Stake Land looks awesome. Set in a post-apocalyptic world where a vampire plague is running rampant, what few uninfected humans remain struggle to survive, including orphaned Martin (Connor Paolo, Gossip Girl), who finds a dubious ally in a hunter known as "Mister" (Nick Damici, The Black Donnellys).
I'm definitely a fan of the VILF genre of vampires but I have to say it's nice to see a movie where the only contact you'd want with the monsters is when your stake contacts their undead hearts.Giving the zombie treatment to vamps is also a step in the right direction of reminding us why vampires are still scary.
Stake Land won the Midnight Madness Audience Award at TIFF 2010 and will be released in theatres 22 April. Can't wait.
Being in love with True Blood and having plowed through the Sookie Stackhouse books, I figured it only made sense for me to follow those reviews with Becca Wilcott's Truly, Madly, Deadly: The Unofficial True Blood Companion. But when I started reading TMD I became worried I would hate it as it seemed bent on deconstructing the idea of vampires. I'm not sure when but somewhere between university and attaining so-called adulthood I grew to despise all things over-analytical, nit-picky, and pretentiously intellectual. I like my vampires visceral and enigmatic, thank you very much, not as an exercise in intellectual dissection. For a moment it seemed as though TMD was heading into murky territory. But I'm happy to say that TMD is smart, thoughtful, humorous--an overall enjoyable read with none of the cringe-inducing doucheyness I was worried about. And I'm not just saying that because I'm mentioned in the book (ahem, check out page 165).
The book is packed full of information, some of which was unexpected, which made for quite a few pleasant surprises and thought-provoking moments. There are bios and interviews featuring various fans, writers, bloggers, and lifestyle vampires, as well as the show's actors, Alan Ball, and Charlaine Harris herself. Pam fans (represent!) score with an exclusive interview with Kristin Bauer van Straten (back when she was still Kristin Bauer). Possibly less exciting is the exclusive interview with Patricia Bethune (Jane Bodehouse).
Chapters include "The Pleasure and Pain of Alternative Lifestyles" and a fascinating exploration of HBO's viral marketing campaign for True Blood's premiere (I wish I'd started Blood Lines back then). There's plenty on the pop culture politics of the show, especially the LGBT connection. I was also thrilled to see an entire chapter ("Being Bad Never Felt So Good") devoted to the opening credits, including the producers (Digital Kitchen) and songwriter Jace Everett. I'm a huge fan of the opening sequence (as anyone who's read my TB reviews will know) and "Bad Things" and it's good to know I'm not alone in my appreciation.
A major portion of the book is devoted to episode synopses (seasons one and two only), along with quotes and interesting facts. While there are some compelling insights and opinions expressed here, I kept being distracted by the silly names of the sub-categories (e.g., "Relationship Crypt Falls" and "Paging Dr. Creepy"). Vampires might value puns but, as Sookie demonstrated, humans not so much. Also annoying to me were the (thankfully few) bits where the author speaks directly to (or as) the characters. TMD's weakest parts are when it, like a comedian who feels the need to always be "on," tries too hard.
The other weak part is the chapter on the TB Twitter roleplayers. I think unless you're part of the roleplaying (which I'm not nor have any desire to be) it's less than fascinating stuff. Unfortunately the author spends a fair amount of time on the Twitterers, including quotes by and interviews with the players in character. I found the quotes awful and the interviews simply unreadable. Here's a handy tip, guys: we already know what the characters sound like--do not torture us by writing in dialect. There's nothing more annoying than trying to read phonetic spelling. Seriously.
Luckily TMD doesn't stray from form too long and returns to the far-more enjoyable interviews with writers and fans. I especially enjoyed the "Interview with a Sympathizer" highlights gleaned from the author's website. It's always good to see what other people have to say about a topic so dear to my heart, even when I strongly disagree with their viewpoints and have to suppress the urge to yell at the book.
I would be remiss if I didn't also mention the numerous photos, both black and white and glossy colour, of the cast, fans, and sets. The author did not skimp on tantalizing details when she put this book together.
I think TMD qualifies as essential reading for any True Blood, Alan Ball, or Charlaine Harris fan. When I finally reached the end of the book I was sorry that there wasn't any more to delve into. I hope Becca Wilcott has future editions planned (seasons 3 and 4?); I'll be right there to get my copy.
I'd also like to take a second to thank Becca sincerely for including me and Blood Lines in TMD. My labour of love suddenly seems so much more worth the effort. Cheers!
Text Bite
Becca Wilcott: "You want an ideal coming-of-age metaphor, stick to werewolves and witches. But leave me my deepest, darkest vampires. To be precise, that which is not seen, not surface, and not freakin' sparkling."
I wish I had more to say about "Surfacing" but it's pretty standard Gates/soap opera fare: melodrama, scheming women, families being torn asunder. They even managed to include a possession this time. And while there were moments of actual scariness it was all resolved far too quickly. Apparently it's not that hard to appease vengeful spirits these days.
We start with Nick suddenly waking from a nightmare, which he's apparently been having for weeks. Since he won't talk to Sarah about it, she consults Devon. Our resident bad witch suggests an inhibition-lowering tea (supposedly to get Nick to talk about what's bothering him) and then with a word manages to hypnotize Sarah into forgetting she ever spoke to Devon (presumably this is a side effect of the "relaxation" tea Devon has been giving Sarah). Once Sarah leaves, Devon brews up a potion that lets her get into Nick's mind, where she sees him reliving the death of Teresa (recap here). Armed with that information Devon decides to consult her tome of summoning spells. Enter the aforementioned vengeful spirit.
Strange things start happening around Nick, although he doesn't get concerned until he actually starts seeing Teresa. But after he hallucinates that Sarah has turned into Teresa as they're kissing, Sarah drags him to Devon who gives him some of her tea, telling him that whatever's bothering him won't go away without it. He doesn't trust Devon but he agrees that if the hallucinations don't stop soon he'll drink the tea.
Elsewhere, Claire's nerves are on edge. Not only did Emily nearly see her drinking blood but the biological aunt comes for a visit and brings a child services worker along with her. Although the child services woman is satisfied that Emily is in a great home, the aunt isn't letting up, asking to see a copy of the adoption papers. At least things are getting better between Claire and Dylan--their 50-year anniversary is coming up and they're planning on renewing their bond (marital as well as sire/sired).
As Nick has more and more Teresa encounters he finally decides he needs to check that she's really dead. After getting the location of her burial site from Dylan, Nick heads to what turns out to be a bog. I thought for sure he was going to get sucked under as he was digging but instead he cuts himself (I couldn't quite tell on what but I think it was a bone shard) and finds Teresa's necklace. The cut prompts him to go see good witch Dr. Peg, who administers spiritual advice as well as medical care. She tells him he needs to help Teresa's spirit move on but cautions that it'll only happen if she's ready to move on. Helpful.
It turns out Teresa's not quite ready to depart. She haunts Nick's house, returns her necklace (after he dropped it back at the burial site) via his garbage disposal, and nearly drowns Charlie in the pool. Finally she possesses Sarah (possibly because Sarah decided to put on the haunted necklace). Desperate, Nick makes a deal to kill himself (justice, according to Teresa) in exchange for her leaving his family unharmed. Of course before he offs himself he gives a teary, heartfelt apology for killing Teresa's brother. That's good enough for Teresa--she departs, leaving Nick alive and Sarah unaware of what happened.
The fallout of all this? We get another hint at what's up with Leigh (after being shot in the chest by Teresa, Leigh is fine. She claims she was wearing a vest but it's fairly obvious she wasn't. My theory about her being literally heartless is looking promising). After nearly dying Charlie realizes he loves Andie, so they're back together. And Nick comes clean with Sarah about everything--including the fact that Dylan's a vampire. Sarah wisely decides it's time to get the hell out of The Gates. Devon also suffers some disappointment when Nick returns her tea unopened. Maybe next time she should be a little less obvious when she's pushing it on someone.
Speaking of coming clean, Claire and Dylan decide it's time to tell Emily what they are. But surprise--Emily already knows! So they have some family bonding time over how old they are and what it's like to be vampires.
What's going to happen with Nick and family? I'm guessing they won't get very far. And if the show had more than two episodes left I'd wonder how long before Emily lets the family secret slip to the wrong person. But overall I remain unenthused.
Fang Files
Appearance: Human with subtle fangs when needed.
Strengths: Super speed, strength.
Weaknesses: Going too long between feedings (almost like sudden drug withdrawal).
Mythology: Vampires can make or break bonds with one another.
Sound Bites
Nick: I don't trust her. Sarah: Yeah, well I don't trust you.
Nick: Put the gun down, Sarah. Teresa in Sarah's body: Sarah's gone.
The Gates, Season 1 Episode 11 "Surfacing." Written by Grant Scharbo. Directed by Holly Dale. From ABC.
Just what the realm of the undead needed: gold diggers! But actually, How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire doesn't sound too bad. A human woman crosses over into an alternate vampire reality and wackiness ensues. And hey, you can't go wrong with a free download! It also comes with an excerpt of the author's upcoming (29 March) book, Vampire Mine, in which a Scottish vampire who'd given up on love meets a vulnerable fallen angel trapped in human form.
The producers of The Vampire Diaries are evil. There's no other explanation. First the show goes on hiatus from 9 December until 27 January. Fine--everyone deserves a holiday. But after only five episodes it's another month-long hiatus. In the judicial system I think this would qualify as cruel and unusual punishment for the fans. I suppose we'll have to make do with Being Human until TVD is back, but Aiden is a poor substitute for Damon (or Stefan, or even Caroline).
Anyway, "The House Guest" begins with Elena at Stefan's getting ready for *gasp* school! So she is still enrolled. Of course, getting an education is no match for Stefan's smouldering charms and I'm not sure she ever actually makes it to any classes. Later she rushes past the den/living room, pausing to greet Damon. A second later he's got her up against the wall, hand around her throat. Figuring out that he thinks she's Katherine, Elena starts asking whether Katherine is still in the tomb (she isn't). By now Stefan has shown up and--oh crap--he realizes he just spent the morning with Katherine. Back to his room and another girl pushed against another wall. But it turns out this really is Elena and Damon was right in the first place. I wonder just how long Katherine could fool any of them. Future trouble?
It turns out Katherine has invited herself to crash with the Salvatores. Lucky them. She also isn't afraid to get threatening ('maybe Jenna is free for a bite') when the boys and Elena don't show enough enthusiasm at her insistence on helping kill Klaus. Talk about a nightmare house guest. But she does have a point about knowing Klaus better than any of them (e.g., what he looks like) so maybe it won't be so bad. Maybe.
The most satisfying moment of the episode happens in this next scene, immediately followed by the least satisfying moment. Damon finally takes a flamethrower to Elijah! I swear he's the only character with any real sense on this show. Too bad we discover within seconds that the body's not burning. Katherine shows up and informs him that Originals are indestructible. That's a handy trick for them. [My SO suggested they should just encase Elijah in concrete. Hey, it worked on Russell in True Blood...] Damon is clearly weary of Katherine, and when she claims she's still there because he hasn't made her leave he aims the flamethrower at her. Alas, her logic wins him over and he relents (Come to think of it, this is another highly unsatisfying moment in this scene. I still wish he would have singed her a little). Never one to leave well enough alone Katherine has to make a point of mentioning that she knew the dagger would kill Damon if he tried to use it on Elijah--but she really wanted out of the tomb so she didn't particularly care. That's it--twist the knife (or the dagger). And she wonders why no one welcomes her with open arms.
She can't leave Damon alone, either; she spends the episode clinging to him trying to get information, alleviating boredom, or just being hurtful. As he pores through the Gilbert journals trying to find out the location of the witch massacre Katherine vies for his attention like a little kid whose mommy is on the phone. At least she is somewhat useful, letting him know that witches who die violently release mystical energy on the site of their deaths.
Speaking of witches, Luka and his dad agree to meet with Stefan for a chat, although they're not exactly open to hearing what he has to say after he tells them Elijah is dead. They finally grudgingly admit that Elijah had been counting on them to channel enough power to kill Klaus, the power being located at the witch burial ground. They all agree to work together to find the massacre site/burial ground, kill Klaus, and get Luka's sister (Greta) back. At least, that's what they tell Stefan. Doc Martin has other plans: he's going to let Elijah kill Stefan, Damon, and anyone else who gets in his way.
In other news, Matt tells Caroline to make up her mind about the two of them, so she does just that...in song. Granted, Candice Accola has a (surprisingly) good voice but I could have done without this scene. If you didn't know the episode was written by a woman you definitely would after watching the musical number followed by the big romantic moment complete with giddy girlfriends cheering and hugging each other in triumph. One word: ick, followed by pronounced eye rolling. I also have a problem with the choice of song; I doubt anyone Caroline's age would be that familiar with the Bangles' "Eternal Flame." The writer maybe should have remembered that the characters are not the same age as she is.
Meanwhile, powerless Bonnie seems to be coping just fine. I was hoping for a little more angst at the loss of her witch abilities. I was also hoping for this storyline to last a little longer, but sadly we reach a resolution all too soon (more on that in a bit). At least she finally tells Elena about her and Jeremy and we're "treated" to another sappy girl moment.
But all is not well in romance land--tension between Jenna and Alaric mounts with plenty of cold shoulders, wistful looks, and heartfelt confessions. Alaric even asks Elena's advice on the situation, which is just weird considering he's not only her aunt's boyfriend but her history teacher (then again, Jenna hangs out with Elena and the girls like she's one of their classmates. Because kids these days love nothing more than socializing with their authority figures). In any case he reaches the conclusion that things with Jenna have to go on hold until he can come clean with her--after they deal with Klaus. Jenna still has her insane sense of entitlement re: full disclosure of Alaric's past. Unless he killed his wife, you really don't need to know--and he certainly isn't obligated to tell you. They haven't even been going out that long. I can't tell if this is TV drama or if this is really the general attitude people have these days.
While all this is going on Luka and his dad perform a spell to find Elijah. Basically Luka astrally projects to Elijah's location (the Salvatore mansion) where he can see, hear, and touch but can't be seen, heard, or touched himself (although both Damon and Katherine pick up on something in the room with them). After continuing to get on Damon's nerves Katherine goes to the basement to retrieve a blood bag. While she's gone Damon lets Stefan know that he found something important in the journals. Back downstairs Katherine senses something but can't quite figure out what. She's about to leave when she sees the dagger slowly being removed from Elijah by some invisible force. Why Luka didn't wait until she'd gone back upstairs is either poor judgment on his part or (more likely) poor writing (the kind that makes characters temporarily stupid in order to conveniently move the story forward). Whatever the reason for Luka's decision, Katherine jumps on the dagger and holds it in place.
Back in spellcasting central, Luka tells his dad what's going on and Jonas realizes it's Katherine. He tells Luka to find a stake and kill her. Again--why not retreat and try the spell again later? It's unlikely the vampires are going to guard Elijah's body 24/7. Anyway, Luka does manage to get a stake into Katherine's stomach but by then she's called for Damon, who came running. Damon helps her remove the stake but then she alerts him to the dagger being removed yet again (okay, really? The vampires are on to you--it's time to leave). Ever the practical and direct one, Damon hauls out the flamethrower (and that's really when Luka should have left). When Stefan comes running Damon tells him matter-of-factly that it's a "crazy psychic witch attack" and orders Stefan to head over to see what's happening with Luka and Jonas.
What's happening is that Luka burst into flames when Damon turned the flamethrower on the area around Elijah. It's pretty brutal as he burns and promptly dies. I guess we've got some mystical witch energy to work with now. Dad is understandably devastated and then enraged. He grabs the items he stole from Elena's room way back (I'd forgotten all about that) and starts working some magics. When Stefan shows up Jonas brings him to his knees with pain (looks like the same multiple aneurysm spell Bonnie used), at which point Stefan notices the Elena paraphernalia on the floor.
Back at his place Damon and Katherine showcase their mutual cruelty (although I have to say I think Katherine is more vicious by far). Damon brings her blood and then stakes her in the stomach again for not telling him the dagger would kill him. Katherine then informs him that she made a deal with John--if she stayed in town and helped get rid of Klaus/protect Elena, he'd spare Stefan. See--she could only choose to save one of the brothers and she chose Stefan. The pain on Damon's face as he realizes this...I can't praise Ian Somerhalder enough for his amazing, expressive acting. Mute the volume and just watch him sometime. After her admission Katherine keeps twisting the knife, blaming him for the hurt he feels because, you know, he wanted her to be honest. What choice did she have?
At the Grill Elena gets a call from Stefan warning her about Jonas, who happens to show up just then. Bonnie sees him first and, without knowing what's happened, asks if he's okay. Jonas is in the "blame everyone else" stage of grief, demanding to know where Elena is and deciding that no one leaves until he gets her. As he shatters glass and starts fires, Stefan and Elena fill Caroline in on the situation and ask her to create a diversion. When Caroline tries attacking Jonas he throws her into a world of hurt. Matt, seeing her in distress, tries to get to her at which point Jonas breaks a glass and shoves it into Matt's neck. WTF? Overreact much? But at least Caroline's going to finally come out of the coffin to him after having to give him her blood to save his life. Too bad he flips out when he hears what she has to say.
At Elena's Bonnie is there with Jeremy when Stefan and Elena arrive. Elena goes upstairs to wash her hands when suddenly Jonas appears behind her. It's no surprise at all that "Elena" is actually Katherine, although her attack is brilliant: quick and effective (kudos to everyone involved in this scene). The others run upstairs and Bonnie, upset, moves to close Jonas's eyes. It turns out he's not quite dead and it's actually pretty frightening when he grabs Bonnie. At this point Stefan reacts and breaks Jonas's neck. Hey--more mystical witch energy!
Afterward Elena is less than grateful to Katherine for her help, which Katherine is none too pleased about. And even though she admits she's not Elena's biggest fan either, she still maintains she's no threat to Elena. It's a disappointing night in general for Katherine--even her "sure thing" (Damon) denies her, pushing her aside as she tries to seduce him. I guess 150 years of abuse and rejection will dampen a guy's ardour.
The powerless Bonnie storyline comes to an abrupt end when she admits to Jeremy that rather than attacking her, Jonas returned her powers when he grabbed her. He also let her know that he wanted her to kill Klaus and free his daughter. And, oh yeah, he told her how she could do it. Not bad for the split second before Stefan stepped in. I really think the Jonas revenge storyline should have been stretched over two episodes, which would have given us more time to watch Bonnie deal with her loss of power. Unfortunately TheVampire Diaries has had a tendency from the beginning to rush storylines. They've gotten better but they still don't seem to quite have the hang of it.
The episode ends with late-night ice cream therapy for Jenna when the doorbell rings. She answers it and finds--dramatic pause--Isobel, Alaric's supposedly dead wife and Elena's biological mother! Oh, the irony...
This wasn't the best episode ever, and it was definitely a disappointing one to lead us into the hiatus. It did give us some good moments, however, as well as a few surprises and maybe some interesting future storylines. Still, let's leave the sap for the Lifetime network from now on and keep TVD's focus on the fangs.
Fang Files
Appearance: Pale human until the vampire emerges, then dark/red eyes, prominent dark facial veins, and sharp curved fangs.
Strengths: Super strength, speed. Heightened senses. Quick healing (physically at least; emotionally not so much).
Weaknesses: Fire. Stakes. Magic.
Mythology: An Original's body is apparently indestructible (and they're only "dead" as long as the special dagger remains embedded in their heart). Vampire blood heals humans.
Sound Bites
Matt: [to Caroline] So just make a decision or leave me alone.
Katherine: You can hate me. But we want the same thing. And you know I always get what I want.
Katherine: [to Damon, after having admitted she knew he would die if he tried to kill Elijah with the dagger] If it's any consolation I'm glad you're not dead.
The Vampire Diaries, Season 2 Episode 16 "The House Guest." Written by Caroline Dries. Directed by Michael Katleman. From The CW.
And so we reach another season finale in Bon Temps. It's amazing how much gets packed into twelve episodes (sometimes a little too much). And the wait until the next season is always interminable. But at least we're given plenty to think and speculate about as we wait. Season Three's finale does not disappoint in this regard.
"Evil Is Going On" picks up where we left off last episode--with Eric and Russell slowly being roasted by the sun. I would enjoy this scene a whole lot more if it hadn't already been established in Season Two's "I Will Rise Up" that when exposed to direct sunlight older vampires (like Russell and maybe even Eric) burn up almost instantly. These two have been out there long enough for a proper immolation to be in progress, rather than a little skin crisping. Sorry but I'm not a fan of series that can't stick to their own mythologies. But at least this is probably the weakest point of the episode. Then again that depends on how you feel about ghosts.
As Eric is dying Godric appears to him and urges him to forgive Russell before they both meet the true death. Eric refuses to forgive Russell for what he did to Eric's family and he's not too happy to hear Godric say that only peace follows death, even for Russell. Overall I didn't love Godric's appearance. I'm not sure it really added anything to the story and while I appreciate the acknowledgment of an afterlife, it's been done to death (sorry--couldn't resist that one).
Meanwhile, Sookie wakes from a dream about the fae realm and instantly goes into bitch mode, slapping Bill and blaming him for just about everything wrong in her life. And yet when she finds out that Eric--whom she supposedly hates and who, I think, did far worse to her than Bill--is about to sacrifice himself she can't run outside fast enough. She even pulls the perennial brat favourite "You don't own me" when Bill tries to stop her. If Sookie is supposed to represent the modern strong and independent woman, I think we're in a lot of trouble.
Urged (and goaded) by Russell, Sookie manages to manifest the light from her hands strongly enough to break the handcuffs keeping Russell and Eric together before shooting Russell across the parking lot. She then drags Eric's smoking body (and I'm not referring to his abs here) inside where he's apparently too weak to even pop fang. So Sookie gets Bill to bite her wrist so she can feed Eric and heal him. Again I have to wonder why she's so angry at Bill but Eric gets a pass.
As Eric feeds he's moaning ecstatically to the point where I'm thinking he and Sookie might need to get a room. But the others stop him before things get out of hand. As soon as he's recovered he insists they bring Russell inside because Godric wants him to spare Russell. Funny--I don't remember Godric saying anything about that. The others think he's lost his mind but when Eric threatens to go out himself and get Russell, Sookie relents and drags the crispy critter back inside via a silver chain around his neck. The makeup/special effects people did an amazing job on burned Russell (see photo above, click to enlarge). He's not only gruesome but realistically so--you can completely believe this is what a vampire would look like after some time in the sun. You've also got to give credit to Russell for being able to tolerate what has to be an insane amount of pain.
Although she really doesn't want to, Sookie agrees to watch Russell (since he can't glamour her, unlike Ginger) while the others get some rest. She's also incredibly rude to all the vampires, calling them "creepy cold freaks." So, consistency--not really one of Sookie's strong points. Before they go Eric calls someone with a van and arranges for their help. Maybe he should load Sookie up and send her where she might actually be happy.
As Sookie reads a copy of Star magazine with a cover photo of Russell ripping out the news anchor's spine, he attempts to bribe her into letting him go. He promises her everything from leaving her alone to killing Bill and/or Eric (her choice) to giving her his house. But Sookie only plays along to torment him--she has no intention of releasing him. It's not a shocker that this upsets him but as he taunts Sookie about her tasty, tasty blood it is on the shocking side when Sookie sprays him in the face with atomized silver. Talk about kicking a man when he's down. When did Sookie get so mean? But it gets worse. When she figures out that Russell is hanging on to Talbot's liquefied remains because he believes he can use Sookie's blood to bring Talbot back to life she decides to pour what's left of Talbot down the drain. As Russell screams and curses in anguish, Sookie giggles psychotically. I think the girl has finally snapped. Yes, Russell is evil but at the moment he's also badly wounded and helpless. And while his recent actions have been motivated in large part because of love, Sookie doesn't seem remotely capable of love anymore. You have to wonder who the real monster is.
Elsewhere Tara watches Steve Newlin vs. Nan Flanagan on TV as Sam makes her breakfast: hoe cakes cooked with bacon grease. I see a reconciliation with Lettie Mae on the horizon. Sam seems to be ready to start over in a positive way, telling Tara he's a shifter and finally accepting himself for who and what he is. Tara, unfortunately, has had enough of all things supernatural. She's clearly majorly traumatized and wishes she could just be a new person in a new life. Well, why not?
The reunion with Lettie Mae doesn't go quite as Tara planned. She walks in on her half-naked mother with the married minister. But it's okay because he's going to leave his wife and marry Lettie Mae and then she'll be a minister's wife! Tara's anger fades to resignation and she wishes her mother happiness in what seems like a final goodbye. Lettie Mae's too wrapped up in herself to realize that anything's amiss, though.
Back at home (that is, Sookie's) Tara stares into the mirror as she holds a massive pair of scissors. It looks as though we're about to witness a bloodbath but the next moment Tara starts cutting her hair as she cries. Rather than getting into all the symbolism a haircut like this entails I think I'll just comment on the style: very cute indeed. I never thought the braids suited Tara so this short, fluffy cut is a nice change. Things seem to be looking up for Tara. But then again, maybe not. After promising Sookie she'll be back soon she heads out to see Lafayette. But instead of actually heading inside Merlotte's Tara just stays in the car looking at the building. She then drives off and disappears into the darkness. Since she never returns as promised it looks like Tara might be gone for good (or at least for a good long while).
Speaking of Lafayette, there's a nice scene when Sam lets Lafayette into Merlotte's. Sam is lit up in the sun while Lafayette, in a dark hoodie, seems to be in a perpetual shadow. Both metaphor and irony as Sam is the one with the shadowy past and Lafayette seems to be achieving some sort of enlightenment. In any case Lafayette's V-induced hallucinations don't seem to be going away as he sees blood on Sam's hands and hears Sam's voice saying "Cross me and you're a dead man." Creepy. And it's freaking Lafayette out. Later, when he hallucinates Rene strangling Arlene and claiming to be inside her, Lafayette makes a panicky call to Jesus, who drops everything to come see him. What really worries Lafayette is that he's turning into his mother (what I'd be more concerned about was that maybe I'd institutionalized my mother when she wasn't actually crazy). When Jesus shows up he manages to assuage Lafayette's worries somewhat, although it might not have been the best time to admit that he's a brujo-- a male witch (not to be confused with manwich).
Sam spends the rest of the episode focused on Tommy. When he stops by the house to see him he finds the place in a shambles and clearly abandoned. On a hunch Sam heads back to Merlotte's, where he discovers his safe is missing. In a rage he screams for Tommy before grabbing a gun. I'm not quite sure how Sam finds Tommy but after a short chase Sam shoots the gun in the air and brings Tommy to a stop. He wants his money back and doesn't care at all that he tore Tommy out of his old life just to abandon him, or that Tommy has no way of supporting himself or anywhere to live. I liked Sam a lot better when he was sweet. As Tommy tries to walk away Sam shoots. We don't get to see what, if anything, the bullet hits so I guess that's for next season to reveal.
Jason is kept busy trying to thwart the DEA from raiding Hotshot (never mind that he was the one who ratted on Hotshot in the first place). Andy's on to him and warns Jason that his future career as a cop is on the line. Jason tries to reason with Andy (well, Jason-style reasoning anyway) and although he's not getting anywhere he does catch a break when Andy accidentally lets slip that the raid is taking place that day. Jason runs to get Crystal and they both head to Hotshot. It's hard to believe this is a functioning community: everyone looks dirty and underfed and helpless. It's even harder to believe that Jason is their only hope. After a V-addicted Felton kills his/Crystal's father (the town patriarch), grabs all the V, kidnaps Crystal, and steals Jason's truck, Jason is suddenly in charge (and he seems to actually want the responsibility). This is an annoying turn of events and would be a disappointing storyline even if it were remotely believable. Definitely weak sauce.
Starting anew is the big theme in "Evil Is Going On." Hoyt shows up at work and finds an intervention waiting for him. His mom, Summer, and his high school guidance counsellor try vainly to bring him back to the side of light--in other words the anti-vampire side. But finally having grown a pair, Hoyt shuts them down and tells them he loves Jessica. End of discussion. Later he take Jessica to see their new place because not only does he want to live together but he wants to marry her. Their happiness is clear...until Hoyt mentions that she'll never have to find out what she'd do without him. That's a sure sign of impending doom. And to underscore that, the camera slowly pulls out. As we see the happy couple in the background the shadows in the foreground reveal a baby doll lying on the floor. Strangely enough it's one of the creepiest images ever on the show. And for one last nail in their coffin (so to speak) Hoyt's mom heads to the local gun shop and buys a rifle. Somehow I get the feeling that Hoyt won't be with us much longer, whether by accident or intention.
Back at Fangtasia there's an amusingly morbid moment as Ginger unknowingly washes and dries the urn that held Talbot. Suddenly Alcide arrives. He was the one Eric called earlier and has agreed to help Eric in exchange for his father's debts being cleared. Although Alcide is there on business it doesn't stop him from taking a few moments to flirt with Sookie. And she flirts back, including after the vamps have woken and joined them. Bill's helplessness is practically palpable. As Eric grabs Russell he orders Sookie to stay at the bar, where Pam will protect her. Now while I applaud Sookie's decision to protect herself I'm not enjoying her sudden attitude toward the vamps, particularly Bill. She rightly doesn't want to be controlled or used by them, yet she seems to expect them to be at her beck and call and to behave the way she believes is appropriate (and if they don't acquiesce to her demands she treats them like complete scum). It doesn't work both ways.
Bill, Eric, and Russell end up at a Herveaux construction site where they're preparing to encase Russell in a cement foundation. This won't kill him--it'll just be long-term torture and starvation, likely destroying what's left of Russell's sanity. It turns out that when Eric wanted to "save" Russell it was only because he didn't want Russell to enjoy the peace of death. No, he wants Russell to keep suffering. Ghostly Godric looks on, disappointed and saddened. As Eric pours cement on top of Russell, Godric steps back and fades away.
Once Russell is fully encased, Bill extends his hand to shake Eric's. Then he snaps a silver handcuff on Eric and pushes him into an adjoining hole, which he then fills with cement. Gotta say--I wasn't expecting this. Bill also calls one of Eric's lackeys and, imitating Eric's voice, orders the lackey to kill Pam. What the hell has come over Bill?
We find out when he shows up a while later at Sookie's. She invites him in despite making a point earlier of revoking all the vampires' invitations and telling them not to follow her home. Like I said--consistency is not her strong suit. He tells her that Russell, Eric, and Pam are gone; that he will get rid of anyone who has tasted her blood or knows what she is (he's okay, though because he has self control). He also tells her that even if they part ways, he'll still always do whatever he can to protect her. Then he adds that he's never loved like he's loved her, and he never will again. That's enough to melt even Sookie's icy demeanour. As he's leaving she gets up to stop him, but he's already opened the door--and there stands Eric (looking surprisingly hot covered with a layer of cement).
Eric gets right to the point telling Sookie that Bill first came to Bon Temps because the Queen sent him to get close to her. Not only that but Bill let the Rattrays beat Sookie nearly into a coma just so he could have an excuse to feed her his blood. Yikes. Bill admits that what Eric is saying is true. Eric then adds that Bill tried to get rid of him not because he was protecting Sookie, but because he was protecting himself from Eric ever telling Sookie what he knew. Her rage pushes Bill right through the doorway. Tearfully he tries to tell her he loves her and always will but that just pisses Sookie off even more. (And as with Eric's coating of cement, Bill looks surprisingly hot with bloodied eyes. I have issues.) Bill leaves.
Eric tells Sookie that, for what it's worth, he wouldn't have given her to Russell. This prompts her to hurl abuse at him too. But rather than get angry he tells her he's sorry to see her suffer like this but he thought she had a right to know. Then he's also gone. And since Tara hasn't come back (and likely won't) Sookie is truly alone. After crying for a while she suddenly gets up and runs out of the house.
A knock at Bill's door has us thinking Sookie's come to him but it turns out to be the Queen, wearing an amazing dress (want!) She believes Bill has Sookie waiting for her but he lets her know he's got other plans for the evening (namely killing the Queen). He claims he has nothing left to lose. A moment later their fangs are out and they're literally flying at each other. Best of luck, Bill.
Meanwhile Sookie ended up running to the cemetery where she visits her Gran's grave. She tells Gran that she's lost and has never felt so alone. Suddenly Claudine the fairy is there inviting Sookie to come with them. From behind the trees fairies start appearing everywhere. Sookie goes to Claudine and a bright light appears between them. Then they all disappear.
The show covered a lot of ground this season, and there's plenty set up for Season Four. But I can't help feeling that a lot of the storylines this season were forced and the characters have lost their spark (with a few exceptions). I think True Blood would have been better off following Harris's novels more closely, as it did in Season One--the best so far, rather than straining to come up with increasingly weird or extreme situations and storylines. There's already plenty in place to work with and deviating as much as the show has seems to not be working out as well as it could. I'm looking forward to next season, but with a lot of reservations.
Fang Files
Appearance: Pale humans with red-rimmed eyes and long, snakelike fangs that descend or retract at will (occasionally the vampire has no control over his or her fangs). Vampires cry blood.
Strengths: Vampires can heal bite wounds with a bit of their own blood. Fast healing. Ability to glamour/hypnotize humans. Super speed, strength. The older the vampire the stronger they are. Ability to fly, levitate.
Weaknesses: Sun, silver. Staying up during the day (causes "the bleeds"). Starvation. Vampires need an invitation to enter a private residence and the invitation can be revoked at any time (forcing the vampire to leave).
Mythology: Apparently makers can appear and offer advice to their "children" from beyond the grave (the force must be strong with them). Vampire blood is a powerful drug and aphrodisiac with unpredictable effects. Once a human has consumed a vampire's blood, the vampire can sense their emotions and find them wherever they are.
Sound Bites
Sookie: You fucking betrayed me. Again.
Bill: I only pretended to betray you so that I could save your life. Again.
Pam: [re: saving Russell] Eric, do the world a favour and let that little fuck fry.
Russell: [trying to bribe Sookie into releasing him] One million dollars.
Sookie: Five.
Russell: Two.
Sookie: Seven.
Russell: Okay five.
Lafayette: [to Jesus] You a witch? You a witch who's a nurse who's a dude. [pause] Oh shit, I guess I lucked out then, huh?
Godric: [to Eric] You make me bleed, my child. So much hatred.
Pam: [to Eric re: Bill] Did you kill him? Please tell me you killed him because I will never get all the cement out of my hair.
True Blood, Season 3 Episode 12 (Finale) "Evil Is Going On." Written by Alan Ball. Directed by Anthony Hemingway. From HBO.
Did you see it coming? Because I sure as hell didn't, and neither did most of the characters. It's another episode of surprises and I'm loving it.
"The Dinner Party" starts off with Elena, still at the lake house, reading the previously lost and found Johnathon Gilbert journals. Funny enough we're taken via flashback to a post-vampire-massacre dinner party attended by Johnathon, his friend Thomas, and Thomas's wife Honoria (whose name, I was informed by someone more knowledgeable than I, was mangled by the actor playing Johnathon. It should be "hon-OR-yia, not hon-or-EE-a. Honest--M.A.S.H. apparently did a whole episode about it). As the three chat the sound of someone creeping about outside grabs their attention. Thomas and Johnathon head out to investigate. At first it seems nothing is amiss, but then a vampire begins wreaking havoc. Just before he doesn't quite kill Johnathon, we discover that the murderous vamp is...Stefan.
Back to present-day Stefan skipping stones on the lake. When he decides to take a break from broodily staring off into the distance and comes back inside, Elena asks if he's still upset with her for wanting to sacrifice herself (he is). She also hands him the journal, where he soon discovers he's the subject matter. He admits that he and Damon wanted revenge on the town founders for what they did to Katherine, and also that he never realized he didn't actually finish Johnathon Gilbert off (I wonder if we'll be seeing Johnathon sometime in the future, perhaps with a pair of fangs. People seem to have trouble staying permanently dead in Mystic Falls...) Via another flashback we see Stefan revelling in his monsterhood while Damon is overcome with disgust. Interesting how they ended up switching roles. In any case, flashback Damon decides to leave Stefan and leave town, believing little brother will get them both killed if he stays.
Stefan's salvation ended up arriving in the form of Lexi, whom he stalks and attacks not realizing she's also a vampire. Needing a safe place to stay in Mystic Falls, Lexi decides to show Stefan how to regain his humanity. She also tries to help Damon as he's leaving, warning him that his hatred will consume him. I really wish Damon hadn't killed her, as does Stefan--and even Damon. When Stefan later mentions Lexi, Damon looks stricken, almost tearful. No wonder vampires are so tormented--imagine all the regrets they amass over the years.
Back in Mystic Falls Jenna and Elijah are surveying the town's old property lines. He claims the real town founders were witches from Salem. That would explain a lot. Jenna seems pretty taken with the uber vamp, and since she and Alaric are already experiencing relationship issues, this doesn't bode well.
The tension doesn't ease when Andie later suggests that she and Damon host a dinner party that night for Jenna, Alaric, and Elijah. Sounds like a fun time, doesn't it? Then again, Alaric seems to be the only one not enthused. Damon, meanwhile, can't wait, thinking the party will give him a chance to finally off Elijah. But first he stops to visit Katherine, trying to get her to tell him whether the dagger and ashes will actually kill an Original. I hate how Damon is still Katherine's bitch. She's clearly manipulating him as she "accidentally" confirms the dagger's ability and then begs him not to kill Elijah (arguing that if he dies while she's still compelled she'll be trapped in the tomb forever). Damon thinks he got one over on her (his overconfidence will be his downfall) and claims he'll be killing Elijah that night.
The dinner party doesn't start off well. Damon has to lie to Alaric about there being no plans for violence that evening. Jenna admits to Andie that she doesn't trust Alaric. Elijah threatens to kill everyone there if Damon makes a move against him. And worst of all--John crashes the party.
Over dinner Damon picks up on Elijah's interest in the burial ground of the Salem witches (who ended up massacred in Mystic Falls). He even admits to Damon that he wants to find it, although he won't say why. But Damon can't be bothered waiting to find out--he's too focused on killing Elijah as soon as possible. While this is going on Elena is back to reading the journals, where she discovers that Johnathon had been studying the Originals. She also finds out that the dagger will kill an Original--as well as any demon that tries to use it. This is interesting because I believe it's the first time vampires are referred to as demons on the show (a hint to their origins?) It's also interesting because (a) John was attempting to screw over Damon when he gave him the dagger, and (b) Damon is in imminent danger of destroying himself.
When Stefan desperately calls Damon in order to warn him, he gets no answer. Luckily Alaric, who's just had to put up with John smirkingly informing him that he's been messing with Jenna's mind in an apparently successful attempt to turn her against him, answers his phone. A moment later he bursts into the study where Damon is about to make his move and announces that they forgot about dessert. Elijah moves along but Damon is less than impressed. What follows is a silent exchange between Alaric and Damon in which Alaric lets Damon know about the dagger's fine print. When they return to the table Damon's hatred for John is written all over his face. He then makes a point of letting Elijah know that Elena hates John so there's no reason to keep him on the "endangered species" list. I would have loved to see Elijah take out John, but he instead informs them that if either of them become a liability he'll take Elena with him and they'll never see her again. Killjoy.
A few minutes later as Andie is talking to Elijah he suddenly lets out a tortured scream and then turns grey and veiny. It turns out Alaric stabbed him from behind in what has to be the awesomest moment of the show. I know I was caught completely off guard, and the looks on John and Damon's faces are priceless. Damon's reaction when Alaric orders him to get the body out of there is also brilliant.
Unfortunately, the whole awesome scene is negated when Elena reads that the dagger needs to stay in the Original's heart in order for them to stay dead "for all intents and purposes." Of course Alaric removed the dagger after "killing" Elijah. Sigh. Stefan gets on his phone again and a moment later we see Damon running to the cellar room where they took the body. Surprise (not really): the room is empty. Next scene is Elijah telling Luka's dad to find Elena.
Among the younger set, Luka confronts Bonnie about what she did to him but she claims she's unaware that anything happened. She also puts her relationship with Jeremy on hold until she can get Elena's blessing. Um. Okay. Has anyone ever met a teenager that would actually do this? What--is she afraid that Elena will think she's corrupting Jeremy or something? This isn't the episode's shining moment. And Jeremy's plans for a romantic evening turn into a night of witch practice. This could have had some promise when Jeremy suggests Bonnie "channel" his energy, but, alas, Luka's dad shows up in a really bad mood. He magically pins Jeremy against the wall and orders Bonnie to tell him what Luka told her while under her spell. She shows how weak she really is in this scene--just a little girl playing with a bit of power. And a moment later she doesn't have even that power anymore because the more powerful witch drained it all out of her. I should probably feel sorry for Bonnie but I think she really needed a comeuppance like this. Let's see how she copes with being an average human.
Up at the lake, Elijah arrives to collect Elena. He can't come inside the house but he can wait her out. So Elena threatens to do what she maybe should have done in the first place: she wants to renegotiate their deal or else she'll stab herself. But before she dies Stefan will turn her, making her useless to Klaus and, thus, Elijah. She wants Elijah to promise not to hurt anyone she loves even if they've hurt him. No deal: he decides to call her bluff instead.
My respect for Elena really shoots up when she actually does stab herself--in the stomach, no less. The girl's definitely got intestinal fortitude (pun more or less intended). Elijah panics when he sees she's in real danger and he begs her to let him heal her. He even gives his word not to hurt anyone she cares about. Once Elena is satisfied he'll play nice she stumbles over to him. And then she stabs him with the magic dagger. It seems Damon got there well before Elijah ever showed up, giving them time to come up with a decent, if painful, plan. Well played, gang. Then again, they store Elijah's body rather than, oh, I don't know--BURNING it, so we know that's going to come back to bite them (pun definitely intended). When will they learn?
Back at casa Salvatore, Jenna and Alaric are cleaning up after the disappearance of most of the dinner guests. He's trying to make things right with her but she's being cold, demanding to know what happened to Isobel. Alaric won't answer, and rightly so! What business is it of Jenna's anyway? But his lack of response somehow proves she can't trust him. Whatever--I think he can do better. Of course John chooses this moment to continue being an ass to Alaric. I thought Ric might kick his ass but instead he gives John back "his" immortality ring and tells him that after what he did to Damon, he'll need it more. Watching Damon get back at John should be quite entertaining.
Speaking of Damon, the episode ends with him heading into his room and finding Katherine in his shower. She tells him that she knew if she begged him not to do something he would go right out and do just that. But she also claims that she could have left town and didn't, and that she wants to help protect Elena. Yeah, not too sure about that but Damon doesn't seem to have much of an opinion either way (probably a little distracted by her nudity as she chats with him). And the plot thickens...
The show can go in any number of directions from this point, but it's probably safe to say that Elijah won't stay dead for long and Katherine will cause all sorts of mayhem. Then again, you never know with The Vampire Diaries. (I vote they find a way to bring Lexi back.)
Fang Files
Appearance: Pale human until the vampire emerges, then dark/red eyes, dark facial veins, and long, curved fangs. Dead vampires look extra veiny and grey.
Strengths: Super speed, strength, efficiency. Ability to move silently. Highly developed lurking abilities. Ability to compel humans (Originals can also compel other vampires).
Weaknesses: Starvation (ultimately turns a vampire into a living cadaver). Mystical daggers.
Mythology: Vampires need an invitation to enter a private residence. The only thing that will kill an Original vampire is a particular dagger dipped in the ashes of a particular tree and plunged into the vampire's heart. But the dagger can only be wielded by humans as any demon that attempts to use it will be destroyed along with the Original. Emotions are intensified for vampires; when they hurt, they really hurt and when they love...
Sound Bites
Stefan: Wow, Damon--don't tell me you're actually going to be careful for once. Damon: Yes, Stefan--I've become you. How tragic for both of us.
Elena: It sounds like you were Damon. Stefan: I was worse.
Stefan: [re: after he was turned] Hunt, prey, kill. That was all I knew.
Lexi: [seeing the dead girls left by Stefan] My god, you're a ripper.
Damon: There's no such thing as a bad idea...just poorly executed awesome ones.
Alaric: You said there wasn't going to be any violence. Damon: Says the guy who did all the killing.
The Vampire Diaries, Season 2 Episode 15 "The Dinner Party." Written by Andrew Chambliss. Directed by Marcos Siega. From The CW.
