TRUE BLOOD 8/23/09 Open Spoilers [Archive] - Straight Dope Message Board

Rainbowthief

08-24-2009, 03:20 AM

Damn good episode tonight! I knew Bill wasn't going to see Eric at the end, but I thought maybe he was going to his maker for help. A vampire queen? I'm sort of expecting her to be a very young looking girl, younger than Jessica even. The blood on the leg is just meant to throw viewers off; it probably belongs to whoever the queen is feeding off of.

Andy and Jason had were great tonight. The actors really took off with their scenes and made the most out of them.

I don't think Jessica really bit Hoyt's mother, probably wanted to just give her a good scare.

I was surprised by how much they packed into tonight's episode considering that there are still two more left this season. Can't wait for the next two!

p.s. Is it just me or are the boards unusually slow lately? Since I live on Pacific time, I never get to start the weekly thread for any shows!

mswas

08-24-2009, 03:22 AM

Yeah, I like the idea of them all banding together to protect Bon Temps from Maryanne. Personally I think all the Maryanne stuff is about to payoff. Of course I wasn't one of those who liked to spend half their time bitching about Maryanne.

friedo

08-24-2009, 04:07 AM

Ellis Dee

08-24-2009, 04:37 AM

I'm sort of expecting her to be a very young looking girl, younger than Jessica even.Casting for the queen is perfectly in line with your vision. I won't spoil who it is, but let's just say it's a young starlet who has been associated with goth.

I'm a big fan of hers and was bummed she wasn't in this episode. I guess that means she's only in two. I had heard three, but she wasn't in the credits so I'm guessing that wasn't the actress's leg. (Doesn't mean it wasn't the character's leg.)

They showed her face in the previews for next week.

Unauthorized Cinnamon

08-24-2009, 07:59 AM

Was it just me, or was Bill uncharacteristically brusque and domineering when he demanded to feed on Sookie? I realize he was sickened and scared, but damn, that seemed pretty harsh. It's pretty clear that they're setting up an Eric and Sookie thing, but I've been wondering if and how they would have Bill do something to drive Sookie away. Not that this rises to that level, but are they laying the groundwork?

LOVED Jason and Andy (and Sam) conning the townfolk!

Once again, Lafayette gets the winning line: "This must be the worst intervention in history."

CrazyCatLady

08-24-2009, 08:39 AM

Lafayette gets the winning line, but Terry by far gets the winning scene. I love how in regular life Terry is sort of...fragile, but when part of a zombie horde, he steps right up as the take-no-shit leader and even as the take-no-shit leader of the zombie horde he's willing to make sacrifices to protect Arlene. It's like being zombified brought out the real Terry that's underneath all the mental/emotional scarring, which makes me think Maryanne's effect on him is fundamentally different from her effect on everyone else, or at least her effect on Tara.

Sookie said that Tara was completely gone, that she was basically just a vessel filled with someone/something else, and that fits with her behavior. Regular Tara with her inhibitions down wouldn't just hit and spit and chant, she'd throw in plenty of acerbic insults and play up her angry young black (wo)man schtick--that's how I knew she was coming back a little, when she came out with that crack about not being Bill's slave.

I dunno where they're going with the whole Sookie shooting light out of her hand thing, but I fear it's going to be very, very stupid. Even more stupid than anything in the books I've read so far, and there's been some really ridiculous stuff in those books. Entertaining, mind you, but ridiculous even by the standards of a world full of vampires, were-critters, and telepaths.

Minnie Luna

08-24-2009, 09:25 AM

So my big question is why are certain people "immune" to Maryanne?

What kept Terry Bellefleur from going black-eyed? What about Lafayette and Tara's mom? Shouldn't Maryanne be able to control them as well?

I suppose they are going to play up Sookie's "otherness" to explain why she was able to keep Maryanne at bay. Is it going to be in line with what the books say about her?

If I missed where the show explains it, let me know.

Great episode, IMHO.

I googled to see who the Queen is, and I am optimistic she will do a great job.

Dewey Finn

08-24-2009, 09:35 AM

Perhaps Terry was under her spell but when Jason threatened Arlene, his real self was able to get past the spell?

I liked the scam Jason and Sam pulled on the townsfolk, although Maryann is going to be really angry when she finds out.

Unauthorized Cinnamon

08-24-2009, 10:01 AM

I think it's arguable that Tara was in a different, worse state than the other people, due to eating the heart pie. That act certainly was presented as having a big effect on her and Eggs.

Dark2Phoenix and I were fanwanking the immunity of some characters - maybe to go black-eyed, you first had to participate willingly in some Maryann-related violence or debauchery? (Of course Andy getting shitfaced and doing his seizure dance at the bar kind of throws a monkey wrench in this.) Though I would be willing to believe that in the cases of Andy and Lafayette, sheer orneriness provided the protection.

Diogenes the Cynic

08-24-2009, 10:53 AM

Jason as "The God Who Comes" was awesome on multiple levels.

SenorBeef

08-24-2009, 11:01 AM

I don't think Jessica really bit Hoyt's mother, probably wanted to just give her a good scare.

I think she probably did, since as a young vampire she hasn't learned to control her impulses. I suspect Hoyt will intervene before she kills her though. Or maybe she will kill her, and their relationship will have to face the aftermath.

Was it just me, or was Bill uncharacteristically brusque and domineering when he demanded to feed on Sookie?
...
Once again, Lafayette gets the winning line: "This must be the worst intervention in history."

I don't think Bill was out of line given the urgency of the situation. He was facing some unknown, possibly mortal danger and had no idea what was going on, and he knew he wouldn't really hurt her, so it seems like a reasonable demand.

So my big question is why are certain people "immune" to Maryanne?

Supernaturals are immune to her effects. Maybe those unaffected have some undiscovered supernatural talent.

Perhaps Terry was under her spell but when Jason threatened Arlene, his real self was able to get past the spell?

That's the impression I got - that he partially snapped out of it when he realized the gravity of the situation.

Dark2Phoenix and I were fanwanking the immunity of some characters - maybe to go black-eyed, you first had to participate willingly in some Maryann-related violence or debauchery? (Of course Andy getting shitfaced and doing his seizure dance at the bar kind of throws a monkey wrench in this.) Though I would be willing to believe that in the cases of Andy and Lafayette, sheer orneriness provided the protection.

It's a point I hope they don't just ignore thereby turning it into a plothole. There's something unique about the Bellefluor family, as Bill reacted to the name in an early episode - maybe they're just descendents of Bill. If not, then maybe there's some sort of supernatural heritage.

As for Tara's mom, maybe she really did have a demon and hence has been touched by the supernatural and is immune.

And Lafeyette clearly is awesome to a supernatural degree.

[/fanwank]

Incidentally, I may have bought Jason as some Greek god too - how many mere mortals look like that? I bet there's a whole lot of Jason/Eggs slash out there.

susan_foster

08-24-2009, 02:02 PM

I was highly disappointed by this episode. The glow-y hand and the sudden expansion of Sookie's powers (able to pull Tara back from the brink) was too deus ex machina for my tastes.

mswas

08-24-2009, 02:23 PM

I think Maryanne's goal is to bring out the real true raw emotions that are stuck deep down. That's why Terry is kind of noble as a Zombie while others are slavering lust-filled creeps. Maryanne isn't trying to turn people evil, she is trying to feed off of their real and raw emotions.

mswas

08-24-2009, 02:25 PM

I was highly disappointed by this episode. The glow-y hand and the sudden expansion of Sookie's powers (able to pull Tara back from the brink) was too deus ex machina for my tastes.

Deus Ex Machina how? They've always been building Sookie up to be some kind of saint.

MaxTheVool

08-24-2009, 02:26 PM

I'm guessing that use of V leads to immunity from Maryanne... that would explain Lafayette and Jason.

Awesome, awesome episode.

Dewey Finn

08-24-2009, 02:42 PM

I have a guess, based on what was shown in the preview of the next episode.

I think they showed Sookie and Lafayette in the car on the way to do something. My guess is that they are going to try to steal the horned headpiece that Maryann wears during her rituals. Would that prevent her from summoning Dionysus or Bacchus or whatever it is?

jackdavinci

08-24-2009, 05:28 PM

So my big question is why are certain people "immune" to Maryanne?

Well we know supernaturals like Sam and Bill and Sookie are naturally immune. My take on the rest was that you had to trust MaryAnne before she could work her mojo on you. Anyone who was overly suspicious couldn't be affected. Note that Tara and Eggs started to get suspicious, and MaryAnne couldn't just make them go all big eyed. She had to first ally their suspicions and put them to ease before she could make them go bug eyed again. Same with police guy - MaryAnne seduced him into being less uptight and he went all footloose and fancy free like the others. But when he discovered the weird orgy with sacrificial Sam, he became unalteringly skeptical and hasn't been affected by MA since. Of course, for Jason and Lafayette it probably doens't hurt that they've done V.

I don't think Bill was out of line given the urgency of the situation. He was facing some unknown, possibly mortal danger and had no idea what was going on, and he knew he wouldn't really hurt her, so it seems like a reasonable demand.

Bill was rationally in the clear, but he was abrupt. It's understandable but still jarring. This is fairly common for him - normally he's somewhat charming and mannered, but in a pinch he loses his manners. Again, it's understandable, but if it happens often enough it could start to strain their relationship.

A big me too for the awesomeness of Jason as the God that comes. And for his earlier attempts to be awesome with a chainsaw and nailgun, even though it was humorously tempered by the zombies not caring if they get hurt.

TBG

08-24-2009, 06:23 PM

Bill thought that thing he read about in the book was just a myth? Sookie should've been all "you're a vampire, dear."

SenorBeef

08-24-2009, 06:36 PM

Sampiro

08-24-2009, 06:57 PM

OK, this episode officially kicked all kinds of ass.

Jason wielding a nail gun and chainsaw in glorious battle
Bill and Sookie double-teaming Tara's brain
Terry hilariously leading his troop of Maryann-zombies
Jason being God
Maryann building a sacrificial altar out of Kobe beef
Hoyt's mom blasting monsters on the Wii
Sam being smote, and
The vampire queen has an awesome moat

I'd like to add

Arlene giggling while being held hostage
Sam's post smiting apron mooning
Jason as the special guest god's benediction "and y'all will all get good weather and uh... nice crops and stuff"

I certainly hope whatever the uprising is that it kills Maryanne as she's either a bad character or a bad actress but one or the other makes her increasingly unwatchable.

MaxTheVool

08-24-2009, 06:57 PM

SenorBeef

08-24-2009, 06:58 PM

IIRC, that was a misinterpretation of a scene. Bill showed up going superfast and an attacker away at the same time that Sookie happened to grab him. It sort of looked like Sookie used supernatural strength, but that was Bill's super speed.

Sampiro

08-24-2009, 07:03 PM

Btw, speaking of Sookie's flash of white light, I have a vague memory that in the first or second episode of season 1, there was a weird moment where Sookie was in danger and suddenly displayed a burst of supernatural strength, which was more or less never mentioned again.

Am I just making that up?

I remember it but not the details. In the books (which the miniseries semi follows and mostly doesn't [and I haven't read but watch the show with someone who has]) you learn that Sookie is

part Fairie

which is responsible for some of her 'oddities' and for Jason's appeal to every woman he meets.

I've wondered if an unholy alliance with Fellowship of the Sun may be coming, but I'd only see that happened if some of their followers were 'possessed' and they haven't moved beyond Bon Temps.

And to the "loved it" list

The over-the-hill barfly calling numbers on the wall for phone sex and never getting around to calling Maryanne.

Amp

08-24-2009, 07:08 PM

In the first episode of season 1 Sookie wraps a chain around some guy's neck that is trying to drain Bill. If you watch real close you can see the chain start to magically tighten around the bad guys neck. I always thought it was Sookie doing it but she's just a telepath and not a telekinetic. Maybe she does have telekinetic powers along with others she has yet to display.

SenorBeef

08-24-2009, 07:13 PM

mswas

08-24-2009, 07:17 PM

The Stackhouse family seems to have some sort of holiness to them in general. This is why Jason is some kind of badass holy warrior who is just coming into his own and Gran is talked about with such reverent tones by just about everyone.

elfkin477

08-24-2009, 07:31 PM

Casting for the queen is perfectly in line with your vision. I won't spoil who it is, but let's just say it's a young starlet who has been associated with goth. Wow, I knew exactly who it was from your description, which is weird because I looked her up months ago to see if that's who Jessica was being played by (maybe I'm the only one who thinks they look similar). Neat that she'll be in the show anyway :)

thought that thing he read about in the book was just a myth? That's close to what I said to someone I watched with "Rather close-minded for a vampire, isn't that?"

As for Maryanne's influence, doesn't it seem like she's drawn in people who are looking for outside validation? The humans that aren't under her influence are pretty self-confident in at least one way each. Jason and Lafayette are sure that they're all that sexually. Andy and Sookie are surpremely sure of what's right and wrong. Tara's mom has gotten herself back from the bottle, which gives her strength, and Hoyt is coming into his own in the same way now that he's out from under his mother's thumb.

Morbo

08-24-2009, 07:43 PM

Oh, right, the chain thing. Yeah, she definitely appeared to be telekinetic then. The scene I'm thinking of is the next day, after she gets off work at the bar and they attack her. Bill senses it and comes rushing and throws the attacker away.

Not just the chain thing, but right after that it looked as though Sookie grabbed the guy by the ankle and threw him 100 feet up in the air. I was the one who brought it up originally in that thread (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10434949&postcount=48), and am convinced I'm right, but I didn't seem to get anyone to agree with me.

Morbo

08-24-2009, 07:45 PM

Bill doesn't know about Maryanne or shapeshifters.

I thought Bill knew right away that Sam was a shapeshifter. Lots of warnings to Sookie, plus some comment to Sam about "You don't need to mark your territory" in an episode before the audience found out.

SenorBeef

08-24-2009, 07:50 PM

Unauthorized Cinnamon

08-24-2009, 07:52 PM

Morbo

08-24-2009, 09:06 PM

Yeah, that's what I was referring to in post #22.

I'm still trying to get people to agree with me. ;)

Which could also substantiate your observation, Morbo, without having it be Sookie doing it.

Hooray, I'm substantiated!

Omniscient

08-24-2009, 09:13 PM

I'm gonna go the other way and say that I was really not into this episode. I don't like the Marianne storyline one bit and find the actress to be really grating and this episode was just more of the same. That's not really what bumped me about this one though.

Last season trailed off for me after a pretty strong start because too many of the characters devolved into a ridiculous, absurd, aggressive level of stupidity. Sookie and Jason were especially retarded and the police were staggeringly incompetent. That pattern seems to be recurring this season. The entire sequence with Jason, Sam and Andy was just too far fetched and stupid for my taste. There were some comically rewarding moments but the three stooges schtick was just too overdone. A little stupidity for comic relief is ok, but when it's a driving plot point and completely inconsistent with the character it makes me tune out.

I also found the entire Sookie/Bill mind-fuck tag team to be pretty clumsily handled.

Rainbowthief

08-24-2009, 11:00 PM

Once again, Lafayette gets the winning line: "This must be the worst intervention in history."
For me it was Terry: "Bullshit, God has horns!" :p

Again, I'm amazed at how much Jason has improved as a character from last season, which I attribute in part to the writers, but mostly to Ryan Kwanten's acting. I'm glad HBO ordered a third season because I'm really hooked on this show and don't want to get "Carnivaled" again.

Diogenes the Cynic

08-25-2009, 12:10 AM

I'm still kind of gobsmacked that Ryan Kwanten is Australian.

elfkin477

08-25-2009, 12:25 AM

I'm still kind of gobsmacked that Ryan Kwanten is Australian. You apparently didn't watch Summerland (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcVh3ua8_CE) on the WB a few years back. I did, and was confused the first time I heard him speak with a southern accent.

Kobal2

08-25-2009, 12:30 AM

"All right, out, people. We will unfuck this situation at a later date."
"Smite me, motherfucker !"

So much gold in this episode !

The Weird One

08-25-2009, 10:32 AM

Not just the chain thing, but right after that it looked as though Sookie grabbed the guy by the ankle and threw him 100 feet up in the air. I was the one who brought it up originally in that thread (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10434949&postcount=48), and am convinced I'm right, but I didn't seem to get anyone to agree with me.

Yeah, that's what I was referring to in post #22.
I would like to hop on your bandwagon, if I may. That one unexplained moment of Sookie's super strength has been bugging me since the first episode. I keep waiting for the show to come back to it.

jackdavinci

08-25-2009, 10:57 AM

I would like to hop on your bandwagon, if I may. That one unexplained moment of Sookie's super strength has been bugging me since the first episode. I keep waiting for the show to come back to it.

If you read one of the previous OP's spoilers and watch that deleted scene it's pretty obvious what was going on. It's an element from the books that I guess they decided not to address yet. I'm wondering if they are still planning to or if it's been permanently derailed. Based on this week's glowy hands and previous week's "sex abilities" I suspect they will eventually get around to it.

elfkin477

08-25-2009, 11:10 AM

There is a deleted scene (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQzdS6RnWnU) on Youtube that offers a different interpretation of why the chain is moving. Which could also substantiate your observation, Morbo, without having it be Sookie doing it.

For those of us who've read the books, I think it's pretty likely that it is Claudine Could be. We never really were told how long that was going on before Sookie knew, just that it had been.

So they've cast the queen and did a good job with Barry too - but did I miss something last week or did they say Stan died? Because if he did, they'll have to change Barry's storyline a little - but I wonder how long it will be before they cast season three. I'm looking forward to seeing who they pick for Alcide who is described by Sookie upon meeting him as "He was huge. His eyes were green. His tousled hair was curly and thick and black as pitch. [spoiler omitted]"

CrazyCatLady

08-25-2009, 11:36 AM

I'm looking forward to seeing who they pick for Alcide who is described by Sookie upon meeting him as "He was huge. His eyes were green. His tousled hair was curly and thick and black as pitch. [spoiler omitted]"

If it were 30 years ago, I'd say Victor French. For some reason I always rather pictured Alcide as looking like Mr. Edwards, right down to the plaid shirts.

Unauthorized Cinnamon

08-25-2009, 11:42 AM

Could be. We never really were told how long that was going on before Sookie knew, just that it had been.And that it happened when Sookie did something really moronic, like running back into a burning building. I think single-handedly taking on two people who managed to trap a vampire qualifies.

I also think the glowy hand thing is related. (Oh, look what I did there!)

Diogenes the Cynic

08-25-2009, 11:43 AM

Casting for the queen is perfectly in line with your vision. I won't spoil who it is, but let's just say it's a young starlet who has been associated with goth.
It's Evan Rachel Wood. How is naming a cast member a spoiler?

elfkin477

08-25-2009, 11:59 AM

If it were 30 years ago, I'd say Victor French. For some reason I always rather pictured Alcide as looking like Mr. Edwards, right down to the plaid shirts.Heh. I've pictured someone more like Frank Fontana (http://www.frankfontana.net/photo.php). I doubt they'd borrow someone from HGTV for True Blood, though.

Ellis Dee

08-25-2009, 09:38 PM

It's Evan Rachel Wood. How is naming a cast member a spoiler?It's not a spoiler. I got the impression the OP was mildly curious but planned to wait for Sunday to find out who the actress was.

I knew who it was because it was mentioned in both EW and TV Guide.

Rainbowthief

08-26-2009, 12:57 AM

I didn't know it was Evan Rachel Wood and I was going to wait for the next episode to enjoy the surprise, but I was too weak and had to Google it. :D

TBG

08-26-2009, 05:00 PM

Well, not every society's myths and religion are real, even in this universe, right?

And it seems like vampires aren't largely aware of the other supernaturals. Bill doesn't know about Maryanne or shapeshifters.

Yeah, but still, the scene just reminded me of the time Wash had to be told he lived on a spaceship. (Firefly reference, just so no one has to :confused: )

The Weird One

08-26-2009, 06:35 PM

I didn't know it was Evan Rachel Wood and I was going to wait for the next episode to enjoy the surprise, but I was too weak and had to Google it. :DWhereas I can merely rely on my encyclopedic ignorance of actors to protect me from this "spoiler." I'll probably recognize her when I see her.

msmith537

08-26-2009, 09:54 PM

The partnership of Andy and Jason rescuing Sam was classic.

"Oh I threatened to shoot a bunch of nails into her head."

AuntiePam

08-29-2009, 11:03 PM

I missed the 8/9 and 8/16 episodes (visiting one of my kids in Seattle, who doesn't have HBO) and just caught the 8/23 repeat tonight. Can someone tell me what happened to Eggs? I didn't see him anywhere in this episode. Tara wanted to go to him but Lafayette stopped her. Is he dead?

I liked this ep better than most so far this season. Maybe it's because so much happened, or because the characters acted somewhat logically. Or because there wasn't much Maryanne. Or maybe the break made me appreciate the show a bit more.

I agree with Omniscient about the Sookie-Bill-Tara mind meld. Just one or the other of their powers could have worked and that would have been fine. (A little bit of me (the church-going God-fearing grade school kid) wanted Tara's mom's prayers to work.)

Ellis Dee

08-29-2009, 11:41 PM

Nothing happened to or with Eggs. The "previously on" scene that showed Lafayette and Tara's mom kidnapping Tara from Maryanne and Eggs was the last time we saw him, about halfway through the 8/16 episode.

Actually, I think he was in a later scene with Maryanne and her chef out front by the hanging meat display, where he suggested some kind of meat to add. Maybe he drove to another town to pick up the perfect lump of dead flesh, or is hunting critters in the woods.