True Blood season 3 - ep6
Jul. 26th, 2010 05:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shapinglightBefore I write the review, I should probably say that I'm pretty uncritical about this show. Yes, there are things that happen that I feel could be done better, but generally I enjoy it so much, I don't care that much.
Spoilers within
Okay, so having established beforehand that I'm never likely to overanalyse this show, I should probably just say that I do think the pacing's a bit crap this season, but in a different way to the way it was crap in season 2. In season 2, the main storyline - the Maryann plot - was boring and dragged on for far too long, while the more interesting plots, like the search for Godric and Jason's adventures with the Fellowship of the Sun, were squeezed to accommodate it. Or - actually, that's not right. The Godric/Jason plots were exactly as long as they needed to be, which is why they work, whereas the Maryann plot just went on forever (or so it seemed) when it didn't need to, except in that it gave all the cast who weren't involved in the other plots something to do.
This season, the main plot - the King Russell/Eric's Revenge/Werewolves plot is the only game in town because everything else - no matter how enjoyable, and some of it is - doesn't seem to be connected to it in any way, and that's giving the show a bitty feel. Some characters - Jessica, for instance - while their scenes may be very enjoyable - and Jessica's scene was one of the highlights of this week's episode for me - are just marking time until Bill and Sookie come back to Bon Temps, while Jasons's and Sam's plots seem off in left field and nothing to do with anything else at all, unless Crystal turns out to be werewolf, or Joe Lee (?) turns out to be working for King Russell (not at all likely).
So far, I'm not sure which hotchpotch of a way of doing things I like better, but have to say that Sam's plotline still doesn't do a lot for me, though I don't actively dislike Tommy any more, and I'm still not interested in Crystal. I do like Jason, though, and he also got one very good scene in this ep - when he hauls the boy out of the car, starts to tell him what the difference is between them, then realises he doesn't know the answer himself. :) Poor, daft little Jason.
Elsewhere, in the main plot, everyone's storylines collided, though not quite as I thought they would. I knew Tara was beginning to get a grip on things, but I never guessed she'd do so well that she would end up being the one to rescue Sookie instead of vice versa. It's only fitting, though, because Sookie was particularly drippy in this ep, which is disappointing after she'd been so kickass in previous ones. As others have said, it must be something to do with Bill. Distinct shades of Monty Python's semaphore version of Wuthering Heights, as in:
Bill: Oh Sookie!
Sookie: Oh Bill!
Bill: Oh, oh Sookie!
Sookie: Oh, oh Bill!
Ahem! In other words, it was a bit BtVS season 3 Bangel. And I'm saying this as someone who doesn't mind Bill/Sookie in the normal way of things. But Bill's done too many horrible things in the last couple of eps for the audience (or this member of it) to take Sookie melting all over him the way she did, especially after King Russell showed her the evidence of Bill's spying. However, she doesn't know about most of the horrible things yet, and maybe she doesn't believe King Russell, so I suppose I can cut her a bit of slack.
Elsewhere, Tara and Nuttier Than Ten Tons of Nutty Slack Franklin Mott had two of the most gruesome scenes yet in True Blood (and come to think of it, poor Tara had a pretty gruesome scene in season 2 as well), but James Frain continued to be tremendous fun - so much so, that you could almost - almost - feel sad that he got his brains bashed in by a very miffed Tara. Silly girl, though. Why didn't she cut his head off? I'm sure Franklin will interpret the fact that she didn't as a sign of how very much she loves him. At any rate, he'll be back, I'm pretty sure.
Glad to see Tara get her mojo back, though, and the scene with the almonds was hilarious.
Other good scenes were Sookie's conversation with King Russell - best scene Sookie had all episode - and in fact every scene that either Eric or King Russell were in. I'm not sure what to make of Eric's declaration to Sookie that she means nothing to him. It could even be true. Maybe she does mean nothing alongside the chance to get his revenge? I wouldn't like to call it. I do know that Eric still cares a lot about Pam. You could tell from the way his face tightened when King Russell announced that they weren't going to Shreveport. I hope Eric gets to save her in the next ep, because she's been missing for far too long. I'm also enjoying Eric's attempts to play Talbot against King Russell and vice versa. He's going for the jugular. Killing Russell is just not going to be revenge enough.
Speaking of King Russell, he really is a marvellous villain. I'm enjoying him enormously. Soo much better than Maryann.
Finally, there's Bill and Lorena. I felt sorry for Lorena on and off during the episode - when Russell told her to kill Bill and again, when Bill said he wished he'd known her before she was turned. However, their scenes dragged on too long. I want them to be over and for Lorena to be gone. And then it would be quite nice if Sookie could show she hasn't gone completely soft in the head and demand that Bill tell her why the hell he was spying on her.
And there should be more Jessica. That's goes without saying. And Lafayette and Jesus should work things out and get it on, because they are great together. I need an icon.
That's all.
ETA: this episode also reaffirmed to me my BtVS/AtS geekitude, in that I instantly recognised the disgruntled late night customer at Merlotte's as the actress who played the horrid ghost lady who tormented Cordelia in Rm with a Vue.
Spoilers within
Okay, so having established beforehand that I'm never likely to overanalyse this show, I should probably just say that I do think the pacing's a bit crap this season, but in a different way to the way it was crap in season 2. In season 2, the main storyline - the Maryann plot - was boring and dragged on for far too long, while the more interesting plots, like the search for Godric and Jason's adventures with the Fellowship of the Sun, were squeezed to accommodate it. Or - actually, that's not right. The Godric/Jason plots were exactly as long as they needed to be, which is why they work, whereas the Maryann plot just went on forever (or so it seemed) when it didn't need to, except in that it gave all the cast who weren't involved in the other plots something to do.
This season, the main plot - the King Russell/Eric's Revenge/Werewolves plot is the only game in town because everything else - no matter how enjoyable, and some of it is - doesn't seem to be connected to it in any way, and that's giving the show a bitty feel. Some characters - Jessica, for instance - while their scenes may be very enjoyable - and Jessica's scene was one of the highlights of this week's episode for me - are just marking time until Bill and Sookie come back to Bon Temps, while Jasons's and Sam's plots seem off in left field and nothing to do with anything else at all, unless Crystal turns out to be werewolf, or Joe Lee (?) turns out to be working for King Russell (not at all likely).
So far, I'm not sure which hotchpotch of a way of doing things I like better, but have to say that Sam's plotline still doesn't do a lot for me, though I don't actively dislike Tommy any more, and I'm still not interested in Crystal. I do like Jason, though, and he also got one very good scene in this ep - when he hauls the boy out of the car, starts to tell him what the difference is between them, then realises he doesn't know the answer himself. :) Poor, daft little Jason.
Elsewhere, in the main plot, everyone's storylines collided, though not quite as I thought they would. I knew Tara was beginning to get a grip on things, but I never guessed she'd do so well that she would end up being the one to rescue Sookie instead of vice versa. It's only fitting, though, because Sookie was particularly drippy in this ep, which is disappointing after she'd been so kickass in previous ones. As others have said, it must be something to do with Bill. Distinct shades of Monty Python's semaphore version of Wuthering Heights, as in:
Bill: Oh Sookie!
Sookie: Oh Bill!
Bill: Oh, oh Sookie!
Sookie: Oh, oh Bill!
Ahem! In other words, it was a bit BtVS season 3 Bangel. And I'm saying this as someone who doesn't mind Bill/Sookie in the normal way of things. But Bill's done too many horrible things in the last couple of eps for the audience (or this member of it) to take Sookie melting all over him the way she did, especially after King Russell showed her the evidence of Bill's spying. However, she doesn't know about most of the horrible things yet, and maybe she doesn't believe King Russell, so I suppose I can cut her a bit of slack.
Elsewhere, Tara and Nuttier Than Ten Tons of Nutty Slack Franklin Mott had two of the most gruesome scenes yet in True Blood (and come to think of it, poor Tara had a pretty gruesome scene in season 2 as well), but James Frain continued to be tremendous fun - so much so, that you could almost - almost - feel sad that he got his brains bashed in by a very miffed Tara. Silly girl, though. Why didn't she cut his head off? I'm sure Franklin will interpret the fact that she didn't as a sign of how very much she loves him. At any rate, he'll be back, I'm pretty sure.
Glad to see Tara get her mojo back, though, and the scene with the almonds was hilarious.
Other good scenes were Sookie's conversation with King Russell - best scene Sookie had all episode - and in fact every scene that either Eric or King Russell were in. I'm not sure what to make of Eric's declaration to Sookie that she means nothing to him. It could even be true. Maybe she does mean nothing alongside the chance to get his revenge? I wouldn't like to call it. I do know that Eric still cares a lot about Pam. You could tell from the way his face tightened when King Russell announced that they weren't going to Shreveport. I hope Eric gets to save her in the next ep, because she's been missing for far too long. I'm also enjoying Eric's attempts to play Talbot against King Russell and vice versa. He's going for the jugular. Killing Russell is just not going to be revenge enough.
Speaking of King Russell, he really is a marvellous villain. I'm enjoying him enormously. Soo much better than Maryann.
Finally, there's Bill and Lorena. I felt sorry for Lorena on and off during the episode - when Russell told her to kill Bill and again, when Bill said he wished he'd known her before she was turned. However, their scenes dragged on too long. I want them to be over and for Lorena to be gone. And then it would be quite nice if Sookie could show she hasn't gone completely soft in the head and demand that Bill tell her why the hell he was spying on her.
And there should be more Jessica. That's goes without saying. And Lafayette and Jesus should work things out and get it on, because they are great together. I need an icon.
That's all.
ETA: this episode also reaffirmed to me my BtVS/AtS geekitude, in that I instantly recognised the disgruntled late night customer at Merlotte's as the actress who played the horrid ghost lady who tormented Cordelia in Rm with a Vue.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2010-07-26 04:21 pm (UTC)Love the way Eric's playing King Russell and Talbot, and I do hope the Lafayette/Jesus works out.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-26 04:27 pm (UTC)It would have been a good idea, I suppose, but it might have alerted the werewolf that there was something up. I enjoyed the way Sookie and Tara dealt with him too. :)
I'm sure we haven't seen the last of Jesus. I want him and Lafayette back together - or together, since they weren't really together yet. Also, I did think the actors could have given it a bit more welly in the kissing scene, but I suppose they were meant to be still shy with each other, so perhaps not.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-26 04:42 pm (UTC)If she ain't eating almonds,Talbot ain't gonna be happy. If Talbot ain't happy,Russell ain't happy.If Russell ain't happy, you dogs ain't getting any vampire blood Hee!
I hope Eric gets to save her in the next ep, because she's been missing for far too long. I'm also enjoying Eric's attempts to play Talbot against King Russell and vice versa. He's going for the jugular. Killing Russell is just not going to be revenge enough.
Speaking of King Russell, he really is a marvellous villain. I'm enjoying him enormously. Soo much better than Maryann.
Nods. Denis O'Hare is just wonderful.
I felt sorry for Lorena on and off during the episode - when Russell told her to kill Bill and again, when Bill said he wished he'd known her before she was turned.
Nods. I actually felt a little sorry for her in this episode.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-26 05:49 pm (UTC)He really is. I should look him up on IMDB and see what else he's been in.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-26 07:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-27 09:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-26 06:26 pm (UTC)Yes, that's pretty much how I feel. Of course I have quibbles, but they're not enough to turn me against the show. I just love it so much!
Other good scenes were Sookie's conversation with King Russell - best scene Sookie had all episode - and in fact every scene that either Eric or King Russell were in.
Yes, that was my favourite Sookie moment, too. And Eric and King Russell's scenes are always fabulous! King Russell makes a wonderful villain.
I felt sorry for Lorena on and off during the episode
I would never have thought it could be possible, but I have to admit I felt sorry for her on occasion during this episode. But I'm with you, I'll be glad to see her go.
And there should be more Jessica.
Oh yes! More Jessica and more Sam (without his family).
no subject
Date: 2010-07-26 06:44 pm (UTC)They are - wonderful! I do wonder, though, if Eric is fooling Russell for a single moment. Not because his understated attempts at seduction aren't convincing - they are - but because Russell is just that wiley.
Oh yes! More Jessica and more Sam (without his family).
Agreed. Sam's family are just annoying. I'd rather have more Bill/Sam scenes - or Bill/Jessica scenes.