Merlin - Lancelot, S01E05

What is a story of Arthur and Camelot without Lancelot? Well, it's just one that dates to before the French got a hold of the legends and added him in. But Merlin was written well after that happened, and with all the playing with romantic connections, not including Lancelot would just be wrong.

When Merlin (Colin Morgan) is attacked whilst gathering mushrooms, Lancelot (Santiago Cabrera) saves his life with his amazing fighting skills. Naturally, he shows up and is immediately heroic. And as part of Merlin's plan to dress him up as a nobleman so that he can become a knight of Camelot, Lancelot meets Gwen (Angel Coubly), and there is instant chemistry, although she tries to deny it.

I got quite a laugh out of the scene where Merlin is trying to make Gwen choose between Lancelot and Arthur (Bradley James), while she still harbours a crush on Merlin. Particularly as she never made the choice. Interesting, though, that Lancelot immediately felt attracted to Guinevere, while Arthur has yet to particularly notice her as a woman.

Lancelot and Arthur's relationship was even more fascinating to watch. Their first battle was fought with two broom handles, and Lancelot lost. Yet he ended up besting the Prince in his final test to become a knight....through trickery. Arthur took quite a shine to the man, as he did to Merlin, and Lancelot has already presented himself as the perfect and honourable knight, saving Arthur (with Merlin's help), but refusing to take the honour when he knew it was not entirely his own.

Depending on how long the series lasts, I look forward to Lancelot's reappearances and the development of the love triangle between he, Arthur, and Gwen. In this series, so far, who do you think she ought to choose?

True Blood - It Hurts Me Too, S03E03

Although nothing in this episode had the impact of the disturbing last few minutes, every individual plot line brought forward new concerns for the fate of the inhabitants of Bon Temps. Frankly, despite the fact that the entire population is abnormally attractive, I would never want to live there. Then again, in vamps and such were real and out of the coffin, what would my own home town be like?

Tara (Rutina Wesley) has terrible taste in vampires as well as humans, and is equally incapable of relating or communicating with them. As amusing as that is, I have to say I'm quite concerned about the results of her allowing Franklin (James Frain) into Sookie (Anna Paquin)'s house. Not that this was her choice, since he glamoured her. My only hope is that the havoc he will wreak will not equal what Maryann got up to.

Meanwhile, life has been continuing with some normal occurances. Hoyt (Jim Parrack) is still mooning over Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll), Jason (Ryan Kwanten) is still a mess who can't figure out what he wants to do with his life, Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) still has to put up with the stresses of dealing drugs (though he is doing it for vampires rather than the mob), and Arlene (Carrie Preston) is pregnant. The baby, though, it likely Rene's, which is not exactly happy news.

But, True Blood isn't about happy normal lives. It's about vampires and such. And moments like when Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) killed a werewolf in Sookie's front hall and then observed that he'd gotten her rug all wet, and like when Sookie tried to mind-read Bill (Stephen Moyer)'s location and required Alcide (Joe Manganiello)'s protection from another werewolf.

Still, Bill had the most important story. The flashback scenes, where we saw how dearly he had loved his wife and family, where we began to understand how dearly he loves Sookie. His humanity was taken from him, and he could never do that to Sookie, even if she wanted him too. He would not love her as a vampire, he would not love what he so clearly hates in himself. When you consider that his teacher was Lorena (Mariana Klaveno) and how disturbing she is - professing to love him as he twists her neck 180 degrees while having sex with her...well, both have their issues and I can't imagine any fetishes more bizarre than that right there.

I was surprised though. I would have expected him to take her up against the silver door. Now that would have been sadism.

Where the silver lining is in this season, I have not yet figured out. But I am still desperate to see next week's episode and annoyed that I have to wait another week even though it does give me more time to catch up on my blogging.