(S3. E12) My Live Reaction / Review for True Blood Season 3 Episode 12 ''Evil Is Going On''. Episode 11 was good and I gave it a rating of 9/10. Let's see if this one is better or worse. Eric decided to save the King? Why? They should have left him in the sun to die. Sookie destroyed Talbot's remains? That's brutal. Felton is nuts, shooting everybody. What happened? Did Sam's brother steal his money? Tara cut her hair? Looks nice. Seems like the King wont be in future episodes after they put him in cement. Once again Bill and Sookie break up, they break up all the time, its annoying at this point. Overall this was a good episode but not great, my rating is... 8/10.
3 Reviews
Season 3: Not quite as wonderfully mad as previous seasons but still richly odd and engaging throughout
bob the moo13 March 2011
I cannot watch this show without being reminded of my own misguided preconceptions about what I thought it was going to be before I started watching the first season. I had it in my head that it would be an oh-so-clever allegory for real life that wears this aspect on its sleeve for all to see and that this would be so much of the show that there would be little else for me if I didn't like that. Of course finishing the third season reminds me of this because I was very wrong and am so glad I ignored what I thought it would be and just let the show do its thing. True Blood continues to play to its strengths in this third season. It is filled with excess, it has busy plots full of trashy twists and turns, it is funny, it is gory, it is trashy and it does it all while remaining a really strong, enjoyable and engaging show. My worry about it being all clever and acting as a reference point to the real world is not valid because the world in True Blood never feels like it has been created to make digs at the real world – it feels like it is "real", by which I mean it creates this word and it does it in a very convincing way, so that you stay with it because no matter what happens, it makes sense within the context of this world.
Season 3 expands the world of mythical creatures to include werewolves and also some other creatures/forces into the mix and it does this into a plot that involves vampire politics (small p and big p), revelations about relationships we have come to care about, lots of strong characters and loads of gore – and I mean loads of it. It is not quite as brilliant as the first two seasons, but it is still very good indeed because of how well it is put together, how well it uses its locations and it characters and how much stuff it has going on that actually works. It works in the same way that 24 works (sort of) in that it is the manner of delivery that makes it so. It is trashy but yet the viewer is in this trashy world of heat, of violence, of sex, of mythical creatures, of politics, of love and of lust – we are in there and so when things happen in any of these aspects they make sense and of course we go with them.
The werewolves were not a brilliant addition this time and their value within the plot was always very much a supporting one. I wasn't a massive fan of how much gore there was as well; True Blood has always been excessive and gaudy of course but previously it balances this well across sex, violence, drugs and other vices – here it is very heavy on the gore and so many scenes are swimming in blood, entrails and gore. I accept this of course as part of the show but at times it is nearly overdone and did put me off a little bit. Among all the sleaze, betrayals, deaths, murders, sex and love the show maintains a really good sense of the absurdity of it all and it weaves in this comedy in a way that enhances rather than detracts from the material. Sooki doing a Bill impression is the highlight but additions such as the character of Franklin is another example; OK not the strongest thread of the season but he is an absolute riot as he mixes danger with insanity. Likewise the preening Talbot is great.
The cast continue to totally get it – and by it I mean the excess, the trashy nature of it but yet also the need for the viewer to be able to be with it and not for it to be silly or played badly. Paquin is great of course but Moyer, Kwanten and Skarsgård get more of the good material. Wesley is good but as before she is generally only good with her eyes – it is effective but I do think she doesn't have that great a range compared to the others. Bauer is fun while Trammell makes his slightly sidelined role better by his presence. Ellis is as large as life and just as fun as before. I could continue to list them all because in fairness the cast doesn't really have any weak links – special mention to O'Hare, Alexander and Frain who I thought were all really good additions to the cast in terms of their characters and their performances.
Overall I don't think that season 3 was quite as great as the previous two, but only because it had aspects and threads that didn't quite work as well as others whereas I didn't have this reservation in the first seasons. However it is still great stuff because these "weaker threads" were still pretty good and generally the show maintains all the qualities that have made me love it since the first episode. It is gaudy, violent, trashy, ridiculous, dramatic, funny, bloody, engaging and, most importantly, remarkably consistent in tone and quality.
Season 3 expands the world of mythical creatures to include werewolves and also some other creatures/forces into the mix and it does this into a plot that involves vampire politics (small p and big p), revelations about relationships we have come to care about, lots of strong characters and loads of gore – and I mean loads of it. It is not quite as brilliant as the first two seasons, but it is still very good indeed because of how well it is put together, how well it uses its locations and it characters and how much stuff it has going on that actually works. It works in the same way that 24 works (sort of) in that it is the manner of delivery that makes it so. It is trashy but yet the viewer is in this trashy world of heat, of violence, of sex, of mythical creatures, of politics, of love and of lust – we are in there and so when things happen in any of these aspects they make sense and of course we go with them.
The werewolves were not a brilliant addition this time and their value within the plot was always very much a supporting one. I wasn't a massive fan of how much gore there was as well; True Blood has always been excessive and gaudy of course but previously it balances this well across sex, violence, drugs and other vices – here it is very heavy on the gore and so many scenes are swimming in blood, entrails and gore. I accept this of course as part of the show but at times it is nearly overdone and did put me off a little bit. Among all the sleaze, betrayals, deaths, murders, sex and love the show maintains a really good sense of the absurdity of it all and it weaves in this comedy in a way that enhances rather than detracts from the material. Sooki doing a Bill impression is the highlight but additions such as the character of Franklin is another example; OK not the strongest thread of the season but he is an absolute riot as he mixes danger with insanity. Likewise the preening Talbot is great.
The cast continue to totally get it – and by it I mean the excess, the trashy nature of it but yet also the need for the viewer to be able to be with it and not for it to be silly or played badly. Paquin is great of course but Moyer, Kwanten and Skarsgård get more of the good material. Wesley is good but as before she is generally only good with her eyes – it is effective but I do think she doesn't have that great a range compared to the others. Bauer is fun while Trammell makes his slightly sidelined role better by his presence. Ellis is as large as life and just as fun as before. I could continue to list them all because in fairness the cast doesn't really have any weak links – special mention to O'Hare, Alexander and Frain who I thought were all really good additions to the cast in terms of their characters and their performances.
Overall I don't think that season 3 was quite as great as the previous two, but only because it had aspects and threads that didn't quite work as well as others whereas I didn't have this reservation in the first seasons. However it is still great stuff because these "weaker threads" were still pretty good and generally the show maintains all the qualities that have made me love it since the first episode. It is gaudy, violent, trashy, ridiculous, dramatic, funny, bloody, engaging and, most importantly, remarkably consistent in tone and quality.
Disappointing ending to Series - shame as its been good
JammyBux5 April 2011
Warning: Spoilers
I can only assume they are building it up for series 4 but my wife and I were disappointed with the ending to season 3.
Spoilers ahead.
What was good.
Eric telling Sookie of Bill's deceit. Sookie taking her revenge on Russell Hoyt and Jessica finally getting their own place, lets hope we see more of her in the next series (Literally). Lafayette seeing things (S4 buildup I'm sure).'
Poor.
Drawn out start at Fangtasia
Russell's imprisonment, No Were's in recent weeks after a huge buildup about it.
Eric's escape from the concrete not explained very well, we get a few words from Pam so have to assume she managed it after avoiding the assassin. Less time in fangtasia and a scene here would have been better.
Sookie going to the light (can only assume its all building up for Season 4).
Favorite show but were were left disappointed by the season finale.
Spoilers ahead.
What was good.
Eric telling Sookie of Bill's deceit. Sookie taking her revenge on Russell Hoyt and Jessica finally getting their own place, lets hope we see more of her in the next series (Literally). Lafayette seeing things (S4 buildup I'm sure).'
Poor.
Drawn out start at Fangtasia
Russell's imprisonment, No Were's in recent weeks after a huge buildup about it.
Eric's escape from the concrete not explained very well, we get a few words from Pam so have to assume she managed it after avoiding the assassin. Less time in fangtasia and a scene here would have been better.
Sookie going to the light (can only assume its all building up for Season 4).
Favorite show but were were left disappointed by the season finale.
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