Inside Television with Alan Sepinwall

'True Blood' - 'It Hurts Me, Too': Bullet time in Bon Temps

A kinky outing for vampires and non-vamps alike.

By Alan Sepinwall Sunday, Jun 27, 2010 9:59 PM

Jessica meets the new vamp in town.

Credit: HBO

Once again, I'm not a fan of "True Blood," but I'm willing to offer up these weekly posts about each episode so y'all can discuss it.

Episode three, which incorporates both bullet time and a concentrated amount of kinky vampire sex, is, for now, the last one I received in advance from HBO. I may or may not continue to get episodes ahead of time, but if I don't, these posts are going to wait until I've seen each episode, which may wind up being on Mondays. Sorry.

Alan Sepinwall
Sr. Editor, What's Alan Watching

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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Next 68 Comments

alex

Who does True blood think they are? Cause they sure aren't Max Payne.
June 27, 2010 at 10:02PM EST Reply to Comment
- +1 for the *real* bullet time origin reference.
  June 28, 2010 at 5:43PM EST
- semicolwin the Matrix came out two years before Max Payne...so wouldn't that be the *real* bullet time origin?
  June 30, 2010 at 10:33AM EST
donnybrook

Has that redhead in the still unveiled her freckled breasts at any point during the show? She's pretty hot. If not, then I can't muster up any reason to watch this lame show.
June 27, 2010 at 10:42PM EST Reply to Comment
- Andy L She hasn't but it is just a matter of time. Anna Paquin didn't show her junk the first season, but I think I can speak for all of the lonely, frustrated men who live in my one-bedroom apartment when I say that they were worth the wait.
  June 28, 2010 at 2:01AM EST
Braeden

Alan. Big fan. You won't write a review for true blood but you will for that awful Colin hanks show and other bad shows. True blood and persons unknown are only interesting shows this summer.
June 27, 2010 at 11:23PM EST Reply to Comment
Ted

True Blood and Treme are two of the best shows on tv.
June 27, 2010 at 11:32PM EST Reply to Comment
Chris

How is a show about sex and violence so boring?
June 28, 2010 at 12:01AM EST Reply to Comment
- James Its isn't boring. True Blood is one of the best shows on tv.
  June 28, 2010 at 1:17AM EST
- Chris Scenes like the one that ended last nights episode are fodder for the panel of VH1s yet to be produced "I Love 2010". Its passed the realm of enjoyable campy-ness and is now squarely in the too-silly-to-discuss category.
  June 28, 2010 at 5:46PM EST
Bradley Valentine

With an ending like tonight, nobody can muster more excitement for this show?
June 28, 2010 at 12:36AM EST Reply to Comment
adam tutt

what the hell kind of review is this? It says nothing about the show other than it contains sex and violence, I get that from the parental warning at the start of the show!
June 28, 2010 at 1:07AM EST Reply to Comment
rachelmed

Guys lay off Alan. It's just not his thing. I personally love getting lost in the crazy vampire world but I can see how other people wouldn't enjoy it. He's being nice and giving us a place to discuss the show even when he doesn't enjoy it himself. I'd rather have that than read through a review every week done by a person who thought it was torture.

On that note, I continue to enjoy this season. Alcide seems like he is going to be a nice edition for however long we have him and I'm intrigued by Franklin's backstory. There are a lot of characters to juggle and they all seem to be on pretty different paths which I think makes it harder to get enough screen time for them each episode. Hopefully they can start tying things together because I will start to miss and wish I was seeing more of some people.

Like you mentioned in another review Alan, the timeline of the show is a little hard to follow so does this mean that Arlene is pregnant with Rene's kid? I thought it would have been longer than 10 weeks since he died but I could be wrong.
June 28, 2010 at 3:05AM EST Reply to Comment
mrshekmi

Where is this season going? I like my vampire porn as much as the next vampire porn fan but I need to attach myself to *something* good plot-wise. I think the actors are doing a great job with the material they've been given. But plot-wise, 3 eps in it's kinda all over the place. And once again, the show manages to dumb down Sookie.

The show manages to make a cool were-bar where rules make sense from the book into a lame place. Sookie's and Alcide's plan from the book made sense. The show's plan don't. What kind of a plan is it to provoke a bunch of violent were-bikers in the hope that they'll "think" of the information Sookie and Alcide needs? And then hope to escape being mauled, raped, or worse with a scream? How dumb. And for the record, even if I hadn't read the books their plan was still dumb. I mean, really Alan Ball? Spend more time refining Sookie and her actions and less on superfluous stuff. Sam's family didn't need to make an appearance at his bar only to disappear again. That could have spent more on your supposed leads' stories.

Such weird choices in plotting and editing. It leaves me scratching my head.

As for the end. Ew. Was that really necessary.
June 28, 2010 at 3:11AM EST Reply to Comment
- Kazz I think you have to keep your eye on Sam's new kid brother. He has some serious issues...like having dad sitting in dirty grey underwear while watching TV.
  June 28, 2010 at 10:22PM EST
gregel

All I know is that the Twilight duo of Edward and Bella have nothing on the soap opera drama Sookie and Bill put themselves through. Egad. My only concern this season is that an awful lot seems to be happening in just a few days. I might lose my own mind and want to quit my job (like the Sheriff this episode) if I lived in this town with all the crap going on.
June 28, 2010 at 4:27AM EST Reply to Comment
FEAST

Alan,

I'm wondering if you're a fan of HBO's True Blood. Clarify please.
June 28, 2010 at 4:29AM EST Reply to Comment
Frank111

"Once again, I'm not a fan of "True Blood"...

Well I would say due to its current status in the ratings and at the water cooler you should still watch it and comment why its so unlikeable to your tastes. Personally I don't think this is the best show on television but it is popular and for me a guilty pleasure during the summer drought.
I feel if you are going to be true to your readers on this site that you should be able to find the time to comment on shows that are not only found only in Sepinwall's fun bag. I think it's just as important to learn about what a person passionately dislikes as it is what they find interesting and captivating. By doing so you can truly open the lines for communication and discourse on what is provocative and entertaining. I believe that to be the purpose of a comment board.

June 28, 2010 at 4:48AM EST Reply to Comment
JayHayabusa

We get it Alan, you're not a fan. No need to remind us with every single post about the series. This patronizing tone does not suit you very well...
June 28, 2010 at 4:53AM EST Reply to Comment
- Ken Raining There's at least five posts above yours suggesting that not everybody knows Alan's feelings on the show. It makes sense for him to remind readers, or inform new ones, why he's not writing more about the show.
  June 28, 2010 at 9:46AM EST
sepinwall

Folks, I'm in a no-win scenario here.

If I actually write longer reviews, people complain that I keep bagging on a show they like.

If I write nothing at all, people complain that I'm not giving them an opportunity to discuss True Blood.

If I write a short "What did everybody think?" post without the disclaimer about why I'm not offering a review, people complain that I'm devoting far more words to some other show they don't like as much.

And if I write what I've actually written, people complain... well, read the comments above.

We're quickly approaching "more trouble than it's worth" territory, and given that I don't have any other advance screeners at the moment, I'm tempted to take my ball and go home on this particular series. But that, of course, means that people will start complaining about the lack of "True Blood" coverage in posts for other shows, because that's exactly what happened last season when I stopped writing about it.

No-win scenario.
June 28, 2010 at 7:14AM EST Reply to Comment
- chuchundra I wonder if you might consider some open threads so people can chat about shows you don't write about?
  
  I know you've said that there are shows you watch but don't write about because there's nothing much to say. You could preface the open thread with a mention of other shows you've watched and maybe a sentence or two about the episode.
  
  I have to say though, as much as True Blood is a really guilty pleasure for me, I won't be devastated if there are no posts about it. I mean, what's really to talk about? The deeper meaning of Eric Northman's ass and Nazi Werewolves?
  June 28, 2010 at 9:36AM EST
- brentalistair I agree that its a no win scenario here Alan, so why play? There is really nothing to win here. You don't like the show. I happen to agree that its a pretty crappy show but its a big world and everybody's got their own tastes. Its a big internet. If people want to find a place to talk about the show, I am sure they won't have much trouble. Hell, they can start their own blog for free and discuss it there if they want. You don't owe them anything and really, all you end up doing here is raising the ire of people who, for whatever reason, think that differences in personal preferences are personal insults of some sort.
  
  Suit yourself obviously, but my suggestion/advice would be to just drop the whole True Blood thing altogether. I doubt you will look back with any sort of regret on the decision and its pretty much a guarantee that, with the current approach, you will be dealing with exactly the same arguments and complaints pretty much every week.
  June 28, 2010 at 10:02AM EST
- Donnybrook There's already someone else on HitFix posting snarky, long-ish reviews of True Blood episodes (though they only come up a few hours after they've aired), Alan, so I think it would be a good idea if you dropped these True Blood posts. No point in attracting all this hostility from Twilight fans (which is essentially what True Blood is - an "edgier" version of Twilight).
  June 28, 2010 at 11:29AM EST
- gina64 Alan, I'm a TB fan, but I honestly think you'd be better off not posting about it at all. I understand why you do it, and appreciate that you do, but apparently not many people do. You don't need, or deserve, to be chastised for trying to do something nice.
  June 28, 2010 at 5:08PM EST
- Sareeta Alan, thanks for providing a space for us to discuss True Blood. Yes, there are other sites to discuss it, but I prefer your blog because your readers -usually- have more to say about an episode than "I liked the episode" or "I hated it". I hope you keep providing this space.
  June 28, 2010 at 7:30PM EST
- Chrissy I enjoy the show, but I'd suggest you drop it if folks are going to continue to act like you are doing them a disservice. It's not worth it.
  
  The other possibility would be to have open threads for a bunch of shows you don't write about (so True Blood doesn't stick out for it's lack of content), but that isn't the point of your column. Save yourself the trouble; those who want to can find other places to discuss, I'd imagine.
  June 28, 2010 at 11:16PM EST
- Ashke I do come here to read discussion on True Blood (along with other shows), but there really isn't much point. Nothing but a bunch of whining about how you're not giving the show the respect it deserves - any cogent discussion is well-buried and I just end up annoyed at the trolls coming out of the woodwork to complain about your posting habits each week.
  
  If you feel the need to give people a place to discuss it, just link a no-comments post to the other Hit Fix reviewer that covers the show, and people who want to discuss the show can go over there.
  June 30, 2010 at 12:48AM EST
- Omar Marla Daniels: You cannot lose if you do not play.
  June 30, 2010 at 5:12PM EST
Chris Howard

Alan, I have a great deal of respect for you as a reviewer, but these condescending and half-assed posts where you refuse to participate are just insulting to those of us who like True Blood. Please stop.
June 28, 2010 at 8:50AM EST Reply to Comment
- Donnybrook True Blood is a show that is far beneath Alan's critical writing skills. To write at length about it would force him to dwell at length on extreme stupidity and potentially compromise his talents, so it's best that he leave these reviews to intellectually challenged writers, such as Hitfix's own Melinda Newman.
  June 28, 2010 at 11:31AM EST
- Donnybrook Didn't mean to include "at length" twice in that sentence. This is what discussing True Blood does to you: it erodes your mind.
  June 28, 2010 at 11:34AM EST
- I like Alan but I agree. It does seem very very condescending and half assed. I don't know if you're trying to demean the people who actually like the show or not but you are kind of doing that.
  June 28, 2010 at 2:51PM EST
- sepinwall Michelle, I'm doing this as a favor to people who asked, repeatedly, for me to offer a place on the blog to discuss the show. I do not like the show. If I wrote anything more than my disclaimer, people would complain that I should stop writing such negative things.
  
  At no point do I say no one else should enjoy the show. You all are reading a hell of a lot into what little is there.
  June 28, 2010 at 2:59PM EST
Grifter

To all complaining about this not being a review. Learn to read. Alan not once said this was a review...but a post for you all to discuss it.
June 28, 2010 at 9:40AM EST Reply to Comment
Deborah Gitell

Alan, or anyone- any suggestions of a solid, smart blog (Like Alan's) that covers True Blood?
June 28, 2010 at 10:37AM EST Reply to Comment
- Bix AVClub.com
  June 28, 2010 at 11:44AM EST
I'm going to take this opportunity to actually talk about the show, rather than complain about Alan. (Please stop, he's giving us a place to discuss it with other people on the site. He doesn't like the show, sue him.)

I've watched the show from the very first episode, and I also read the first 7 books in the series.

I really enjoyed the first 2 seasons, but the show is starting to lose me. In a world where vampires, werewolves, and other creatures of the night are real, there should be a lot more MAGIC than there is. That magic is in the books - the were bar is the perfect example. As someone else noted, they took a great little part of the world from the book and removed basically everything interesting about it. Also, while I'm glad they are breaking more from the books, I really have no idea where they are going right now.

Are they trying to give screen time to too many characters? Is that the problem? I like Sam, for instance, but he doesn't need his own little story arc. And while Jason's detour into religious zealotry was interesting last season, I'm no longer charmed by him or interested in what he's doing.

Frankly, I just don't know about this show anymore. This season seems to be focusing on the wrong things IMO - the blood, gore and sex. (Don't get me wrong, half the reason I watch HBO shows is for the nudity! ;))

June 28, 2010 at 10:42AM EST Reply to Comment
- Chrissy This season does feel particularly unfocused. The only real through-lines are Sookie's search for Bill and some vague vampire politics. The first is slow-moving, the second boring. I enjoyed the first two episodes of the season, but this one didn't really hold my interest. Werewolves as biker gang seems so obvious...what's the point, except to create new ways for Sookie to put herself in danger?
  
  I'm intrigued by Franklin's investigation into Bill, and I always enjoy Hoyt and Jessica, but some other aspects of this show should think about kicking it into gear about now.
  June 28, 2010 at 11:22PM EST
- Ashke Given that this season is probably, what, 12 or 13 episodes long? It seems like most of these story lines will get a total of 45 minutes air time or so. There's far too much going on, and far too little development on any of the story lines.
  
  I love all the side characters (a bit sick of both Sookie and Bill), but you're right - we probably don't need to see every character having their own plotline each and every week. Jason can pop up in other people's stories from time to time. Same with Arlene and Terry, Sam, Hoyt... these are great characters, but we don't need to know everything they're doing every week.
  June 30, 2010 at 12:51AM EST
Lisa

Guys, give Alan a break! He is not being condescending; he is giving us a space to discuss a show that isn't on his personal roster. So let's use the space and discuss the show.

I found I had to look away during the end of last night's episode. The hate sex neck-snapping was too much for my delicate sensibilities. Also, I was a bit confused as to Bill's motivation for so thoroughly betraying Sookie. I guess the neck-snapping was a metaphor for Bill just plain snapping.

@Rachelmed: I'm pretty sure we are supposed to infer that Arlene is pregnant with Rene's baby. The timeline is definitely a bit difficult to follow, but Maryanne had come to town even before Rene was killed at the end of season one, and her timeline only lasted about a month, I think.

I like the addition of Alcide although I agree with @mrshekmi that he and Sookie should have had a better plan in place when they got to the were-bar. I also like the addition of Franklin. I wonder if at some point he will turn Tara? I have read the books, but it seems Alan Ball is changing things around. Also, I think Sam's family made an appearance because I think we were meant to see that his mother really seems to want to glom onto the life he has made for himself. I think she is going to be a problem down the line.

Alan, thanks for the space.
June 28, 2010 at 10:42AM EST Reply to Comment
- rachelmed Thanks for the reply Lisa. I assumed it was Rene's baby since we hadn't seen Arlene with anyone else but just wasn't sure since that would have been a crazy 2 months! I probably would have quit my job as Sheriff too!
  
  I see nothing good coming out of Sam's family. Their own relationship with each other seems pretty twisted and the way their eyes lit up at the thought of money is not good.
  
  I haven't read the books but I agree that their "plan" in the were-bar was pretty lame. At first I thought that Alcide was going to try and ask questions and Sookie was going to listen in and see if she heard any info but their actual plan? Are you kidding? It was basically "let's hope the horniest guy there is in with the crowd that took Bill and while trying to have sex with me thinks about where he is. Then I wil escape unharmed!", brilliant.
  June 28, 2010 at 11:55AM EST
LJA

Wow, it's disappointing to see people attacking Alan when he has been gracious enough to give us a great place to discuss True Blood.

Last week, I was very vocal about a *completely different* writer here at HitFix who offended me with her condescending tone. Alan, by contrast, has always been very respectful of his readers, and I think it's only proper to extend the same courtesy.

I've been to other forums on the internet, and the commenters elsewhere don't come close to measuring up to the people who post here. Granted, there's not much in the way of intellectual fodder to dissect on True Blood, but I'd seriously rather discuss the merits of Eric Northman's fine ass here with people who can spell and conjugate verbs than anywhere else on the web.

Alan, thank you for giving us a place to discuss. I hope a few bad apples don't dissuade you from leaving these open discussion posts about True Blood in the future, but if that does happen, I will understand.

Rachelmed - I saw an interview with Alan Ball leading up to this season who said that, yes indeed, the first and second seasons take place in only a couple months' time. So I imagine that baby is Rene's, especially since there was an utterance about the "serial killer gene."

Lisa - I think Bill's 'betrayal' of Sookie is in an effort to protect her. He knows that Lorena wants to go after her, but if Bill plays ball with Russell, the Mississippi King won't allow her to do that.

Some quick thoughts...

Anyone recognize what type of car it was that Eric brought to Lafayette?

Pam is quickly turning into one of my favorite characters.

Jason Stackhouse "thinking" = much laughter in my house.

Alcide is a fine, fine specimen.

June 28, 2010 at 11:54AM EST Reply to Comment
- rachelmed Oh I missed the comment about the "serial killer gene", that probably would have confirmed things for me. Thanks.
  
  On your quick thoughts,
  
  I have always loved Pam and even with her single scene this episode she was brilliant!
  
  Jason is definitely a better character funny than trying to be dramatic.
  
  Can we have an Alcide and Eric show? I'd dump True Blood for that. :)
  June 28, 2010 at 12:00PM EST
- gina64 I think I read somewhere that the car was a Bentley. Nice blood-red color, too.
  
  I don't know about anyone else, but I laughed right out loud when Sheriff Bud lost it. Poor guy. I don't blame him one bit.
  
  June 28, 2010 at 5:15PM EST
- Hatfield And it was great to see Sanderson get to do something. He's been criminally underused on this show.
  June 28, 2010 at 6:44PM EST
- gina64 @Hatfield - I agree. And Kenya's reactions to his tirade were hilarious, too.
  June 28, 2010 at 8:46PM EST
Hatfield

I vote that you keep these up, and somehow learn to ignore the people whining about your not liking the show. I'm sure it's frustrating, but since I come to this blog for just about everything else, it's nice to have a True Blood post too.
June 28, 2010 at 1:17PM EST Reply to Comment
I hope I'm not the only one that was hoping that Franklin was going rip Tera's throat out when he was standing in the doorway. She needs to die and die soon. Lafayette is even sick of her........

They're still in their "more questions, than answers" stage of the season, which I guess is alright. But I hope when they return in two weeks, that they put the petal to the metal, and really start rolling.
June 28, 2010 at 1:30PM EST Reply to Comment
- Chrissy I worry that, even with her last breath, she'd be whining about something. Or she'd come back as a Griping Ghost. She has always been a sore spot on this show for me.
  June 28, 2010 at 11:26PM EST
Andrew L

I am confused by the people calling this post "condescending". Alan doesn't say anything the least bit negative beyond "Not a fan". I know that complaining about things on the Internet has pretty much replaced baseball as the national pasttime, but come on people.

True Blood is a show I enjoy but don't like. I can't help but think how much better it would be if they ditched Sookie and Bill (or at least didn't make them the central characters) and took Tara behind the woodshed. Sam is a pretty dull character, too, but at least he has the potential to be interesting with his shapeshifting (as opposed to Sookie, who manages to make having supernatural powers seem lame). It is a rare show that I feel that I understand why people hate it, and I also understand why they love it. In the end, I think the show needs to continually ratchet up the crazy in order to maintain a semblance of entertainment, which means it will descend deeper and deeper into cartoonishness. Eventually the show will have to burn out on its own fire, but for now, it can throw together a damn entertaining hour of TV.

Has anyone read the books? The jump from a serial killer in season one to a Maenad in season 2 was a big leap. Do the books go further? It almost seems like the have taken a step back by going with something as commonplace as Werewolves this go-around.
June 28, 2010 at 1:35PM EST Reply to Comment
Susan

I was completely on board this episode until the last two scenes. I definitely wasn't down with the hate-sex-neck-snap, but I was more upset by the previous scene with Tara. I haven't read the books, so I don't know if they're the source, but I was not happy to see the show's smartest, sassiest woman again turned into a zombie. Why can't Tara have a little autonomy for awhile? Why did they have to take her voice again, immediately? I'd really like to see Tara be Tara for awhile.

As for Arlene's baby, for a minute I thought that Arlene didn't remember all the MaryAnn black-eyed sex, and that her confusion over the date of conception was because she didn't think that she'd slept with Terry as early as she did. But based on the scene where she tells him she's pregnant, I definitely agree that's the baby is Rene's. Crazy that the timeline is so compressed.
June 28, 2010 at 2:11PM EST Reply to Comment
- rachelmed I don't think Tara was made a zombie she was the glamoured into letting Franklin in, much like Bill glamoured Jessica's little sister so he could stop Jessica from hurting her dad.
  June 28, 2010 at 2:22PM EST
- Andrew L I don't think I have ever heard anyone, not even a die-hard fan of True Blood, ask for more Tara...
  June 28, 2010 at 2:53PM EST
- Susan I didn't mean zombie literally. I just meant that she's once again not in control of her own actions/choices/whatever. Andrew, I'm not such a die-hard fan, really, but I've always thought Tara had something interesting to say. Unlike, say, Waste-of-Space Sookie.
  June 28, 2010 at 7:27PM EST
alyssa

Worst acting ever!

I'll watch this show, but usually as a guilty pleasure. I think because all it's elements are really amusing - from the weird and stupid plot lines, one-liners, cheesy sex scenes, hilariously bad acting [as I had mentioned before]

I understand why people watch it, because it IS interesting. But as interesting as, say, a Twilight movie [TB is probably scripted worse]. But hell, these shows have their hook in the action and [sometimes too]fast-paced sequencing. Who's to say bad tv can't be enjoyed.

Lol, oh Beel.
June 28, 2010 at 3:08PM EST Reply to Comment
- rachelmed I've never read the Twilight books but have seen the movies and believe me True Blood is SO much more well written. The second movie was especially painful. People also complain about the acting in True Blood and yes the Twilight actors are much younger and less experienced but it still makes the True Blood gang look like Oscar noms.
  June 28, 2010 at 3:22PM EST
- Sareeta The acting is pretty cringe-worthy at times. My biggest gripe besides the horrible Louisiana accents is the bad acting. Still, there are some strong actors (Sam Trammell, Stephen Moyer, Deborah Ann Woll plus the actors playing the King of Mississippi and Franklin).
  
  So why do I keep watching? I am ashamed to admit it is for long list of hot actors (Alexander Skarsgard, Stephen Moyer, Sam Trammell, Joe Manganiello just to name a few) and actresses (Kristin Bauer, Deborah Ann Woll) more than anything else. Also, the show is entertaining once you learn not to take it too seriously.
  June 28, 2010 at 7:41PM EST
Redhead Luvah

I want to lick whipped cream off of Deborah Ann Woll's tits.
June 28, 2010 at 5:57PM EST Reply to Comment
Sareeta

I had high expectations for this episode, because I knew Alcide would make his first appearance. I hate to say it, but his scenes were underwhelming. His screen time was too brief and his accent made it hard to understand him. Come to think of it, he and Eric have a similar way of talking that requires rewinding and turning up the volume to decipher his lines. I agree that the were bar was cooler in the books than on screen. Sookie's "plan" was ridiculous and honestly had anything happened to her, she would have deserved it.

I am enjoying Sam's arc. I'm new to the shape-shifting mythology, and I have always liked Sam and felt he deserved more screen time. He grounds the show, because he is such a decent guy despite all the chaos going on around him. I wish he'd get over Sookie, because it's really irritating seeing every guy on this show get hungry eyes around her.

Next to Sam, Jessica is the most likable character at this point. It's funny how she's called a 'baby vampire' by the other vamps and its cute how little she knows about being a vamp. I like that she and Hoyt are taking a break, because she needs some space so she can figure things out about herself. Also, the funniest scene of the episode was the one shared between Jessica, Franklin, and the corpse.

I loved Lafayette in season 1 and was happy they didn't kill him off, but unfortunately they haven't made very good use of him and I'm really tired of the V dealing. Yes, he's funny, but I think it is a waste of his talent to just use him for comic relief. I fear the only interesting thing they can do with him is to turn him into a vampire, werewolf, or some other supe (the ghost of Lafayette?) or just kill him off completely.

Same thing with Tara. It's unfortunate that the two black characters on this show have been given such crappy storylines. I am interested in finding out what Franklin is planning to do with Tara. He's a deliciously creepy addition to this series.

I never liked Jason, though he redeemed himself in the end of season 2 when he realized what the Fellowship of the Sun were planning. Unfortunately, he's reverted back to his old ways.

Finally, the final scene. It was kind of comical, to me, because it was just so unnecessary. Anyway it seemed to me Bill had sex with Lorena because he had no choice---I believe he has to do whatever his maker commands. However, it was surprising that he twisted her neck all the way around because I thought Lorena was stronger than Bill. Couldn't she have stopped him? I'm not positive, but doesn't severing the spinal cord kill a vampire? Surely this can't be the end of Lorena?
June 28, 2010 at 8:15PM EST Reply to Comment
Elizabeth

I think of True Blood as Buffy south. Especially if you take the books into account.

I love vampires from other kingdoms. The Texan vampires were awesome.

I worry about Jessica meeting Lorena.
June 29, 2010 at 12:28AM EST Reply to Comment
7s Tim

What is it about fans of vampire shows that they always feel slighted by Mr. Sepinwall?
I enjoy the hell out of this show (and the final scene looked like a perverted muppet outta Dark Crystal, which was just great). Even if a reviewer wanted to tell me it was a bad show, what do I care? Angry vampire sex (which really didn't fit with the previous scenes or in-scene dialogue) capped off with a head spin isn't something I feel the need to defend artistically. It's just something that makes me smile. Anyone else's opinion be damned.
June 29, 2010 at 1:38AM EST Reply to Comment
LJA

Ratings for this episode were 4.455 million with 2 million people turning off the televisions or switching channels for Hung and Entourage.
June 29, 2010 at 4:08PM EST Reply to Comment
- rachelmed Not too surprised about that. Hung never really captured my attention and Entourage lost me long ago.
  June 30, 2010 at 2:33AM EST

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Inside Television with Alan Sepinwall

'True Blood' - 'It Hurts Me, Too': Bullet time in Bon Temps

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'True Blood' - 'It Hurts Me, Too': Bullet time in Bon Temps

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Direct link: http://tinyurl.com/34mgvyv

'True Blood' - 'It Hurts Me, Too': Bullet time in Bon Temps

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alex Who does True blood think they are? Cause they sure aren't Max Payne.

+1 for the *real* bullet time origin reference.

semicolwin the Matrix came out two years before Max Payne...so wouldn't that be the *real* bullet time origin?

donnybrook Has that redhead in the still unveiled her freckled breasts at any point during the show? She's pretty hot. If not, then I can't muster up any reason to watch this lame show.

Andy L She hasn't but it is just a matter of time. Anna Paquin didn't show her junk the first season, but I think I can speak for all of the lonely, frustrated men who live in my one-bedroom apartment when I say that they were worth the wait.

Braeden Alan. Big fan. You won't write a review for true blood but you will for that awful Colin hanks show and other bad shows. True blood and persons unknown are only interesting shows this summer.

Ted True Blood and Treme are two of the best shows on tv.

Chris How is a show about sex and violence so boring?

James Its isn't boring. True Blood is one of the best shows on tv.

Chris Scenes like the one that ended last nights episode are fodder for the panel of VH1s yet to be produced "I Love 2010". Its passed the realm of enjoyable campy-ness and is now squarely in the too-silly-to-discuss category.

Bradley Valentine With an ending like tonight, nobody can muster more excitement for this show?

adam tutt what the hell kind of review is this? It says nothing about the show other than it contains sex and violence, I get that from the parental warning at the start of the show!

Kazz I think you have to keep your eye on Sam's new kid brother. He has some serious issues...like having dad sitting in dirty grey underwear while watching TV.

FEAST Alan,I'm wondering if you're a fan of HBO's True Blood. Clarify please.

JayHayabusa We get it Alan, you're not a fan. No need to remind us with every single post about the series. This patronizing tone does not suit you very well...

Ken Raining There's at least five posts above yours suggesting that not everybody knows Alan's feelings on the show. It makes sense for him to remind readers, or inform new ones, why he's not writing more about the show.

gina64 Alan, I'm a TB fan, but I honestly think you'd be better off not posting about it at all. I understand why you do it, and appreciate that you do, but apparently not many people do. You don't need, or deserve, to be chastised for trying to do something nice.

Sareeta Alan, thanks for providing a space for us to discuss True Blood. Yes, there are other sites to discuss it, but I prefer your blog because your readers -usually- have more to say about an episode than "I liked the episode" or "I hated it". I hope you keep providing this space.

Omar Marla Daniels: You cannot lose if you do not play.

Chris Howard Alan, I have a great deal of respect for you as a reviewer, but these condescending and half-assed posts where you refuse to participate are just insulting to those of us who like True Blood. Please stop.

Donnybrook Didn't mean to include "at length" twice in that sentence. This is what discussing True Blood does to you: it erodes your mind.

I like Alan but I agree. It does seem very very condescending and half assed. I don't know if you're trying to demean the people who actually like the show or not but you are kind of doing that.

Grifter To all complaining about this not being a review. Learn to read. Alan not once said this was a review...but a post for you all to discuss it.

Deborah Gitell Alan, or anyone- any suggestions of a solid, smart blog (Like Alan's) that covers True Blood?

Bix AVClub.com

gina64 I think I read somewhere that the car was a Bentley. Nice blood-red color, too.I don't know about anyone else, but I laughed right out loud when Sheriff Bud lost it. Poor guy. I don't blame him one bit.

Hatfield And it was great to see Sanderson get to do something. He's been criminally underused on this show.

gina64 @Hatfield - I agree. And Kenya's reactions to his tirade were hilarious, too.

Hatfield I vote that you keep these up, and somehow learn to ignore the people whining about your not liking the show. I'm sure it's frustrating, but since I come to this blog for just about everything else, it's nice to have a True Blood post too.

Chrissy I worry that, even with her last breath, she'd be whining about something. Or she'd come back as a Griping Ghost. She has always been a sore spot on this show for me.

rachelmed I don't think Tara was made a zombie she was the glamoured into letting Franklin in, much like Bill glamoured Jessica's little sister so he could stop Jessica from hurting her dad.

Andrew L I don't think I have ever heard anyone, not even a die-hard fan of True Blood, ask for more Tara...

Susan I didn't mean zombie literally. I just meant that she's once again not in control of her own actions/choices/whatever. Andrew, I'm not such a die-hard fan, really, but I've always thought Tara had something interesting to say. Unlike, say, Waste-of-Space Sookie.

Redhead Luvah I want to lick whipped cream off of Deborah Ann Woll's tits.

Elizabeth I think of True Blood as Buffy south. Especially if you take the books into account. I love vampires from other kingdoms. The Texan vampires were awesome. I worry about Jessica meeting Lorena.

LJA Ratings for this episode were 4.455 million with 2 million people turning off the televisions or switching channels for Hung and Entourage.

rachelmed Not too surprised about that. Hung never really captured my attention and Entourage lost me long ago.

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alex

Who does True blood think they are? Cause they sure aren't Max Payne.

+1 for the real bullet time origin reference.

semicolwin the Matrix came out two years before Max Payne...so wouldn't that be the real bullet time origin?

donnybrook

Has that redhead in the still unveiled her freckled breasts at any point during the show? She's pretty hot. If not, then I can't muster up any reason to watch this lame show.

Braeden

Alan. Big fan. You won't write a review for true blood but you will for that awful Colin hanks show and other bad shows. True blood and persons unknown are only interesting shows this summer.

Ted

True Blood and Treme are two of the best shows on tv.

Chris

How is a show about sex and violence so boring?

Bradley Valentine

With an ending like tonight, nobody can muster more excitement for this show?

adam tutt

what the hell kind of review is this? It says nothing about the show other than it contains sex and violence, I get that from the parental warning at the start of the show!

FEAST

Alan,

I'm wondering if you're a fan of HBO's True Blood. Clarify please.

JayHayabusa

We get it Alan, you're not a fan. No need to remind us with every single post about the series. This patronizing tone does not suit you very well...

Chris Howard

Alan, I have a great deal of respect for you as a reviewer, but these condescending and half-assed posts where you refuse to participate are just insulting to those of us who like True Blood. Please stop.

Grifter

To all complaining about this not being a review. Learn to read. Alan not once said this was a review...but a post for you all to discuss it.

Deborah Gitell

Alan, or anyone- any suggestions of a solid, smart blog (Like Alan's) that covers True Blood?

gina64 I think I read somewhere that the car was a Bentley. Nice blood-red color, too.

I don't know about anyone else, but I laughed right out loud when Sheriff Bud lost it. Poor guy. I don't blame him one bit.

Hatfield

I vote that you keep these up, and somehow learn to ignore the people whining about your not liking the show. I'm sure it's frustrating, but since I come to this blog for just about everything else, it's nice to have a True Blood post too.

Redhead Luvah

I want to lick whipped cream off of Deborah Ann Woll's tits.

Elizabeth

I think of True Blood as Buffy south. Especially if you take the books into account.

I love vampires from other kingdoms. The Texan vampires were awesome.

I worry about Jessica meeting Lorena.

LJA

Ratings for this episode were 4.455 million with 2 million people turning off the televisions or switching channels for Hung and Entourage.

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