Air Date: Sunday, September 4, 2011 9PM ET/PT on HBO
The vamp "A-Team"
“We’re fucked.” I agree with you Jesus (Kevin Alejandro) but probably not for the same reasons. This episode teeters on ridiculous—the overuse of the wind machine, the CGI fire, the horrible acting. The witch war wasn’t much of a war at all. I was more interested in Jesus’ activities in the bathroom than anything. Sure, the vamps trying to get through a wall of sunlight was interesting, but where was the big standoff? The conflict fizzled from a three-alarm blaze to a spark. I expected more especially with this being the penultimate episode. “Soul of Fire” was twisty in all the wrong ways. It didn’t completely suck though.
While Jason (Ryan Kwanten) puts on the “I Support Sookie Rally,” I tried not to laugh. I think the writers weren’t just putting on a show for Eric (Alexander Skarsgård) and Bill (Stephen Moyer), but for us too. We know everything Sookie (Anna Paquin) has done for the vampires yet we get the rundown as if we haven’t been tuning in. “Fucking Sookie?! Fucking Sookie?!” Jason is probably the last person anyone would run to for help so I’m surprised to see him sticking up to a bunch of vamps. “You big chump, it’s her house!” Yeah, I can’t see him going against a 1,000-year-old vamp for anyone but his sister. The boy has definitely manned up since last year—even if he is still a bit slow on the uptake.
Observations:
The gangs all here, though they don't want to be
More fairies? I didn’t think they were all truly gone, but why come back now? And to Andy (Chris Bauer)? What does he have to do with anything? I guess this explains why he’s been getting so much screen time lately. I’m assuming he’ll be part of some major plot point next season like *cough* Maurella (Kristina Anapau) will come back pregnant with a Fae/human hybrid baby *cough*. It could be interesting. Then again, knowing how screwed up this season has been—as well as last season—I’m not holding my breath.
Sam (Sam Trammell) has been showing a different side of himself, and Trammell is phenomenal at showing his acting chops. But did it have to take the death of his brother to get him to this point? I mean, we know Sam has it in him to be a tough guy. We’ve seen it. He’s committed murder before without remorse. So why does he stop himself when it comes to avenging Tommy’s (Marshall Allman) death?
Alcide (Joe Manganiello) mans up and abjures Debbie (Brit Morgan). It is a powerful moment and probably the first time I truly felt something Manganiello has done on the show. Now that Alcide has ended the Shreveport pack master, will he claim the position? That could be awesome or extremely boring—I can’t decide which yet.
Did it not seem odd no one protests Marnie (Fiona Shaw) being gunned down? For that matter, why was she gunned down? Vampires don’t need weapons to kill, as Eric shows us with Roy (Dean Chekvala)—too bad he’s heartless. Get it? He’s heartless… That’s what I don’t understand about Bill shooting Marnie instead of ripping her heart out like he said he would. It kind of relates to his role as king. The serious things he goes about like a human (using guns) whereas Eric rips out throats and hearts (and gets in a meal while he’s at it). The contrast between the two is striking. Eric does things the “vampire way” then looks to Bill like “Your turn.” What does Bill do? Shoots her.
Who will Sookie chose? You know she'll have to, right?
Pam (Kristin Bauer van Straten) is forbidden to do something yet she does it anyway. How? The whole point of a maker issuing their final word to their progeny is they HAVE to obey. So why does she fire the grenade launcher after Eric issues his order? I get the tension that will be added to Eric and Sookie’s relationship (cue Bill making his move) because of Pam, but could there not be another way to go about it? We can’t have my two favorite vamps going at each other’s throats.
Funny lines:
Lafayette: “Marnie just puked a bitch out.”
**
Andy yelling to himself in the woods: “I swear to Holy Jesus Terry Bellefleur, I will punch your face to the back of your head when I get home.”
**
Marnie to Pam: “Don’t laugh too much, wouldn’t want your lips to fall off.”
**
The ending of “Soul of Fire” is unexpected and I like that. I must say I was caught off guard and didn’t think things would go the way they did. I do see quite a few side stories making themselves known: the shifter/Were alliance, the appearance of more Fae, and the dreaded love triangle (the who-loves-Sookie-more-showdown continues). With that being said, I am looking forward to the season finale. I have to know how Bill and Eric escape their fiery fate.
Tune in to the season finale of True Blood, Sunday, September 11th at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO. For more on the show, visit http://www.hbo.com/#/true-blood.
All photos © 2011 HBO Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.
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