True Blood is a show defined by its ups and downs. While this year has been down a little from season two, it has been wholly more consistent than the back and forth between Bon Temps and Dallas. While I’ve been troubled (read: bored) by a particular storyline or two, the saving grace has been the performance of Denis O’Hare as the King of Mississippi.
Russell Edgington is, excuse the pun, one hell of a villain (Once you get past the whole blood urn thing). Considering the fact that he started out in a fine riding habit, and then degenerated into what looked like the beginning of a bad Brian Bosworth movie (yes, in case you were wondering, I just made a Boz reference). Fortunately for you, me and the city of Jackson, Mississippi, Russell turned out to be much more menacing than he originally portrayed. The fact that I can say that — with a straight face I might add — when I still don’t fully understand his endgame is especially telling (everybody wants to rule the world, sure).
The big question I have about Russell, now, is will he survive the season (Spoiler alert: There’s no way you kill Eric and the King in the second to last episode of the season). How will the greater political Authority react to the non-death (or if you think I’m wrong, actual death) of the King of Mississippi? Was that a flash of Godric I saw in the preview for next week?
I’m curious if this whole storyline with Jason and the high school kid is going anywhere. Obviously, probably nowhere this season, but it is a seed that has been planted for next year. Hasn’t a supernatural high school quarterback been done before? Perhaps on Friday Night Lights? Well, probably not there, but on Smallville at least. In my mind an athlete with special powers is a better story than a drugged up one. Athletes on drugs is a story that has been told before.
Go away, Sam, and take your storyline with you. If you could pick up Tara on your way out the door, it wouldn’t hurt my feelings.
Notes & Quotes
Clacked by Ivey West 
on Aug 30, 2010 @ 11:00 EST5EDT
I’m a little confused. Bad Brian Bozworth movie? Is there really any other kind? :-D
I laughed when Russell was still marching around with that urn. What a freak. I mean, more of a freak than the vamp he already is!
Based upon an interview I read, I think he might very well be gone. I do not believe my beloved Eric is going anywhere, unless they plan on adding Ghosties to the supernatural roster. If he goes, I’m going to have a terribly hard time not going with him. If Russell goes, it just opens up more for Sophie Ann who has been dreadfully silent while locked in her gilded cage.
I am at a total loss over why Jason is messing with that nobody of a quarterback. I get it that he was the “big thing” in his day, but he’s off slaying goddesses now…surely he isn’t jealous a dumb jock anymore.
Sam must go on vacation. Stat. His usefulness is gone. Someone else can successfully own Merlott’s. His brother can go before or after, as long as he goes. If Tara cries over Eggs one more time I’m reaching in to punch her in the face. Does she think they had something real? They were both under a spell for crap’s sake. I do not feel anything with any of her storylines other than disgust. Add her and Sam doing the dirty and my FF was in full gear.
One thing I missed…did Sookie know what Eric and Bill were planning, or was she really feeling betrayed?
I’m pretty sure Sookie didn’t know.
As for Jason’s story, the only thing I can see out of Jason and this football player is that he found out that everyone was using V. So maybe he’ll start trying to clean up the town. I wonder if him seeing Hoyt drinking Jessica’s blood will be brought up.
Speaking of, I thought their scene in the beginning was great, it was nice to see them back together, with a little twist.
And am I the only one who’s not a fan of this one-week break HBO’s doing between the penultimate and the final episodes of TB/Entourage? Annoying from a viewer’s standpoint
I think it’s merely a courtesy for those who vacation over Labor Day weekend. I think a lot of normal people (meaning not couch potatoes like me) actually do…um…STUFF on Labor Day weekend. LOL
I know, I was just saying that they should’ve moved everything either forward or backward a week. I’d much prefer a break before the final two episodes of the season than a break before the finale.
*POST AUTHOR*
Mod, there are people who don’t agree with you on the whole Russell-Sticking-Around thing:
https://www.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b198182_spoiler_chat_holy_shocker_guess_whos.html?cmpid=sn-000000-twitterfeed-365-kristin&utm_source=eonline&utm_medium=twitterfeed&utm_campaign=twitterfeed_kristin
This episode was more bad than good. Especially, the end. Come on, Eric…you should have just turned around real quick and locked the club doors…and then he would have been stuck outside and you would have been safe.
Then send Sookie out to stake Russell in his weakened state.
Ok, that wouldn’t have been as excited as whatever they plan for the finale…at least I hope!