Tuesday, July 17, 2012

True Blood S5:E6 recap

Fantastic episode! Truly, this was one of the best in a long while. It covered a lot of territory but seemed like it was only about 15 minutes long. And to think only a few short episodes ago I was sipping the haterade on this season. Well, I stand corrected!

Let me begin by saying how much I thoroughly enjoy Denis O'Hare in the role of Russell Edgington, and I'm so glad he's back in the saddle again. He totally owns that role, and it works. Talk about cheering for the villain. I hope Russell sticks around beyond this season: "Fuck The Authority!"

The scenes in the haunted asylum of doom were just awesome. Beel fake glamouring Sookie - "you belong in the sun." They have such natural chemistry (and in real life they are apparently expecting twins in October.)

Cheeky, tricky, delicious, conniving Eric is back!! Glamoring away Alcide's romantic interest in Sookie while at the same time commanding Alcide to defend her with his life - well played, Mr. Northman. I have a feeling you'll be doing the ol' mattress mambo with Sookie again in no time. Let's pray it actually looks sexy next time though. It was funny how Sookie figured out what Eric had done to Alcide - "you recoiled from me??" Loved it!

What was up with the bus massacre of the human witnesses? Is *every* chancellor of the Authority scheming behind Roman's back?? I think Salome is going to be the next Grand Pooh Bah of the Authority, and she's just biding her time until she gets rid of Roman. Nora is a true believer? Seems like Eric now thinks so.

Back at Authority HQ, when Eric tried to warn them that Russell is the strongest vampire he's ever known and they'd all better watch out - once he said that I knew Russell would be busting out of there, but I was totally surprised by how fast it happened. When Russell's insta-staker failed and he turned the tables on Roman then apparently staked him in return, Roman did not immediately turn to red goo - his face got all weird and veiny and puffy. So has Roman really met the true death? Makes me wonder if Roman has some sort of vampire equivalent of a bulletproof vest going on under his golf shirt. I suppose we'll find out first thing next episode.

Moving on to the show's other vamps - I'm loving Jessica this season. It's such an interesting contrast - Jessica's humanistic values and "upbringing" from genteel Beel compared to the tough love, alpha-tastic way Tara is being "raised" by ruthless, fabulous Pam. Why can't everyone just get along? ;)

Lafayette's visit to his mama - who also sees dead people, naturally - was fun to watch. "Jesus loves the little faggots!" Ah, the priceless writing on this show.

Arlene is one of my other bizarre favorites, and when Cursed Terry finally broke it all down for her and came clean about the things he did in Iraq when he was most certainly not "just following orders" - I loved her response about getting back on his meds. Arlene has moxie, and she has to be responsible for 3 little people - and what a sad goodbye. I know not everyone is a fan of The Ifrit/smoke monster storyline - but I'm also seeing it as a mini nod to actress Carrie Preston's real life - her husband is Michael Emerson who played Ben Linus on "Lost," home of the original smoke monster that held people accountable for their sins. Hmm...

Sookie and Jason visit fairyland/Moulin Rouge - readers of the books will be more than a bit suspicious of the motives behind certain "fairy tales" - namely, the convenient story about the vampire who killed the Stackhouses because he smelled Sookie's blood on an old band-aid in the backseat of their car. Is that even true? Will they try to pin it on Beel? Eric? Russell? We know from prior seasons (old newspaper clippings found in Beel's home) that Beel might have been following Sookie since her childhood. We know the fae hate the vamps and would like to turn everyone against them. For me, this is all leading up to a Supernatural Brawl of Epic Proportions.

Which brings us to the shifters - Luna's alive! I'm pleasantly surprised. I'm enjoying Martha the Were Grandmama, she plays it so cool. Despite the fact that she raised an evil psychopath of a son, no doubt her house is the safest place for Emma. Isn't that how real life parenting decisions go down, too?

So it's some rednecks from Bon Temps, who know Hoyt, who are killing the shifters and some random vamps. Why do I think somehow the fae are behind this?

Your thoughts?

4 comments:

mom2boy said...

I totally think Salome had something to do with Russell's escape. Remember how she was all do you really want to execute him now and then did a 180 to I'll go pump him full of silver for you? And the bus massacre was totally to cover her tracks so she's got at least one other council member on her side. I'd be surprised if that were all.

Poor Hoyt.

The black/white slave/master dynamic with Tara and Pam makes me uncomfortable.

Sam's line to Andy that he didn't know what it was like to be hated just for being himself is pretty much the whole show in a nutshell. And, you know, human conflict in general.

Big war a comin'. Can't wait!!

Oh and I <3 Eric, too cool for school, Northman.

hush said...

@mom2boy - Yes, Sam pretty much bottom-lined the whole show and all of life with that line - so true!

I grapple with what to make of the slave/master imagery with Tara and Pam - and also with Tara and Vampire Franklin back in Season 3, when she was fleeing Russell Edgington's house (an antebellum Southern estate) wearing antique white gown while being chased by wolves - so as to avoid being turned. Very uncomfortable. And also intentional, I think.

I feel like the writers have constructed these uncomfortable kinds of racially-charged scenes with Tara to link American slavery with being a vampire's progeny. It needs more unpacking though - someone could do their thesis on the racial themes of TB. I predict Tara will attempt to gain control in her dynamic with Pam, as she did successfully with Franklin.

Unknown said...

Loved this episode! Beel's fake glamouring actually brought an almost tear to my eye, and I don't usually cry for non-death scenes. I loved Eric's "she kind of disgust's you" instruction, too. I hope Sookie and Alcide finish what they started, for his sake. Although, I think that brunette wolf lady will be his next hookup. Isn't she in the books?

I figured Russel would end up on top somehow, but I'm hoping Roman isn't done for. I think his not turning to goo immediately is significant (maybe?).

Poor Sam, Poor Hoyt. I love the social commentary in play with the vigilante/racist group and can't wait to see how the writers handle it... hopefully with some supernatural "justice". :)

hush said...

@Haley - I bet Sookie is never going to bed Alcide. Did they ever actually have sex in the books? I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think so.

Is the attractive brunette were Jannalynn? If so, then yes, she's in the later books. Or is she someone from the earlier books whose name escapes me?