Bitten, Season 3, Episode 1: Family, Of Sorts

After all the many devastating events of the last 2 seasons, the Pack are all pretty sad and depressed. Elena especially so since she has had that magical vision of her dooming them all.

Rachel is sad because Logan is dead (after being underused and drastically decreasing the show’s very few POC with his death) leaving her to raise his baby alone and with no idea what to do in the future or what the pack will decide

And Jeremy is super sad and angry because the Pack has lost so many members – they’re decimated and they badly need to fill some gaps. And he plans to do this by recruiting Mutts – non pack wolves

For some of them this makes excellent sense – they even show them recruiting a werewolf who has excellent control and skills and will be an asset to the Pack

But Jeremy has abandoned sense – he wants every mutt in North America to join the Pack or be killed. Elena, naturally, considers this a very dubious way of ensuring you have a large force of loyal members – but Jeremy has gone full on dictator and refuses to listen to any questioning or reasoning. He wants all the Mutts to join so they join or die, end of.

He is driven even further when some remnants of the former Spanish pack-leader’s family (who he killed last season) decide to start hunting his pack – with guns. They kill one of the extras who has been hanging around for a while for a whole lot more grief and horror (especially from Nick who was a good friend of Joey’s). They do catch the sniper who isn’t that good at running from werewolves and bring him back for questioning

And by questioning, we mean brutal torture. Clay continually tries to back out, Elena is thoroughly sick of always being under threat and always responding with violence, violence and yet more violence – in a constant bloody war. Again, Jeremy doesn’t care, and refuses to listen even as Clay desperately tries to avoid participating in more horrors.

Red Blooded (Jessica McClain #4) by Amanda Carlson

Jessica is forced to make the journey to hell after her brother is kidnapped by the Prince of Hell.  With a little help from the witches and her very unusual pack, this is set to be the biggest challenge of her young lycan life.  Can Jessica manage to get in and out of hell undetected and save her brother, without being forced to answer for the trumped charges which have been placed against her by the Prince?

Red Blooded is the fourth novel in the Jessica McClain series and by now, Carlson has clearly fallen into a very recognizable pattern. Trouble appears on the horizon and Jessica rushes in head first without much a plan, backed up by the unusual pack she has gathered around her.  Tension ensues and Jessica pulls some woo woo out of her ass, masters it and defeats the big bad.  The rest of the book is then used to set up the next story.  It's as though Carlson is writing by rote at this this point.  There is so little variation that at times, it's hard to get excited about the story.  Yes, the protagonist is not going to die because she has plot immunity but the story should not play out the same way each time regardless of who the antagonist is.

Shortly after arriving in hell, Jessica meats a demon named Lilly, who is the former mistress of the Prince of Hell.  Stop and think about that for a moment.; the demon's name is Lilly.  We get this long drawn out drama before it is finally revealed that the demon in question is the daughter of Lilith.  How this could have come as a big surprise to Jessica is absolutely beyond me and yet I am supposed to believe that she is an intelligent young woman.  Lilly practically had a neon sign on her head which said don't trust me, yet Jessica kept coming up with reasons to justify doing so. Lilly is of course defeated in what has become the typical fashion in this series - Jessica gains new powers.  Jessica is after all the chosen one right?

Red Blooded could very well have been called the gangs all here.  Carlson brought back Selene, a character which should have stayed dead, briefly re-introduced Juanita the sole character of colour to date and of course included all of the characters in her weird pack once again.  Red Blooded isn't a reboot of the series but really but more than any book thus far, it really felt repetitive because Carlson relies on the same bag of tricks that she has been employing since the first book in this series. I get it, Jessica is super duper special but the character needs to grow and evolve.  For that matter, since Jessica is supposed to be a werewolf, how about we have her shift every once and awhile instead of having internal conversations with her wolf?

True Blood, Season Seven, Episode Four: Death Is Not the End

This episode begins with Sookie calling Jackson Herveaux to inform him of Alcide's death.  Jackson of course takes the time to reveal that though he and Alcide weren't close, the one thing he knew for sure is that Alcide loved him some Sookie.  We're less than two minutes in and I am already ready to scream we get it already. In the meantime, Jason is on the phone informing Hoyt that his mother is gone.  Hoyt is so filled with pain and guilt and so Jason tries to comfort him like a best friend should but this causes confusion because of course, Hoyt has had his memory erased. Jason is rightfully upset about the call but can his sister take two minutes to comfort him? Why of course not. If Sookie is not crying, then no one is allowed to cry. This isn't about Sookie after all, so it cannot possibly be important. Instead, Sookie reminds him that Andy is at home with Holly and that the people of the town are looking to Jason because he now represents the law.  I don't know about you, but if I were a citizen of Bon Temps, Jason Stackhouse being in charge would not comfort me one bit. I'd be sure my goose was cooked.

Eric and Pam are on a plane and the stewardess, who also functions as the in-flight meal for Eric, informs him that they are headed for Baton Rouge Louisiana. It seems that Pam believes that if Sarah, (oh great embracer of religion) might reach out to senator Finch. Eric however orders the plane to land in Shreveport to connect with Willa.  Pam points out that Eric abandoned her and he and that she probably hates Eric like Tara hated her. Eric however will not be deterred from reaching out to his progeny. Eric then callously informs the flight attendant Victoria that she is now a carrier of the Hep V virus.  Victoria understandably gets upset because Eric knowingly infected her and now she can no longer perform her job.  Eric being Eric doesn't give a shit though.

Then it's time for a flashback; the device the writers seem to be overly found of this season.  Here we learn that Pam and Eric end up in Shrevport as part of a  punishment issued by the magistrate of the Authority. This is before humans are aware that vampires actually exist, so they end up running video rental store. Obviously, Pam and Eric are not pleased by this turn of events but because of their actions and identity, the Authority has decided that they need watching.  This is how Eric becomes a sheriff.

Sookie, Jason and Sam all arrive at Andy's house and Sookie takes the time to talk to Colby and Lisa, who are Arlene's kids.  Both kids are obviously worried about their mother and tired of being treated like they don't understand what is going on.  Sookie rides in on her white horse and decides to promise these two that she will bring Arlene back safe and sound. This is where Sookie decides that she is going to help Holly get her memory back.

Jason and Sam argue with Andy about questioning Holly, when Sookie barges in claiming that she can make Holly remember. Andy argues to protect Holly but Sookie is on the it's all about me train and tells Andy that he is not going to stop her from delivering on her promise. With Andy out of the way, Sookie starts to question Holly, even though Holly does not want to recover her memories.  What's a little more added trauma right?  Sookie leads Holly backward and she begins to get images of the things that she has seen and lived through. Holly pulls back in horror saying that she cannot do this but Sookie is insistent and forces her to remember. From Holly's descriptions they learn that Kevin didn't make it and that everyone is being held at Fangtasia.  Holly is distraught, so Sookie briefly apologises and tells Andy to hold Holly. Sookie decides that it is time for her to head to Bill's to formulate a plan. Gee I hope it's as brilliant as her least big plan to save the people of Bon Temps.

Sam and Jason are driving and Jason tells a worried Sam that he is sure that Nicole and the baby are okay. Sam points out that because they have not actually seen Nicole, there is no way to be sure that she is actually safe. Sam turns the car viciously towards Fangtasia but Jason is adamant that they need to head to Rosie's on official business and reminds Sam of his responsibilities as mayor of Bon Temps. Sam refuses to turn around, so Jason pulls out his gun and points it at Sam saying that he is protecting both Sam and his family. Sam slams on the breaks and tells Jason to drive because he doesn't want to be the one driving away from his family.

Jessica is lying in bed whimpering from the pain of her wounds which aren't healing. James tells Jessica that she is being ridiculous and has to eat.  When Jessica refuses, James hops out of bed to get Bill. That's right, go get daddy. James tells Bill that Jessica hasn't eaten in ten weeks.  Bill is concerned that this is about Jessica eating Adalind's sisters but Jessica assures Bill that she has a good relationship with Adalind now and has even been invited into the home. Bill learns that even though Jessica is providing protection, she is not being fed.

Sookie of course barges right in because when it comes to her ringing the door bell or knocking, are only suggestions. Jessica calls out to Sookie that she is getting an intervention and talks about killing Adalind's sister. Sookie offers herself for food but Jessica points out that Sookie is a fairy.  Finally, Sookie asks James and Bill to leave the room because apparently, she has the answer to soothe Jessica and convince her to eat. At this moment, you might think that Sookie is actually going to listen to someone and make the situation about someone else's feelings but you would be wrong.  This is after all Sookie Stackhouse we are talking about. Sookie tells Jessica that she doesn't give a shit why she isn't eating and that Andy's dead daughters are just the tip of the iceburg. Sookie lists a few of the dead and she includes  Jessica on the list and follows that up by saying, "I just don't give a fuck about you or your problems." Wow, don't you wish that you had a friend as loving as that? Sookie demands that Jessica help because she has been good to her. A cowed Jessica agrees and says that she won't drink Sookie's blood.  Sookie barges out of the room and orders James to call Lafayette and after hearing James's thoughts, suggests that he to needs to have a conversation with Jessica.

It's flashback time and this time we see Ginger entering the video store to rent vampire videos for a paper she is writing for university.  It seems that in her class, the vampire is being set up as the "other". Is that True Blood's way subtly explaining to the viewer what has been obvious since the early episodes of the first season? Eric makes his entrance and Ginger gasps and practically drools.  Ginger notices the help wanted sign and immediately asks for an application.

Jason and Sam arrive at Rosie's house and Rosie immediately questions whether or not she is under arrest due to the little uprising the townsfolk staged.  Sam assures Rosie that this is not going to happen and even adds that they plan on letting it go.  Instead of being magnanimous, Rosie calls Sam a freak and asks why he is being so nice. Jason then informs Rosie that Kevin is dead. Sam and Jason tell Rosie that Bill is going to martial all of the vampires and that together, Kevin will be avenged.

Bill and Sookie chat and he informs her that he will call on as many vampires as he can but they will still be badly outnumbered.  Bill reminds Sookie that the vampires participating tonight have nothing to gain from it and that he is only going along for the ride because he owes Sookie everything. Does your head hurt? I am for one am tired of being hit over the head with whole Bill and Sookie belong together for evah and evah already. Sookie then offers her neck for Bill to feed and when he questions her choice, she informs him that it's just lunch.