The Formula Continues: TRUE BLOOD: Save Yourself Review, TV Show Essay

True Blood Season 5 Episode 12 Save Yourself Review Essay. True Blood: Season 5, Episode 12: Save Yourself continued the True Blood season finale formula for a third season in a row, though the formula may have been present even before.

The Formula

The finale season episode formula is simply: kill off the bad guy or scenario that has been plaguing the protagonist all season long and introduce another one.

The Problem

In Valen’s Name, couldn’t the writers come up with a different strategy than this? Battlestar Galactica managed to do it. The Walking Dead has done it for two seasons as has Game of Thrones to some extent. I say some because Game of Thrones show writers begin new storylines at the end of each season but its non-predictable and more organic tha what is present in True Blood.

I am not familiar with the mechanics of TV show script writing but there must be something else True Blood writers can do than placing the same characters into the “finale season episode” formula again and again.

True Blood is not the only show to use the “finale season episode” formula.

Dexter uses this exact formula and may have been using it for even longer than True Blood. Perhaps True Blood writers appropriated the strategy for themselves from Dexter the way DC Entertainment has adopted Marvel Pictures superhero film strategy (written about here: Is Greed Good?: Marvel’s MO, DC’s Justice League: Strategies and Money).

A viewer can watch True Blood or Dexter and know for a fact that the main bad guy/scenario plaguing the protagonist that season is going to get whacked or taken down in some way in the last episode. You can also bet that a new villain/scenario will be introduced in the last two episodes as well.

Predictability is not something I have ever enjoyed, especially in premises that started out inventive.

Save Yourself

Regarding Save Yourself, I wish Russell Edgington (Denis O’Hare) had gotten to the fairies and ripped them to pieces but it was not to be. Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgård) finally avenged his family and kanly was satisfied. That was unexpected.

The authority was wiped out except for Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer). That was the bad guy being killed off portion of the “finale season episode” formula.

Bill emerging out of a pool of blood, all Deacon Frost from Blade, was the new bad guy being introduced for next season portion of the “finale season episode” formula. Bill Compton is The Authority now (everyone else on the council is dead or has run off).

The scenario to be introduced next season should be a vampire/human war if what the General said in the episode before last was accurate. Since that Russel Edgeton/Reverend Steve Newlin (Michael McMillian)/Fraternity Murder video was released publicly, like the General said it would if he were killed, that would seem to be the case.

A vampire/human war on True Blood will be a good thing.

If the show opened up outside of Bon Temps, Louisiana (like Game of Thrones) and introduced new main characters, it would be even better.

That will never happen.

I spoke ad nauseam about why it will not here: 10 Reasons True Blood: Season 5 is Goofy, Boring, and Needs Repair. The show is trapped within itself, its own small universe, a strength and a weakness.

Back to Save Yourself.

Jason Stackhouse (Ryan Kwanten) splattered a bunch of moronic security vampires who continuously walked or ran into an unsecured room during lock down…big whoop. Oh and intelligent for supposedly trained security personale.

Jessica Hamby (Deborah Ann Woll) declares her love for Jason after her and Jason’s affair destroyed his best friend (Hoyt) to such a degree that Hoyt had part of his permanent memory erased…Ahahahahahaha. Great *snickers* timing *snickers, eyes watering* slattern.

Tara Thornton (Rutina Wesley) and Pam Swynford De Beaufort (Kristin Bauer van Straten) hooking up was a surprise. I thought they were just becoming friends or a mother/daughter relationship was being built. I was wrong. Not a bad plot development. I didn’t see it coming.

Conclusion

True Blood could use more unexpected plot developments and less formula. Lotta Continua.

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