Sunday, June 16, 2013

'True Blood' 601 Review - "Who Are You, Really?"


HBO
Season six of True Blood is shaping up to be an exploration of power, and how those who have it can grow corrupt and lose themselves to it.
 Several key members of the cast have wound up in positions of power with the most obvious being Bill who appears to be partly Lilith re-born and has a whole slew of new supernatural powers to go with it.  There were several points in the episode where I, like Sookie and Eric, was questioning if this really was Bill.  I didn’t believe it until his scene with Jessica later in the episode, and if there’s anyone we should trust about it still being Bill it should be his progeny.  She also rightfully points out that whatever they left back at the Authority HQ was not Bill, he was a monster.  I am always a sucker for the maker and progeny relationships on this show so it was great to see him say she was the only person he could trust to keep him from losing his mind to all this new power.  Now we have to hope that Jessica will be able to do just that and not be consumed by it as well.


HBO
Especially with the vampires it’s just all too easy to be sucked into their bullshit even if you don’t want to be, and if you don’t believe me ask Sookie Stackhouse.  The struggle for Sookie’s power and everyone jostling to possess it seems to have come to a close for now as far as the vampires are concerned.  Unlike a certain other supernatural show with a female lead love triangle in it, when Sookie makes a decision about her life and not wanting to be involved with vampire shenanigans anymore at leats Eric lets it stand.  Hell, his was the smoothest exit after an invitation was rescinded ever!  Hopefully Bill will also respect these wishes and I think Sookie being able to stake him when he was seemingly about to kill Eric should give him pause.  Not that the stake actually harmed him in the slightest though but it’s the intent that counts here right?


HBO
The vampire community at large seems to have a bigger enemy to worry about however, I mean is it just me or does everyone get more concerned about a big bad who tells the audience he isn’t the big bad? Governor Burrell in one fell swoop during his introductory press conference filled with conniving double-talk tactics puts into motion the consequences for the vampires and the Authority declaring war on humans last season. However, the man certainly has something else up his sleeve when he invites one of the company owners that makes Tru Blood to a bottling plant with a proposition to be partners.  His kindness seems too good to be true and his reasoning behind it is all too perfect as well.  It’s an important thing to remember Bill’s story about General Sherman’s rampage and madness because I don’t think it’s meant to line up against his own power struggle, so much as it’s meant to foreshadow Burrell's.  

The last big power player this season so far is Alcide, he’s packmaster now and the power is already getting to him when he decides to have fun with one of the new pack girls after the run.  But we’re then treated to one of the episodes biggest true assertions of power when Rikki shows up and does much more than just be pissed off and start a fight. She asserts her dominance over the girl and reminds Alcide that she’s his number one bitch.  The use of canine dominance techniques is what won me over there as well.  The real trouble with Alcide’s power is that he’s surely going to get mixed up with Sam and Emma now that Luna is dead.  I was really bummed that they killed her off, but it was an obvious turn from how little her character was being teased everywhere else.  So this season really doesn’t seem like it’s going to be the one where Sam is able to get away from the whole werewolf business.



HBO
Overall this episode was a good start to the season. Burrell has me intrigued and I want to know more about what his deal is. I hope he won’t end up like Roman last season, a hyped big bad that turned out to be anything but.  But to be completely honest I’m most looking forward to seeing Steve Newlin again as he was a shining gem last season and I want him back now!  We got a taste of the public’s reaction to Luna shapeshifting as him, so I wonder if the vampire hoax is going to be something he’ll have to deal with when he does show up again.

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