True Blood Season 5, Episode 3: “Whatever I Am, You Made Me”
We open this episode with Tara and her struggle to understand who she is now. She escaped Sookie’s house and now she runs around the woods at night. Tara happens upon a broken down motorist and Tara attacks her, almost eating her until she gets a glimpse at herself in the window. Tara apologizes to the woman and runs to Merlotte’s. Tara asks Sam for help and he gives it. Sam feeds her a ton of Tru Blood and doesn’t ask for too much of an explanation.
Meanwhile, Sookie and Lafayette search for Tara. Sookie goes to Fangtasia and asks Pam to summon Tara. When she refuses, Sookie blasts her with her light hands and leaves. Pam is pretty embarrassed to be tossed around in her own club.
Sookie goes to see Sam and discovers that he is lying about not seeing Tara last night. Tara is closed off in the walk-in freezer as it was the only light tight place Sam could think of.
The Authority gives Bill and Eric the chance to bring in Russell; however, to protect themselves, they make Bill and Eric wear iStakes – a device that looks like a harness and can stake a vampire remotely. This is some great insurance the Authority is investing in.
Newlin enters the Authority’s boardroom and Roman appoints him “the new Nan.”
A photo of Andy naked in Holly’s bed is making its rounds thanks to her teenager boys. Andy confronts Holly with it after being joked about all over town. Holly apologizes profusely.
Jason runs into one of his old teachers at the grocery store. They meet up at her place and we understand that the two had a fling when Jason was still her student. They sleep together again and Jason becomes regretful afterwards, leaving abruptly.
We learn of a very interesting connection between Eric and Pam and Bill and Lorena. We flashback to Pam’s brothel – the brothel where she’d previously found one of her prostitutes drained and dead. It turns out that Bill and Lorena are responsible for killing Pam’s women. Eric comes to Pam’s rescue and stops Bill and Lorena from draining another one of her girls. After Eric kicks Bill and Lorena out, Pam demands $500 for each girl they killed. Eric and Pam make out. I’ve always known they had the hots for their own power.
After Eric and Pam sleep together, Pam asks him to turn her. When he won’t, Pam slits her wrists and says that he can either turn her or watch her die. We know how that ends. It was really a shocker to see how deeply connected Eric and Bill are and I even gasped out loud. I love getting to see the background so much more.
Debbie’s parents ask Alcide if he knows anything about Debbie’s disappearance because he may have been the last one to see her alive. Debbie’s father gets quite aggressive, but Alcide handles it well. He tells them that Debbie is back on V and that he abjured her.
Andy questions Sookie about Debbie’s disappearance as her car was found near Sookie’s house. Andy seems onto them and this scares Lafayette. Sookie doesn’t seem too bothered, but we know there is still evidence of the murder that took place in her kitchen. Remember – she kicked that tooth under the fridge.
Salome at the Authority headquarters sleeps with both Bill and Eric, seemingly to find out if they are lying about their beliefs. She tells Roman they are not lying and are not fundamentalists. Fundamentalists – like Russell Edgington – believe that humans are nothing but food and should be bred as such. They do not believe in mainstreaming. You can see how this could be harmful to the Authority, whose goal is complete integration.
Meanwhile, Nora is being tortured and admits to being Sanguinista (a fundamentalist).
Jessica is at a store trying on some dresses to impress Jason and smells a man who stops by to get clothes for his girlfriends. She chases after him, saying that his blood smells amazing, but loses him in the woods. Jessica goes to Jason’s house and he tries to kick her out, saying that he is filling a void in his heart with sex. Jessica offers to change into sweats and stay as a friend.
Sookie tells Alcide that she murdered Debbie. He doesn’t take it too well – mostly because Sookie was lying to him, not because Debbie is dead.
Lafayette snaps at Arlene in the kitchen and grabs a gallon of bleach. He pours it into the gumbo he is making and the devil from Jesus appears on his face. When Lafayette realizes what he’s done, he trashes the soup.
This episode ends with Tara running from Merlotte’s and breaking into a tanning salon. She gets inside and turns the bed up. Pam senses this.
Pam is going to have to take charge of teaching Tara how to act soon or she will be successful in her suicide.
Supernatural is not strictly a show about witchcraft. Or, is it?
Sam, Dean and John Winchester are not witches.
Or, are they? When you watch Supernatural as a modern witch, you realize that a lot of what the Winchester boys do during their battles to protect the world from monsters are things we do as part of our witchy routines.
Just the facts
Starting in 2005 and running until 2020 for fifteen seasons, Supernatural tells the stories of Sam and Dean Winchester as they protect the world from the forces of darkness. Together with a collection of human and otherworldly allies, they battle demons, ghosts, cryptids and all manner of horrifying dark creatures. It was one of many CW shows that delved into the darker side of the world before committing entirely to bad DC content.
What Supernatural got right
The first thing that jumps out when watching Supernatural is the metric ton of salt used in the show. Specifically, salt is used to protect against any number of ghastly things.
This is very familiar to any modern witch. We have so much salt. Black salt, red salt, blessed salt. Salt to cleanse, salt to banish, salt to protect. When I saw Dean and Sam with massive containers of kitchen salt, I felt like I’d found my people.
Then there is of course John Winchesters notebook. Or, dare I say, grimoire. This also felt familiar. And it’s one of the things I loved the most about Supernatural.
Look, we all want the big family grimoire with the lovely, flowing artwork and beautiful handwritten spells like in Charmed. But in reality, most grimoires look a lot more like the Winchester notebook, with sketches and notes shoved in and held in place with gum bands and paperclips. And while I’m not going to say that my grimoire has daring notes about demonic beings I’ve battled, it certainly has more quick sketches (mostly of plants) than it does beautiful calligraphy. This is supposed to be a useful document full of information we can reference quickly, not an art piece.
Longtime viewers of the show will point out that not only do the Winchesters not call themselves witches, but they often interact with witches. Sometimes as allies, and sometimes as enemies.
The witches in the show are pretty true to life. They are good and bad. They can be anyone, from any walks of life.
The witches use many tools modern practitioners use, including crystals, scrying mirrors and protection symbols. Honestly, they are pretty spot-on. Except for the spectacular TV magic they implement.
Finally, I want to discuss the question I asked at the start. Are the Winchesters witches?
No, they’re not. Because they don’t claim the title. Even if someone does magic, they’re not a witch unless they say they’re a witch. The whole point of witchcraft, after all, is personal power and personal choice.
What Supernatural got wrong
All of that being said, Supernatural was of course not a perfect depiction of witchcraft. For one thing, there is no grand coven of witches. I don’t think enough of us could agree on enough to create one.
But if we did, Stevie Nicks would be the Supreme.
Witches also don’t have to come from a long line of witches or be taught by other witches. Many of us are self-taught from books. And sadly, many of us live in communities where we might be the only witches around.
Thankfully, there are online communities from which to learn and grow. You don’t need to be a generational witch, or even have a close witch mentor. It’s a practice, and practice is all that’s required.
All in all, Supernatural is a fairly good example of modern witchcraft. The show might not be about witches, but it’s a great representation.
(4 / 5)
By the way, if you like this you might enjoy my haunted apartment novella, Quiet Apocalypse. The main character is a modern witch, and I share some real magic in this fictional story of an unexpected end of the world.
Movies n TV
Evil: Genesis 1 (S1E1)
Evil: Genesis 1 (S1E1) is a supernatural drama created by Michelle King and Robert King, starring Katja Herbers & Mike Colter.
Evil: Genesis 1 (S1E1) is a supernatural drama created by Michelle King and Robert King. The central cast includes Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, Aasif Mandvi, Michael Emerson, and Christine Lahti. It originally aired under CBS before moving to Paramount+. As of this review, it’s available through Netflix and Paramount+ and its add-ons. Though this series will earn nominations and awards, I’ll bring them up in relevant points or the end of the season review.
Dr. Kristen Bouchard (Katja Herbers) is a forensic psychologist struggling to financially support four daughters after losing her contract with the prosecution. When a Catholic seminarian (Mike Colter as David Acosta) offers her an opportunity to become an assessor for the Catholic church, she’s in no position to argue. Little does she know; this decision will put her in the crosshairs of Evil.
What I Like about Evil: “Genesis 1”
The cast includes heavy hitters and niche delights, such as Aasif Mandvi and Michael Emerson. Mike Colter, recently coming off of Luke Cage, brings his own star power to the cast.
Evil’s Genesis 1 starts strong with its supporting villain, Darren Pettie’s Orson LeRoux, who gives a calm and flowery account of his horrible crimes. Evil balances a light tone with dark material, and this performance does an expert job of setting that standard.
However, Katja Herbers’s Dr. Bouchard brings the central performance to life. Genesis 1 does a great job of planting the seeds of this complex character. From her ability to get shit done to her unsatisfying life, Bouchard has plenty of traits that easily allow for empathy and understanding.
Evil balances the line between real and supernatural horror, allowing viewers to assess a situation with plausible deniability. Seeing through the eyes of a skeptic, Dr. Bouchard, amplifies the fear and trauma a demon’s appearance ought to bring.
In terms of direct horror, Genesis 1 sets up what will come. It often provides an unsettling experience, building tension for future episodes. Where Genesis 1 becomes terrifying are those moments of juxtaposition, such as the initial monologue.
Tired Tropes and Triggers
While little is shown in the show of Orsen’s crimes, he is a rapist and murderer. To clarify, any depictions mentioned focus more on the murder.
As David aims to become a Catholic priest and the central trio act as assessors on behalf of the Catholic church, there will be religious elements that might rub some the wrong way. An example is the shady history of the church briefly mentioned as a throwaway jab by the antagonists. However, these elements are only lightly touched upon here.
A brief seed remains planted between Kristen and David, an attraction that might indicate an infidelity. This tension plays a role within the series. In my opinion, it’s handled well and adds to the complexity of the characters, but it’s a point worth mentioning for those troubled by such things.
What I Dislike about Evil: “Genesis 1”
Truthfully, there’s nothing I disliked. The only potential weakness worth mentioning is that the focus on Kristen remains so dominant one might easily assume it’s her story alone. Eventually, Mike Colter’s David becomes a co-lead for the show. While there remains a clear purpose for this decision, it’s the one gripe worth mentioning in terms of fully living up to the premise.
Another nitpick is the court procedure. Kristen gives her statement and is meant to return after new evidence to reaffirm her given statement as if they paused her testimony. Evil doesn’t explain its version of court procedure here.
Final Thoughts on Evil: “Genesis 1”
Genesis 1 provides a great foundation for Evil to thrive, sowing the seeds for future episodes to build upon. The only area that falls short remains communicating its leading cast, which future episodes aim to fix. If you’re hesitant about the series, Genesis 1 provides a great glimpse of what to expect.
(5 / 5)
My Haunted Hometown interview – Barb Dexter
To start off check out our exclusive interview with Barb Dexter from My Haunted Hometown! Prepare for spine-tingling tales as Barb Dexter unveils her shocking personal ghost encounters on T+E Channel’s gripping paranormal series, “My Haunted Hometown”. Don’t miss exclusive behind-the-scenes insights and emotional revelations that will leave you questioning reality. Premieres Friday, September 6th at 10 PM ET/PT.
Click the trailer for My Haunted Hometown and set your clocks for the premiere 6 Sept!
Want to know more about T+E Channel’s My Haunted Hometown?? Check out the trailer below (and make sure you watch the show as it airs Friday 6 September, 10PM PT/ET only on T+E!
If you ever wondered what it was like to be in a town with a dark history–and live in a forever home that might be forever occupied by spirit energy, then you need to check this episode out!
Why T+E Channel’s My Haunted Hometown hits
The production value works. The camera. The crew. The sound. The editing. The PR team. These are all great assets–and the best asset of them all? The people in the show.
We have all seen shows where the ghost story is made up. It’s usually some quick cash grab for a celeb (although there were some great truly well done celeb ghost stories, too!) or just some channel/content filler type thing. This is not that….this is what every ghost show should be.
The crew sits down. The people are taken seriously. They are giving a channel to voice their story and by sharing their story, they get to grow and sometimes heal from the telling. We draw strength in knowing we are not alone.
When the episode starts, your emotions range from being afraid for the people to being all warm and fuzzy with knowing that these people are opening themselves up to you and you are not alone.
If you have any paranormal experience, these stories will help you feel a bit more whole.
If you are a believer, this is your show.
If you are a doubter, this is your show. You might still doubt, but you won’t doubt that these are real down to earth people giving witness to what they saw.
See why we call the T+E Channel the Blumhouse of TV and catch the free preview on T+E Channel from Sept 2 to Nov 3
The Setting
I think small towns work well as a setting. If you recall most of Seth Breedlove’s movies are SMALL Town monsters. If you recall our interview with Harker Jones’s interview the scary horror wasn’t the city of LA but the SMALL Town where you are a bit more isolated.
Not only does the setting work because of the more remote feel, but it works because of the people. The people in the show make the show. They are relatable. They are down to earth. They are easily your next best friend after moving into the neighborhood.
Also, if you are a fan of cats and dogs–there are a few of the most adorable furry friends ever in this episode.
The Rating and Where to Watch
After watching the first episode, I can’t wait for the rest! I’m sure to check it out when they drop every Friday in September! Won’t you join me? 🙂
See what all the rave reviews are about (5/5 Cthulhu!) and see why we call the T+E Channel the Blumhouse of TV and catch the free preview on T+E Channel from Sept 2 to Nov 3 – your gateway to the supernatural! Tune in and share the thrills with #MyHauntedHometown and #TEonTV. Are you brave enough to watch?
(5 / 5)
