I liked this episode better than last week's, but I think what's holding me back from loving the Bon Temps showdown is the fact that it's being swallowed by exposition. Even Evan Rachel Wood, making a strong debut as the vampire queen, was stuck spouting a lot of phlebotinum about the nature of maenads. This show is at its best when weird stuff is happening, but not as good when trying to explain the logistics.

I would much rather the show take up the queen's suggestion and just have Eric and Bill have sex with each other, because the sublimated sexual tension is just too much at this point. They keep arguing about Sookie, but at this point they seem about half a beat away from ripping each other's clothes off. "Stay away from Sookie! She is mine!" "I will do what I please!" "Kiss me!"

Now that's good television.

"True Blood" review: Evan Rachel Wood explains it all to us
by Ken Tucker

I think we can all agree on one thing after this week’s episode of "True Blood" (I mean besides the fact that Jason walking into a tree was sure-fire hilarious — nice writing, Alan Ball!): Evan Rachel Wood, playing Sophie-Ann, the Vampire Queen of Louisiana, made the best TV entrance of the year.

“Want to join me?” asked Sophie-Ann, going down on a willing young woman as only a vampire lesbian can. (Best line of the night -- "I haven't had a man please me since the Eisenhower administration.") There was nothing for "True Blood" to do but go straight to the opening credits: How do you top an intro like that?

Series creator Alan Ball, who wrote this episode, made the choice to play a lot of this week’s episode for laughs and campiness. The exhilarating thing is, this decision did not preclude the hour from also being scary and suspenseful. Having Bill come to Sophie-Ann to ask how to defeat the maenad Maryann and be forced to stick around for an endless game of Yahtzee — I can see sales of this game going through the roof tomorrow.

Wood may have learned a thing or two about making menace comical from hanging around with Marilyn Manson. On the other hand, Manson never had Alan Ball writing his material, and so Sophie-Ann’s explanation of how to deal with Maryann was specific, fascinating, and funny. (That Dionysus — who knew hoping for “his coming” is like waiting for Godot?)

Speaking of Maryann, she may not have had much to do this evening, but what she did was terrific: I’d hand Michelle Forbes an Emmy just for the way she delivered the line, “Must I do everything myself?!” (YES!)

While Jason and Andy prepared for Armageddon and a “zombie war,” as well as debating who’s had the more difficult life (Jason won, I think: “I work out like a m-f and I watch a lotta porn to learn stuff”), Sookie and Lafayette had to go try and rescue Tara from her reckless effort to save Eggs.

And I’ve left the best for last: Eric. Eric, lusting after two children (”teacup humans”). Eric, getting the best of Sam effortlessly. And Eric, giving a big fake sigh as he competed with Bill for Sookie, groaning, “Oh, Billy . . . ” Yes, on a night filled with superb performances, I think I have to give the biggest hand to Alexander Skarsgard.

So many questions to ask you:

What did you think of Sophie-Ann?

What did you make of that giant egg in the nest?

What was the funniest/scariest moment of the night?

And finally, how do you think "True Blood" is going to wrap things up in two weeks, on Sept. 13? (The 13th! Did Alan Ball plan it this way?)

quote:

Originally posted by 742:
I would much rather the show take up the queen's suggestion and just have Eric and Bill have sex with each other, because the sublimated sexual tension is just too much at this point.
Now that's good television.

God, the Queen earned me with that line!

I loved this episode I can't wait for the next.

Another stellar episode last night, but the best part for me was the Sookie/Lafayette interactions. Honestly, some of the funniest dialogue I've heard all year on TV:

S: How's your leg?
L: Better than ever.
S: Hmm. How'd that happen?
L: Eric made me drink his mf-in' blood, is how that happened.
S: Me too. He tricked me.
L: Somebody need to slap that b*t*h.
S: I have.

S: Lafayette, I need you to suck it up. I cannot do this alone.
L: I know.
S: We just need to get in, get Tara and get out.
L: Yup.
S: And if Maryanne gives us any trouble, you have to shoot her.
L: I will.
S: I mean it. Shoot her in the head.

They brought the LOLs last night.

I really do hope Michelle Forbes gets something for her work on this show. I don't expect the emmys to give her a nomination, but she sure deserves it.

Didn't care for Evan Rachel Wood, though.

quote:

Originally posted by markk:
I really do hope Michelle Forbes gets something for her work on this show. I don't expect the emmys to give her a nomination, but she sure deserves it.

Didn't care for Evan Rachel Wood, though.

I did not care for Wood, as well.. Can't tell if its her or the character I'm not feeling though. Her facial expressions and body movements were trying too hard. Again, it could just be the part.


Anna Paquin, Alexander Skarsgaard and Michelle Forbes are all excellent and nomination worthy on this show.

quote:

Originally posted by dannyboy:

quote:

Originally posted by markk:
I really do hope Michelle Forbes gets something for her work on this show. I don't expect the emmys to give her a nomination, but she sure deserves it.

Didn't care for Evan Rachel Wood, though.

I did not care for Wood, as well.. Can't tell if its her or the character I'm not feeling though. Her facial expressions and body movements were trying too hard. Again, it could just be the part.


Anna Paquin, Alexander Skarsgaard and Michelle Forbes are all excellent and nomination worthy on this show.

I like Wood, but didn't love her. Maybe with more material, I will love her. I do agree though that Anna Paquin, Alexander Skarsgaard, and Michelle Forbes ALL deserve Emmy nominations next year!!!!! Please get over your fear of vampires Emmys! Learn to love them, won't you?

I don't know if I'm ready to give Anna Paquin an Emmy nom because most of the time she was bad (but there were episodes in which she was actually really good). She's very inconsistent as an atress. But Skarsgaard and especially Forbes deserve Emmy noms!
As for this episode it was a real fun to watch. Loved interactions between Sookie and Lafayette. Oh, and is it me or Stephen Moyer is a one lousy actor? He overacts like there's no tomorrow.

Don't forget Deborah Ann Woll!!!

Yes, Forbes has been the standout for the 2nd half of the season. But for the first few episodes, Woll's tender & heartbreaking work was amazing. And even when the focus was no longer on Jessica, she still managed to provide comic relief during her brief scenes.

IMO, Woll, Skarsgard, and Forbes all deserve Emmy love. (Still iffy about Paquin, even if she was amazing in "I Will Rise Up".)

quote:

Originally posted by Scout:
Oh, and is it me or Stephen Moyer is a one lousy actor? He overacts like there's no tomorrow.

AMEN!!!

I've been ranting about this guy almost every week! Stephen Moyer has got to be one of the most TERRIBLE actors I've ever seen in my entire life!

His accent this season sounds so forced. He's really laying it on thick, and it sounds so fake & learned. Not natural at all. (Compare it to last season.) He overacts in every single scene. There isn't an ounce of authenticity in this man's acting.

Moyer makes the entire cast seem like a bunch of 10-time Oscar winners.

I have no idea what Moyer is doing most of the time. Everything from his line delivery to his facial expressions is so... baffling.

I feel the same way about Paquin. She has her moments, but there are times where she is downright awful.

I was disappointed with this episode, it was far from bad. But when a show delivers excellent episodes week after week. A "good" one is a little disappointing.

I have also noticed problems with Stephen Moyer this season, but since I liked him a lot in season one, I wonder if the problems largely arise from the character and not the actor. There was a dashing, alluring mystery about his vampirism last year. This season that mystery has waned, and up against ranking superiors like Eric, Godric, and Sophie-Anne, as well as his more powerful sire, there's a certain impotent quality to everything he says and does. When Eric dresses him down with ease and Bill comes back with a petulant refrain of "Stay away from Sookie!" it can't help but seem, ahem, toothless.

I thought Moyer was quite good earlier in the season before the trip to Texas, especially dealing with the growing pains of new vamp Jessica. I think the show needs to level the playing field somehow, like Spike and Angel on "Buffy." Right now, the easy, sexy confidence of Eric as played by Alexander Skarsgard is wiping the floor with Bill's mopey bellyaching. It's also a factor that the 6'4" Skarsgard physically towers over Moyer, making Bill seem all the more dominated.

Hasn't Skarsgard been Lead?


Like the mention of Deborah Ann Woll.. The scene with her family in the first half was nomination worthy.

quote:

Originally posted by 742:
I have also noticed problems with Stephen Moyer this season, but since I liked him a lot in season one, I wonder if the problems largely arise from the character and not the actor. There was a dashing, alluring mystery about his vampirism last year. This season that mystery has waned, and up against ranking superiors like Eric, Godric, and Sophie-Anne, as well as his more powerful sire, there's a certain impotent quality to everything he says and does. When Eric dresses him down with ease and Bill comes back with a petulant refrain of "Stay away from Sookie!" it can't help but seem, ahem, toothless.

I thought Moyer was quite good earlier in the season before the trip to Texas, especially dealing with the growing pains of new vamp Jessica. I think the show needs to level the playing field somehow, like Spike and Angel on "Buffy." Right now, the easy, sexy confidence of Eric as played by Alexander Skarsgard is wiping the floor with Bill's mopey bellyaching. It's also a factor that the 6'4" Skarsgard physically towers over Moyer, making Bill seem all the more dominated.

Solid analysis. I think you're right that Bill has been rendered impotent. And it doesn't help, also, that the character is something of a prig this season anyway.

The age-old problem of characters whose pure, abiding love sucks all of the energy and personality right out of 'em. Screenwriters blow it with distressing regularity.

If I were Alan Ball, I would certainly instruct my DPs not to film Skarsgaard and Moyer in a two-shot as they were seen at the end of this episode. Jesus, Eric looked like he was seven feet tall and Bill a wee little Hobbit! Moyer must be about 5'6 or 5'7 in real life.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Turtle,

quote:

IMO, Woll, Skarsgard, and Forbes all deserve Emmy love. (Still iffy about Paquin, even if she was amazing in "I Will Rise Up".)

Agree, although I'd pick Woll over Forbes.

I don't think Paquin has done anything worthy of any nominations. I wasn't that impressed with her in "I Will Rise Up."

I still think that Deborah Ann Woll's greatest moment was when Jessica first met Hoyt. That scene was so beautifully-played. You can see every emotion - from her hesitation to let Hoyt know that she was a vampire, to the relief & happiness of meeting someone who accepts what she is & thinks she's attractive.

Stephen Moyer is tolerable at best when Bill is being "normal". But when Bill gets aggravated and he starts shouting, that's when the overacting kicks in. It's not the writing, it's not the character - it's his line delivery. He pushes it too much. He forces it to have emotion, and it just doesn't seem authentic or natural.

(Case in point: that whole thing where he threatened to throw someone - Hoyt, I think - out of a closed window. His line delivery there was just ATROCIOUS!)

STEPHEN MOYER SUCKS. (Pun intended.)

I agree Moyer is painful to watch. Its like he is on a different show to me. Everyone else seems so natural and then he comes on screen and its like he is in a Wayans Bros. spoof of True Blood. He's that jarring. LOL

I also agree Michelle Forbes is Emmy worhty. She wont be nominated unless Emmy warms to the show, but she deserves it.

I think Ryan Kwanten deserves the Supporting actor nod before Skarsgard however. I personally don't get where all of his overwhelming praise and Season 2 MVP talk is coming from. Sure,he's lightyears ahead of Moyers but still outside of his one crying scene for Godric I wouldn't call anything he's done overly Emmy worthy. But that's me. He's still good though.

Woll is Great too, but Forbes would get in over her.

quote:

Originally posted by Turtle:

If I were Alan Ball, I would certainly instruct my DPs not to film Skarsgaard and Moyer in a two-shot as they were seen at the end of this episode. Jesus, Eric looked like he was seven feet tall and Bill a wee little Hobbit! Moyer must be about 5'6 or 5'7 in real life.

According to IMDb, Moyer is 5'10", a six-inch difference. But you're right. On the basis of that two-shot, the difference may as well have been six miles. Film in forced perspective or put Moyer in some lifts, or have Skarsgard stand in a ditch, like they did in "I Love You, Man" to reduce the size-difference between Paul Rudd and Jason Segel. Anything to fix that disparity.

I don't want to let Moyer off the hook for bad performances, but I will give him the benefit of the doubt for now. I really think he might improve if Bill is given some of his menace back in season three. I don't blame Moyer for struggling to bring presence to such an emasculated role; maybe that's the reason he seems to be trying too hard. He's younger and weaker than all the other supernaturals he's faced this season, markedly shorter than Eric, and thoroughly overpowered and overruled at every turn. Give this poor guy his balls back, and maybe Moyer will be able to smolder the way he did so effectively in season one. As it stands, Buffy would laugh this guy out of Sunnydale.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 742,

Episode Title: "Beyond Here Lies Nothin' "

Synopsis: The mayhem in Bon Temps reaches a fever pitch as Maryann prepares for her ultimate bestial sacrifice, conscripting Sookie to be Maid of Honor at the bloody nuptials; Sophie-Anne warns Eric to keep the lid on Bill's inquisitiveness; Jason leads Andy into the heroic abyss; Hoyt has a hard time swallowing Maxine's endless stream of insults; deliberating on what may be his final move to save Sookie and the town, Sam is forced to put his trust, and his life, in the hands of a most unlikely ally.

Guest Star: Evan Rachel Wood

Discuss.

SPOILERS herein



Well, the finale was highly entertaining.

I felt the Maryann stuff went on a bit too long, so I am glad it has come to an end. I actually enjoyed the aftermath scenes so much more. Great stuff w/ Sam revisiting his adopted family, Jessica's visit to the truck stop, Eggs' end (poor Tara and WTF w/ Jason), and the final scenes with Sookie and Bill.

Bill's kidnapping was not quite as great of a cliffhanger as last year's dead body in the car. Any speculation . . . was he taken by the Queen's minions, Eric, or was it his maker woman (can't remember her name)?

Episode Grade: A-
Season Grade: A

P.S. The credits said special appearance by Charlaine Harris. Who did she portray in the episode?