True Blood closed out its season on Sunday night with a series of double- and triple-crosses. The series didn’t so much end with a cliffhanger than it left multiple subplots dangling, as though creator Alan Ball decided he’d just clean up this messy season next season.
Let’s focus first on Sookie’s arc in this hour, because it’s a good example of the way True Blood was both extravagantly dramatic and frustratingly foolish in season 3. Sookie stomped around angrily throughout much of the finale… whenever she wasn’t sobbing unhappily. Furious at Bill and the Eric left burning in the sun, pre-opening credits, Sookie listened to Bill tell her, “I pretended to betray you… again.” Then she dragged Eric, dazzled by his Godric vision, back into the house before he turned into a flaked ember and let him feed on her to revive himself.
Sookie also dragged Russell in — why, exactly? Because Eric was wasting time comparing fangs with Bill? To listen to Russell’s hollow promises? To make him suffer as she poured the remains of Talbot down a sink and turned on the disposal. She seemed slightly glad, if still sullenly suspicious, to see the return of Alcide. She announced to anyone listening that, “I’m basically vampire crack,” and was pretty fed up with the whole thing. The next time we saw her she shared a tender scene with Tara, who’d lopped off her hair and seemed to be in a suicidal mood that Sookie didn’t pick up on. Then it was back to Bill, who pledged “the true death to all who have tasted you. This I swear to you.” Which seemed like a pretty good pledge, until Eric zoomed in to point out how many times Bill has betrayed her. Whereupon Sookie ran to the graveyard to talk to her dead grandmother: “I’ve never felt so alone.”
But then she wasn’t alone: The white-clad fairies in their butter-yellow light, led by Claudine, appeared and reached out to Sookie, who disappeared in one big throb of golden glowiness. There endeth the season. And what had been accomplished, other than Sookie’s alienation from every key male character?
Sookie’s tale was broken up by many other story lines. There was a bit of lingering anti-vampire politicking as seen on TV, with more of Rev. Steve exhorting humans to hate vamps. Sam and Tara shared a post-coital meal that was going well (“It’s all in the bacon grease”) until Sam told her he was a shape-shifter. That seemed to be the thing that ultimately drove her to grab her scissors and snip her hair — it was one supernatural creature too many for her to bear.
The overriding problem with the latter half of True Blood‘s season was the way the subplots didn’t converge into a satisfying dramatic whole. Core characters remained stranded in their storylines, many of them unaware of what people dear to them were going through. Jason, for example, had to deal with Crystal’s wacky clan, her murderous fiance Felton, and the invasion of the DEA into the small town. Hoyt and Jessica seemed to be on the verge of a happy ending, with Hoyt bringing her to a house in which they could build a new life… but then we saw his mama buying a vampire-killing rifle. (In fact, that early Hoyt scene, the one in which his mom and Summer and the guidance counselor tried to stage an anti-vamp intervention with him, is a perfect example of how much the tone wobbled in True Blood. The final shot, when Hoyt’s mother pushed the counselor away as he tried to join a group-hug, was such cornball slapstick.)
Lafayette plagued by visions; Jesus’ admission that he’s a witch; Sam reconciling hastily with Terry; Sam tracking down Tommy after the latter stole the former’s money and telling him to get lost — these details zipped by so quickly, they barely registered as drama.
The best moments, as was true throughout the season, involved Russell. Even in burned-charcoal make-up, Denis O’Hare was funny, poignant, and chillingly ruthless. Russell figured prominently in the night’s best moment: When first he, and then Eric, were covered in cement by Bill. By contrast, I almost felt sorry for Stephen Moyer, having to try and make all of Bill’s twists of behavior believable and be obliged to get into some wire harness to do battle with Evan Rachel Wood’s silly Queen.
Buried deep in the hour was what I believe may have been Alan Ball’s theme for the evening, and the season, a drip of wisdom delivered by, of all people, Jason: “Sometimes the right thing to do is the wrong thing.” That could certainly apply to many actions by many characters this season.
Hey, I still enjoy True Blood; I’m already reasonably convinced that this was a season Ball had to get through to introduce new characters and actions that will pay off down the line. But when he appeared on-screen after the finale had finished to promise us more witches, more political vampires, and more craziness next season, it was almost as though he was admitting he had to tack on this thanks to the fans for sticking with him through the bumpy ride that was this season.
I’ll take him at his word and be front and center the next time around. In the meantime, tell me what you thought about this evening’s finale. Was it good for you, or frustrating?
Follow: @kentucker
I agree – I was surprised at the number of subplots hanging in the air.
If anything, this felt like a perfect demonstration why the series needs longer seasons. Twelve episodes just isn’t enough!
That said, I did like the Russel & Eric bits, and seeing Eric spurn Godric for his revenge made him refreshingly…human to not go for the forgiveness route.
I’ll still tune in next season for sure.
I love Russell. I am so glad they didn’t kill him off, it makes it possible for him to resurface in the future and reap(word?spelling?) some more havoc. I really am dissapointed with the plots that were left. Season 4 will be more like season 3.5.
wreak, I beleive the word i was looking for .
To me, it felt like Alan Ball reshot the ending to give Russell a chance to some day return, since the fans liked Denis O’Hare’s performance so much. As great a character as Russell was, I’ve been looking forward to a dramatic death scene for him for months. Getting entombed in concrete seemed pretty anticlimactic.
Better it would be if Godric could return. In this I would see God…
I’m mixed on Russell in cement.
OTOH – it’s a classic variation on wrapping a coffin in silver chains and letting them rot punishment that you’ve seen in other vampire series (Anne Rice, Laurell K. Hamilton) but OTOH it does kind of promise he’d return and I do think that at this point we’d see diminishing returns from Russell because even before the long confinement it’s clear he’s already batty. If he has to come back again, there’s not a lot left to do with the character other than try to kill Eric (again) and have to have Eric try and kill him back (again). A final death would have better for sure.
Why kill him off when you can use him again next season? Duh.
Yeah, I was hoping for an awesome fight scene between russell, bill, and erik, with a little of sookie’s faerie magic thrown in. THAT would’ve been climactic.
I thought Russell’s fate had more to do with Eric than Russell — he was determined to make his nemesis suffer. Reminded me of Spike (BTVS): “And you’re what? Shocked and disappointed? I’m evil!”
Russell met the true death..being so OLD..like Godric he should have been dust immediately…but he wasn’t? Artisitic license there for sure. He should be gone with the wind for sure.
The most annoying subplot issue for me was that Alan Ball & co. kept promising and promising that Tommy would end up being the big bad of the season or something, that he would do something bad to more of the characters, and in the end the only connection he had with anyone else that mattered was Sam! Also, Russell didn’t exactly go out wing a bang. So, yeah, I guess the point was that everyone was a little evil (even Sookie, disposing of Talbot’s remains), but seriously, after the amazing ending of last season, kind of a downer.
Now that you mentioned it, I remember hearing that about Tommy too! Honestly, I didn’t mind him not playing a bigger role. I was underwhelmed by his character.
Ball needs to stick to the books’ storylines so that things are wrapped up correctly.
I agree…. I don’t think he needs to stick 100%, but he is definitely ruining Charlaine Harris’ characters. I was so disappointed with Ball’s interpretation of Hot Shot and its inhabitants.
Completely agree! He has not been able to write any good side stories for most of the other characters. The only common point between all of these characters in the books is Sookie and because she is not involed with most of them on the show the side character stories are really going nowhere.
Agreed. I don’t mind him straying a bit here and there (for example, this show would NOT have been the same, or nearly as awesome, without Lafayette) but in some respects I think he’s strayed too far and made the characters unrecognizable. I don’t like what he did with Calvin Norris, or what he’s doing with Sam. I wish Tara was a more peripheral character like in the books, because on the show she’s irritating as hell. I’m hoping for a pretty close mirroring of book 4 for season 4, but with the way this season ended, I’m not sure that’s happening.
I agree, but in other ways I think he shouldn’t be afraid to go away from the books and have more creative freedom with the TV show. For example, I think the TV show needs LESS Sookie, and the only way that’s gonna happen is if he isn’t afraid to move away from the books. Definitely keep the books main themes, but I think it would be better if the show didn’t revolve around sookie so much…I think in the TV translation she brings too much baggage.
The characters and things that actually work for me on the show aren’t even in the books, characters like Jessica…and Lafayette still being alive.
Meanwhile, think one of the problems with the show is he tries to shoehorn some of the books characters into the show and they get lost in translation and get twisted.
I totally agree! I was rather annoyed by the Fairies not being what they are in the books. I also hate way he has turned Tara and Jason into complete idiots this past season, that’s not who they are in the books. Really annoying. And the finally was a let down.
I totally agree! Sookies storyline needs to remain the same for the most part. But AB can goto town with the other characters storylines. I like that. But he totally bombed this season!!! it is a shame too bc the third book (Club Dead) was one of my favorites. The fourth book (Dead to the World) is really good too. So I hope AB sticks more to the book plot!!! I just feel so let down with the finale!
Yeah! keep the show closer to storyline in the books (I love Lafayette, though)
I completely agree. I don’t want them to follow the books 100%, because it is necessary to develop some supporting characters more in a tv series.
BUT I was so disappointed by TB’s interpretation of Calvin. He is a fantastic, dynamic, relatable character in the book and Alan Ball turned him into some trashy drug addicted redneck. Really disappointing.
I was glad that Bill finally got called out on his shadiness. Alan Ball is such a big Bill fan, I was so sick of Saint Bill in the past 3 seasons. Finally Sookie understands his actions.
On – one thing I give Alan Ball credit for is Russell. Denis O’Hare is amazing as him, and I love the changes to the character. Almost makes up for how terribly ERW is as Sophie-Anne and how True Blood messed up that character, IMO.
I basically agree, although I have to admit that I can’t really remember the last few books. The series kind of ruined the books for me. They’ve started to seem kind of shallow next to the series now that I’m so invested in characters like Tara and Lafayette. On the other hand, I don’t think they should have introduced the Hotshot gang, especially Calvin, if they weren’t going to have a logical connection to the core story. It makes more sense in the books, and the characters are better, although I HATE Crystal in the books, and she’s better here. But Calvin was really wasted and making them drug dealers was quite a strange decision.
I have always been happy with the way that he changed the books enough to keep it interesting. But this season he totally ruined characters and relationships from the book for no reason. I find the political stuff heavy handed and boring. The witches and fairies are actually quite dull in the books and the show doesn’t improve them at all. I am not very optimistic about next season but you never know.
I can appreciate some deviation from the books but this season was way too extreme. I’ve never liked the fact that Lorena was a blubbering fool on the show–in the book she’s vicious. Sam is not a bad guy and I don’t like how they gave him a sinister backstory. The Hotshot folks were not incestual drug addicts and the fairies were glamourous but also powerful and they did exist in the human world. I’ve never been disappointed with Pam, Eric, Alcide or Debbie. They were bang on. I loved Russell but like many was quite annoyed with Sophie-Anne. They could’ve done so much more with Jason and that new egomaniac QB. They should’ve raided the school for V, that could’ve spiced things up a bit. I loved Russell though and I liked how Bill was exposed. It was about time. I adore Lafayette! I’m so glad they kept him in the show!
I really hope they stick to the book in Season 4. It was one of my favourites.
Amen!
“That’s not the story I’m telling.” Alan Ball.
Good point, the season few by way too fast. Definitely need more than twelve episodes.
I agree…maybe 16 episodes and i think the running time should increase to at least 1 hour and 15 minutes…i love True Blood, and i want more of it.
I can’t believe we have to wait till June after last night’s big ole cliffhanger…lol 
This is what I hate about HBO series. There is too long a break between seasons.
Yes, I know. Like HBO has said in the past: “Its not television its HBO” All shows from SATC, Entourage, and especially The Sopranos are 12-13 episodes and air once a year. SATC always aired in June and ended in September. The only time it did not was when SJP was pregnant.
I assure you, True Blood still has plenty of fans, my friend….
Sometimes stories can be completed in 12 episode chunks – the reason that many American series were 22-26. It’s also an result of having to add so many b-plots from the original storyline. It’s not a problem, but it’s 8always* going to be messier. Like life.
12 episodes is DEFINITELY not enough. Now we have to wait until what, June?
AFAIC that’s the best anrswe so far!
I rather liked the finale, and am not looking forward to waiting a whole year! It was messy, but the season took on the events of 3 of the novels, and the fresh subplots for Sam and Tara. The queen is a bit silly, but she should be, and I hope Jason is less of an idiot next season (I also hope AB doesn’t delete anything from the novel’s outline for Jason either, spoiler.).
Why does Hoyt walk around with Jessica’s hickey on his neck when she can just heal him? Why didn’t Felton just shoot Jason, especially after easily killing his own family? Why won’t someone just kill Tara already, she’s terrible? How could Eric get out of the cement, but not Russel? Sam’s story was pretty weak.. nothing really entertaining overall.
I’d guess Hoyt was proud to show off his relationship with Jessica. My understanding of the Felton situation was that he had the V, he had Crystal, and I think she was going quietly as long as he left Jason to take care of Hot Shot. I agree on Tara. Book Tara is interesting. Show Tara is irritating. And Pam got Eric out. They didn’t specify how, but she was cleaning cement out of her hair at the end of the show.
Or maybe, it is a nod to the fact that Jessica is still a new vamp and she hasn’t thought about the fact that she can heal the fnag marks?
Well, that’s actually justifiable since Jessica is still a young baby vamp who is still figuring things out, so it probably hasn’t occurred to her to heal Hoyt’s fang marks by putting a little of her blood on the them like an ointment. I mean, she just recently learned that you don’t need an invitation into the home of a vampire…so she’s still learning how to be a vampire. On that note, you should check out her blog babyvamp jessica, since some of the blog entries really give a cool insight into her character beyond the show. Also, I’m sure Hoyt doesn’t mind having the fang marks as a way of displaying he loves her.
I agree this seasoned truly ruined trueblood for me
Count me and my wife in the disappointed group. We’re considering cancelling our HBO subscription…
Why? Is TB the only show you’re watching on HBO? HBO has many good shows.
@ Jeremy – I agree with Kim…why would you cancel HBO? Sure, the season finale was really weak. But there were also some really great episodes this season that were some of the best of the series, I thought the episodes “I Got a Right to Sing the Blues” and “Night on the Sun” were two of the best episodes of the entire series. Also, like someone said, HBO has other great shows, and really promising ones coming up like Boardwalk Empire.
yeah right.
Wah.
The series is getting annoying, I T-Vo(sp?) it to fast forward through Tara. Best parts of last night were; Eric’s comment about Bill and Alcide “eye F***ing” each other – GENIUS! and Pam, “I’ll never get the cement out of my hair!” They are the only two reasons really I’ll keep watching. Sookie – you received 10 grand from Eric a few weeks ago – HIRE A CLEANING crew to clean your dang house! The “people” in HOt SHot look like the need the work, or at least some time near a hose…Tara, get over yourself and end it or leave town – either way, leave TB so we don’t have to watch you snivel. Jessica, love you, please off Arlene as a public service, if Tara is still kicking around take her down too.
the bill thing did not surprise me at all. it was not a twist in his character makeup. to me, it was evident that he has been a manipulative bastard all along the series. it was just all culminating. there were signs everywhere of how weak his character was. he likes to kill people when they are down, remember him punching eric after godric went to the roof? the signs were all there.
What pissed me off about Bill was telling Sookie that other vamps would not show as much “restraint” as he did. Godric said in season 2 that older vamps need very little blood. He likes to always point out how great or different he is as a vamp, while not wanting to be a vamp??
Godric is different, he tried to focus his abilities and hone them to make himself more evolved as a vampire. I bet Godric could take russel in a straight fight even tho russel is 1000yrs older, but Godric wouldn’t ever fight. He’s like a Buddhist monk or something, Zen.
Um, you’re a little too black and white here. Yes, Bill was sent to Bon Temps to get Sookie, but he fell trully in love with her. It’s really a tragic and beautiful love story. I hope she will be able to forgive him. Forgiveness is a part of true love after all.
As is being beaten almost to death so he can force you to fall in love with him, no doubt.
Not going to happen. Read the books…they are different than the series but the overall plots (beginning, middle, and end) are the same. Alan Ball seems to be sticking to the main themes of the books.
Bill Compton is a granny-raping jerk and he always has been. True love…bah.
I know there are people out there that absolutely dispise Eric but Bill hasn’t been Mr. Nice Guy from episode one either. Why was he so passive around that trio of bad vampires that he let into his house? Remember when he glamored the cop until the poor man peed himself? Now he’s acting stalkerish. I have a feeling that Bill is gonna get a whole lot darker next season. Shame because I was rooting for him at the beginning of this season.
If we are going by the books, Sookie will forgive Bill, but not reunite with him. That relationship is OVER…THANK GOD. Now she can enjoy Alcide and eventually, Eric, her future husband.
I agree with Liz, of the 2 vamps Bill is the most ‘human’. It seems that like the novels, Sookie and Bill are over, and that leaves Eric room to move in…don’t think for a minute that he didn’t edit the truth for Sookie, to better further Eric’s own agenda. He’s a vamp, self-interest is ‘in his blood’, so to speak.
What’s unforgivable isn’t that he was sent to Bon Temps to procure her, it’s the fact that he manipulated her into falling in love with him. He gave her his blood one of the first nights they ever met, and risked her life to do so.
@Liz
You think it is still true love? Even after learning that her blood is addictive and that if you have a vampire blood they can feel you and manipulate you? AB pointed out that TB is not a romance and this is not a tragic love story; but a story of consequences, lies, and betrayal. The kind that if you get back with the person afterward; you are an idiot. Black and white is what this situation demands, it is not about his vampire nature or really about maintaining his humanity(if it was, what he did would definitely be taken harsher)but his actions and they were bad. One because they happen before he “loved” her and two, because if he really did, he would have told her.
If that’s true love, I hope I never have to experience it. He’s done nothing but lie to her and use her for his own ends. And the whole ‘I will kill anyone who’s ever tasted you’ just sounds serial killer crazy. Like the guy who finds out his new wife isn’t a virgin and goes off to kill all her former lovers.
And sorry, sure he saved her with his blood after the Rattray’s nearly killed her but imagine the pain she was in while they were beating her! And while she was healing as well. That is just sick, twisted and unforgiveable
Is everyone also forgetting that he had sex with Lorena? I know that in the grand scheme of things it’s minor in comparison but I’m surprised it didn’t come up some how. I don’t think the Sookie/Eric storyline is going to happen in the same way as the books but I hope they find a way to maintain a happy medium. There are way too many great storylines involving Eric and I’d hate to see those unused.
Bill is a disgusting, manipulative, lying, piece of crap. Big deal if he “really” did end up with feelings for Sookie. Doesn’t make him a good guy in my eyes. I can’t stand him. How I wish Eric would rip him apart. We all know how easy it would be for him.
Liz, you are right! Everybody is so “black and white” where Bill is concerned. No allowance for his background, or the things that have happened to him in his past. No allowance for any so-called “human” failings that haunt him, while he tries to walk the line between being supernatural and desparately trying to hang on to his own humanity! It’s not a small thing for him to accomplish. Missteps? Sure. Errors in judgment? Absolutely! But he’s not evil or doing things to deliberate hurt anyone! For Bill Compton to try — to have the audacity to even believe it might be possible — to find love and desire a chance to hold onto it, in his present state….well, I think that’s pretty d*amned remarkable of him! After everything he’s suffered! He should be the biggest, baddest most jaded vampire of them all! But he did fall in love with Sookie! Although he has the same lapses in judgment, the same jealousies,the same selfish and emotional failings that we ALL experience in life! And that’s why I love the character Bill Compton so much(as drawn in the HBO series.)! Hindsight is always 20/20. And I know there are a lot of Bill-haters out there. He should have done this! He should have done that! So, we should ALL have done the right thing in life, or toward our families/friends, etc., but you know what?….you don’t always do the right thing in life, do ya? Bill is surely going to pay, and pay heavily, for not telling the truth when he “should have.” So will we all, for any lies we’ve told in this life!
@Rhonda
No Bill should not be the most jaded vamp. He had a horrible maker, but look at Jessica; she has no one. How many other vamps were raped or molested by their maker? Think about the older vamps who had to hide, that were being hunted? Bill has not even been a vampire for 200 years; yet he cannot co-exist with humans? He struggles to maintain his humanity, he has no loyalty, he knows no love. Everyone who dislikes Bill and his action are not haters. We have seen with open eyes how much he has regressed. Plenty of us liked Bill at first but understand that saying how you feel should match how you act. His actions are not of someone who is jaded, trying or in love; but of a lying vampire unable to adapt his nature. There are always levels of forgiveness. A parent could find it in their heart to forgive their child’s murderer but will they hang out? How could it be true love if the feelings were manufactured and manipulated?
Not a good sign that I’m the first to comment. By this time in the past there would be multiple posts. I’ll check it out next season. But I honestly don’t know what could happen that would bring back my excitement and that can’t wait feeling.
fail
Well, it’s a good think that you’re seventh then. Personally, I’m as ‘can’t wait’ as ever.
Wasn’t a fan of this season as a whole. The part when Bill and Sophie Ann flew in the air was soooooo corny! I can only hope its better next season
Yup, ITA. This season seems like it pretty much was just set up to set up next season, since so much was going on. I always thought that flying vampires were hard to pull off, and that SA/B scene pretty much proved it. It was sort of like a hokey martial arts movie. I think the new direction will be interesting for next season, so I may still stick around.
that he is gay, or that he has a preference for male rhcldien at all that is all from your head. You’ve overlaid gay onto a character who is a pedophile, through your own reading of the scenes, because it certainly doesn’t say that in the text.Farrell is the gay character, not Godfrey. The reason that AB replaced the Godfrey character with Godric is because it’s easier to sympathise with someone who hasn’t done wrong and thus have Eric weeping over the death of a worthy character, rather than have Sookie weeping over the death of an unworthy character. As for your assertion that all of the gay characters are killed off in this book, that would be Lafayette, the only gay character killed not the all as Farrell is saved by Sookie. I also think if you re-read Dead Until Dark again, you’ll find that it is in fact a heterosexual sex act Janella is giving oral sex to Malcolm. Not only that, but if you read your books again, you will find that Tara and Eggs are in fact, white people. Race is dealt with in a different manner in the books in that rather than step into the rather fraught black/white racial tensions, Harris instead uses vampires/white humans to represent that.
::Waits for the book lovers to arrive::
I enjoyed the episode. I knew it the plots would be wrapped up neatly in a bow. I’ll definitely watch next year to see where this leads. I’ll take the highs and the lows. Still one of the best shows out there.
Book lover has arrived. And totally agrees with you. I thought the finale was awesome! I loved that it wrapped up just a few things, but keeps us guessing for a whole lot more!
Russell was fantastic and I’m very glad that they figured out a way for Eric to get his revenge but not at the expense of killing Russell off the show.
Eric was fantastic. Loved that he told Sookie the truth because she had a right to know, even though he didn’t like seeing her suffer.
Pam was fantastic, even though she may never get all the cement out of her hair! Poor Pam.
If you’ve read the books you’ll see that Alan Ball is following the main themes as far as Sookie is concerned (but I like what he’s done with the secondary characters…remember Lafayette was supposed to have died in the first story, glad he’s still with us and they’ve come up with a plot for him). I really enjoyed how he fleshed out Russell, he was kind of a footnote in the books…I’m hoping he’ll be back at some point because he was so deliciously crazy. If what I know from reading is true, we’ll have more Eric next year, which I’m looking forward to!
Eric ‘told Sookie the truth’ about Bill..and how did he know all that anyway? But when is Sookie going to find out the ‘truth’ about Eric and his machinations to get control of her? It’s easy to ‘tell the truth’ about someone else.
@Barb
Vampires know everything it seems, the same way Russell knew of QSA needs for Sookie; they have super hearing. I am sorry but we may not be watching the same show because Eric is intrigued by Sookie; not wanting to control her. Bill wants to control her. There really are no truths for Eric to tell because other then tricking her into drinking his blood what has he lied about?
I love this show, but this episode felt nothing like a finale to me.
Ditto.
Exactly. For a normal episode this was great, but for a finale, it was a bit lacking on excitement.
Yeah. I kept thinking Alan was going to come on at the end and say, “jk, here’s the real finale.”
It’s funny you bring that up, because that “Thanks for watching Season 3…tune in for Season 4″ had the tone of almost a mea culpa…like he knew the finale stunk and plots were left hanging…Like he was really saying “sorry for the crap finale guys, I promise I’ll try to make it up to you next season”
All the way through the episode I was just thinking to myself this would have made a really good penultimate episode, but a finale…no
YES! This was ok for a middle of the season ep, but for a season finale? And sidenote to Alan Ball- you are starting on a downward spiral with all the corny stuff, please stop- thank you
I was actually onlggiog the topic of homophobia and sookie stackhouse because I wanted some confirmation that I wasn’t utterly hallucinating the homophobic overtones in Dead Until Dark. It’s interesting to hear the overtones continue through the series, but wasn’t it already right there in the first book?So Sookie goes looking for Bill at his house, and he has a bunch of vampire friends over who are enjoying a bit of an orgy with their human toys. Sookie is immediately repulsed because one of the (male) vampires is receiving oral from his (male) human toy. That’s not my problem. Being an unwilling audience to someone else’s sex acts is no fun, I get that. But the fact that the very first onstage example of homosexuality is bound up with disregard of bystander consent is a bit unsettling. But then my impression that Harris uses gay to signify bad news is cemented when the gay vamp then deliberately attempts to infect Bill with Vampire AIDS.It would be bad enough if the most overtly gay character was also an antagonist. It’s much, much worse if that gay antagonist goes about attempting to harm the protagonists by living down to one of the cherished slanders perpetrated by homophobic pundits everywhere and trying to give Bill the gay disease .Thank goodness for Lafayette, even if I barely remember that he actually was portrayed as gay in the novel (I knew he was in the show). I’m very sorry to hear Harris kills him off.
I feel like when this show started it was all about vampires in the real world, and now the show has completely forgotten about the real world.
Exactly! I was so afraid that Andy was going to try the V, cause I was thinking, dude, you’re the one sane, normal person left in this town!
(I also thought his comment to Jason about reasoning away law enforcement was a hoot and showed he actually had brains, unlike some people…though Jason did end proving himself a bit in this episode)
That’s how the books are though…they are told from Sookies POV and as a result, her involvement with the supernatural world because she is of the supernatural world (being part Fae).
@em…which is why I think the TV show needs less Sookie and shouldn’t revolve around he as much…and get back to being focused on Vampires and Humans dealing with each other.
It was good because Bill was finally not perfect. I don’t know what is going on with Tara. I hope Tara’s character is finally developed into something like the books. Sam was interesting and I can’t wait for Jason is change. I’m glad the witches are coming. Let’s see what happens next season.
Lets put it this way–this show and tonight’s episode was still substantially more entertaining and better than most things on TV. Nevertheless, Alan Ball needs to get rid of some of his plot lines. The show is at its best when it focuses on Sookie, Eric, and Bill.
I have to say I do like where they are going with Eric’s character. I hope the witches they introduce next season will introduce the right kind of havoc into the show–one that pushes Sookie and Eric into the forefront.
I agree with all of this – some arcs are stronger than others and the given their short seasons, the show as a whole would do better if there were less hats to juggle.
Alan Bell is definitely better than Tim Kring as a writer, but one of Heroes’ downfall was having too many characters to handle. I don’t want to see that happen to TB.
The books are narrated by Sookie…it’s her world and everyone fits into it. There was no good reason for Alan Ball to water down the central story with a dozen subplots. Lafayette, Tara, Jason and Sam’s stories disconnected from Sookie stunk and we didn’t really have more screen time with them. The show is now forced to focus next season on subplots that no one cares about….the pieces don’t fit together.
Very well said. I’ve been frustrated with the subplots all year. It didn’t seem like anything fit together well at all this season.
I am still a True Blood fan, but this season was so choppy, it seemed as though half of this season was setting up next season. None of the stories appeared to gel except for the major one involving Russell.
I agree. The only subplot story arc that I think worked and had good pacing over the 12 episode season and actually had a good resolution for the season was Jessica and Hoyt. They both had to overcome obstacles and people trying to come between them and where able to come back together once they came to terms with who they each were, and at the end of the season moved in together as a couple…it actually had an arc with pacing that fit into 12 episodes and an actual resolution for the season…though I’m not digging them bring back Hoyt’s mama, and I Hoyt he doesn’t become a practicing minister next season (as was hinted), I hope he only does it so he can marry Jessica and that’s as far as his being a “minister” goes.
But other subplots went nowhere or left us hanging
Subplots that went no where and felt pointless:
Jason trying to be a cop…Arlene’s baby…The Mickens…Tommy and Sam…Sam’s “dark” past…the whole Hotshot community…Crystal and Jason.
Subplots that had potential but left us hanging:
Bill’s true motives…The Queen’s real intentions…what happened to Debbie Pelt and Russel’s Werewolves…Who the “Authority” really are and how they fit into Vampire politics…and finally, how about getting more into the aftermath of the human response to Russel killing an anchorman on national TV.
This was the best season yet. Not sure why Ken is being so harsh.
wow *facepalm*
It has been hit or miss at best. Definitely too uneven.
Totally agreed! Last season everyone said it was the worst because of Mary Anne and now they’re saying this is the worst season. Give me a break. This season was great and next will be better!!!
hmmm I don’t remember people saying it was the worst. People hated MA as a villain, but they weren’t saying it was the worst season b/c of her. She just was a boring villain. Most of the posters here seemed to love the Dallas vamps (myself included).
Well, to clarify, some were saying that it was the worst (i mean, there were only 2 seasons at the time), but I don’t think it was as universal as people have been saying about season 3. But I do have to add that Michelle Forbes was amazing with her role.
I still think the MA story arc (great actress or not) was one of the worst parts of a good show in years. TERRIBLE on all levels. I can’t believe I’d ever say this, but the orgies got sooooo boring!!!
Agreed. Though with all the sub-plots, it was somewhat choppy. Some of them need to be trimmed out next season. The show needs some ‘breathing space’.
This was better than the last two episodes, but felt this season started off great & went downhill. 12 episodes is too little, and they need to cut down on the cheese — seeing a cardboard pastor / Hoyt’s mom’s antics cheapens the drama. It can still be funny, but those bits aren’t.
. Still really enjoy the show, these are minor complaints.
I agree, the first 30 min with Eric, Sookie, Bill, and the king were really great but then the the last 30 min went down and then I got pissed when I realized nothing was going to get resolved this season.
The only thing that sucked more than this episode was the ending. Putrid.
I hope Tara drives off and is never seen again.
I’m glad they got rid of Crystal, but Jason taking care of them? WTF? Just no. I wanted him to be a cop.
I know Pam got Eric out, but I wanted to see it, damn it!
The bujah stuff is stupid and if that’s the main thing for next season. No thanks, I’ll be one and done.
Yep. So sick of the damn tampon-commercial, glowing fairies. Just stop it with so many supernatural creatures!
You’re really going to complain about supernatural creatures on a show based primarily on Vampires being real?
Really? That is your only complaint?
That’s like tuning in to CSI and saying you’re tired of all the cops.
You obviously haven’t read any of the books…there are more supes than humans…
Does not matter if anyone read the books or not. CH and AB’s lore of the supernaturals is way off. The only thing AB is missing from the books are the half-demons; unless he introduces some other creatures. There are the same amount of humans as supes in the books but because they focus on Sookie’s pov, we read and know more about them as oppose to the humans; the show is the same.
Ball seems to take the books and then add his own extra’s…..this being said, watch out, book 4 is AMAZING! If he just sticks with the main plot points and adds a tiny bit extra, it will be worth waiting till next summer for!
I’m so looking forward to the shower.(Sigh)
I know how you feel…another year, ugh!
I know what you mean. Book 4 needs to be shown, shower scene and all. It would be a shame to not follow that story line.
The problem with this season was that he diverged too much from the source material and added too much filler. Some of the same posters who complain about the “book readers” who want more of Charlaine’s story are the same ones complaining that there are too many plots, too many characters, etc. If Alan Ball would stick MORE to the books, these people would probably enjoy the show more – seems like the book readers would, too. He’s made some good changes (Lafayette alive, Godric’s storyline) but too many bad ones (Maryann being the main storyline last season, major Eric/Bill character changes, and pretty much ignoring most of the interesting werewolf storylines in the third book – like Club Dead, the REAL re-emergence of Steve Newlin, and expanding on Sookie’s interactions with Debbie and Alcide). Everything I just mentioned from book 3 appeals more to me than Arlene’s storyline, Sam’s family, and seeing so much Crystal/Hotshot drama.
Agree. I have no problem with Alan Ball making changes from the books….his explanation was that Sookie narrating left little room for the other characters, but the storylines that are his creation were really lousy (Jason, Sam, Hoyt) and BonTemps isn’t much of an ‘everybody knows your name small town’ anymore. I watched, but I’ve started not to care.
I don’t have a problem with him making changes when they are good ones. He has inserted so much crap into the story that it is just getting silly. I absolutely HATE what he has done with the fae. Jason’s storyline this season was crap. He is really starting to destroy the show. I almost turned the TV off when Bill and the queen started to fly together Matrix style to fight. It was pathetic!
I totally agree Katyo. People forget without the books, there would be no show. The first season deviated only in minor details but kept close to the main plot. I was happy we got baby vamp Jessica and Lafayette lived. Season 2 would have been horrible if not for Godric and the Dallas vamps. This season has been all over the map and has left me wondering what the hell happened. All the hype about Alcide and the werewolves but they were barely there. I hate that the characters themselves have been dessimated. Sam has always been the eternal good guy throughout all 10 books but because he needed “screen time” the writers turn him into a mean, vengeful drunk. Everything good Eric ever did for Sookie either didn’t happen or Bill did it. Sookie has warped into a screaming, sniveling victem. A far cry from the headstrong steel magnolia the book readers fell in love with. I really don’t care where she disappeared to last night in the “Close Encounter of the Cheeseball Kind” moment and that says a lot. It’s like Alan Ball is writing a soap opera which would work if the show was on 5 nights a week but not when there are only 12 episodes a year. I hope next season A.) Goes back to basics and honors the books & B.) Is longer than 12 episodes.
The only things I’m truly greatful for are that Russel didn’t meet the true death and Bill FINALLY got busted.
I completely agree with JM. I don’t have much hope that season 4 will follow book 4, but I really, really, hope it will.
AB seems to read the books and pull a plot line; he is not sticking to the books at all. I like that he has fleshed out some characters but he has ruined others. “Loosely follows book 3″ took a large plot but incorporated book 4-10 to the point he ruined it. He has butchered the characters;even the way he had Eric deliver a key point from book 6, made Eric still come off as a douche. I have no faith that season 4 will be like book 4.
LOVE this show – absolutely glorious trash – but was a bit disappointed by tonight’s episode – agree – did not feel like a season finale — toooooo many loose ends! But did enjoy Sookie dumping Talbot down the disposal. And question, wouldn’t have Russell have been begun to heal at least a little bit – even without going to ground or getting a transfusion?
Russell was still looking pretty crispy ‘cause, although he had fae blood, he is 3000 years-old and thus much more sensitive to sun light than younger vampires and thus, still charcoal face throughout the episode.