True Blood Review: Why Must the Authority Always Win?

There are times I am not sure which is worse; the time between the seasons or the week between Sundays during the summer.

Well my fellow addicts, we have had some time to reflect on Episode 50 (Authority Always Wins). And as expected, it was very jam-packed.

My first impressions of it were:

• Yes! There was my cocky Viking. Even under intense interrogation
• Ms Sookie has some zingers.
• Pam took us on a walk through memory lane… and we meet Eric in tops and tails.
• Steve had me chair dancing when he danced on-screen.
• Roman and the Authority… made me want to quote Russell. I like Eric normally want to stay away from politics and religion.
• The non Vamp story lines still bored me.

Those were just some of my first impressions after watching the East Coast airing. I was feeling “Wow that was an entertaining episode; I can’t believe it went by so fast.” I was feeling content until I started seeing some of the screen caps and realized there was way more to the episode then I remembered. It was a did-I-just-see-the-same-show type of feeling… and I didn’t like it. So I did the only logical thing… watched the episode a couple of more times to make sure I “got it”.

Mission Completed… I think.

As noted before, this episode was jammed packed with characters and stories. Did we need all of the stories, not really… but it gave you an excellent time to go refresh your drink.

Party Animals:

I fully admit I am Team Vamp and any other story line will probably bore me. From the human story line, the main piece of information I truly deemed as important was Jason and Andy finding Debbie Pelt’s car since it has the known potential to trigger the investigation into her disappearance. The time in the police station bull pen, the time spent at the Foytenberry house, the Terry/Arlene scenes… made me want the Vamp time even more.

Though on a serious note, PTSD is not a toy and Todd and Carrie handled their scenes with aplomb. It is tough watching your loved one get lost in the past that he reacts a bit violently physically and verbally.

“Shifting” over to the Were/Shifter story lines… I yawned for the most part. The shock value of the pack eating Marcus wore off in episode 1… And the posturing of Alcide and what’s his name over the pack master role both of them didn’t want Alcide to have. We also say “Cyanora” to Sam and Luna for the moment after Luna made it clear that Emma is her daughter and she wasn’t going to let her be part of the crazy pack. Their fight was a bit rushed in my opinion. Granted… it was an intense night for them and Luna was in mother mode protecting her young… before her surprise

Isn’t she cute?

Sookie, Tara and Lafayette:

Baby sitting is tough. Baby sitting a Baby Vamp as a human is near impossible. Sookie and Lafayette get a crash course with Tara after she rises and tries to make Sookie her first meal. Pam is initially entertained by Tara’s antics of tossing the humans around until Tara starts sucking away, then with an “As your Maker” Laffy and Sookie are both off the menu. On Pam’s part, this was probably to help ensure Sookie is around to help get Pam and Eric back together.

On their own with Tara and her “redecorating” of the house, Sookie and Lafayette are doing their best to take care of her and each other through this new phase. Lafayette is hit with the enormity of what they had done to Tara (tries to stake her. Sookie stops him in time). I have to agree it was selfish to want to have her turned into something she hates, especially when you are not sure if her personality is intact. He was not ready to lose two people he loved in such a short amount of time, even if she was not fully Tara.

Sookie’s visit to the Stake House entertained me to no end. 1) She was being proactive about the Russell issue and her security (buys a silver mister) and 2) She used her telepathy to tell the redneck owner off when he started to show her cross bows. I’m still cracking up.

Tara, Tara, Tara… I know when she was turned missing half her brain, we all speculated that she might be like “Bubba”. So when she rose and was extremely violent and not talking, we felt our worst fears were realized. I think her acts of aggression were in line with a baby vamp that was turned with a lot of anger and pain in her and could not verbalize her frustrations.

You could say she was seeing red… until she spoke after rising for her second night. Her speaking, and clearly, gave us a “WTH” moment since she was missing half her brain when she was turned. But thanks to the suspension of disbelief and a note in the HBOGo Interactive features, we learned her brain was regenerated in 24 hours. Thanks to the magic of television… and a pen that saves everyone from dying *head desk*.

Pam:

Our Viking’s Childe must have a section on her own for me to pay homage too, for like last week KBVS was brilliant in her performance as Pam. We saw many many sides to Pam this episode emotionally and literally as we saw got our first glimpse of Pam as she was human… meeting her Maker-to-be.

While there have been major consistency issues with a majority of the story lines, One of the major constants is Pam is

“Vampire and Proud of it”. In my opinion, this is apparent as she laughs at her new child’s antics of tossing Sookie and Lafayette around before stepping in to stop Tara from draining Sookie… and losing the favors owed to her from Sookie. Pam kept her game face on while dealing with Ginger upon her arrival at Fangtasia, treating her with the sarcasm we all know and love. It’s her shield or buffer, from having a “human moment” in front of humans. A bit redundant, but makes perfect sense after reading an expanded blurb from the HBOGo Interactive feature. The only time Pam showed emotion was when she tried calling Eric or remembered how they first met.

And boy how did they meet.  I would have to say the Flashback scenes of how Pam is made are most anticipated of this season for 2 reasons; Pam as a human and Eric in period dress (HOT is an understatement). Granted, I’m still not thrilled that they made Pam a Madam… but on the flip side, careers for women in any time period are tough to come by. Skipping over the brothel moments where she finds one of her girls dead (by vampire??), Pam was saved by Eric when she was being attacked by a man with a knife. It was a throat gripping and ripping moment done with the sophistication of our Viking Vampire… he has such flair. As expected… you can totally see the chemistry between Alex and Kristin and their exchange and the beginning of a seduction. Alex as our Eric was utterly brilliant and had us all melted with that smile at the end. You have to wonder why Pam was not flipped out by the blood licking or the vamp speed. Shock maybe? Or it could be the lack of flip out from her that leads Eric to NOT Glamour her and sets us up for their next encounter in next week’s episode. Ahem

Team Vamp:

This episode was very strong in the vamp story line this week. It was a given with the episode title this week that we were meeting the Authority and Roman. Of course seeing Eric being led into the facility in handcuffs dampens the appeal a tad. I find I have so many questions about Salome. What is her relationship to Nora? Could it be more of a mentor/mentee as well as a co council member? What is the driving factor behind her fascination with Eric? Not that we blame her. Based on her comment that he was taller than expected at her introduction and how she specifically lies to him that Nora was killed during the interrogation. Her intelligence gathering could give Varys a run for his money, and I want to know how she knows.

Naïve, thy name is Bill Compton. That is probably the nicest way I could put it. Why you ask? I knew his attempt to “fall on his own petard” by trying to say Nora and Eric were not involved and to blame him instead was not going to work. Complete naivety, cause it led to a few rounds of UV torture… before the introduction to the electronically refined silver through an IV… the vamp way of water boarding. But they both held strong and didn’t fall for the tricks to break them

Roman, you know how to make an entrance. My attendance was guaranteed because one Eric Northman was in the scene. Then we had the razzle dazzle of a vampire communion before being teased (yet again) that Bill would be staked.

If only. My temper was rising with the “True death for Northman means true death for Northman” comments, cause we all know her majesty pushed that recommendation through on a lie or 5. I digress. I wasn’t too impressed with the council, but then I’m not too impressed with legislative bodies at the moment. Corrupt, all of them. Everyone has an agenda. Whether it’s personal or for the “greater good of the race” to mainstream vs. the hidden faction in the Authority vs. the Sanguinistas, it’s not about the idea… just who can sell it better. (Hitler started the same way).  Of course before Roman could pronounce judgment, it gets revealed that Russell is not only not dead but loose and who better to search for him then the 2 whom he probably wants to kill.

On a happier note, Jessica and Steve were pure comic relief this episode between the party and the TV appearances.

Eric:

I bet you were shocked I wait this long to focus on Eric

It was intentional, so I could reward myself after discussing everyone else. I think I deserve it. He had several one liners this week that were pure cocky Viking Vampire that I love. A few well-timed smirks that even torture could not shake… and made the panties go poof. Though what almost made him crack were a few well placed mentions of Nora. There was a fire in his eyes during the flashback scene… once you cool down after seeing him in a top hat and tails. His licking of his bloody fingers brought back memories of Roy and his juice box of a heart.

Alex was brilliant as usual in his delivery and that he is giving it his all no matter what.

After all my viewings, I can say that yes I enjoyed the episode. Could they do it better and not have all the unnecessary story lines? Of Course they could. We would all love for them to focus more on Eric and Sookie, but I will take the increased vampire story line any day over the animal one.

As fan of mythology, the incorporation of Lilith into the vampire story line amuses me to no end. As does the Vampire Bible. Because Eric said it best “Yeah, I’m trying to stay away from politics as much as possible… and religion.”