Before we get too deep into that quagmire, however, make sure to check out some of our earlier looks at the season, including features on the mystic abilities of the series’ gay characters and the symbolism behind the show’s witches.
Though it’s not television’s most insufferable romantic entanglement (hi, Ronnie and Sam!), the love triangle between Sookie, Bill and Eric has truly been trying our patience this season. Usually, a good love triangle is an easy way to quickly up the drama in any situation, but Sookie has been such a passive, fickle, flighty character that we’ve gotten to the point where we’re fed up with watching her kvetch over which outrageously handsome, completely obsessed with her vampire she wants to lay down with this week.
Earlier in the season, the show teased a polyamorous relationship between the three characters, but it was quickly revealed to be nothing more than a dream sequence. Then, on the show’s season finale, that resolution was teased once again, as Sookie sat on a couch between Bill and Eric, allowing them both to feed on her simultaneously. This was both a visual and conceptual throwback to that earlier dream sequence, but instead of choosing to stay with both her suitors, Sookie chose neither of them.
This disappoints us for a few reasons. First of all, it seems to lessen (though not completely eliminate) the chances of Bill and Eric somehow becoming romantically involved with one another. A relationship developing between the two former enemies would not only be something different and interesting, but would also fit in extremely well with the show’s sensationalistic, bordering on outrageous tone. But the real issue is that we’re being set up for a season five with the exact same central conflict that we’ve been watching for literally years now.
It’s understandable that the show’s producers would want to avoid settling Sookie down with just one suitor – it would be a fast way to kill much of the show’s ongoing will-she-or-won’t-she drama. But keeping Sookie stuck between Bill and Eric (with poor Alcide looking in) just condemns us to another season of the same old, same old. A polyamorous relationship between the three would have been something new that brings with it some very unique opportunities for conflict and drama.
True Blood could easily mine drama out of Sookie being in a relationship with both Bill and Eric – think of it like a reverse, vampiric Big Love. How would Sookie’s brother-husbands divide up her time? Her blood? Would Bill take the lead as Sookie’s first love, or Eric as the most recent?
We’ll be sticking with True Blood next season, mostly because it’s still television’s best one-stop shopping for sex, violence and monsters, but we can’t lie and say we’re not disappointed with how Sookie resolved her relationship issues this season. What do you think about the future of True Blood? Will Sookie stay away from her vampire beaus, and possibly strike up a romance with Alcide, or do you expect to see her returning to one of her undead lovers?