Welcome to our first Eric & Sookie Lovers’ True Blood Season 5 Episode Review! Myself, Evie, Nymerias and B will be taking turns recapping the episodes for you each week! We hope you enjoy reading our reviews this season!
After nine months of waiting for its return, we finally were reacquainted with our favorite characters, Eric and Sookie on True Blood. Albeit, they were not in the same scenes together, but at least we have a continuation of their story in new episodes.
On June 10th, True Blood returned with their premiere episode titled, “Turn, Turn, Turn”. In this episode, we learned that Pam is a ‘team player’, Steve Newlin is a lover – not a hater, vampire ‘siblings’ really do love each other, Weres eat their dead, and Guitar Hero is a game vampires play too. There were things we already knew (and was reaffirmed in this episode); Bill is still a creeper, Alcide’s ego is still as big as his body, and the rest of the storylines put me to sleep.
If you haven’t watched the episode yet – I highly suggest you do before you read this because I WILL be sharing some spoilers!
You’re either brave or fucktarded (my new favorite word, thanks to this episode) – my review is below.
Let me start off by saying – that as Eric and Sookie lovers, you will feel many mixed emotions over this episode. You will love it and hate it. I’m not going to force you to think the same way as me, but I hope you like reading it from an Eric and Sookie lover’s point of view.
The most interesting character’s storylines in the episode (for me) were; Eric, Sookie, Pam, Tara, Lafayette, Bill, Nora and Steve Newlin. The rest of the episode was just…blah. We’ll get the boring shit out of the way with first.
When the King’s away, the baby vamp will play
Bill left Jessica free reigns to the house. You know what that means to any young girl – let alone a baby vamp. P-A-R-T-Y. I love a good party, just like anyone else, but Jessica’s idea of a house party really sucked. Guitar Hero, seriously? Who were all those people anyways? Of course, Jessica and therefore Jason, decided to play a little love-game; by pretending they’re-just-not-that-into-each other, and hitting on other people at the party. This must have hurt for Jason, especially since Jessica had just helped him out when Steve Newlin confessed his undying love and devotion to him. Jason showed some smarts (for once) by deciding not to sleep with a girl at the party, and drove her home instead. We don’t know what Jessica will do with the guy she was making out with in front of Jason, but I have my suspicions that he’s number 1 on her list for a bloody midnight snack.
Were have all the good storylines gone?
Sam is approached by someone in Marcus’s pack, who wants to know what happened to their leader. They suspect that Sam knows the truth, and after some bribery (Luna and her daughter’s lives are threatened) Sam confesses to killing Marcus. Luna, of course, wants Sam to tell the truth, but he doesn’t. Sam meets some Were named Martha, who seems like the interim pack leader. He eventually agrees to lead the pack to their leader’s body, where they proceed to dig him up. Alcide arrives to confess that he is the guilty party, with Luna by his side. The pack (suddenly feeling hungry?) eat Marcus like puppy chow. Ewww…gross. Did I really have to see that? I guess I do, because Alan Ball loves to gross people out or shock them, so they will talk about it the next day.
Only US Marines have house fires
What are the odds that all of the ex-Marines in Terry’s platoon have had house fires, where some have even died? After watching this episode, I’d say the chances are pretty good. Too bad I find this storyline one of the most boring of them all. I love Terry and Arlene, but really…is this the best Alan Ball and his writers could think up for them? Let me guess…what happened in the past, is coming back to light a fire under their ass in the future.
Look kids…no clothes!
When Holly’s teenaged sons meet Andy, in a compromising position no less, for the first time it could only be called…AWKWARD. I’m sorry, but Andy looks better with clothes ON. Only brain-bleach could help take the images away. And WTF is up with Holly and her sons living in a tiny hotel room? Andy later on meets Judge Clements, who wants a free pass for one of the members of his family. Of course, Andy gives in, and lets the kid get away with it. If only we all had a judge in our families – maybe we wouldn’t get punished either?
I’m falling asleep while writing this. Let’s move on to the stuff that we REALLY care about. This part will be in deeper detail.
Eric, Nora and Bill
When the episode first starts, Eric is cleaning up the mess left when he and Bill killed Nan and her storm-troopers, while Bill was slacking off on the phone with Jessica. They both hear/feel Sookie’s cries for help, but Eric is still too hurt to want to help, while Bill wants to run to Sookie’s rescue. I know many of you (myself included) were bothered by this, but after watching the episode again, I realized that yes, WE NO LIKE, but at the same time…Eric is still hurt and angry at Sookie. Why would he go help her, when she just told him that she didn’t want him?
As for Bill being the first to run out of the house…it only proves what we’ve known all along. Bill is impulsive, reckless and doesn’t think before he acts. This can only spell trouble for Sookie’s health and well-being in the future if she ever chose to be with him. Wouldn’t you much rather have someone who had a plan? Or, someone who is at least cares enough to proceed with caution? I know I would. We don’t know whether or not Eric would’ve gone to Sookie’s aide eventually, but Bill and his dumb-ass move got them caught. Eric knew the Authority was there. You would think that Bill (since he’s Queen King) would have at least thought about it before rushing out of the house…oh wait, that’s right. Bill doesn’t think. Rest assured, I think Eric was the real target and not Bill. (I’ll get more into that later.)
From HBO GO
Eric and Bill are in the trunk of a car, which is the first time we see Nora. From what I’ve seen online, Alex and Stephen had a lot of fun while filming this scene (see image above). Too bad they didn’t keep certain lines in it, I think it would’ve been hilarious. Oh well…we got what we got instead. Eric and Bill stab a hole in the gas tank and proceed to light it on fire. KABOOM! Bill gets a piece of schrapnel in his shoulder from the explosion, then tells Eric to run. This part kind of pissed me off…since when is Bill the type to sacrifice himself for others? Of course, Eric follows this up with “I’m not leaving you…” mumbo-jumbo. Um, excuse me? Since when has Eric Northman cared this much about Bill? Is it because Bill is King and it would be considered treason? Or, is Eric returning the ‘favor’ from season 4, when Bill was going to execute him and decided not to? I really hate how they have Eric always bowing down to Bill, when Eric is older and wiser, and Bill only gained his throne with the help from Nan.
I was as surprised as Bill, to see Eric and Nora saying ‘hello’ with their lips and tongues, instead of words. We find out she’s Eric’s sister, who was turned by Godric too. It seemed strange and very weird to hear her talk about Godric. She didn’t seem to have any kind of emotion whatsoever to me. Nora explains that she had a plan to get Eric away. I think that Bill was added as an after-thought, because he would be the first person to blab it to everyone else including the Authority. You know the saying…keep your friends close, but your enemies closer? Hence, the bromance has begun. UGH.
Here is another thing that bugged me. Eric kept Nora a secret from Pam? REALLY? What was the point of that? I can see Eric not telling her that Nora is the Chancellor of the Authority, but not the fact that Nora is another child of Godric’s. I guess this vampire family never had very many family functions together. Or, the writers are making shit up again to suit the plot-of-the-moment’s needs.
When Eric and Nora have sex in the shipping container; I think it caused the highest amount mixed emotions out of any other scene within me. Call me shallow, but any excuse to see Skarsporn really makes me happy. They had great chemistry too. IT WAS HOT. I admit it. BUT, the shipper in me…the one who believes Eric belongs only with Sookie HATED IT. I hated the dialog between them during this. “I’ve missed you, sister. I’ve missed you, brother.” YUCK. And my ever favorite puke-worthy line, “We fuck like champions.” I know Eric was trying to brag about his prowess to Bill, but it just came off as being ‘cheesy’. Who talks that way? You would think the writers (who have come up with great lines in the past) could come up with better lines than those.
I have to say, I love how Bill was listening right outside while Eric and Nora were having sex. I wonder if he was jealous, or getting pointers from listening to them? For once, Bill didn’t bother me as much as he usually does. Maybe it’s because it was obvious that he was playing second fiddle.
The Eric/Nora sex was too soon in the season, IMO. We know nothing of Eric and Nora’s history, so we don’t understand WHY they would be having sex this soon after being reunited. I understand why Eric did it. It’s not that he loves Sookie any LESS than he did before. He’s heartbroken. He’s on the rebound. He is reverting back to his old ways. While I do think Eric and Nora truly love each other, I don’t think Eric loves Nora on the same level or emotional depth as he does with Sookie. What’s between Eric and Sookie is deep…it’s real. Through Sookie’s love, we get to see what’s hidden beneath the layers. All I’m saying is to not hate Eric or Sookie right now. We really don’t know anything. I already feel that Nora is only a temporary diversion and that (hopefully) Eric and Sookie will be reunited by the end of the season.
When Nora told Eric and Bill they will be having new identities; it had me bustin’ at the seams, it was so funny! Eric is now called, Ike Applebaum and Bill is now, Marcellius Clark. LMAO What’s even funnier, is the fact that if you take IKE and the last initial A. It spells out, IKEA! Hahahaha. I wonder if the writers planned that or are even aware of it? I wonder sometimes…
Sookie, Lafayette and Pam
Meanwhile, over at Sookie’s house…Debbie is dead, while Tara’s brains were scattered all over the kitchen. Sookie was calling for help at the top of her lungs. I have one question before I continue on. HOW IN THE HELL DID LAFAYETTE NOT HEAR SOOKIE SCREAMING BEFORE THE GUN WENT OFF? He must have been in a very deep sleep.
Pam enters the picture (very conveniently I might add) in search of Eric, so she can apologize to him. Her message received, she goes to leave, when Lafayette (of all people) asks her to turn Tara. Call me, SHOCKED. While I knew Tara would become a vampire, I didn’t think Laffy would be the person to ask Pam. I figured that Sookie would. But I’m happy about this. I would hate it if this had been Sookie’s idea, because we know she’s a creature of sunlight, not moonlight. For once the writers got it right…hopefully that will last, but I’m not going to hold my breath.
Why was Sookie surprised to find out Russell was alive? While she might have assumed he was dead, because Bill said so…I found this to be a glaring continuity error because Bill told her in Season 3 that Eric was dead at the same time, only to be proven it was a lie when Eric showed up at her door. You would think she wouldn’t assume anything Bill said was the truth after that, especially after she found out about his betrayal. Regardless, CONTINUITY FAIL.
I was really looking forward to Pam’s “Walmart” line, which I’d heard about through spoilers. I was happy to see she didn’t disappoint. She really has ‘team spirit’, if she agreed to suffer the indignities of wearing something like that. Gotta love Pam! I completely enjoyed all of her snarky grumpiness in this episode. I can tell she and Tara are going to have a beautifully funny maker/progeny relationship.
All in all…this episode had a lot of hilarious moments, and we get new screencaps and images to devour, and I can’t wait to see what happens next with Eric, Sookie and Pam. It helps to look at the show and the books as separate entities (which I’ve realized you have to do to be able to enjoy it from an Eric and Sookie lover ‘s perspective). However, there were too many storylines, and some of the acting wasn’t stellar. Maybe it was the writing? It was hot and cold in this episode. The continuity will be an ‘issue’ again this year, and part of the problem is there are too many cast members. Not enough Eric (but hasn’t that always been the truth?), and no Eric and Sookie interaction (at which I say BOO). This must happen every episode.
I guess we’ll have to wait and see how this season progresses.
Screencaps courtesy of SkarsgardFans.com
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