Wednesday, June 26, 2013

True Blood Tuesday: Livin’ on a Prayer







Season six, Episode two

Bridge, night: We’re looking at the bridge where Sookie’s parents were killed. There’s a weird light thing going on—the contract on Sookie’s nightstand is glowing, and the print lifts from the page in a 3D-like manner—emerging from inside the weird light thing is…WARLOW! Ew. He’s creepy.

Note: Okay, so the dude in the car with Jason WASN’T Warlow, I guess?? Maybe he’s the grandfather??

Jason: The car is out of control, but old-car-dude stops it with…fairy power?! There we go…old dude with Jason is their—wait for it—fairy grandfather, Grandfather Niall (hereinafter known as Gramps). He claims to have watched over Jason and Sookie their entire lives.

Note: THANK YOU, Gramps, for telling Jason how freaking stupid he was walking along a road AT NIGHT, climbing in a stranger’s car, & spilling his entire family history.

Pam, Eric, Tara, and Nora: Tara’s in A LOT of pain, and she can’t self-heal. When Eric goes to pull the bullet out, it burns him. He finally digs it out using a broken bottle. The bullet is glowing: it’s a silver bullet that emits UV light. DAMN! The humans are fighting back. Pam is freaked out, but Eric isn’t…yet. He SCREAMS for Nora to pour through the vampire bible and find out what the hell Bill has become.

Bill & Jessica:  Bill’s screams wake Jess. Jess runs downstairs to Bill, who starts rattling off a bunch of visions, including a small vamp child being burned, a vamp being pulled behind a truck by silver chains, etc. He can feel the pain of all the vampires, and it’s unbearable. Bill falls into a catatonic state.

Naked Lilith-women deliver Bill via his subconscious to Lilith (clean and clothed). Lilith’s words are sort of cryptic. Apparently something is coming and it’s up to Bill to stop it, suggesting he’s not really Bill Compton any longer, at least not 100%. She warns that a tyrant is rising and it’s the beginning of the end…only he can complete her work (what that is, we have no clue).

Arlene & Terry: Patrick’s widow shows up wanting answers, thinking he’s left her for another woman. Though Terry is tongue-tied, Arlene steps on up and confirms that Patrick left her for someone else.

Sookie & New half-fairy dude: Sook stumbles upon a hot half-fairy dude writhing on the ground, having been bitten by a vamp the night before. They spoke telepathically with one another. She brings him back to her house to treat his wounds. He didn’t see the vamp that attacked him and was only able to escape using his fairy light power. 

NOTE: Yeah, cute guy...don't trust him. Something seems off about this whole scene.

Sam, Arlene, group of out-of-towners at Merlottes: While Lafayette takes care of Emma, Sam tends to the bar. The main chick of out-of-town group wants to “help” Sam—she knows he’s a shifter. She wants him to come out as a shifter. Nicole (now we have her name—the leader of this group) seems to think if all supernatural creatures stepped up and came out, the government would back down. Her grandparents bravely helped end segregation—she wants to help mythological beings do the same.

Bill & Lilith: God made Adam & Eve as human and made Lilith as a vampire. Lilith says there is but one God, though some may come to worship Bill as a god, just as they worshipped her.

Jessica & Bill: Jess orders food from a vampire service. This kind of slutty-looking lady arrives to feed Bill, but he’s totally catatonic. Finding his state too disturbing, the lady decides to leave, but…OMG…every bone in her body starts breaking and bending in odd angles, as she is drawn back to Bill; falling before him, her mouth opens as does Bill’s, and the blood from her body leaves through her mouth and enters Bill’s. YIKES! Jess is freaking out, crying in the corner.

Sookie & Ben: Ben recognizes Sook as a nice person. Sook says it seems like a liability these days. HA! Does it ever, Sook. Gotta agree with you there. Anyway, before he leaves, she decides to lead him to the fairy club, where he will be safe.

Andy & fairy babies: Andy shows up in the field where the fairy club is located, with the little fairy children running around, laughing and giggling. He’s yelling for Maurella to help him, but she’s not responding…

NOTE: Um, why do I have a bad, bad feeling about the fairy club? It just seems like they’re building up to something happening inside the fairy club…and with Maurella not answering…I just have a bad feeling. Hope I’m wrong.  

Jason & Gramps: Jason takes him to Sookie’s bathroom, where Warlow appeared to her. Gramps says Warlow was trying to break through. In order to see if he succeeded, Gramps jumps through the portal (which, according to him, leads to a horrible place) and disappears. A few seconds later, he leaps back through, covered in gooey gunk, saying it was worse than he thought.

Sookie & Ben: Sook walks Ben down the road to the fairy club. Halfway there, Ben asks to take her out sometime, but he hears her thoughts about it being too soon and hears the name Bill. He asks who Bill is, but Sook gets a little standoffish and decides not to walk him the whole way. She just tells him to follow the “signs” and mentions how her walks with men usually end badly. Lol

Pam & Nora, Fangtasia: Nora is busy digging through the vampire bible. She reads something about “people sending Lilith to the sun.” For whatever reason, this seems to invigorate her, like she’s finally realizing something. Pam emerges from her coffin, cranky and mad (more hurt) at Eric. Nora explains that the only reason Eric never told her he had a sister in the Authority was to keep his progeny safe. Nora said she certainly heard all about Pam, considering Pam is Eric’s greatest achievement and what he is most proud of…and loves.

Eric & Governor: In order to gain entrance into the mansion, Eric assumes the identity (uh, he bites, drains, and strips the guy of his clothes) of some geeky dude; in the process, he meets the governor’s daughter.

OMG, even donning the glasses, smoothing down his hair (dude has bangs!), and dorky speak…he’s still HOT. Eric is kissing up to the governor, commending him on his handling of the vamp situation, and the gov just eats it up. Slowly, Eric walks the gov down a nice little path full of word games…eventually ending at VAMPIRE ERIC!

He zooms up to the gov, and glamours him into backing off, declaring his love of vamps, removing all restraints against vamps, & persecuting any hate crimes against vamps to the fullest extent…but the glamour DOES NOT work! They’ve created special contact lenses to protect against the glamour power. Gov orders his guards to take Eric to “camp.”

Sookie, Jason, & Gramps: So, Jason introduces Sook to Gramps. They sit down and have some spaghetti. Gramps announces that Warlow is now in their world and we get a little Warlow-centered background:

Warlow is a vampire who has been obsessed with the Stackhouse family for thousands of years. The Stackhouses are the first ever fae family—Gramps is the king, Sookie is a princess, and Jason…is nothing because the gene skipped him. Gramps heard Warlow murder his parents when he was young. He tracked Warlow over the centuries. The only way to stop him is with a secret power passed down through their bloodline for generations. They can channel their light into a supernova which will kill ANY vampire—Sookie can only use it once because she is part-fae; once she uses it, she will no longer be fae. She starts to practice creating it in her hands—and she’s doing dang good!

Note: I DO NOT want Sookie to lose her powers. Question is…which vamp will be killed with this supernova ball of light? I have a feeling it won’t be Warlow.

Eric: As the guards are escorting Eric to the van, Eric escapes them by flying away…something they apparently did not know was possible.

Sam, Lafayette, Emma, Alcide, Martha, and Danielle: Alcide basically shows up to take Emma with them. Sam refuses. Crap. Nicole and the out-of-towners are taking pictures of everything from the bushes. Emma runs out, calling for Sam. Martha snatches Emma, while Alcide attacks Sam, and Danielle goes mental on Lafayette. Alcide, Danielle, and Martha with Emma leave Sam and Lafayette passed out on the ground.

Note: ALCIDE?! Dude, what was that?! Freaking power trip needs to stop! How could you do that to Sam?! Ugh, I’m so mad, and I’ve never been mad at Alcide. Oh, and Danielle? Yeah, I don’t think I like her. We’ll see, but the way she talked to Sam and attacked Lafayette…yeah, not digging her at the moment.

Eric: Appears outside the governor’s daughter’s window. She had just removed her special contacts, so Eric is able to glamour her into inviting him inside.

Jessica & Bill: Bill is still catatonic, sitting in the chair in his office area. Jessica falls to her knees and prays to God, whether that’s now Bill or not. The prayer was really, really sweet—she goes through all of her sins and begs for his forgiveness. She prays for everyone, her friends—Sookie (she’s been a good friend, and she loves you [meaning Bill or God], I know she does), Jason (good man in so much pain), Eric, Pam (give her the courage to let happiness in), Tara (find whatever it is she’s looking for), Sam, Lafayette, Arlene, and all the good people of Bon Temps, for they know not what they do, and Hoyt, wherever he is, and Bill…

Bill & Lilith: Trust what you see—you will know what to do. He’s the one to save them all.

Bill & Jessica: Bill is back. The television turns on by itself. Jess runs to Bill and hugs him. On the television, they show a vampire chained, being dragged behind a truck. This means only one thing: Bill can see the future.

OH CRAP…he has another vision—Eric, Pam, Jess…everyone—in blue prisoner-like suits, standing in a smallish, creamy-white, circular room; the roof of the room opens, exposing them all to the sun…

Bill: “They’re all gonna burn.”

Thoughts & Highlights:

-Okay. Ben. My eyebrows are raised and not in a good way. His timing and placement where Sook would just happen to find him…I dunno. Maybe I’m too jaded to trust, but Warlow just returns the night before and BOOM here’s Ben? Seems a little too convenient. Could he be working for Warlow…could he be Warlow in disguise?

-NOT loving Alcide. Frankly, I’m not even liking him right now. He didn’t care about Sam’s feelings or little Emma’s. He’s letting the power of being the Alpha intoxicate him. I’m sad. Alcide, not even your very sexy body (and awesome buttocks) can save you this week.  

-Jason officially reversed my irked feelings from last week. He was back to old Jason tonight.

-Okay, I’m still not completely trusting of Gramps. He’s a little spooky. Maybe it’s the actor’s past roles that taint my brain, but still…he’s creepy.

-I’m concerned about this supernova power of Sookie’s. She can only use it once and it kills ANY vampire. Someone dies this season, we know this—and it’s an original cast member.

Scene of the night: Jessica’s prayer.

Line of the night: Eric: “If the humans want war, we’ll give them war.”


Tuesday, June 18, 2013

True Blood Tuesday: Who Are You, Really?







Season six, Episode one

They’re back! Um, and so am I! Did y’all really think I’d let you down on True Blood Tuesday? Actually, I’m kinda hoping writing these will help me get back into the swing of things on the blog—my time has been pulled very thin…add a nice sprinkle of insomnia and it’s so super fun (note the sarcasm). You know I've missed you all SO much...and if I keep going, I'll get all sappy, so...

Anyway…let’s get going, shall we? AND I promise to add some entertaining personal thoughts for those who might not watch the show, but like a good dose of sarcastic goodness.

Billith, Eric, & Sookie: We see through Bill’s eyes in the beginning—his vision is crackling, like fire; he focuses on Sookie, unleashes a God-awful screech, bares some mega-fangs…and that’s when Eric screams, “RUN!” Sookie and Eric book it to the elevators (Sook now covered in vamp-guts after slipping in the lobby. What luck is that, right? Your ex just became some uber beast, and the best fate can give you is a SPLAT in vamp-guts.). But Billith destroys all electricity in the Authority complex, trapping Sook and Eric inside. Using her fairy glow as a flashlight, Eric was able to punch through the top of the elevator.

Jason, Pam, Tara, Jessica, and Nora: Nora was going all commando-bitch, and Pam was having none of it (love the hate fest there). Pam apparently doesn’t know who the hell Nora is (i.e. Eric’s ‘sister’).

Sam, Luna, & Emma: Freaking knew this would happen…Luna dies after asking Sam to care for Emma. :(

NOTE: Luna’s death slapped me upside the head. It was SO quick. I mean, I think we all knew it was probably going to happen—I guess I wanted a little more buildup and a more emotional farewell. [Enter the pouting] Of course, reason finally voices up and says, “Uh, dumbass, it’s one hour show. They can only do so much.” And then I stop pouting.

Eric & Sookie…Pull up in a van, surprising Jason, Pam, Tara, Jessica, and Nora—all thought the pair died in an explosion at the Authority. After another massive explosion, they see Billith emerge…and fly away.

Taking off for Bon Temps, the gang hears a public address over the radio made by the governor of Louisiana. Basically, he’s oozing a pile of political garbage—when you dig through it, you hear a declaration of war against vamps: Vampire curfew (must remain indoors/underground after sundown); shutting down all vampire-owned business (bye-bye, Fangtasia); encourages all citizens to buy a gun & wooden bullets (yeah, that’s really responsible, there, Gov). Some chick throws blood on the mayor shouting stuff I, for the life of me, can’t figure out.

Pam and Nora get into a verbal spat, and Eric pulls the car over. Pam wants to kill ‘Mary Poppins,’ but Eric tells her Nora’s his sister, which Pam never knew about.

NOTE: Not loving how jerk-wad-y Eric is being with Pam.

Nora & Eric: Eric asks if Nora has any inside information on a Lilith rebirth. Unfortunately, Nora knows nothing, but insists Billith must be destroyed if, in fact, Lilith has been reborn within Bill. Jess overhears this and doesn’t take it so well. She clearly can’t separate Bill from Billith (I’m not sure many of us can).

Pam & Tara: Pam actually cries in front of Tara…AND let’s Tara comfort her. Big step for Pam!

Sookie & Jessica: Jessica is upset at the possibility of Eric and Nora killing Lililth, which, of course, would mean killing Bill (Oh no! They’re gonna Kill Bill. Sorry, couldn’t help it.). Both Sook and Jess are afraid of Bill now. Confusion is the name of the day.

Eric, Nora, & Jason: Warlow-talk begins. Hurrah! Jason tells Nora what he knows about the mysterious floating-biting-dude (vampire; killed parents; floating in Sook’s bathroom). Eric says it’s ridiculous. Nora says Warlow is in the Book of Lilith; he was a progeny of Lilith, one of the first vamps.

Jason threatens to shoot the vamps, but Sookie blocks him from causing any harm. Jason freaks out because Sook has chosen vamps over him/their parents. He storms off.

NOTE: Okay, well, Jason is all pro-human, anti-vampire now. Really didn’t want that to happen. This is going to annoy the hell out of me.

Jessica, Eric, Sookie, Tara, Pam, & Nora: Billith summons Jess. The ‘call’ is much more powerful than normal, almost as if he’s pulling her body towards him. Eric tries to stop her progress, but Jessica pukes blood all over him (kinda cute, funny, and gross at the same time) and falls to the ground, writhing in pain. Sookie finally decides to take Jess to Billith in the car. Meanwhile, Eric is an ass to Pam (“Get out of my way. How many ways do I have to say it?”) and flies off with Nora.

Alcide & the pack: Ew. Hungry werewolf just ripped into a severed arm. A naked Danielle offers her everything to him, much to Rikki’s annoyance.

NOTE: All I could think when he bit into that arm was, “Oh, Alcide…your breath is gonna stink.”

Andy, Arlene, & Terry: Very cute scene with Arlene & Terry trying to coach Andy on diapering the fae-babies.

Sam, Lafayette, & Emma: Luna’s transformation from Newlin back to her original self is all over the news in a bad way. Little Emma tells Lafayette that her mommy’s dead and she’s hungry. Lafayette was SO sweet with her, taking her right back to whip her up some southern fried goodness. Sam warns Lafayette that he can’t tell anyone he and Emma were there—Emma’s life depends on it.

Jason & mysterious car dude: Anyone think the old car dude kinda looks like Warlow? And, um, Jason? Dude, you DO NOT get into a car with a stranger in vampire-central AT NIGHT. And what’s with all the talk, talk, talk?! Are you nuts?! WTH?!

Jessica, Sookie, & Billith: Arriving at Bill’s mansion, poor Jess is weak and seriously hurting. Sookie walks her through the house, following Billith’s bloody footsteps to his upstairs balcony. Damn. Bill’s dressed like Bill…as he gets up to approach Sookie, Eric and Nora swoop in; Bill shoves Nora off with ease and slams Eric against a pillar. Sookie runs up behind Bill and…STAKES HIM! Well, than was ineffective. Bill removes the stake and heals. He wishes no harm to anyone, unless they force him to defend himself again. Nora asks if he’s Lilith; Bill answers that he is Bill Compton…just something more.

Sookie tries to get Jess to leave with her, but Jess is loyal to her maker. Jessica bares her fangs at Sookie, angry she tried to stake Bill (very cute how Eric went all protective when Jess threatened her). Jess tells Sook to get out; Bill orders them to do as Jess says, and, when he does, some odd earthquake thing shook the house and ground. Is he Mother Nature? Sorry. Couldn’t resist.

Governor of Louisiana: After basically declaring war on vampires, he puts the power squeeze on a plant owner who supplies vampires with True Blood. It sounds like she may have owned one of the TB the Authority destroyed. He meets her in an empty plant owned by the state, I believe, and offers her the use of the plant, free of charge. Basically, he wants to be her silent partner, with his sole goal being revenue for Louisiana (make TB, feed vamps, make them tax-paying citizens).

Note: Totally thinking he’s up to something. I don’t trust the dude.

Alcide, Danielle, Rikki: Alcide’s butt. Alcide’s butt. Sorry. What? Where was I? Oh, Alcide’s butt. Sorry. Aw, Alcide, don’t go making out with Danielle! You have a girlfriend! And here comes Rikki…okay…well…looks like she’s either gonna kill Danielle, or it’s threesome time…looks like it’s the latter, with Rikki telling Alcide to never forget she’s his number one bitch.

Pam & Tara at Fangtasia: Tara’s all “Eff Eric.” Pam disapproves. Tara thinks Pam’s too busy obsessing over Eric to give their relationship a chance. Pam says they aren’t going to be some great romance. Armed officers from the government storm in, aiming guns at Tara and Pam. When Tara threatens one of the officers in an effort to protect Pam, the officer shoots her with some sort of laser thing, I think (it wasn’t clear). Tara fell, writhing on the floor, partially off-screen. For someone who doesn’t see a great romance evolving, Pam sure did seem crazy-worried about her.

Sookie & Eric: I love these two together. Sorry, I do. He walks her home (swoon) and offers her money so she can escape Bill. As Sook reminds him, Bill has had her blood—he can find her anywhere she goes.

Eric never expected Sook to stake Bill in order to save his life. She talks about how she has changed into something she never thought she’d be. Eric: “To me you’ll always be that girl in the white dress, the one who walked into my bar.” SWOON…again.

Once inside Sookie’s house, Eric asks for a pen and paper. When Sook gets it for him, he stabs his wrist with the pen and uses his blood to return ownership of the house to Sookie. Because she wants to get back to being that girl in the white dress…she rescinds Eric’s invitation!

NOTE: Oh, honey…when you have a man like Eric in your life, you DO NOT rescind his invitation, fangs or no fangs. I mean, really, what’s the risk of a little bite and blood-draining when the man attached to the fangs looks like Eric? I expected more from you, Sook.

Eric & Nora: Nora’s waiting on Sook’s porch when Eric is forced out (btw: loved how they filmed his exit like a slow parting, rather than a quick, angry tossing). Nora asks what all that was about, but he rather sternly says it’s none of her business. She then asks Eric what the plan is with Bill. Eric calmly states, “We find his weakness.” Nora suggests using “the fairy.” Eric angrily says Sookie stays out of this, and they will stay away from her from now on. Nora snottily says, “Eric, you’re in love with her.” Eric replies with a somber, “In another lifetime.” Nora, rather smugly, realizes she may not know Bill’s weakness, but she now knows Eric’s. Ooh, Eric does NOT take kindly to her tone or her words. Zipping over to her, he places his hands on either side of her face, and says, “Nora, my darling sister, don’t stir this pot.” He zooms off. Nora takes a moment to stare through the window at Sookie, and then hurries off after Eric.

NOTE: Okay. Did anyone else feel a twinge of concern about Nora double-crossing Eric down the road? It just seemed like she was quite keen to know Eric’s weakness and take that last lingering look at Sookie. Perhaps she’ll join forces with Warlow??

Andy, Terry, & Arlene: Oh, wow! Guess what? Fae babies grow FAST! They’re already happy little toddlers, much to the shock of Andy, Arlene, & Terry!

Bill & Jessica: Bill warms some True Blood for Jess and brings it to her room. When Jess nearly spills the glass, Bill is able to stop it mid-spill and place it back on the nightstand…all with his eyes. He apologizes for the pain he caused her when he summoned her. Bill focuses on William Sherman (General of the Union in the Civil War)—how he started good, but as he grew powerful, he fought harder, uglier than any of his contemporaries. Bill needs Jess to keep him honest because surviving a staking is some heavy effing s#*t. Jess is the only one he can trust. He needs her for his own good.

NOTE: So, Bill is concerned with getting power-hungry and cruel. I SO want to trust him. To me, we saw a bit more of the old Bill we all loved in the first season. Still…when he hugged Jess, I wasn’t sure if that was truly old Bill or not.

Jason & creepy car dude: Freaking Jason has the disease of FLAP JAW! Dang! He just WON’T STOP TALKING TO A COMPLETE STRANGER! What the hell?!

Creepy car dude says: “You cannot keep Warlow away from Sookie.”

YEP! There we go! Creepy car dude IS WARLOW! Jason tries to shoot him, but he disappears, leaving the car careening out of control.

NOTE: Technically, he didn’t actually reveal himself as Warlow. Jason came to that conclusion, but, to me, it was pretty clear. Could be wrong, though—this is True Blood!

Sookie: While Sook sleeps (finally, poor thing), the contract with Warlow glows on her nightstand.

Bill: Memories or thoughts or noises (not sure which) invade Bills mind; he follows a voice calling for him; he walks into the office and…OH S.O.B…naked Lilith appears to him. Did we have to see her bloody, naked body again? What’s worse, THREE naked Lilith figures surrounded him, then zoomed in and invaded his body.

End of episode.

Thoughts & Highlights:

* I really enjoyed the episode, overall. It felt more like the early True Blood days with more focus on the characters we’ve all grown to love.

* JASON PISSED me off!!! OMG! I’ve never been so irritated with him before. How thick can you be to hop in a strange dude’s car, in the middle vampire-ville, AT NIGHT…THEN proceed to spill your life story, your sister’s life story, all the family secrets, etc. Seriously, he made my pores hurt.

* Warlow. Love the choice of actor: Rutger Hauer.

* Alcide’s ass. What? It’s a highlight. I’m just being thorough.

** Line of the night: Goes to Pam! Who else, right? “I hate the beach. Fish piss and sand in your cooch.”