doing what he could for Sookie if the opportunity presented. This week, as he flies back to Fangtasia, he shows he didn't have the benefit of a master plan when he did so and his demeanor inspires Pam to utter that unwelcome phrase: "Should I be panicking?"
The answer is no, as Eric may have been put into check in his chess game with the king, but he is not surrendering. The show is always on firm ground when the vampires have to deal with the human world and vice versa, so the focus on the uneasy border between the two worlds is wonderful stuff. Eric decides to draw on the connections between humans and vampires as he drops any games and simply tells the Authority (so far, three well dressed and techno-savvy vampires in silhouette) the story of his family's massacre and why he's been pursuing Russell for a thousand years. He is open about his grief at losing his human family and his need for vengeance to cope with the loss. He is also able to point out Russell Edgington has been feeding werewolves V for centuries as he uses them to try and bring about the down fall of humans and if that isn't bad enough, his take on current vampire politics is "F*** the Authority."
Article comments
1 - ANV
Oh, I'm definitely mourning the show's end too.
Thanks for another intelligent review :)
"Sookie should be connecting some dots soon. Please."
I'm praying for that too. I mean, almost all women in True Blood are portrayed as weak and helpless beings. And the ones that are stronger, are lesbian or bisexuals. Talk about stereotypes :S
I was cheering for Tara this episode, and I agree it would have been great if she had kill Franklin.
The Faery thing is w
And faeries are not suposed to be afraid of vampires, (not in CH's world at least). Werewolfs are already pathetic in TB so it would be cool to see the faeries as more menacing supernaturals.
Ok, it's 02:30 here and I'm rambling LOL
Thanks once again Gerry!
Alby
2 - Gerry
Hi Alby! Yes, I agree the women on the show tend toward helplessness. The vampire myth in one sense does have this tendency, but I think it can also embed a sense of power in women crossing boundaries and partaking what vampires offer. Vampires can also stand for sexual freedom and an expression of power for women and it would be nice if Ball played with that aspect a little more. Pam I think is closest to showing that getting involved with vampirism can be read as a choice to be a powerful woman but of course she chose to become a vampire, not just be involved with one. I think we've seen Sookie embrace her own sexuality as a result of being with a vampire. Now I hope we see more of her expressing her own power and less of her blindly accepting everything Bill tells her.
3 - Jordan Richardson
Compared to the Twilight series, the women of True Blood are pillars of strength, wisdom and power.
Great analysis, Gerry. Always enjoy reading these.
4 - Nancy
Because I love True Blood so much, I read many different episode recaps. I have yet to read one that can compare to yours. It was beautifully written capturing the nuances of the characters and show. Thank you.
5 - Gerry
Jordan and Nancy, thanks so much! I love the show and find there is always a lot to write about.
6 - Dawn
Just a quick comment to let you know I read all of your reviews and appreciate your thoughtful take on every storyline and character. More than a simple blow by blow retelling of events, it's nice to read a review that helps me to see things I've missed and often prompts me to view events from a different angle.
Russell stole the show this week, absolutely!
I don't beleive you mentioned Arlene this time (unless I missed it) but her personal crises has me infuriated at this point. (that's good since it's just about the only thing happening in Bon Temps that has produced any strong emotion in me whatsoever in a good while)
While I can understand her fear of being rejected, and of having the baby and what that might entail, her treatment of Terry is shameful. She's screaming at him, he's on the phone very calmly stepping up to do his duty for the mother of his child (he thinks) He's a good man and it drives me insane to see him deliberately kept in the dark.
But at least Arlene is all human and on a human journey. I think. :)
Again, thanks for the fantastic review!
Till next week! ~ D
7 - Gerry
Hi Dawn! I only very briefly mentioned Arlene in context of Holly offering ways to heal. That's because I haven't yet been caught up in her baby saga. I'm not sure Arlene really needs a story line of her own in a season where we really have too much going on. I'm not sure we need Rene coming back from season one, even as a dream, when we're ending season three. But I do think she's a believable human character and I understand her fears about Terry not understanding and the baby being like Rene, even I don't think she's been making great decisions. I also think Terry actually appreciates that Arlene trusts him enough to let her hormones fly and yell at him. It feels to him like he's part of a normal life, finally. Of course, we'll see how much he likes that when he finds out what he's really dealing with. I hope he remembers what he loves about being with Arlene.
See you next week!
8 - mary
I always read your reviews..Thanks..
With 3 episodes left last season..I was ready for it to end..not this year!
I am ready for the "What are you" arc to be over with, it's been dragged through 3 seasons now and feels a bit old...