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When one looks in the box, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the cat.

Reactor

In this week’s episode of HBO’s True Blood, Sam overreacts, but probably not as much as Russell. Probably.

Wow. Eric can learn a thing or two about sweeping, dramatic gestures. Staking Talbot certainly cut Russell where it hurts, but the King of Mississippi (and Louisiana!) has a certain flare that Eric lacks. Saying you want to fuck the Authority and then beheading the Magister is pretty great, but going on national television and ripping out the newscaster’s spine as he reports on the impending ratification of the Vampire Rights Amendment, well… yeah, I’d say the Authority is kind of fucked now. But I’m glad that good ol’ hypocritical Nan Flanigan is okay for now. (Who needs Tru Blood when you have naked strippers, really?) The look on her face as she watched the news was pretty priceless.

I bet Nan’s very glad the Authority gave Eric permission to destroy Russell, but I wonder if they’ve now changed their position on not helping Eric do it. How can Eric take down a vampire three times his age and power? Will bringing in Andy Bellefleur and Blackwater help? I think Russell has to destroy himself, and underestimating the Authority’s might could be his first misstep. Perhaps he showed his hand too early, grief-stricken as he was. In other news, I think Talbot’s crystal urn looks a bit tacky for a vampire of Talbot’s taste. If I were Russell, I’d go with something more baroque and possibly Grecian. But that might be impractical for on-the-go monologues. Poor Talbot. I miss him.

But not nearly as much as I’m going to miss Franklin.

I get that Franklin needed to die for the way he tortured Tara and his appearance was only brief in the show’s history, but it seems like a waste of a great actor to have Franklin die so soon. The show needs a loose cannon like that. With a British accent and a cool pair of boots. But, it was very satisfying to see Tara tell him off in such a strong way. It would’ve been better if she was the one to shoot him with wooden bullets, but I’m glad it was Jason who came to the rescue. I liked Tara’s crush on Jason in season one. I think there’s still some potential to mine there.

Tara would be a better match for Jason that Crystal. Seriously, even Jason can’t be stupid enough to ignore that many red flags. She accused him of kidnapping and rape and then she turns around and says she wants to be with him. Even though for some reason (that’s becoming more clear) they can never be together. Just, enough already. It’d be different if Jason knew why he was drawn to her, beyond his need to be a white knight, I mean. I say leave her to the were-hillbillies. Or let Sam at ’em all.

Sam is scary-mad sometimes. This is how he sets an example for Tommy? Or is Tommy’s macho attitude getting to him? Either way, no more naked Tommy again please. Thanks. I wish Sam would smack that wiseass smirk off of Tommy’s face. Tommy reminds me a bit of Connor on Angel. That’s not a compliment. Maybe I just have a low rebellious teen threshold. I get that he’s in pain, blah blah blah, but Sam’s trying hard to take care of him and be a good person. I think if Sam needs to stop letting anyone walk all over him, clearly it’s Tommy.

Lastly, we didn’t see much of Bill and Sookie this week. So, was Bill lying about only keeping that file on Sookie so he could learn why Eric wanted her so much? I’m not trusting Bill much these days, either. I am still not feeling the magical fairy land with Disney-style swelling music. How can anyone on this show not think Sookie is at least part fairy by now? Does Claudine need to show up with wings or something? A magic wand and some pixie dust? I guess the biggest upshot is that Sookie needs to protect herself, unless she wants to be kept on tap for vamps who want to be invulnerable to sunlight or something. Okay. But I’m still more interested in seeing how Bon Temps and the world at large will react to Russell’s revelation of his own vampire agenda. Will prejudice against vampires and sympathizers rise? Will people have to choose between pro- and anti-vampire friends? Tara’s been spewing some strong anti-fang words of late. And Hoyt’s girlfriend definitely seems like the type who’d disapprove of vampires, when it really comes down to it. Especially if she learns that Jessica still has her way-cooler fangs in Hoyt. Only three episodes left! Doesn’t seem like enough time is left to wrap up so many threads.  Is it finale-worthy for Sookie to learn something most of the audience has already guessed at? What fresh bit of obnoxiousness can Tommy come up with to make Sam kick him to the curb? Is there anything Crystal can do that will redeem her?

Some things I liked:

  • Hey, so Holly might not be evil. I still think she’s a witch and has a really evil forehead, but there could be something really interesting here. I was proud of Tara for going to a rape survivor’s group and really surprised to see Holly there and hear her sad story. Maybe her past makes her want to help others. Maybe she’s a good witch. (But Maryanne started out all benevolent, too right?) I wonder how she can help Arlene’s predicament.
     
  • Lafayette is glowing with love for Jesus. (Hay-sus.) How cute was his mom using all of his makeup and jewelry? Oh please let this relationship last and be happy. Keep Lafayette glowing.
     
  • Pam begging Eric to listen to reason and not end their century-long companionship. Also, her giving this impassioned speech to her maker while wearing a magenta tracksuit and matching Uggs. Seriously. Look at her in the above picture. Brilliance!
     
  • The way Franklin said Tara did not mourn him and how he would mourn her to his very marrow. He gets such wonderfully creepy dialogue. The show is worse for the lack of it.
     
  • Bill helping Sookie clean up the werewolf corpse in her living room. 
  • Tara catching herself when she was being negative towards Lafayette’s new boyfriend. Progress is good!
     
  • Why is Andy keeping those bottles of V? I have no clue.
     
  • Nan calling Eric Northman “a whiny little bitch.” Ha! I guess we learn in the next scene why she seems so cold to Eric’s charms, really.

 


Theresa DeLucci will order bacon on a veggie burger next time, just to see if a chef comes out of the kitchen looking as fabulous as Lafayette.

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