Fang-A-Thon: The Fangover: Day Four (via @DemonXDiantha)

Least Favorite Character:

Jackson Herveaux

     I thought a father and son picture might add some warmth to this relationship. I can’t actually name a least favorite character on the show. I have a sick fascination with all of them. But if I had to choose who I wasn’t exactly fond of this year, I’d have to go with Big Pappa Herveaux. Now, I’m well aware he wasn’t around as much as the other characters, which is most likely the reason I didn’t really care when he came on the screen. Also, did anyone else think the pack initiation scene was a little bit Twilight? I half expected Jacob Black to come bounding through without his shirt on. Not that I would have complained, I’m just saying. I do hope we get to see a bit more of him in the upcoming season. I’m sure it could be an interesting backstory.

     Poor kids. All these crazy parents running around, hopped up on the hooch. Maybe Papa Herveaux and Lettie Mae could go on a demon expelling date.

Fangover: Day 4 – Russell and Steve (via @VampKingBill)

Aww. One of the cutest moments ever on True Blood. Ever. Never mind that the wolf cub is Emma…

I think you could make an easy argument that the return of Russell and Steve were two of the things that Trubies were most excited for going into Season 5. And who could blame us? These were two fantastic characters on their own, they should make two even more fantastic characters paired together, right?

Meh. You’d be kind of right.

Of the pair, I think Steve fared better of the two, his popularity was always driven by his personality as much as his story. On the other hand, Russell was a character whose strength lie in the fact that he was just so much older and stronger than the other vampires and how he was a much bigger threat to them as a result. This season, that menace was largely removed relatively early on kind of neutering him. Although he had good scenes with Steve, it ultimately felt like he was brought back to appease fans and to be a plot point – move things along by offing Roman more than to create any kind of strong story around him. The couple kind of worked, but it didn’t have the same dynamic of Russell and Talbot and given that Steve was school-boy crushing and Russell was on the rebound from Talbot, it probably wouldn’t have lasted anyway.

That said, anyone else get the feeling that the writers went “So what would be a cute gift for Russell to give to Steve?” “I know, a puppy!” “I know! Let’s have them give him Emma!” and thus the plot addicting the Shreveport wolves to V was born.

Best Moment – Steve’s “Gay Vampire American” speech.

Perfectly written, perfectly acted and a fantastic way to reintroduce a character that a lot of people loved. It’ll go down as one of the shows best scenes.

Worst Moment – Russell versus the Fairies

This whole thing just felt off. The Elder Fae was a being who had literally lived long enough and in enough places that she was driven mad by an overload of knowledge and Russell still defeated her that easily? I  don’t know that I buy that. This scene does win some goodwill back because the Elder Fae was so annoying that I can’t really say that I was upset to see her drained.

Fangover: Day 4 – Pam and Tara (via @VampKingBill)

Let’s just appreciate how awesome they look in those outfits, shall we?

If we were to point to something that the writers did 95% right, it would be Pam and Tara. They gave Pam more depth than a quip machine or someone who can’t do anything other than mope about Eric liking Sookie and they finally made Tara a strong woman of her own, instead of a perpetual victim – even if it took turning her to do so. Best of all, they timed the whole thing that we always got just enough of them in a given episode. The end result was not that not only were characters redeemed, Tara gained fans from people who have always hated her, and most of all, it was probably the one storyline of the season that got almost universal praise. Brava .

Best Moment – Pam gives Tara a gift.

One of the things that made this storyline work so well is how slowly the writers paced things. Everything was baby steps with the pair. It wasn’t like they were BFFs the night Tara got turned. And the night that Pam publically berated her Childe – but that night offered her the same racist bitch as dinner- showed perfectly how the dynamics of the relationship were beginning to turn, from one of grudging tolerance to something more. It was a great way of showing it in a way that fit the characters beautifully.

Worst Moment – The kiss in the elevator.

This would be the one misstep. While you could argue that the kiss in the elevator was one of desperation, it still all felt a little too fast. Remember, it’s been only what, one-two weeks most? The friendship I can buy. More than the friendship kind of iffy. I have to say though, if all story lines had missteps this minor, True Blood would have some of the best writing on tv and I would be all too happy if this was the level of quibble I could find with all the storylines in a given season.