True Blood S3 Ep 4

[caliente_uk]

I've seen a few less than positive reviews of this episode around LJ, but I have to say I enjoyed it immensely. There were some things I didn't like, but those moments were few and far between. For me S3 is shaping up to be the best season of the show so far.



Things I liked:

* Alcide pretty. I have to admit to being a little disappointed by Alcide so far, as he was a character I was looking forward to seeing on the show. But I'm quite happy for him to stick around for a while as I really do like to look at him. ;)
* Poor Sookie - Bill was so cold when he broke up with her. I know he thinks he's doing it for her own good, but that was so harsh. Stephen Moyer is doing a fabulous job as Bill this season.
* Alcide is definitely hot. And without his shirt he's even hotter! Is it hot in here? No? Must be just me then.
* I'm starting to really dislike Lorena. But I still find her relationship with Bill interesting to watch.
* Franklin Mott is so scary, but I can't help but be fascinated by him. I just wish he'd stop being so mean to Tara!
* The Eric/Sookie dream sequence was hot, hot, hot! I guessed it was going to be a dream, but I loved every second of it. I've seen elsewhere that it reminds some people of the OOMM Spike/Buffy dream, and I have to say I agree with them completely. Just wonderful!
* I love every scene with Lafayette, but when he's in a scene with Eric? I love him even more. Everything about it was pure perfection!
* Aww, Bud is retiring. But yay, Andy is now acting sheriff!
* I like Janice, Alcide's sister, but I can't say I liked what she did to Sookie. Oh dear, what does she look like?
* I see Debbie Pelt is just as likeable as she is in the books.
* I'm enjoying the werewolf story so far. I wasn't particularly surprised that the King of Mississipi was involved, but I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next.
* Pam and Eric's fear was palpable in this episode, and I love how much Eric really does care about her. I didn't like seeing her tortured, but I like the fact that True Blood isn't afraid to show just how violent vampires can be. No sparkling puppy dogs here.
* My love of Eric is growing with every episode - just like it did last year in S2.
* While Bill, who is no more depraved than Eric is when you think about it, is sinking lower and lower in my estimation. He's always been the vampire who wanted to change and live in the human world, but we've seen a side to him this season that shows just how far from human he really is. Can he come back from this? :/
* So Bill wants Lorena dead. And so say all of us!
* So Bill and Eric have both betrayed each other in this episode - and both for someone they love. I think I know which side I'm rooting for...
* "I'm a vampire, not a fucking idiot." I love Jessica!
* Arlene does not like the competition of a new red haired waitress. Hee! Poor Arlene.
* Hoyt breaks my heart. I just want to hug him!
* I love Jason. He didn't have much to do in this episode, but the scenes he did have were wonderful. Go Jason!
* I'm not happy with Bill after this episode. I know he thinks he's doing what's best for Sookie, but he's gone way too far this time. But his downfall has been so interesting to watch! I can't wait to see how (or if) they're going to bring him back from this one.

Things I didn't like:

* Sam's family are still irritating.
* I'm not enjoying Tara's storyline so far. I love Franklin Mott, but enough is enough. Give the poor girl a break!
* Too many storylines going on at the same time. Sometimes less is more, you know?

But those are just minor quibbles. :)

I've seen some comments on LJ that have objected to the amount of violence shown towards women in this episode (and Lafayette, of course). And I have to agree that it isn't something I like to see.

However, after seeing the episode I don't think there was as much violence in it as I expected there to be. And I have to say that in a show about vampires (especially these vampires), I think violence is pretty much a given. The violence against Pam and Lorena I can accept (and even Debbie Pelt to a certain degree) as they are vampires and violence is a part of their nature. The violence against the exotic dancer is another thing of course, but I think Bill's going to have to pay the price for that somewhere along the way. And I've already made my feelings clear about Tara above.

I don't know exactly what I'm trying to say here, other than that the violence didn't particularly bother me too much. I didn't like it, but I just saw it as a part of the storyline that will be addressed at some point during the season. If that makes me a bad person, then so be it.



And to be honest, I'm enjoying this show to pieces, so I don't really care if other people can't understand why I like it as much as I do. After all, we're in the third season now, so I think we should all know pretty much what to expect by now. :)

As always, this is just my opinion. YMMV.

Comments

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Oh I expect violence in the show. Vampires, right?

But with this many storylines going on simultaneously and all of them featuring extreme abuse of women all in a single episode it really got to be too much violence against women in one time period. They could do the same thing without it being quite so condensed and it wouldn't come across quite as much 'tone it down with torturing women.' But all bundled together (on top of last weeks turn the woman's neck around and watch her spit blood... and I say that while deeply loathing Lorena) and I can't help but think that they really didn't need quite so many examples of it all in one episode. JMHO.

[caliente-uk.livejournal.com]

Oh I expect violence in the show. Vampires, right?

Especially these vampires. You won't see no sparkling Twilight vampires on this show! *g*

But with this many storylines going on simultaneously and all of them featuring extreme abuse of women all in a single episode it really got to be too much violence against women in one time period. They could do the same thing without it being quite so condensed and it wouldn't come across quite as much 'tone it down with torturing women.'

I agree that there are too many storylines going on at the same time, so I do understand where you're coming from.

I think the problem I have is that I don't see Pam and Lorena as being abused - as they're both quite capable of doling out the same sort of punishment themselves (and have). Violence is a part of their vampire nature, so I don't see it as 'extreme violence against women' in quite the same way as I do with Tara.

Tara is a completely different story. I don't like what they're doing to her this season, especially after the events of S2. I find it deeply disturbing, and I'm hoping things are going to improve for her as the season progresses. I'd like to see the feisty Tara from S1 again, who stood for no nonsense from anyone! :/

But all bundled together (on top of last weeks turn the woman's neck around and watch her spit blood...

I have to admit I could have done without seeing that scene. Not one of Bill's finer moments - although I do have to say that Lorena didn't seem to mind it too much. In fact, she seemed to enjoy it. But that's vampires for you...

JMHO

Differing opinions are always welcome here. They really do help make discussions so much more interesting! :D

[petzipellepingo.livejournal.com]

Poor Sookie - Bill was so cold when he broke up with her. I know he thinks he's doing it for her own good, but that was so harsh. Stephen Moyer is doing a fabulous job as Bill this season.

Nods. SM has much more to work with this Season and he's doing a very good job.

Franklin Mott is so scary, but I can't help but be fascinated by him. I just wish he'd stop being so mean to Tara!

Yeah, I'm not sure what's the point of all this Tara torture this Season but I'd like it to stop.

Sam's family are still irritating.

True although a recent spoiler I posted indicates that there is indeed an actual storyline coming.

I agree about too many plotlines and still there they overplayed the violence against women last episode but, as always, YMMV.

That being said, I'm looking forward to next week.

[caliente-uk.livejournal.com]

SM has much more to work with this Season and he's doing a very good job.

He really is. I love how complex Bill's turning out to be this season.

Yeah, I'm not sure what's the point of all this Tara torture this Season but I'd like it to stop.

It really is too much, especially after the events of S2. I'd like to see more of the feisty Tara from S1, who wouldn't stand for any nonsense from anyone.

True although a recent spoiler I posted indicates that there is indeed an actual storyline coming.

That's good to hear.

I agree about too many plotlines and still there they overplayed the violence against women last episode

There are way too many plotlines going on in every episode. As for the violence, after reading some comments (accidentally, as they weren't under a cut) on LJ, I was expecting the episode to be even more violent than it actually was.

I'm used to seeing violence on UK television, so maybe that's why it doesn't affect me in quite the same way? I also can't help but see the violence against female vampires as less problematic than that against characters like Tara, as they're quite capable of doling out the same sort of punishment themselves (and have).

YMMV

Of course. :)

[petzipellepingo.livejournal.com]

Spoilers in question (http://petzipellepingo.livejournal.com/5934307.html)...

[caliente-uk.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the link. It all looks very interesting! I can't wait. :)

[shapinglight]

Your thoughts are almost identical to mine. After skimming through my flist the day I saw the ep, I got the distinct impression that enjoying this show, especially this ep, made me a bad person, but I'm afraid I don't care. I just love the show, for all the reasons you cite, and my quibbles with this particular ep are as you state.

I fear it's too late for Franklin Mott to stop being mean to Tara. I had a tiny hope re: that character, all centring around him being a Brit and me not wanting another evil Brit character (or no more evil than everyone else), but that's gone. He's not only evil (like most of the TB vamps) but bonkers. :) I hope Tara gets away from him soon and that he doesn't spend the rest of the season stalking/terrorising her, because enough is enough.

Have also joined Team Eric for now because of what Bill did in this ep. We'll see how that goes.

[caliente-uk.livejournal.com]

Your thoughts are almost identical to mine. After skimming through my flist the day I saw the ep, I got the distinct impression that enjoying this show, especially this ep, made me a bad person, but I'm afraid I don't care.

I'm so glad you feel the same way I do. I was beginning to think I was the only one!

I just love the show, for all the reasons you cite, and my quibbles with this particular ep are as you state.

I'm loving the show more than ever at the moment, and the quibbles I have with it are few and far between. S3 is shaping up to be the best season so far, imo.

I'm just disappointed (and slightly baffled if I'm honest) that people have had such a strong negative reaction to the last episode. Do you think it could be a cultural thing?

And no matter how hard I try not to, I can't help but see the violence against Pam and Lorena in this episode as less problematic than that against characters like Tara, as they're both quite capable of doling out the same sort of punishment themselves (and have).

I fear it's too late for Franklin Mott to stop being mean to Tara. I had a tiny hope re: that character, all centring around him being a Brit and me not wanting another evil Brit character (or no more evil than everyone else), but that's gone. He's not only evil (like most of the TB vamps) but bonkers. :)

I think you may be right about Franklin, which is a shame, as I can't help but be drawn to him (even though I know I shouldn't be). And you should know by now - the Brit character is always going to turn out to be evil! :/

Have also joined Team Eric for now because of what Bill did in this ep. We'll see how that goes.

Poor Bill. He really has made the wrong choices so far this season, hasn't he?

It's funny when you think about it - Eric is every bit as depraved as Bill, but we're so much more forgiving of him. I think it's probably because Eric has never pretended to be anything other than what he is, whereas Bill showed us a much more human side in the first two seasons, so we can't help but feel disappointed when he chooses to do evil things. I have to say, I'm loving how complex he's turned out to be this season, though!

[shapinglight]

Hello. Don't know if you've seen ep 5 yet so won't say anything about it beyond that I loved it.

And no matter how hard I try not to, I can't help but see the violence against Pam and Lorena in this episode as less problematic than that against characters like Tara, as they're both quite capable of doling out the same sort of punishment themselves (and have).

Oh, I agree. The Franklin/Tara stuff is way, way more disturbing. I don't even see what the Magister did to Pam as violence against women as such, because he would have done the same if Pam had been male. That said, there was a string of very disturbing scenes in that episode- possibly too many for one episode.

Ep 5 is fantastic, though. You'll love it.

[lynnalso.livejournal.com]

I agree with all your points but it really really needs the humor that Buffy and Angel shows had that broke up the depressing stuff. So I now quit the show. How I miss Buffy humor...

[caliente-uk.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry you've felt the need to quit the show. I adore Buffy too, but the two shows are very different in my eyes. I do see humour in the show (although I have to admit there wasn't much in the last episode), but it's a more subtle humour than the humour in BtVS.

BtVS will always hold a special place in my heart, but I think (after all this time) I've finally started to move on. Wow, I've only just this second realised that.