True Blood Recap, 3.03 It Hurts Me Too

Thank you, Alan Ball!  Finally!  I think that True Blood has finally hit its stride for Season 3.  Aside from a few irritating plot lines I'm looking at you Tara, Jason, and Sam, this was by far the best episode this season.  Anyways, here's my Good/Bad/Ugly recap of True Blood, 3.03 It Hurts Me Too, because it's like armageddon in here anytime someone chips a dessert glass.  

The Good 

• Talbot and Russell:  beneath their sophisticated, charming, urbane exterior exists a ruthless power couple.  Sort of like Bill and Hillary.
• Terry's joy that he is going to be a daddy and Arlene's dirty little secret.  My money is on Rene/Drew as the baby daddy.  
• The human suffering/vampire desire dichotomy.  Lorena is a bitch but at least she is a bitch who has a purpose and so do flashbacks.  Or she is a bitch who gets hate fucked like there has never been a hate fuck on television ever.  Holy Hell!  The LSH had to take my martini because away I was hyperventilating with sick awe-inspired giggles.  Just when you thought that Nazi werewolves were a bit too much, a neck twisting, I'm too lazy to hate fuck you doggie style so let me just turn YOUR WHOLE FUCKING HEAD AROUND scene happens.  Oh, Bill William Bill.  You bad boy.  I knew you had it in you all along, you old dog.  However, the great scenes of Eric and Sookie burying a body and discussions of how quickly Eric could be on site in Jackson to rescue Sookie that were crackling with tension and chemistry just pale in comparison.    
• Tara showing us what an orgasm from tantric, sadomasochistic vampire sex looks like.      
• Oh, hello there Alcide!  You wear a henley better than Beeeel.  And you're all kinds of hotness even when you were getting the stuffing beaten out of you by Patrick Swayze's brother.  You are exactly what I imagined when I read the books let's just hope they don't turn you into a complete selfish asshole on the show.  
• Pam having her way with Yevetta: good.  The sound effects of what seems to be someone eating an apple and licking her lips after every bite made me fear for Yevetta's Estonian lady bits.  
• Eric and Lafayette!  Together!  Again!  More!  Please!  

The Bad

• The slow motion bullet.  Just because you have a big special effects budget doesn't mean you have to use it all the time, particularly in a way that suggests your audience isn't smart enough to figure out that the werewolf and not Eric was the intended recipient of the bullet.  The upside?  Seeing Eric's little post-feed fangasm when he tells Sookie that he got the rug all wet. 
• Should I care about Tommy Mickens?  Because I'm not feeling it.  He's just a bratty, possibly criminal douchebag at this point. 
• Yes, Sookie.  You are that stupid.  Case in point:  going into the champagne room with Patrick Swayze's brother.    

The Ugly

• Joe Lee Mickens' grey/brown/filthy tighty whiteies.  I was gobsmacked when he walked into Merlotte's wearing actual pants although they were the same dingy color as his Jockeys.  At this point, I'd be happy to see him in a pair of clean boxer shorts with a button fly.   
• Tara as a zombie based on the influence of supernatural creature.  Again.  
• Jason does does not want to be a cop.  But he's still a shitty friend.  
• Someone please help me to care about Sam.  Please!  
• Sookie's 1980's white lace top.  Gah.  My eyes!

True Blood Recap, 3.02 Beautifully Broken

Here's this week's The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly break down of True Blood 3.02, Beautifully Broken just as soon as I'm done staring at myself in the mirror in the ladies room with Pam.  Sorry it is late but I had a work trip and got a fellowship to finish my dissertation OH DEAR GOD I MIGHT ACTUALLY HAVE TO GROW UP AND GRADUATE AND GET A JOB AND BE SCHOLARLY OR SOMETHING ALREADY. Needless to say, spoilers abound so don't read until you've watched it.    

The Good

• Russell Edgington, vampire king of Mississippi and there is just so much to love about him.  There's the white stallion, the gay bluetooth security mafia, the red waist coat, the "we don't need to say everything we think," the smarm, the accent, the wonderful creepiness of him.  I just wonder how he knows so much.  How does he know that Bill killed Sookie's kiddy fiddler of an uncle?  How in the holy hell does he know who Sookie is?  I wonder if he knows about Sookie's magic fingers of electric mysterious mysticism.   
• Lafayette works two legal jobs and hustles on the internets and sells V to support his mother's life at the looney bin?  I didn't think it was possible to love him even more -- because I'm a little bitch for him anyways -- but once again, his character proves to be one of the best changes from the books. Not to mention his whole exchange with Lettie Mae when he says that "You're too busy praising Jesus to realize that your daughter tryin to move in with him permanently."  I just want the other Jesus, you know the one who spits in Ruby Jean's food through those rotten cheese teeth, to be good for our boy.      
• Sookie and Jason's exchange about the existence of werewolves was For The Win!  But when she said, "I keep expecting him to come through the door and say Suuuukkeh" the scene became EPIC.  
• Passionate primal sex with Eric.  (Btw, welcome back book Eric)   
• Jessica, Jessica and Pam, Jessica with a chainsaw, Jessica spraying Lysol to cover up the scente of decaying trucker flesh, Jessica and her torment over Hoyt and her new killer nature.  Shall I go on?  
• What the fuck is Franklin Mott up to with those ugly assed cowboy boots?  Discovering a dossier on Sookie at Bill's?  Hmmmm it looks like they ARE keeping a plot point from the books. I don't really care, he just needs to keep being scruffy and talking in that sexy accent even though he looks sort of manorexic.  (Paging my bad boy fetish in 3...2...1...)
• Terri Belfleur because who doesn't have a funny cousin like that?  Plus, with an armadillo named Felix, what's not to like?  Granted, I find him way more compelling than Arlene but that's just me being picky.  

The Bad

• Bill with furry wolf ear between his teeth.  A genteel southern man like that should have better table manners.  
• Operation werewolf.  Seriously?  Eric and Godric in Nazi uniforms? I just....  well....  I've just accepted that there is no bridge too far for True Blood.  And that is OKAY with me.  
• I'm still not feeling the Sam and his long lost family story line.  How the hell does it fit in with the rest of the plot?  I just don't see it.  I suspect that the vampire blood as sacred thread is going to be what ultimately ties everything together but so far Sam doesn't really seem connected to that.   Aside from that, Sam's white trash family live in what looks like my college boyfriend's house, replete with shitty furniture, empty beer bottles and a kickass television.     

The Ugly

• The amber glowy werewolf eyes.  Isn't it enough that they can become wolves? 
• Tara and the substance abuse and the self loathing.  Again.  WTF happened to season one Tara?  I miss you.  When Tara asks "What the hell is wrong with me," my internal bullshit meter says PLENTY but it is mostly the fault of the writers.  And then Franklin holds the rednecks while she beats the shit out of them.  It's like Maryanne all over again.  Also: Why is Tara's whole character since season 1 totally determined by her boyfriends? We wimmens have more to life than our boyfriends.  Just saying...   
• Jason and Andy.  At the end of last season I was stoked for a story line of the two of them together fighting crime on the mean streets of Bon Temps.  Now?  Not so much.   

Sons of Anarchy - News Roundup

We are approximately a mere 85 days away from the premiere of Season 3 of Sons of Anarchy.  It's so close -- yet still so far.  Luckily, the news about Season 3 is coming in a steady stream now which makes the waiting so much easier.  First off, in addition to following Kurt Sutter on Twitter, you should also follow or check out the Twitter feed of the SAMCRO Blogger.  The SAMCRO Blogger is the official FX SOA blog and provides daily pictures from the set, production updates, and answers fan questions.  He/She look, I think it's a dude but who the hell knows is a great addition to the online SOA community so check it out.

There have been two great articles written by people who have visited the set.  Mo Ryan from the Chicago Tribune paid a visit and had a lot to report on casting, plot teasers not spoilers, and some general ideas about the direction of Season 3 as it relates to the Belfast Chapter of Sons of Anarchy.  Liz Fraizer who writes the Rippin Kitten Blog just came back from a visit to the Sons of Anarchy set and has a great, charming (pun intended) post with loads of amazing pictures, including some never-before-seen snaps of sets for the Belfast story line.  And, in case you missed it, here is what Stephen King wrote about his role on SOA.

Award season is heating up and the Television Critics Association has nominated Sons of Anarchy for best drama and Katey Sagal has been nominated for best actor.  There is positive Emmy buzz for Katey Sagal and FX is promoting SOA so keep your fingers crossed, go sacrifice a chicken in your back yard, and throw a handful of salt over your shoulder.   Meanwhile, it appears to be The Year of Anger for leading men in the Emmy race and Ron Perlman called playing Clay Morrow "intoxicating." Speaking of interviews, Maggie Siff was interviewed about Season 3, discussing how she channels Tara's intelligence, passion and loyalty to play the darker aspects of Tara's character.

Also!  We have episode names for 3.04 Home and 3.06 Push.  Also!  Also! Taryn Manning will be back to reprise her role as Cherry/Rita. Something tells me she isn't going to be happy about Half-Sack's death. Perhaps Gemma can counsel her on grief and revenge?    

Finally....  well.... this could be epic.  There will be a Sons of Anarchy panel at Comic-Con.  Sons of Anarchy fans, Twihards, Sci-Fi fans, comic book fanboys, and people dressed as superheroes all in one place?  It. Might. Just. Be. too good to be true.  I have a sick fantasies about this -- but I've probably said too much already...  Anyways, cast members of Sons of Anarchy will make an appearance at Big Bear this Saturday, June 19.

I'll be back to the questionnaire posts in the near future.  I've still got Clay and Jax in the queue!

Recap: True Blood 3.01, Pack of Wolves

Here is my recap of this week's episode of True Blood, Pack of Wolves broken down by The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly aspects of the show.  Maybe there was too much hype leading up to the season premiere, but I was completely underwhelmed by this episode.  But with that said, I'm eager for the rest of the season.  Now, on to the recap!  

The Good

• The vampire blood network of intrigue between the Queen, the Magister, Eric, Pam, and Lafayette.  Why is the Queen a broke ass?  Perhaps she should sell me that awesome fur she was wearing.  Also, I kind of love that the vampires consider giving blood to humans as a desecration.  Tangential to the blood intrigue:  Eric's vulnerability by being subject to the Queen's flip, near-sighted, insane ways.  He sees what's coming down the line and realizes he will be the fall vamp -- how he gets around this should be interesting.      
• Jessica's whole story line.  Complete with trying to revive the dead trucker with her blood, being called by Bill, calling herself a "freak of nature" and not getting grossed out by crying blood anymore.  Bravo, Ginger.    
• Pam. Pam in a hot pink knit suit. Pam in latex with red trim. Pam hitting on Sookie.  Pam being called by Eric.  Pam reasoning that Eric should tell the Queen about Bill's disappearance.  Pam intimidating Lafayette in the walk-in refrigerator.  Pam, Pam, Pam.  Any way you dice it Pam was fucking awesome in this episode.  She seems to be True Blood's new Lafayette because she had the better lines.  
• Arlene is pregnant.  God help Terry.  Those two are going to be peculiar together for a long time.  
• Eric's ass.  Really?  I think that is all I need to say.  
• The wolves! Yipee! Bill's little line "I should warn you, I've fed" was pretty awesome.  Now where the hell is Alcide already?  

The Bad

• One MAJOR complaint about this episode of True Blood as a whole:  I realize there is a large cast. I realize that they need to reconnect with the cast of 1,000s characters to establish them in the new season.  But do they have to do all of that in the first 30 minutes of the season premiere?
• Arlene and Tara and the race card -- it feels old and tired.
• Tara's mother, Lettie May.  I just want to see them go on a gin-fueled bender together.  
• Bill glamouring that old lady with emphysema for blood and clothing.  Haven't we seen him do this before?  Or do we have to reestablish that Bill isn't such a nice guy so that Sookie can hook up with Eric?    

The Ugly

• It's ugly that I have so little to say about Sookie in this episode.  Really, she was like vanilla pudding.  Her little self righteous diatribe about why the police should be looking for Bill was way too obvious.  Although I did kind of love it when she and Tara got in a cat fight.    
• The Fuck You Crew?  That was the best name the writers could come up with?  
• Jason's limp dick encounter with the vet school/bullet hole gals.  (Was it just me or were they twins?).  The fact that Jason would have erectile dysfunction after killing Eggs was just a little too...  errr.... on point.  Also, any growth that Jason seemed to accomplish at the end of the season is loooooong gone.  Case in point:  not realizing that Hoyt needed a place to stay.   
• The smell of "dead opossums" under the house.  
• Sam and Bill.  Just. No.