True Blood season 6 ep 10
Aug. 19th, 2013 10:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shapinglightSaw this earlier today. Brief review behind cut.
Seems I'm more of an Eric Northman fan than I realised, because I can't say I liked this finale. I don't want Eric to be dead, and certainly not in such a sucky, comedy death kind of way. I'm fairly convinced he isn't gone for good (if only because Pam had gone off looking for him and we didn't see what was going on with her in the six months later section of the episode), but who knows? Shows have been known to write characters out in stupid ways before.
If he is dead, I'm iffy about watching season 7, even if it is the last one. No, I don't just watch the show for Eric, but he's an integral part of the ensemble for me (far more so than Terry Bellefleur), and I'm just not interested in seeing that ensemble whittled down in such a crappy way.
I also shouldn't have made the mistake of going and listening to what the showrunner said about the episode, which was, among other things, something along the lines of, Norah was the only person Eric really loved, or words to that effect. First of all, that's not true. Second of all, yes, I learned to like Norah better this season, but we were only introduced to the character last season. I'm just not emotionally invested in the Eric/Norah relationship the way I am in Eric/Pam, or Eric/Sookie, (Norah herself said early in the season that Eric was in love with Sookie), or even Eric/Bill. And stating that Norah was the most important thing in the world to him just feels unearned to me.
Maybe she was, but we just didn't see enough of their relationship to know that.
Okay, Eric-related rant over.
I don't care about Warlow. He was boring (and a git). Good riddance. I don't much like the idea of everyone in Bon Temps being under siege by zombie vampires either, but, though I loved all the vampire politics of the last two seasons, I don't mind the story focusing on Bon Temps and the core cast again (of which, yes, Eric is one), especially if 7 is the last season. And I certainly don't mind if Tara has more to do in season 7. Speaking of whom, I found the scene where her mother offered to feed her very creepy, and hope that the speculation I've seen about Lettie Mae being a Hep V carrier and infecting Tara on purpose is wrong.
I'm indifferent to Sookie/Alcide. Doesn't bother me, as long as the rest of the werewolves stay gone. I'm still expecting ultimate Bill/Sookie anyway (see icon). I'm not that keen on Jason being stuck with Violet. Yes, she was helpful when they were fighting Warlow, and yes, it was very funny when she French-kissed Sookie and Jason just looked embarrassed and said, "She's European," but I don't like her monopolising Jason. Why couldn't Niall do something about it? Speaking of whom, is he gone for good?
All in all, a rather lacklustre end to what has been a very good season, but I can be retrospectively reconciled to it all as long as Eric isn't dead. Unlike last year, though, I'm not impatient for the next series. I can wait.
Good bits: Bill being de-Lilithified, vampire (and Jason) volleyball, Tara and Willa being friends, Jessica apologising to Andy and taking up guard outside his house. Er....I think that's it.
Seems I'm more of an Eric Northman fan than I realised, because I can't say I liked this finale. I don't want Eric to be dead, and certainly not in such a sucky, comedy death kind of way. I'm fairly convinced he isn't gone for good (if only because Pam had gone off looking for him and we didn't see what was going on with her in the six months later section of the episode), but who knows? Shows have been known to write characters out in stupid ways before.
If he is dead, I'm iffy about watching season 7, even if it is the last one. No, I don't just watch the show for Eric, but he's an integral part of the ensemble for me (far more so than Terry Bellefleur), and I'm just not interested in seeing that ensemble whittled down in such a crappy way.
I also shouldn't have made the mistake of going and listening to what the showrunner said about the episode, which was, among other things, something along the lines of, Norah was the only person Eric really loved, or words to that effect. First of all, that's not true. Second of all, yes, I learned to like Norah better this season, but we were only introduced to the character last season. I'm just not emotionally invested in the Eric/Norah relationship the way I am in Eric/Pam, or Eric/Sookie, (Norah herself said early in the season that Eric was in love with Sookie), or even Eric/Bill. And stating that Norah was the most important thing in the world to him just feels unearned to me.
Maybe she was, but we just didn't see enough of their relationship to know that.
Okay, Eric-related rant over.
I don't care about Warlow. He was boring (and a git). Good riddance. I don't much like the idea of everyone in Bon Temps being under siege by zombie vampires either, but, though I loved all the vampire politics of the last two seasons, I don't mind the story focusing on Bon Temps and the core cast again (of which, yes, Eric is one), especially if 7 is the last season. And I certainly don't mind if Tara has more to do in season 7. Speaking of whom, I found the scene where her mother offered to feed her very creepy, and hope that the speculation I've seen about Lettie Mae being a Hep V carrier and infecting Tara on purpose is wrong.
I'm indifferent to Sookie/Alcide. Doesn't bother me, as long as the rest of the werewolves stay gone. I'm still expecting ultimate Bill/Sookie anyway (see icon). I'm not that keen on Jason being stuck with Violet. Yes, she was helpful when they were fighting Warlow, and yes, it was very funny when she French-kissed Sookie and Jason just looked embarrassed and said, "She's European," but I don't like her monopolising Jason. Why couldn't Niall do something about it? Speaking of whom, is he gone for good?
All in all, a rather lacklustre end to what has been a very good season, but I can be retrospectively reconciled to it all as long as Eric isn't dead. Unlike last year, though, I'm not impatient for the next series. I can wait.
Good bits: Bill being de-Lilithified, vampire (and Jason) volleyball, Tara and Willa being friends, Jessica apologising to Andy and taking up guard outside his house. Er....I think that's it.
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no subject
Date: 2013-08-20 10:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-08-20 10:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-08-20 07:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-08-21 04:34 am (UTC)So all-in-all, I'm not quite as meh as you. Actually I'm annoyed that it was only 10 episodes. I will be looking forward to season seven.
no subject
Date: 2013-08-22 10:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-08-22 10:21 am (UTC)He's addressed all the points I mentioned (Eric, what was Lettie Mae up to, the zombie vampires etc). He says he wishes people would be content to just wait and see but understands 'we live in a different age', or words to that effect. Which I interpret as him having read some of the many, many angry comments on the HBO website about the episode in which those three points come up repeatedly.
So yes, Eric will be back. No, Lettie Mae was not trying to infect Tara with Hep V, and no, the infected vampires aren't zombies. Also, the reason why they haven't just died the way Nora did is because the virus has mutated.
Actually, though, as I said above, I could be reconciled to the finale as long as I knew they hadn't killed Eric off for good in such a stupid, off-hand manner (I'm actually looking forward to characters such as Tara and Lafayette getting more screen time, though not sure how they can say they've pared down the cast when they've only killed off Terry but introduced Willa, Violet and James), I still think they messed up their execution. You don't need to come along and make such lengthy explanations after the event if you've got it right.
The interview reminds me of Christos Gage's defence of his portrayal of Spike in the Angel and Faith comic in a Q&A he did on one of the fan forums. His explanations (some of which were pretty lame) were longer than the actual comic.
And I agree, Eric/Nora just never took for me. Eric/Pam feels much more authentic.
I didn't mind it, but as I say, Eric's extreme reaction to Nora's death didn't feel earned to me because we hadn't known her for long enough. For four whole seasons we didn't even know that Eric had a vampire sister.
I know what you mean about Sookie. I do think her character improved this season, in that she stood up to both Bill and Eric (not that Eric was oppressing her this season, but he has in the past). However, the whole Warlow plot bored me rigid. I didn't care about him and am glad he's gone.
Speaking of things not being earned, though, I didn't feel Sookie's grief over Terry was earned. She's hardly interacted with him for ages.
ETA: should add that looking at the article again, the showrunner didn't say they were trying to pare down the cast, just the number of separate plots, which, yes, I agree is a good thing.
no subject
Date: 2013-08-22 09:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-08-22 09:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-08-26 07:58 pm (UTC)A return to Bon Temps is welcome, esp if we get more Lafayatte and Andy. But more Tara and Pam would be good - a touch of bitter to balance Sookie's sweetness. Basically I want a bit more focus - it's felt fragmented this season, introducing new characters and killing them within a few episodes. Seems like cheap thrills rather than (mad) good plots.
And yes, the sentimentality of the funeral felt badly judged - Terry was never more than a minor character, despite his interactions with more important ones. Not sorry that storyline is finished.
no subject
Date: 2013-08-27 09:29 am (UTC)I agree. I saw so many people on the fan sites moaning about him being disposed of the way he was, and all I could think was, thank goodness. He was a drag, until he turned evil at the end there.
Basically I want a bit more focus - it's felt fragmented this season, introducing new characters and killing them within a few episodes. Seems like cheap thrills rather than (mad) good plots.
I agree. I think they could have done more with the governor. Plus, having Jessica kill three of Andy's daughters seemed a bit much to me.
Agree about Terry. I liked the character, but the funeral took up way too much of that episode, and the grief shown by several of the attendees (including Sookie) didn't feel earned.