Beyond Here Lies Nothin', Episode 12

Well, we finally made it to the Season Finale -- I was really starting to miss everyone after a two week hiatus! Now it'll be almost a year hiatus as Season 3 doesn't start until June 2010. I loved how the image of the wedding was recycled at the end of the episode and how we saw an evil wedding and then later a noble proposal. I also admired the recycling of seeing Andy next to a murder by his car. Remember in this season's episode 1 that our characters found Ms. Jeannette in drunk Andy's car? We have some very clever writers here. This episode was written by the talented Alexander Woo and directed by Michael Cuesta. In the second half of the show I noticed a familiar-looking woman seated at the bar -- it was none other than Charlaine Harris herself! (the book creator behind all things Bon Temps and Sookie Stackhouse).

The first part of the episode opened with Sookie stripping from the dress she has been wearing for two days straight into a very tasteful bridemaid's gown. As Lafayette claps in the background, Sookie can't believe her eyes that Mariann is dressed in her Gran's bridal gown! The nuptials proceed on the front lawn as Bill convinces Sam he must "sacrifice" himself for the town. Sookie doesn't think Bill knows what he's doing, but he does...Sam shifts into a beautiful white bull and yanks Mariann's wicked black heart. Bill is stunned after Sam has drank his blood -- now do they have a blood bond? How does this work? In any case, the town wakes up and wonders why they're all in orgy attire at Sookie's house.

Andy gets his badge back since Bud concedes, "At least you're wearing pants," and Jane Bodehouse finds her lost finger. Eggs isn't doing so well and I knew at this moment that this episode might be Eggs's last. I won't miss him. He only served Mariann and he was BORING! He wants Andy to kill him (he could have really hurt Andy) and Jason does his hero thing.

I know Team Eric fans are still mad that he got about 2 minutes of airtime, but they were a good 2 minutes (he's so much better to watch than the Queen!). We find out that he's in league with the Queen on the selling of the V - very interesting. So the Book people are wrong about Bill and the conspiracy theory that Bill works wit h the Queen so that she can get Sookie. Bill is good -- deal with it! Alan Ball is definitely diverging from the source materials and it's a grand thing.

I was surprised that the boxed dress Sookie receives is from Bill -- wow, they actually can go on a date? I thought the dress may have been from Eric. And Jessica? She sure can act so innocent, but now she's a truck stop vamp whore -- did Maxine's rants change her and lower her self esteem even more? Poor Hoyt...that scene where he leaves the roses at the Compton house was heartbreaking.

I certainly wasn't expecting Bill to propose to Sookie (just like in real life when Stephen Moyer proposed to Anna Paquin --- I wonder if Alan Ball changed his original story to suit this development?). So much has happened in so short a time and it was very realistic that Sookie needs to take a moment and soak it all in. Bill was very gracious during her indecision (Go, Bill! you're always the gentleman) and then he got yanked by the silver garrot. I know he wishes he hadn't reserved the restaurant.

What a cliffhanger, right? And you knew there would be one, just like at the end of Episode 12, Season 1. What a season? I know I'll need to think about everything that has happened since June 12th, but can firmly say that "I Will Rise Up" (the death of Godric) and "Timebomb" were the best episodes.

Lorena or Eric is behind Bill's kidnapping and it was cool that Sookie was there when it happened so that she stays that more involved. Alan Ball says we'll meet Debbie Pelt and the werewolves -- should be lots of fun.

Are you sad about the end of Season 2? What did you think of the Season Finale? Was it satisfying enough?

till next time!

Frenzy, Episode 11

"Finding your frenzy" is definitely the theme of this episode. In the scene outside Lafayette's house when Sookie is describing to Lafayette what was inside Tara's mind, she says it feels like your insides are being queezed out. Lafayette replies, "That would be nice." Some foreshadowing? Hmmmm....

The frenzy also takes place at Queen Sophie Anne's palace. The Queen played by Evan Rachel Wood (come on, ERW, do better next time -- you're a better actress than this!) is drinking Cousin Hadley's blood (Sookie's first cousin mentioned in Epi 6 of Season 1 as having disappeared after her drug rehab paid for by Gran) and teasing Bill by not giving him the 411 on defeating the Maenad Marianne right away. I was so nervous that we would find out that Bill was a double agent or he fell in love with Sookie under the Queen's orders but unless I'm missing something, I could see no such thing. This is a big departure from the books! Yay! The only juice Eric could pin on Bill was that he knew about him giving Sookie is blood in Epi 2, Season 1. How did he know? Perhaps he was flying through Bon Temps? Spies? So with much relief, Bill is still a good guy and wants to save the town. He even lets Sookie know where he is via text. I wonder what his text said? Soookie, it is required that I must stay an extra day. Miss you, Love Bill :< Is Eric the one who works for the Queen? They're doing some wheeling and dealing next episode.

Eric is not a nice fellow and I don't what you Team Eric people think (although he's a great antagonist to Bill) Eric's form in Lettie Mae's dress terrorized poor Lafayette as we also learn Laf is having some sexy Eric dreams and he was nasty to Arlene's kids. One of the best lines of the show was Eric saying "teacup humans" when referring to Cody and Lisa who accompany Sam to Fangtasia to ask for Eric's help. I hope it'll soon be revealed why Eric is making Laf sell v-blood.

Can you believe Jason and Andy know Sam's secret and they all act like it's no big "thang." I just love the way Andy pronounces "thang." I know you all are also wondering why Andy's not affected by Marianne. I believe he's also a supe and perhaps Jason is as well (part were-panther, according to the book lore). I also loved Jason and Andy's exchange in the truck when they talked about pussy, Jason's popularity and Jason's knee issues. Good stuff. I loved the part about Jason wondering if Sam would eat his own egg if he turned into a chicken. (more foreshadowing!)

The show did drag a bit when Sookie and Laf go after Tara and Andy and Jason raid the sherrif's office for weapons. How stupid is Tara? and how stupid is Sookie and Laf for going after her? I guess that's what you do for your friends. You go into a stinky, vile house with guys playing with intestines in your sink. I have to say I didn't feel bad when Karl got the ricocheted bullet when Marianne pulled a "Darth Vader" and when Jane Bodehouse cut off her finger. Poor Laf -- he's now under the influence just like he wanted to be at the top of the episode.

So what's up with the giant egg in Gran's room? From the preview, we know that Bill has made Sam the sacrificial dog and Jason shoots someone he doesn't mean to. Marianne is wearing a wedding dress and Sookie has on a bridemaid's gown. Can't wait till the 13th -- a little less than 2 weeks and then we won't see a new episode till June 2010 -- it's almost as bad as waiting for Lost to start.

Till next time!

A New World in My View, Episode 10

In last week's too-short episode (45 minutes -- come on, Alan Ball! So that means this post will be short as well), we saw what happened when Sookie returned home and when Bill tried to fight off Mariann. Sookie has some sort of zapping power (could be from a fairy..hmmm....) and when Bill bit into the maenad, he vomited black bile -- not good. We also had the cliffhanger of Jessica biting Maxine Fortenberry as Hoyt is flung aside like an old gym sock - will Maxine be drained? Will Hoyt want to save his mom? Good stuff. Also, Jason goes Rambo to save Bon Temps at Merlotte's where everyone is gathered for another orgy. Jason temporarily saves Sam by faking the "God who comes" and after Sam shifts into a fly and then extinguishes the flare's flames only wearing an apron, Andy declares, that's the last drink I'll have.

Then after Bill and Sookie work in tandem to save Tara's soul Bill tells Sookie he knows of a vampire who might help them defeat Mariann. Our last scene has Bill strutting (he's gotten his mo jo back!) to see a naked leg full of blood inside the Queen's palace.

I can't wait for tonight episode to reveal Bill's relationship with Queen Sophie-Anne and I know this relationship will do something to wreck Bill and Sookie's relationship. I guess it has to happen in order for the show to stay interesting. I just hope Bill will return for Episode 12.

I took an image of the figurine that seems to hold Mariann's power. This blog has done an excellent job of researching this figure and its meaning in the show -- Enjoy!

I Will Rise Up, Episode 9

This episode completed the cliffhanger from last time -- the bomb does go off and everyone is OK, except for Stan the Dallas Sheriff (no great loss) and Sookie's independence from Eric. Now that Eric has tricked Sookie into drinking his blood they are forever linked. I know that the Team Eric fans are loving this and that they can't wait for Eric to be Sookie's boyfriend. Now wait a minute: this is still the same Eric that imprisoned and tortured Lafayette and who called Bill's maker to torture him so he couldn't rescue Sookie. Still, Eric is very charming and he's fun to watch, but that doesn't mean I want Bill to stand aside. TV Bill is the good guy and is the moral force of the show. He is the guy who could be us if we turned into a vampire; he was turned against his will and he is fighting tooth and nail for love and for his humanity. Book Bill is not the same as TV Bill and I think almost everyone out there knows that. Book Bill wasn't as developed as Book Eric and he doesn't think of Sookie's feelings when his own needs come first. If we had a main character of wishy washy morals (wait, that's Eric) we'd have another Mad Men and Don Draper on our hands and one is enough, thank you. Our Bill played by Stephen Moyer is a gentleman who didn't yell at Sookie when she drank Eric's blood. He could have! Instead, he says, you did so because you are so tender-hearted and Eric took advantage of that. Book Bill kills the humans after the lair bombing, while TV Bill shows mercy. I hope that Bill continues to fight hard for Sookie's love and humanity. I believe that Eric wants to turn Sookie into vampire.

Another great point in the episode was when Lafayette and Lettie Mae confronted Marianne to get Tara back. Lafayette: "I'm feeling you and you a soulless bitch!" Again, Nelsan Ellis was beyond perfect and I was mad he didn't get enough screen time. I also loved Jason and Sookie's heart-to-heart and Hoyt's confrontation with his mom who hates everyone, especially women who wear red shoes. Just when you think this show is too crazy, the real emotions the characters feel ground everything. Way to go, Alan Ball, et al! Of course, the greatest catharsis was Godric's death by sun at the episode's conclusion. Thanks to Sookie's courage to stand by his side till the end, Godric is still surprised after 2,000 years and he meets the sun without fear.

Next week: our good guys return to Bon Temps and find it's been hit by Hurricane Marianne (not Bill!). I guess everyone will regroup at Bill's or Jason's house since Marianne has taken over Sookie's place. Next episode will also bring the characters who don't spend a lot of time together in the same frame -- as usual, can't wait till Sunday!

Timebomb, Episode 8

This was the episode where our favorite characters finally came together (OK, minus Lafayette and the vampires) and interacted. Godric saves Sookie and Eric must do his maker's bidding. A great line from Eric in tonight's episode was him telling Sookie, "Don't use words I don't understand," in reference to love. Sookie must be wondering why Bill didn't swoop in and save her, but she knows something's amiss. It seems she's smartened up since last season (and she's definitely not like Book Sookie).

Godric, the goodwill vampire ambassador in action tells Eric there will be no bloodshed and Eric complies, as do the rest of the cast of characters who come trouping into the FOTS sanctuary: Bill, Jason, Stan and his vampires, and lastly Godric who stops the madness. Jason has the best lines in the whole show, especially after he tells Rev Steve where he's seen heaven, "inside your wife!" HA HA!!! Good going, Jason. I didn't like you very much last season (well, I liked you better after you gave Vampire Eddie Tru Blood), but Jason is becoming more layered this season -- let's hope it lasts. Once everyone gathers at the nest we have more juicy conflict as Bill touches Eric to let him know Sookie is his and that he didn't appreciate being held against his will by that witch Lorena. Then we have a conversation between Eric, Bill and Sookie. Then Sookie wants to talk to Bill about why he's been withdrawing from her and then Jason interupts them to take Bill away and apologize to him for being anti-vampire. THEN we get the Lorena/Sookie confrontation the preview clips have been teasing us with. Sookie fights Lorena off and then Godric tells the pathetic creature to pack her bags out of Dallas. Bill has to escort her out, so he's safe when the Lukeinator joins the party with a ton of explosives. Not good...not good....

We can't forget about poor Sam. He gets caught with Daphne's body and the cops are looking for him. How's he going to get out of this one? Maybe Bill will come to his rescue. After eating Daphne's heart in the Hunter Souffle, Tara and Eggs are ready to kill each other (in a good way) while Mariann admires her work. Disgusting.

And Jessica can't get a break. She'll be a virgin forever, but Hoyt will be by her side, unless Mama Fortenberry decides to seriously intervene and you all know she will!

In the next episode Sookie and Eric will share a blood bond (it has to happen, I guess), Bill (or maybe it'll be Stan to prompt the Nan Flanagan visit) will fly into a rage and then they'll get to Bon Temps and find it in tatters. I can't wait to see the confrontation between Mariann and Bill.

till next Sunday, Trubies!

Alice

Release Me, Episode 7

At the end of last week's episode, I predicted that Andy Bellfleur would come and save the day since he was the only human in Bon Temps not "glamoured" by Mariann. And, yes, Andy distracted Sam long enough for him to fly high like an owl.
Great beginning to a very strong episode that gave us more background into the Bill/Lorena relationship, which happily ended in LA in 1935 after 70+ years. The show is named after Bill telling Lorena to "Release me," from her chains of love. The maker/makee relationship is apparently that strong. The maker wants her progeny, she can have him. Bill can't get out of his hotel room to save Sookie, thanks to Lorena's detention skills, but the good news is that Bill finds out who's behind all of this duplicity: Eric! The cad! He wants Sookie all to himself and doesn't want Bill to rescue her if she falls into danger. He also wants to insinuate doubt in Sookie's mind that Bill wasn't there to rescue her. I suppose Eric is OK with Sookie getting hurt, or believes that he can help her in the nick of time. Or maybe he thinks that the Fellowship of the Sun isn't that powerful, but, wait, they have Godric, the 2K-old vampire and I know that bugs him. I like Godric; he saves Sookie from an attempted rape by Gabe.
Back to Sam: He confronts Daphne at the swimming hole and sure says the F word a lot. We viewers really learn what Mariann is if we didn't know already: a maead, or a follower of Dioniysus. There is a Ancient Greek thread running through tonight's episode since Bill was reading "A History of Ancient Greece" in his 1935 flashback. Very interesting.
One of the funniest scenes tonight was when Andy comes storming into Merlotte's all mud-stained and stinky telling everyone that they are all devil-worshippers and orgy followers. They look at him blankly because Mariann has blacked out their memories of orgy. But, Arlene knows she had sex with the celebate Terry and Tara can't figure out how she and Eggs ended up on the couch after walking in the woods following the clothes trail.
Meanwhile in Dallas, Hoyt and Jessica make love for the first time for both of them as they listen to Leona Lewis's "Bleeding Love." How sweet! This interlude provides a little breather between scenes before we jump into Jason's escape from Gabe who calls Sookie a vampire whore. Unfortunately, Sarah stuns Jason. Rev. Steve makes the connection between Sookie and Jason, so that means Hugo the traitor never gave Sookie's name to them.
Barry the telepath catches Sookie's message and goes to Bill's room to rely the message that she's in danger. Eric hears the news and rushes out 200-mph to the FOTC church.

what will next week bring? Sookie gets out, Eric changes places with Godric, and hopefully Sookie has some choice words for Lorena. Can't wait for Sunday, Aug. 9th!

Tell me what your favorite scene was in Episode 7.

Hard-Hearted Hannah, Episode 6

Episode 6, "Hard-Hearted Hannah" could be called the turning point episode or perhaps the "hook up" episode. Episode 6, Season 1 "In Cold Ground," was also the turning point/hook up episode for Tara/Sam, Jason/horny bar woman and of course, Bill and Sookie. In this episode (written by Brian Buckner and directed by Michael Lehmann) we saw matches between Lorena/Bill (Ackk!), Daphne/Sam, Sarah/Jason and Jessica/Hoyt.

We begin the episode at the Hotel Camilla with Lorena wondering why Eric summoned her. Eric says that Bill has something he wants. Now why would Eric do this when he's trying to rescue Godric? Is Eric really that selfish that he would restrict Bill's access to Sookie while her life is in danger? Which by the way, he placed her in? I hope this turn and twist isn't a plot hole and that more will be revealed...

Eric is also not gaining any sympathies if you also like Lafayette. Instead of seeing Andy questioning him in the kitchen about this three-week absence from Merlotte's, Lafayette sees Eric. It may be the one of the most touching moments in the series when Terry kicks his cousin Andy out and goes to comfort Lafayette. Terry tells him to close his eyes and imagine a big ball of warmth. Terry now has a fellow PTSD brother-in-arms.

As Lorena lies in wait at the hotel for the perfect moment to pounce on Bill, she caresses a necklace he gave her in a bloody ramage. It was Chicago 1926 and Bill is singing "Hard-Hearted Hannah" (yes, that's really Stephen Moyer singing and playing the piano) which is this episode's title. Lorena and Bill are lovers, which is unusual in a maker/makee relationship and they've been together 70+ years. They're grifters in the vampire way and take no prisoners with their victims: they will seduce and kill a man in his forties and his blonde flapper mistress. After Bill nashes and gashes the flapper he ceremoniously gives Lorena the girl's necklace. So now we have a peek into Bill's violent past, which he's trying very hard to shed (Bill: "I'm a vampire, I'm supposed to be tormented") Sookie knows that he hung around cruel vampires such as Liam, Diane and Malcolm, but he hasn't told her anything about Lorena and why would he? It's not pleasant and he's trying to regain his humanity now. Stay tuned for more Lorena/Bill/Sookie/Eric dynamics.

Speaking of humanity, Jessica and Hoyt are falling in love and the best line in tonight's episode was from Hoyt who told his mom, Maxine, that the reason Jessica only calls at night is because she's a vampire! Go Hoyt! He then drives to Dallas to spend the night with Jessica -- how sweet.

And now in this episode Eggs has something more to do than swoon over Tara. Looks like he's been glamoured and while on a road trip to get a new pump for the water heater, he makes Tara stop at a wooded enclave he's been before. There is a circle and a blood on a rock. Not good. Eggs doesn't know what's going on. When they return to Bon Temps all is then revealed at a wild orgy in Sookie's backyard: Daphne is the pig that Andy's been chasing (as well as Marianne's familiar) and Sam may be Marianne's sacrificial dog. Tara and Eggs are shocked but then we see them later naked and enjoying themselves around the orgy's bonfire. Andy may come back to save the day since he's the only one left not at the party. And Andy needs some redemption bad.

Next week, Bill's mad as hell, Sookie is in the Fellowship of the Sun dungeon with Hugo the traitor, Jason is brought before Steve, and Sam is in a jam. This episode had plenty of action and definitely was both a set-up show and also furthered the action and Episode 7 promises more good stuff.

Can't wait!

Never Let Me Go, Episode 4

I'm writing this blog now as the True Blood panel (most of the cast, Alan Ball and author of the Sookie Stackhouse series, Charlaine Harris) is all assembled at Comic Con 2009 in San Diego. I just learned that the Tru Blood drink will be available in stores Sept. 10th, which happens to be the season finale of Season 2 and the finale promises to be great. And HBO has renewed True Blood for a third season -- whoopee!

I've spent way too much time online and researching the books for clues as to what will happen over the next 7 episodes. As many of you know I'm a Bill fan and wish that Alan Ball will change a major plot element that's in Book 6 ***SPOILER ALERT*** In this plot twist, Bill doesn't return to Bon Temps to get back to his roots after the last Compton dies; he's summoned by the Queen of Louisiana to find and seduce Sookie Stackhouse and bring her to the Queen. So all that Bill does for Sookie is an obligation to the Queen and not out of love. I have trouble buying this since it's such a contrived plot device to get Bill out of the way for Eric's moves on Sookie. This plot reminds me of the one in Nicholas Sparks's Message in a Bottle where the Robin Wright Penn character meets the Kevin Costner character under false pretenses and then everyone gets mad as hell at her deception. She falls in love with him and he can't forgive her and then he dies at sea. In the next episode of True Blood, Eric summons Lorena, Bill's maker, who is an evil and cruel vampire to lure Bill away from Sookie (which doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me at this point). Lorena's presence will force Bill to lie to Sookie and/or maybe Jessica will catch them together and then tell Sookie -- it doesn't look good. But from the longline spoilers HBO has just released for the August episodes, I think Bill and Sookie are still together -- at least for this season. I hate Lorena and I'm sure she'll find new ways to torment Bill who can't seem to control any part of his life. I would hate that!

Well, back to Episode 5 where we had two WonderTwin couples: Sam and Daphne and Sookie and Barry. The not-so-humans find each other (Daphne's a fawn and perhaps a pawn of Marianne to lure Sam) and Barry is the only one who finds it awful. Even though he quit the Hotel Camilla I bet that he'll return to help Sookie out of her jam at the Fellowship of the Sun church. I read in another True Blood blog that Sookie is very much like Jack from Lost because she and he are always trying to fix things. I can't agree more.

I can't wait for the Hoyt and Jessica relationship to heat up. I wasn't a big fan of Jessica last season, but Deborah Ann Woll is excellent in her role. What will Maxine Fortenberry do to stop the couple? Maxine is Hoyt's domineering mom and although she doesn't have a lot of screentime, she's a fully formed character: obnoxious and a know-it-all. Poor Hoyt has to live with her. Another grown man who has to live with his relatives is Andy Bellefleur. Andy didn't make an appearance in Episode 5, but he'll back tomorrow in Episode 6 to question Tara. I hope he stops drinking. He's one of my favorite secondary characters.

I'm not a big Eric fan, but I like getting to know his character more, especially in this episode where we saw how he was turned by Godric. It was a good turning -- unlike Lorena's ambush of Bill or Jessica's turning being Bill's punishment. Godric asked Eric and knew that he wanted to live forever. Side note: my dad sent my son a book all about the Vikings and I read it to find out more about Eric's old life. Very fascinating stuff: Sweden wasn't the main Viking nation (Denmark was) and Vikings would rather own swords than have nice jewelry. I can think of two things that Eric and Bill have in common: they were both soldiers and farmers.

I can't wait for tomorrow's episode to see if Jason and Sookie collide into each other, to see how Sarah Newlin gets more even with her husband via Jason and what is the mission that Lafayette has to fulfill for Eric? I have the feeling that something must be implanted in Tara by Eggs and Marianne (who posed as Adele Stackhouse, Sookie's gran -- how sick is that!). Some answers will be revealed!

Is it Sunday yet?

Alice

Shake and Fingerpop, Episode 4

In this episode written by Alan Ball and directed by Michael Lehman (who also directed Episode 2) we have a nice flow going of the serious and of the humorous -- probably more than in any previous episode, thanks to Mr. Ball. The show starts off with Jason stumbling into a slasher scene at his dorm after arriving from dinner with the Newlins. Turns out it's fake, but not the lip wound that resembles the lips after our cold-blooded friends have had dinner. Things look like they're heating up between Jason and Sarah Newlin. Jason's trying so hard to stay good and not be like Jason from Season 1 -- a horny toad -- perhaps he thinks God's testing him. But Sarah may be too much for him now he's living in their house and he's been recruited to be their top Soldier of Light.

In the final moments of Episode 3 (from 2 weeks ago) we found Hoyt and Jessica engaged in amorous activities just as Bill and Sookie walk in. Bill tells him to get out and Sookie tells Bill to be understanding (good cop, bad cop -- just like any normal parents). Hoyt leaves without too much fuss and that's it for him in this episode and probably for a while since Sookie convinces Bill to take Jessica with them to Dallas. Sookie says, "You don't like other vampires, do you?" I have to scratch my head on this one since one of the reasons she loves Bill is because he's not like the other vampires (see Malcolm, Diane and Liam from Episode 7, Season 1). There's not too much romance between Bill and Sookie in this episode since they are either getting to Dallas (Sookie's almost kidnapped) or getting interrupted by Eric, who can really fly without going on a plane.

Speaking of Eric -- he wants Lafayette to stay healthy, so he perches himself at Lafayette's house and makes him drink from him. He appealed to Lafayette's desire to keep his limbs intact since he told him that he could smell his infected leg which he may soon lose. Eric likes Lafayette and wants to keep tabs on him because he's Sookie's friend, too, and we all know that Eric has the hots for Sookie. The funniest moment in the episode was when Eric is having a serious conversation with Bill and in the background, Lafayette is bouncing, dry-humping, pumping and gyrating because he's Healed! I love Lafayette even though I thought he was a bit much in Season 1 -- he's grows on you because Nelsan Ellis is a 8th Wonder in this part.

Poor Andy Bellefleur. He's getting drunker by the minute since he doesn't want to go home to his grandma and sister who all live with him in the family house. Andy is a direct descendant of Bill's and I hope we learn more about this connection by the end of Season 2. Andy swears he's seen the pig that distracted Tara and made her run off the road last season since he's seen that same pig in Maryann's dollhouse. Of course no one believes him and he has to turn in his badge to Sheriff Dearborn.

I love Chris Bauer's portrayal of Andy and hope he turns things around for himself, but how can he with Maryann around? She's laying waste to the whole town and laying waste to Sookie's house while Sookie is in Dallas with Bill and Jessica. (I love Bill's line, "She's new," referring to Jessica while they are getting checked into the vamp hotel). I'm getting tired of her vibrating thing and hope that next week we'll see that she is the Maenad from the books. All she wants to do is party and spread her love vibrations around. Apparently Eggs and Tara caught some of these vibrations....

While at the party Daphne reveals that she knows who Sam is -- very interesting indeed. Perhaps she's a shapeshifter too. I love how this show references past episodes and last season. For instance, Sookie told Sam in this show that she didn't mean to lead him on after her grandmother died and she thought Bill wasn't coming back (from Episode 11). Grandma is still very much a strong memory in Sookie's heart and this is evident when Sookie gives Tara a framed photo of all three of them for her birthday. We may never know what Lettie Mae (Tara's mom) gave her for her birthday since Maryann chucked that present in the bushes. Now, that wasn't very nice.

Another strong episode that ends with Sookie meeting Barry, another telepath. Next episode we'll have more confrontations between the Fellowship and the vampires and more on Mariann.

You can be sure I'll be viewing this episode at least 2 more times since I missed a few key lines and it's an Alan Ball episode with too many things going on at once to catch them the first time.

To life immortal,

Alice

Living Dead in Dallas (2nd book in series and template for Season 2)

Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris

My review

rating: 2 of 5 stars
I was glad to start "Living Dead in Dallas" as I was in the middle of "True Blood" on HBO since the series introduced many characters in Book 2 who will also become regulars in True Blood's Season 2. Creator Alan Ball has also mentioned that Season 2 will take a lot of inspiration from "Dead in Dallas," but I hope he improves on the novel.

The novel opens with Sookie finding the dead Lafayette in Andy Bellfleur's patrol car. She then has an encounter with the maenad (Marianne Forrester in the show) and then she and Bill head to Dallas to help Stan the Dallas vampire chief find his missing nestmate. Here in Dallas we meet the Fellowship of the Sun -- which I believe will be an important antagonist in Season 2. Sookie gets beat up a lot from beginning to end and after she and Bill survive two lovers' fights she helps Andy find who killed Lafayette. She kisses Eric the vampire and likes it and Bill doesn't seem to be all that jealous. This novel is full of plotholes (now, really, Bill doesn't know how he's related to the Bellefleurs and he hasn't looked at the family Bible since he's been living in Bon Temps?)and swift summaries -- like Harris knew she was going to go back and elaborate on her scenes, but never did. Perhaps she was bored with them and needed filler. Most of the cat and mouse scenes in Dallas reminded me of a Nancy Drew mystery and I couldn't finish this book long after I started it. But after Sookie and Bill leave Dallas the action picks up. In fact whenever Eric, Sookie and Bill are in a scene together (pick Eric/Sookie or Bill/Sookie) the writing is full of energy and is extremely enjoyable to read. Why can't all of the book be this way?

As some of the other reviewers have stated, I found Sookie very annoying in this book because she's written like a selfish bimbo. She is looking to pick a fight with Bill and seems to totally forget he's a vampire - Hello?!

I prefer everything about the show to the books, so far, but I like the books for the background information since the show throw's so much information at you to digest right away. All I can say, is Harris is a good writer, not a great writer, and she gave Alan Ball plenty to work with.


View all my reviews.

Dead Until Dark Book Review (the 1st book in the series)

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

My review

(Writer's Note: I wrote this post in Nov 2008 during True Blood, Season 1)

rating: 3 of 5 stars
I'm now a big fan of HBO's True Blood - in fact, I look forward to the repeats! But the first episode of True Blood didn’t hook me until Vampire Bill presented at the night meeting of the Descendants of the Glorious Dead (Episode 5). Poor Bill Compton, make a vampire only when he was trying to find a safe haven after the Civil War ended. When I found out that True Blood was first the Sookie Stackhouse series, I got the first book in the series right away. It's told from Sookie's point of view and she's a likeable voice -- intelligent, a little corny and very brave.I got the book with the "True Blood" photo on it and it's a lot better than the original cover.

If you’re familiar with the HBO Series, then I’d recommend reading Charlaine Harris’s Sookie Stackhouse “Southern Vampire Mystery Series.” Harris is a competent writer, although she’s no Alan Ball, the series’ writer and creator. What I mean by that is that Ball uses clever foreshadowing, objects as emotional connections (Sookie’s grieves over Gran’s death by slowly eating her pecan pie and Bill grieves over his human loss by throwing an antique toaster into the fire), and fine characterizations to give as much weight to this series as it can hold. Both the book and series have humor, but the series’ humor is definitely dark without being silly. Without Ball’s fine touch, True Blood would descend into a cheesy drama found on Fox that probably would have last 3 shows. But to her credit, Harris sustains a very quick pace throughout the book, never slowing down too long for personal reflection or to smell the flowers. Her Sookie is a character who is quick to anger, naïve, and assumes the worst in her boyfriend Bill. Sookie (the book is told in first person) has to tell the reader exactly what she’s wearing – one of the dangers of using first person, but at least she doesn’t look in mirrors all of the time. Because of its fast pace, Sookie doesn’t have a chance to grieve over Gran’s death and minor characters aren’t given the chance to develop like they do in the show. Sadly, Jason, Arlene, Rene, Sam and especially Lafayette are one-note characters. Andy Bellfleur, surprisingly, is fairly well-drawn and we know more about him in the book than in the show. Perhaps Tara makes an appearance further in the series, but she’s nonexistent here. Dead Until Dark is sometimes serious and sometimes goofy, but always entertaining. I couldn’t put it down and finished it within a week as I worked on other reading and writing projects. That said, I loved Harris’s characterization of Bill and his love scenes with Sookie were well-written. They were neither quick and pat or X-rated, ala Anne Rice. She writes this line using a strong sensory image as Bill and Sookie are about to consummate their relationship, “My hands began to rub his arms helplessly. Strangely, I thought of a pan of caramels my grandmother had put on the stove for a candy recipe, and I thought of the melted, warm sweet goldenness of them.” Bill’s phrasing is just like in the series — he sounds both old fashioned and modern, depending upon the situation. When Arlene’s kids find out he doesn’t give Sookie flowers, he tells them, “I must mend my ways.”



I’d like to read more of Harris’s vampire series, one because I like Sookie’s voice, and two, because I now care about the characters, which is more a result of the show True Blood than this book.








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Scratches, Episode 3

This episode focused on relationship building using real dialogue between Sookie + Bill, Hoyt + Jessica, Tara + Eggs and Jason + Sara. This episode also addressed emotional and physical pain -- more of which will be coming in droves in later episodes, to be sure. The emotional pull of the show wasn't so much Bill and Sookie, but Jason. Sure, we want to dismiss Jason Stackhouse as a selfish ex-jock, V and sex addict, but as we've known from his scenes with Eddie the Vampire from last season, Jason is a sensitive fellow, but he's pushed his emotions down to where he can't figure them out. A quick recap: Jason is enjoying his first couple of days at Fellowship of the Sun Leadership Camp as guilts starts creeping into his consciousness. He's being told by Steve and Sarah Newlin that vampires are EVIL and must be killed, while he knows that Eddie was a good guy that Amy, his V-addict girlfriend kidnapped and staked (Lafayette, by the way, is being held in Eric's dungeon below Fangtasia because of Eddie's disappearance). Jason wonders what God's purpose is and why He sent him to leadership camp after he experiences a vison of Eddie climbing in bed with him. Jason also screams himself out of sleep at the same time his sister, Sookie, is suffering from her bite wounds from the Bull Man/Maryann. In a later scene, Jason reveals to Sarah after a group therapy session that he doesn't know why he's here. She tells him that her sister Amber was kidnapped and killed by vampires and that what they share in common is that they try to see the good in people and ignore the bad. I predict that Jason and Sarah will hook up because "Sarah doesn't whip out her pudding for just anybody."
Speaking of hooking up, a very cleaned-up looking Jessica finds Hoyt at Merlotte's and brings him home. Hoyt loves the fact that Jessica is a vampire and says that it's "great" that she is. Then then proceeds to violently kiss him and Bill and Sookie walk in. Jessica, word to the wise: don't bring strange men home!
I loved how Sookie helps Lafayette escape by agreeing to find Eric's fellow sheriff in Dallas -- very clever plotting that's almost like the book, "Dead in Dallas." Except in the book, there's no Lafayette in a dungeon since he was the one found in Detective Andy's car. After Bill and Sookie bring him home after his nightmare, Lafayette wraps his grandmother's or his mother's shawl around him and cries. This kind of emotion is what makes this show more than just a show about vampires.

This was a good episode, although not as full and funny as Episode 2. It was a build up episode and the real energy was in scenes involving Eric, Jason and Jessica. Bill did a little too much exposition at the beginning when he drives crazily in Sookie's yellow car -- "I had to glamour them", but how else are we viewers supposed to know that Bill didn't kill off Jessica's family? Another good moment was when Bill stops Eric from giving Sookie his blood. Problems will come up when Eric eventually gives Sookie his blood -- I can see it happening now. Looks like from the previews that Tara is coming back to her old self after seeing everyone having sex at Maryann's pool party -- good for her! But, I have a few questions: did Detective Bellfleur participate in the debauchery? What will Bill do about Jessica (I think she's going with him and Sookie to Dallas).

A few things that made me go hmmmmm...
how did Ginger know that Sookie was Lafayette's friend?
how did Bill get to Jessica's parents without a car -- does he run that fast? Her home is near Shreveport.
how did Jessica know about Merlotte's?
It doesn't seem that Bill had any time to get his BMW from Bon Temps to retrieve Sookie and Lafayette

What do you think?


There's no episode next Sunday, July 5th, so see a new posting on Sunday, July 12th for Episode 4.

Till then!
Alice (aka Bill Lover)

Keep This Party Going, Episode 2

Episode 2 was all about intimate conversations between characters that usually don't talk to each other: Sam/Andy, MaryAnn/Sookie, Lafayette/Eric. I loved all of Layfayette's lines starting with Eric asking him if he has blood in his hair and how Pam will kill him if he does. Eric: "Do you want to meet her (Pam)?" Layfayette: "No, I'm good." And later on when Lafayette pleads for his life to Eric and crew, "I want to be your bad-ass vampire." The pace never slowed down and the conflict and stakes were stretched taut-- ready for Episode 3. Even within the drama, there were quite a few funny moments -- Eric and Bill running into each other in the Juniors' department at Dillards is a good example. And Andy watching dancing like a "epileptic on meth" was priceless -- what else will MaryAnn do to the good folks of Bon Temps? Speaking of MaryAnn -- how is she downing all of those hamburgers and onion rings?

After last week's episode I hoped that someone would remember Eddie the Suburban vampire -- well, he's now tormenting Jason Stackhouse's thoughts since Jason liked and respected Eddie. Eddie died at the hands of Amy Burley and Jason will never be the same. Eric noticed Eddie's disappearance (I'm glad someone did!) and captured Lafayette to get some answers. Lafayette tells him Jason probably did it, but Eric knows getting Jason can't help in his work to get Sookie to do more business for him. Jason is also torn since he knows he's a vampire sympathizer, because of Eddie and Bill (I think that him listening to Bill at the church meeting changed his mind about a few things).

I was wondering if Bill put a spell on Jessica so she doesn't leave the house -- why does she need Sookie's help to go visit her parents and try to kill her dad? Could Bill have sensed something wrong before he tore the Hamby door off of the hinges? I loved when he told Sookie to "Shut up!" and "Get the hell out of here while I clean up your mess!" Great stuff -- but I like any scene Bill is in.

Predictions for Episode 3:

Bill glamours the Hamby family -- Bill doesn't kill innocent people (now I don't know what he'll do with the dad)

Jason and Sarah Newlin have an intimate moment

Bill and Sookie fight and make up

Hoyt and Jessica hook up

Terry and Arlene hook up

Sookie finds the "new" Lafayette at Fangtasia

Eric squeezes Bill into making Sookie go to Dallas to find Godric the 2K old vampire

MaryAnn works more of her evil at Merlotte's and in the woods

Till next Sunday!

Season 2, Nothing But the Blood

After watching all of HBO's promo videos and catching up from Season 1, I felt prepared for Season 2 in that I knew Sookie would confront Bill on trust issues and that MaryAnn was going to mess with Sam's head. I also wondered if Uncle Bartlett's death would be explained or if Eddie the vampire or Malcolm's, Diane and Liam's deaths would also be avenged. And what about Lafayette or the dead person in Andy's car? I had seen a spoiler that Lafayette would end up in a dungeon and would possibly become a vampire - very cool. I've grown to appreciate Nelsan Ellis's portrayal of Lafayette after watching countless hours of Season 1 -- this guy can do some improv and it'd be a shame if he was let go from the cast.

And back to Episode 1, Nothing But the Blood

We find out right away that Miss Jeannette is the dead person in the car, which leads to a most excellent confrontation between Tara, MaryAnn and Lettie Mae. Bring it on! Jason misses Amy and Sookie miss Gran -- I'm so glad these missing characters are mentioned in Season 2 and not completely forgotten! Andy is doing some heavy drinking, as is Sam...hmmm... is this MaryAnn's orgiastic influence? Tara and Eggs share a kiss in front of Sam. I loved how Bill tells Jessica she has a 4am curfew and shows her the recycle bins -- he's a very sustainable vampire! Bill tells Sookie he loves her and calls her his "miracle" -- what great writing. Bill hasn't felt love for 140 years! And Royce the redneck confides in Lafayette about an erotic encounter at Safety Patrol Camp back when he was 15 - I guess that's what happens when your cellmates -- all secrets are on the table. Unfortunately for Royce the vampire-hater (he squirted garlic at Bill in Episode 5, Season 1 with his cronies), Eric Northman dispatches him. I love how Eric has come down to the dungeon as he's getting his hair done -- he has the cape and highlights all in.

Great episode -- lots going on, but still there were touching, tender moments. Can't wait for Episode 2 when Jessica sees her family again and takes her father to task -- what will Bill do?

till next time!

Less Than 2 Weeks Away

I spent some time today reviewing the True Blood Season 2 promos on You Tube as well as watching the Alan Ball special on HBO tonight. Many of you know that Season 2 follows the 2nd book in the series: Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris. I don't feel it's as strong as the first book, Dead Until Dark, which mirrors much of Season 1. But thank goodness Alan Ball, our beloved and intrepid creator, has taken serious liberties with the characters and situations so that the emotion and drama are heightened in typical Ball-style.

So after watching the promos I noticed Jason Stackhouse has cleaned up, Sookie is looking all Olivia Newton-John like (at the end of Grease) and Bill looks very tormented because it's hard being a vampire in love with a human while your boss, Eric, is also in love with her. I'm sure we'll have a lot of conflict between Marianne and Sam, Tara and Marianne, Bill and Sookie, Bill and Jessica, Bill and Eric and Sookie and Jason. Looks like there'll be plenty of violence, sex and blood. Maybe a little romance and lots of blood. I'm ready~