True Blood Series Finale, "Thank You" - Review

Through seven seasons we have seen how the residents of Bon Temps lives have changed in HBO's, True Blood. After tonight's series finale we have answers to the fates of certain characters, resolutions to certain plots, and it was intended for us to feel a sense of closure. All I have to say after watching the finale is the closure we were supposed to have might as well be a unicorn because it did not exist.

I was left with more questions, comments, and disappointments at the end of this series than I was during any of the previous season finales. A few include:

1. Why the hell could Sookie read Bill's mind during the wedding? 
2. I love how Jessica and Hoyt reconciled in the end, but holy shit the marriage was stupid. It did nothing but emphasize how selfish Bill Compton actually was. He knew he could guilt trip Jessica into just about anything at that point so he made her feel bad about him never being able to see his daughter get married. Not to mention the fact that a good half of the episode was wasted on the wedding.
3. Speaking of stupid, Jason marrying Bridget was even dumber. She must have gotten pregnant awful quick after she was supposed to go back to Alaska because they had three kids in less than five years and the oldest one looked like she was at least 4 or 5.
4. Why did Lafayette have absolutely no role in the finale at all? Sure, he and James are seen at Thanksgiving but that's it? Disappoint. 
5. That CGI for the explosion at Fangtasia was so terrible. Not to mention it was lame how they ousted the Japanese.
6. Did Eric have absolutely no concern for Sookie ever again now that Bill was at the point of certain death? Despite Eric's seven season long interest in Sookie we are supposed to believe that he could just drive away from her house and never bother her again? I don't buy it and it was a waste of building up to something fans were hoping and waiting the entire series to see.
7. Why isn't Sookie a vampire?
8. Seeing that Sookie isn't a vampire, what the fuck was the point of introducing Warlow?
9. Who was Sookie's husband?
10. Why did they feel the need to even include Sam in the finale? We already said goodbye to him, despite how shitty of a send-off it was. 
11. The flashback with Gran was just to give us another taste of her and of Tara before it was all over. There was no point to that.
12. I guess Andy must have gotten over Adilyn and Wade awful quick because they looked pretty comfortable at the dinner table. 
13. Speaking of Adilyn, why wasn't she at Jessica and Hoyt's wedding?
14. Sarah Newlin living was a slap in the face, too. I understand Pam and Eric wanting to make money, but come on. Eric's entire arc for this season was to kill Sarah. Her being crazy was just the icing on the cake. 

I just need to stop before that list gets any longer. The bottom line is this was one of the worst television finales I have ever seen. It makes the last episode of Lost look like a masterpiece. Just about the only things I enjoyed were Bill dying (finally) and Eric and Pam reuniting and rising to power once again.
By far the biggest slap in the face is Sookie remaining a fairy. The final poster was a big tease and the entire storyline of Warlow was as well because it put into our heads that it was possible to have a fae-vamp hybrid. Seeing Bill's "Billith" power at one point and Eric's longstanding interest in her, I was certain the finale of this show would be Sookie finally being turned into a vampire... but no. They wasted the whole possibility and lead into it for whatever reason. 

A main issue I have with all of this is they made main characters seem so pointless. They were killed off for no reason, or in a terrible way, and the way they weren't carried on was even worse. The biggest offenders include, and not just for this final season:

1. Alcide
2. Tara
3. Terry
4. Warlow
5. Queen Sophie-Anne
6. Godric

Sookie might as well have pissed on Alcide's grave. The way she moved away from him was appalling. The fact that Sookie was still driving Alcide's truck just made me mad. Just days prior to Bill's death she was mourning Alcide. All of a sudden she was back in it with Bill and in love with him and not wanting him to die. I just can't. Such a great character went right in the trash can.

This finale cemented the fact, and not feeling, that I wasted seven years on this show. I know it was never meant to be a masterpiece but the show just went overboard and got to the point where it was weird just because it could be. The plots made no sense, the character development got shot to hell, and the way they wrapped it up was plain insulting. I should have stopped watching after season four like I wanted to. Instead I stuck it out hoping that each season would be the last and it never seemed to end. They should have made season five the finale and just called it. Instead they dragged it out and gave us this bullshit.
I am still saying the best True Blood seasons are definitely the first two with the third one being in the middle. Season four showed that the show was spiraling down really quickly and seasons 5-7 were just a waste. I'm sorry to say it but I won't miss this show at all and I'm happy it's finally over.

#RIPTrueBlood #TrueToTheEnd

Bryan Cranston to star as LBJ on HBO Special

After a very successful run on Broadway as former President Lyndon Johnson, Bryan Cranston has teamed up with Steven Spielberg to bring the play, All the Way, to HBO.

Cranston has already won a Tony Award for his portrayal of LBJ and it seems as though he's aiming for an Emmy as well. The play followed LBJ as he struggled to pass the Civil Rights Bill of 1964 and with the escalation of the Vietnam War. It just ended its run on Broadway last month and in addition to Cranston winning a Tony, it also took home the award for Best Play.
Spielberg has already tackled a struggling presidential tale as he earned rave reviews for his 2012 film, Lincoln, which starred Daniel Day Lewis. Word has it he's been eyeing an adaptation of this play for quite sometime.

The role required Cranston to stretch a bit as he had to portray both personalities of LBJ; the self-pitying man and the threatening President. Play writer Robert Schenkkan will adapt the script for Spielberg and Cranston. He previously worked with Spielberg on the HBO series, The Pacific, and Cranston previously teamed with him for Saving Private Ryan.

Sequel in the works for My Big Fat Greek Wedding

Nia Vardalos and Playtone are reuniting for a sequel to the successful 2002 comedy, My Big Fat Greek Wedding. The film told the story of a first-generation Greek American woman who dared to date and fall in love with a non-Greek man. The film also starred John Corbett and is one of the most successful independent films to date.

Corbett and Vardalos will be reprising their roles of Ian and Toula. Producers Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, and Gary Goetzman along with Vardalos. The film was picked up after Vardalos spent years performing in a one-woman play about growing up in a Greek family and how she married a non-Greek.
Vardalos rode the Greek Wedding train for quite a while after the film was released. It spawned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay as well as a television sitcom, My Big Fat Greek Life. She is currently doing press for her best-selling book, Instant Mom. 

Apparently this sequel will involve the reveal of a new family wedding that will bring the Greek family back together.


I personally love My Big Fat Greek Wedding. It is by far one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. With that said, I don't see how they can make a sequel without really beating a dead horse. The sitcom was bad and it's been over 10-years since the movie was released. Just more proof that Hollywood can't come up with anything new.

First footage of True Blood's final season

I'm not excited, but at the same time I am happy it is ending.

Boardwalk Empire renewed for fifth season

HBO has decided to renew the crime drama Boardwalk Empire for a fifth season. The show started its fourth season just three weeks ago and has a decent amount of Emmys to show for it.

Boardwalk Empire stars Steve Buscemi, Kelly Macdonald, and Michael Shannon. It tells the story of Enoch "Nucky" Thompson, the so-called ruler of Atlantic City who doubled as a politician and gangster in the prohibition era. It airs on Sunday nights on HBO and is in the fall lineup after True Blood ends. Interestingly enough, this news comes shortly after HBO announced True Blood will end after its next season and that The Newsroom will continue at least one more season. 

True Blood will end with Season 7

This is the best news I have seen yet in regards to this show.

HBO has announced that the next season of True Blood will indeed be its last. The show will start its final, seventh season next summer. True Blood came on HBO in September 2008 with the story of a young waitress who begins a relationship with a vampire in the wake of vampires "coming out of the closet" into public view. The show continued on to reveal multiple supernatural entities and species, witchcraft, ancient creatures, and a ridiculous amount of characters and subplots.
Similar to the sixth season that just wrapped a couple weeks ago, the seventh will only have 10 episodes. The sixth season was the first season without showrunner and producer Alan Ball and it was noticeably different. The show focused back on Bon Temps, the human characters and their importance, and began weeding out the overwhelming abundance of characters and subplots.

Personally I think True Blood has gone on far too long, so this is great news. I still think it should have ended at season five (at the latest). Adios, Bon Temps!

True Blood "Radioactive" - Review

In the season six finale of True Blood, Sookie struggles to defeat Warlow at the same time that the vampires are dealing with the aftermath of their escape from the Governor's compound. In other words, it was another jumbled mess of an episode.

I'm not saying I expected a whole lot from this finale, but in a way I expected something that was at least decent. The way the last episode led into the finale I figured we would get a decent one and that the struggles were going to be enjoyable. This was probably the worst finale True Blood has had to date (yes, even worse than seasons 4-5) and the way the episode was constructed was ridiculous.

Just saying, this will have spoilers ahead, so don't read on if you don't want to know yet.




Last chance to bail.






It basically starts with Sookie going back into the fairy world and telling Warlow she wants to wait to be his because Bon Temps still needs her. He basically slaps the shit out of her and binds her to his wedding arch, or whatever the hell that was, and tells her he wants her blood and that she'll learn to love him over a couple thousand years.
The high vampires are enjoying the sun when Jason gets word that Sookie is in danger again, so they hire Andy's daughter to lead them into the fairly world to kill Warlow. Naturally, they aren't successful. When are they ever successful? Basically after an extremely short fight, grandpa Niall appears out of nowhere and Jason stakes Warlow. When he explodes all of the light from every vampire that had Bill's blood is pulled out of them. That includes Eric who is just chilling naked in the alps somewhere. Eric combusts into flames and we don't see him again for the rest of the episode.
Then they flash 6 months into the future where Bill has written a book about the Governor and how he saved the vampires, etc.. Sookie is dating Alcide, Jason still isn't allowed to have sex with Violet, Sam is the mayor of Bon Temps, and the people are being encouraged to find a vampire friend for a monogamous feeding arrangement to prevent the spread of Hepatitis V.  No word on the state or existence of Niall, Pam, or Eric.
The episode wraps up with a party at Bellefleur's Bar & Grill (yes, it isn't Merlotte's anymore) where humans and vampires are encouraged to intermingle and make the feeding arrangements. Bill approaches Sookie to offer her protection and Alcide and Sookie make it apparent they aren't interested. Alcide and Bill smell something and what do you know, it's a ton of vampires who come out of nowhere and head toward the party. The end.


Now... I had a lot of problems with this episode.

1. What should have been the entire finale was crammed into the first 25min of the episode. They rushed the important stuff and filled the last half with useless crap that should have been the intro to next season. Either that or it shouldn't have gone on for over 30min. It should have been ten at the most.

2. There was no mention of Pam or Eric in the future flash forward. No one even seemed to care about either of them, including Tara and Willa. I highly doubt either of them are dead seeing that Tara was still caring for Willa as Pam commanded her to, but you never know with this show. If they did truly kill Eric that was probably the worst way to kill a main character. Especially a series veteran and fan favorite.

3. How the hell did Sam become mayor? More importantly, why was his accent suddenly stronger?

4. How did the bar become Bellefleur's? Did Sam sell it to Arlene for the $2 million that Terry left her or what.

5. Does anyone really care about Jason and Violet? No. Her teasing him is a bit funny but it has gotten old real quick. Not to mention that sex scene between them was incredibly awkward.

6. Alcide and Sookie? Really?

7. Lettie May's speech to Tara was hilarious. "Let me feed you!"

Overall, the episode was just underwhelming and random. It was full of things that didn't matter and it was a terrible way to end a lackluster, extremely short season. I don't think I'm going to watch the seventh season next year. I am so sick of this show. It should have ended at season 4.

The way I would rate True Blood as of right now:

1. Season Two
2. Season One
3. Season Three
4. Season Four
5. Season Five
6. Season Six

They just keep getting worse. When Alan Ball left, whatever heart and soul the show had left went with him.

True Blood renewed for seventh season

HBO has chosen to renew their hit vampire drama True Blood for a seventh season. The sixth season is currently underway and, in my opinion, is as lackluster as the past 3 seasons have been. This is the first season where creator Alan Ball has not been the showrunner. 
Season 7 will air next summer on HBO most likely in early to mid June.

Comic-Con schedule for Saturday, July 20th

The big day of events has been released for San Diego Comic-Con 2013. Saturday will feature panels and events for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, ComiKev, and HBO's True Blood. The schedule below is separated by room. Of course this isn't the entire schedule, so to see the full schedule head over to the Comic-Con website and check it out.


Saturday, July 20th:

Ballroom 20:

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland: Down the Rabbit Hole (10:15am)

Once Upon a Time: Off to Neverland (11am)

Futurama (12pm)

The Simpsons (12:45pm)

Family Guy (1:45pm)

American Dad (2:30pm)

True Blood Panel and Q&A (3:30pm)

The Vampire Diaries Video Presentation and Q&A (4:30pm)

Arrow Video Presentation and Q&A (5:15pm)

HBO Presents the Comic-Con International Masquerade (8:30pm)


Room 6A:

A&E's Bates Motel (10am)

The Future of Xbox Gaming Revealed (11:15am)

Marvel Video Games (12:30pm)

Marvel's INFINITY (1:45pm)

Cartoon Network New Comedies: Uncle Grandpa, Steven Universe, and Clarence (3pm)

Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment: Superman's 75th Anniversary Celebration (4:15pm)

Gays in Comics XXVI (5:30pm)

Gays Comic Fan Mixer and Silent Auction (7pm)

HBO Presents the Comic-Con International Masquerade - Overflow 6A (8:30pm)


Indigo Ballroom:

Machinima: Redefining the 'Fan Film' (10am)

Geek and Sundry: Leveling Up (11am)

How I Met Your Mother (12pm)

The Originals Video Presentation and Q&A (1pm)

The Awesomes: A Hulu Original Series (2pm)

Nerdist Industries (3pm)

Being Human (4pm)

Warehouse 13 (5pm)

Cosmos: A Space Time Odyssey (6pm)


Hall H:

Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures - Godzilla, Seventh Son, 300: Rise of an Empire, Gravity, and The LEGO Movie (10:45am)

Lionsgate - I, Frankenstein and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (1:35pm)

Entertainment Weekly's Women Who Kick Ass (2:55pm)

20th Century Fox [TBA Schedule as of July 6th] (4:15pm)

Marvel Studios - Thor: The Dark World and Captain America: The Winter Soldier (6pm)

ComiKev 2013 - Kevin Smith uses his mouth and you in Hall H (7:15pm)



Still no word on exactly who will be in the panels or exactly what 20th Century Fox will showcase at Comic-Con, but it appears that Saturday is a pretty big day. I would pretty much just camp out inside Hall H seeing that Lionsgate and Marvel are fairly close together.

HBO releases True Blood coffee table book

HBO has released a True Blood art book. It features 40 pages of the "steamiest stills and hottest poster art" up until this point. Available in hardback, it features 40 removable poster pages as well. It features photos of characters such as Sookie Stackhouse, Eric Northman, and Bill Compton as if that wasn't obvious enough.
It retails for $24.99 and can be picked up on the HBO store website. It's also available in paperback via Amazon for a lot cheaper ($16.98).

True Blood "Who Are You, Really?" - Review

The sixth season of True Blood premiered this evening with "Who Are You, Really?" Was it worth the watch?

For me personally... no.

I have been a True Blood viewer since season one and haven't ever missed an episode since. Despite being an avid viewer I am the first person to say this show has a lot of problems and has been steadily going downhill for several seasons. From what I can tell from tonight's premiere it's only going to keep getting worse.
I think Alan Ball leaving the show has a lot to do with tonight's disappointment, but in all fairness it has been on a downward spiral since season three. I can't think of a story arc that I have really liked since season two. The characters have close to no development anymore and there are always (repeat, always) too many things going on at once. If it isn't something with Sookie it is Pam being forced to turn Tara or Andy knocking up a fairy or Lafayette seeing ghosts or whatever the hell is going on with the Authority or the government or Sam falling in love with yet another trainwreck or Alcide fighting with past friends... the list just goes on and on. I don't think I can even remember everything anymore.

But enough of complaining about the show in general.
Tonight we saw Bill basically become the full embodiment of Lilith, the vampire God (aka, Billith). He chases the gang through the Authority building as they escape and scatter to their separate ways. Jason disowns Sookie for choosing vampires over him, Eric and Nora give Sookie her house back and return to Bon Temps, Tara and Pam return to Fangtasia only to be ambushed by the cops, and Bill lures Jessica back to him and plays some crazy mind game to convince her he didn't understand what was happening to him. And, of course, on top of all that we have Andy, Arlene, and Terry trying to take care of all the fairy babies, Sam is dealing with the death of Luna and trying to keep her daughter safe, and Alcide is taking his full duties as pack master into his hands. *wipes brow*

I thought, as always, everything wasn't quite blending well and we have already had a lot of new characters introduced. They didn't do a very good job of both continuing on from the season finale last year or meshing the new characters. It all just gets thrown together and it's a mess. In order to full make this show tolerable again they should just kill off some of the characters with the annoying subplots. It's confusing.
I am honestly to the point where I might stop watching. 

Episode rating: C-

First teaser for True Blood Season 6

Meh.

True Blood Season 6 gets a premiere date

The sixth season of True Blood has an official release date! The vampires, fairies, werewolves, shape shifters, and whoever the fuck else will be back on HBO on Sunday, June 16th. This will mark the first season of the show without Alan Ball and it is also the first season to only have 10 episodes. The previous 5 seasons have all had 12 episodes.


I personally am growing tired of True Blood. The plot lines and characters are ridiculous at this point and I honestly don't even care anymore. The show has pretty much been shit since Season 3, but I have kept watching in hopes that something good will happen again. So far my wish hasn't come true. If Season 6 is just as bad I think I might quit watching. I've grown weary.

True Blood to return for 6th season

HBO has renewed True Blood, the vampire drama based on Charlaine Harris' novels, for a 6th season. Filming will begin in January for a summer premiere.

New footage for Dark Knight Rises to air on MTV Movie Awards

All of us will have the opportunity to see new footage from The Dark Knight Rises in a little over a week. It was announced that the footage will air during the MTV Movie Awards on June 3rd, one week from this upcoming Sunday (May 27th).

http://collider.com/dark-knight-rises-mtv-movie-awards/168772/

I didn't realize the awards were so close already and I realized they air the same night as the season 5 premiere of True Blood on HBO. I want to watch both so I might have to make a decision and/or just record one of them. MTV replays the Movie Awards practically every day for two weeks after the show, but from my experience watching them something always happens on the first telecast that is edited out of the reruns. It's always funnier to watch it "live."
Seeing that there will be footage of The Dark Knight Rises I might just watch True Blood on the rerun that night or on demand the next day. I can wait a little longer for it.

And speaking of not realizing how quick time is seeming to move right now, I was surprised to think I will get to see Snow White and the Huntsman next week. Damn son.

True Blood Season 5 trailers begin

The first trailer for season 5 of True Blood has surfaced. I must say that it looks a hell of a lot better than last season. At least it better be. I was tempted to quit watching after having two shitty seasons in a row.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vJdU3XrS_Q

True Blood Season 5 poster released

Compared to previous seasons this one isn't too bad.

True Blood - Season 5 promos begin

These are... interesting.

Alan Ball stepping down as head writer of True Blood

I don't quite understand why this is happening. I fear the 5th season even more now.

http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/28525