Writer: Brian Buckner
Director: Daniel Minahan
Originally Aired: 06/13/2010
Grade: A-
I have to admit that my thorough enjoyment of the first season of The Vampire Diaries really dampened my enthusiasm for the return of True Blood. I went into the third season premiere with pretty low expectations, but I ended up pleasantly surprised. Sookie is less annoying, Bill is sexier, Eric is still Eric, the werewolves are actually wolves, and Maryann is gone (though the aftershocks are definitely still wreaking havoc in Bon Temps). I also thought the screentime felt pretty equally parceled out amongst the cast, which I hope can continue.
I’ll start where the episode does, with Sookie. She was surprisingly, and admirably, restrained while talking to Kenya about Bill’s disappearance. I expected her to be downright hysterical, but she was really rather calm (for Sookie, anyway). She’s continuing to adjust to the craziness that is her life, and my eardrums are grateful. I also liked the classic Sookie hair toss and flounce after Jessica told Sookie there’s a head ‘possum under Bill’s house. I’ve always said I was fine with her having flaws but wanted it toned down—have her act like a twat once per episode, not three times per episode, y’know? This episode felt like they got that balance right, for the most part.
Bill was sexier in general in this episode, but Sam’s sexy blood bond dream with Bill was awesome. Stupid me, I was actually sitting there thinking, “What’s up with all this weird hoyay? Does Bill have a bisexual streak that we’re only just now finding out about?” Most vampire fictions have some homoerotic kink to them by nature, but this was undeniably blatant, so I probably should have known it was a dream. Then again, I think about 50% of the casting info and minor spoilers for this season involve homosexual relationships or experiences, so I’m not too terribly embarrassed to have fallen for it. And damn, Stephen Moyer really, really went for it.
I also found it interesting that this episode drew parallels between Bill and past villains. We see Bill clawing his way out of the earth, followed a few minutes later by a backlit silhouette shot reminiscent of our first glimpse of Maryann in maenad form in “Scratches.” Bill preying on the old woman was also reminiscent of the flashback to Lorena turning Bill, except Bill was playing both himself and Lorena this time. He was much kinder than Lorena could ever dream of being, but I do wonder if the writers are trying foreshadow an exceptionally dark Bill arc this season. Whatever they have planned, I’m looking forward to it, because Bill is already ten times more interesting out on his own, away from Sookie. (And the same is potentially true of Sookie, although I’ll be satisfied if she can just remain likable.)
I’m curious to know what was up with Pam’s insincere effort to stop Sookie from stomping into the Fangtasia basement looking for Eric. Did she really want a glimpse of naked Yvette that badly? Does she feel threatened by Eric and Sookie’s growing closeness, and thus hoped that seeing Eric jackhammering away at a silicon-enhanced dancer* would repel Sookie? Did she just want to see Sookie’s reaction, either to gauge it or because she thought it would be funny? Or were Eric and Pam working a plan?
I can imagine Eric sensing through the blood bond that an upset Sookie might be paying him a visit and thus setting up the little vamp sex display. Overloading Sookie with that imagery is kind of genius, because it keeps her at a distance emotionally, but also forcefully inserts his sexual presence into her waking thoughts (he's already in her sexy dreams, thanks to their blood bond). Personally, I think getting fucked at warp speed for six hours sounds incredibly boring, and I doubt Sookie found it attractive, per se, but still. You don’t witness that and not think about it later. I also think that scene supports what I thought the writers were doing last season with her mushy Eric dreams—her DreamEric isn’t RealEric, at least not yet, in any sort of tangible way.
I’m also intrigued by why Eric got so upset about Bill’s kidnapping. Was his blood bond with Sookie making him feel hysterical and crabby about it? Was he simply devastated that someone stole his favorite squeaky toy? Was he afraid of what the Queen might do if she finds out?
And speaking of the Queen, she’s even more annoying this season. Both times we’ve seen her, she was putting on an act, but she’s a terrible actress. Which kind of makes Evan Rachel Wood seem like a terrible actress, but I don’t think she is. It usually takes a good actor to pull off a character who is a bad actor. Still, my ears almost bled at, “An act of self-loathing. So shameful. That whoever is responsible. Should fall on his own stake.” Sophie-Anne’s bad acting doesn’t endear her to me, because she’s a spoiled, petulant, pretentious, overly-dramatic twat. She’s kind of like early Blair Waldorf as a vampire queen, with all her worst qualities magnified by super-strength and political power.
A few other bits and pieces:
Everything with Jason and Andy was hilarious, as usual, especially Andy crawling in through Jason’s window to throw off anyone tailing him. Of course, I expect that storyline to get increasingly darker, but then again, maybe it won't.
On the one hand, I’m sad about Jessica’s first kill, but on the other hand, it was such an inevitability that I’m not exactly worked up over it. She’ll probably dwell on it enough for the both of us, so why bother?
Lettie Mae was her usual misguided, dense, self-absorbed self, seeing Tara’s devastation as a way to bind her daughter to her, and putting all her faith in the healing power of Jesus rather than dealing with reality.
Overall, this was a good start to the season, and I hope they can keep it up. (Knowing this show, that sounds like a bad pun. It was unintentional, I swear!)
No comments:
Post a Comment