TV Review: True Blood 5.1, "Turn! Turn! Turn!"
Alan Ball’s final venture into everyone’s favorite gothic soap opera opened with the fast pacing, cheeky humor, and enough plot threads to weave a brand new silk kimono for Lafayette that fans fell in love with – and no faeries!
rating: 4
Welcome to season five of True Blood more characters, sex, betrayal, blood, and puns about Sookies super snatch. Alan Balls final venture into everyones favorite gothic soap opera opened with the fast pacing, cheeky humor, and enough plot threads to weave a brand new silk kimono for Lafayette that fans fell in love with and no faeries! Yes, the previous twelve episodes constituted a bigger mess than that time that vampire got killed (remember that time?), but this season premiere gives me hope that the tailspin the series gradually dipped into post season two is about to take a turn for the better. Optimism aside though, whats become one of True Bloods calling cards is potentially its fatal flaw too much time devoted to too many insignificant stories. There was plenty to get excited about here but it wouldnt be True Blood without plenty of fat to trim. But first and foremost is what has so far been the delightful plunge into directly confronting The Authority (just typing those words fills me with southern drawl and goose bumps). Im so excited to finally meet The Authority because it is at the crux of the series most intriguing element that of the vampire society which in the True Blood universe has been attempting to coexist openly with human society. What began in season one as a clever and fun way of examining issues surrounding the integration of various others (pick whatever subjugated or persecuted minority population you wish to fill this slot, it works with them all) into mainstream society gradually dissolved into the backdrop in favor of murder mysteries and love triangles. We saw hints of The Authority sprinkled a bit more liberally throughout the third season and in the fourth it was tragically dangled just out of reach to the point that the show practically broke its ankles dancing around it, but finally well apparently be tossed by a silver chainmail net into the schism that is dividing The Authority with all the excitement and intrigue that comes with warring factions of a shadow organization. The ferryman into this exciting new territory is Erics sister, Chancellor Nora, who the audience had to quickly put together is not Erics biological sister from his human life, but his sister in the sense that she too was sired by Godrick, the tragically dusted by the sun enlightened vampire whom sired Viking Eric. Her presence is welcomed not only because shes bringing the audience closer to a long alluded to plot element, but because her genuine plans to help Bill and Eric escape the clutches of The Authority are foiled by the episodes closing. All of us whove known how awesomely badass a SWAT team of super-fast vampires can be got a sweet little taste at the episodes closing. The best part of the Bill and Eric story though is the distinct absence of a certain loud-mouthed blonde waitress whose knack for swan diving into matters way out of her league has been a rock dragging down the series for some time. Luckily, Sookie was busy with Lafayette not cleaning up after Jesus body and clinging desperately to their lost friend, Tara. Shot in the head by Debbie Pelt, the psycho girlfriend of Alcide, last season, Tara has now been sired into a vampire by Pam (whos apparently sired before; I wonder if well get to hear any more of this potential character) at the behest of Sookie and Lafayette. Anyone whos lost a loved one knows how excruciating letting go can be, particularly when a person has departed at a young age, but what exactly about Tara made her best friend and cousin believe she would wish to continue life as a vampire, especially at the risk of becoming a vamp-tard, as Pam so eloquently put it, seeing as how the back of her head is missing? I dont mind keeping Tara around (unlike so many other True Blood fans), but Taras death at the end of last season was the first major consequence the series has seen in terms of primary characters and appeared to lend some weight to the actions of the plot, but her resurrection disappointingly wipes that away. Speaking of characters whose transformations are as ironic as their further appearances are completely unnecessary, theres the Reverend Steve Newlan, the newly openly gay vampire-American who dropped by to confess his undying love for Jason. After all the rapey vibes surrounding Jason and his utterly pointless foray into the were-panther community, I was on the cusp of rolling my eyes indignantly seeing Newlan begin to pounce on the restrained Jason until Jessica swooped in to the save the day and quickly disposed of the former Fellowship of the Sun leader whose continued presence is difficult to imagine. Newlans appearance may have been a cheap bit of light comedy, but seeing Jason return to a position of folly is a nice return to form for the character who is much to his own chagrin not actually Jessicas. She does seem to own though a nifty means of acquiring Greek life college friends and a green streak through her hair and so obviously has grown a lot since we last saw her. Hoyt refuses to forgive Jason for sleeping with his ex-girlfriend and Im hard-pressed to see what this episode has done to make the audience believe theres anywhere else for these characters to go. A similar tone was set for Sam as his entanglements with Marcus wolf pack seem to be at an end since Alcide openly confessed to Marcus murder. Im sure well see more wolf-drama unfold for Alcide, but Im hoping Sam can find a new and worthwhile arc to follow as hes one of the strongest characters on the series that is consistently given weak stories to fill. I am happy to see Terry, the worlds sweetest PTSD sufferer, involved in a potential conspiracy that will hopefully unveil what his old Marine squadron member, Patrick, alluded to as, that night in Iraq, which may be at the root of Terrys mental instability, something thats helped define the character as a stand-out. Terry is kind of the Batman of True Blood in that Im genuinely invested in his journey despite, or perhaps because of, his lack of supernatural pretext. Then at the bottom of the barrel is Sherriff Andy Belfleurs screen time. Not that I dont love the ol lug, because I do, or seeing him be pleasantly awkward around Holly and her exceptionally well adjusted sons, but Im doubtful his dealings with an entitled Judge will fare as stiff competition for vampire civil war or werewolf politics or any of the other conflicts being set up. Finally there was a single scene that was conspicuously placed without any context of an unseen man dragging another man into a room to be slaughtered. I can only assume this was the suddenly not so trapped in concrete former King of ripping spines out of news anchormen Russell Edgington slowly regaining his strength, but time will tell. Thats about the long and short of the fifth season premiere. I was definitely more pleased than not, but itd be great to see Alan Ball end his run on the series with something that reached a bit further beyond striving to be a fun and edgy series and instead endeavors to make some lasting statements with the characters weve come to know these last four years. Heres to seeing more Guitar Hero sing alongs and Pam in Wal-Mart ensembles!