True Blood – The God who comes demands his sacrifice

Times have been pretty good for True Blood over the last couple months. It seems that almost every episode brings with it a new ratings record. Not that ratings are always the best measure of a show’s quality. In this case, though, I think they’ve been spot-on. The show really does just keep getting better. Or, rather, it did up until this week. “I Will Rise Up” felt like a bit of a step back. It wasn’t bad, mind you, but after the explosive showdown that it followed, some momentum was lost. Still, it did serve to move the various stories along, and send us off to the final three episodes.

I’m sure many people see it differently, but for me, the vampire story is much more interesting than anything to do with Maryann. And it really makes me wonder … part of my problem with the whole Maryann story is that it’s been so slow in developing, often feeling like we are spinning our wheels. Meanwhile, the entire Dallas vampire story came and went all too fast. I could have gone for those rolls being reversed. A couple more episodes of back-story for Stan and Isabel would have been a welcome thing. Godric, as old and powerful as he was, probably deserved a little more time, as well.

From the vampire half of the story this week, the best bit was from Eric and Sookie. I started getting my vampire lore confused in the aftermath of the bombing. I believed Eric when he said the silver was slowing his ability to heal. I know I’ve read that somewhere. Possibly the Anita Blake novels? At any rate, it’s an interesting addition to the impending Eric-Bill-Sookie triangle. It does turn Sookie against Eric initially, but moving forward, it hints at the possibility that they could be together.

Something we learned from Bill: he explained to Sookie that sexual attraction was another consequence of the blood. Unfortunately, she didn’t think to ask if that’s why she was into someone as mind-numbingly dull as Bill. Yes, I’m looking forward to Sookie going to Eric, and Bill becoming interesting. After Sookie’s dream, we know what the first part of that is going to look like. Hopefully, the loss of Sookie is what Bill needs to turn the corner.

The rest of the vampire story was ok. The bomb, of course, was one of those fancy TV bombs that doesn’t kill anyone actually important to the story. You could make a case that Stan was an important figure, but I think it’s pretty clear they were done with him. And Godric’s sacrifice was a little iffy on two fronts. First, I’m still not sure I understand why there needed to be a response. Wouldn’t it be clear to most normal people that the Newlins are off their nut? Fringe religions that stockpile weapons don’t have the best track record. Also, Godric came and went so fast that his loss didn’t really carry a lot of impact.

Meanwhile, back in Bon Temps, Maryann is still crazy, and wants to hang Sam’s entrails off the horns of her mask, or some such. I get it. She can bend people to her will and she’s a big bad woman. We don’t need another orgy, another set of black eyes, or another example of the shakey-shake. It’s past time for this story to start paying off. I’m ready to see someone stick Maryann’s “head in a bucket and kick it around the yard.”

That’s maybe a little harsher than it should be. I do still really like the show; I just think this story has been paced way too slowly, and I’m not convinced that Maryann will make for a better conclusion to the season than the Dallas story would have. With only three episodes left, I guess we’ll all find out soon enough.

Ivey will return to True Blood duty next week. He’s busy making his yearly pilgrimage to DEI in Mooresville, N.C. Say it with me! Earnhardt!!!!

Clacked by Brett Love
on Aug 17, 2009 @ 13:00 EST5EDT