Greetings, fangbangers. As per usual, Sally, Thomas, and I weigh in on Sunday’s episode below the cut, where there are spoilers, recriminations, and much discussion of eye candy.
And now for the weather. Tiffany?
TRIGGER WARNING: This recap includes discussion of rape and violence against women.
Sookie and Bill are back together. Again. Sookie calls Bill out on his creepy, spying ways, and Bill is mostly able to convince her that he’s on the up-and-up. In the meantime, he is surprised to find himself bathed in sunlight at Claudine’s, where Claudine accuses Bill of drinking all of Sookie’s blood, and Bill is able to convince Claudine to tell him what kind of supe Sookie is. Cliffhanger!
SALLY: I was disappointed that their break-up lasted less than a day and just the next day her only “you’re a creepy creeper” moment lasts just a few minutes. Why couldn’t they have at least held out more than an episode? They would’ve had that complicated sex scene and then after an episode or two, she could think deeply about everything and then reconcile.
But the cliffhanger! That was way cooler! I’m still a bit confused at how Bill ended up in dreamland, but if Claudine told him about Sookie, then that’s a nice little turn of events there.
THOMAS: Sookie said what I most wanted her to say: that to protect her, Bill has to treat her as an adult and tell her what’s going on, instead of hiding things from her and treating her like a child. I agree that they have resolved the issue way too quickly. However, I don’t believe Bill for a second, and lying to her right after she gives the big speech about being honest and telling her what’s going on should be fatal to their relationship. I suspect it won’t be, in part because the show wants to keep Paquin and Moyer together due to their offscreen relationship, but for the show it should be.
LAUREN: I actually just died of boredom.
As Russell Edgington rallies against assimilation, saying that humans and vampires are no equals, Nan Flanagan and The Authority give Eric permission to have his revenge against Russell, as long as he dispatches his plans quickly, quietly, and under the human radar, lest this ruin their chances at achieving the Vampire Rights Amendment. Russell has no plans of giving up his crusade to turn a world of humans into an all-you-can-eat vamp buffet, or of keeping his plans private. Eric, meanwhile, has to figure out how to best a vampire who has 2,000 years of strength and experience over his own.
LAUREN: Also, the Authority’s police force looks like a bad Robocop remake. The Robocop costumes are all I can remember of this episode after seeing Russell conduct a national newscast with an anchorman’s spine in his hand, declaring himself “the true face of vampires!”
SALLY: Those Robocops were awesome. I kept hoping they’d do more fancy, robotic moves, or perhaps break into a choreographed dance number or something.
THOMAS: Given my character preferences, this was a nearly perfect episode for me. The only thing was, as the end neared, I was thinking that there were not any surprises. Then Russell pulled a guy’s spine out on live TV. I was surprised.
Russell is courtly and loathsome. I think the show has been playing with imagery of the antebellum South and the horrors of slavery to set up a subtle message that Russell is worse that we could possibly imagine in all the ways that we should loathe the antebellum South. You’ve discussed that before, and I didn’t much like it; I thought those were fucked up images to let pass without commentary. But they finally sprung it, and whatever one thinks about how it was handled, it wasn’t an accident. Russell addressing the camera was mean to be indistinguishable from a slaveholding, plantation-owning advocate of succession. The parallel is really muddled and perhaps ill-considered, but it’s not accidental.
LAUREN: That is a wonderful observation, Thomas. It’s one of those nasty parts of American history that gets glossed over and cleaned up because it’s more fun to imagine the wealth and grandeur and manners of the Old South than it is to face the brutality, torture, and vast power differentials that propped up the facade. Russell is a charming character in that he is wealthy, mannered, educated, and worldly, just like we imagine the upper crust of the antebellum period. But when the way they gained their wealth was exploiting the bodies of a class of people — as Russell desires to do — and denying them their humanity by advocating their inability to live according to the standards of the ruling class, it ain’t so effing romantic. I agree it’s an awkward metaphor, but it is a good move in my opinion to reveal the mannered gentleman as a monster. The catch is that Russell’s screed against humanity will strike a positive nerve with many folks in the audience who have knee-jerk reactions against yuppie cultural markers.
THOMAS: I do have a plot question, though. Eric implied last season that Godric was the most powerful vampire in the Americas, and I understood Godric to be about 2000 years old and a human contemporary of Jesus Christ. Russell is over a thousand years older. Eric didn’t say Godric was the oldest, and perhaps he meant that Godric was more powerful or more respected. Or perhaps Russell was in Europe at the time, though it seems this season that Russell has been King of Mississippi for a long time. The two are not necessarily inconsistent, but they appear to be inconsistent. Is it a continuity error?
LAUREN: Eric said something in this episode that kind of cleared that up, in that he said he thought Russell had met “the true death” some years ago. Thus since Eric didn’t know about Russell, we didn’t know about Russell, and so forth.
Now, we can’t go on without discussing Russell carrying around — and talking to! — his beloved’s guts in a crystal urn. IT LOOKED LIKE AMBROSIA SALAD. I’ve been mooney-eyed about this character all season, and truly, Russell Edgington is the best villain committed to the small screen I’ve seen in a long time.
THOMAS: Say what you want about Russell, but he loved Talbot. Say what you want about Eric, but after staking Talbot, when he was questioned, he owned it.
SALLY: Russell is magical, he’s simply too hilarious for words. I loved how he turned the urn when showing Dead BF the Robocops, because, OF COURSE, that’s where his face was! DUH! As for his actual speech and world domination plans, that had to be one of the best True Blood moments ever. Especially when he licked the blood.
But poor Eric has quite the task, doesn’t he? I hope it all works out okay and there’s no need for too much more ambrosia salad. The nice moment between Eric and Pam had me a bit worried that she might die before the season ends, but that’s mostly paranoia given what this show has put me through.
THOMAS: Russell made a huge tactical mistake. Eric got what he wanted, a free pass to kill Russell. But as Eric understood, he was at a huge disadvantage. When Russell scuttled the VRA on purpose, he badly misplayed his hand. Instead of a one-on-one with a weaker, isolated Eric with the Authority holding the ring, now he’s made enemies of everyone who is anyone and Eric probably gets support from the Authority, of from powerful members thereof. Also, this all saves Sophie Ann’s ass, though how is not clear. I suspect she actually survives.
LAUREN: To be determined, definitely. There primary thing about this storyline that I have enjoyed this season is that We The Audience have had to commit to the exploration of what the world would really look like if vampires lived among us, and it’s not all blood, guts, and sexy time. This exploration of power dynamics in vampire world, and how the vampires’ institutional powers are as clumsy and corrupt as ours can be, has been contrasted by various human reactions to vampires, from intrigue to cultural tourism to bigotry to fundamentalism.
It’s interesting to me to see how the show tries to pull together all these elements with some success and some failure. Ultimately I think the show’s legacy is dependent on the show carrying on a larger theme and storyline that will carry though the life of the show — one that has NOTHING TO DO WITH SOOKIE AND BILL’S ROMANCE — and whether the show will start to dig into these cultural hot spots that it is so fond of. If they can’t figure out how to tell a story without peeping into Paquin and Moyer’s bedroom, and without committing to this social justice story that it keeps hinting at, this is just another throwaway popcorn show.
Tara is learning how to deal with the trauma of Franklin’s violence against her, and begins attending a recovery group for women who have experienced sexual violence. Tara struggles with learning how to trust people again, and is conflicted about her relationships with Lafayette, Sookie, Jason, and others. We also learn that Holly, the new waitress at Merlotte’s, is part of this recovery group.
THOMAS: Three cheers for Tara, and three cheers for the writers for dealing with Tara’s experiences as rape. She was kidnapped and raped by a sociopath. She knows she can’t just open up to those closest to her, but for all her dismissal, she figured out that working through it will people she doesn’t have so much history with is exactly what she needs to do, and she is doing it. When Franklin came back, she almost died but she never cowered. She found something in herself, and it won’t leave her. When I saw that it was Jason who saved her, though, I knew exactly what was in that shotgun, and I thought, “noooooooooooooo!” Tara’s crush on Jason is going to come rushing back, and there’s nothing they will do with that that I am remotely interested in. Worst development in the season, from my perspective.
SALLY: I was already worried about that when she saw him talking to Crystal and got a “hey, I used to love him” look in her eye. Do not want.
LAUREN: It’s interesting to me that we had two mentions of rape in this episode, one where the show is brave enough to label Tara’s rape and kidnapping as such, but then punctuates this with Crystal false accusations of rape and kidnapping against Jason.
THOMAS: I understand Crystal’s conflict; all her options have fallout in multiple directions and it’s neither easy to forsee it nor to live with it. She’s not on a path at all, she’s just dodging trees at very high speed. This can’t end well, we just don’t know how bad yet.
SALLY: I also noticed this and was impressed that they called attention to Tara’s rape multiple times. It was more than I expected of them. Her encounter with Franklin was a really strong moment for Tara, and seeing her stand up to somebody again after what she’s been through this season was the highlight of the episode.
LAUREN: I’m conflicted with how Franklin was handled. He was a fun character, briefly, because of the good work of the actor and some silly writing, but the silliness relied on us not taking the rape and kidnapping of Tara seriously. I kept waiting for some wacky one-liner to bubble up on Sunday, but it didn’t. Which was good. But still.
SALLY: I’m happy that Holly is helping everyone, but something about her seems off. Now, that could be because almost every nice person in this show turns out to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing, but I just thought I’d throw that out there.
THOMAS: Sally, I am so with you on that. What is it about Holly? I feel like her severe features are supposed to be a tipoff about her, and like Merlotte’s can’t just hire a waitress who is normal. I feel, as a viewer, like I’m being set up.
We are reintroduced to sex-crazed, dishonest Tommy, who is back to backtalking Sam and stealing from Arlene at the bar after briefly being kind and vulnerable. He continues to stick up for Jessica, whose relationship with Hoyt is still stricken and unresolved. Meanwhile Sam has a violent and uncontrolled outburst at the bar that puts Crystal’s father in the hospital.
THOMAS: When Sam beat up Crystal’s father, I cheered. The scene somewhat paralleled the one in Fight Club where Tyler beats Jared Leto’s character’s face into pulp, and the whole crowd thought it was overboard, except for Tommy. Except for Tommy, and me. Call me a big meanie, I think that if an abusive father comes to collect his daughter by force and make her go through with an arranged marriage, he deserves to get beat into a coma. They had threatened Sam in his own place before.
SALLY: These storylines are boring me. Aside from the cute moment between Hoyt and Jessica, I found myself not caring what happens to these people. I think these plot points are taking too long to connect with each other or were boring for one too many episodes.
THOMAS: I love Sam, but he mishandled Tommy’s loud party. He came off as a scolding parent when he could have just said, “Tommy, it’s great to see you having a good time, but I rent to the folks next door and if you have the music up and make a racket while their kids are trying to sleep you’re making a problem for me. Have fun, but keep it down.” Tommy’s capable of reacting to anything like an asshole, of course, but that provides him a lot less fuel. However, and maybe because I like Sam and I sympathize with Tommy, I am in no way bored.
SALLY: I can certainly agree about Sam, especially since he was already coming off as old party-pooper before. Even worse, though, was him letting himself get worked up because of what Tommy said to him. I guess it’s good for him to finally let his aggression out, but he really should have thought all of that out.
LAUREN: I’ve got to see this act as something else, but what I don’t know. Is Sam mourning the second loss of his parents? Does he miss Tara? Is he just pissed about Tommy and these abusive dickheads telling him what to do in his own bar? I don’t know, because the character isn’t getting fleshed out. He’s just out there floundering while season guest stars happen to him over and over.
Lafayette and Jesus continue to be adorable. Do we want them to have narrative drama, or are we content with them indefinitely being adorable?
SALLY: I’m sure at some point I’ll want more, but I’m really enjoying the lack of drama at the moment. I think the chaos and bad news all over the place is becoming too much. For example, the very small but sweet moment when Tara told Lafayette she was happy for him put a huge smile on my face.
THOMAS: Alfre Woodard is a master of her craft. Watching her work is just a joy. Ruby Jean is so layered and so interesting, and it provides a great look at what is below the surface of Lafayette.
LAUREN: She really is. I think it’s a dangerous spot to be in, playing Crazy Black Lady on a show with so much racefail, but Woodard is able to build a full character with so little. It is truly a joy to have her on the show. If she isn’t able to take on more presence they are wasting her talent.
It seems Nan Flanagan’s preferred snack is also attractive young women. Just female bodies for display, or part of he vampire world?
THOMAS: The woman-on-woman sex and biting seems cheap. If they want to show Pam getting down with a woman I’ll watch as much as they’ll show me. But it seems like there isn’t a powerful woman vampire on the show who doesn’t log airtime with her fangs in a skinny, conventionally attractive naked woman. Obviously the show is less shy than any since maybe Oz about man-on-man sex, so it seems more balanced than it otherwise might, and the show revolves around providing fantasy fuel in various combinations. Perhaps the writers are making an argument for inherent vampire bisexuality, but Sophie Ann and Pam appear to have favored females as partners mostly or exclusively for a long time; and Bill female partners, which would be counterexamples. Do vamps have a sexual orientation? If so, why are all the women queer but only a few of the men?
LAUREN: Yeah, I’m a little confused by the sexual dynamics of vampires. To date, bisexuality has been used as a way to denote sexual sophistication. “Bisexuality” doesn’t even seem like the right term. Perhaps “pansexual”. Ha, or “Dionysian.”
There are only three episodes left in the season, and a lot of storylines to resolve. Predictions?
SALLY: Well, I’m assuming Sam and Tommy are going to need to fight Crystal’s family. Jessica and Hoyt will need to get back together before the season ends, or at least kiss again or something.
LAUREN: Either Sam and Tommy are going to fight Crystal’s family, or Sam and Tommy are going to be key to fighting the werewolves. Alcide can’t be gone yet either. Eric and Pam will be amazing, but I fear Pam will get staked before the season ends. Russell can’t, or shouldn’t, just be a monster of the season since this is a story that could easily go on for several.
THOMAS: It looks like Hoyt and Summer are about done, which is about right. She’s annoying enough to make a play for Jason next, which would be like a Gojira versus Mothra of annoying. Hoyt and Jessica belong together. Jessica was made so young that she hadn’t really learned to be a person, and now she hasn’t really learned to be a vampire, so it’s a steep curve for her. But she and Hoyt have been through a lot and they both have had to relearn much of their lives from scratch recently, and I think they’re good for each other. I wonder if, a few years down the road, Jessica turns Hoyt and they ride off into the moonlight together. He’d make a dapper vamp.