True Blood 1.08 and 1.09

[bop_radar]

I didn't get a chance to post on last week's True Blood episode but I did natter in taragel's journal about it. And I'm still besotted with this show.

WOW is staking/vampire death disgusting in this universe! Wow. I don't know what this show is going to do to my nightmares, but I must say I was grateful for the comedic framing because otherwise I might have been hurling like Ginger... But with Pam standing by looking so bored, and poor Sookie all blood-soaked, it was hard to take it too seriously.

I have very conflicted feelings about Eric and Pam. On the one hand, I find Pam especially extremely charismatic and interesting. On the other hand they are SCARY. Glamouring Ginger so much she's got hardly any sense of self left... that's really creepy. They were cool in Merlotte's though, and very funny. I am interested in Eric's claim that they know who killed the vampires and can tell when someone has wronged one of their kind. It may be all talk, but it could have truth in it. And I'm beginning to wonder who among the vampires IS on board with the mainstream Nan Flanigan brigade... Eric's scathing retort about Bill being their 'poster boy' is interesting. He's the only 'mainstreaming' vamp we've met, but surely there must be lots of them if they've gone public? And they can't all be getting in trouble like Bill, can they?

Equally conflicted feelings regarding Bill. He is clearly lying to Sookie and that worries me. When he's with other vampires he capitulates completely and it seems like he's told Sookie next to nothing of the vampire politics which are evidently a Very Big Deal. I believe that he loves her, that he wants what he says to be true but in this episode we saw that his words are empty... things are NOT ok, and he doesn't have complete power to protect her.

How cool was it to hear Sookie saying she didn't like needing to be protected, that it made her feel like the helpless little girl again? I loved that and I also like that she's now haunted by her grandmother's death as well as what's followed it. It's much clearer now that she is barely holding it together and that losing herself in love for Bill was in part a coping mechanism. I'm glad she had Tara to turn to when Bill left but I do worry for her. Not so much because of the killer out there (though that too) but because of her emotional state.

So Sam IS the cute dog! YESSSSSS! \o/ I am very happy about this. I really loved him in this episode--he was being a gentleman all round. I love that he likes Tara enough to bring flowers, apologise and then give money for her exorcism. Tara is not an easy person to court and Sam could have given up. She expects that he won't accept her--but he showed he would by facilitating the exorcism. Question is: will Tara accept him when it's her turn to find out what shape Sam's 'fucked up' takes?

It seems to me that Bill knows about Sam--he so deliberately sought him out and asked him to protect Sookie. And, well, they did hang out on the lawn together that time. ;)

Loved the 'what can you stomach?' theme of this episode. Pam and Eric ask how Bill can stand mainstreaming and drinking Tru Blood. Sookie can 'stomach' a lot and wins Pam's admiration (with femslashy undertones) for that. And Jason struggles to stomach the reality of what he and Amy are doing to Eddie.

I am coming round to liking Jason. *sheepish* I mean, he's still one dumbass bitch (thanks LaFayette!) but now that he's paired up against a true psychopath he compares a little better. His conscience was showing and although he took the V and was initially angry at Eddie, I think it says a lot that he got drawn into conversation with him and that then he went and got him some blood. That conversation was absolutely classic too--with the 'we're meant to look like you' comment. I don't know how much I buy the 'a boy really needs a father around to learn how to be a man' argument, but since Jason lost both his parents, I do think the fact he lacks a role model is an issue. And in this context, the idea that Eddie worries about how his son might turn out--and the fact that Jason sees the disapproval in his eyes--worked really well.

Amy is scary as hell. And completely hypocritical. According to her, everything in the universe is perfect and connected... except vampires, which exist to be fed-off. Yikes! That scene with them having the idyllic picnic with the screaming in the background was crazy. She's dangerous because she is actually good for Jason in some ways. She has got him to open up, she's got him to admit his feelings and hey, the good diet thing can't do any harm... (though her reasons are crazycakes!). It's going to be hard for Jason to shake lose from her because she feels like such a good thing. But ultimately she is bad news and her 'live in the now' ethos hides some horrible actions. I loved Jason's initial reaction to that: his 'I've gone entire months without thinking about shit' (hahaha, I believe you!) 'but this now is shit'.

Bill playing golf on the Wii?! Adorably hilarious!

And now Sookie is going to find out about Sam. OH MY GOD! I laughed and yet I'm actually on the edge of my seat to see how this one works out...

Oh, shoutout love for my favourite support cast members:
- Poor Rene!! OMG, he didn't need crazy Jason nearly killing him! :(
- Poor Hoyt, who also got his head bitten off by Jason. He's such a good guy.
- Not much LaFayette in this ep though... I want him to beat Amy's ass when he finds out what she did to Eddie.

Comments

[elzed.livejournal.com]

Oh, ITA on wanting Lafayette to come down on psycho Amy like a ton of bricks - that woman is truly scary. At first I thought she was just a V junkie, but Eddie's right - she is a psychopath.

And my only problem re: Sam is the dog is - for heaven's sake, we have seen them together! Or was that a decoy doggie? That really threw me off the scent.

[giggleloop.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking it's either a decoy dog, or that there's more than one of them (dog people, that is). Either way, awesome. :)

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Amy has the psychopath's total lack of empathy. Also, in her story about bad things having happened to her therefore she deserves love, I think we saw a hint of how she justifies the attrocities her hedonistic lifestyle demands. It may be true that she's suffered, but she's definitely turned it round on others and her sense of entitlement is huge.

I'm going to have to go back and see again... I'm thinking decoy dog, and maybe it really WAS Sam's brother? *lol*

[elzed.livejournal.com]

Yes, clearly he comes from a naturist family. Of canines.

And yes, that bad things happened, I deserve love - methinks bad things happen around her for a reason - like, perhaps she makes them happen.

I wouldn;t be surprised if her family had perished tragically, you know, in some mysterious fire.

God, she really creeps me out now.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

She creeps me out SO much! She's now my most hated/creepy character on the show, even more than Pam and Eric, which is saying something.

[elzed.livejournal.com]

Oh, I rather like Pam and Eric (Alexander Skarsgard? He is just hotter than a thousand fiery suns, dude) and their uber evil ancient viking vampire routine.

But yes, Amy? Eeeeeew.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Hee! I seem immune to the hotness of Alexander Skarsgard so far. But I do love Pam... their routine is far more fun though, true. I guess i'm just wary until I see what their full deal is.

But Amy I am free to dislike fully already.