Tell Us What You Thought About “Beyond Here Lies Nothing”
Shall I call it, beyond this point lies no more Simba? Push the show behind me, or I’m gone…or at least I’ll find even more room to be mock…
I’m sure many of you did not like it, and as always, this is the place to voice your opinion. Of course, I just don’t think this outlet is enough…When we get more information, we are thinking about organizing a letter writing campaign to Alan Ball and HBO.
~simba_317
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Blood Bonds 
To be completely honest, I was a little disappointed. It was very anti-climatic. I was also hoping for some pink lycra but I knew that was pretty much out of the question anyway. I’m glad that they Maryanne thing is over with, it was getting a little old. I really hope next season out shines the second.
I’m not disappointed with the wrap up of Maryann.
I’m not disappointed with Jason–I love the smell of nail polish in the morning.
I’m not disappointed with Sam, Andy, Laffy or anyone else in Bon Temps.
I’m not disappointed with what may lie for Tara in season 3–sacrifice of the heart much? Jason or Eggs?
I’m not even disappointed with the Queen.
What I AM disappointed with is the frickin’ proposal and what in the hell Alan Ball is doing to Sookie!? She is a woman that is on the brink of exploring her sexuality!! Not on the verge of committing to one man! Blatant, terrible re-write of a character and I am beyond pissed about it. I’d go so far to say that I’m more pissed about the re-write of Sookie than I would be if it turns out to be a re-write for Badboy!Eric that just abducted Bill from the restaurant instead of Lorena…
Poorly played, Mr Ball.
WAIT!…I take it back. for the Queen to say “That blows” about Godric…
what
the
eff??
other than that…better than last. but that’s it?! I hope they are saving Eric’s emotional opening about Godric for a convo btw him and Sookie in S3 or at WORST S4, b/c they need to get to it…and it will only be redeemed in my mind if it unfolds between the two of them in a beautiful dialogue and intimacy–not even sexual, but just intimacy of FRIENDS.
ok i think i’m dont ranting…
The ONLY thing in this episode that is keeping me on board for next season is the conversation that Sophie-Anne and Eric have about his feelings for Sookie. It’s totally obvious that he cares about her, and I’m HOPING that they’ll explore that much, much, MUCH further in the next season. They’d better. Because I’m tired of seeing how Jesus-like Bill is. He’s not a saint, for God’s sake! Please, Alan Ball. I know this is your show, but TRY to semi-follow the logical plotline of the books. Because right now, your plotline is ridiculously stupid.
The only thing great about this episode was Sam. He totally took one for the team, and I love him for that š Oh, and of course I enjoyed the unreasonably short two minute Eric sequence. I love that suit…
Worst part of the episode (in my opinion): The entire scene of Bill’s proposal to Sookie. I got really excited when she refused (you can’t say yes because you have feelings for Eric! obviously.), but of course she ends up saying yes…how predictable, Alan Ball.
Sorry, rant over! I just had to get it out >_<
To say I’m disappointed with the finale would be trivializing it. Not only do we have less than 2 minutes of Eric at the very beginning of the episode but, in the hopes of seeing more, have to endure Saint Bill! I totally agree that Sookie should flourish in both her womanhood and her sexuality and that Alan Ball is warping any semblance of this out of her character.
Few redeeming items…MaryAnn is gone and now that Billy is gone, Sookie MAY have to work with Eric to find him. I guess its another road trip. Thanks for providing a forum to vent.
Book Sookie is very sexual and interested in other men, this Sookie only has puppy dog eyes for Bill. I am reading Book 7 now, and by this point she has been associated with many different guys. I can’t imagine TB Sookie even giving another guy a hug without having a huge fit of guilt. Something’s gotta change.
They are definitely going to Jackson next season. AB mentioned it at the Comic Con panel. Bring on Alcide!
Elkabie pretty much said it for me.
Won’t be mourning the loss of Maryann … Or Eggs for that matter
Jason and Andy were great with their “it got done so it mush have been us” stuff
Spent most of the episode emphatically shouting TEAM SAM!
I didn’t want to kill Eggs, Tara, The Queen, or anyone else.
Eric can play scrabble to 5000 with me any time.
AND YES! It WAS THE QUEEN SELLING THE V! -dance-
And on to the bad stuff…
Remember way back in season 1 when Sookie had a mind of her own and could take care of herself and didn’t act like a lovesick dipshit? Yeah, I miss those days too.
Where the HELL did that proposal come from? I was really ready to turn the TV off, but then she got upset and ran away from the table and I was like “YES! GO SOOKIE!” and then she’s in the bathroom and is all like putting the ring on and smiling and I’m going “NO! DONT DO IT! DONT LET THEM COMPLETELY DESTROY YOU AS A CHARACTER” and she did it anyways.
I was really hoping Sam would mention something about him going to Eric and Eric being willing to help out. But alas, he didnt.
As for missing Bill. I dunno. I’m pretty sure everyone is going to automatically assume it’s Eric after his convo with the queen. So maybe it will be him, but I’m more inclined to believe that they’re heading back down the line with the book and its either Lorena or someone helping Lorena.
By the way they try to destroy Eric as a character , it wouldn’t surprise me if he is the one who abducted Bill. Another bad decision. Nothing in common with the book.
We get Saint Bill
and we get Evil Eric..
So boring!!!
My disappointment is mindblowing!!! Everything with Maryann wrapped up within a 1/2 hour. Eric playing friggin Yahtzee? The awful ERW’s version of the Queen just get worse and worse. Trivializing Godric’s death? Oh come on!!! The Queen is supposed to be cunning, cruel, and above all; classy. Not some tart who has to bear her fangs and tear people down emotionally. Someone like Sofie-Anne doesn’t have to.
Bill proposing? Are you f-ing kidding me????!!!??? This is not Twilight, we don’t need Bill and Sookie to stay together (as a quick aside I do like Twilight). Come on, let Sookie be the independent woman we know she can be. I am so tired of Bill being portrayed as a saint. Oh poor self-loathing, long-suffering Bill…give me a break!!! The should have just stopped with “I Will Rise Up.”
Same was the true star here. I actually did not figure out that he was the bull until it was revealed. He was phenomenal.
Here’s a thought… How is it Jason and Andy didn’t come under Maryann’s spell when they were under attack by her minions, but after 2 minutes at the wedding they were changed. I can only assume it had something to do with Jason telling Andy to, “Not fight it…”
This episode completely and thoroughly let me down. Here are some thoughts for next season…:
USE SOME OF WHAT CHARLAINE HARRIS SO BEAUTIFULLY CREATED!!! She created brilliant characters with strong personalities, not this skewed version of her world. The Queen, a horrible parody. Eric, always portrayed as a villian…not cool. Bill, hopelessly besotted and perfect, terrible, and Sookie as the perpetual helpless damsel in distress, instead of the resourceful, independent girl she is. If Alan Ball wants to keep people watching, he had better wake up and start paying attention.
Just a quick side note: The reason that MaryAnn was able to pull Jason and Andy under at the wedding was because she was present… If you’ll recall when they were under attack at Merlotte’s she wasn’t there…
There were sooo many problems from the episode I don’t know where to begin. It was boring, it ws pointless and it was stomach turning. But my biggest issues (besides the lack of eric and the horrendous scene he was in)…was the very end.
One of the KEY aspects of Bill being gone in Club Dead is the fact that he left on his OWN VOLITION. It may have been “under duress” but Sookie had NO idea that that was the case…he just…LEFT…with instructions of what to do if he didn’t come back. He left…there was no abduction, he was just gone without any word as to why…and for several weeks prior to that he grew increasingly distant. It was a huge blow to her heart…which set off the cascade of events. But int he show he’s violently abducted with the evidence of his abduction…he doesn’t break her heart, he’s taken away after he asks her to marry him…so…ESPECIALLY if Eric is behind it…it’s totally going to ruin any future she has with him…
Either way Alan Ball has TOTALLY ruined this show for me. This was the worst finale ever and he should be ashamed of the mockery he’s made of Charlaine’s amazing world and characters.
This is spot ON.
The only hope now is that Sookie will find out why Bill is in Bon Temps while she’s playing detective and trying to find him.
Even if that happens, it such a lame imitation of the way this plot ran in teh books and I cannot for the life of me work out what AB thinks he is gaining by changing it this way. This part of the story now becomes a total cliche.
I agree with most of the comments here. Very disappointed with this finale. the whole time I was waiting for Eric to show up and he only had two minutes of airtime. OMFG! so glad Maryanne is gone and Eggs for that matter. I am a big fan of the books and I’m sure a lot of people agree with me that we wanted to see the pink tight lycra pants and Eric saying “yield to me,” but instead we get Bill and Sookie having a romantic dinner night. Worst part was Bill’s proposal. Like WTF! Seriously. I understand the shows is not going to be the same as the books, but to completely change the whole plot line, totally screwed it for me. Their relationship started like what less than a year? I like that Sookie was hesitant about it, but completely ruined it for me when she came with “YES.” Of course, Bill is gone, supposedly kidnapped by Eric since that’s what everyone’s going to think with the little brief scene we saw him with the Queen. Another devious assumption that I truly despise of TB doing. Hopefully, its just a set up to let the audience think its Eric and that its truly Lorena’s doing. PLEASE make it true for Season 3. I so hoping the writers, especially Alan Ball (which I have to agree with Simba is the big culprit of this poor depiction of character annihilation) get up their game next season. Club Dead is another great book in the series I enjoyed, next to Dead to the World and Dead and Gone. It is all about ERIC and I really, really can’t stand BILL(he was tolerable in the books). Sad to say, the only part I enjoyed the most of this episode was the brief scene of Eric/Alex Skarsgard which everyone would agree with me is a great actor and truly gorgeous specimen. Quite charismatic and steals every scene he’s in. Sorry for the rant, but I’m glad I wasn’t the only one disappointed with the finale. We sure can start a petition/letter to Alan Ball and HBO in regards to who should be playing the major role here.
The two positive things from the finale is the conversation between Eric and the Queen about him falling in love with Sookie, and my waning enthusiasm to look forward to season 3 because this finale just, in the words of the Queen, BLOWS! I don’t really care anymore that we have to wait a year to see season 3.
Once again, a complete waste of on-screen time by featuring conversations of the Bon Temps populace that were absolutely pointless. YES, WE ALREADY KNOW THAT NO ONE REMEMBERS ANYTHING! We don’t need to hear the same thing from every freaking single person in the town!
And Eric ending up doing nothing to help with the maenad situation? Wth is that?! It made him look incompetent and stupid, frankly. I have just about had it with the show emasculating Eric.
And Bill proposing? I was just trying to hold my gagging and nausea through the whole thing. Though I did brighten up a little (a smidgeon) when Sookie didn’t immediately say yes.
Disappointed and angry is an understatement for what I am feeling right now. And to think that I was hoping with all my might that Alexander Woo would be able to redeem the crap AB made with the penultimate episode…
The sad thing is I don’t want to hate the show. I want to be able to enjoy the characters of Charlaine’s books coming to live on screen but if this is how it turns out, then I think I’ll stick to the books. At least Charlaine respects and loves her creations there.
It sucked Donkey nutz backwards!!! The story line was a Bastardized butchery….I CANNOT stand ERW as the Queen and there was no acting chemistry with ASkars….WTF does he see in her anyway? But, I digress, the first 25 minuntes sucked were somehow redeemed by the last 25 minutes to make for a lukewarm episode overall and a suckass season finale.
If AB is going for turning TB into a failure he is succeeding there. If they continue at this rate I will be surprised if they are renewed next year….I hope he can bring the show back to its roots like it was in season one.!
“WTF does he see in her anyway?”
Let’s watch the actor bashing…What actors do in their personal life is none of our business. And let’s not jump to conclusions on what has been said on rumour/gossip sites.
~simba_317
Sorry for posting twice but after reading Sophy’s comments above, I think maybe we SHOULD start a petition to HBO (at this point in time, I think it would be pointless to send one to AB – he just does not GET the characters!) to demand better characterization and writing on the show. Hopefully HBO will then pressure AB to do the show justice.
I’m trying to get more information…but once I do, I will be more than happy to organize a letter writing campaign. Oh and multiple post as much as you want!
~simba_317
I’m not sure a letter writing campaign would do it. I think that writing on these forums is the best way to get the message across, since I am certain that they read these things to keep up with the fans’ opinions.
Whether people are book fans or just show fans, the last few episodes have to have been big disappointments all around.
I would definitely take part in a letter writing campaign to HBO with all of you. What HBO understands is Money. Market share. Ratings. Product placement. We need to hammer home the point that HBO will, oh, how do you say LOSE viewers because of this horror show. As for the episode, i can’t critique it. It was beyond an Epic Failure.
I’m going to copy/paste my reply from another forum because I’m too pissed/tired to write a proper reply. I’ll do that tomorrow though.
Here goes:
Lousy, just lousy.
First thingās first. Wow! Shocker! Sam turned into a bull to defeat Maryann. I didnāt see that one coming a mile away.
Then everything is back to normal the very next day? Right.
Then Bill proposes? What? And of course Sookie says yes. I mean sheās known the man for a couple of months that makes total sense.
Umm.. poor Jessica. And poor Hoyt. And poor Sam. I loved everything Sam did tonight. Lafayette was great, too. I loved when he clapped after bringing Sookie down to Maryann. I laughed. š
For me I think the worst part was the way they finally addressed Godricās passing and it was done so with one trite piece of dialogue delivered by a lousy actress.
Oh and I donāt think Eric kidnapped Bill, I think it was probably Lorena but maybe Iām thinking that because I would like for them to stop making Eric into the bad guy. I should know better.
I’m angry. I feel betrayed and abandoned. And I’m talking about a TV show! This was a seriously lame episode. My greatest fears have been realized. The crazy lack of Eric in this episode! In the finale! The completely unfaithful to the book-ness! I mean, the story doesn’t have to be exactly the same as the books – but I certainly expect an improvement not a complete stupefication of it!
WTF? Is exactly how I feel about this episode. WTF with the lack of Eric? WTF in not letting Eric join in the rescue? After ALL this build up? Seriously?
After having waited with much anticipation for the season finale…
I am just stumped…the show was: boring, contrived and just ugh.
-The wrap up with Maryann was iffy (how is AB going to handle the STDs, pregnancies and self mutilation -BIG guess – I bet he just ignores it!). He is the one who scripted that entire crappy storyline and there is no closure to it! UGH
-St Bill, I would have respected him more if he would just freaking OWN up to his actions. The proposal – can we say needy much! Guys – take note – don’t propose to a girl after hell has broken out in your town, especially if your girl is ALIVE while you are unDead and haven’t even talked about marriage. You know – she is going grow old and and die while you don’t! I would think a girl would have issues with that. So I guess AB is going to have Sookie cheat on Bill in season 3 – well atleast he is making sookie do some of bill’s evil deeds, not just Eric. Way to shake that up AB. UGH, boring and contrived.
-Eggs – so i guess it’s going come out next year that Jason killed him and Tara is going get mad. Maybe that is how they get her to run away to Missi and hook-up with Frank? If they even do that story. Contrived
-Eric and Queen SA #1: I am still struggling with the age issue. In the books she is older than him (hence stronger and she has 3 crazy guys who are older, watching her back). In the show, she said she was turned right before the industrial revolution (so between 1556 – 1779)…she is at most 453 which is much younger than Eric. AB really needs to explain how Vamps in his world retain power – cause in most mythos (including CHs) it is by age. At a minimum – they need to have Eric say he doesn’t want to be king (like in the books) – to explain away why he takes her crap. I do think ERW was better in this epp. Contrived
– Why Yathzee? Is there a kick back going on? If i was the Queen’s age instead of Yathzee i would be playing WoW or DnD which would be much funnier in the context of the show. UGH
-Queen SA: If sookie is more than human and feeding on her does something to vamps – Queen SA should have the same problem with Hadley (if kinship in show is the same as the books). Also, last eppy she told bill vamps could only feed on humans – so if sookie isn’t human – how can bill feed on her? UGH
-Sam: of all the characters from the book to the show – he has stayed the same even given the changes to his personal history. I felt so sorry for him. He was the HERO and no one treated him as such. (Note: i liked his HEROness in the show better than his not so much from the ending in the book.)
-Sookie: still the victim. I really don’t like that they have reduced her ability to the point where bill has to tell her to use them…owe how i hate that. This show is about a telepathic waitress…she should be doing her telepathic stuff without Daddy Bill telling her. boring and UGH
To set the record straight – all the actors did a bang up job…i just did not enjoy the story.
GAWWWWW! What in the world?!! This episode should have been called HERE Lies Nothing. What a big goose egg of an episode.
OK, let me focus on the parts I actually DID like.
1) ASkars rose above ERW’s AWFUL acting. He was great in that scene. His body movement when he was getting up after she attacked him were incredible.
2) Sam going to the Merlotte family to find out about his real parents. Best line of the night “never say never when you got the internet”
3) Charlaine Harris cameo!!
4) Tender moments with Bill and Jessica
5) Jessica attacking the truck driver!
6) Arlene’s kids “Yup, I’m pretty sure he’s dead” about Rene
7) Sam appearing to Maryanne and then goring her (couldn’t this have happened about 6 episodes back?!)
8) Sam Trammell. Best acting of the night!! Understated and believable.
9) “That’s why I stick with Mountain Dew”. Ha ha.
Parts that annoyed me:
1) The Queen BLOWS!
2) Shifters going public ALREADY?!
3) The Maryanne thing was over in like 20 minutes and the 20 minutes of “cleanup” was a waste of valuable story telling time
4) Eric “taking care of” Bill? Give me a break! More Eric is the Bad Guy crap.
5) Vamps are allowed to marry humans? What?!
6) Bill calling Hoyt “Hort Fortenburg”
7) Too much time wasted on Hoyt and his mom
8) EGGS! Couldn’t he have died trying to save Maryanne or just slipping on a banana peel. His scenes were massive wastes of time, and the RACE FAIL on Jason killing him (and Andy covering it up) just pissed me off even more.
9) “Wounded Hero” Bill stumbling up like a hero after Sam killed Maryanne. Sam did all the heavy lifting. Go away Bill!
10) The mention of Godric after episodes 10 & 11 made NO MENTION of the event, felt to me like Charlie’s death in LOST. How Claire just went on like nothing happened and then episodes later it comes up again. How can such BIG MOMENTS be forgotten?
11) Howdy Doody Hadley and that model guy with the bad fake accent. Can the Queen and her entire court be reimagined and recasted? The Queen BLOWS.
12) Maryanne telling Sookie that she’s not quite human.
13) Sookie telling Maryanne she doesn’t know how that electricity came from her hands. It didn’t sound like the kind of conversation a person would have with their captor.
14) Andy blurting the truth out to Jane Bodehouse
15) The writing of Jason was TOO heavyhanded. He had some funny moments. But all his cheerleading type speeches were too much. Frankly the Andy and Jason scenes were…they just got way too many lines.
16) Sookie and Bill dancing to that cheesy music.
God, I could go on and on. BAD BAD BAD EPISODE. I am worried for Season 3.
turns out the number “8” plus “)” equals 8). i didn’t realize that. sorry.
8)
Also, quick question, Book Eric was always up front about his feelings for Sookie. Why have they made TB Eric so bashful and ashamed? It doesn’t ring true. I hope TB Eric comes out of his shell next season. When Amnesia Eric and Sookie finally hook up, part of the appeal is because Amnesia Eric is so gentle and different from regular Eric. I think for that change to be so dramatic, regular Eric is going to have to be a little bit more forward and lecherous….
I should be in bed, getting rest for work tomorrow. But I have to share my thoughts…
Mostly agree with everyone about the lousy show. The bright spots for me;
– Eric is NOT evil, he’s not the one selling V of his own volition, he’s under the Queen’s thumb, and he didn’t even seem that happy about having to “take care of Bill” as he was forced to say to the queen. To me, that shows a heart. He was daunted, clearly, and she’s just nuts. She can take his fangs and hang them like jewelry, or whatever it was she said..that’s kind of hardcore folks! Eric is clearly under her control in his sheriffing and business dealings…
She said something else that caught my ear. He said he was there for info on the maenad as well, and she in essence told him not to bother…to stick to what he’s good at.
Now…that tells me something, or maybe I’m reading too much, but..seems to me he was stepping out of his box – what he’s good at, making money or whatever.. – and perhaps for Sookie, and yes, Sam’a plea as well, he decided to take a shot at doing some good in his area. Also, Godric had to have affected him. I think Eric has tons of room to grow for season 3, if the writers at HBO get any flippin clue anyway.
The queen…I thought she was better this week, honestly. She’s off her rocker a bit, she’s a bad person, I can live with that, she doesn’t have to be just like the books. And I don’t think Eric not being able to do anything about the maenad is his fault, it’s no weakness on his part that she kept him in that lousy game of Yahtzee. So I don’t think they emasculated him, necessarily, by not involving him in that plot.
– Another bright spot was Sam goring the maenad. Nice filming, nice shots. HOWEVER…I’m pretty mystified where he got an imprint of a white bull to copy off, as he needs to do in his shifting…i.e. the fly, the owl, even the dog…anyone note this?? Made me sigh…but Sam was good, he touched my heart tonight, I’ll enjoy following his story line next season.
But to be clear, Eric is what’s drawing me back to next season…
The bad;
– There’s a few nuisances I could harp on, but I’ll stick with what’s in my craw right now. Bill’s asinine, desperate and insecure effort at practically their first real official date, no less, of proposal of marriage. BILL! Get a clue! Timing, baby. Timing. And man, has he got something to hide. He might love Sookie, but he’s still got something – that chat with Sam about truth and secrets, I saw Bill’s face…
Unreal, and I was gratified at Sookie’s reaction…at first…I mean..that hesitation was rational. Yes, you’ve been through a trauma, You were a virgin before Bill for cripes’ sake, what, 2 months ago? Don’t even know what all you are…and by the way, ERIC…hello? Don’t marry Bill fool!
I really would have appreciated a flashback of her dream with Eric, or even taking Eric’s on the roof with Godric, when she closed her eyes in the bathroom to compose herself. I mean..it would have made SENSE…he’s part of many reasons why saying yes to Bill’s insane and irrational proposal is a bad idea, Sook! Gawd, the writers are making me CRAZY….!
I think it was Lorena who took Bill. Even if Eric had to call her to do it, it STILL doesn’t make him evil…we KNOW he’s under the Queen’s thumb…Sookie will have to learn this as well so that she can’t totally fault Eric, and of course, learn about Bill at the same time. But I can also see the Queen calling on Lorena herself, and not even giving Eric any time to handle Bill in whatever way he was going to try. We might see a surprised Eric at the news of Bill next season, since he didn’t even have a chance to deal with Bill…I could see that…
Those are some general thoughts. I’m sure all week long I’ll be typing out more thoughts. I’m frustrated at the way this epi ended, frustrated at the lack of Eric…frustrated to have to wait to see him again for so long. (sigh) Argh…
your post made me remember a few things:
* I have to agree that it was almost Eric’s good luck that he wasn’t involved in that Maryanne mess. Ugh, who needs it?
* Last week when Bill threatened Eric over the V, I just knew that Bill’s threat was empty. Glad to have that confirmed in this episode.
*If Bill has been kidnapped and we already know that Bill has no love for Lorena, then the betrayal (which we had better get next season) is clearly going to have to be something else. I wonder what? It better be good!
I’m not sure there will be a betrayal. Clearly Alan Ball has a secret love affair going on with Bill in his mind.
Simba, btw way, I can’t WAIT for your recaps!! Ugh, how long will we have to wait??
I want to say Saturday…but I am very busy…so maybe Sunday.
~simba_317
Wonderful, looking forward to it. By then I’ll be craving some new reviews and thoughts, after I scour every board about this show throughout the week. I’ll need a fix by then, so yay…thanks!
Tiy better make it a very good one, Simba (and I know you will. Afterall your recaps are always great). Since I don’t know if I’ll watch the episode at all.
Just by reading what you guys have to say… And remembering how close I was in the middle of this season to let TB go. Well…
agh, correction…taking Eric’s HAND on the roof with Godric..would’ve been a nice flashback in her moment of seeking composure while her eyes were closed.
It’s late, time for bed…I’m all cross-eyed, heh
I want a XXI century Sookie! That’s what Charlaine Harris wrote!! That’s why she’s loved and successful.
too many things crossing my mind… First I have to say that i satrted watching the show last year, and i NEVER liked bill. UGGG. ThatĀ“s all I can say.But after reading the books-as soon as they arrived, in a week, honestly i feel the writters are seriouly screwing up.
Where is SOOKIE??? In the books she is witty, strong, compasionate, not that innocent, and she has a nice, dry sense of humour that usually eric GETS.
I am not even going to start with where is eric…
I seriously hope next season they pay attention and follow club dead… billĀ“s treason, ericĀ“s concern about sookie…
I read an interview where they say that only 5% of followers have read the book…honestly, theyĀ“ll better find out how many of us have read the books after being hooked by the show, and how dissapointed we are…
lets just hope…..
The 5% of the viewing audience that reads the books and only ever will be was a comment that Stephen Moyer made at a Comic Con interview done by Ausiello for EW. I honestly do not know if it reflects the views of any other parties related to True Blood.
~simba_317
Or if it’s even true. I hardly know anybody who’s watched the show and not read the books.
bet, good point about the amount of people who’ve NOW read the book. i got hooked on the show this year and started reading the books last month. i know a lot of people in the same boat. the writers should take heed.
I’m so unbelievably disappointed with the finale I’m actually thinking of not watching Season 3.
The high point of the episode was Sam turning into the white bull and goring Maryann. I was over the Maryann plotline by episode 4.
Jason quoting memorable movie lines as his motivation to Andy was hilarious…although he changed one line from Apocalypse Now to “I love the smell of nail polish in the morning.”
It’s been said already…all season long by every TB outlet on the web, but I’ll say it again…NEED MORE ERIC!!!!
I hate that AB is pushing the AP/SM r/l relationship in the show. I can understand that he wants to make them happy, but Sookie still hasn’t committed to one man after 9 books, why is AB making her commit after season 2? WHY WHY WHY????
Okay the more I write this out the more disappointed I get with the whole show. I want to give Season 3 a chance, but I’m so disgusted by the finale that I just may skip it and not have my feelings hurt by AB’s total lack of cohesion with the books. I seriously think they need to take out the “Based on the Sookie Stackhouse novels” from the opening credits. Other than names and places, he’s changed even the premise behind the characters.
Rant machine off…
This episode is filled with some appalling lows but also some good parts, so I donāt know how I feel about it ā kind of disappointed. However I really was expecting it so I went in with low expectations and those were met. As good as Woo is, I donāt think anyone would find it easy cleaning up after the train wreck of the last two eps
Jumping the shark allll ovvveerr the shop tonight ā HELLO! Proposal? They didnāt even wait for the ratings to go bad before they jumped that baby.
Ultimately I found it pretty boring, the where some great one liner’s which made me laugh out loud…. But nowhere near good enough to finish the season
The worst scene – the proposal, I still feel queasy and am not quite sure it even happened it was sooo bad and corny. I felt like I had sat on the remote and hit a B&B rerun, purple dress ā bllluurrrggghhh, nanas special going out dress.
GOOD
Bumbling keystone cops Andy and Jason (I love Andy) crashing the party promptly getting zombified and then at the end Jason claiming the responsibility, āSheās gone, we must have done somethingā
Amazing scene with the Bull beautifully shot. Heart rending part unnecessary, kind of killed the end.
Terry Bās T-Shirt
Great Sam and Hoyt
Super funny scene where Bill comes hobbling out like an old man clutching his wrist, made me laugh out loud for the wrong reason. Sucky.
BAD
Most of it is so just super bad
Super duper crap arse special effects with stupid glow hand helping to push over meat tree, what is she the hulk now? That combined with dodgy paper mache dying Marianne. A monkey could do better.
The way Sookie runs back out after all of about 2 mins contemplating her decision about the proposal and she runs out shouting āYes Bill, oh Yesā, Oh Jesus that was bad and so corny. Does that qualify as a NARM simba?
Awful final beatification of St Bill – acts like good daddy to Jessica/ saves all of Bon Temps/ proposes to Sookie, sap comes in threes. He was super chalky tonight.
Some random thoughts – I think the queen actually really knows what Sookie is because she tells Eric not to drink her fairy vampire crack blood implying that Bill is only in love with her because of it. Perhaps the Bill/Sookie blood thing could be vice versa? Driving a further wedge? Eric/Sookie, he loves her for who she is.
Bill finds out about Sookieās blood, has a crisis of the human condition, decides he really canāt love and runs off with Lorena to be all dark and vampy together. Then we see the real sadistic nasty Bill. Bildo blows.
Iāll be back for next season, with trepidation though.
Kirsten, glad you brought that up, that’s so classic, Terry’s t-shirt when he was talking with the kids..hilarious!
Also hilarious, Laf as a bridesmaid…”worship him biatches!” ha!
And YES..Eric totally feels for Sookie, it was so evident when talking to the Queen. It’s the only real thing bringing me back to season 3, is Eric..I couldn’t stand to NOT watch, just so I could see him again. (sigh) I’m utterly smitten, through and through….
P.S Do shark bites kill you?
I think I hate someone down there where the TB writersā coven hide.
After episode 11 my expectations were REALLY low, and I was still disappointed. I don’t have anything new to add, except that I have really started to hate True Blood. Episodes 6-10 were good, but up to that point and everything after was just crap. It seems to me that Alan Ball is just ignoring what everyone wants, ignoring the books, ignoring everything but what he wants. And clearly he and I are nothing alike if he thinks this show is any good at all. If anybody comes up with any ideas for mass-contact, I’ll happily participate. Season 3 better get off to a good start or I am done. The ONLY reason I’m still watching is because there are so few things I can see Alex in where he speaks English.
Where do I start?
The episode was boring! For a finale, it didn’t capture my interest.
Sam and Jason probably are the only parts that I liked from the show.
Start with the Egg..why even bring that into the plot?
MA marrying..what a joke!
Sookie saying yes to a marriage proposal. Is this Days of Our Lives?
If I was CH I will feel so betrayed about my great characters portrayed this way.
SA playing and endless game..How productive for someone so old!!!
I can’t believe they wasted AS as an actor. He is just so great. It is THE ONLY REASON WHY I WATCH. I’m seriously thinking of canceling HBO.
It is not worth it. As a book lover just a disappointment.
I can’t imagine that CH likes this show. If i were her I would be royally pissed. But I’m sure she’s still saying she likes it.
Well, since I’m sure I can’t use bad language here, I’ll just have to say that it was so boring, so poorly written, so lacking in self-consistency within the story itself, that I really see no reason to look forward to Season 3 at all. I’ll just reread Club Dead.
Oh you can use bad language all you want, as long as it’s not vulgar.
~simba_317
Pure, unadulterated disappointment. Gah. Only a smidgeon of Eric. And he was so emasculated.
As for Charlaine Harris, I think she has to say she likes it. This is where her money is coming from, right?
I’d be pissed too. Eric is soooo different here. It’s like a character assassination. I’d be pissed if I were Alexander Skarsgard. After a season’s worth of work in making Eric a more nuanced character, TB TV drives him back into extremely gray, if not solid black territory.
OMG I just watched the final im so disappointed!! if there plan is to make everyone love Bil (why?) there failing so bad its becoming a joke, i never really thought Bill was all that great in season 1 but now every time i see him on screen i gag i cant stand him and he is just plan creepy looking when he smiles and that suit he was wearing! was he going out on a date or was it a job interview?! The frienly chit chat with Jessica was just forced and unnatural are we supposed to buy that every thing is fine and dandy between them after he has treated her like dirt on his shoe for the whole series just because he smiles at her (creepy) and calls her pretty. im not even going near the wedding proposel that was just so wrong and i was sure when Sookie went into the bathroom and put on the ring she was going to open her eyes and see Eric in the mirror and realise that she has conflicted feelings for him and therefore cant marry bill (who in the books never even asked her CH says that loads of times) but no she goes skipping out like and idiot with the ohh of course i’ll marrying you St Bill your so perfect in every way!! Gag!
I was really disappointed with the whole episode all the build up with Eric to have him not even show up to help or even have why he didnt show up explained in a scene in Fangtasia or something. There are straying so far from the books that i dont even think there going to have Bill Dump Sookie in season 3 because that would make St Bill look bad and as we know we cant have that!! gerrrrr it makes me so annoyed I really hope they prove me wrong in season 3 but i doubt it.
im so sorry for going on a bit and repeating the stuff people have already said better than me but i just had to get that off my chest!
I have just read this and I have completely lost interest in the show.
Speaking of which, are you surprised at how passionate the Sookie/Eric fans are?
BALL: Yes. I try not to get involved in that because it just sort of ā itās too confusing. I donāt want it to influence what the show is. Personally, Iām like, yes, Ericās hot, but beyond that heās dangerous, and I donāt know if heād love anybody besides himself. Whatās the appeal there? The bad boy? The danger?
He doesn’t get it and he never will. And I’m done. Put a fork in me. I’ll catch up by reading your recaps Simba. I have very little interest in watching season 3.
I just read that article as well. Completely dumbfounded by AB’s response. He truly doesn’t get it. It seems like he’s not seeing the big picture that we all see, and as a writer one would think he would see all aspects CH created for Eric. Especially since AS has said of Eric has said all along and defended that’s he not the bad guy. AS gets it–why can’t AB get it?? And how does he not see how dangerous Bill is? Hell, has he checked the body count HE created for Bill in his show lately?? Bill’s 6 to Eric’s 1.
Who’s the dangerous one again Mr Ball??
*sigh* And here I thought I was done ranting…I have more rants than Kanye it seems.
oof…less angry, more type checky…meant to say:
“Especially since AS has said of Eric all along and defended thatās he not the bad guy.”
“Yo, Bill Compton, I’m really happy for you I’ll let you finish but Eric Northman is one of the best vampires of all time!!!”
Just had to do that =D
Oh, crap, Brenda. Your post made me lol so hard. Thank you =D
UGH – not to MENTION the episode I Will Rise Up pretty much revealed that Eric is PLENTY capable of love…he just hadn’t felt it in a long time, and with Godric, and Sookie to boot? It’s very clear he’s been rattled to life again…so DUH Alan Ball, it’s ALREADY been shown he’s capable of love. You dolt…ugh…I fear for season 3, I hope he was just BS’ing us…
Don’t fret. Just because AB sees it that way, doesn’t mean his entire writing room sees it that way. There are Woo, Buckner and now Oliver and multiple views in that writer’s room. Remember that on Lost there was Damon-the Jacker and Carlton- the Sawyer fanboy. And by Season 5, the state of Jack was such that even DAMON, Jacker extraordinaire was mocking him and mocking him hard. “Yes, this was before all Jack did was yell and cry.” Just because AB doesn’t seem to like Eric now…doesn’t mean he won’t later. Even he has to see that the story is taking him in a different place than maybe what he intended.
Greg Nations…shitty Lost writer/script coordinator said “Watch, wait and see.” This is what we must do now.
~simba_317
True..true..i just read another interview in Televisionary where AB actually says something more promising about Eric in season 3…I think he messes with the fans..lol and we’re so rabid, that’s kinda risky! I’ll wait and see..and watch my fave epis til TB begins again…(sigh)
omg the finale was so crap! i was just incredible bored a) 2 min of AS really??? after all the love people have for eric, and what an incredible actor AS is just 2 min and with that joke of the queen!!!no no no really bad!. i serously think that allan ball has an affair with SM or something, b/c i can0t understan why the need of puttin bell like the saint los the fĀæking time!!! it’s annoying ball!!!! anyway i was really sad for that finale 2 weeks for a proposal bla! for that i watch the bachelor and i don’t even like that thing
Okay…let’s watch the personal attacks on the actors and Alan Ball. This goes for everyone. Leave their private lives out of the discussion, please.
~simba_317
wow. i don’t even know where to start. alan ball totally killed this show for me. i am seriously depressed. i can’t believe something amazing as season one of true blood could be turned into a pile of shit like this. the whole maenad business was interesting for like 1 1/2 episodes, and that would have been enough. i actually used to like bill, now feel like throwing up whenever he’s on screen, i just cannot take it anymore how he’s constantly turned into the good guy. it’s just sickening. i cannot take it anymore how eric is constantly turned into the bad guy or completely out of the picture, it’s even more sickening. sookie.. i don’t even have words for how ridiculous the whole thing with the magic hands is and how much i want to kick her when she acts like the helpless little girl whenever bill is around. aargh. okay, need to stop myself. i’m sorry people. i’m just seriously mad and depressed and sad about what alan ball did to this wonderful show, the whole sookie stackhouse universe that has so much potential for great tv. hbo needs to get rid of him or they might just as well cancel the show. it’s pretty much dead already anyway.
Upset. Annoyed. Take back the Bill, give us more Eric. And also dumbfoudned by AB’s respons that Eric is a good-looking bad boy. Let’s of course, disregard the entire contents of Book 4, where Eric wanted to give up his vampire life to stay with Sookie always. Let’s also forget about the taking taking care of Sookie when she is staked and abandoned by Alcide, Debbie Pelt’s bullet, taking Andre’s place in the blood bond, the driveway, the coat, the presentation of the marriage knife, the ‘this is right, this is best’ and ‘you’re killing me’?
AB, you’re killing me. And not in a good way.
yeah like raping Sookie and lying to her and betraying her over and over makes Bill the good boy? I mean seriously???
WTF!! It just plain sucked. We all know AB said it wasn’t all about Sookie but it was all about the maenard. I was so sick of that every week. Did anyone want to see it this way.
The present was sent by Eric (we know he did in the books)
That the bull was from Eric (the pig in the books) Even though I did like how it was Sam
When Sookie was looking into the mirror, that all the sudden
some fingers were entwined with Sookies. Then you pan out and those fingers belonged to Eric. Now that would of made my finale.
I agree with all of your posts. AB better do something to change the direction of TB or I’ll just stick to the books and Fanfic.
I am beyond pissed that Bill proposed and Sookie decided to accept. The whole time Sookie was staring at herself in the mirror, with the angle of the camera I kept thinking they are going to have her imagine Eric comming up from behind her and Smiling at her and there she can’t marry him.
I’m hoping to God that the person who took Bill was Lorena, because Sophie-Anne wouldn’t want Bill kidnapped, there were hints in random episodes to something I can’t say because they are spoilers. BUT people who HAVE read the books, will know what’s going on between Bill and the Queen.
BUT again WTF was up with Bill proposing??? Sookie and Him HAVEN’T been together long, AND he’s noticed her paying attention, a lot more attention to Eric. Now maybe he wanted to secure his “place” in Sookie’s future, making sure she wouldn’t leave him for the better man. I don’t know. But I am NOT pleased and have been freaking out since I saw the episode. I had a hard time concentrating in my photography class today! AND I LOVE photo!
I’m sorry this was mostly a rant.
My opinion in regards to Allan Ball commentary
Alex should quit ..he is wasting his time in that show then.
Let’s see how many people stay and watch TB after he is gone…..
WOW. The ratings would plummet. I sincerely think that True Blood would not survive ASkars leaving the show, and/or recasting Eric. So many people are swooning for the character, who in my opinion, was character assassinated in the finale. I think when you sign up, though, you are under contract for seven seasons (I heard this in a Stephen Moyer interview). Perhaps Alex could negotiate some better writers and scripts for his character. One can only hope.
I can’t see anyone else playing Eric. ASkars is the perfect actor for the part. You’re right if he quit and they recast, well I would stop watching there and then Since Eric is the best part of the show. Even if he doesn’t get enough air time.
Just ugh! That all I can manage at this point I’m so frustrated. Alan Ball really does not like Eric and I do not think that will change, esp after that quote. Why didn’t he just make his own damn Vampire universe from scratch and leave the Sookie series alone. If you dislike one of the major characters what’s the point of bringing it to the story to the screen?! It’s unfair to totally disregard a large portion of your fanbase MR. BALL to cater to your one true love Bill freaking Compton! The story isn’t just yours AB it’s Charline’s first and foremost and the audience who loves the characters she created. It’s pretty bad when the story you’ve created can stand on it’s own. I think if it weren’t for the book fans the show would’ve have fallen like a house of cards long ago. JAUST ARGH!
Can’t stand on it own*
I am without internet and it has been rough not being able to vent with everyone. In all honesty I don’t even know why AB bothers keeping Eric around he obviously likes the raping lying bastard better. And as a woman it really makes me sick that once again the one who has perpetrated so much against others is made out to be a victim! I am composing my thoughts, they have run a muck not knowing what I hated more.
I just wanna said that if you’re doing the letter, count me in! For the rest, i agree with all the wonderful persons on this board… Sad, very sad… It began so well! And we were so extatics with Godric, and the blood tears, and the nude scenes! What a major turn-off…
Gen xxxx
It was ok but I was expecting more n it coulda been betta…. The killin of Maryann was cool but all that build up of the egg n that was the explanation… I mean come on.. No good… I admit… My mind may have thought some crazy things but that was just so booooo… Love the Maryann/Sam(Bull) killing… a few lines here and there…. Not a big cliff hanger tho but hey what can you do… Glad to have found out the Queen has Eric selling V n not just doin it alone… so take that Bill ha.. but oops someone has taken Bill…. Nooo.. how can u take him right after he gets rejected but saved the day… Those r the breaks…. Talk about a case of bad luck…. N Poor Eggs… I liked ya but u came wit MaryAnn so I guess TPTB said u gotta go wit MaryAnn 2…. That sucks…. Crappy dating life Tara has… Sucks so bad for here… but the epi itself I say B- but since it was the finale n this is what TPTB leave me with for 9 months C-
Lazy writing and the complete revision of great characters have really soured me on the show and on Alan Ball.
I shouldn’t be surprised though, he did the same thing on his brillaint but so uneven Six Feet Under.
Its so clear that AB doesn’t care for the Eric the charactor and has decided to play him as the cartoon villain. It could have been so much more.
To go with my note from above:
Also, I’m agreeing with people above with the fact that Bill has been taken against his will. Not Cool, in the yes he left on his own accord and had given Eric instructions to make sure she was taken care of or something like that.
I am only continuing to watch the show because of Eric/ Alexander Skarsgard, and it has been that way for most of the season. What’s going on with making Bill innocent and Eric evil (Which is stupid) is pissing me off.
Season three better show the real Bill, and I want to see more of Eric. Someone mentioned above Eric being open about his feelings for Sookie. Hello!! Remember when Eric found Sookie after she was dropped off blindfolded out of a car. He mentioned he could get a bath ready for her and she KNEW it would be a bad idea to have a bath while Eric was somewhere in her hotel room haha. Right after he said out loud “I bet your a treat naked” Even though he had already seen her full torso nude by this point. And then later E-quote “I knew I’d get on top of you somehow” He’s “opportunistic.” Gotta love Eric. And then LATER when Eric helped with the Maenad, the making out and the “yeild to me” so hot.
Okay, I need to stop before I take up too much space haha.
I feel sorry for Skarsgard, he really has done what he could with the character despite Alan Ball’s attempt for him to play a mustache twirling bad guy from a matinee cowboy movie. He is too an actor to be wasted and to be treated like a glorified extra.
I am trying to edit my own comment above, was trying to say that ASkars us too good an actor to be wasted.
I am sorry too that Sookie is now being presented as some kind of super hero with Bill as her super hero boyfriend, I said before and I will say again, its just not interesting.
I was very disappointed in the finale. Disappointed that many of my speculations came true. There was more hoisting of Bill on his pedestal by the show. Now Sam’s gonna be a Vampire Bill fanboy even though their plan was ill-conceived in the extreme. Eggs survived Mary Anne but somehow managed to get two angsty scenes dealing with his issues while Eric (arguably a character far more interesting and beloved by fans) got a fricking cameo where he was turned into an ineffectual plot contrivance.
What was the point of having Eric be asked by Sam to help and have him go out of his way to ask for help from the Queen only to have him stuck there and out of the MA plotline just so he could be set up as the fall guy for Bill’s abduction. I have a sneaking suspicion he was only there to utter the line : I’ll take care of Bill Compton, personally. So we audience can be all ‘grrr evil Eric, he has to have kidnapped Bill. What a louse for messing up Sookie’s acceptance of the proposal.’ So contrived. And a waste of a fascinating character who SHOULD be getting
more reluctantly involved with helping Sookie defend her town.
Sorry, but I cannot root for Bill marrying Sookie. Just no. For so many reasons. Timing for one thing, the day after the horrors. The fact that he’s desperate to keep Sookie away from Eric and from finding out his connection to the Queen. It feels like he’s trying to bind Sookie to him so that when the truth comes out, he’ll have more of a hold on her to stay. That SO dishonest of him, and disrespectful of Sookie to do it that way.
It makes me so sad they are cramming that unpalatable over the top schmoop down our thraots and that they didn’t let Sookie keep her doubts. The syrupy B/S romance has shot its proverbial wad so early, that I’m feeling damp and squicked and definitely dissatisfied.
That comment by Alan Ball about Eric/Sookie fans, and Eric not being able to love anyone else is such bullshit and dissing fans by implying they are shallow is not cool. They already showed that Eric has a 1000 years of faith and love with Eric. Pam obviously adores him and has his back. Eric is clearly capable of being the kind of man who inspires loyalty and lasting affection. And yet we see how Bill’s done with Lorena and the Tacky Trio he took up with afterwards (so much for mainstreaming) and we are supposed to think Eric is the fickle manipulative lying cad and Bill’s the honest, true, loyal one?
Something is wrong with this picture. And I am only basing this on the TV versions, not the book versions.
On the other hand, this post-finale interview with AB at Televisionary was much more balanced and made me wonder if he’s just messing with us Eric fans a little:
http://www.televisionaryblog.com/2009/09/blood-bath-televisionary-talks-to-true.html
“Televisionary: In that same episode, Godricās death also enables us to see a different side of Eric. Was that a way for you and the writers to give Eric an added layer of vulnerability?
Ball: Yes, absolutely. One of the great, fun aspects of the booksāand itās become for the show as wellāis the romantic tension between Bill, Sookie, and Eric. And we started off the season and we wanted to make Eric a bad-ass and I think we were very successful with that, by having him shred that guy in front of Lafayetteās face. (Laughs) And then in order to have him be a real, viable option for Sookie, you have to have some humanity there. She may be attracted to him physically, especially now that sheās had his blood, but sheās never going to go with somebody who she feels is evil or at the very least amoral. That was definitely what we were thinking of with Eric.”
Reading that quote makes me feel a smidge better.
Sorry, that should have been ‘Eric has already shown he has 1000 years of faith and love with GODRIC’ LOL.
I also wanted to add that a write in campaign would be a good way to vent, but probably won’t change much. However, I am up for letting the powers that be know what we think is working and what we think isn’t working.
A) We should be respectful.
B) We should be careful not to sound like we are only bookies who want everything to follow the books to the very letter. That’s not what it’s about.
C) We should make it clear on no uncertain terms that we are not brainless fan girls who only watch the show to see ASkars take his clothes off. This is about story, characterisation. We want depth, we want complexity, not soap operish fanfic. The B/S is so hack Harlequin romance that AB should be more worried about that than wondering why people like the mroe edgy Eric/Sookie dynamic.
D) We should let them know the reasons we have been watching this show. It’s PAID cable. So it’s important to point out what we want to see more off, and what would have us NOT tuning in next season. My enthusiasm is at an all time low because of that finale. The proposal bullshit, the removal of Eric from the action. The continual pushing of Bill as some kind of poor suffering glorious hero of a man. Sorry, it’s just turning me off, not making me want to keep watching, HBO.
Oh, I also wanted to say that the Eric/Queen scene was actually interesting. I found Eric’s reactions and the information given there very compelling. But it wasn’t enough, and I felt cheated that was all we got with him.
Well said Zoriah. -applause- Your description of Bill as ‘poor suffering glorious hero of a man’ is perfect for me… for what I feel. He is being kind of sanctified and I dislike it enormously. Eric is not a hero, he is a practicing vampire, he has flaws, but he is the best guy.
This whole finale made me crazy. WTF is the point of Eric with the Queen if he wasn’t going to have something to do with killing the Maenad? Less than 2 minutes to flesh out the Queen is having Eric push the V? Cause I didn’t see that coming the second Pam brought the V to Lafayette a few eps back. *rolls eyes* Bill, once again being pushed as the hero, even though Sam is the one who was freaking stabbed! The episode was just choppy writing throughout the whole thing IMHO. And so help me God if they have Eric as the kidnapper of Bill I will lose my sh*t. I’m cool with AB straying from the books. Love Jessica & that Lafayette is still alive, but his continual effing with the basic essence of the main characters is totally turning me off to the show.
Also, can someone please get a consistent makeup artist/stylist for the Bill character? His hair and makeup this season have drove me nuts. He’s looked damn near green most of this season and that hair! Lord have mercy that hair cut is crap!
All other issues I had with the finale have been pretty well covered by everyone else on here.
Well said Zoriah. I agree with you 100%. It truly annoys me how Alan Ball is expecting us to believe that Eric is all “badass” when we have Bill disrespecting him and the Queen acting as of Bill is her BFF and Eric is just dirt under her shoe. BTW can’t stand ERWTF as the Queen. Boy did they mess up the interpretation of what the Queen is suppose to be like. They could have done so much better.
As for AS, yes, total waste of a very talented actor that the fans are screaming to see more of.
See above comments. I have nothing to add.
How convenient that Bill gets a TON of his blood into Sam.
What a great way to control someone you know has a thing for your girl.
Someone who, by the looks of things, is going to be a bit more forceful from now on about going after what he wants in life.
Bill is a sneak. A lying sneak.
I’m going to repost what on said on Trueblood.net. I think it’s worth repeating. I’ve also added a few more things since I’ve read quite a few more responses to this episode.
I thought the finale was great fun. I have to say, that the fan-girling, esp. for Eric (and book people who take things waaaay too seriously) is absolutely destroying this show for people who want to enjoy for the ENSEMBLE CAST, for itās humor and for being outrageous and from its complete departure from reality. Let me add, that I am a self-professed Sookie/Eric shipper, I’ve read all the books, and I’m a member of several fan forums.
I think all the general complaints of the episode are just thinly veiled whining over not enough Eric. Truly, I think it’s spoiling the spirit of the show. So go ahead, bring on the letter writing campaign, and destroy it for the rest of us who enjoy the show as a whole, and not just a variety hour to showcase Eric.
Sure there were irritating things over the last two episodes. But nothing so horrendous that would deserve such a vitriolic response. It’s a TV show for God’s sake, it’s not life or death.
With that out of the way, my thoughts on the episode…
I thought it was poetic justice that it was Sam who dispatched Maryann.
Iām glad that Evan Rachel Wood sort of redeemed herself this episode ā when her fangs came out and she jumped Eric, she proved to be a pretty scary vampire on the show. She brought terror back to being a vamp.
I was one of the people who thought that the Bill and Sookie relationship was irritating. Then I realized why it would bother so many people. Bill and Sookieās relationship is completely un-romanticized love relationship ā meaning itās two people being schmoopy, irritated with each other, treating each other badly, taking each other for granted and then back being schmoopy and loving again and pushing and pulling and growing through it all ā itās like any old human relationship we see everyday. I think thatās whatās brilliant about it. In that way, itās broken down the fourth wall and itās snagged the audience into its realness, hence the āOh shut up Sookie!ā, āOh shut up Billā and āYou two suck!ā moments that weāve all had. We have all had a visceral reaction to their pairing.
That doesnāt mean Iām pro Bill ā Everyone wants to see Eric be the Knight in shiny black leather. Eric is more fun. Heās classic āMagnificent Bastardā trope – the one weād all like to capture. Heās a wonderful fantasy. But Jesus people, give it time. Don’t you want the show to last as long as the Sopranos? Don’t you want six or seven seasons of Eric? Then why would you want, to quote Alan Ball, “to blow his load.” prematurely? Think about it.
This finale felt very much the end of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. In spite of the victories and things going back to normal, nothing about it was glorious. I think there was a pervasive sadness to the whole thing. This entire season it seemed was about loss. Just think over the season what each of the characters lost. Lovers, parents, innocence, safety, makers, friends, a sense of self. Even Maryanne, at the end of her long life, lost her faith.
From what Allan Ball has said about Season 3 itās about the characters finding strength through the losses and finding out and/or redefining who and what they are. So farewell to Season 2 ā bring on Season 3!
No, I completely disagree with the assertion that the majority of the opinions that are expressed is due to the lack of Eric. If only that were the main problem. It’s not. The main problem is the oversimplification of True Blood, like they are dumbing down for television when it is blatantly obvious with many examples that have existed and still run to this day, that depth is possible, that television viewers are intelligent.
There is nothing realistic about Sookie and Bill’s relationship other than by this point in real life, the woman is on the road to a woman’s shelter. A realistic portrayal of a relationship? Coach and Tami Taylor on Friday Night Lights. THAT is what a marriage/relationship is like in real life, where two people respect each other, where neither party is never always right, where there is give and take, where there is compromise, where they talk about their issues, where it’s not always fun and happy, but there is groundedness.
No one wants TB to blow their load early…but I think they’ve already blown their load when they reduce characters to such simplistic means. EVERYONE, by this point, can spot that we’re in for a big reversal of roles. The hand has been given away. When the hand is given away, where is the effectiveness of a reversal? When they finally give it to us, will we even care? Wouldn’t it be more interesting, more compelling for them to show other sides to both Eric and Bill while attempting the reversal?
~simba_317
Uh, simba you are wrong here. There are ALL kinds of relationships. “Realistic” doesn’t mean “good and equal”. It just means in the realm of possibility. I am married and I’ve seen all kinds of marrriages — functional and dysfunctional. While we all hope for functional relationships for ourselves, frankly dysfunctional relationships make for good tv drama. Nobody wants to just watch a happy couple week after week, and Alan Ball is not working on this project to write a happily ever after fairy tale.
The more I read the fan feedback, the more I go over to AB’s side. He and his team of writers are writing the show, NOT Charlaine Harris (who frankly is no genius when it comes to writing, the SS books are trash, they are fun trash but trash all the same), and not the fans. We fans can either surrender ourselves to the way things are going or stop watching. I like this forum and going back and forth with the fans about what I did and didn’t like, but when it comes to meddling with the actual makers of the show and telling them how to do their jobs, that’s where I get off the bus.
I know that…I just looked at the comment a certain way…I just don’t find Bill and Sookie particularly realistic…I find them like this symbolic idea of what women supposed to want…the good guy, that isn’t particularly realistic to me, especially when his flaws, while portrayed are so glossed over…that’s what I mean by that when I replied to the comment. Similarly with that..I found Tyra and Tim a more realistic portrayal of a dysfunctional couple.
I agree and disagree with that. Because I do think a LOT of the times, fans do make valid points when it comes to a work. Pikki on Lost for example. The audience hated them and the writers hated them too, they knew they were off course and so they fixed that. Pikki got axed. Sometimes you need a third party to say ‘hey…you’re off course.’ But I do understand that it can be like too many chefs in the kitchen. You’re never going to please everybody. I don’t want to tell them how to do their jobs…I just want to tell them how I feel. I think there’s a difference in that. It’s the difficult thing about releasing something, because does it belong to you solely, or you and all your fans?
Yes, the books are fun trash…maybe I’m taking the TV show too seriously…but I want to be able to take it seriously. And I think the show wants me to take it seriously too. When you throw in the ideas of cults, religious fanaticism, hell, Maryann’s line ‘Is there no god?’…they’re winks and nudges of something more, something grander at work, telling about ourselves and I think they intended it that way.
~simba_317
Simba, thank you for posting your opinion about this. I agree with you.
Yes, many of the scathing comments people have made are very extreme and it is most unfortunate. But you can’t disregard that there are also those who gave constructive feedback because we all want to see True Blood on the air for years to come. People want to see more Eric because he is a compelling character – he straddles that fine line between good and bad.
I actually started out in season 1 rooting for Bill all the way because he showed the same kind of complexity in that he was trying to be good but most of the time ended up doing the opposite. He even kept reminding Sookie that he was not human, he had darkness and violence inside him. If Bill was still like this, I may very well still be liking him and Eric at the same time. Imagine how wonderful that would have been, when the fans couldn’t decide which character to side with because both were equally interesting. But the problem is Bill has now become very one-dimensional while more elaboration (how short a time it may have been) has been given to Eric’s character so that we see him as more than just Bill’s evil counterpart. That is the personal reason behind my wanting to see more of him. He’s actually an asset to the show.
I completely agree with Simba that taking some TV series seriously is a huge compliment to the related show. They are signs of emotional investment and devotion on the part of the fans. I think this is what every show aspire to attain.
I agree I liked Bill in season 1, the mysterious, scruffy, riding the fence vamp. Now he’s just gone completely mainstream. He reminds me of a hs girl who wants to be popular…does and says what the popular want to hear to feet in but their thoughts and feelings and personality are totally opposite.
And seriously what’s wrong with his hair? LOL.
I watch lost but I’m having a brain far who is phikki? lol. I imagine it’s a couple?
Paolo and Nikki.
~simba_317
at least they got killed off faster than Eggs and Maryanne!
Sure, Coach and Tami Taylor is an example of what a HEALTHY relationship is and what it should be. Not all relationships are healthy – does that make them any less realistic? I’m sure we all know about an annoying couple who are always going round and round like a spinning top. Allan Ball has said himself, that healthy, happy relationships aren’t what makes interesting TV and that’s not what he’s going for.
I’m not saying that this season was perfect. In fact, I think that because of the effort put into resolving the maenad storyline the development of the other characters suffered which caused a whole lot of things to be rather lopsided. Alan Ball has admitted in interviews that he didn’t give himself and the other writers enough time to really flesh out the episodes. It seems, from the most recent interviews, that he’s striving to correct the time issues and the first four episodes of S3 have already been written.
The reaction I’m seeing is a lot like the backlash Charlaine Harris received for one of her Sookie installments. Fans were telling her that she wrote her own books wrong. Her response to that she was she was queen of the Sookieverse and it was her creative vision and direction. She said that no one has the right to tell her how she should write her own books. I would have to extend that to Alan Ball as well. He’s the creator of True Blood. No one should tell him how write his own show. Really, the bottom line is, True Blood and the Southern Vampire series don’t belong to us. Whether we agree with what they do or not or for whatever mistakes they make, as fans we feel entitled to put our two cents in and be heard, but we’re not.
As far as the reversal of roles and what not, Alan Ball is an Oscar and Emmy winner and he is the creator of Six Feet Under. I wouldn’t be so quick to sell him short so quickly.
True Blood is supposed to be fun. They’re vampire, supernatural soap operas. The community around True Blood and the Sookie-verse novels started out to be a fun diversion as well. But rabid fans are quickly turning into lynch mobs and this, beyond any “mistakes” that Ball and Harris make, is what is the source of my greatest disappointment with the whole thing.
And I agree with that. I honestly don’t agree with lynch mobbing.
But on with CH…While I do think that a LOT of the negative feedback was extreme, I do think that some things that the fans said were right and valid. She says the fans were telling her the characters were wrong. Well, many fans have argued that Sookie’s voice felt strange, that she didn’t feel like she had in the other eight books and that Charlaine Harris lost the voice of the character. I agree and disagree with that because I think the events in the book really made it so that it was how Sookie felt due to all her stress. Some people said that the writing was rushed. Charlaine disagrees with that because she put the time and effort into her last book like any other. Yes, she did put that time in, but for me, the rush was how the last 20 pages had SO much going on like it was used to resolve in the entire book so that it would run under a 320 page printing limit…
And I would put forth that while a piece of work does ultimately belong to the creator…when he shares that work, it belongs to the fans too. Darlton has said as such, that when the final Lost stamp airs…Lost will belong to the fans… Many musicians refuse to tell people what their lyrics mean because it’s an interpretive process that makes their songs different for everyone else. When that song goes out and it’s released…it’s not just the creator that owns it, the fans own a piece of it too. A lot of the time, creators have to come to terms with it, because it’s no longer your song about your high school sweetheart, the song is about someone else’s girlfriend too and yeah, that’s difficult.
~simba_317
EXACTLY THIS!
I agree with you that there definitely should be a buildup of the Eric/Sookie romance so that it will last for lots of seasons to come. And I love the entire cast of True Blood, most definitely the “Ensemble cast”, and I appreciate them.
However, on the other hand I don’t think the majority of the people angry with the finale are what you call “fan-girls”. I can’t speak for everyone, but for me, I was disappointed by the lack of Eric, not for “fan-girl” reasons, but really because his plotline was so poorly done. “Timebomb” and “I Will Rise Up” were amazing buildups for a interesting complexity of Eric’s character and I simply believe that Alan Ball should have finished out the season maintaining this new edge to him. Having two minutes of Eric playing Yahtzee in the entire episode did not do it.
All in all, I just didn’t think it was a very well-rounded episode. There were quite a few unnecessarily prolonged scenes that just took up valuable air time.
You know what I hate? That shippers or fans of one character have views that don’t matter simply because all they care about in a show is one character or a particular ship or that the only thing they care about is if their favourite character or their ship of choice gets enough screentime for them to squee over. That is simply not the case.
I also hate the attitude in fandoms that perpetuates this, that oh, you’re a shipper, so you don’t actually have a valid opinion because you just care about your ship.
I can only speak for myself, but I do actually ENJOY the ensemble of a show. I happen to have enjoyed many ensemble shows, Lost, Battlestar Galactica, Friday Night Lights. I actually like more than a handful of characters in those shows. I was actually invested in most of them in each show, but that was because of superb writing. I may have had preferences and favourites, but I liked all, if not most of the characters in some way. I love Helo, but I cared just as much about Kara Thrace, Saul Tigh, Gaius Baltar, Caprica Six, Athena, Bill Adama, Laura Roslin, Lee Adama and the Chief. I may love Tim Riggins, but I care about Lyla, Coach, Tami, the Smash, Tyra, Julie, Coach and the Saracen too.
I love Sawyer on Lost. Did I totally love Season 5, the season of Sawyer? No. We got LaFake in the sub, which was just completely contrary to Sawyer’s preestablished character over five seasons. I love an ensemble show, but did I love the Oceanic Six on Lost? No, because they were all so selfish and vapid that I just didn’t care anymore. Apparently the people who stopped watching Lost agreed with me too…when the ratings tanked in Season 4.
Just because I have a ship preference and a favourite character doesn’t make me incapable of enjoying other or the entire elements of a show, nor does it make my views any less valid, nor does it make me incapable of pointing out real, glaring flaws in True Blood that simply shouldn’t be there. I understand we are all human and that things happen. Like time constraints. However there are just glaring issues with it and I’m not going to gloss over them.
True Blood is a work of art and literature that is put out to the masses and therefore, puts itself up to be critiqued and read/watched closely in the tradition of T.S. Eliot and the new critical theorists. And one might say that I enjoy True Blood miles more when all the elements work. Like in episodes 1, 2, 8 and 9.
~simba_317
Simba, I have tremendous respect for you as a writer and as a blogger. Like I said, I’m a self professed Sookie/Eric Shipper myself. I’m a total Askars fan girl. I’m not judging you at all and I hope that you don’t take my comments personally. Because they’re not directed at you, but rather the general outcry that is unmistakably “More Eric or else it all sucks. And we’re gonna make Alan Ball pay!” More specifically to those who want to throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Ahh…Yeah…And I’m reacting to the general ‘They’re just shippers’ attitude. It’s not you…it’s just an attitude that prevails on large boards that have a gamut of posters….that you can tell I’ve grown tired of lol.
Yeah, the last thing I want to do is start a violent hate campaign. Fanaticism doesn’t get a point across, it does the exact opposite of it’s intentions.
~simba_317
I’ve had a full day to think this over and I’ve read countless reviews/comments/blogs with many voicing the same complaints. Not entirely happy and I’m not as buzzed for Season 3 as I was for Season 2 but that’s mostly because I don’t care for Bill. I used to *like* his character before… what happened? I love Eric but I also have patience and AS is wonderful so no worries there. But Bill’s issues (for me) seemed to stem from him losing his “darkness” that made him so appealing in the beginning of the show. He just became very bland so the fact that he gets kidnapped… yeah, don’t care much.
My main complaint now would be Sookie. Sure, I wanted to strangle her in the books when she was stubborn/whiny etc…but I was also very proud of her when she used her wit, humor, pragmatism and everything that made her likable. It irks me that she is constantly being saved and being told what to do without ever so much as trying to successfully find out by her own means. Last season, she was saved by Crispy Bill and Naked Sam (I love Sam btw) in broad daylight while she screamed her ass off. So what do we get this season? The same damn thing except this time she was being chased by Mary Ann only to be saved by Naked Sam and a Non-Crispy Bill. Is this the same girl who in the books figured that there was a spy on the nest by proving to Stan and the other vamps that there was a bug hidden underneath a couch (or table or whatever)? The same girl who ran in the middle of the night from Rene and saved herself while all her saviors were gone? Same girl who after Godfrey’s help, runs away from the FOTS church on her own terms and has a car chase that would have been exciting to see on screen.
Season 3 really needs to let her out of her shell now that Bill is gone. Have her hook up with Alcide or Eric or whomever at this point but PLEASE let the girl open her eyes and stop being so naive. She needs to grow kick some ass and prove that she doesn’t need a man to save her. And please, no more tantrums and childish hissy fits… just, no.
As for AS… poor guy. He’s REALLY going to hate defending Eric now that it’s been made to appear like he’s the bad guy. I can already hear his countless explanations on how Eric has layers and goodness in him in every interview concerning True Blood.
My best antidote for last night’s wonky/disappointing episode (and lack of Eric, of course): Watch Generation Kill. Good writing. Good acting. Good adaptation. Plenty of AS and eye-candy. ‘Nuff said.
This is in response to “Camille in Slovenia” and “Christine” above. Of course we all love dysfunctional relationships. In fact, there are quite a few in True Blood itself. Sookie had a pedophilic uncle, Tara has an alcoholic mother, Arlene and Rene is an obvious one. But Bill and Sookie…I think a little dysfunction might do them some good. Right now there is nothing there except a relationship of habit. Bill and Sookie are together because that seems to be the default of the show. I don’t see any passion (there was a glimmer of it in the first season) except that it just seems to me that Bill has some sort of insecurity regarding Sookie. In conclusion, Bill and Sookie = bland. Something needs to be shaken up there. Enter Eric.
I agree with this, and believe it is coming. A lot of important developments in the Sookie/Bill relationship took a back seat to the Dallas stuff and the Maryanne stuff. At ComicCon, AB said his focus for the show is “it’s the emotions stupid” and he said he has it written up on the wall in the writer’s room. I don’t think it would take much for them to get back in the right lane and keep the focus on character/emotion driven drama rather than bringing all the supernatural issues to the forefront. We can all agree when that the show is best when it is about (developing) the relationships.
to go with some comments above. I am not a silly fangirl who wants Eric and Sookie to be together right away (even though I love their relationship in the book and I am looking forward to it in the show). But I can wait it out because I actually love the parts where Eric is trying to get together with Sookie but Sookie won’t have him (yet). Those parts are hilarious and fun. But I agree with another person above who said episode 8 and 9 showed lots of Eric, we got to see more of his amazing character and then to be only given 2 minutes in the final episode is kind of like dropping the character.
Bill and the proposal was more frusterating because they haven’t actually been going out for the long. Alan Ball even said that season 2 is based over 8 days. The first season is also based on a short amount of time. So really Bill and Sookie have only been dating for lets say a month and a half? That’s too soon for him to jump the gun and propose. And I think it’s because maybe he’s afraid of Sookie straying towards Eric.
I don’t think it was Eric who took Bill. It must be Lorena.
As usual, Eric’s few minutes of screen time were the most exciting and interesting of the entire hour. There was so much going on in his scene with the queen–he loves Sookie, the queen has his balls in a vice, she’s domineering and vicious, he HATES the queen and fears her…did you notice how he had to force his fangs out when she attacked? And she sure wants Eric to stay the hell away from Sookie, doesn’t she?
No, she doesn’t want Bill kidnapped, that would muck up her plans. She wasn’t telling Eric to do anything to him, she was reinforcing Bill’s threat to him to stay away from Sookie. If Eric gets near Sookie, Bill’s mouth will go off like an alarm bell, letting the queen know Eric has disobeyed.
So Eric is in an untenable situation. I want to know how he gets out of it, but they better bring the Eric but GOOD in the first ep of s3 or I am OUT.
The maenad resolution– it felt to me like, in order to keep Eric out of the picture, they had to leave us with ENORMOUS plot holes. Maryann’s demise made no sense at all, from what we know about how to kill a maenad. How could she believe her god had come when her entire ritual was in shambles? She didn’t even have Sam’s heart to feed to her God. She had already said of the heart in that very episode, and I quote, “My husband will love it. It’s the *very thing* that gives him life”.
So without the heart, without the egg, without the meat tree…how could she possibly believe the white bull was her god, when she had just left a SHAPE SHIFTER alone at the ritual site with a vampire who could heal him? Didn’t the queen tell Bill that maenads had been *perfecting* their recipe for centuries, trying to get it *just right* so the god would come? I know Sophie-Ann told Eric that the info she had given Bill might be ‘gorilla shit’ but I didn’t believe her. Sookie is obviously important to her and she would want Bill to know what to do. She was letting Eric know HE wasn’t going to get the info because she didn’t want him running to Sookie’s rescue and mucking up her plot with Bill. Hence, her “advice” not to taste Sookie, and to stay out of the maenad troubles in Bon Temps.
Bill saving the day felt forced, inorganic and sappy in the extreme, not to mention totally lacking in emotion and drama. Since when did Bill become rational? Since when did he start caring if his rival for Sookie’s affection died to save her? The whole plotline was screwed in order to make Bill the hero. If Eric had flown in, after a successful ritual, and pretended to be the god who comes, just like Jason did earlier, he could have “ravaged” Maryann and then “quite literally devoured” her and we would have had an exciting, dramatic, and logical resolution. But noooooooooo. BILL must be the hero, whether it makes sense or not. Meh, who gives a pile of bullshit about Bill?
It’s bad when the supposed hero of the piece makes me SICK. š¦
My view..
I like TB season 1
Made me read all the books
I Love Eric’s character and I thank Charlaine for Making him
Season 2 failed to deliver
Godric and Eric’s episodes were the best.
Without Alex..I don’t want to watch the show.
Sookie and Bill’s relationship feels weird to me. He is possessive, has screamed at Sookie or order Sookie around.
And then, we have to believe he is a Saint. Gosh!!
Simba thank you for creating this space to offer our views
This sh*tty-sh*tty-bang-bang-final left me hopeless. I’m going back to the beautyful island of CH’s books, I’ll celebrate book 4 again and with the pic of AS in my head it might be a wonderful experience. Nevertheless I thank AB for that, he made my “head-movie” perfect with picturing it with TB’s set.
nascent_me, that was exactly what I have been trying to say as well, I have been a fan of Alan Ball since SFU, but at times it seems you can really tell if he likes or dislikes one of his creations. I am not one of those fangirls begging for more naked ASkars nor am I demanding that the show become a play by play of the books. What I am asking for, and what I had expected to see were 3 dimentional characters, and intellegent plot development.
I felt I was watching a bad remake of what was a great show.
ResumĆ©: On one hand: The final was not that what I mentioned. Other hand: Fact is, after finishing the hole season 2: I will really miss it, because there actually is no other entertainment on TV what turnes me on, really. TB was better and more entertaining than every vampire stuff seen on tv before, incl. the just started Twilite-copy (diaries), all for teeners, TB for grownups. And I’ll miss this discussions: intelligent and controvers – nice!
Didn’t find a “resumĆ©-blog” for 2nd season.
There are reasons why the Sookie Stackhouse novels remain popular. The Sookieverse that Charlaine Harris created. Compelling story, layered characters, sex, romance, violence. Alan Ball can make True Blood his own without ruining that. There is point of view to the other characters that we don’t get in the books. With that alone he can enrich the story to no end. True Blood doesn’t need to destroy the characters that Harris created to make GOOD tv. Which is exactly what happened in season 2, GOOD tv. Season 1 was GREAT tv. If only AB and HBO would heed fans and get back on track, season 3 could be like nothing we’ve seen on film.
Final word…it was confirmed in an accidental re-watch of the last few moments of the finale (cause I really wouldn’t watch the finale again on purpose..twice was enough to make me ill) that it was only a day later, when Sam asked Sookie to watch the place for him, after what happened “LAST NIGHT”…he needs a break.
So I huff once more about the idea that in the 41 minutes before sunrise that Bill had, and 40 minutes of it was holding Sookie, that wow, in ONE minute’s time zooming home, he had a ring, a plane ticket, a dress and whole restaurant booked for the very next night’s date and proposal??
Where’s that pan Sookie used on Mike again, so I can bang on the writer’s heads? Vexing, annoying, irritating to the max…and still the crappiest timing for a proposal EVER, never mind the incongruence of the whole thing being arranged in one minute’s time the previous night. Arghhhh
Pfft…It’s clear that Bill risked the Bleeds to get all that done. Bolt holes are great places for cell phone signals!
~simba_317
Hi, my name is Jo and I am from Brazil, I found your blog a little while and I have no words to say how happy I was! you managed to express all my feelings about this season of TB, I watched and became increasingly perplexed as the story was misleading, simplifies and chewed, as we were children 5 years old being guided by their parents …
all I could say it made for you, I loved this series and would like to hope … but I do not go back to the 3rd season, I did not expect anything great, fantastic, just consistency and respect for books and the fans
I am also a big fan of Lost, Battlestar Galactica, Buffy, I’m going to review all the seasons of BSG to forget this season’s finale, only with much Kara, Apollo, Adama, Helo and Athena to make me feel better
back to your blog to see your recaps logical and would like to know if you want to do Recap of the last season of Lost? would be interesting
ah, also love the Lion King!
Lol…I really have no interest in doing anything regarding Lost in what I do in this form…I just don’t have the time when Lost airs. I’m having time issues as we speak lol…and besides, the limelight belongs to Fishbiscuit and Ack Attack for that.
~simba_317
I’m really having a deep philosophical (and scientific) issue with this season TB finale. As with the hen and the egg philosophical question (and knowing how important are the EGGS on this show) I’m asking myself: What came first? The real life AP/SM engagement or the show’s? Who stole it from who??
Pathetic. I can’t find another word to define this. Does AB really have need to bring in the show the real life AP/SM engagement *roll eyes*? Does he really needs to sell so much the couple? Lame, pathetic and lame. If this is the clifhanger, I really doubt I’ll see the next season. Can’t he understand how much HE made us hate the couple in the show? Not to mention the
tickets to Vermont… because is the only State where gay, excuse me, vampire-human couples can legally marry (wasn’t his agenda a little too obvious?) I’m not homophoic, I have to say it just because it was lame and way TOO obvious.
Well, I’m not trying to sounds dissapointing to you all that still have some hope (like I had) about seeing E/S relationship developing in the next season, but AP said on one of her last interview that the 3rd season will be when the shows will separate the most from the books… and I asked myself: MORE??? Well, given the fact that Bill was kidnapped and didn’t go to Lorena on his own free will, this little detail changes ALL the story from the 3rd book to the last one. From here I can only see a next season guilty Sookie suffering for st.Bill and desperate to find him because he didn’t even hear she accepted to marry him before the kidnapp (and after all the effort he made to ask her… *roll eyes*).
Sookie’s character has been reduced to be a codependent naive moron?? Where is the independent, funny, strong and intelligent female I read about? She doesn’t give a damn about the blood/sexual attraction issue with Bill, and as far as she is concern, she only accepts it as bad if it comes from Eric, because AB reduces him to be just a pebble on the shoe of her relationship with Bill. Also Lafayete is having fantastic sexual dreams with Eric, so she isn’t going to see hers as anything more than a result of Eric’s blood. She already accepted the ring and even if Bill didn’t hear her saying “yes”, now they are officially enganged. It doesn’t matter that Eric wasn’t the one who kidnapped Bill. If he did it, he is the bad guy, and if Lorena or anyone in her circle did it, it is also Eric’s fault because he called Lorena in order to break their relationship, so he will still be the bad guy. Then AB’s Sookie will hate him when she
knows he has the fault of st. Bill dissapearance. Anyhting Eric will do to attracts Sookie will be the manipulation of the bad guy as AB said in one of his last interview, and not real love as the one she has with the good guy st.Bill (as he also said in on televisionaryblog.com). Obviously, Sookie (typical codependent personality profile) after the initial shock will forvige eventually st.Bill when she discovers he was sent by the queen. Because he (the martyr of this story, which is also a typical trait of his abuser profile) gave her so many proofs of his love… and most of them are twisted and manipulated actions
and story lines that made Eric and Sookie book’s characters to built a relationship:
1. He killed Long Shadow when attacked her (and he suffer soooo much with the penalty of becoming a maker… a very lousy one by the way).
2. He became Crisp Bill trying to save her from Rene.
3. He knocked out Lorena with a plasma tv for her (didn’t you heard when Lorena told her, how excited and proud she sounded when she asked Bill if he did it?).
4. st. Bill saved the town and his house from Maryann, because even when Sam killed her, he could do it JUST because st.Bill sacrificed himself giving him his blood and he was left soooo weak after it… (OMG how pathetic was all this sh..!)
5. The most cheesy of all reasons: Bill already called Sookie his miracle and told her she’s the only woman he love in 140 years (I’m still asking myself what rank between his lovers did he gave to nasty Diane, the vampire who lived in HIS nest (at his house) with the others 2 vamps the last season, because she also was his lover… in case anyone forgot about it).
6.He sent her a gift with a note (both sentences of the note began with HUGE “I”‘s that took two lines of each of the sentences, just as a reminders of his egocentric personality (also made me laugh cause couldn’t help to remember simba’s “ME ME ME”… lol).
7. AB aparently has make of this show AP/SM personal love story show; and now he engaged their characters as they are in real life… Oh, in a last note, Sam even add more suffering to poor st. Bill’s martyrdom with their dialog about about how much a person suffers when has something to hide.
OMG, Poor Billy!!! Shame on me for wishing that the mysterious person with gloves didn’t have a stake instead of a silver chain…
I’m wonder who’s the owner of the big bull we saw at the finale after all the bullsh… I had been watching all the season.
I like Hoyt and Jessica, but, even when she is a great addition to the cast, her character were just introduced in order to make another tie to hold S/B relationship. The poor girl is now in the
killing/feeding “mode” because she’s is in a complete emotional and nervous breakdown and in risk of becoming a psychotic vampire (that I think is far worst and more dangerous than a normal one). And who is the one to blame? I imagine that if someone ask about it, AB will say it doesn’t has anything to do with the fact she is completely abandoned by Bill, no. He’s the good guy!! (and Jessica had a personal babysitter called Hoytt with daddy’s seal of approval). It also must be (the BAD EVIL guy) Eric’s fault because he taught her how a real vampire feeds *rolleyes*… when Bill neglected her. But that isn’t important. Eric is bad (I almost can hear Michael Jackson’s BAD as I’m writing about him). He sooo bad and manipulative that:
1. Needs to “abuse” the vulnerability of a poor tortured man (of course, also tortured by him) to keep tracking of Sookie… and now is forcing him to sell the V drug (of course Lafayette is another Eric’s victim, no matter he was selling V before…).
2. Is using Sookie and “risking her life just for his own selfish reasons” (hate that line from Bill…).
3. Called Lorena because he can’t attracts and win Sookie (and obviously that makes him responsible then of any other action she will do against st. Billy).
4. Needed to trick Sookie with his blood to acheive it (because OF COURSE *roll eyes* he isn’t capable to attracts her by any other way… do not forget that Eric’s book actions that made him and Sookie to develop “something more” beside a sexual tension has been transfered to the martyr).
5. Doesn’t has any values or honor because he “has a 1000 years practicing deceit” (pffff I hate that line more).
6. OH, I almost forgot!!… He eat children and find them delicious.
Debbie Pelt is going to be another minor character taking control of the whole next season plot and time contributing nothing substantial to the story as AB did with the Maryann plot? I guess (I can’t be sure because I don’t have a clue what is this mess AB is doing with the real story) that with her will also come the Alcide’s character introduction. But even when I also love his character and like him a lot more than Bill’s (and as much as
Eric’s), without Bill’s betrayal with Lorena, the introduction of this AB’s Alcide will be just another way to keep bad guy Eric out of scene. I hate Sophie Ann fangs (do the fangs fill on the f/x category, simba??) They are yellow, looks like tiger’s and gave me nausea, I can’t understand the source of her power (unless it has something to do with selling her blood) and ERW acting didn’t convince me, not even the showing off to threat Eric, nope. It’s nice to hear Sam’s character is going to be developed, but does that will include his struggle with the sexual attraction he is going to feel for Bill? Because Bill gave him sooo much blood that he even was left weak. Or is Bill’s blood also too good for that and is only bad guy Eric’s blood the one so bad to give that side effect??? (this must be a good explanation of why Sookie doesn’t care about her attraction to Bill).
Because Eric (OH MAN! AB really must hate Eric’s character!!!) he is sooo a BAD guy he’s even a bad yatzeeh player. He sucks at it, meaning he is a looser because AB has been using the game as a methaphor of the story (remember when SA said to Bill she wanted him to play his best game?). Eric character now has been reduced to just be a looser on the queen’s yatzeeh game and the story. She even directly has forbidden him from taste Sookie’s blood (and from falling in love with her…) Not to mention he is also so bad he is a drug dealer now selling V, no matter it was requested by the queen *roll eyes*. Is AB going to reverse the roles and makes him another martyr for us to hate??? Is he going
to be the new romantic interest/partner of Laffayete that Ellis mentioned on his last interview? Is AS will going to be in the show for eye candy purposes only because AB needs to mantain the ratings? AB said on one of his last interviews there was a long past to explore between Godric and Eric. Is he just going to use him to explore the (maybe homoerotic?) past relationship between him and Godric and how much fun they had drinking teacup humans? At this point, after all the sh.. that I already saw he is doing with the book’s story characters, especially with Eric’s, these ideas will not surprise me at all.
If AB isn’t going to improve the quality of this show, then I’m done with it. I’m not buying the bone he is throwing to us with the presence of AS in the show just for purpose of ratings, but without any real Sookie, Eric, Bill (etc) characters development. This Good/Bad Guy dichotomy is extremely boring. Even Tom & Jerry has layers in their characters and are more fun to watch. I CAN’T buy as real love the abusive-codepent relationship of his lead couple in the show. I’m really tired of it.
Let’s watch the ranging into the discussion of the actors’ private lives.
~simba_317
PLEASE do not bring the private lives of the actors into the discussion. We here at the blog have a policy to keep the art from the RL separate. Thanks so very much.
I do think AP/SM are a lovely couple and I only have my best wishes for them. I talked about the engagement because I do think the show included the S/B engangement to take advantange of it and market the S/B couple. I do think actor’s private lives must be respected and didn’t like at all watched something so beautiful and special as an engagement been used as a marketing strategy by the show. After all, they were improvising a lot during this season. I could be completely wrong, but it is my interpretation of what the show did.
Also, when I said that I can’t “buy as real love the relationship of the lead couple of the show”, maybe I wasn’t very clear, but I wasn’t talking about AP/SM. I was making a reference to AB interview at televisionaryblog ( http://www.televisionaryblog.com/2009/09/blood-bath-televisionary-talks-to-true.html ), where he defines as real love S/B relationship.
I too was disappointed with this season. Why couldn’t AB and the writer’s flesh out the Bill, Sookie and Eric characters? They were flat as a board. They are the main characters, but the other characters should compliment those three. But, instead we were given an ignorant ongoing storyline with a very extremely minor character. AB is living in his own universe. The tension and excitement of the Bill, Sookie, Eric triangle is so lacking. I have read the books but I separate it from the show. The show is a big, big bust this season. I only caught the last part of the final episode but have no desire to watch all of it now. If next season starts out so badly I won’t be watching it. But, I will be pay to see Straw Dogs. Alexander Skarsgard is too good of an actor not to watch.
I have been trying to watch the show and keep it separate from the books, which I read first. Unfortunately while I have liked the added additions to the shows story, I don’t like the way certain characters have been portrayed. I think I am like many of the Book fans and just don’t get “The Queen.” IMO she is awful for the part. Can they find someone else for season 3?
The whole Yatzee bit “Blows”. Sophia needs to be smarter and stronger.