Information Overload and Attention Deficit Kicking In: Review of True Blood, Season 3, Episode 4 - "9 Crimes"

Well, this latest episode of True Blood, "9 Crimes," revealed more of the entanglement between vampires, werewolves and vampire blood. We get to meet both Debbie Pelt and Janice Herveaux as well as watch Bill kick Sookie out of his life.

As an avid fan of the Charlaine Harris novels that True Blood is based upon, I am watching with interest. I see so many things being changed that I am not certain I like the directions True Blood is heading toward.

You know what I dislike the most? While Anna Paquin is a wonderful actress, her portrayal of Sookie (or more accurately the True Blood writer's characterization) is completely different from how I saw her portrayed in the Harris books.

In the books, Sookie is smart and tough while being sweet but able to deal with every situation that arises. She is wise, matter-of-fact and takes everything that comes at her with grace and guts. Sookie in True Blood is much different - she is whiny and wimpy and this is something I have a difficult time reconciling as I watch. She falls apart easily and has a hysterical side that seems to want to come out and play.

Case in point - on tonight's episode, Bill basically tells Sookie she is out of his life and she is crushed, dissolving into near hysterics. Book Sookie would have been upset, but she was a master at keeping her feelings hidden from other people. She would have shed a tear or two but she would have sucked it up and looked ahead, not fallen apart.

Another criticism that I have for this season of True Blood is the amount of information being doled out. There are soooo many side stories going on and we are only given a snippet or two of each one before the next one comes up. There is Bill and his situation, then Sookie and Alcide and their investigation, Jessica's story of learning her vampire powers and adjusting to her new "life," Arlene's pregnancy, Sam's family, Lafayette's drug dealing and his upcoming romance, Tara's relationship with Franklin, Eric and Pam's trouble with the Magister, the vampire blood addicted werewolf pack and Russell Edgington, the relationship of Franklin Mott and the King of Mississippi, the relationship between Sookie and Eric, Jason's pursuit of his many interests (both professional and personal) and what the hell is up with those people in Hotshot? Yes, I already know about the people in Hotshot because I've read all of the books, but who knows what will happen on True Blood. That's a lot of stuff to take in!

Come on HBO - please, stop bombarding us with so much! I would rather you choose one main story and two or three subplots to focus on. That would allow you to give us more meat and depth on each storyline. As it is, I feel like I'm trapped in my own Attention Deficit Disorder going "Vampire! Werewolf! Human! Something else! Squirrel!"

I would much prefer to have fewer subplots explored and know more about each one. So am I a little put off by the direction the series is going? Yes, I must say I am. I love True Blood, but it is seriously on information overload. Before long, fans are going to blow a fuse and then where will be?

For a complete recap of the July 11 True Blood episode, "9 Crimes," CLICK HERE.