True Blood Week #2 updates! [View all]

[LynneSin]

Another great episodes with only a few hiccups.

I'm reading the various reviews about last week's episode and it seems like everyone loves the Vampire Steve Newlin storyline. Here is a guy freed from his shackles of hatred who is loving life as a Gay Vampire American. I think I speak for many of us when we question just who turned Steve Newlin but suddenly he seems like the new face of the Vampire Authority (since Nan Flanigan went the way of the stake). The interesting thing about the Steve Newlin arc is all the possiblities it could deliver since there are so many questions about how this guy ended up as a Vampire. And I'm sure we'll eventually see Mrs. Newlin back in the picture. Will she be converted to vampire? Did the Newlins divorce go thru? Or perhaps Sarah Newlin will become a Fang banger (or go running to Jason for support). My kudos to the writers and Alan Ball for bringing back Steve Newlin (done amazingly well by talented actor Michael McMillian) and building a strong storyline for him that involves many of the regulars in Bon Temps. So far it seems to be just Jason and Jessica but I can see it expanding once Bill & Eric return to Bon Temps.

If Steve Newlin is the best story of the week then the absolutely worst still goes to Arlene/Terry/Terry's friend whose name always escapes me each week because I could care less about this storyline. When True Blood first started - Arlene and Terry were nothing more than secondary characters that filled out the staff at Merlotte's. Arlene had a bit of a storyline because she was engaged to Rene, the man they discovered was killing all the women in Bon Temps. Terry had even less TV time - he was mainly that kookie cook that had a bit of interaction with Sam, Lafayette or cousin Andy. But not much. In season #2 saw the hookup between Arlene and Terry mainly because they were constantly under control of maenad Maryann. But once again they were really just a minor part of a storyline. Arlene and Terry shine when they are a part of a bigger storyline. Arlene is funny and a bit high-strung and counters nicely against Terry and his PTSD he got from the Iraq War. But giving them their own storyline, which started in Season #3, has been one of the downpoints of True Blood. Two people who could bolster a main storyline like the Serial Killer from Season #1 or Maenad from Season #2 just failed miserably on their own. Rarely do they bring in any of the other supernaturals or main characters and their screen time just seems long and boring. I'd love to see the True Blood writers do to Arlene/Terry storyline like they did with the were-panthars - Recognize it's not working and get rid of it.

Another storyline that's borderline for me is the Lafayette/Sookie/Vampire Tara one. It's not Arlene/Terry bad but it needs to pick-up some if it's to be a viable storyline. Sookie has always shined as the star because she was doing something crazy with either Bill or Eric but lately she seems a bit lost. The season is only on it's second episode so I'm going to give it a chance but we need to move on. Vampire Tara needs to hang out with other Vampires, Sookie needs to get back working with Bill and/or Eric and Lafayette needs a good storyline for himself. Now that LaLa has all these powers including his late boyfriend's Brujoha's powers (the Mexican Witch), he could work out well with the Vampires.

Wow, I loved seeing the Authority. That was some great scenary chewing and hats off to whomever cast Chris Meloni as the head of the Vampire Authority. I thought the touture scenes were well done (and scary - liquid silver pumped into your veins) and it was really interesting how they built up the Vampire faith with their own bible and goddess Lilith. I love the bromance they have built between Eric and Bill, 2 vampires once at great odds with each other. Either of them could have caved during torture but instead held steadfast in protecting Nora, Eric's blood sister (something not known by the Authroity). It was really killer to see Eric & Bill play their final trump card - that Russell Edgington was still alive. Who would have thought that lil tidbit could spare Bill & Eric from the True Death? Of course we got a glimpse of Russell, who is still recovering from his cement grave. I was suprised to see that his fang grew back. I thought once you lost they didn't come back.

Sorry I don't have more this week. It was a tough weekend with the hospital. I haven't even done a 2nd viewing of TB this week but probably will tonight.

Would love to hear your opinions!