Thoughts on “True Blood” Season 5 So Far

If you were reading my reviews of True Blood last summer you know that I had very strong feelings about season 4, most of which can be summarized as “Fuckin’ Sookie” and “Who are all these other creatures and am I supposed to care?” Despite my attachment to Eric, Pam and Jessica, after that train wreck of werepanthers and witches I wasn’t sure that I would be returning to season 5, and I almost didn’t.

After several assurances that this season wasn’t as bad as the last I decided to give it a shot. This past weekend I mainlined the 8 episodes that have already aired and come to the conclusion that it is in fact an improvement on the disaster that was True Blood’s fourth season.

Pam and Eric Forever

Pam and Eric have the most compelling relationship on True Blood. It’s been their bond that I’ve been most invested with from the get-go, far beyond any of Sookie’s entanglements, holding my interest even through last year’s mess. Their century long relationship is a complex and layered one between maker and progeny, lovers, business partners, father and daughter, is brought to life by the amazing work by Kristen Bauer Van Straten and Alexander Skarsgard. The connection between them is electric; I can no longer see one on screen without thinking about the other.

Pam’s love for Eric is unquestionably eternal as is his for her; though as we learn through flashbacks this season the origin of their story another layer of complexity falls into place. Pam had coerced Eric into turning her, his first and only progeny was not his choice and there is an element of resentment in that relationship beneath the love.

The moment Pam and Eric decided to part was absolutely heartbreaking. Bauer and Skarsgard gave performances that draws the viewer in and makes them feel. It is more than a break-up of lovers or partners, it’s a father choosing to abandon his daughter and more. It’s an emotional moment of investment that we don’t see too often on True Blood, reserved for those small sweet moments between Hoyt and Jessica before that turned very, very, ugly,* or Lafayette and Jesus before that came apart too. For True Blood Pam and Eric should be eternal, they are stronger when they are together (even if not on screen together) than when apart.

*Read the Io9 piece that point out how totally gross Hoyt’s (and Jason’s) actions have been lately. Being heartbroken is no excuse to point a gun at your ex, even if she’s undead. Now that I type it out it sounds obvious but it’s True Blood we’re talking about. So read it.

Lala is all alone

Lafayette has always been one of the most interesting and compelling characters. He is basically set adrift with his own go nowhere storyline this season and that is a damn shame. He is a whole lot of fabulous to waste. When he is on screen however it is absolutely wonderful, his strange scene with Jesus in the car in last week’s “Somebody That I Used to Know” was just about he sweetest kind of closure you can get on True Blood. If it is closure, could Jesus return as a ghost, spirit…something else?

I still don’t care about you or your boring little storylines

Yep, I’m looking at you werewolves, shifters, witches, even Terry and Arlene. I just don’t care. You are all boring. Alcide should stick around though, just in more interesting stories. Joe Manganiello is a great actor and handsome to boot, do we really need to watch him throw down with a bunch of boring V-addled weres? I don’t think so.

Vamp!Tara is too little too late

Tara has always suffered from either playing second to Sookie, or simply being a mess of self-hate. Rutina Wesley is a beautiful, talented actress and she’s gotten nothing over four seasons that has made me care for, or identify with her character one bit. I always wanted to be interested in Tara, and then I just wanted her character to stop.

When Sookie and Lala decided to turn Tara against her will at the beginning of season 5 it seemed obvious all along that this the makeover her character needed, changed perspective and distance her from Sookie.

Keeping Tara “alive” may have been one of the most selfish things that girl has done and selfish is pretty much her style. Though it seemed like a good idea, I’m already too far gone on Tara, too used to being completely uninterested in her character and her storylines. Even pairing her with my beloved Pam or Jessica might not be enough to save her. There are still 4 episodes left to prove me wrong.

Thank Lilith for Beautiful People

The thing this show consistently does right and does often is cast beautiful people and display them in various states of undress doing activities like running, showering, fucking or just hanging out. Sometimes these beautiful actors have excellent chemistry and sparks fly all over the screen (Sookie and Alcide, Eric and anyone, Jason and anyone, Jessica and most people). Characters like Alexander Skarsgard’s Eric Northman would have chemistry with a push-broom if that’s what they paired him with, fortunately though; he gets much more attractive partners.

Lilith help me if Eric walking out of that shipping container in the premiere, (unfortunately) putting his pants back on, saying “We fight like siblings but we fuck like champions” then giving the most adorable and sexy self satisfied grin wasn’t the best, sexiest moment of the season and let’s be real, isn’t that what this show is really about?

Some other stray observations:
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• Russell Edgington doesn’t seem to have the same grandeur or flare he once had when he was first introduced, it’s kind of disappointing.
• Steve Newlin getting all up in Russell Edgington is a sight to behold, that pair might be something to look out for in last section of the season
• The Hoyt/Jessica hate story went from sweet and adorable to heartbreaking to absolutely disgusting so fast that I don’t even know how to process it. I don’t like it. Jessica deserves way better.
• Friendship with Jessica might actually make Tara palatable *fingers crossed* they both need a friend right now. Maybe Tara’s influence will keep Jessica from apologizing and thanking the men who point guns at her and actually shoot her. With Dad on the road and into the crazy she could use some guidance.
• Bill & Eric together are kind of amazing when they aren’t fighting over Sookie
• Did anyone else get the Angel/Darla/Spike/Drusilla vibe from the period flashbacks?
• When the Vampires drank Lilith blood and went wacky and had a bloody vamp orgy in New Orleans I couldn’t help but feel like the shock value was dampened by the fact that we had already kind of done this with Maryann the Maenad way back in season 2.The Fae are so pretty and crazy and magical, but can they be interesting too?

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What do you think of this season of True Blood so far?