True Blood Episode 11 - Frenzy

True Blood Episode 02x11 Frenzy :: Reviews - Reactions - Recaps - Quotes

'Must I do everything myself?!' -- Maryann



"It's been a little bonkers!" Michelle Forbes, who plays a sexy "Maenad" creature named Maryann Forrester, told ABCNews.com. "I was a part of Battlestar Gallactica, so I'm used to that world. But I didn't expect it with True Blood. I thought it was a show about a sleepy little town in Louisiana."
"People are scared by me now!" Forbes said. "I've had waiters tell me, 'Oh my god, I love the show, but you really terrify me. You're not going to do anything to me, right?' But having an emotional impact is a wonderful thing."
Source: abcnews.go.com



'That 'Thing' Owes Me A Pair of Shoes.' --Pam

[...] Sophie-Ann’s explanation of how to deal with Maryann was specific, fascinating, and funny. (That Dionysus — who knew hoping for “his coming” is like waiting for Godot?)
Speaking of Maryann, she may not have had much to do this evening, but what she did was terrific: I’d hand Michelle Forbes an Emmy just for the way she delivered the line, “Must I do everything myself?!”
----
* When I saw the egg, the only thing I could think of was “OMG, Jason was right!- Maryanne had Daphne shift into something and lay an egg before she died.” ;D
* I thought the episode was hilarious! I LOVED when Jason pulled those two stupid comments out of his strange little mind- the “do you think sam has ever turned into a dog then had sex with a lady dog” and “do you think sam could turn into a rooster and lay an egg?” HAH.
* I have read every one of the books by Charlaine Harris and enjoyed them immensely. The TV series though… Besides being typical HBO garbage and appealing to the lowest common denominator in the American TV viewing audience, I can’t even begin to enumerate everything wrong with it. It’s crude, pointless, NOT funny trash. Too bad. But once again, HBO has turned something worthwhile into a complete pile of crap.
* Maryanne, Michelle Forbes, Now that is a real actress!!!
* Michelle Forbes was, as always, excellent–I’m not sure why this woman is doing guest stints on TV when she has the talent and looks to be a screen star.
* I think Jason explained the egg perfectly. Sam clearly turned into a chicken and laid an egg :-;
* Michelle Forbes does deserve a Emmy nod for her portrayal of MaryAnn. Evil incarnate…literally. She wished her immortality into existence BY her existence….that’s fracking deep.
* Michelle Forbes is Great ! Just Great and i happen to like Maryann and i know she going to die , but i hope they find a way to keep MF on TB bring her back as someone else and make everyone think it Maryann is back ! lol Michelle should win a Emmy !
Source: ew.com

'I haven’t had a man since the Eisenhower era' --Queen SA
'Gods only exist in people's minds like money and morality' --Queen SA
'Maeneads are such sad, silly little things.' -- Queen SA



Sophie Ann explains that a maenad is a female follower of the Greek god Dionysus. Maenad’s only goal is to get Dionysus to return to the earth by offering them a person, preferably a supernatural creature like a shape-shifter. Ultimately, maenads seek death as they want to sacrifice themselves to Dionysus.
Source: transworldnews.com

I'm glad you've finally boarded the True Blood train, Mo! I really liked the first season, but this second season has seen the show develop into one of the best soaps on TV. Sometimes the writing is a bit clunky and obvious, but the cast is great, the plots are addictive as hell, and who's better than Michelle Forbes, really?
Source: chicagotribune.com

[Queen SA's] comments throughout the episode ranged from funny (”I haven’t enjoyed sex with men since the Eisenhower administration”) to cynical (”Never underestimate the power of blind faith”) to a combination of the mystical and the mystifying (”Everything that exists imagined itself into existence”), but the most telling of her comments came from her complete dismissal of Maryann and her actions. In short, she can’t really be bothered by this creature…or much of anything outside of her own existence, really. Looks like the holier-than-thou manner of royalty remains consistent within both the human and the vampire worlds.
Source: premiumhollywood.com

‘Sometimes you need to destroy something to save it.’ That’s in the Bible. Or the Constitution.' --Jason



I think anyone angry with Alan Ball's handling of characters just needs to look at his past work to get a feel for how he chooses to portray women. They are either castrating beyotches, troubled and drug-addled teens engaging in waaay too much casual sex, or emotionally distant and cold manipulating hysterics. When it comes to men, he's a bit better at showing us what they feel and think but he celebrates their acting out violently or when they degrade the women in their lives. The dude has issues is all I can say.
Source: IMDb board

'Teacup humans.' 'Good night, tiny humans.' --Eric



* mrbenjaminlaw: Downloading the latest version of The Awesome Maryann Forrester Show. Sorry, I mean, True Blood. It's called "True Blood". Keep forgetting.
* nathanieletc: I absolutely LOVE where True Blood is going. Their expansion of Maryann way beyond the book (while otherwise pretty loyal) is awesome!
* KevlarBrown: If they don't kill Maryann in the finale True Blood and I are done. As my dad used to say, that's not a threat, it's a promise.
* Leah_HR_37: Michelle Forbes is truly the best casting decision True Blood made. Everyone else is so-so, but Forbes kicks it up a notch.
* averita_: #trueblood was also incredible. I love Michelle Forbes when she's really irritated. ("Must I do everything myself?")
* queenkandis: Michelle Forbes is freaking fantastic. Though scary as hell.
* theMediaChick: Almost forgot, it's time for True Blood. Ok, I"ll admit it. I think I've developed a girl crush on Michelle Forbes.
* zackford: I think that actress Michelle Forbes knows just how to get under my skin. I hate it, but I love that I hate it. Ro, Cain, Maryann... ugh!
* dakinegirl: Someone else I'd like to see with her own show or at least one of the major stars of....is Michelle Forbes. She's phenomenal!
Source: Twitter

RIP Kaaarrrl



Sam will be forced to shift into a giant chicken and sit on the egg until it hatches. A little "ALIENS" type creature will pop out of it and eat Sam and all the orgy attendees. Sigourney Weaver will make a guest appearance as Ripley and blowtorch the entire town of Bon Temps. She will be knighted by the Queen and become the new sheriff. Shall I go on???? Because I can be just as stupid as this whole Maryanne storyline is....
Source: HBO Boards

What the Hell is Maryann?

Only two more episodes of True Blood until the finale! But the fact is that we haven't got the slightest idea about who Maryann Forrester actually is or what she is up to, and how the whole season will come to an end. Ever since Maryann's spectacular entrance last season - naked in the middle of the road, accompanied by a generously large pig - up until last Sunday's episode, we have been racking our brains about her from one week into the next. After all the storyline in question has now eased itself into the main plot. I must admit I haven't got the slightest idea what all that is actually about.

I do have some questions. I bet you do too. Well, in that case, we expect your speculations, theories, ideas, hopes and desires. Even the most absurd, the oddest and the most hilarious ones!

1) Who IS Maryann? What does she want to achieve in Bon Temps?
2) Why is she so obsessed with Sam, and only him?
3) How is True Blood going to end? With a cliffhanger? - Michelle Forbes has said in interviews that the ending was 'clever', and that she 'was shocked'. 'Shocked', really? You might think, that she has seen it all over the course of her career.
4) Will Maryann be killed, or will she just take off? Perhaps she will return in Season 3, in whatever shape or form?
5) With whom and in what form, does she have a love scene in the last episode? (see the last interview with Michelle Forbes, "In the finale, I have one of the most interesting love scenes I have ever done. I still giggle about it.")
5) To whom is the phrase 'You summoned me" addressed? (Scroll down for the 'Find the clues' video)

Maryann builds a totem pole /sacrificial altar or something like that (episode 10):



Orgy - fingers/mask (episode 7):



Bull head mask (episode 6):



Bloody feet (episode 7):



Dirty statue (episode 10):



Dionysus shadow, Theseus and leopard - book (episode 10):



Love scene with young Sam (episode 1):



Video 'Find the Clues' (HBO character site):



Another 'Find the Clues' video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWaJH3PPuNs

Just for fun, a screencap from the unaired first version of the TB pilot. A mysterious woman - a scene that has been cut in the final, aired pilot:



"No, Tara, they were ecstatic. All that fake civilization bullshit just fell away so they could dissolve into the infinite, so they could lose themselves and unite with their god." --Maryann

"TVGuide.com: In one scene, we see that Maryann can vibrate and will Sam to shape-shift. So why, in the flashback scene, does she vibrate when they're having sex? Was she trying to have sex with a dog?
Forbes: That is a season-revealer, so I can't say anything. That's a really important scene; people will be going back to that scene when they see the entire season."

“I turn into something very big this year and something very small as the season goes.” -- Sam Trammell

"Q: I want to know who you are going to have sex with. Are you more Eric or Bill, and what kind of drama is Queen Sophie-Ann starting?"
A: I figured that those would be the questions! Who do I have sex with? Well, I don't know if I am having sex with anyone yet, but I certainly have a steamy scene with someone that I don't think you'd really expect. So it will be a little fun." -- Evan Rachel Wood

"Yes, Maryann will be vanquished, but it won't be easy. Nelsan Ellis tells us that no one character single-handedly takes her out, but rather it's a "group effort" by all of the good guys."
Source: eonline.com

"Initially it was suffocating to sit in her expansiveness..."

Rohin Guha, from BlackBook.com has just talked with Michelle about her portrayal of one of the most horrific forces in contemporary culture, a force that appears immortal no less, but remains frightening in her moral ambiguity. Keep reading, if you would like to find our more about how does an actor prepare to play The Maenad (I'm listening to Lydia Lunch as I type ;)), what is her view of the world, the 'Cooking with Carl and Maryann' project, Michelle's favourite characters on True Blood, an upcoming love scene...and much, much more.

There's a clue at the bottom of the post. ;)

In True Blood, you play Maryann Forrester—a character we now know to be god-like and malevolent and essentially diametric to your portrayal of Kate on In Treatment. How did you adjust to the part of Maryann Forrester?
Kate was down-to-earth and had no self-esteem whatsoever. Bless her heart. Maryann is quite the opposite. She tends to laugh at all the things that would fill the rest of us with terror. Initially it was suffocating to sit in her expansiveness. Most of us are led by fear or guilt or sorrow. She’s absolutely fearless. Then it became the most fun game in the world.

How did you prepare for this role—were there any characters you drew inspiration from?
I watched a lot of Ken Russell films. These women are running around dancing and drinking. Running through the hills of the countryside of England—being mad. Those were the two places thinking about “abandon” and hedonism in a way that certainly we’ve experienced time and time again. I also thought a lot about Lydia Lunch in the 80s in New York. She was a woman who had no boundaries and was very sexually free. And sort of revolutionized music with all of that chaos and destruction of rules and boundaries and limitations. So many people in New York City were doing the same thing, really trying to breakdown these social ideals and be creative in a different way. It came through the funnel of chaos and destruction.

What do you find liberating about playing a character with so few limits?
For 18 hours a day, you’d have to be completely free. It was a joy to go to work. Run around in evening dresses. Causing mischief. I went to Montréal to do this dark series called Durham County—it’s about a woman who’s in the middle of all this loss. It’s about trauma and dead children. Sorrow and pain. And then I popped into In Treatment before stepping into True Blood. I don’t take my characters home with me. It was nice to shake it off and get dirty and dance a little.

We initially saw Maryann only briefly at the end of the first season. But then her influence continued to expand. Now she’s at the very center of the series. When you signed on, did you realize you’d assume such a critical role in the soap?
It was a little mysterious, that first season. But because it’s Alan and his wonderful writers, you just have massive trust. She still is a bit of a mystery to me. But in that second season—all of us were anxious about the next script. We had a few chats about what a maenad is and Dionysus and Greek mythology. I was told a lot of things that came into play. So you keep that knowledge in your heart but you kind of don’t know how that is going to play out. And it was really amazing because at the end of the season, all the storylines come together.



In the past you said that the character’s barbaric nature isn’t necessarily due to any evil predisposition, but because she lives in a different moral construct than us. Having seen how brutal she can be, do you still maintain that?
I do believe that she’s a character that’s all about perspective. If you think that this is an immortal being. She’s been around since the beginning of time. She’s lived in certain periods of our humanity, where there were people who would sit and watch other men tear each other apart for sport. Children were sacrificed. It’s not unheard of in history. In her mind, she’s seen it all. I think what’s great about the storyline is that it challenges our belief system. You and I can sit here in 2009 and say it’s outrageous that someone would sacrifice humans. My belief system, as a vegetarian, can’t believe that animals are being sacrificed. I stand by that in Maryann’s mind, there’s nothing malevolent. She has a different way of looking at the world.

And what are we to make of her relationship with Tara—why is she so intent on breaking Tara up from her mother?
This entire town for her is just a town full of crazies. It’s ripe for Maryann’s mischief. Everyone is so fragmented in such a wonderful and quirky way. Tara, as we see in the first season, is so susceptible to someone as predatory as Maryann. She’s the conduit to everyone in town, to Sam and Sookie. She’s had such a hard life and is so vulnerable and lost that when Maryann finds her, she’s an easy target. And it’s exactly why she targets her.

What surprises you the most about Maryann?
It’s the most fun I’ve ever had at work. I usually take part in more slit-your-wrists TV than True Blood. To go to work and run around in evening dresses and giggle and laugh and do all these insane things the writers ask us to do. It was a blast. You always look forward to going to work. I just went in and did some post-production for the finale—it was wonderful. It was so good to step back into her shoes again. And experience that glee and that freedom. It was a good feeling—to put those earrings and eyelashes back on. We had an amazing time this season.

Apparently, the appearance of Sophie-Anne—the vampire queen of Louisiana—is going to factor largely into Maryann’s undoing. Can you explain anything further?
In the last three episodes, Bon Temps has been turned upside-down. Now it’s just a matter of getting to the bottom of it and cleaning it up.

On another note, I was advised to avoid anything you cooked. Mostly because of Maryann’s Hunter’s Soufflé. How good are your cooking skills off-screen?
Absolutely deplorable. In fact, I had to go in and have a flambé lesson and cook that heart—a 5am. flambé lesson. My cooking skills are not to be discussed. I suggested to our writers to have a bad public access show with Carl and Maryann. Like Martha Stewart on crack—we would make doilies and scarves and headdresses with feathers. I love that duality of Maryann—that primal, feral wild-child side of her. Then this other side. That’s domestic and loves arranging flowers and fruit and the spread of food. And loves to dig in the dirt.



Off-camera, which character do you relate to the most?
I’m also a fan of the show. The storylines were so separate for most of us that we had such gifted actors and such gifted writers. I couldn’t wait to see what everyone else had done. I wanted to finish shooting—and see what the boys were doing. I’m critical. It’s also you stand back and objectively look at everyone’s work. I’m amazed by that. The production work and the costume designers. I’m lucky in the fact and see the entire production as a company and not be a narcissist. And see that the whole thing is working together. It’s so heightened sometimes and occasionally over-the-top. Everybody had these massive challenges on paper shouldn’t work but work beautifully—with scoring. I become a small portion.

What I know is that my favorite character changes by the theme. One minute Hoyt is my favorite; the next scene, it’s Hoyt’s mother. Then Lafayette. Then Andy Bellefleur. Then Jason—I can’t wait to see what he’s going to do next. I can’t really remember another show where I felt like that, where I’m fascinated by everyone and I get gooey. As far as identifying, maybe Tara, when I had a chip on my shoulder. Maybe Detective Bellefleur, mucking things up—when I’m going through a spell where I can’t get anything right. I identify with Sam Merlotte who’s always trying to do the right thing. I think that’s why so many people are responding to the show you can always find someone to identify with. I love how we saw the darker side of Bill Compton this year. He was wrestling with his past and his humanity. He’s going to be here for a long time figuring it out. I identified with him where we’re always trying to reconcile the past. And have a better future. We all want to be Sookie, getting up to all sorts of hijinks, being followed by all these gorgeous guys. On some level, I identify with all of them. Or want to be them.

That said, have you ever lobbied to have Maryann’s character end up romantically involved with any of the show’s leading men?
I will just say this. In the finale, I have one of the most interesting love scenes I have ever done. I still giggle about it.

What do you think about this disturbing character is making an impression on audiences?
I think it’s because we’re in a time right now that’s repressed—coming out of the last eight years of this administration. Christianity sort of ruling where we are and who we are and we’re coming out of it in a different way. It’ll be interesting to see where we end up in another five years.

What type of work does an actress seek after such a superlative role like Maryann Forrester?
It’s hard to find anywhere as fun as the world about Alan Ball has created. It’s about the town drunk, the shapeshifter-boss. It’s about Tara and her coming of age as a woman and understanding herself. It’s about a telepathic waitress. This entire community. The intelligence behind Alan and our writers, their ability to tell stories so beautifully and complex, will help with True Blood’s longevity.
Source: BlackBook.com

New World In My View

True Blood Episode 02x10 New World In My View. :: Preview - Reviews - Reactions - Recaps - Quotes



In preparation for more blood tonight, we have the preview video and the synopsis handy to get you into the mood. Also, the stunning promo still says a thousand words. Whatever these are, is up to you. But it is clear that the concluding triad of episodes this season is going to be one wild ride.

*An interview with Michelle should be online very, very, very soon.

Update
The interview is online! Head over to BlackBook for: Michelle Forbes: Wild Force of Nature on ‘True Blood’

With the Dallas trip behind them, Sookie (Anna Paquin), Jason (Ryan Kwanten), and Bill (Stephen Moyer) all return home to Bon Temps and are shocked by the mess that Maryann (Michelle Forbes) has made of their neck of the woods. As they try to get a grasp of what has happened during their absence, Bill realizes he's outmatched when it comes to putting Maryann in her place.

Jason, on the other hand, has been training for a war and he knows this just may be the job for him. Can Jason save Sam (Sam Trammell) and the once sleepy little town of Bon Temps from the grips of Maryann?

Elsewhere, Sookie tries to break through the darkness that has been consuming her childhood friend Tara (Rutina Wesley). It's unclear what, if anything, can be done to save this poor soul at this point.

*********

Make your own Lo Lo chant

Lo lo Nachos
lo lo Tacos
lo lo burritos
lo lo Chimichanga
lo lo Margarita
---
Lo lo brontosaurus
Lo lo stegosaurus
Lo lo tyranosaurus
Lo lo brachiosaurus
Lo lo dinosaur

Nobody needed towels!
------
Lo Lo Bridgida
Source: IMDb clowns

(Click to enlarge)

What are you ?? - Maryann

Let me just pause to say I am in awe of Michelle Forbes. It really takes fortitude, tremendous courage and a willingness to be completely despised to be able to take on a character like Maryann. What is most amazing is the way Michelle allows us to fully understand that Maryann is not like us in any way, shape or form … and never apologizes for what she is. She does not have the slightest clue that there is anything wrong with what she does … in fact, she celebrates it. She shows us that Maryann glories in the power and the dark energy that she is able to summon. Maryann is one of the most talked about characters in the True Blood world … and the fact that she is able to get under our skin and make us shudder with fear and loathing shows that Michelle has made Maryann come to life in all of her evil splendor. Yes, there is something beautifully mad in the Maenad … a creature which thrives on the dark side of Life and delights in creating chaos and mayhem. It is hard to watch and impossible to ignore. Although I definitely would like to see the Maenad get her just desserts, I cannot help but be thoroughly impressed by Michelle Forbes. Brava!!
Source: truebloodnet.com



With only two episodes to go now, True Blood devoted this week to wild danger and a surprising amount of humor.

Sam stated the goal of the evening succinctly: that Maryann wants “to cut out my heart while a buncha naked people watch.” Indeed, Maryann’s moving into position as this season’s Big Bad has never seemed more apparent… that is, unless it’s the unnamed “he” that Tara referenced, saying, “He’s gonna kill us all.” (Maybe readers of Charlaine Harris’ novels know something I don’t about the series’ villains; I’m working with what’s on my TV screen.)

Bottom line: True Blood under the guidance of Alan Ball continues to mix sex and violence in ways TV has never seen. Helped by the first-rate performances being given by Anna Paquin and Michelle Forbes, women have rarely seemed as potent in the supernatural world conjured up by this deliriously good series.
Source: Entertainment Weekly



I mean, as someone who loves this season for its wild action and surprising character development, I can't ask for more. There are so many Sucker Punch moments in Episode 10 that I scarcely know where to begin...

Here's the way I see it: Maryann makes people act on their nastiest impulses, and since they're controlled by their ids, they recklessly provoke the people around them. Hoyt's mama, for instance, says nasty things when she's normal, but even she has limits. Under Maryann's spell, however, she not only unleashes her most vicious thoughts, but also uses them like weapons. She intentionally pushes Jessica's buttons until the poor vampire snaps. That adds to the chaos that Maryann loves. (Tara tries to do the same thing to Sookie when she tells her that she ought to commit suicide. Tara probably has thought such a thing in a hidden part of her mind, but Maryann's influence brings that cruelty to the surface.)

With that perspective in mind, I have a new respect for Maryann's presence on the show. More than just a movie-of-the-week monster, she's the engine for a sweeping allegory about a person's secret corners. She's both a positive message and a cautionary tale.

Because there are parts of Maryann's influence that are good, you know? She inspires confidence. She eliminates sexual shame. She gives people permission to be themselves.

But she also demonstrates that liberation can lead to catastrophe.



So what do we do with that? How do we read a character that does terrible things, but also has wisdom to share?

In this episode, part of the answer comes from Sam, who tells Andy that killing the black-eyed people would be wrong, because they are still the citizens of Bon Temps. In other words, we can't destroy people just for having wild streaks. When they succumb to vice, we can't cast them aside.

Lafayette embodies part of the answer, too. He's a great example of someone who celebrates his id, but who knows how to keep it in check. He sees the boundary that Maryann wants people to miss.

This is a big idea I'm working through, and it's possible that the last two episodes will upend it altogether. But right now, I'm liking the notion that Season Two is an allegory for learning to balance all the parts of ourselves. Let's table this for now, though.

In other news, Sookie rocks when she discovers her new "magic hands" power. That's a strong Sucker Punch candidate, since her ability is so surprising and cool.

This week's runner-up spot goes to Maryann's meat tree, because... eww. It's bad enough that she wants to sacrifice Sam. Sacrificing him on a tree full of rotting cold cuts is just gross.

This week's winner is Jason's crazy appearance as Fake Bacchus. First, he chooses to trick Maryann's followers into believing he's their god... but before he does it, he takes off his shirt. Then, he gets tongue-tied while he's praising his followers for bringing him Sam Merlotte. Then, he gets some broke-down horns, courtesy of Andy Bellfleur, and realizes he can't hear what Sam is saying because of his gas-mask headpiece. It's all just... awesomely ridiculous.

This scene truly becomes our Sucker Punch, though, after Sam disappears... then returns wielding a fire extinguisher and wearing nothing but an apron. When we see his bare butt, the show gets so trashy that you have to bow down.
Source: The Huffington Post



Spoilers--or spoiling meat. What is up with Maryann making that giant lawn ornament in Sookie's front yard out of flowers, feathers, Kobe beef and maybe even the kitchen sink? That bitch is getting crazier every episode. (I have to give Michelle Forbes props; she owns this role.)

And who knew that Sookie had another power besides reading minds? When she fights with Maryann, and emits a light from her hand that at first stopped Maryann cold. Then Maryann started laughing, and apparently loving it. "What are you?" she asks.
Source: chicagonow.com

That was a pretty cool scene where [Sookie] pushes Maryann away and that white light comes out of her hands. Could Sookie be the counter-goodness to Maryann's evil? Yeah, I know Michelle Forbes said she's not really evil, but that's how I see her. She's turned the whole town into a chaotic mess and cast a spell over everyone that causes them to do whatever they want, even kill people. To me, that's evil.

As was her weird statue of raw meat, flowers, veggies, kidneys, livers ... a gift for the gods ... and her wanting to cut Sam's "heart out while a bunch of naked people watch" (his words). At least that craziness led to the excellent scene where Jason got to play a god ("I smite thee, Sam Merlotte!") while wearing a gas mask as Andy held up "horns" behind his head. The whole lame Maryann storyline all season was worth it to get to that scene.

Then after Sam "disappears" and returns clad only in an apron with his butt hanging out the back, Andy says, "That's the last drink I'll ever take." Nice. I'm loving the kick-ass trio of Jason, Andy and Sam.
Source: TV Squad

* Maryann begging Bill to “Ravage me! Ravage me!” until he hurls. (This is how my Eric fantasy would probably play out.)

I'm done with the Maryann plot. I love love love Michelle Forbes as an actress and she is making a meal out of this interesting character – very cute how her small praise over the right choice of meat makes Karl blush like a geisha – but it's time to move forward.
Source: Seacoast Online



Michelle Forbes is the real Queen on this show.
Dammit. True Blood episode over already? And no Durham County tomorrow. Me so sad.
Michelle Forbes deserves an Emmy Nod for next year for playing Maryann, the character is just batshit insane.
can't wait to see the sexy Sophie Anne and Hadley next week! And Michelle Forbes is officially one of my all time favorite actresses.
Holy crap True Blood. I really like Michelle Forbes, but I hate Maryann.
I think Michelle Forbes is amazing, but I really don't like Maryann; I like her better in the books.
Michelle Forbes certainly has a knack for playing characters I want to see die.
Is it wrong that I think Michelle Forbes looks really hot right now?
Maryann is the scariest heifer on TV.
Hurricane Maryann hits Bon Temps



Wonder how much Maryann charges for landscaping?
Damn, Maryann was the art director for Texas Chainsaw Massacre?
call me crazy but i kinda like maryann
I still don't get what's so damn special about Sam that Maryann wants him so badly??
Holy shit #TrueBlood was AMAZING!!! Maryann is freakin' frightening! Can't believe there's only 2 episodes left. Talk about withdrawal!
What exactly is Maryann?
Every time this goddamned show ends, I feel like a reveler at one of Maryann's parties; I want to destroy everything and go wild.
Ah, yes. I am satisfied. That Maryann had better die spectacularly.
MARY ANN NEEDS GALLONS AND GALLONS OF HOLY WATER
Somebody please kill mary-ann! Where is scooby doo and the mystery machine when you need them?
I think Mary Ann has a very powerful voice. It commands attention. #trueblood. She'll be a good voiceover 4 Storm from xmen, lol
Source:Twitter

Michelle Forbes is TV Gold
Michelle Forbes guest-starred on Battlestar Galactica. Admiral Cain was a badass.
Now she's on TB as a greek goddess-creature. Like (or because of her character) Marianne she electrifies the set. There's layers to her character that we don't know about. Centuries of evil. - She is awesome!
----
spike, i fully agree! Michelle is AMAZINGLY AWESOME!!
i'm a gay man and Michelle makes me weak in the knees!! seriously!! i find her SO incredibly entrancing that even though the Maryanne character is evil and needs to die, a part of me doesn't want her to ever leave the show! LOL.
----
Michelle is FANTASTIC! I actually got chills during last night's episode her acting was so good!
Source: IMDb boards

Video Clip - Michelle Forbes on Durham County

Durham County Season 2 :: 3 scenes from episode 6, Surviving the Fall
Pen Verrity - Michelle Forbes
Hugh Dillon - Mike Sweeney
Laurence Leboeuf - Sadie Sweeney
Ray Prager - Romano Orzari



»» http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TNBZb1nhe0

Durham County 2 - Surviving the Fall

The final hour of Durham County's second season airs tonight: Surviving the Fall.



* If you haven't been following the last epsiodes, you'd be better off waiting for the reruns (starting on August 24) or the DVD.
* Filming of season 3 starts in September.

***********************

[Durham County] is not really about the suburbs. If there's any tincture of truth in that definition, then Durham County is about a suburb of the mind, and a sick mind at that. It is great, grown-up TV (it will air later on conventional TV). Let's classify it as that. It's disturbing and bleak, and it's wrong to reduce it to a drama about the suburbs. It's about angry, unhappy people who could be anywhere.
What's really striking about this second season is that while it follows in part the same plotline, it offers a reverse picture of evil and malice. The first was anchored in male rage. This time, the devil is a depressed woman filled with pain and loathing [...]
This second Durham County is as sumptuously dark and bleak as the first. But if that was about the mania of male rage, this season has been emphatically about the ferocity of female duplicity and destructiveness. In large part, it's been dominated by one female figure, Pen Verrity (Michelle Forbes), a forensic psychiatrist who, it emerges, has more anger and neuroses that all the patients she's analyzed, combined.
In fact, if you've been watching really good TV this summer, and that means watching True Blood and Durham County, you've seen a lot of Forbes playing women who are sugar-sweet on the surface and bitter agents of evil underneath. Forbes currently has a monopoly on such appalling women. And she's very, very good at it.
The Pen Verrity character is an excellent creation, a woman who could be a child murderer and who we know is responsible for the shocking murder of another woman. But she's also a cauldron of self-loathing. In one scene this season, she behaved in a manner that was a deliberate echo of a stunning scene of self-mutilation in Ingmar Bergman's movie Cries and Whispers [...]
This Durham County isn't about Ray. It isn't even about Mike Sweeney. It's about Pen Verrity and it's about Mike's daughter Sadie. As Sadie, Leboeuf has been marvellously good – a teenaged girl who has been through traumatic events but is shrewd enough to keep her own counsel and make her own decisions. In tonight's finale, everything will really depend on the Sadie character.
Source: theglobeandmail.com



Tonight's finale, directed with sensitivity and emotional grace by Rachel Talalay, is both unpredictable and in keeping with Durham County's solemn, introspective tone. The climactic courtroom scenes are nicely understated: There are none of the histrionics viewers have come to expect of typical TV dramas, but the tension is no less palpable for it. This is tough, uncompromising drama.
Sure, Durham County is disturbing -- intentionally so -- and unpleasant to watch. And I could have done without the artsy, horror-film ending. But it's worth seeing -- for its topical, important story, and for the fine acting. This is the series that won last year's Gemini Award as Canada's best TV drama, and based on tonight's evidence it's hard to imagine it won't win again.
Source: edmontonjournal

Update
»» Screencaps of episode 6 are online

Alors que la date du procès approche, et qu’on ne sait pas si Sadie va oui ou non témoigner, Mike fait semblant d’être toujours épris de Verrity, encore psychiatre auprès de sa fille, qui a récupéré la garde de son fils, et se met à voir Ray Prager. Ce dernier point apparaît un peu comme une facilité scénaristique. Au départ, cela tombe un peu comme un cheveu sur la soupe, et la fin viendra appuyer son utilité, donnant à tout ceci des tournures de raccourcis [...]
On peut alors se tourner vers le Dr. Verrity, et là, l’épisode, concentré en grande partie sur Sadie, faiblit fortement de rythme et aligne assez mal ces scènes, perdu dans la conclusion de cette intrigue. Elle se trouve liée à Ray Prager, une façon très malhabile d’ouvrir sur la toute fin quelques portes, alors que Penn a trouvé un moyen de mettre un terme à ses souffrances, sans le faire elle-même. Assez lâche, mais suffisamment en accord avec sa personnalité plus manipulatrice et passive, qu’active – seule sa rage semble réellement la pousser vers ses plus sombres démons, et ce ne sont pas ceux qui l’auraient conduit à cette fin.
Source: critictoo.com



--OH, SADIE. Laurence Leboeuf needs to win a Gemini for this show. CONUNDRUM: Michelle Forbes also needs to win a Gemini for this show, leaving me with an IMPOSSIBLE DILEMMA re: who to root for [...]
--I like that, even with Pen's "confession", it was left ambiguous as to the mechanics of how Bonnie got into the pool: it's possible to read the progression of photos as Pen simply watching (and DOCUMENTING, PEN, WTF) Bonnie fall in, or as Pen moving closer because she would eventually, actively push her. Not that she's less culpable one way or the other for Bonnie's death--'cause she's wholly culpable, even if she didn't deliberately aggravate Bonnie's salt diabetes to the point where the poor kid tried to use the swimming pool for drinking water--but I think the uncertainty is an excellent narrative trick: we can know Pen killed her daughter with each act that led up to Bonnie's actual drowning, and we can know she killed her by not hauling her out of the pool in time to resuscitate her, but we can't be sure she's directly responsible for Bonnie being in the pool. (Again, obviously, she's guilty as hell: as with Glenn, who I'll get to momentarily, sometimes the passive crime is equal to--sometimes greater than--the active crime. I just like that, in wrapping up the story of Bonnie's murder/Pen's psychology, the show's denied us that one little absolute.) [...]
--Tom gets to keep his title of The Only Good Cop In Durham County*, as Glenn did indeed turn out, like all Ray's other cronies, to be operating from a very wrong premise in life. Namely, that if you only watch your buddies beat, rape and murder a woman, you're not culpable for what happened to her. - *The Only Good Man, one might argue. Discussion about the perceived political/social message behind the all-female showrunners' decision to make The Only Good Man In Durham County a gay man.
Source: serrico.livejournal.com

You Have Only Seen the Beginning

True Blood Episode 02x09 I Will Rise Up. :: Preview - Reviews - Reactions - Recaps - Quotes


The God who comes demands his sacrifice. - Maryann

Updated

True Blood returns to TV screens on Sunday night, for yet another explosive episode. It seems that someone will be taking matters into their own hands in a bid to unravel the recent incidents in the Louisiana town, and finally realise that none other than Maryann is doing her magic.

A wounded Eric plays Sookie for a sucker, to Bill's dismay, and ends up getting inside her head. Later, Sookie and Jason reflect on their recent adventure, and end up bonding at the feuding Newlins' expense. Blaming Eggs for Tara's bruises and bizarre behavior, Lafayette and Lettie Mae try to figure out a way to pry their kin from Maryann's clutches. Hoyt defends his relationship with Jessica to Maxine over lunch, to no avail. Jailed by Bud along with a group of Bon Temps revelers, Sam finds a novel way to escape his cell--and avoid capture by an increasingly obsessed Maryann. In Dallas, Eric and the vampires defend their recent actions to Nan Flanagan, and are shocked when Godric decides to take the fall for their PR disaster.

While in anticipation, have a look at the sneak peek below featuring Maryann, Tara (Rutina Wesley) and Eggs (Mehcad Brooks).



Also PopWrap has been chatting with Rutina Wesley about the recent and upcoming episodes, the trials and tribulations of acting under Maryann's influence, and much more. Below is an extract from the interview:

Although I've loved every moment of Dallas-set action -- Sookie taking on The Fellowship of the Sun, Bill taking on Eric, Jason taking off Sara's clothes -- for me, the second season of "True Blood" is all about the drama unfolding in Bon Temps!

Orgies! Feasts! Pigs!

Yes, Maryann rocks my world on a weekly basis, which is just one thing that Tara and I share. Actually, it's the only thing we have in common, because while I'm sitting pretty at home, jaw agape, Tara is fighting tooth and nail to save her town -- and her soul.



PW: Did [the Hunter's Soufflé] taste as bad as it looked?
Rutina: No, it didn't taste nearly as bad. It was a lot of vegetables and tomatoes and beef -- no chicken, Mehcad [Brooks] didn't want it to be too heavy on our stomachs because we didn't know how many takes we'd have to do devouring it.

PW: Tara has been the one in Bon Temps starting to put pieces together between the orgies and the blackouts and Maryann. Will she continue to do that?
Rutina: Yes and no. Tara is going to get taken in by the whole situation and lose a bit of control. Maryann is very strong right now and while a lot of us will try to get to the bottom of the problem, Maryann is standing in our way. She's a huge power and once you're under her spell, it's hard to break it. We'll see an intervention and a lot of other ways we try to save Bon Temps from Maryann.

PW: So anyone who thought they'd seen the peak of Maryann's chaos is dead wrong?
Rutina: Oh, you've only seen the beginning. It's going to get so much more chaotic. The end of this season is amazing: it's fire, it's sad, it's got so much jam-packed in there -- you guys won't know what hit you!

PW: And does it start with Sunday's episode?
Rutina: Yes, that's when it all starts to go bad. It gets violent, it gets insane. I mean, you saw Tara slapping her mother, which should tell you how far it goes! I mean, there are no limits for Maryann! She keeps going and going and going -- we're all under her spell. That leads into episode 10, which is the one I really can't wait to see! Things get really intense for Tara!
Source: The New York Post: PopWrap


But there's got to be some kind of control, or things would be...chaos. -Tara
Sounds good. - Maryann
I do like a little chaos. - Eggs
Of course you do. Everybody does. They just can't admit it. - Maryann

Meanwhile, this is yet another episode that leaves the characters in Bon Temps getting ready to do stuff instead of actually doing stuff, but at least they can't take another step without finally taking some decisive action. I mean, for God's sake, Maryann storms into Merlotte's claiming that the "coming God" demands a sacrifice. I'd say it's finally time for some capital-B butt kicking. If the throwdown is gigantic enough, then I will forgive all sorts of foot-dragging and sidetracking.

The Sucker Punch Silver Medal goes to Lafayette for busting Tara out of Sookie's house. Between the thirty-five brilliant one-liners and the do-not-touch-her punches he throws, he basically impersonates the entire cast of American Gladiators as he drags his cousin away from Maryann.
Source: The Huffington Post


Control is just a cage this stupid culture uses to block out who we really are. We need to be out of control. We crave it. - Maryann

But the bigger subplot was Maryann’s increasing power over Tara and Eggs, her striding into the jail and demanding to see Sam, and setting free the rest of the pleasure-addled citizen-prisoners. Sam escaped – he was a fly on the wall (er, table) when Maryann went to Tara’s house. Maryann has pretty much given up trying to hide her pleasure-principle powers, her let’s-party mood replaced by impatience and cruelty, as when she tried to lure Tara’s sober mom to relapse with a nice, chilled bottle of vodka.

The mixture of Christian and pagan faith, […] it was another genre-bending, mind-expanding edition of True Blood.
Source: EW.com


Why be embarassed about pleasure and laughter? Why be ashamed of letting go? - Maryann

Maryann Forrester, baker of tweaky souffles, party animal (literally) and cruise director on the ship to hell that she has made out of the bayou burg and it's inhabitants.

The second she enters the frame your attention goes right to her. She attacks the role with a ferocity and abandon that it requires and that sly smile and sideways glance just gets you.

Of course you have to chalk up a lot of the Maryann fervor to the arc Alan Ball and the writers have laid out for her and the remarkable settings in which they place her and her Maenad powers. The campfire scene? The blood rushing out of the hunter's souffle? That vibrating thing?

Huge, powerful images with her at the center and she not only hold her own but in most cases eclipses the visuals with her performance.
Source: IamaTVJunkie.com


What about the saints of India, what about the mystics of every religion?...They'd black out, run and dance in the streets, levitate, act like monkeys running around, naked...They were ecstatic. - Maryann

Mainly, the episode is much more enjoyable because Maryann does not seem to have everything under her fingers. Sam continues to elude her with his shape shifting skills, and teams up with an unlikely ally. The ever dominant Lafayette also rescues Tara, although the efficiency of this tactic still remains to be seen. Not only is the town offering miniscule amounts of rebellion, it is only making Maryann’s reign of terror more fearsome. The most interesting moment, however, occurs when Maryann nearly breaks down while preaching her usual anarchist views. It shows that despite all the manipulation, she has true conviction when it comes to her beliefs. Like any good villain, she is simply doing what she believes to be real.

All in all, the episode continues the high quality storytelling the last few episodes of “True Blood” have given. The blend of finality and continuing tension gives the show a nice end to a chapter, but leaves more for viewers to come back to. A difficult assembly of numerous storylines makes this episode somewhat of a masterpiece.
Source: Examiner.com


All that fake civilisation bullshit just fell away so they could dissolve into the infinite, so they could lose themselves and unite with their God. - Maryann

I’m excited/depressed that there are three episodes left. I really can’t wait to see what happens with the Maryann subplot. She obviously has been weaving her web for some time now and has ultimate control over the population of Bon Temps, with some exceptions. But most of this has happened while Sookie and Bill have been out of town. Now that they return I assume they will get into the mix. It also looks like Jessica may have a part to play as well.

But is there a way to stop Maryann? If she’s immortal there may be nothing that can be done, right? And just who is the “the God who comes”?
Source: IF Magazine


Look at you. A few bumps and bruises. It's a small price to pay for bliss. - Maryann

Thirsting for a True Blood "V" cocktail? Something that will keep you safe from the clutches of Maryann? Or maybe connect you on a cellular level to Bill or Eric? Either way, Our Lady of Weight Loss's Louisiana Swamp "Maryann" will save your soul and deliver you from evil!

Virgin Maryann, Louisiana Creole Style
Guaranteed to keep you safe from Maryann's clutches and give you a jolt of energy that will send you into a happy spin!

Ingredients:
4 oz Spicy V-8
juice of 1/2 lime
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
6 dashes Tabasco® sauce
salt, pepper to taste
1 lime wedge
2 celery stalks

Instructions:
Add juices and sauce to a shaker with ice, adding salt and pepper to taste.
Shake vigorously enough to burn calories and send a clear message to the Devil, himself, that you are not playin' his game.

Strain over ice cubes into a highball glass and add a lime wedge and both celery stalks.

Variation: Bloody Maryann
Add Vodka!
Source: blog.beliefnet.com


I don't know what you is, but I'm feelin' you, and you a soulless bitch. - Lafayette to Maryann
Ouch. That almost hurt. - Maryann

Ooooh True Blood is getting SO good! Michelle Forbes IS a goddess
Did anyone see True Blood last night? OMGOSH!!!! I can't believe Maryann, she is such a good villain. I can't believe only 3 episodes left!
Maryann the Tornado went through Bon Temps.
is so excited about True Blood tonight... screw the bomb... just give me more Maryann... and Jason... and Eric... and Sam... and Godric...
Ikea is like MaryAnn from true blood. Shoppers eyes are glazed over for hours, no one can remember what they bought, or why
True Blood was awesome tonight. Can't wait to see a showdown between the vampires and Maryann. .. Also, the black eyes thing is creepy
Maryann is the best thing could have happened at q true blood!
Michelle Forbes rocks on True Blood! // riiiight? looooove her!
It's so cool to see Michelle Forbes play a character on True Blood who is pretty much the polar opposite of Admiral Cain.
Ok seriously. HBO stylist who is dressing Michelle Forbes character, MaryAnn, on "True Blood" - I need a shopping list. I :::heart::: you!
Michelle Forbes rocks on True Blood!
I don't believe...Maryann of True Blood will ever cease to amaze me. Bitch is crazy.
True Blood: What I like about vampires is that they have a conscience, principles, feelings. What I like about Maryann is that she doesn't.
watching true blood. maryann is so fantastically insane!
Woohoo! Maryann just whipped out a bottle of Stoli on True Blood! Yummy.
True Blood Music Thoughts: I love how the jail radio was playing Marty Robbins' "Devil Woman" while Maryann is walking in.
i must say, i kinda fancy this maryann gal. shes foyne :)



Lafayette keeps getting better. Why am I starting to like Maryann...she is awesome.
Maryann just gets weirder and more intriguing
I like Maryann, but she's starting to get on my nerves, which is exactly what they want! Already know it's likely she won't die.
Michelle Forbes deserves a Golden Globe, at least.
That smile is so sinister. MaryAnn is scary as Hades. Oh wait....
Maryann is the most perfect, for sure! Michelle Forbes deserves a Golden Globe, at least.
Omg @ the new True Blood. Godrick/Mary-Ann/Jessica&Hoyt = the most awesome storylines ever.
Can True Blood get any better? Post-Godrick power vacuum and an inevitable confrontation in Bon Temps with Mary Ann!! So good!
OMG!!! true blood is so good. that mary ann!! she's so wicked and fierce.
oh and: yes, I did watch True Blood tonight. am way into the Mary Ann subplot. vampire-related melodrama, not so much.
Tonights True Blood is a bridge to the final 3 of season. Bill vs. Mary Ann. I can bit wait. It is the best show on tv.
Next week's True Blood episode looks crazy! Mary-Ann is a nut. They don't expand her story in the books this much! Sheesh! GO HBO!!!
Mary Ann on True Blood is a certified nut job!
amazing episode of true blood....Mary-ann is one crazy person...cant wit for sam to kill her...lol
NOOO TRUE BLOOD!!! MARY ANN IS REALLY SCARING ME :(
the episode where Maryann dies a righteous death will be my favorite episode of True Blood.
SoOoOo nobody hate but... I think I'm like totally in love with Mary Ann from True Blood. Cookin hearts and still mad cute. ^_^ ★☆
peoplemag: LOL! RT @ ohrohin screw #TeamBill or #TeamJason, i'm #TeamMaryann
Really hate what they've done w/ the Maenad, but at least Michelle Forbes rocks the house like she always does whatever she's in
true blood? Maryann is *FIERCE*! I am LOVING Michelle Forbes in this role!
BSG is my buy-in to true blood. Michelle Forbes is one bad ass motherfucker, no matter what she is on.
Michelle Forbes rules.
hey true blood fans..anyone else see similarities between Mary Ann & Sarah Palin?(stirs everyone up and watches as everything turns 2 chaos)
Source: Twitter

Durham County 2 - Boys Do Things

Another gripping episode of Durham County awaits the Canadian viewers tonight. Episode 5 of Durham County is called Boys Do Things.



For the past few weeks we have been profiling the story, the characters, the actors, and the creative team of Durham County. Now we would like to introduce the production crew to you, who would usually get a smaller share of the limelight:

Cinematographer: Éric Cayla
Production Designer: Donna Noonan
Costume Designer: Janet Campbell
Still Photographer: Jan Thijs - »» Link to his website
Web Design: James Taylor - »» mediaflash.ca
Series Original Music: Tom Third
(Couldn't find exact credits for the composer and songs for season 2)



Since there is very little background material for the second season of DC, we provide a small article by the costume designer Janet Campbell, written in February 2008 for the Gemini Awards selection committee:

Durham County Costumes

In Durham County the visual design is as much a part of the narrative as the writing and the performances of the cast. When I began the project I was presented with the script’s broad theme of darkness lurking under the mask of small town tranquility and a compelling collection of visual images portraying bleak landscapes, decaying swamps, stark hydro towers, and industrial debris. My first approach was to take these visual themes and see how the images translated into clothing. Using current images from fashion I prepared my own layout to echo, on the human body, not only the muted palate of producer Adrienne’s Mitchell’s photos but also how she used splashes of color and various textures to give contrast and life to the tableau. The challenge was to use the surreal and foreboding thread of the narrative while having the actors look both appealing and natural in their costumes.

As the cast began to take shape I narrowed my focus down from the global design concept to that of the individual characters created by Laurie Finstad Knizhnik. While the scripts were my template, it wasn’t until I watched the audition tapes of the actors chosen that I my final concept for of the show’s central characters finally took shape. I approached the two main protagonists Mike (Hugh Dillon) and Ray (Justin Louis) and their flawed humanity by using the series’ conceptual shades of gray to emphasize that there is no clear line between good and evil in these two characters. With Hugh I was able to accentuate the intensity of his pale blue eyes and draw upon his personal edgy style by using cold colors. The cool palate was consistent with Mike’s emotional distance. In contrast Justin’s Ray wore muted earth tones to embody the volcano simmering beneath the surface. The working class ethic of this superbly vain character was translated into costume by his body hugging t-shirts and jeans. Into the sullen world inhabited by Mike and Ray I also smattered costumes in vivid green, electric blues, vibrant reds, and eerily glowing whites to further highlight the bleak landscape of Durham County.

Source: planetjanetinc.blogspot.com

Perhaps an interview from last year would be of some interest to you: TV-eh? podcast from May 11, 2008. Diane Kristine talks to the series' writer Laurie Finstad-Knizhnik and director Adrienne Mitchell about season one (first 15 minutes of the podcast).



Source: tv-eh.com

Uploaded screencaps of episode 5 »» to the gallery --chris

Falling Back Like a Hunter's Soufflé

True Blood Episode 02x08 Timebomb. :: Reviews - Reactions - Recaps - Quotes



I wake up on the ground. It's freezing cold. I don't even know how I got there. Tara, what the hell is wrong with me? - Eggs

Spoiler Warning

Sookie’s captivity takes an unexpected turn when Eric arrives to do his master’s bidding on the eve of the Fellowship’s lockdown. In Bon Temps, Sam finds himself in hot water after making a gruesome discovery at Merlotte’s, and Andy proves no help in coming to his defense. Sent home by Bill, Jessica and Hoyt learn that when it comes to sex, every time is the first time. Tara and Eggs devour a mysterious meal prepared by Maryann, with unexpected results. After Jason pays off his debt to the vampires, Godric looks to enlighten his more single-minded followers.

In my bid to comment on this weeks episode, I came across a French idiom: Falling back like a soufflé (retomber comme un soufflé) which means running out of steam...when something has lost its momentum, and one's interest for it wanes. Sadly this is how I feel about True Blood. True Blood goes beyond entertainment and tries to out-do itself every time, so as to keep us wanting more. Most notably, for all the incredible things a Goddess with unlimited power could do, in this episode, she only gets to serve a quite special soufflé, and explode in gleeful laughter over the subsequent proceedings. Is that the kind of TV that should provide a safe haven away from our current troubles? What do you think?



Why don't we ease up on the partying for a little while? Take it easy. - Maryann

This episode packed a nice little curve ball. It felt like they were really leading up to something, and then absolutely nothing happened, and then something almost happened, and then nothing happened, and then something really really big happened, or almost happened, or will happen. Like a cliffhanger.

Not too much salt, Maryann. Toughens up the sweat meats, and is bad for the blood pressure.

Tara and Eggs are still trying to get to the bottom of all this blacking out business. Maybe it was a gas leak? Or swamp gas...or a weather balloon. Maryann shows up and offers a tasty snack: Hunter Souffle. Mmm mmm good. Tara and Eggs dig in with super-sized flatware. After they lick the dish clean, their eyes turn all black-oily and they start smacking each other around. Their sado-masochism getting them both into heat, they start rasslin' and grapplin' and bumpin' uglies. Maryann pops some corn, sits back, and enjoys the floor show.
Source: TV Fodder

That was so disgusting! Maryann has hit a new low even for her and it’s only going to get wors[e].
Source: Tru Blood Blog

Dig in! - Maryann

I learned a lesson watching TRUE BLOOD’s latest episode, “Timebomb,” tonight. Never eat while it is on. Holy crap was that whole heart cooking/pot-pie eating/spouse fight one of the nastiest things I’ve seen on TV in a long time.

I’ve got an iron stomach too. But watching it and eating at the same time even made me have to turn away in order not to get sickened. Had I not been eating, I probably would have thought it was the most kickass thing on the show in a long time.
Source: ifmagazine.com

Making a bold statement. That is certainly something “True Blood” is accustomed to, even if it’s within the confines of a fictional world. As the show progresses to the end of its second season, events begin to culminate. The August 9th episode is quite representative of that chain.

Maryann manifests her power in less subtle and more disturbing ways. It would seem that Tara and Eggs are simply one of her many playthings this season, and Sam is the ultimate catch that Maryann is after. The storyline is very original and you never really get tired of seeing Maryann do her dirty work, but the fact that she is made out as a God-like creature who is simply bored diminishes the tension of the storyline. It’s a cat-and-mouse game without a way for the mouse to win. Ultimately, the storyline will grab you only if you care for the characters at stake. While Tara, Sam and Arlene are very personable characters, they have been out of their element (and out of their mind) for much of the season. A good reminder of why they should remain alive would definitely help at this point in the game. Quite frankly, the vampires trump the maenad in a big way at the moment.
Source: examiner.com

"Timebomb" gives us loads of over-the-top, sucker-punchy fun.

Meanwhile, when it comes to true Sucker Punches, "Timebomb" leads us once again to Maryann's Wacky Shack. On this week's menu of crazy, Maryann cooks Daphne's heart. Tara and Eggs also get this close to figuring out what's happening to them, only to end up back under Maryann's spell, slapping each other into black-eyed lust before they freak on the living room floor.

But the biggest Sucker Punch comes when Maryann serves up a "hunter's souffle," made with brandy, diced vegetables, and a shape shifter's organs. When Tara slices into the entree, blood oozes all over the place, but is she freaked out? No! She shovels that mess with a serving spoon, and she only stops so that Eggs can scarf it, too. Their souffle orgy is such a perversion of the happy domestic meal that I feel gross just thinking about it, and that's exactly how a Sucker Punch should make me react.

Granted, the Maryann storyline doesn't advance much in this episode, but the blood feast ups her control over Tara and Eggs. That, plus Sam and Andy's increasing awareness of her power, implies something big is coming soon. Bring. It. On!
Source: The Huffington Post

Back in Bon Temps, True Blood finally outdid itself with the most disgusting scene ever. After leaving Daphne's body at Merlotte's, heart cut out, Maryann returned to the house to chop up the heart and bake it into a souffle. As if the sight of Maryann cutting into a bloody heart wasn't awful enough, she then served the souffle to Tara and Eggs, who ate it up like it was the most delicious meal in the world. Also, it turns out Shifter Hearts make you crazy, because after dinner, Tara and Eggs started beating the crap out of each other before having black-eyed sex in the hall.
Source: Buddy TV

Really really looking forward to watching True Blood for USA's most underrated but brilliant actress, Michelle Forbes.. Hurrah for Ms Forbes
Maryann was channeling her inner Mrs. Lovett last night, apparently.
I love #trueblood but I hate those cliffhangers.they kill me everytime.cant wait for next weeks episode! the wrath of maryann!
i true blood dream last night where maryann was chasing me around in minotaur mode - scary!
Maryann is here to put a totally different Spin she has every1 eating out of her hand.
And remind me never to go to dinner with Maryann.
Ewww Maryann! Eww!
Whoooo! I am still reeling from tonight's #TrueBlood.. WTF is going on with Maryann, Tara and Eggs? Is she trying to get Tara pregnant?!?!?
Maybe a disgust for maryann's home cooking will bring humans, vamps together?
Michelle Forbes...yummy :P
I think Michelle forbes has appeared in every one of the greatest shows on tv in the last 15 years
im sort of over maryann. what about that nod Hannibal in this last episode? i wanted to throw up from the heart in true blood
I wish there was a Real Housewives of Bon Temps so Maryann could be the token psycho!!! Love True Blood so much!!!
is anyone else still disturbed by last night's "True Blood" ?? Good Lord...Maryann scares the hell out of me!!
I'm not going to be able to enjoy True Blood freely until Maryann is DEAD.
Personal True Blood update: Eric is hot, Godderick (sp?) is deep, Lorena is tragic, Maryann is frightening, and I'm smitten with it...
Still reeling frm True Blood. Will Eric save Sookie? Godric meet the dawn in Christ-like sacrifice? Maryann join the Food Network?
Dinner scene w/ Tara, Maryann & Benedict was prolly most disgusting scene ever on True Blood
I normally have a strong stomach, but tonight's True Blood successfully nauseated me. That heart on the cutting board...damn, Maryann, DAMN!
At least the incredibly boring Sam/Maryann plot on True Blood gives me time to check my facebook...
rue Blood is killin me man! I can't believe the cliffhanger this week.. not to mention that I almost threw up at Maryann's pie concoction
I'm afraid that it's a mixture of how evil she is and being Michelle Forbes. She rarely plays characters I like.
OOOH, True Blood was GREAT today I wasn't interested at first but when Michelle Forbes came I tuned in and now I'm hooked
Michelle Forbes scares me...in a good way :)
I'm really not liking Michelle Forbes character substory on True Blood.
Source: Twitter