True Blood Review: Dead Red?
True Blood can't really kill off Jess, can it?
I've longed for the show to trim its roster for seasons now, as there are simply too many characters and too many storylines. There's also a severe lack of consequences - in the form of significant deaths - for a series that treads so deeply in blood, gore and the supernatural.
But... not Jess! She's the one individual whose been underused through the years, and I've been digging the possibility of her and Jason getting together.
I can't imagine the show actually kills her off. Jason is right outside the front door, after all, and it takes more than a few rays of sunshine to end a vampire. It's nice that no one actually knows the answer (Jess was not a character in the book series), and I can't say I'd truly be upset if she does perish. It would certainly add a surprising jolt to the series, wouldn't it?
Overall, "Cold Grey Light of Dawn" moved pieces and characters into place for the second half of the season.
Granted, there was A LOT of talking - the exchanges between a chained-up Bill/Jess and Eric/Sooke dragged on - but the episode did a strong job bringing arcs together, as Tara is now teamed up with Antonia/Marnie, and, just like Arlene's baby, Lafayette is seeing singing black women out of nowhere. Sam and Tommy? Ummm, well, they are simply still around.
Let's return to Eric and Sookie for a moment, though, and a point my colleague brought up in last week's True Blood Roundtable: doesn't getting the two of them together in this manner feel like cheating? Sookie admitted here that she'd never have hooked up with the old Eric, which is what so many viewers had been clamoring for. So that problem is solved by erasing his memory and making him into the sweetest supernatural being since Casper?
Is this really the payoff Team Eric members had been hoping for? I'm legitimately asking: if you've been wanting to see Sookie and Eric as a couple, does the result feel cheapened by this development?
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Elsewhere... poor Pam! While that blood sucker has mostly been known for just delivering a few winning one-liners here and there, she's become a truly enjoyable, sympathetic character. I felt awful for her tonight. Paging, Dr. 90210! TV Fanatic will foot the bill if you can fix our gal.
A few notes before I turn this over to your comments:
- You call that an initiation, werewolf pack? Where were the keg stands? The naked runs? I suffered through more to officially join my rugby team in college.
- Sorry, crazy Debbie. But did you notice that Alcide said he only loves one woman... but didn't specifically cite you as that woman?
- Andy, your main mistake wasn't the lack of V intake. It was going on a first date with someone at the locale in which she works. Poor form, dude. You were doomed from the start.
- Come on, HBO. TMZ gets a shout-out when Pam is about to kill Tara? We all know what the top celebrity gossip site around is, don't we?
- Not much to even say about Fiona Shaw at this point. She was excellent before as a confused Marnie, and she's even better now as a vindictive Antonia. Really enjoying this villain and the way the resurrection storyline is being built up.
- Nice touch by the show to have Pam and Jessica's fangs exposed as they were being silvered and skinned.
What did everyone else think? Do you wanna see Jess killed off because it would take you by surprise? Or would you miss her too much as a character?
Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.
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August 11th, 2011 1:29 PM
To answer Rank's comment, in the last book, book 11 "Dead Reckoning", Sookie IS with Eric. Kenya, Eric has never deliberately tried to hurt Sookie and has been there to help her many times. Eric is very strong and has been around for a very long time. He does the things that need to be done for the benefit of all. Of course he does what is best for himself as well, but then don't we all? Eric really is the most honest character on the show. I am not opposed to Bill or even Bill and Sookie together in the end because I kinda feel they deserve each other. Yeah Bill loves her, in a controlling, obsessive, sick kind of love in the guise of protecting her. What arrogance to honestly believe he is the only one in the whole wide world who can protect her. My hope, since AB has strayed so far from the books, is to bring on a strong, self-assured, beautiful woman who deserves someone as special as Eric, that they fall in love and Sookie finally sees her loss of the best guy she could ever hope
Rank: Regular Character
August 9th, 2011 8:56 PM
Some quality television this ep.
Get rid of Tommy, the were-panthers, Arlene, Terry, Tara. Keep Luna. Don't care about Sam besides needing him for Luna, I guess.
Fiona Shaw's good.
Rank: Extra
August 9th, 2011 12:00 AM
I dont know why do you guys hate Tara? I like her, love her. She's real. She always stands for her own and never has a hero who always saves her. I dont mind if there'll no happy ending. I dont care about Sookie/Eric/Bill because I'm too old to speak about their romances. I'm team Witches anyway. I like them. Revenge is a must.
Rank: New User
August 8th, 2011 10:43 PM
Great season! Jessica cannot leave the show. I cannot wait until the next episode!
August 8th, 2011 9:07 PM
All I can say is NO!!! Don't kill Jess!...Crazy Debbie, Hoyt's mom, the crazy waitress with the two kids who decides to be apart of Marnie/Antonia's circle, Tommy, (They could all die - sadly missed but next episode plz) .....We need old Layfette back, this Jesus has been a bad influence. Love love the witches (feeling a charmed memory coming back) and Pam..OMG, my brother loved her style! If he could see her now. I've never read the books and I don't think I will until the show has concluded, I don't want to harbour mixed emotions about the characters..
August 8th, 2011 9:01 PM
All I can say is NO!!! Don't kill Jess!...Crazy Debbie though because she is boring me.....We need old Layfette back, this J
Rank: Extra
August 8th, 2011 8:22 PM
i have not read the books so each episode is an adventure for me. I think those who have read the books should stop comparing the series to them. Its obvious that if the series would follow the books exactly then it would be predictible and u would already know what would happen and it would not be worth watchin.
Rank: New User
August 8th, 2011 7:59 PM
ok... I love the show!!
First thing.
I tired of the red head and the stuipd doll thing going on I due believe if anyone shouold be killed that should be the one.
Second thing.
Come on i tired of sam and tommy. Tommy..is easy to perdict that they were going to get him to kill his parents and shift in to Sam.
I have been skipping theses parts (On the first time I watch it)they are boring I rather have more about Eric and sookie and bill. Jessica and Jason... is good thing..
The Tara thing is kind of boarding up until this episode but it is a little weird!
Jesus and Lafayette is a good part this time but really it was getting to much time on the show.
I hope jessica stays she is a wonderful actor.. and very good twist to the story.. Also did u hear the shot on the out side of the house right before Jessica walk in to the light!!
But all in time someone has to die!! JUST NOT ERIC, JESSICA, JASON, BILL, SOOOKIE, Lafayette.
Rank: Extra
August 8th, 2011 7:30 PM
Yes, in the books, there was no Jessica and Tara was just a friend who ran a dress shop but did later become involved with Franklin Mott but Sookie saved her. And if memory serves, in the last book, Sookie was NOT with either Eric nor Bill.
You all are talking about Sookie and all these guys, well, we haven't seen Quinn(the were-tiger) yet. And when will Claude(Claudine's twin) appear? if at all.....?
Sam and Tommy....that definitely wasn't in the books.
I do think Eric will get his memory back and will feel awkward because he won't remember what has happened between him and Sookie and Sookie won't tell him.
August 8th, 2011 6:31 PM
I agree that the show needs more deaths, and less subplots. But to kill Pam or Jess? I think that's the worst idea right now. THEY are interesting and have the potential to be even more well-rounded. I'm tired of the storylines that are so boring. Like Tommy and Sam! Ridiculous. They get so much more time on the show, and it mostly is just irritating. As for Eric and Sookie, I don't like how tthey changed the story and gave Bill the real shower scene and now we're stuck with some sort of rip-off shower scene. I like that Eric and Sookie got together though. And I hope they keep the sexual tension and love going. Even after, we all know, Alan ball will get Sookie and Bill back together.