'True Blood' - 'Cold Grey Light of Dawn': Sealed in silver
Bill comes up with a painful plan to save his people
Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll) and Bill (Stephen Moyer) on "True Blood."
Credit: HBO
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You know the "True Blood" deal by now: this post is here for people who want to talk about tonight's episode right away, while Leslie Gornstein will have a detailed recap up on our Monkeys as Critics blog a few hours from now.
So talk about Bill's big silver plan, Tommy and Sam's beef, Jessica's walk and more.
Alan Sepinwall has been reviewing television since the mid-'90s, first for Tony Soprano's hometown paper, The Star-Ledger, and now for HitFix. His new book, "The Revolution Was Televised," about the last 15 years of TV drama, is for sale at Amazon. He can be reached at sepinwall@hitfix.com
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August 7, 2011 at 11:16PM EST Reply to CommentGood episode have hope for this season, marnie is turning out to b a good foe but still there's too many other plots I don't care for
Chrissy
August 8, 2011 at 12:34AM EST Reply to CommentI thought this was quite good. I only had two, fairly minor, issues: Tara's talk with her girlfriend (retread, nothing new, wish Tara could have come back happy but single), and the quick agreement of the witches to Marnie's plan. I think the show needed to build a bit more that this group of people would be so willing to murder all vamps. For instance, Holly works with Jess. Is she so sure that Jess deserves to burn to death? I think this whole story line would have worked better if Marnie's people were a vamp victim support group or something, or if they had come together initially with the stated purpose of fighting vamps.
That said, I thought it was a powerful hour, in large part because of the relationship between Jess and Bill, which I am so glad has not been forgotten. Great final image too, which ties in nicely with her character development this season. I almost hope Jason doesn't save her; although Woll is great in the role, it's nicely tragic that Bill's reluctance to hurt her *now* would lead to her death.
I also found it oddly sweet that the Fangtasia bartender tried to keep Pam in her coffin. This show does manage some great imagery at times.
LJA I'm with all your comments, Chrissy.
August 8, 2011 at 11:08AM ESTI really enjoyed Bill and Jessica's scenes together, in particular the one where they were chained in the basement, having a conversation, waiting for the spell to begin.
Another great moment was when Sam and Luna both realized she had slept with Tommy and not Sam. It was played perfectly by both actors.
LJA That should read, "I agree with all your comments, Chrissy." I need coffee.
August 8, 2011 at 11:11AM ESTChrissy Yes - I was so pleased that Sam and Luna found out what happened pretty much immediately. And Debbie told Alicide what she was worried about right away too. Everyone was taking care of everything in an efficient manner in this episode.
August 8, 2011 at 2:12PM ESTwebdiva Wasn't Pam's all pink and pearl coffin just a hoot?! Clearly, her fashion sense is at best schizophrenic, though still interesting. The couples scenes were the best parts -- Sam and Luna, Alcide and Debbie, but best of all Bill and Jessica. Good to see that he takes his responsibilities to her seriously, and that she's had some time to reflect about her situation and forgive him for changing her. Tara, however, continues to irritate by making really stupid decisions: the best one she could have made was to leave town with a girlfriend who loves her. Pam was going to have her hands too busy locally to follow Tara for a while anyway, and if Tara had thought about it, she'd have realized it. Tara's overwhelming problem is that she doesn't think much at all, either before she acts OR after.
August 9, 2011 at 2:06AM ESTI also didn't buy that Sookie and Eric wouldn't have made it home first before completely ripping each others' clothes off, knowing that it's a full moon and weres of all kinds would be roaming the forest. Stupid move, that. Eric's brain might be on the blink, but Sookie is supposed to be much smarter than that. Like I said before: I **REALLY** hate the way Alan Ball has dumbed down Sookie's character. It's as if he gave the gal a lobotomy. Sheesh -- snap out of it, dude!!! Not that I'm holding my breath or betting the rent ...
Mojo CoCo
August 8, 2011 at 12:44AM EST Reply to CommentIMO best episode of the season by far. If the rest of the season keeps the momentum up, itll be great. I really wanted the ep to end with a panther knocking Jessica back into the house though :D
webdiva And that may yet happen: in the books, Jason really does become a werepanther, albeit only a modified one (he retains mostly human, if furry, characteristics), though who knows what Alan Ball will yet do with that.
August 9, 2011 at 1:15AM ESTTausif Khan
August 8, 2011 at 1:24AM EST Reply to CommentAny one at Hitfix going to cover the final two episodes of Falling Skies season 1?
JanieJones
August 8, 2011 at 3:39PM EST Reply to CommentChrissy and LJA,
Help1
I've lost my groove for this show. I've seen parts of each episode but I don't watch with passion anymore.
Skarsgard, Bauer Van Stratten, Woll are doing a good job. Moyer's storyline has definitely gotten a boost.
TB has become a show to have on while I'm doing other things. I've heard from several people that this season has greatly improved. I'm disappointed that I don't feel the same way about the show. Perhaps I need to re-watch all of this season's episodes together.
I've lost the joy.
Also, the Jason/werepather storyline was terrible, Sam's story would be infinitely more interesting w/o Tommy, love Fiona Shaw but her performance is a bit tiresome, demon baby-ugh and Laffy needs to get his salty self back.
I liked the show when it revolved more around the vampires and explored everyday life for a supe, especially some key scenes in Merlotte's.
I'm frustrated as I used to love the show.
Bob I have to agree with you. This season is the worst yet. Did Sookie and Eric just role through the swamp naked all the way home? How absurd. And how many melodramatic speeches did we get? Eric to Spookie. Bill to Jessica. Tara to her girlfriend. My eyes are still rolling.
August 8, 2011 at 10:01PM ESTLJA @JanieJones I don't know what to say, because I've lost my mojo for other shows, and once it's gone, it's gone. For example, you couldn't pay me to sit through an entire episode of House at this point, I just can't do it.
August 9, 2011 at 12:04PM ESTI don't agree with Bob that this is the worst season yet. I definitely thought last season was far worse. I'd say this is my second favorite season to date (season one being my favorite).
One criticism I do have for this season, and this will probably make some people angry, is that I'm not really feeling any chemistry at all between Sookie and Eric. I'm enjoying Skarsgard's performance as the "defanged" Eric, but in terms of romantic chemistry between him and Paquin? Goose egg.
Still, I look forward to the show each week and usually watch it live.
JanieJones
August 8, 2011 at 3:39PM EST Reply to CommentChrissy and LJA,
Help1
I've lost my groove for this show. I've seen parts of each episode but I don't watch with passion anymore.
Skarsgard, Bauer Van Stratten, Woll are doing a good job. Moyer's storyline has definitely gotten a boost.
TB has become a show to have on while I'm doing other things. I've heard from several people that this season has greatly improved. I'm disappointed that I don't feel the same way about the show. Perhaps I need to re-watch all of this season's episodes together.
I've lost the joy.
Also, the Jason/werepather storyline was terrible, Sam's story would be infinitely more interesting w/o Tommy, love Fiona Shaw but her performance is a bit tiresome, demon baby-ugh and Laffy needs to get his salty self back.
I liked the show when it revolved more around the vampires and explored everyday life for a supe, especially some key scenes in Merlotte's.
I'm frustrated as I used to love the show.
JanieJones Haven't a clue with the double post. I will say Ginger straddling Pam's coffin last night was pure comedic gold.
August 8, 2011 at 5:11PM ESTLJA That was funny, and there are usually at least 1-2 straight-up hilarious "wink-at-the-audience" moments per episode. I'm still laughing at Eric calling Sookie "Snooki."
August 9, 2011 at 12:06PM ESTwebdiva
August 9, 2011 at 1:25AM EST Reply to CommentFor me, it was one of the best eps of the season. So strange that this year, it's True Blood that seems to be improving as it goes on and Torchwood that sucks big time -- last year, it was the reverse. Not at all what I'd hoped for, and the improvement in TB really doesn't make up for the crash and burn of Torchwood. At all.
Loretta
August 9, 2011 at 12:03PM EST Reply to CommentI've always considered this show nothing more than some campy, silly, and sometimes downright stupid fun. I usually watch it while simultaneously browsing the internet, mostly because this means I can turn back to the TV when something cool is going on, and back to my computer when I'm bored.
That being said, I thought this episode was a highlight of the series. Sure, puppy-dog-eyes Eric kinda overdid it with the sappy speeches, but there was so much other great stuff happening:
- Bill and Jessica's conversation under silver--they have great, non-romantic chemistry
- the new, generally badass Bill is so much better than Sookeh-obsessed Bill
- Tara is finally taking some agency in her life
- Even if it's unintended, this season is really emphasizing the morally gray area that vampires inhabit. Marnie/Antonia really have valid reasons for wanting to kill the vamps.
- Lafayette getting spooked by ghost-nanny in his kitchen. Nelsan Ellis's comedic talents have been sorely underused
- Angry!Sam is always more interesting than pining-over-Sookie San, or I'm-everyone's-doorstep-Sam
- Jason Stackhouse is really way more interesting now that he's not quite so incredibly stupid. Still dumb and goofy, yes, but now less self-centered and actually somewhat competent, while still maintaining his humorous characteristics
And that ending sequence was awesome.
Now, I understand that a lot of people have soured on the show entirely, so this probably comes across as too little, too late, but this episode was, IMO, the show that I've always been hoping True Blood could be. No, not "great art" but funny, suspenseful, visually interesting, with a focus on more of the characters I care about than we've had in a while, and more interesting versions of the other characters than we've seen in a long time.
Delta1212 Regarding Antonia having valid reasons for wanting to kill vampires, this episode actually made me question why it is exactly that I'm supposed to be rooting against her.
August 9, 2011 at 12:47PM ESTEvery single vampire we've met in the series is a murderer. Is there a reason we're supposed to be rooting for them other than superficial reasons like Eric's incredible charisma and how ridiculously attractive Jessica is?
I mean, for crying out, Hoyt asks Jess if she killed another trucker. Imagine everyone is human and this is a non-supernatural drama, and try to picture how a conversation like that would color your opinion of the people involved.
It's like we're watching Dexter, except hoping the murderers get to him first. The whole thing is morally grey, but the "good guys" are on the darker end of the spectrum than the villain.
Xeddicus Yeah, the vampires all need to die with the exception of Jessica. She didn't kill that trucker for shits and giggles, she was kidnapped, turned, and then let loose basically mega-drugged. If she does anything like that NOW, yeah, torch her. But this show is really lacking in vampires that don't deserve death. Bill is the closest, but he'd iffy.
August 11, 2011 at 3:46PM ESTKansasDan
August 9, 2011 at 4:32PM EST Reply to CommentI'm betting that Jason saves Jess, but not before she gets a little crispy, and has to feed on his blood in order to heal, thereby making their connection even stronger. At least I hope that's what happens, as Jessica is the best part of the show for me.
melissa_banks
August 10, 2011 at 3:50PM EST Reply to CommentI am so stunned. As I was sitting through this episode I kept thinking.. did they change writers? Why does this feel so different.. like I dont know a single charachter?? I feel like it stopped and changed and now there is too much info going on?? I mean am I alone here?? There is no chemistry between sookie and bill - there is just .. i really think its horrible and i used to love love this show...