# True Blood 08/29/10 "Fresh Blood" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 30, 2010, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-blood-08-29-10-fresh-blood/551956 "2010-08-30T02:32:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-blood-08-29-10-fresh-blood/551956/21 "2010-08-30T20:56:52Z")
And Bill wants to be America’s first Third Grade night school teacher. Must say I’m disappointed in the fallout- or lack of- from Russell’s stunt. You’d think half the nation would be up in arms- literally- after that one. I guess a human v. vampire war would be too expensive to film. ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2010, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-blood-08-29-10-fresh-blood/551956/22 "2010-08-30T22:29:50Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > > [@John\_Mace](#): > > > > And little Renee Jr. is going to be some badass mo-fo Damien child. > > I’m hoping they don’t try to pull a Taltos plotline. (For those who’ve had the pleasure of not reading Anne Rice’s Mayfair books, the Taltos are a race that look like humans but go from newborn to adult and horny in a manner of hours.) To the best of my knowledge Rene wasn’t a supe but just an effed-up dude who didn’t like fangbangers. > > Arlene’s ethical problems with abortion but willingness to let a witch give her a miscarriage potion would seem illogical and unbelievable except I’ve known many people who could easily make that leap without seeing any inconsistency. [hijack] Oh, you’ve just taken me into a delightful memory! The best audiobook I ever listened to was Taltos, read by Tim Curry, who changed his voice for every character. Listening to him being a Texas teenager was so delightful![\hijack] I guess I’m ready to let Russell go. It’s been fun, but he’s undoubtably doing the Finale Shuffle now. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-blood-08-29-10-fresh-blood/551956/23 "2010-08-31T00:13:14Z")
> [@Yesterdog](#): > > Couple of thoughts: > > 1. The memorium had me cracking up…hard. > > 2. Talbot is now a package of redvines. At least that is what Russel is toting around to me. > > 3. Seriously Pam, stop being such a bitch and let Bill feed Sookie. > > 4. I don’t think Russel is going to go out that way - seems stupid to me. > > 5. For the love of God, season 4 needs to be more than 12 episodes. I’m not sure how #4 will go, even though he should burn faster than Eric due to being so much older. And I like #5, especially considering how much half-naked Eric there should be next season…😃 Oh, I found something out that we were wondering back during the “9 Crimes” episode: all the titles **are** borrowed from songs. Someone updated the wiki page to make note of it, so we weren’t the only ones who noticed. But, since I don’t know most of these songs, I’m now curious if the title song is _always_ one played in the credits, like it was in “9 Crimes” and this episode. **Sampiro** , the realistic reason she’s okay with the potion is because as Holly pointed out, it’s not a sure-fire way to end the pregnancy, so God can have his/her “say” in whether or not it works. Presumably if it worked, she could tell herself it was God’s will. It’s dumb, but I have no problem at all believing someone could think that way. How tall do you think the kid who plays Tommy is? IMDB claims 5’7" but I can’t picture him being that much taller than me. I figured 5’5" tops. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-blood-08-29-10-fresh-blood/551956/24 "2010-08-31T00:17:51Z")
The Fangtasia Bar was liberally besmirched with spray paint grafitti telling vampires to go to hell. Business would fall off after Russell’s TV stunt. Pam better stop turning her nose up at owning Eric’s Swedish property, she might lose the bar and go have to live on his ancestral farm. Arlene’s situation is like on the episode of ER when Dr. Luka put a piece of seaweed in the uterus of a pregnant teen, which might or might not induce a miscarriage (girl was conflicted but did not want to be pregnant). They both agreed it was then in the hands o’ god. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-blood-08-29-10-fresh-blood/551956/25 "2010-08-31T02:06:19Z")
> [@adhemar](#): > > it is an old southern name thought to be a diminuative for Susan. Not just an old Southern name, but an old name that probably goes back to most of Colonial America and beyond that to the old country. It’s mentioned as occurring in 18th Century New York in _Old Bowery Days_ (1930), which also mentioned the unfortunate variant Sucky. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-blood-08-29-10-fresh-blood/551956/26 "2010-08-31T02:13:54Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > How tall do you think the kid who plays Tommy is? IMDB claims 5’7" but I can’t picture him being that much taller than me. I figured 5’5" tops. He does look short, but I think it’s the way he’s built. For reference, [Sam](http://hollywoodcrush.mtv.com/2010/06/23/true-blood-marshall-allman-shapeshifters-vampires/) is 5’11" (according to imdb), [Jessica](http://fuckyeahtruebloodhbo.tumblr.com/post/755911426/vampjer-dnw-tommy-get-away-from-jessica) is 5’10’’ (I’m guessing he’s standing on something for this picture. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-blood-08-29-10-fresh-blood/551956/27 "2010-08-31T05:09:50Z")
I think we should start a petition…to bring back Sookie’s eyebrows, and Eric’s first season hair 😃 What is it with this show and eliminating hair? I halfway expect the weres to look like [this](http://www.pawsitesonline.com/fckeditor/editor/filemanager/connectors/php/userfiles/b31.JPG) three seasons from now. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-blood-08-29-10-fresh-blood/551956/28 "2010-08-31T05:17:04Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > > [@adhemar](#): > > > > it is an old southern name thought to be a diminuative for Susan. > > Not just an old Southern name, but an old name that probably goes back to most of Colonial America and beyond that to the old country. It’s mentioned as occurring in 18th Century New York in _Old Bowery Days_ (1930), which also mentioned the unfortunate variant Sucky. I’ve heard some truly godawful Southern names (Ethelinda, Eveanna, Lousianna [sic], Polidette, Paralee, Cattie Belle- all those are from my own extended family) but I think Sookie (which I haven’t heard) might beat them all. Glad most parents got that one out of their system. [QUOTE=Joey P] He does look short, but I think it’s the way he’s built. [/quote] Low to the ground?😉 ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-blood-08-29-10-fresh-blood/551956/29 "2010-08-31T05:29:36Z")
[QUOTE=salinqmind] Arlene’s situation is like on the episode of ER when Dr. Luka put a piece of seaweed in the uterus of a pregnant teen, which might or might not induce a miscarriage (girl was conflicted but did not want to be pregnant). They both agreed it was then in the hands o’ god. [/QUOTE] I haven’t heard of seaweed- does that actually work sometimes? Abortifacients are at least as old as Greece and Rome and probably older, and many actually worked. The problem- and the reason women sought medical abortions- is that unlike the historical novels where the wise woman gives some herbs and the woman has cramps and that’s that it was- and this is fairly well documented- almost always a very ugly and painful business that resulted- intentionally- in the mother becoming violently ill and often resulted in her death. Even for those who knew something about t he potions they were making it was next to impossible to control the actual amount of the emetics and irritants that caused the miscarriage- too little and you’d have what happened to Arlene (sick, bloody, miserable- and still pregnant) and too much and you’ve got a woman dying an agonizing death of convulsions and vomiting and bleeding. Just right was still no picnic, but the woman would be on her feet in a few days, though probably anemic. Abortifacients were big business in the Civil War era and there was nothing like a FDA to control them and many were fly by night and would just change name and address if a few deaths got linked to them. Actual ingredients I’ve read that were used in various “Dr. Quackman’s Elixir” or “Madame Charlatan’s Menstrual Ristorante” type mail order bottles include snake venom, pure alcohol mixed with urine and lard, lye, and all kinds of truly horrific and unregulated ingredients. But it was organic and natural.😛 And probably safer than an abortion performed by somebody who didn’t know what they were doing. Any woman stupid enough to take a potion instead of visiting a clinic today is hard to feel sorry for though. ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-blood-08-29-10-fresh-blood/551956/30 "2010-08-31T12:57:08Z")
A surprising number of people seem to be able to rationalize even surgical abortion, regardless of their vehement pro-life views, according to this [article](http://www.prochoiceactionnetwork-canada.org/articles/anti-tales.shtml). I find Arlene’s decision completely believable. So doesn’t she have four more days of dosing to try to pry Rene Jr. out of there? Though it seems they’re going to gloss over that - if she’s bleeding like that and doesn’t miscarry, the implication seems to be the fetus is invulnerable. I’m glad to see Jessica and Hoyt together, but man, he sure is young and in love - “You killed someone? Don’t care!” But never mind that - the important thing is what are they going to do about her regenerating hymen? It seems Pam won’t be as useful on this subject as she was on how to dispose of a body. As much as I’m enjoying the pace of this season, compared to last year, I do wish they’d put off one or more of Jason and Hotshot, Lafayette and Santeria or whatnot, or Sam’s not-nice side. There is so much going on, it’s a little disorienting. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-blood-08-29-10-fresh-blood/551956/31 "2010-08-31T13:18:32Z")
(All I remember is on ER Dr. Luka inserted a sterilized stick of rolled up seaweed called laminaria, which would gradually expand and open up the uterus. Don’t know what the result was.) The finale is going to be in 2 weeks, I can’t believe the season is just about over already! i’m wondering if Hoyt’s mom is going to kill Jessica, I can see a cliffhanger on that storyline. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-blood-08-29-10-fresh-blood/551956/32 "2010-08-31T15:00:24Z")
> [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](#): > > So doesn’t she have four more days of dosing to try to pry Rene Jr. out of there? Though it seems they’re going to gloss over that - if she’s bleeding like that and doesn’t miscarry, the implication seems to be the fetus is invulnerable. I got the impression from the way she looked at him that she’s not going to try any more of the potion because of Terry, actually. Not only would he be upset, I think he’d get suspicious if the same thing kept happening and possibly pull the fact that it isn’t happening naturally together. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-blood-08-29-10-fresh-blood/551956/33 "2010-08-31T15:27:05Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > Oh, I found something out that we were wondering back during the “9 Crimes” episode: all the titles **are** borrowed from songs. Someone updated the wiki page to make note of it, so we weren’t the only ones who noticed. But, since I don’t know most of these songs, I’m now curious if the title song is _always_ one played in the credits, like it was in “9 Crimes” and this episode. Yeah, I loved hearing Damian Rice during the “9 Crimes” episode and then “Fresh Blood” by the Eels over last night’s credits (Love the Eels and we’re seeing them in a month. Can’t wait!) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-blood-08-29-10-fresh-blood/551956/34 "2010-08-31T15:51:01Z")
> [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > > [@Tengu](#): > > > > Didn’t seem to effect Eric, so probably not. > > When Eric put them on him he told them they were silver Thanks. I completely missed that piece of dialog. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-blood-08-29-10-fresh-blood/551956/35 "2010-08-31T16:01:56Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > > [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > > > When Eric put them on him he told them they were silver > > Thanks. I completely missed that piece of dialog. No problem. I embarrassingly hang on Eric’s every word! ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-blood-08-29-10-fresh-blood/551956/36 "2010-08-31T16:05:55Z")
So how did Eric put on silver handcuffs? I have no doubt that the Wiccan lady is not trying to help Arlene but is actually trying to facilitate the birth of some sort of evil demon baby. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-blood-08-29-10-fresh-blood/551956/37 "2010-08-31T16:16:36Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > So how did Eric put on silver handcuffs? I imagine it hurt like a bitch but a 1000 year old hottie has got to do what a 1000 year old hottie’s got to do. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-blood-08-29-10-fresh-blood/551956/38 "2010-08-31T16:19:38Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > That little bit with the writers after the show? They seemed quite defensive about fairies showing up on this show, as if they’re afraid people are laughing at the idea, and picturing Tinkerbelles with gossamer wings and magic wands floating around. This is NOT necessarily so, faeries can be quite as badass as any other supernatural creature. I think the faeries would have been left out of the show by the writers completely, but they are of importance in the books and have to be included in the show. Oh Lord, that reminds me of this horrible romance book I read. The author wanted the female to be the more powerful, so she cut her hair and donned black armor. The dude was a faerie, complete with sparkly wings and the feminine version of his name, and since the heroine was raped earlier, he decided the best way to have their first time was her on top, since it would give her control and make her feel more powerful. It made me want to tear my hair out. Seriously, it was like some revolutionary thing to have her be on top and controlling the pace and it would heal all her issues from being raped by Lucifer. Back to relevancy: I read this magazine article earlier in the season that makes me really mad, because at the time it wasn’t really a spoiler but now it totally gives away things and makes this episode less emotional. Russell’s actor states that his storyline is left open, he could come back or he could not. So I assume we never see a true death, which is lame. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-blood-08-29-10-fresh-blood/551956/39 "2010-08-31T16:57:26Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > So how did Eric put on silver handcuffs? Do you mean on himself? It’s possible that they have cuffs where one ring is silver and the other is steel. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2010, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-blood-08-29-10-fresh-blood/551956/40 "2010-08-31T18:29:04Z")
Is there anything to stop Russel from just karate chopping his hand off and flying somewhere indoors? Of course only after a lot of visually interesting fighting and sizzling. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-blood-08-29-10-fresh-blood/551956.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/true-blood-08-29-10-fresh-blood/551956.md?page=3)