XFinity asked Alan Ball which episodes are worth going back and checking out before season 4 begins. He gave them a list of nine and the reasons why the episodes are integral. He said, “It’s tough because so much has happened before, and I also have this season and parts of next season in my head too”
So without further ado, here are Alan Ball’s most essential True Blood episodes for us to watch in preparation for S4:
Season 1, Episode 2
“This is the first time Sookie (Anna Paquin) drank Bill’s (Stephen Moyer) blood, and the first time they kissed.”
Season 1, Episode 5
“This has the Civil War flashback and told how Bill was made. Also, it’s where Gran was found dead.”
Season 2, Episode 4
“In this episode, Maryann (Michelle Forbes) threw Tara a (Rutina Wesley) birthday party and you finally got a sense of what she was up to.” Read More »
Over at HBO’s Inside True Blood blog,Gianna Sobol explains a bit about a meeting that happens before production starts on an episode of True Blood. She writes about the meeting:
THE MEETING: The Tone Meeting
WHERE IT TAKES PLACE: Alan’s office
WHO ATTENDS: Alan Ball, Executive Producer Gregg Fienberg, the writer of each episode, the first Assistant Director, and the cinematographer
WHAT IT’S ABOUT (according to writer/producer Alexander Woo): The tone meeting is the first opportunity for the director to sit with Alan, Gregg, and the writer and talk about the episode scene by scene. For new directors to our show, it’s an especially valuable time to clarify any issues about story, style, or tone. If it’s Michael Lehmann, it’s his first chance during the episode to make puns before a captive audience.
Michael Lehmann, a punny guy?
Interesting eh? But as I was reading this, one line struck out at me… yeah, you’re right, it’s the one about director Michael Lehmann and the puns. The dude must be famous for these and I was wondering if any appeared in the True Blood episodes that he directed. Below are the episodes directed by Mr. Lehmann. Does anyone remember if there were any puns* that made it into the episodes?
Escape From Dragon House 1:04 – We learn from Vampire Bill that vampires love puns, Fangtasia!
The Fourth Man in the Fire 1:07
Keep This Party Going 2:02
Shake and Fingerpop 2:04
Hard-Hearted Hannah 2: 06
It Hurts Me Too 3:03
I Got A Right to Sing The Blues 3:06
I Small A Rat 3:10
*Wait, what exactly is a pun? From Webster: “The humorous use of a word, or of words which are formed or sounded alike but have different meanings, in such a way as to play on two or more of the possible applications; a play on words.”
In case you missed watching the Scream Awards that were shown on Spike TV tonight (but taped in LA on Saturday at the Greek Theater) you can watch the videos here.
First up, Stephen Moyer accepts the award for the Holy Shit Scene of the Year. The scene is the infamous twisted neck sex scene between Bill and Lorena from episode 309 (“It Hurts Me Too”). The award was presented by Rainn Wilson (Dwight Schrute from The Office.)
The Scream Awards were voted on by fans via Spike.com.
On a show that commingles sex and violence as a general rule, that last encounter between Bill and Lorena may have shredded the envelope: testing the limits of vampire-on-vampire hate-sex, Bill twisted Lorena’s head completely around between thrusts — and true to Lorena’s malevolent nature, she loved it.
With True Blood resuming its run this weekend, she called up Movieline to discuss exactly how they made it work, why Lorena just can’t get over Bill, and how J.J. Abrams is inadvertently responsible.
So you had a very, shall we say, “head-turning” scene in episode three? You could say that. You could say “twisted.”
I’m sure you’re going to hear all of those jokes. We were making them on the day of filming, trust me.
Please tell me what your reaction was when you read that. I think my jaw dropped to the floor, and my initial thought was, “Oh, my poor parents.” [Laughs] There was sort of an anxiety about it, but upon reflection, I realized it was going to very much be a water-cooler scene for the season, and given the choice, I’d rather be in the water-cooler scene than not. I made my peace with it, although I’m nervous to actually see it! I’ve seen it in pieces because I had to go back and do sound for it, but I have not seen the finished product yet.
It’s insane. It was kind of insane, wasn’t it? Unfortunately, so many great scenes happen in episode three, and I don’t know that anyone will remember them when the last moment of the episode occurs.
The “twisted” sex scene between Bill Compton & Lorena is getting a lot of commentary in the blogosphere since the True Blood season 3 episode 3 entitled, “It Hurts Me Too” aired last Sunday. The much discussed scene has recently been listed in the Hall of Shame on the National Organization for Women’s (NOW) website. The article urges the audience to write to HBO to “tell them what you think about this violent, misogynistic scene in True Blood.”
I know that there are various reaction levels: of justice being done, acceptance, outrage & disgust provoked by this one scene. One thing is for sure, nobody has reacted with indifference. The question I am pondering after reading their take, is what if the roles had been reversed and it was a male vampire being so in “love” with the female vamp, that he compelled her to have sex with him and she was the one doing the twisting? Would that affect how we all interpreted this act?
Offender: Television show True Blood
Media Outlet: HBO, first airing 6-27-10
The Offense: Vampire Bill Compton has violent sex with his nemesis/”maker” Lorena, during which he twists her head around backward.
NOW’s Analysis: Here’s a quick backgrounder for the uninitiated: HBO’s True Blood is based on a series of books about vampires and other super-natural characters. The show frequently contains explicit sex and violence. Bill is a main character and romantic interest for the female lead, Sookie. Currently Bill is going through a personal crisis about loving a human while being controlled by vampire Lorena, who turned him into a vampire long ago and keeps popping up despite his attempts to break away from her. Lorena is the classic “bitch” character who viewers are encouraged to hate. Bill definitely despises her, but vampire rules compel him to follow his maker’s commands.
In this context, Lorena asks Bill to make love to her. He says “never” but proceeds to throw her on the bed and rip off her clothes. Apparently, he can’t stop himself from having sex with her, but in a form of protest, Bill literally twists her neck, turning her face around backward. He continues to have sex with her as the camera provides us with a wide shot that is disturbing, to say the least. Facing the floor, with blood spilling out of her mouth, Lorena proclaims to Bill that she still loves him.
True Blood might be make-believe, but the parallels to real life in this scene are too horrifying to ignore. The scene taps into a hatred of women that still exists in our society — a revulsion toward women with power and a desire to punish them for making men feel weak. Yes, we’re supposed to be shocked. This is our wake up call that Bill might not be a suitable lifemate for Sookie. But let’s forget for a minute who or what these characters are: Here is a scene that was written and filmed to allow viewers to watch a man have violent sex with a woman he hates so much he twists her head around, and she loves him all the more for it. Remember, the character of Lorena is fictional, her persona and actions are the creation of writers, directors and producers. She is presented, simultaneously, as a hideous, controlling “bitch” and a pitiful, deluded stalker. And while we are supposed to be disgusted by Bill’s violence, aren’t we given permission to believe, just a tiny bit, that this woman got what was coming to her? Bad girls deserve to get hurt, and, besides, they like it — right? Thanks, but no thanks, True Blood for this messed up depiction of women, men, violence and sex.
This week on True Blood, the weirdest on-screen orgasm ever, freeloading relatives and ill advised reunions demonstrate that families suck ass, heads in shopping bags and heads being twisted about and Pam giving awesome head, Sookie’s wardrobe takes a dive into the 1980′s bargain bin, a nice werewolf in a Henley (mmm, I like Henleys), and nobody does nihilism like Vampire Bill!
Ahh, one night stands, we’ve all been there, and if you haven’t, you kinda should, so you learn the full horror of waking up next to someone uglier than Bret Micheals and/or crazier than the woman off that Fatal Attraction movie (a fricking role model for Lorena if there ever was one), slipping discreetly out the door and doing the head down ‘OMG what have I just done?!’ facepalming walk of shame back to your house/coffin the next morning/evening. It’s all part of growing up, y’all. And suitably, the black and evil heart of Season 3 contains many a bitter lesson about bad sex and how love is to be avoided at all costs, especially vampire love. How come whenever anyone on True Blood has sex with a vampire except Sookie ‘I is Perfect’ Stackhouse, it’s totally gross? Remember crazy, bald headed eye flipping tattoo guy from Season 1? And now Franklin the hissing howling Tantric Sex weirdo. And Bill…oh dear, so many of my cherished and colourful sexual fantasies RUINED in one gut wrenching minute. I totally understand why he didn’t want to gaze upon the Black Widow while doing the ‘I hate myself and the world’ nihilistic deed, but surely a brown paper bag over her head would have been less disturbing?
Now I’ve dealt with that in an ass over tit fashion (and shall return to it at the end, because it was just so gob smackingly WTF), I have calmed down and can coolly skim through the jam packed episode without having to pause to scrub my brain yet again. And lets hope during the two week break I can claw back my horny glee over poor ole Vampire Bill, because a girl needs her X rated daydreams or she gets really fucking ratty. Seriously. Warning, this episode was long, and therefore this recap may be too much for short attention spans. I’m verbose, so bite me….or perhaps not, I’m kind of off vampires at the moment. Werewolves aren’t doing that much for me either, though new guy Alcide has a lovely, smoky voice doesn’t he? Shame he’s going to fall under the spell of Sookie along with everyone else and automatically lose his balls. Even Eric’s been lacking in supervillain snark lately. That girl eh? Nothing but trouble, and she hasn’t done a lot to prove her worth this season except run around yelling ‘Beeeeeell!’.
Eww, I know he's going to taste like greasy dog...
Speaking of the rather subdued Northman, Sookie’s just shot him after he did the slow mo ‘noooooo’ jumpy thing between the gun and the werewolf in her lounge, because some information on who sent the wolf would be useful before offing his hairy ass. Wolfie turns back into the creepy ginger biker from the woods last week, who being a junkie, loses focus as soon as he scents Eric’s tasty blood.
Surprisingly, Eric is a bit weak and unsteady and gets chomped a couple of times before throwing off the nekkid dude. Prior to ripping his throat out (after spotting the rune on his neck) Sookie picks up the word ‘Jackson’ from the biker’s mind. Come on, Eric totally knows where these werewolves are coming from and who has Bill, doesn’t he? Why is he not sharing? No matter whether he tells Sook about King Russell or not, she’s gonna stage a daring rescue attempt eventually, so it’s not about her safety. Meh, it must be more twisty vamp politics.
LOL...Russell prays for better behaved houseguests.
In Jackson, crispy fried Lorena is unfortunately not dead, but hilariously pissed off. So is Talbot, as a prized tapestry was used as a fire blanket. Russell is vexed at this show of bad manners, and Bill is triumphant and fangy for a brief second. Alas, it doesn’t last, as the King is the master of sinister yet gracious reality checks.
Due to Lorena selling him out, Bill has two deeply unpleasant options if he doesn’t join the Mississippi Dark Side- watch Ms Stackhouse get killed in an inventive fashion by the jealous bitch ex, or turn her.
He’s completely and utterly screwed, and due for a long and disturbing flashback to really put the boot into his self worth and fragile grasp on humanity, and indeed his sanity. I am wondering whether Russell poking him on the forehead was a dream trigger of sorts? He is freaking old and powerful. Hmm…anyhoo, are any not-mental vampires going to be part of the plot this year? I’m weary of all these eeeeeeeeeeevil vamps already. The Great Revelation had a point, right?
'I wish you horrible dreams...'
As I fume, Tara is having the multiple of her life in a cheap motel, but somehow it just looks odd and not very exciting what with the eye flickering and rolling, and since when could vampires bestow drawn out, tedious orgasms by howling a bit? Mysterious British vampire Franklin has a smexy accent and a good line in pillow talk, and is clearly a kinky bastard, but Tara quite rightly wants to get the hell out of that room and do the walk of shame back to Lafayette’s. My ‘spot the bastard’ radar is going OFF, and I despair of Tara ever getting out of her victim hole this year, as he’s SO not going to leave her alone.
