True Blood: Karma
July 28, 2014 9:40 AM - Season 7, Episode 6 - Subscribe
Almost everyone (except Willa, MIA) has an interesting plotline! Highlights: Sarah Newlin continues to be the greatest villain of the series, Adilyn makes the dumbest choices imaginable, Tara gets off her cross, and Bill has legal issues.
Personal observation: the face that I made when my partner reminded me there are only four episodes left was the identical expression that my son made yesterday at dinner when I told him he had five more bites of meatloaf before he was done.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:16 AM on July 28, 2014
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:16 AM on July 28, 2014
I assume that means you want to savor it, because meatloaf is delicious.
posted by psoas at 10:31 AM on July 28, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by psoas at 10:31 AM on July 28, 2014 [2 favorites]
This is what I tired to tell him, but in the end, I think he felt meatloaf was just something to be endured, much as I view these last episodes of True Blood.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 11:21 AM on July 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 11:21 AM on July 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
Was anyone else laughing at the Beetlejuice-like waiting room of dead folks? I was have expecting Bill to get his head shrunk after jacking someone's number.
His exit from the office and the pencil was the best thing about this so-far-boring plot line. Lawyers!
Where does the blood go on Jessica's face after she cries? Why is her makeup so perfect after she cries blood. Jealousy and confusion abound. I ship HambyHouse and don't understand why this can't happen.
I don't know, I don't hate-watch, I watch because we've made it this far. Gotta see it through. I've actually liked this season; it feels a lot more like the early ones. (if you hate watch just leave. Leave like I left Once.) I'm not on board with this Tara bullshit though. I suppose this is what we get after being outraged she died off camera. Not actual death. If there's no redemption for Bill ("maybe you deserve it!") neither should there be for Lettie-Mae. I feel jerked around a la Leftovers during her moments of lucidity. They ultimately mean nothing. THERE IS NO FAMILY.
I never in a thousand years would have guessed that the final bad guys in True Blood would be the Yakuza. While it hasn't been handled very well, that is fact is inexplicable and perfect.
posted by Sayuri. at 11:22 AM on July 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
His exit from the office and the pencil was the best thing about this so-far-boring plot line. Lawyers!
Where does the blood go on Jessica's face after she cries? Why is her makeup so perfect after she cries blood. Jealousy and confusion abound. I ship HambyHouse and don't understand why this can't happen.
I don't know, I don't hate-watch, I watch because we've made it this far. Gotta see it through. I've actually liked this season; it feels a lot more like the early ones. (if you hate watch just leave. Leave like I left Once.) I'm not on board with this Tara bullshit though. I suppose this is what we get after being outraged she died off camera. Not actual death. If there's no redemption for Bill ("maybe you deserve it!") neither should there be for Lettie-Mae. I feel jerked around a la Leftovers during her moments of lucidity. They ultimately mean nothing. THERE IS NO FAMILY.
I never in a thousand years would have guessed that the final bad guys in True Blood would be the Yakuza. While it hasn't been handled very well, that is fact is inexplicable and perfect.
posted by Sayuri. at 11:22 AM on July 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
I'm about 70% hate watching, 30% watching for lingering love for the characters I've spent so much time with. I don't hate all of it. If I did, I could probably stop. There's always a semi-decent ep roping me back whenever I'm ready to stop for good. It's like True Blood is my good for nothing, cheating boyfriend and every time I'm ready to pack up and run to my mom's house, he shows up with flowers and my favorite wine. It's not a healthy relationship I have with this show.
I also have a morbid interest in seeing whether they pull a fantastically stupid ending out of their asses. The pessimist in me feel they have the potential to usurp Dexter's claim to "worst ending ever."
posted by DirtyOldTown at 11:52 AM on July 28, 2014 [4 favorites]
I also have a morbid interest in seeing whether they pull a fantastically stupid ending out of their asses. The pessimist in me feel they have the potential to usurp Dexter's claim to "worst ending ever."
posted by DirtyOldTown at 11:52 AM on July 28, 2014 [4 favorites]
I am Officially Bored with the Bill storyline. Billith had such potential, and he's left sitting in a waiting room. If he does actually die of V, I won't really care too much. Sookie is getting on my nerves a bit now, too.
James turning up at Lafayette's house wasn't a surprise, but Lettie May not completely freaking out was, even if she did look like she swallowed a tennis ball when she closed the door. Almost as much as Lafayette agreeing to give Lettie May V, after all of the times he's gone off at her about the various ways she gets inebriated. This whole Tara storyline better have some kind of decent ending after all of this nonsense about her digging in the back garden of a house. Tara wasn't the most likeable of characters, but she stood out. And now she's talking in tongues and digging gardens. I hope the Reverend will still be in the show. He seems like a really nice guy.
When Katsumo Ryuchi walked in, I thought we were going to get a cameo from Bubba (book readers will understand). Pam smiling is just so weird. Second time in as many episodes. I love how her hair is so perfect even though she's chained up.
I quite like the character Amber. Horking up blood on Sarah Newlin. :applauds: She's like a mini-Pam.
Did anyone else see Holly cop a feel of Wade's bum as she was leading him away from the house? The Holly and Andy storyline was the most normal part of this episode. And I think I actually started to like Arlene at this point. It's been a while since I've done that.
Viole(n)t smiling was hands down the creepiest thing I have ever seen on the show. Also, how long does it take to get to Port Bellefleur? Holly and Andy set off pretty early, but it seemed quite late when we next see it. I'm laying odds on Jessica ripping Viole(n)t's head off in the finale. Or Bill, maybe.
As soon as the series finishes, I'm going to start watching it all over again. Who's with me?
posted by Solomon at 12:10 PM on July 28, 2014
James turning up at Lafayette's house wasn't a surprise, but Lettie May not completely freaking out was, even if she did look like she swallowed a tennis ball when she closed the door. Almost as much as Lafayette agreeing to give Lettie May V, after all of the times he's gone off at her about the various ways she gets inebriated. This whole Tara storyline better have some kind of decent ending after all of this nonsense about her digging in the back garden of a house. Tara wasn't the most likeable of characters, but she stood out. And now she's talking in tongues and digging gardens. I hope the Reverend will still be in the show. He seems like a really nice guy.
When Katsumo Ryuchi walked in, I thought we were going to get a cameo from Bubba (book readers will understand). Pam smiling is just so weird. Second time in as many episodes. I love how her hair is so perfect even though she's chained up.
I quite like the character Amber. Horking up blood on Sarah Newlin. :applauds: She's like a mini-Pam.
Did anyone else see Holly cop a feel of Wade's bum as she was leading him away from the house? The Holly and Andy storyline was the most normal part of this episode. And I think I actually started to like Arlene at this point. It's been a while since I've done that.
Viole(n)t smiling was hands down the creepiest thing I have ever seen on the show. Also, how long does it take to get to Port Bellefleur? Holly and Andy set off pretty early, but it seemed quite late when we next see it. I'm laying odds on Jessica ripping Viole(n)t's head off in the finale. Or Bill, maybe.
As soon as the series finishes, I'm going to start watching it all over again. Who's with me?
posted by Solomon at 12:10 PM on July 28, 2014
I never in a thousand years would have guessed that the final bad guys in True Blood would be the Yakuza.
Maybe they're not going to turn out to be the bad guys after all if they can use Sarah Newlin's blood to synthesize a mass-produced Hep-V antidote. Then they'd be the heroes who enable the vamps and humans to achieve detente again. Frankly, after all the villains there have been in the series, I'm surprised Sarah is the one who's turning out to be the evilest evil who ever eviled.
posted by fuse theorem at 12:10 PM on July 28, 2014 [3 favorites]
Maybe they're not going to turn out to be the bad guys after all if they can use Sarah Newlin's blood to synthesize a mass-produced Hep-V antidote. Then they'd be the heroes who enable the vamps and humans to achieve detente again. Frankly, after all the villains there have been in the series, I'm surprised Sarah is the one who's turning out to be the evilest evil who ever eviled.
posted by fuse theorem at 12:10 PM on July 28, 2014 [3 favorites]
I'm not sure how I feel about this Sarah Newlin-is-the-antidote plot. Mainly because I really want to see Eric rip her head off just as he declared he would, and if she's really the "cure" then he can't do that. (At least not yet.)
Billith had such potential, and he's left sitting in a waiting room.
Yeah, and I love how they gave Jason a line about that very thing. "He was some kinda vampire god, like, six months ago!"
posted by dnash at 12:24 PM on July 28, 2014 [3 favorites]
Billith had such potential, and he's left sitting in a waiting room.
Yeah, and I love how they gave Jason a line about that very thing. "He was some kinda vampire god, like, six months ago!"
posted by dnash at 12:24 PM on July 28, 2014 [3 favorites]
"Did anyone else see Holly cop a feel of Wade's bum as she was leading him away from the house?"
Ha, ha. I saw this but I felt the actress just didn't know where exactly to put her hands. I think it was just an awkward thing that didn't get edited out.
I liked Bill killing the lawyer and her assistant. It balanced out the silliness of a centuries old vampire losing her shit because her human BF cheated on her. Kill him and/or turn him and move on. You've had centuries of dealing with humans and other vamps. They're all shitty, you've haven't learned that yet?
I'm almost sure Sam's fiancee isn't going to make it out alive. Leave now! Yes, Sam is the mayor of Crazytown. Why are you still hanging around?
Ok, here's something that's really bugged me, especially this season. Is the whole maker-progeny thing only important to some vamps? Because with the number of vamps running wild, you'd think their makers would keep a tighter rein.
posted by Ik ben afgesneden at 12:28 PM on July 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
Ha, ha. I saw this but I felt the actress just didn't know where exactly to put her hands. I think it was just an awkward thing that didn't get edited out.
I liked Bill killing the lawyer and her assistant. It balanced out the silliness of a centuries old vampire losing her shit because her human BF cheated on her. Kill him and/or turn him and move on. You've had centuries of dealing with humans and other vamps. They're all shitty, you've haven't learned that yet?
I'm almost sure Sam's fiancee isn't going to make it out alive. Leave now! Yes, Sam is the mayor of Crazytown. Why are you still hanging around?
Ok, here's something that's really bugged me, especially this season. Is the whole maker-progeny thing only important to some vamps? Because with the number of vamps running wild, you'd think their makers would keep a tighter rein.
posted by Ik ben afgesneden at 12:28 PM on July 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
Enough people have mentioned the butt touching enough so I checked it out.
To me it looked like she was sort of protectively trying to cover his butt even though it's pointless, which I thought was a nice detail.
I often call this the show that made everyone sick of orgies. I rewatched it not too long ago and the surprisingly steep quality drop off once Alan Ball leaves makes it hard to get through last season.
There's something suitably ridiculous about throwing the Yakuza in there that smacks of brainstorming about what they hadn't done yet. Having them invade a GOP fundraiser did highlight the first syllable fun, but, really, I wanna see how they end it. I watched the last season of the Gilmore Girls, fer gassakes, nothing is going to beat the strange sacrilege of that.
posted by provoliminal at 12:53 PM on July 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
To me it looked like she was sort of protectively trying to cover his butt even though it's pointless, which I thought was a nice detail.
I often call this the show that made everyone sick of orgies. I rewatched it not too long ago and the surprisingly steep quality drop off once Alan Ball leaves makes it hard to get through last season.
There's something suitably ridiculous about throwing the Yakuza in there that smacks of brainstorming about what they hadn't done yet. Having them invade a GOP fundraiser did highlight the first syllable fun, but, really, I wanna see how they end it. I watched the last season of the Gilmore Girls, fer gassakes, nothing is going to beat the strange sacrilege of that.
posted by provoliminal at 12:53 PM on July 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
Not for nothing, but if you miss the propulsive energy that True Blood had back in the Alan Ball days, before it got larded down with accumulated stupid, I highly recommend the show Ball is producing for Cinemax, Banshee. It's a similar mix of fabulously good-looking people getting it on and bloody violence, but it swaps out the supernatural stuff and the camp for scuzzball neo-noir and grimly satisfying ass-kicking.
It is a very, very serious contender for Most Violent Show on Television, so be warned. I'm talking the kind of violence that makes you scamper backwards over your couch yelping, "OHSHITOHSHITOHSHIT!" And while it can have a sense of humor, swapping campy horror for neo-noir makes it a very grim show.
Anyway, it's good. Can't wait to discuss it on FF once the new season starts.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 12:58 PM on July 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
It is a very, very serious contender for Most Violent Show on Television, so be warned. I'm talking the kind of violence that makes you scamper backwards over your couch yelping, "OHSHITOHSHITOHSHIT!" And while it can have a sense of humor, swapping campy horror for neo-noir makes it a very grim show.
Anyway, it's good. Can't wait to discuss it on FF once the new season starts.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 12:58 PM on July 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
Considering how many vamps are dead or dying from Hep V, I can imagine quite a few progeny have lost their makers thus allowing them to run amok.Not to mention, dying makers may not really care if their progeny run wild or not.
I'm annoyed at the Sam's fiancee plot. I mean NOW she realizes Bon Temps is nuts, not say when she was attacked by werewolves and saved by a shifter who was rescuing his dead girlfriend's daughter? Not when the town decided their best hope at survival was essentially a vampire sponsorship program? I mean that Bon temps is crazytown isn't exactly a well kept secret. I wasn't a huge fan of Nicole to begin with but now I am REALLY annoyed that it's yet another dead end plot.
Also, has she thought about what happens if her child is a shifter?
I'm wondering, now that Sookie is Hep V positive, if this is clearing the way for Sam and Sookie to finally get together (she did come to him before her almost wedding with Warlow).
Is anyone else dying for Hoyt to finally show up in Bon Temps?
And I really hope Bill dies, but Eric gets the cure. I'm so annoyed with both Bill and Sookie and how this season it was "Hey clean slate so let's do EXACTLY what we did the last time and share blood and create a bond because it worked out so well originally!" Also Bill's is much faster than regular Hep V. I'm wondering if mixed with Sookie's blood it mutates making it SUPER EXTRA deadly. Which hey I've been wanting Bill to die for a while now so I could live with that.
posted by miss-lapin at 1:08 PM on July 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
I'm annoyed at the Sam's fiancee plot. I mean NOW she realizes Bon Temps is nuts, not say when she was attacked by werewolves and saved by a shifter who was rescuing his dead girlfriend's daughter? Not when the town decided their best hope at survival was essentially a vampire sponsorship program? I mean that Bon temps is crazytown isn't exactly a well kept secret. I wasn't a huge fan of Nicole to begin with but now I am REALLY annoyed that it's yet another dead end plot.
Also, has she thought about what happens if her child is a shifter?
I'm wondering, now that Sookie is Hep V positive, if this is clearing the way for Sam and Sookie to finally get together (she did come to him before her almost wedding with Warlow).
Is anyone else dying for Hoyt to finally show up in Bon Temps?
And I really hope Bill dies, but Eric gets the cure. I'm so annoyed with both Bill and Sookie and how this season it was "Hey clean slate so let's do EXACTLY what we did the last time and share blood and create a bond because it worked out so well originally!" Also Bill's is much faster than regular Hep V. I'm wondering if mixed with Sookie's blood it mutates making it SUPER EXTRA deadly. Which hey I've been wanting Bill to die for a while now so I could live with that.
posted by miss-lapin at 1:08 PM on July 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
Is anyone else dying for Hoyt to finally show up in Bon Temps?
I completely forgot about this.Thank you for reminding me.
I think they could have made something more of Nicole's desire to go back home and leave town. She came into the series trying to protect shifters and now she's completely freaked out by them. Her only value seems to be Sam's Girlfriend.
And where the hell is Kenya and the rest of the vigilantes?
posted by Solomon at 1:25 PM on July 28, 2014
I completely forgot about this.
I think they could have made something more of Nicole's desire to go back home and leave town. She came into the series trying to protect shifters and now she's completely freaked out by them. Her only value seems to be Sam's Girlfriend.
And where the hell is Kenya and the rest of the vigilantes?
posted by Solomon at 1:25 PM on July 28, 2014
Banshee! DirtyOldTown, I am looking forward to the next season, as well. That show is violent and strange and so awesome. The scene with them in boat on the lake. . .the many, many beatings. . .
I thought Sookie's fairy blood should have staved off the Hep V or provided some type of protection to her or Bill. I'm fine with Bill dying, however. He almost reached his potential becoming a demi-god and then that just fizzled out.
posted by Ik ben afgesneden at 2:01 PM on July 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
I thought Sookie's fairy blood should have staved off the Hep V or provided some type of protection to her or Bill. I'm fine with Bill dying, however. He almost reached his potential becoming a demi-god and then that just fizzled out.
posted by Ik ben afgesneden at 2:01 PM on July 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
Didn't most of vigilantes die in the rumble at Fangtasia last episode?
Nicole strikes me as someone who had this kind of glamorous idea of what living in world with various supes would be like, but had no concept of the reality. Now she sees the reality and wants to go back to "normal life" which she could if she was not potentially pregnant with a shifter baby. She's this young idealist who didn't really think things through and now wants out. She like a lot of college students I teach who think "Oh I shall do this wonderfully altruistic thing" and then start doing it and become disenchanted by the reality.
posted by miss-lapin at 2:07 PM on July 28, 2014 [2 favorites]
Nicole strikes me as someone who had this kind of glamorous idea of what living in world with various supes would be like, but had no concept of the reality. Now she sees the reality and wants to go back to "normal life" which she could if she was not potentially pregnant with a shifter baby. She's this young idealist who didn't really think things through and now wants out. She like a lot of college students I teach who think "Oh I shall do this wonderfully altruistic thing" and then start doing it and become disenchanted by the reality.
posted by miss-lapin at 2:07 PM on July 28, 2014 [2 favorites]
Count me in as someone very excited for the return of Hoyt. Between that now her and Bill being Hep-V+ poor Jessica's going to have some shitty episodes coming up.
The best part of these episodes is Eric and Pam and it was a particularly nice touch for Eric to engage in a multi-Yakuza fight still holding the face he ripped off one of them.
posted by marylynn at 6:10 PM on July 28, 2014 [2 favorites]
The best part of these episodes is Eric and Pam and it was a particularly nice touch for Eric to engage in a multi-Yakuza fight still holding the face he ripped off one of them.
posted by marylynn at 6:10 PM on July 28, 2014 [2 favorites]
True Blood Finally Resurrects The Monster Inside Vampire Bill
posted by homunculus at 6:32 PM on July 28, 2014
posted by homunculus at 6:32 PM on July 28, 2014
There was a vampire mailman with Hep-V in the waiting room with Bill; how the hell can a vampire deliver the mail? Is there some zip code with an overnight route?
posted by DirtyOldTown at 9:38 PM on July 28, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 9:38 PM on July 28, 2014 [3 favorites]
Best ep in this season so far. Several Christ Figure images going on - we had James (and the close up of his face/hair looking a lot like Jesus himself) feeding Lafayette and Lettie Mae with the Virgin Mary behind him in the frame; then Tara up on the cross; and Sarah/Numi's blood's healing properties and discussion of Christ and The Buddha. So where are they going with this?? Christ/religion as still yet another form of "eternal life," beyond vapirism perhaps?
What's Tara digging for in their old backyard? (Book peeps: could it be a superspecial magic family heirloom or something?? I swore I thought Sookie was going to suddenly find something wacky at her house party when looking for the old Stackhouse family ring to give to Andy....) Tara's storyline is also making me think of the ep a few seasons back where Lafayette was possessed by an African-American Bon Temps woman from back in the day, and the crew had to dig in the yard for her corpse. hmm...
And can I just say I love how so many of us here immediately thought the waiting room scene totally conjured Beetlejuice? Very cool.
Not sure why Bill didn't just take his pressing will and estate issues to somebody he's already worked with, like Portia Bellefleur (and then he'd need to un-glamour her back to normal again after the lusting-after-Bill-turned-to-bonechilling-fear-of-him thingy he perpetrated on her, of course). Anyway. I mean, how is it he - still the Vampire King of LA, no? - does not already have legal counsel? The King taking a number? Nah.
Eric saying to Pam: "our first sunrise together" - now that is a lot more like the quintessential Eric I've been missing with this whole Hep-V plotline taking away his mojo. Eric negotiating for the right to kill Sarah up to the moment just before the sun is about to burn his face off = awesome.
Speaking of Eric, I didn't get to say this a couple threads ago, but it was at once hilarious and cool how circa 1990s Eric at pre-Fangtasia video store was dressed - silk shirt and all - just like the inadvertently ridiculous outfits he's described in during the early books. Well done, wardrobe dept. Well done.
Just the right amount of Sookie in this ep. I enjoyed the understanding between her and Jessica, and thought the scenes of her getting tested were oddly compelling. But please, please for the love don't have Sookie pick Bill. Have her pick Eric. Duh.
Nicole/Sam: look, this would be a lot more believable if Nicole would have driven herself the fuck outta Dodge the exact same day she made up her mind to leave. None of this "waiting one more day to get picked up by my mom" bs. Nope. She'd already be gone.
posted by hush at 10:02 PM on July 28, 2014 [3 favorites]
What's Tara digging for in their old backyard? (Book peeps: could it be a superspecial magic family heirloom or something?? I swore I thought Sookie was going to suddenly find something wacky at her house party when looking for the old Stackhouse family ring to give to Andy....) Tara's storyline is also making me think of the ep a few seasons back where Lafayette was possessed by an African-American Bon Temps woman from back in the day, and the crew had to dig in the yard for her corpse. hmm...
And can I just say I love how so many of us here immediately thought the waiting room scene totally conjured Beetlejuice? Very cool.
Not sure why Bill didn't just take his pressing will and estate issues to somebody he's already worked with, like Portia Bellefleur (and then he'd need to un-glamour her back to normal again after the lusting-after-Bill-turned-to-bonechilling-fear-of-him thingy he perpetrated on her, of course). Anyway. I mean, how is it he - still the Vampire King of LA, no? - does not already have legal counsel? The King taking a number? Nah.
Eric saying to Pam: "our first sunrise together" - now that is a lot more like the quintessential Eric I've been missing with this whole Hep-V plotline taking away his mojo. Eric negotiating for the right to kill Sarah up to the moment just before the sun is about to burn his face off = awesome.
Speaking of Eric, I didn't get to say this a couple threads ago, but it was at once hilarious and cool how circa 1990s Eric at pre-Fangtasia video store was dressed - silk shirt and all - just like the inadvertently ridiculous outfits he's described in during the early books. Well done, wardrobe dept. Well done.
Just the right amount of Sookie in this ep. I enjoyed the understanding between her and Jessica, and thought the scenes of her getting tested were oddly compelling. But please, please for the love don't have Sookie pick Bill. Have her pick Eric. Duh.
Nicole/Sam: look, this would be a lot more believable if Nicole would have driven herself the fuck outta Dodge the exact same day she made up her mind to leave. None of this "waiting one more day to get picked up by my mom" bs. Nope. She'd already be gone.
posted by hush at 10:02 PM on July 28, 2014 [3 favorites]
Is the whole maker-progeny thing only important to some vamps? Because with the number of vamps running wild, you'd think their makers would keep a tighter rein.
I seem to recall that after the Sanguinistas took over the Authority they commanded all vampires to turn as many people as possible to increase their ranks, and that's why there are so many abandoned baby vampires running around out there.
posted by homunculus at 10:34 PM on July 28, 2014 [2 favorites]
I seem to recall that after the Sanguinistas took over the Authority they commanded all vampires to turn as many people as possible to increase their ranks, and that's why there are so many abandoned baby vampires running around out there.
posted by homunculus at 10:34 PM on July 28, 2014 [2 favorites]
The Diet Pepsi (anti?) promo spot in the lawyering scene was kind of jarring.
I'm kind of hoping for a sinister ending for Sarah Newlin in the vein of Chuck Heston in Omega Man.
Which is one of the most, if not the most scientifically accurate films on the biology and immunology of antibodies. No kidding. Seriously. Chuck was making a vaccine against the zombie virus, he succeeded "in the nick of time." Now, this was probably going to be things that looked like viral proteins given alongside an adjuvant to stimulate the innate immune system to turn on the acquired immune system. Eventually, if the right mimick for the actual virus (in its protein coating while its floating around looking for a target cell to infect) is chosen along with the right antigen, a strong antibody response against the pathogen that you're trying to fight develops, which means lots of antibodies.
Antibodies float around in your bloodstream.
Chuck (Newlin) infected himself (herself) with an antidote*, which might be a potent vaccine that stimulated her immune system to produce very effective antibodies against cells infectect with HepV/HVV. Since the antigen is gone (unless the formula for the antigen/adjuvant is found), the only way to use Newlin to cure vamps would be to keep her fed and on a continuous veinous dialysis regimen to harvest her antibodies.
(Until the antibodiy(ies) can be cloned, then anyone can make bucketfuls in their garage [with the right equipment and know how].)
I wonder if vampires still have a responsive immune response (or if they have the same immune response as at the moment of their death, or no immune response at all, dead tissue and supernatural healing taking care of everything).
*antidotes are typically neutralizing antibodies or other compounds, it wouldn't make sense for an antidote to work in a human, and render that human's blood a currative
posted by porpoise at 10:58 PM on July 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
I'm kind of hoping for a sinister ending for Sarah Newlin in the vein of Chuck Heston in Omega Man.
Which is one of the most, if not the most scientifically accurate films on the biology and immunology of antibodies. No kidding. Seriously. Chuck was making a vaccine against the zombie virus, he succeeded "in the nick of time." Now, this was probably going to be things that looked like viral proteins given alongside an adjuvant to stimulate the innate immune system to turn on the acquired immune system. Eventually, if the right mimick for the actual virus (in its protein coating while its floating around looking for a target cell to infect) is chosen along with the right antigen, a strong antibody response against the pathogen that you're trying to fight develops, which means lots of antibodies.
Antibodies float around in your bloodstream.
Chuck (Newlin) infected himself (herself) with an antidote*, which might be a potent vaccine that stimulated her immune system to produce very effective antibodies against cells infectect with HepV/HVV. Since the antigen is gone (unless the formula for the antigen/adjuvant is found), the only way to use Newlin to cure vamps would be to keep her fed and on a continuous veinous dialysis regimen to harvest her antibodies.
(Until the antibodiy(ies) can be cloned, then anyone can make bucketfuls in their garage [with the right equipment and know how].)
I wonder if vampires still have a responsive immune response (or if they have the same immune response as at the moment of their death, or no immune response at all, dead tissue and supernatural healing taking care of everything).
*antidotes are typically neutralizing antibodies or other compounds, it wouldn't make sense for an antidote to work in a human, and render that human's blood a currative
posted by porpoise at 10:58 PM on July 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
Regarding Bill's situation, couldn't he sell his house to Eric's shell corporation who would then in turn sell it to Jessica for like a dollar? If that is how Eric got Sookie's house, shouldn't it still work?
posted by miss-lapin at 7:29 AM on July 29, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by miss-lapin at 7:29 AM on July 29, 2014 [2 favorites]
Why can't he just sell it to Jessica for a dollar?
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:30 AM on July 29, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:30 AM on July 29, 2014 [3 favorites]
Hell, if vampires have the right to marry, he can just marry Jessica and she'll get all of his stuff with little to no hassle. It's not like they have to consummate. Or he could marry Skokie and she could give or sell it to Jessica later. People have gotten married for plenty worse reasons.
This entire "predicament" with the will is manufactured malarkey.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:11 AM on July 29, 2014 [4 favorites]
This entire "predicament" with the will is manufactured malarkey.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:11 AM on July 29, 2014 [4 favorites]
Yeah, I can see how after the True Blood factories were destroyed, there would be an erosion of vampire rights. However, there seem to be multiple ways around this property issue. Plus, considering how high demand would be for lawyers specializing in vampire law, one would expect there would be more than one in the area.
Basically, DirtyOldTown is right, it's a manufactured problem so Bill can stab someone.
posted by miss-lapin at 8:27 AM on July 29, 2014 [3 favorites]
Basically, DirtyOldTown is right, it's a manufactured problem so Bill can stab someone.
posted by miss-lapin at 8:27 AM on July 29, 2014 [3 favorites]
Also: Bill trying to glamor the lawyer was embarrassing. Of course that didn't work. If glamoring worked on her, she wouldn't work out of an office. She'd work out of a hole in a basement, putting legal documents into the basket next to the lotion and sending them up while she nestled in her own filth.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:27 AM on July 29, 2014 [8 favorites]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:27 AM on July 29, 2014 [8 favorites]
That probably happens next episode, DirtyOldTown.
posted by Solomon at 8:46 AM on July 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Solomon at 8:46 AM on July 29, 2014 [1 favorite]
Yeah, DirtyOldTown, when the lawyer started talking about an alternate solution, I thought it was going to be marriage. This blah, blah courts angle was really nonsensical. Maybe he wants to be faithful to his dead wife? Course the lawyer didn't know that.
posted by Ik ben afgesneden at 9:45 AM on July 29, 2014
posted by Ik ben afgesneden at 9:45 AM on July 29, 2014
Did anyone else see Holly cop a feel of Wade's bum as she was leading him away from the house?
Definitely just her covering her son's butt from view, parental shielding. But then you've just touched your teenage son's butt and that's weird. Very cute detail. Sometimes I get annoyed with those two, but she's always very funny.
"He was some kinda vampire god, like, six months ago!"
Best encouraging statement ever. I love Jason's delivery.
"Hey clean slate so let's do EXACTLY what we did the last time and share blood and create a bond because it worked out so well originally!
I love how it appeared to be exactly that, so cheap, and then BOOM, whoops, this time it's fatal! There is no do-over.
I think Bill's Hep-V is accelerated because he was Billith. Don't ask me for backup logic.
This entire "predicament" with the will is manufactured malarkey.
Agreed. What a waste of Bill's last days, for the viewers and him. They could have expressed all this in half the time. The only thing humanizing was Bill waiting 2 seconds for his Macbook Air to wake up. I guess he's all about mortality and closure with the flashbacks this season but I haven't really felt it, I feel like it's been very clumsy, and I'm normally rathered empathetic to Bill's fucked-upness.
Sarah's status as the antidote is kind of great, I can't wait to see what Eric will do. And yes, the outfits this season! Entirely worth it just for that. I loved Pam's 90s outfit especially.
posted by Sayuri. at 11:47 AM on July 29, 2014 [2 favorites]
Definitely just her covering her son's butt from view, parental shielding. But then you've just touched your teenage son's butt and that's weird. Very cute detail. Sometimes I get annoyed with those two, but she's always very funny.
"He was some kinda vampire god, like, six months ago!"
Best encouraging statement ever. I love Jason's delivery.
"Hey clean slate so let's do EXACTLY what we did the last time and share blood and create a bond because it worked out so well originally!
I love how it appeared to be exactly that, so cheap, and then BOOM, whoops, this time it's fatal! There is no do-over.
I think Bill's Hep-V is accelerated because he was Billith. Don't ask me for backup logic.
This entire "predicament" with the will is manufactured malarkey.
Agreed. What a waste of Bill's last days, for the viewers and him. They could have expressed all this in half the time. The only thing humanizing was Bill waiting 2 seconds for his Macbook Air to wake up. I guess he's all about mortality and closure with the flashbacks this season but I haven't really felt it, I feel like it's been very clumsy, and I'm normally rathered empathetic to Bill's fucked-upness.
Sarah's status as the antidote is kind of great, I can't wait to see what Eric will do. And yes, the outfits this season! Entirely worth it just for that. I loved Pam's 90s outfit especially.
posted by Sayuri. at 11:47 AM on July 29, 2014 [2 favorites]
I think Bill's Hep-V is accelerated because he was Billith. Don't ask me for backup logic.
I thought it was because Sookie's got that fairy blood? If it's so magical that it lets vampires go out in the sun, then wouldn't it being "infected" have an equally powerful effect in a negative way?
posted by marylynn at 8:54 PM on July 29, 2014 [4 favorites]
I thought it was because Sookie's got that fairy blood? If it's so magical that it lets vampires go out in the sun, then wouldn't it being "infected" have an equally powerful effect in a negative way?
posted by marylynn at 8:54 PM on July 29, 2014 [4 favorites]
I thought it was because Sookie's got that fairy blood? If it's so magical that it lets vampires go out in the sun, then wouldn't it being "infected" have an equally powerful effect in a negative way?
Man your guess is as good as mine. To me it's just Bill paying the price of godhood, that he was left more vulnerable after everyone drained him, something something martyr something. For some reason that makes more sense to me than it being related to fairy blood. Shots in the dark, either way. If only we had a good sample size. Where is the Scientific Method!
Oh god, what if Bill's particularly bad Hep-V can't be cured because of its particular badness.
posted by Sayuri. at 8:23 AM on July 30, 2014
Man your guess is as good as mine. To me it's just Bill paying the price of godhood, that he was left more vulnerable after everyone drained him, something something martyr something. For some reason that makes more sense to me than it being related to fairy blood. Shots in the dark, either way. If only we had a good sample size. Where is the Scientific Method!
Oh god, what if Bill's particularly bad Hep-V can't be cured because of its particular badness.
posted by Sayuri. at 8:23 AM on July 30, 2014
"I'm sorry Vampire Bill, we've tested your blood and it appears your Hep V is of the Particularly Bad strain."
"Oh. [pause] Ah knew ah should have been a better friend to Tecumseh..." *gazes wistfully off into distance for flashback*
*everyone else rolls their eyes and leaves*
posted by psoas at 1:09 PM on July 30, 2014 [7 favorites]
"Oh. [pause] Ah knew ah should have been a better friend to Tecumseh..." *gazes wistfully off into distance for flashback*
*everyone else rolls their eyes and leaves*
posted by psoas at 1:09 PM on July 30, 2014 [7 favorites]
I thought it was because Sookie's got that fairy blood? If it's so magical that it lets vampires go out in the sun, then wouldn't it being "infected" have an equally powerful effect in a negative way?
That's my guess. Since fairies and vampires are hereditary enemies I imgaine that once infected fairy blood would become extra lethal. Maybe Queen Maaaaab will return and declare Sookie to be the Fairy Messiah.
posted by homunculus at 2:29 PM on July 30, 2014 [2 favorites]
That's my guess. Since fairies and vampires are hereditary enemies I imgaine that once infected fairy blood would become extra lethal. Maybe Queen Maaaaab will return and declare Sookie to be the Fairy Messiah.
posted by homunculus at 2:29 PM on July 30, 2014 [2 favorites]
Maybe he will die more quickly but be reborn as the embodiment of Hep V? Or a vampire unicorn. Unipire? Vampicorn? One big fang somewhere.
A search for logic on this show is... a questionable exercise but possibly a fun creativity game.
Now, I thought vampires didn't have rights, vampire/human marriage was only legal in Vermont (?) unless it was overturned, and the basis of Bill's land ownership was revised inheritance laws because of the Vampire League. So marriage may not be recognized but adoption would, but I'm never sure what to make of anything smacking of real life parallels, because it's never been good at that except as a leaping off point before cutting to the weather.
posted by provoliminal at 6:19 PM on July 30, 2014 [1 favorite]
A search for logic on this show is... a questionable exercise but possibly a fun creativity game.
Now, I thought vampires didn't have rights, vampire/human marriage was only legal in Vermont (?) unless it was overturned, and the basis of Bill's land ownership was revised inheritance laws because of the Vampire League. So marriage may not be recognized but adoption would, but I'm never sure what to make of anything smacking of real life parallels, because it's never been good at that except as a leaping off point before cutting to the weather.
posted by provoliminal at 6:19 PM on July 30, 2014 [1 favorite]
Yeah, and I love how they gave Jason a line about that very thing. "He was some kinda vampire god, like, six months ago!"
Jason actually has a good brain.
posted by homunculus at 9:43 PM on July 31, 2014
Jason actually has a good brain.
posted by homunculus at 9:43 PM on July 31, 2014
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And while yes everyone was cheering Bill, you'd think a human lawyer who spends all night talking to vamps would have at least a hidden camera or two. I'm sure this will be forgotten about if Bill gets a happy ending in the series. Oh, and I thought the waiting room scenes were a nice nod to Beatlejuice.
posted by Catblack at 9:57 AM on July 28, 2014 [4 favorites]