Air Date: Sunday, July 17, 2011 9PM ET/PT
A drunken vampire, a panther on the loose and a hallucinating witch. The writers have brought a little something extra to the table with this new episode.
Oh, Marnie... you're in over your head
“Well I don’t know why you’re cryin’. I’m the one getting raped.” I swear I can’t tolerate anymore of this story line. I’m sure there’s some big explanation which will make sense of why Jason (Ryan Kwanten) is being used to impregnate the entire Hot Shot female population. I’m sure it won’t be difficult to figure out, but truthfully, I don’t really care. This ain’t my True Blood and I want a rewrite. Kudos to Kwanten for doing such an impeccable job of not portraying Jason as an absentminded fool the entire time. I only hope he learns something from this entire ordeal. I know I have—side stories suck. And so does the brother/husband, uncle/daddy incest nonsense.
“Aww… poor, Bill. Power’s so hard.” I love Nan Flanagan (Jessica Tuck). Whenever she shows up she brings a bit of true power to the scene and not the false sense of kingship Bill (Stephen Moyer) harbors. I’m more interested in finding out why she has so much power and why she’s the face of the authority. With all the threats she keeps throwing at Bill, will she actually go through with them or are they just to keep him in line? Did you catch what she said about the witch who had a reason to go after vampires?
Eric (Alexander Skarsgård) and Alcide (Joe Manganiello) going head to head? Yes, please! Best part of the episode! It’s nice to see the innate aggression between vampires and Weres brought to light. We don’t often get a glimpse of them interacting outside of the norm so it’s interesting to see the fangs come out and the growling commence. What I don’t like—Sookie (Anna Paquin) babying Eric. It’s weird. I don’t see her as matronly and this episode portrays her as a clueless babysitting teenage momma or something similar. Skarsgård makes me feel for Eric. Knowing he doesn’t want to go back into the darkness after relishing the sunlight for the few hours he was allowed, really pulls at the heartstrings. It makes you wonder what life is truly like for a 1,000-year-old vampire.
Jesus, just what have you dragged Lafayette into?
Here’s a question: Since Eric owns Sookie’s house, and vampires don’t need an invitation to enter other vampire’s homes, why hasn’t Bill just waltzed into Sookie’s house to ask her where Eric is? Oh wait, after searching all over the globe for him, Bill finally realizes the one place his guards haven’t looked is right across the way. So unrealistic. Wouldn’t Bill be able to smell him there? Hear Eric out and about on the lawn? Is Bill that busy with whatever it is he does that he didn’t think to look there first? These vampires are hardly vampires anymore. If you take away their supernatural abilities, they’re nothing more than… human. I mean, Debbie (Brit Morgan) could smell that Alcide shifted. Really? Speaking of Debbie, she’s no longer a redhead. Is there a reason she’s blonde now? Like a certain other blonde we know… Yeah, now I’m nitpicking.
Did you count how many times the f-bomb was dropped? I lost count after ten. I’m beginning to wonder if the dialogue revolves around how many times the writers can get that certain four letter word in a scene. Drinking game anyone? I know this is HBO but dang, isn’t there some kind of limit?
We finally meet the elusive Caroline Bellefleur (Katherine Helmond). So nice to see Mona from Who’s the Boss? again. Who better to deliver the news of Bill’s incestuous relationship with his “great-great-great-great granddaughter.” While I don’t see the point of having him sleep with Portia (those of us who’ve read the books already knew their familial ancestry and that they didn’t have sex) before finding out they’re related, I guess it … No. It doesn’t make any sense.
Pam's met her match in Marnie
Pam (Kristin Bauer van Straten) makes an appearance for about two minutes. I don’t understand why she isn’t getting more screen time. Her snarky comments keep me entertained through most of the bull being thrown at us. And again, Marnie (Fiona Shaw) shows us what she can do. I also appreciate that Marnie doesn’t know how to undo any of the spells she casts because she’s possessed at the time. It’s quite the ironic situation. She wants the power, harnesses it, and yet has no control over it. However, this mess with the baby being possessed… please say it isn’t so.
Funny lines:
Sookie to Alcide while searching for Eric: “I know you don’t like him but if he dies, Pam will kill me.”
**
Eric to Sookie: “If you kiss me, I promise to be happy.”
**
Marnie to Pam, Tara and Jesus while arguing: “Stop saying fuck, I can’t concentrate.”
A few things are revealed in “I’m Alive and On Fire” and its leading somewhere—finally. I have no idea where, but I’m curious to know how things will turn out with Marnie wreaking havoc among the vamps.
Tune in to True Blood, Sunday nights at 9 pm ET/PT. For more on the show, visit http://www.hbo.com/#/true-blood.
All photos courtesy of HBO®/True Blood
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