The Film School Rejects (reviewers of movies, TV shows – among many other things) has rejected True Blood in their year-end review of Season 4.
This is not surprising to us (since many of us have rejected it too) after the crappolla end to the season.
This is what they said about it;
…when it came time to think of what aspect of 2011’s television offerings I would break down for your perusal, a nagging feeling piqued in the back of my mind – a lot of what’s on television should no longer be on television. And I’m not just talking about shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, or any other number of programs that have worn out their proverbial welcome in the Neilsen households of America. No, I’m referring specifically to the handful of TV shows that chose 2011 as the year to hammer that final nail in the coffin of television irrelevancy. Just what, pray tell, are these shows that I’ve deemed no longer worthy of filling my DVR?
True Blood
Many would contend one of two things – 1) this show jumped the shark long ago, or 2) there needs to be a shark established, in order for a show to jump it. I know it’s not exactly highbrow television, but this campy vampire saga has sucked me in since day one, and I’ve been able to forgive a lot of its shortcomings – the meat statue; Sookie; Tara; Tommy Mickens. This season, however? Sorry, Alan Ball. You lost me.
I could almost give it a pass, based on the sheer adorable-ness of Eric Northman, amnesiac, but when you throw in Werepanthers, Petunia Dursley as a possessed witch, and Andy Bellefleur’s inexplicable splendor in the grass with Sookie’s Fairy Godmother, yeah I’m done. There are too many cooks in True Blood’s mythical creature kitchen, so I’m going to go ahead and step out.
After reading this, the first thought that came to mind was, “Who is the ‘meat statue’?” My guess is Bill. The second thought was that I’m almost happy to read this, because there has been a lot of negative reviews of the show recently. It makes me wonder, if this will make any kind of impact at all on Alan Ball and Co.?
What are your thoughts? Share them below!
The meat statue is probably the one the Manead made on Sookie’s front porch to honor her God.
The meat statue was built by the maenad in season two.
It doesn’t surprise me at all….
I concur. I can’t wait for TB to be cancelled so Alex can go and make more movies that are actually worth watching. I also can’t wait for AB to stop debasing my favorite characters because it just hurts too much.
Yep, I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks that TB jumped the shark. I was very, very forgiving until this last season and then, eppy 8 did me in. Thats’ when I felt the love I had for the show, slip out of my being. The only love I have left inside of me is for our Viking and is the only reason I finished watching season 4 at all, just to catch a glimpse of my star “crush”, Alex.
MHO, it doesn’t matter if AB or the HBO honchos’ see this review article, cause whats’ done is done and I fear that they are too thick headed to pay any attention to it and probably have the next 4 to six episodes already written and what it boils down to, is that they don’t give a flying fu*k about it anymore anyways. I’m afraid that this coming season may well be the last of TB on the air anyway, even if the actors still have another year on their contracts. Who knows?
I NEVER, thought they’d ruin this show the way they did, but they did and I can’t do anything about it. (runs away with tears in my eyes………..)
You’re not the only one, and yes, after the Narnia Magical Mystery Tour, everything went downhill. Starting with the stupid battle in the cemetery, the Bermuda triangle, where the only sexy thing was Eric, to the pathetic scene where Sookie feeds Eric & Beehl at the same time, Ah, and how we can forget the horrible robes from a care home,…ugh…. Poor Viking, he had to wear horrible clothes most of that season.
actually season 4 did get a LOT of bad reviews, not only this one, I think even worse than the ones of season 3, but in s3 Russel edington did at least save the season, but the show has jumped the shark completely now in season 4…
no surprise at all that the show gets so bashed on at the moment, its not even only the eric sookie stuff they mess up so much in favour of bill, its just the bad writing in general on the show and all the plotholes…
And its just unbelievable that Alan ball and his writers just don´t seem to see all the critizism the show gets, neglect it and continue to mess it up… season 4 just showed that they just don´t seem to care for the fans; If AB wouldn´t have decided to make Bill the main focus on the show it wouldn´t have become so bad
I can understand ignoring the fans if the critics were praising the show but to have both disliking the show should be telling him something significant especially where he has strayed so far with Bill.
He’s obviously making some seriously mistakes.
I thought they were referring to the meat statue of season two. That was pretty ridiculous.
Thanks everyone for reminding me of the meat statue in Season 2! It goes to show how much I paid attention to the maenad storyline! LMAO
That storyline wasn’t exactly a great one.
Season 2 was actually my favorite season, but I could have done without that storyline. It was definitely one of the worst, if I never see another orgy it’ll be too soon.
I think AB is getting just what he wants. He knows he f*cked up so he is trying to make everyone on the show look bad. It’s to bad too, It could have been so good.
ALEXANDER SKARSGARD AKA ERIC NORTHMAN OUTSTANDING ACTOR SIMPLY BRILLIANT ……. THE BEST OF ON TRUE BLOOD. ALEX WILL GO FAR WITH HIS CAREER . AND I WILL BE THERE TO WATCH TRUE BLOOD WAS ALL OVER THE PLACE ON SEASON 4 I HOPE SEASON FIVE IS WAY BETTER
I was looking forward to season 4. Then it happened …there were a few memorial scenes. I was just mainly pissed. Poor Alex. He always rose to the occasion though. Thank God for Alex and Kristen. Otherwise my time would have been wasted.
I never let myself look forward to a season because I know I’m bound to be disappointed, and this one was no different. I agree, Alex and Kristin, no matter how much they continue ruining their characters, will always be my reason for watching.
Things I liked:
- amnesiac Eric being drunk, then the lake scene.
- Eric buying Sookie’s house and claiming her
- Eric & Sookie love scenes
- Eric ripping annoying Roy’s heart up
- Eric tossing the chupa cabras like a rag doll twice
Special honorary mention to the white wolf that showed more acting skills than Manganiello.
The rest sucked big time. Poor Pam was ruined
Ahh, what a coincidence everything I liked was related to the Viking.
I agree with everything you just said ……its a shame that black wolf did act better the Joe M. did all season long…..and this man is gonna to be a romantic lead next season that AB is going to throw down our throats?? Disgusting!
Joe Manganiello is like a chewing gum, it tastes good when you start to chew it but after a while it loses its taste and you have to discard it. The insistence of throwing this pseudo-actor in our faces annoys me, and he’s no match to the Viking.
Unfortunately, the HBO press machine is PUSHING Joe at anyone who is paying attention. They’re trying to make him relevant.
Yeah, HBO good luck with that. He doesn’t have the TB fanbase to support it.
the whole thing now with them making alcide the new guy on the show is annoying, in interviews Joe M. always comes across as if he has a huge ego and the other kinds of roles he seems to do now besides TRue blood also underlines that he only sells his body (I think in some movie he is going to play a male stripper lol);
but I am pretty sure that they are going to heavily promote sookie alcide in sesaon 5, I don´t care for him at all, but ball will find a way to mess it up because he and his writers probably think thats what everyone wants (well, actually only TV guide and EW want that LOL); its annoying how those magazines are promoting this hook up, its like they see sookie as a woman who has to have sex with every hot guy on the show, just too damn stupid and they have always been biased about beel and sookie meh…
Well it’s nice to know they were watching the same show as me. I agree with all of that.
Episode 8 did it for me. The ep started out just fine, but fell apart as it progressed, setting the show on a downward spiral from which it has never recovered. I am of two minds about whether I nominate the over-the-top snowglobe bed scene with its cloying dialogue that made me cringe (“Can we make love in it?” “Like we would ever stop” *shudders at the memory*) or the graveyard scene which led to Sookie getting shot again in readiness for a top-up of Bill-juice.
It’s a shame that AB and the writers messed up season 4 should have been the best season…..with Eric and sookie finally getting together and being in love with each other….then they started with this bill sh*t and finally this horrible threesome crap…..and her asking bill to forgive her….WTF??? Then in the last episode they started this alcide in the mix crap with his stupid ass hitting on her explanation of people that fit with each one another should get together whether they are in love or not??? AB pls get some writers on this show because you have no ideas what the hell this show is about! You are ruining CH characters ……its like putting scarlet o’hara with ashley instead of rhett butler the spirit of the books are no where to be seen!
I think what ruined the shower scene was that horrible dialog, ugh,,,, but it was an attempt to show the connection between Eric & Sookie, but then the rest of the episode went downhill with the scene at the cemetery and Beehl taking advantage to make Sookie drink his polluted blood again….
I totally agree about those 2 scenes! I just watched Season 4 again – only Eric , Pam, La Fayette & Jesus made it worth watching. I fast forwarded the rest. Even Sookie started to annoy me…:(
I hate to say this but the Vampire Diaries was much more entertaining than TB season 4. I hope AB & his writers scour the Internet for feedback from fans & read this blog post!!!!!
Have to agree, I’m much more enjoying Vampire Diaries right now.
I have heard a lot of people saying that vampire diares is so much better now and I am going to get into the show now too more and more, I also think the writing is better on the VD, isn´t it kind of embarassing, that a show on HBO is worse written than the one on the CW?
I actually prefer CW shows, True Blood is the only one I’ve ever watched on HBO, and now I pretty much never will again. Just because it’s a channel more for adults, doesn’t mean the content is any better. It’s all about the blood and sex, which I could do without. Most people gave up on Vampire Diaries after the first episode, but you have to keep watching because it does get so much better.
I think AB purposely sabatoged his own show simply because he was so enamored with the character of Bill and the fans loved Eric. It was his way of thumbing his nose at the fans for not falling in line with his vision.
I think AB purposely sabotaged TB because he does not want to be part of the show any longer. Wasn’t he thinking of moving on last season? My thing is hand it over to one of the better writers and get the f*&k out! From season one he did it his way with Beehl being the hero and taking Eric’s scenes from the book, but I still stayed and watched hoping he would at least go a little more along the books because lets face it season 1 was the closest he came to the books the rest has been a hodgepodge of WTF… I don’t know I want to see how he F*&ks up season 5 all in hopes that he may redeem himself. I know, I know you probably think I’m a dipshit but I don’t want ASkars to leave my television!! Just sayin!!
He’s supposedly leaving after season 5, but the damage has already been done. The show might not even continue after that, anyway.
I think it will last at least 6 seasons its still getting good ratings…..I think 6 will be all….AS Wants to do other things….
It depends on the ratings for season 5 whether there will be a season 6 or not, and with most people wanting nothing more to do with the show, I’m sure they’re bound to go down.
“I think AB purposely sabotaged TB because he does not want to be part of the show any longer. ”
No. Showrunniers don’t tank shows because they want to leave. They may be hacks but if they want to hand over the reigns to another showrunner, they won’t tank the show because then they can’t hand it over.
In answer to your question … no, I don’t think this review will have any impact on Ball whatsoever. He is clearly marching to the beat of his own drummer and doesn’t give a damn what is being said. While, in some instances, forsaking popular opinion can be commendable, when you have SO many sources (and not just bookies) that think the show just isn’t good anymore you need to put your ego aside and take a hard look at what you are doing. Ball either doesn’t care enough or is incapable of doing that.
I”m not a book purist, but I really didn’t think Alan Ball would go so
far off of the beaten path when it came to his adaption of the books.
I love the show,I love the characters,I love Jessica Hamby,AB’s addition
to the characters that Charlaine Harris originally wrote.
If you ask me which Vampire I love, I’ll tell you Eric Northman.
I really would love to see Sookie Stackhouse end up with him.
yes, totally block out the truth facts LOL
“I”m not a book purist,”
I think that sums up just about everything…including this
“I really would love to see Sookie Stackhouse end up with him.”
Because, you see, she’s supposed to be with him
Lol, that meat statue was the thing the maenad and followers built in Sookie’s yard! To me, the whole maenad thing was a debaucle. So was the whole Hot Shot thing, including Jason. There are good things and bad things but yet I keep watching and will until the end…
I will keep watching as long as Alexander Skarsgård is there, once he leaves, I’m done with Ball’s fan fic.
Once he leaves, the show is done.
Agree. Alex & Eric are the show. Period.
well, alex definitely would be the only reason still to watch the show but I think not even him can save it anymore, the writing is just so bad, some of the actors must feel embarassed themselves by some of the crappy lines they have to do…
Whilst I completely agree with what they say, I don’t want the series to end as I don’t want Eric to end. Sure Alex will do other things but I’ll miss him as Eric, and I doubt he will ever find a role that is so perfect for him, so I want it to go on as long as possible. Call me a masochist but I don’t want HBO to pull the plug just yet.
Sadly, it would be in Alex’s best interest for the series to end soon. The more the series goes downhill (and he’s relegated to a second class character), the worse it is for his career.
I think AB had an agenda from the very first season. When he had Beehl stake Longshadow instead of Eric. Whether it was just so they could introduce another character or not. Beehl could have made made Jessica at any time. That wouldn’t have changed the true spirit of the books. The books are about Sookies life and how she came to love Eric not Beehl. It changed after that scene and not for the better. It’s been a long slow ride down hill ever since. Again I say it could have been so good.
I think they pretty much nailed it.
“1) this show jumped the shark long ago”
Boy did it ever. The Maryann plot was beyond stupid. What was an interesting plot in the books was boring, and ridiculous and yet another vehicle for Tara to act like a moron. Not only that it gave the writers of True Blood an excuse to have Maryann host orgies for people who really should have kept their clothes on.
“I could almost give it a pass, based on the sheer adorable-ness of Eric Northman, amnesiac,”
Actually Eric almost saves it again and again. I think many Eric fans ‘give it pass” by tuning in to see him and ignor the shear stupidity of the rest of the plot. If it weren’t for askars, many of us wouldn’t put up with the shit we do. The Amnesia Eric storyline saved S4 despite the stupid Queen Bill story.
“but when you throw in Werepanthers, Petunia Dursley as a possessed witch, and Andy Bellefleur’s inexplicable splendor in the grass with Sookie’s Fairy Godmother, yeah I’m done”
What about Queen Bill. Not one gives a fuck about that either.. except to be unbelievably disgusted that he was even in S4 when he should have been in Peru but really as to the rest…
Did anyone really care about any of this? Was the Hot Shot storyline line of interest to any one? Or the mysterious fairy sex for Andy? I thought not? Who in the hell do they think they’re writing for? No CARES.
I so agree with everyone on this site. I’m still longing for my Eric after AB & company tried to destroy him in S4. Thank God, Eric fans are everywhere,
I find it funny that other people didn’t correct the line about Andy with Sookie’s fairy godmother. That was not her fairy godmother. Eric drained Claudine so the random fairy Andy bedded was some other insignificant character.
Alan has ruined a very good thing. He gave Beehl way too much screen time period. I can’t stand Bill. And amnesiac Eric? He was the best part of the whole season! And I can’t stand the fact that their hot shower fun was changed. Why couldn’t they have their fun, the way they did in the books?
AB please stop ruining a good thing. You are not competent enough to be in charge of this series. Your time passed with the 2nd season. Stop making Beehl the hero when he is the cad that lied and manipulated his way into Sookie’s life.
Please refrain from taking some of the best moments from the SS series and ruining them with “your take on things”.
That’s because no one really cares about the fairies, especially not Andy getting down and dirty with one. That I could have definitely done without.