A Lady’s True Blood
As a rule, guilty pleasure shows shouldn’t be subjected to analysis. I’m going to break that rule and rip True Blood up and down for all its insanity and periodic stupidity, and then I’m going to stop screaming at the TV and blog about True Blood and its gender dynamics. I’ll also do a gaywatch, just for fun.
Not to let Game of Thrones monopolize the taboos, we found out who the vampire chick in the promos is—Eric’s sister/girlfriend. Yeah, apparently Eric’s in love with this woman no one’s ever heard of because she works directly for the authority. So, we’ve got a cool, gorgeous, kick-ass girl taking care of and ordering around our male leads. Good one, True Blood.
All the girls were in full fellowship/caretaker mode thisy episode, with Sookie taking care of Tara and Lafayette, Nora taking care of Eric and Bill, and Pam going to ground with Tara. The women of True Blood are numerous but often stupid, and Arlene and Holly fulfilled the episode’s clueless/stupid quota with some help from Andy.
The only interesting part of the episode was its contrast between solitude and partnership. Pam, Sookie, Lafayette, Eric, and Bill all drew strength from strange bedfellows, while Andy, Jason, Sam, and Terry all suffered in their loneliness. Television today is angling towards a “feminine” group-focused dynamic, and True Blood is along for the ride.
Gaywatch:
Big damn gayness with Steve Newlin’s “I’m a gay vampire American” confession to Jason, who was very nice about rejecting him. Steve then went psycho and had to get his ass kicked by Jessica, but somehow I doubt he’ll stay away for long.
Eric and Bill had some serious gay vibes this week: cleaning together, spooning in the trunk, and then Eric grabbing Bill’s hand and saying he won’t leave him (are the writers competing to see how many fanfics they can make canon without actually going all gay?) The vibes ended with Nora’s arrival, which is okay because she’s pretty damn cool, even if her plan blew up in her face.
Other than that, just the normal homoerotic vibes around male confrontation, and despite a good showing from Pam no lesbianness at all L.
Stupid Sookie!
Yes, Sookie, please, tell Alcide about how you deliberately murdered his girlfriend out of vengeance, because being too honest with large violent men is a good plan!
Remember the Ladies 