PROJECT RUNWAY All Star Challenge – The Best of the Runway? Really?

It was de’ja vu this week when eight former PROJECT RUNWAY stars came back to the runway for the first ever PROJECT RUNWAY All Star Challenge.  The best of the best and fan favorites came together for a one night only episode that gave the designers the opportunity to show off how far they’ve come since their PR days. Each designer had to create a cohesive collection based on four looks (one look made entirely of materials they found by tearing apart (literally) the restaurant they were eating in). The last designer standing took home $100,000.

Meet the PROJECT RUNWAY All Stars….

Although this wasn’t my dream team of PR alums (Andre…where’s Andre?), I thought these designers represented the diversity of style present in every season of the show. Unfortunately, not all of them represented themselves well.  For me, the egos and attitudes of some of the designers really took away from my enjoyment of the show. Talk about getting caught up in your own false sense of fame…geesh.

Santino – I just don’t know how he’s going to look back at this episode and not cringe at his behavior.  He tried to be funny, but he tried too hard.  He was so lame.  Jeffrey wasn’t nearly as obnoxious as I expected, but he certainly wasn’t dolling out the humble pie – that was all Chris March. The costume designer slept his way through the competition but still managed to be more entertaining than most of these cats.  The Uli vs. Sweet P showdown wasn’t all that interesting, despite how hard the editors tried to force it down our throats. It didn’t take much editing to make Mychael Knight come off as clueless.  A talented guy but he was a complete snoozefest – not something you want in a two hour special. And when did he change his name from “Michael” to “Mychael”? Ha?!  Korto‘s behavior at the outcome of the competition was embarrassing. Let’s hope she doesn’t let her daughter see what a sore loser her mother is (whoops…spoiler alert). And finally, Daniel Vosovic. I thought he came off as one of the more professional (and sane) designers.  He’s been a good friend to the show since his season first aired.  I think everyone involved behind the scenes really likes him…I’m just sayin’.

Attitude and ego asides, this competition was all about the clothes, so let’s see what the designers came up with in just a few days with slightly over $1,000 in their pockets.

(The GMMR runway show will go in order of judges’ favorites. And to be clear, these are the judges favorites – definitely not mine.)

Kicking things off is the winner of the PROJECT RUNWAY All Star Challenge – Daniel Vosovic. (Cue sound effect mimicking a screeching halt).

Clearly I have no eye for fashion, because Daniel’s collection was one of my least favorites.  I didn’t get it.  I guess if you are a woman who likes to jog to a cocktail party then you might want to buy Daniel’s line, other than that? Yeah, no clue. Although I do suspect that his “restaurant” look might be very popular with female suicide bombers all over the world.  I didn’t like his red carpet look at first, but it absolutely grew on me and by the end I was really digging it.  It was the dress that won him the competition. But for me, it didn’t save the collection.

Korto‘s clothing was beautiful. Like the judges, I thought her black “restaurant” dress was fascinating.  It was one of my favorite looks and to think it came from raw materials found in a restaurant.  Damn.  I thought it showed true innovation.  Although her black and white patterned dress was my favorite, there wasn’t a look I didn’t love.  Unfortunately, all her clothes were tainted by Korto’s unfortunate, sore loser behavior.

The biggest surprise to me during this All Star Challenge was how much I j’adored everything that Sweet P did.  She definitely wasn’t my favorite during her season, and I scratched my head as to why she of all people was chosen for this special episode.  But I’m glad she was there.  He choices of fabrics and colors were not only interesting but they were accessible. Her leather cocktail dress was made special by her choice of color.  Her “restaurant” look was humorous, innovative and adorable (If only someone could have warn that on an episode of Pushing Daisies). Her other two pieces were flirty, whimsical and romantic.  I loved the entire collection and I’m glad she made it to the final four.

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The TV Talk Podcast: GLEE, MAD MEN, BIG BROTHER and More

It’s a short podcast (carcast) this week but we’ve got a special guest, lots of caffeine in us and plenty to cover so let’s get to it!

First off we talk London hotties, car bombs, and travel tips for the unemployed. Then its on to some depressing news that will just kill ya regarding TRUE BLOOD, NURSE JACKIE and ABDC before moving on to some interview action, spoilers and more from the kick off of the GLEE Tour!

The MAD MEN Season 3 premiere was cramazing and on topic are the British Invasion, doormen, handjobs, pesky children and the state of the Draper marriage. Plus, Ducky needs your help figuring out who an actor is so pay attention and play along at home.

The bag of dicks that is the BIG BROTHER 11 house erupts this week and it makes for some great entertainment.

Tim G. thanks us for turning him onto one of our favorite shows and we preview a possible new GREEK sorority.

We’ve got some information about our upcoming FALL TV Preview Podcast(s) but we still need your help on how to talk about the plethora of shows coming at us.

Like I said, we’re a little out of control but hopefully you enjoy this week’s episode. As always, thanks for listening guys!

*Recorded 8/18/09

To listen to TV Talk Podcast (with Chapter Markers) head on over to our iTunes page and subscribe! It’s the fastest and easiest way to listen to The TV Talk Podcast from week to week.

Listen to The TV Talk Podcast (8/18/09)

TOP CHEF Season Premiere Talk!

I think I speak for all of us when I say, WOO HOO, TOP CHEF IS BACK! You may have noticed that we kind of dropped out on Top Chef Masters, and needless to say, it was because it sucked. Big time. They pissed me off right to the bitter end, not so much with Rick’s loss but with Hubert losing to Michael. Are you effing kidding me? And that’s all I have to say about that.

So needless to say, the return of Top Chef was a huge breath of fresh air, and I was really surprised by how much I’d missed Padma and Tom. Tom cracking up at Wolfgang Puck was hysterical, and all I really needed from Padma to complete the experience was the Padma Pukeface, but we’ve got a lot of episodes ahead of it and I’m confident it’ll be back before we know it!

It’s still the point in the season where I haven’t learned the cheftestants’ names and don’t feel like looking them up, so I’ll just hit on a few that really made an impression. Sound good? Feel free to add your own thoughts in the comments!

The first one I loved and actually remember the name of is Kevin, who was a James Beard Award either nominee or winner. I remember this because I feel that Kevin’s beard deserves an award. And he won the first challenge, which usually indicates that they’ll make it either almost or all the way to the end. And he’s funny—I loved his walrus slide.

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Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Friday, August 21, 2009

It’s Friday…it’s Friday!!  Woo to the Hoo! It’s been a rather long week and I’m ready for it to be over.

This weekend is a special TV weekend.  No matter what the weather, yours truly will be mainlining some serious television.  Tomorrow it’s Project SUPERNATURAL Saturday. I’m going to be watching hours upon hours of the Winchester boys in my attempt to be completely caught by the time of the S5 premiere.

When I’m not watching San, Dean and the ghosts, I’ll be catching up on Fall TV.  The pilots have been piling up in my apartment and I’ve hardly made a dent.  Next week Ducky and I are heading to Philly to meet up with Rae of RamblingsofaTVWhore.com and Amrie of MyTakeonTV.com for a big ‘ol bloggers weekend.  I can’t talk Fall TV with them if I haven’t seen the shows, right?  I work better with deadlines.

If you don’t have a TV agenda like I have, maybe you’ll make one based on some of the shows airing tonight.  Here are a few highlights.

Monk | 9pm on USA
“Mr. Monk and the UFO”
When Monk and Natalie get stuck in a small desert town, he must uncover the link between a missing woman and a UFO sighting.

Eureka | 9pm on Syfy
“Shower the People”
Allison’s baby shower yields eco-friendly gifts and the discovery of drowned scientists in an area where drowning is impossible. Billy Campbell.

Mean Girls | 9pm on TBS
Attending high school for the first time, a teenager becomes friends with three popular but manipulative students. Based on a book by Rosalind Wiseman. Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Tina Fey, Tim Meadows, Amy Poehler [GMMR: I love this movie!]

Psych | 10pm on USA
“High Noon-ish”
When strange occurrences threaten to close down a simulated Old West tourist attraction, Lassiter enlists Shawn and Gus to help uncover the truth and keep a childhood favorite open.

The Soup | 10pm on E!
“The Week in Review”
A weekly recap of various pop culture and television show moments of the week. The show is hosted by Joel McHale, who provides sarcastic and biting commentary on the various clips.

On the late night couch…

• The Late Show with David Letterman: Christina Applegate, Brendan Benson, Patton Oswalt
• The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien: Eva Mendes, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, the Dead Weather (R 6/18/09)
• The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson: James Spader (R 7/30/09)
• Jimmy Kimmel Live:  Seth Rogen, Melissa Sagemiller, Jack’s Mannequin (R 7/30/09)
• Late Night with Jimmy Fallon:Dylan McDermott, Wendy Williams, Chef Sam Talbot (R 7/13/09)
• Chelsea Lately: Jeff Lewis, Whitney Cummings, Chris Franjola, Ross Mathews (R 8/12/09)
• Last Call with Carson Daly: No Doubt, Adam Carolla, Friendly Fires (R 5/15/09)

PROJECT RUNWAY Recap: Season Premiere

A few minutes into last night’s premiere of PROJECT RUNWAY I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. As a long time fan of the fashion forward show, I was a wee bit worried that the move from Bravo to Lifetime (and the all the drama that came with that move) would somehow seep through into the show and affect my enjoyment. But all it took was a few minutes to know that everything felt just right. Despite the move from New York to L.A., everything was business as usual.  Everyone was ready to make it work.

This season’s designers are definitely an interesting coterie of fashionistas. One episode in and I’m already set to auf Wiedersehen a few of them. The egos – yikes – how do they walk down the street and not trip over their perceived greatness? Confidence is important but some of these cats act like their clothing will cure diseases. And as is often the case, bravado is often a mask for insecurity. While some designers earned their praise, others really need to bring the attitude down and their aesthetic up.

Being the first show of the new season, the drama was kept relatively in check. Everyone was relatively well behaved and the claws stayed firmly intact tonight. But it was obvious early on that we might have another Ricky from S4 on our hands if Johnny can’t pull it together. With all due respect to his former crystal meth addiction, I better not be hearing about it all season long. The guy hadn’t even started constructing his design when he broke down in tears and needed the shoulder of Tim Gunn. If he thinks day one is overwhelming, I’m not sure he’s going to make it very far in the competition.

Walking away from the drama, and moving towards the runway, we saw an amazing display of talent tonight. As I say every season, I’m about as far away from fashion forward as you can get. Give me jeans and a hoodie and I’m happy. Pair those with some heels and I’m damn near dressed up. But for the most part I can appreciate the creativity of the show. I don’t always see eye-to-eye with the judges, but I usually given them the benefit of the doubt when it comes to some of the more avant garde pieces. Because really, what do I know? Surely not as much as judges Heidi Klum, Michael Kors, Nina Garcia or guest-judge Lindsay Lohan. Oh wait, I might know more about fashion than La Lohan. The girl put out a line of fashion leggings – enough said.

Here are the 16 red runway looks from last night, with my take on each below.

• Althea gave us a silky, halter dress with some feather-like embellishment at the top. I thought the silhouette was pretty but I didn’t think the dress was all that impressive. That icy blue/gray color would have never popped on the red carpet. I thought it looked more like a pretty nightgown than a red carpet dress.

• I’m surprised Lindsay didn’t give more love to Ari, as the designer was a dead ringer for Lindsay main squeeze, Samantha Ronson. Ari’s space like top paired with jean shorts certainly got my attention, but not in a good way. Why she chose this as her piece to introduce herself to the show is beyond me. She later said that risk needs to come with responsibility – something ever designer should consider moving forward.

• Carol Hannah gave us this flowy tan creation with a fitted bodice. I didn’t get it. I actually thought it was hideous. I suppose the craftsmanship was there, but I couldn’t see anyone wearing this gown down a red carpet without landing on someone’s WTF list.

• Christopher, the only designer without any kind of formal design education, gave us a fabulous look that was young hip, but still sophisticated. I saw his dress come down the runway and I immediately thought of at least ten starlets that could really make a statement by walking the red carpet in this design. No, not you Lindsay. You have a way to make even pretty clothes trashy.

• Epperson gave us a stunning formal gown that felt more fashion week than red carpet but I didn’t mind. I thought it was innovative and classy but very modern at the same time. It didn’t scream Academy Awards but maybe the Met’s Costume Gala, or Cannes. This was one of my favorite looks of the night.

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Who Won HOH on BIG BROTHER?

When Julie Chen said her goodbyes tonight, all the houseguests were competing in the Head of Household competition. Want to know who won? Click here to find out: Who Won HOH on BIG BROTHER (September 2, 2010)

This post contains spoilers for tonight’s BIG BROTHER. You’ve been warned.

With so much to get done during tonight’s live episode of BIG BROTHER, there just wasn’t enough time for the houseguests to play the entire HOH competition during the live show.  Don’t want to wait until Sunday to find out who won?  Don’t worry…I’ve got the live feeds.  As soon as the new HOH is revealed I’ll go ahead and post it right away.

If you missed tonight’s episode, click here for a recap: Who Got Evicted from BIG BROTHER?

The new HOH has been named.  Keep reading to find out who has the power.

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Who Got Evicted from BIG BROTHER?

If you blinked you probably missed something big on BIG BROTHER tonight.  Chaos has ruled the house since Jeff used the coup d’etat.  This week was supposed to be a special double eviction, but Chima took care of that matter when got herself ousted.  Instead we got a live episode that included a POV competition, an eviction and a new HOH was named.

Most of this week’s recap focused on the scheming put in play by Lydia, Natalie and Kevin aka Bosley and the two Angels. Don’t ask me which one was Bosley because I just don’t know.  In a last ditch effort to stay in the game the three decided to make up a lie that was aimed at fracturing the foursome of Jeff, Jordan, Michelle and Russell.  Kevin fed the lie to Jeff who ate it up with and then went back to seconds. Believing that Kevin would have no reason to lie, Jeff and later Jordan both started to believe that Russell and Michelle had a final two deal and that Jeff would be the target next week.

But do they? Dude, I don’t know!

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Fall TV – What Have You Heard?

I’m conducting a little bit of a query today…and experiment if you will. Hoping you will play along.

For the new Fall shows….

• Which ones have you heard about?
• What do you know about them?
• Which ones you are most excited for?

Let’s see which new Fall shows have the buzz!

The comments are open!  Looking forward to hearing from you.

Project Runway: All Star Challenge | 8pm on Lifetime

In this two hour, one episode competition, eight former fan favorites and “Project Runway” superstars return to the catwalk to compete against one another. [More: Project Runway All Star Challenge Reveals Contestants]

Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Thursday, August 20, 2009

I woke up this morning and thought it was Wednesday. It’s not.  It’s Thursday. Even better!  I know this is sad to say, but during most of the year I immediately know what day of the week it is by what shows are on TV.  The summer confuses me a bit. Yikes, I need to get a life.

But enough of that nonsense – big news tonight my friends…PROJECT RUNWAY IS BACK! A 2-hour All Star Challenge kicks off the new season of PROJECT RUNWAY, now on Lifetime. I’m so excited! Please tell me you’ll be watching too!

Here are just a few shows you’ll fund on TV tonight. Which shows will YOU be checking out? Leave a comment here or send me a message via Twitter.

Project Runway: All Star Challenge | 8pm on Lifetime
In this two hour, one episode competition, eight former fan favorites and “Project Runway” superstars return to the catwalk to compete against one another. [GMMR: YAY! More about the competitor’s here: Project Runway All Star Challenge Reveals Contestants]

Big Brother 11 | 8pm on CBS
In tonight’s episode, the houseguests will compete for the POV. Things will be a little sped up and right after the POV ceremony, the live eviction vote will take place. Lydia & Natalie are currently on the block, but will they be after the veto ceremony? A new HOH will be named.

Skins | 9pm on BBCA
“Thomas”
Thomas arrives from the Congo; Effy, Pandora and the crew show Thomas how British teens live and party.

The Real Housewives of Atlanta | 10pm on Bravo
“Mummies, Mommies and Baby Mommas”
NeNe and Dwight visit the salon; Kandi discusses her image with her photographer and business team; Kim learns her children were left home alone without adult supervision.

Project Runway | 10pm on Lifetime | Season Premiere
“Welcome to Los Angeles”
he seamless reality show kicks off its sixth season with 16 fresh clothiers competing in fashion-themed heats, designing their ware at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles. Series staples Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn return, as do judges Michael Kors and Nina Garcia.

Royal Pains | 10pm on USA
“Nobody’s Perfect”
While in New York to learn more about Boris’ mysterious disease, Hank discovers that the Gardners are trying to strip him of his medical license; Divya and Evan face a medical emergency aboard a reclusive millionaire’s yacht; Jill tussles with Charlie.

Also playing…

• Repeats of fan favorites such as 30 ROCK, CSI, GREY’S ANATOMY, THE OFFICE, PARKS & RECREATION, SUPERNATURAL and more. So much to watch. And if you haven’t seen it, it’s new to YOU!

On the late night couch…

• The Late Show with David Letterman: Renee Zellweger, Gary Mule Deer
• The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien:  Jonah Hill, Cheryl Hines, Dan Naturman (R 7/21/09)
• The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson: Lisa Kudrow, James Frey, Chairlift (R 6/26/09)
• Jimmy Kimmel Live:  Quentin Tarantino, Rachel Nichols, Doug Benson (R 8/7/09)
• Late Night with Jimmy Fallon: Cameron Diaz, Universal Records Database, Grizzly Bear (R 6/26/09)
• Chelsea Lately: Dave Salmoni, T.J. Miller, George Wallace, Natasha Leggero
• Last Call with Carson Daly: Joe Torre, Kelly Monaco, Operation Aloha (R 5/14/09)
• The Daily Show with Jon Stewart: Betsy McCaughey
• The Colbert Report: Chris Matthews

Which shows will YOU be checking out tonight? Leave a comment here or send me a message via Twitter.

AMERICA’S BEST DANCE CREW: Beyonce Challenge

The second week of AMERICA’S BEST DANCE CREW may have aired last Sunday but I’m just getting down to watching it now. Sorry for the delay. Forgive me?  No?  Well how about if I tell you that I might be getting you the straight on, behind-the-scenes scoop on ABDC live and in-person?  It looks like yours truly will be watching the crews perform during a taping next month in L.A.  Stay tuned…

For now, a super quick look at the each of the crews as they take on the ultimate diva, Beyonce.

We Are Heroes were up first and they took on Beyonce’s “Single Ladies”.  And hot damn did these ladies kill that routine.  Their choreo was intricate, interesting and innovative.  Always something to watch.  They were tight and they nailed the spirit of Beyonce.  A really entertaining performance.  My one criticism was that they didn’t look like they were having much fun. I don’t know if they were stuck in their own heads or what, but their lack of facial expressions took away a little from the performance.

Beyonce asked Rhythm City to bring the 20’s into 2009 and incorporate an updated Charleston into a routine set to her single, “Sweet Dreams”. A very entertaining and superbly performed routine. I liked their use of the bed as one of their stage props. We Are Heroes set the bar super high tonight and while I think this group was hot, I don’t think they jumped over the ladies that went before them.

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CHUCK Bartowski – Man of Action

If you like your CHUCK with a side of kickass, check out this very cool fan made video sure to get the adrenaline flowing for all CHUCK fans.  Is it March yet?

Creator: sohoblue123 via ChuckMeOut.com

Tonight’s TV Spotlight…Wednesday, August 19, 2009

You’ve made it to the half way point of the week.  Give yourself a round of applause.  And while you’re already clapping, give it up for my folks, Moms & Pops GMMR, who are celebrating their anniversary today. Congrats!

Before we get into tonight’s TV lineup, a few housekeeping matters.

TV Catch-Up: Still trying to get caught up on the TV I missed earlier in the week.  If you haven’t seen it, this week’s TRUE BLOOD review has been posted.  In the interest of time, Dan and I talked MAD MEN on the latest TV Talk Podcast which will be posted later today.  Still hoping to get to AMERICA’S BEST DANCE CREW tonight.  And I didn’t forget at all about my report from the Boston leg of the GLEE tour.  Lots of fun pics to share as well as video from the event. I’m going to keep on truckin’ so stay with me!

IE Users: It’s recently come to my attention that the home page of GMMR looks a bit wonky on IE. As I’m on a Mac I haven’t noticed the issue.  First, let me apologize. Had I know I would have been on this sooner.  It’s tough for me to try to figure out what the problem is, but I’m going to try to get on an IE soon and figure out what might be going on.  If you’re having this problem and have any sense about when this started happening, please drop me a line at info(at)givememyremote(dot)com. If you could also send the version of IE you are using it would be great.  And if you could spare a screenshot, you’d be a rock star!

About Last Night…
Forgive me for sharing this non-TV/personal info, but I’m still on cloud 9 here and I’m not coming down anytime soon.  Last night Ducky invited me to a screening of a new film “50 Dead Men Walking” starring Sir Ben Kingsley and Jim Sturgess.  The movie was fantastic and you should go see it when it opens in your city soon. It’s a wee bit violent, but such is the life of the man the movie is based on. Anyway, the star of the film, Jim Sturgess was at the theater and did a little Q&A session after the film.  Later in the night I got a little meet and greet of my own. If you’ve never seen “Across the Universe”, stop what you’re doing and go rent it.  Jim is amazing in the role which showcases his unbelievable voice. He’s completely swoonworthy in person. Here are a few pics from last night. I’ve got a bit of the crazy eyes in the picture with him and I, but thems are the breaks!

Ok, wait, we are here to talk about tonight’s lineup, right? My bad.  Let’s do this. A few highlights…

Ghost Hunters | 9pm on SyFy
“Inhuman Entity”
A Massachusetts home is probed, resulting in what appears to be a spectral attack on Jason. [GMMR:Y’all know I don’t do these ghost shows.  They freak me out.  And I’m especially not watching if they are finding ghosts in Massachusetts!!]

Top Chef: Las Vegas | 9pm on Bravo
“Sin City Vice”
It’s viva Las Vegas when 17 fresh chefs infiltrate the gambling mecca to compete in culinary challenges in the Season 6 opener. Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons and Toby Young return in their series roles.[GMMR: The show doesn’t end until 10:15pm so set your DVRs accordingly. Come back tomorrow for SB’s take on the premiere episode.]

Top Chef Masters | 10:15pm on Bravo
“Top Chef Master”
The final three chefs call upon memories from the past to create a four-course meal; the winner is announced.

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Dark Blue | 10pm on TNT

The team tries to take down a criminal ring that launders money through diamonds; Ty makes inroads with a club owner interested in a diamond heist; Dean and Jaimie pose as a married couple to make a connection with a fence.

TRUE BLOOD: I Will Rise Up

I’m Marty McFly. Jump in my time machine and we’ll go all the way back to Sunday night to talk about this week’s episode of TRUE BLOOD.  It was so good that you all want to still talk about it three days later, right?  I hope.

This week, Philboy and I teamed up to talk TRUE BLOOD.  I’m covering the recap portion of this post while he looks forward to talk about the impact this episode has on the future.  I thought it was important to include this note as there is good chance my section may include just a little bit about how damn sexy Erik looked this week.  I’m sure Philboy’s a fan too, but just not in the same way I am.

Where to begin.  Perhaps right where last week’s episode left off.  Luke doing “God’s” work and blowing up the vampire gathering at the Fellowship of the Sun.  Bye Luke, I’ll miss you.

We learn that both humans and vampires were killed, but since none of our favorites were spared, do we really care?

Bill was outside with Lorena at the time of the explosion and wasn’t there to protect Sookie.  Good thing Erik was.  He actually threw himself on top of her to save her life.  What a hero.  Erik got a few silver bullets lodged in him during the massacre and only Sookie could save his life by eating (what?) the bullets right out of his body.  Did anyone else find this extremely odd and disturbing? And no, I don’t want to hear from those of you who thought it was hot.

If you saw the twinkle in Erik’s dead eyes then you know he was not in any real danger. He enjoyed Sookie getting the bullets out of him.  But more than that he liked the look in Bill’s eyes when he saw that Sookie drank Erik’s blood in an attempt to save his life (is life the right word?) As a result of this exchange, Sookie and Eric are intrinsically linked.  Love it!

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