I was absolutely delighted by Russell Edington this week. It seems Dennis O'Hare loves this character.

As a semi-fan of the books, I was disappointed in the Cluadine reveal. Granted, it would be impossible to cast the most beautiful woman in the world, but it felt like the depiction of what she and Sookie are was troweled on pretty think. Sort of Maryanne time, without the black eyes. Not at all subtle or even remotely convincing. A fairly major plot line, which was developed over a very long trajectory of hints and what ifs in the books just plopped onto the screen. meh.

On the other hand, could they have chosen more adorable dogs for the fighting scenes? I just wish Sam had bitten off a few limbs before rescuing Tommy.

That mother! Ew, with a capital E. Any mother who would...well, you know. The casting and writing for Sam's family is spot on.

Sumi, right?

And Claudine...to my recollection, never behaved so off balance. For whatever their faults, she and Claude were always self-assured. Her response to the 'darkness' (was that an element of the books I've forgotten?) was a bit too, "EEk, a mouse!"

I loved the matter of factness of which you speak. It made the thing so much more real/believable...if that makes sense. If this were Doctor Who, we would have seen this much later on, with a montage of all the tiny clues that led up to it so the audience could have one of those satisfying, "Oh, THAT explains it." reactions.

Ah well. Books different. And I mean that in a good way. I adored the scenes with Pam, Eric and the Magister.

And, despite not being a real horror fan, the sploosh! effect of a vamp death is really making me gagiggle.

I'm not sure if anyone has said it yet but, YAY demise of Lorena! Was not sorry to see her go in a shower of unset strawberry jello.

Pam rocks - even when she is being tortured.

Sam's mother is the worst mom I've ever seen since the one on The Wire who wanted her son left in juvie because he sucked as a drug dealer and she hoped it'd make a man of him.Even the cop who took him in was all "For reals?"

I want to know how it is that the grubby stepfather has such power over Sam's mother and Tommy - how can he "make" her dogfight? Is it just that she has been brainwashed since she was a teenager?

I had to fastforward the dogfighting bits. i'm not happy that the show went there.

also unhappy with the Claudine reveal. way too cheesy and over the top. does this mean that Claudine is only ever going to be seen when Sookie is unconscious? i hope not.

i'm unsurprised that they just had Bill feeding on Sookie and not {book spoiler} also raping her. since Alan Ball has such a hard-on for Sookie/Bill. it's kind of a point of no return for the character.

this was probably my least favorite of the eps this season. Pam, Eric and Tara notwithstanding. Sookie is pretty much too stupid to live.

tiggy, (re:spoiler) WTF...?

can you explain in white font WTF Bill did that?

it was the same general idea from the show, le n. {book spoiler} Sookie saves him and is in the trunk of the car with him. he wakes up filled with bloodlust, attacks her and while he's in the frenzy he rapes her. i think she eventually gets through to him and he realizes what he's done, but she's done. she breaks up with him at the end of that book and rescinds both he and Eric's invitation to her house.

sidenote: the description of what happens in these books when a vamp's invitation is rescinded while they're still in the house still makes me giggle. would LOVE to see it depicted onscreen.

He raped her and fed on her when Debbie Pelt locked him and Sookie in a car trunk together.

That was one of the big changes that Alan Ball made and I'm sure that it's for just the reason that tiggy stated. Although, I am sure that for many people attempting to murder you is also a point of no return, you know?

Oh, maybe Tara will rescind Franklin's invitation. (Because I can't believe he's actually really, most sincerely dead.)