True Blood Season 7, Episode 1 and Already We Say Goodbye:
For fans who have not seen HBO’s True Blood Season 7 Episode 1 (entitled ‘Jesus Gonna Be Here’), you may just want to skip away from this post until after you have viewed the episode.
Last chance guys…
Okay, so I am guessing you have either seen the first episode, or you are happy to read ahead through the spoilers about Episode !
So, it is with a heavy heart that within the very first episode of True Blood Season 7, we have to bid farewell to Tara Thornton (Rutina Wesley) – and right when it seems she could have made amends with her mother too!
Many fans are happy to see the death of a character that has bought them more grief than joy over the years, but, for others, there are a great many tears. This is not the first time we have seen the death of the smart mouthed bestie of Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin); at the end of Season 4 she was shot, but Sookie acted quickly in Season 5, and had Tara turned into a vampire.
This time it seems like her luck is well and truly up.
Although, as fans have already pointed out – why didn’t Pam (Kristin Bauer van Straten) notice the death of her progeny? Even though we see Tara’s mom, Lette May (Adina Porter) covered in what looks like vampire goo, we still have to ask: is Tara really, truly dead this time? Well, according to Kristin Bauer van Straten, you will just have to tune in to True Blood Season 7 Episode 2 to find out why Pam didn’t ‘feel’ Tara die…
So, here we are – at the very last premiere return of HBO’s True Blood! And this is what went down in Season 7, Episode 1, entitled Jesus Gonna Be Here:
Fight scene – yeah, we knew it was going to start this way, but it turns out more people are being taken rather than slaughtered! Kevin (John Rezig), Arlene (Carrie Preston), Holly (Lauren Bowles), Jane Bodehouse (Patricia Bethune) and Sam’s (Sam Trammell) new love, Nicole (Jurnee Smolett-Bell) are among those taken – thanks Jason Stackhouse (Ryan Kwanten) for that tip off! Sam and Alcide (Joe Manganiello) try to follow them but soon return empty handed.
Tara Thornton (Rutina Wesley) goes all matrix on a Hep-V vampire behind in order to save her mother, Lettie Mae (Adina Porter).
Wait, is that someone whistling? Seems it is, and it’s the magic ‘make the Hep-V vampers disappear‘ whistle too!
Sookie (Anna Paquin) finds Lettie Mae covered in goo – Tara is dead – WTF?! *sobs*
Jessica Hamby (Deborah Ann Woll) finds out about Tara but still promises to protect Adilyn (Bailey Noble). Andy Bellefleur (Chris Bauer) isn’t too keen on this notion, but he jumps out of the pan and straight into the fire with Bill (Stephen Moyer) and they head off in search of Holly.
Why is everyone dogging on Sookie – she didn’t cause this mess! What, even Alcide, really???
Oh look, it’s new James (Nathan Parsons)!
Sam and Vince ( the other candidate for mayor of Bon Temps) have an argument over Sam being a dog. Vince (Brett Rickaby) eventually agrees to keep quiet about Sam – for the time being.
Bill tells every humanto take their allocated vampire and go home. A very drunk Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) gets assigned James as his vampire in residence. Bill then discusses where these Hep V vamps might be nesting and rounds up a group to check out a few abandoned places.
Sam thinks he’s exempt from the vampire/human rule, but takes one home anyway… I feel a little uncomfortable about his vampire and I don’t know why :-/
Alcide calls Sookie, but she throws her phone away into the woods rather than answer it.
So Sookie thinks it’s safe walking through the woods at night after the Hep-V attack? Guess the dead girl she stumbles across thought the same thing too. But that Sook, she just ignores that body and keeps on going… Sookie must be real mad to ignore a body like that…
Pam! YAY it’s Pam (Kristin Bauer van Straten)! Oh no, why is she playing Russian roulette with vampire killing bullets in Morocco? Okay, so it’s to find out information about Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgard) – now that’s progeny dedication for you.
Adilyn and Jessica have a sweet little chat about all the horrible stuff that has happened between them, boys and what not; basically chewing the fat like a couple of BFFs – even if Adilyn does take a step back as Jessica approaches… Whoa! Hang on a minute -that’s a Hep-V infected vampire approaching.
Sookie and Alcide have a little argument and Alcide goes off to bed. But that’s okay because Sookie mops for a bit and then goes and apologises to Alcide and they ‘make up’.
Jason and Violet (Karolina Wydra) have a chat about Tara on the way to their rendezvous point. Whoops, seems someone’s already at the abandoned place they are going to search… Low and behold, it’s Vince again. Jason and Violet (mainly Violet) have words with them and they are shortly on their way
It’s Lafayette smoking weed. Even funnier is the fact that James is too! Wouldn’t it toast him slowly from the inside? Anyway, we get an insight into who James really is here. Lafayette approves, and that’s all we need to like James version 2.0
Jason gets all cranky because he hasn’t gotten laid yet, so he yells at Violet and then they finally get jiggy. On top of the police cruiser. Hello gratuitous crotch shot!
Jessica is still protecting Adilyn from the Hep-V vamper. She convinces the fairy to feed of her, so Jess will always know where she is.
Lettie Mae is tripping on Willa’s vamp blood and is stressing that Tara ain’t in heaven and needs her mamma’s help. Well, that escalated quickly – in reverse. Lettie Mae is asleep now. This gives the good reverend and Willa Burrell (Amelia Rose Blaire) a chance to chat. In the end, the Rev. lets Willa move into the church basement.
So Pam is still doing the ‘where in the world in her maker‘ game. She now has a treasure map to follow.
Bill and Andy go to the abandoned slaughter house – yep, it’s a vampire nest.
Far out – it’s Vince again. This guy is REALLY starting to annoy me!
Bill convinces Vince to let Andy go.
Andy won’t go, says he wants to kill Bill himself, so stupid Vince hands over his gun – and Andy pulls it on the other gun wielder there before diffusing the entire situation and ‘encouraging’ Vince’s group to leave.
The stolen group (Arlene, Holly, Kevin, Jane, Nicole etc.) are listening to the Hep-V vamps consume a human – turns out they are all holed up in the basement of Fangtasia!
Then Kevin gets eaten…
Andy and Bill chat. Andy’s still pissy at Bill but spared him because he wants help getting Holly back
Oh crap – dawn is coming and Jessica is still staring down that Hep-V vamper! Adilyn’s onto it though and invites Jessica in. Luckily Jessica doesn’t drain her. She’s sizzling around the edges though, or is that just the lesbian undertones heating up the room?
The Hep-V vamper bursts into flames
We’re in church now. Sookie arrives and it get very awkward very quickly – especially when Lettie Mae gets stuck into her. So Sookie gets up to leave before thinking twice about it and giving all the church members a piece of her mind! Poor Sookie, all she wants to do is help.
And that concludes the very first episode of HBO’s True Blood Season 7! What did you think of it? Were you sad to see Tara go? When do you think we’ll get to see Eric again? And will Sookie be able to help Bon Temps? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Here’s the promo video for True Blood Season 7 Episode 2 (entitled I Found You):
With mere weeks to go until the premiere of HBO’s True Blood Season 7, news is coming in fast and furious – and the latest is a shocker! According to not only TV Guide, but MTV.com, one True Blood cast member will die straight up in Episode 1. While neither source will spill the beans on who it is, TV Guide had this to say:
When the HBO drama returns, the Hep-V-infected vampires that were poised to attack Bon Temps arrive and the bloodbath quickly ensues. Unfortunately, the casualties are not just redshirts. In fact, one character’s fate is so jaw-dropping that you’ll spend the rest of the episode wondering if what you just watched was a dream. It’s not, which clearly means all bets are off in this final season.
So someone will die quickly, and probably brutally at the start of the episode. Who could it be? MTV.com follows up with:
Oh and yes, the rumors are true — as TVGuide confirmed, a major character bites it in the show’s opening moments, with very little fanfare. It’s a brutal fate for someone who has been an integral part of the series for years, and it instantly sets the tone for the rest of the season. No one is safe. No one.
While neither are giving much away, there is still plenty of clues.
So Here’s What We DO Know:
The death happens very quickly. Considering the fact that Season 6 finished with the Hep V vamps showing up at Bellefleurs (formerly Merlotte’s) and the knowledge that Season 7 will pick up directly from this point, it will have to be someone we saw at the end of Season 6. There were plenty of our True Blood regulars present. Right off the bat we see Arlene (Carrie Preston), Jason Stackhouse (Ryan Kwanten), Jessica Hamby (Deborah Ann Woll), Sam Merlotte (Sam Trammell) and his pregnant girlfriend, Nicole (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis), Tara (Rutina Wesley) and her mother, Lettie Mae (Adina Porter). In fact, everyone seems to make an appearance! It could be any one of these characters.
It’s a character that is integral to the show. This narrows it down some. It’s unlikely then to be Lettie Mae. While she has been there from the start, she has not been a regular cast member. Add into the mix the fact that she has just been upgraded to series regular, it seem very unlikely she’ll die in the first episode. Holly (Lauren Bowles) is another who seems fairly safe as well. Others such as Violet (Karolina Wydra), Nicole, James the vampire and Willa Burrell (Amelia Rose Blaire) also seem to be off the hook.
The trailers release more information. So far we have two trailers for True Blood Season 7. While we have been lamenting the glaringly absent Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgard), the clips, once rewatched, now shed some light on who will die in Episode 1. With the death occurring at Bellefleurs at the start of the episode, it means all those trailer scenes shown in broad daylight drastically shorten the list for us. We see plenty of clips with Sookie (Anna Paquin), Alcide (Joe Manganiello), Andy Bellefleur (Chris Bauer), Jason and Sam. Considering this, they have to be safe. There is also footage of Sookie and Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) talking about what has happened in Bon Temps. So he has to be safe as well. Then there is a very brief snippet of Lafayette wearing completely different clothes to what we saw him in at the end of Season 6 – yep, he has to be in the clear as well.
So, Who’s Left?
Jessica. While she is absent from Bellefleurs when the vampires attack, it is possible she may rush off to help. Also, add into the mix the fact that there are snippets of Jessica and a shadowy figure in the second trailer video, and suddenly I am getting very fearful for her well being.
Arlene. She has been there from the start, yet she doesn’t seem to appear in the trailers – could she be the one to die?
Tara. She is another True Blood regular that seems to be absent from the teaser videos. Could she die all over again?
Let me know who you think will die in Episode 1 of HBO’s True Blood Season 7 by commenting below!
Sources: TV Guide – Mega Buzz: A True Blood Tragedy, Falling Skies’ Hybrid and Sleepy’s New Monster
MTV.com – ‘True Blood’: 7 Reasons Why You Have To Watch The Final Season
HBO’s Press Release Promises Intrigue and a Search For Eric Northman:
Fans of HBO’s True Blood are eagerly awaiting June 22nd 2014 when the final season begins. While all the promos recently have shown plenty of hints in regards to a lot of the True Blood characters, Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgard) has still remained elusive.
Recently we were blessed with a short synopsis of some of the first few episodes of True Blood Season 7, HBO has bitten the bullet and released the first official synopsis for Episode 1 and 2 of Season 7! The details for Episode 1 are below:
Episode #71: “Jesus Gonna Be Here”
Debut: SUNDAY, JUNE 22 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
A band of rogue H-vamps crashes the vampire-human mixer at Bellefleur’s, with shocking results. As Sookie (Anna Paquin) seeks refuge from accusations that she’s
somehow to blame for the chaos in Bon Temps, the “one vampire for every human” plan moves forward. In the face of a vigilante insurrection led by redneck Vince (Brett Rickaby), Bill (Stephen Moyer) receives aid from an unexpected source.
Written by Angela Robinson; directed by Stephen Moyer.
This is kind of what we expected since Brian Buckner along with other members of the cast have confirmed that Season 7 would start right where Season 6 left off. But, hello, Vince (played by Bruce Rickaby) is a new name! It seems we have yet another anti-vampire vigilante on our hands. As for Sookie (Anna Paquin) somehow coping the blame for the Hep Vvampires, why isn’t the finger being pointed at someone more responsible for the outbreak?
The synopsis for Episode 2, however, is even more intriguing:
Episode #72: “I Found You”
Debut: SUNDAY, JUNE 29 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
A trio of hostages taken in the Bellefleur’s attack looks to a familiar face as a possible liberator from the H-vamps. Sookie and Jason (Ryan Kwanten) visit the neighboring town of Saint Alice, where a young woman’s diary offers clues to the potential fate of Bon Temps. Spurned by Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis), a desperate Lettie Mae (Adina Porter) turns to Willa (Amelia Rose Blaire) to channel her family past. Vince whips his fellow vigilantes into a dangerous frenzy. Pam’s (Kristin Bauer van Straten) search for her maker leads her to a very familiar place.
Written by Kate Barnow; directed by Howard Deutch.
Who is that familiar face in Bellefleur’s? And why are Sookie and Jason (Ryan Kwanten) heading into a town we have never heard of before now? Who is this young woman whose diary offers up information on the fate of Bon Temps? Why is Lettie Mae (Adina Porter) turning to a vampire to find out about her past – and why is Willa (Amelia Rose Blaire) able to ‘channel’ now she’s a vampire?
The fact that Pam (Kristin Bauer van Straten) is still searching for Eric Northman is almost overlooked with all the questions arising as a result of the first part of this synopsis!
What do you think all of this means? Let us know in the comments below!
If you want to read the press release in its entirety, please click here.
Episode 1 and 2 Show the Hunt for Eric Northman Continues:
Fans of HBO’s True Blood are eager for the return of its final season on June 22nd 2014. It seems, with all the promotional items already on offer, there is one person who is glaringly absent: Eric Northman (played by Alexander Skarsgard).
The last episode of Season 6 saw the viking vampire going up in flames. Since then we have heard nothing in relation to whether or not he survives this inferno, other than showrunner Brian Buckner assuring us that he will be back for True Blood Season 7 – although he did not elaborate in what form or capacity he will be returning.
Now SpoilerTV has leaked the synopsis’ for both Episode 1 and 2 of Season 7. You can view the details below:
So few words, so much that can be taken from them!
We now have a couple of episode titles we didn’t previously have as well as confirmation that True Blood Season 7 will indeed pick up from where it ended in Season 6. However, the particularly juicy piece of information comes in the second episode when it appears we will see an episode dedicated to Pam (played by Kristin Bauer van Straten) searching for her maker, Eric Northman.
Will she find him?
Considering the first episode is committed to the attack by Hep V infected vampires (and probably we can assume this will directly involve plenty of air time spent at Bellefleurs), it would imply a certain amount of time passing. Add this to the fact that there was already a time jump from Eric bursting into flames and the attack by Hep V invected vamps, it is possible that someone else has already rescued Eric from his extreme suntan. Who could it be? And in what condition will he be in?
Okay, we’re starting something new up here on TrueBloodNet for Season 6 of HBO’s True Blood. This season we will be posting all your fave quotes from each episode as memes!
Now, for the first week back, I found it REALLY hard to pick just a few memes from Episode 1, (entitled, Who Are You, Really?), in the end I decided not to narrow it down to just five or ten memes and included all the humorous lines I could find!
So, without further adieu, here they are:
So, what do you think? Which quote’s your favorite? Did I miss any quotable quotes? Let me know in the comments below.
Billith and Lilith and Warlow – The Plot Thickens Already:
Season 6 of HBO’s True Blood took such a long time to arrive. Was it worth it? I think so! Here’s what happened in Episode1, entitled, Who Are You, Really?
We start in Bill-o-vision – and that’s a whole heap of scary! He chases Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) and Sookie (Anna Paquin), but they manage to escape – along with the rest of the gang. And just in time too since the place blows up!
Even though these guys are safe, they’re not happy. In fact, there’s a whole heap of ANGRY going on in this entire episode. Sookie is angry at Billith (Stephen Moyer). Jason (Ryan Kwanten) is angry at the vampires (and then Sookie for siding with them). Pam (Kristin Bauer van Straten) is angry with everyone: Eric, Nora (Lucy Griffiths), Tara (Rutina Wesley), the beach.
Of course, while Sookie and the gang are safe for now, there is no hope for Luna (Janina Gavankar) we discover. Sam (Sam Trammell) manages to drag her from the building, along with her daughter, but there is no cure for turning into Steve Newlin (Michael McMillian). It’s just so horrible that Sam has to see another shifter die this way again!
Next we get to meet Governor Burrell (Arliss Howard). And isn’t he a piece of work?! While he fans the tension between vampires and humans, we get to see the beginnings of the human-vampire war. But Burrell seems to have many layers. While he may be riling up the general population in public, behind the scenes he is negotiating to get the Tru Blood factories up and running again – just what is he playing at?
So Nora knows about Warlow and Eric doesn’t. She attempts to glamor more information about Warlow from Jason – much to his distaste. It turns out they both have knowledge to share. Warlow is apparently the progeny of Lilith (Jessica Clark) – maybe Bill will know something about him? And will Jason have to band together with the vampires to defeat Warlow?
Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll) comes to the realisation that everyone wants to kill Bill. While Sookie helps Jessica see that Billith is not really Bill, that is short-lived. Once Jessica is summoned by her maker to return to Bon Temps, she falls for his charm and pushes everyone else away rather than side against Billith. Sookie staking Billith probably doesn’t help their friendship either – even if Billith is strong enough to survive that sort of attack now. Jessica decides that she may be fearful of his power, but he is still her maker after all – especially after he gives his ‘I don’t want to end up crazy on account of my power’ speech.
While we closed last season with a kiss between Pam and Tara, all does not seem to be happy in that camp. Tara is like a lovesick puppy, but Pam is angry and bitter and…well…Pam. They have their words and Pam is very harsh, but then Fangtasia is raided and Tara gets shot and we are left wondering if Tara will actually be the major death Brian Buckner was talking about. For the first time ever, we see a fearful Pam in this scene – and that scared me more than anything!
Next we move onto Alcide (Joe Manganiello). It appears being a pack master has its perks (a ménage à trois) as well as it’s pitfalls (having to eat the previous pack master) . It will be interesting to see if this storyline will tie in at all with the human-vampire war or if it is just an eye candy plot.
Speaking of minor plot lines, Andy Bellefleur’s (Chris Bauer) a dad! And boy, oh boy, isn’t he having a meltdown over it! Luckily Arlene (Carrie Preston) has some sage advice to offer and all is well – until Andy wakes up the next morning and his kids are no longer babies, but small children!
So Jason has argued with his sister and decided to hitch hike home to Bon Temps – what could possibly go wrong? Rutger Hauer actually! They get talking and Jason tells him all about his family. Hauer listens but when Jason mentions Warlow, Hauer finally owns up to knowing Sookie. It’s at this point that Jason flips out and Hauer implies he is Warlow. Is he? Isn’t he? Who knows, even HBO can’t seem to make up their mind over this characters name. Jason fires a shot but Warlow/Hauer is gone and Jason is left to try and keep the car on the road!
Eric appears to be all gaga over Sookie in Season 6. When he’s not giving her smouldering looks, he’s returning her house to her. Sookie returns the favor by rescinding his invitation. Hang on, wait a minute, this storyline could get interesting! And it does, but not in a Team Eric sort of way. Instead Nora is privy to the whole conversation and now I am feeling nervous with how that information will be used against Sookie and Eric. Besides inadvertently finding Eric’s weakness, she is also on the lookout for Billith’s (or, ultimately Lilith’s) weakness. I wonder what’s she’ll find out?
We end Episode 1, Who Are You Really? with Sookie’s faery contract glowing and Billith having flashbacks (or are they visions?) Lilith appears to him (in triplicate) and then jump inside his body.
That can’t be good, can it?
What did you think of the Season 6 premiere of True Blood? Let us know in the comments below.
So Episode 1, Who Are You Really, has FINALLY aired. How good is it to have HBO’s True Blood back in you life? But, of course, there are more questions than answers with the new season.
Well, to tide you over until my official Episode 1 recap, here’s some video for you to watch. Firstly, we have the Episode 2 promo video. Next is a longer trailer that hints at what could eventuate further on in Season 6. Finally, we cap it all off with a wonderful video featuring Stephen Moyer(Bill/Billith). Moyer directed Episode 1 and he offers some wonderful insights into it (as well as some bits that didn’t make it to tonight’s episode).
Also, does anyone think that tonight’s death was the one Brian Buckner was hinting at in this article?
Source: YouTube – True Blood Season 6: Episode #2 Preview
YouTube – True Blood Season 6: Weeks Ahead Trailer
YouTube – True Blood Season 6: Inside the Episode #1
Well folks, the most anticipated True Blood episode – the premiere – has come and gone. Now that the dust has settled, let’s take a look at what happened. For those of you in Australia and other countries that still have to wait until THIS Sunday to view this episode, please take a complimentary Tru Blood and step away from the spoilers. Feel free to discuss the upcoming Tru Blood convention, if you like.
During the break, probably the top two questions on everyone’s lips were: “Will Tara survive?” and “Why does Rev. Steve Newlin have fangs?” The next most pressing issues appeared to be: “What will happen to Eric and Bill for their little ‘oopsie’ with Nan Flanagan?” “What will the fallout be with Sookie killing Debbie Pelt?” and “How will Russell Edgington heal and then retaliate?”
Well, didn’t we get some answers to most of those questions! Here, let me break the story lines down for you:
*WARNING! Spoilers ahead!*
We start with finding out how Bill and Eric have reacted to being dumped by Sookie. Bill is still smitten, whereas Eric seems more than just a little peeved. And whether they decide to help Sookie or not when Debbie arrives on the scene is moot once they are trapped and abducted.
Pam then appears on the scene while Sookie and Lafayette are trying to revive Tara. In the heat of the moment Pam agrees to turn Tara and Sookie now owes her a favor – nothing good can come of that, I’m betting. Kudos go to Pam in this scene for producing yet another of her famously naughty lines!
We then switch to find out how Jason is faring with the fangy Steve Newlin at his door. I might add that this turns out to be one of the best scenes of the night – both for humor and for excitement. This story is later expanded on when Steve glamours Jason and offers a glimmer of back story with announcing he was turned by a woman, before professing his love for Jason Stackhouse. Jason is polite but announces that “this dog don’t bark that way.” Jessica arrives (still sporting everyone’s favorite red riding hood costume) and stakes her claim on Jason. Deborah Ann Woll is magnificent in this scene.
We then flip back to the Tara storyline. Pam has donned a very unattractive yellow Walmart tracksuit and is having Sookie and Lafayette bury her with Tara’s body. It will be interesting to see how this maker relationship pans out.
The werewolf storyline is expanded on next with Sam being hounded by the pack to admit who killed the pack master. This story is spliced throughout the episode and results in Sam ‘fessing up to protect Luna and her daughter. He is then tortured and finally has to watch the pack master’s parents eat their own son.
So what of Bill and Eric? Well, seems that being stuck in the trunk of a car is no hindrance to them. They devise a plan to blow the car up by igniting the fuel: a magnificent explosion results. So does the death of the driver – not by the new bromance couple, but by Eric’s ‘sister,’ Nora. A sister who is a little closer to her brother than most – only in True Blood, eh? A twisted plot in the running of vampire politics unfolds here. Personally, I think this one will end up twistier than the others. Especially since Bill and Eric will have to assume new identities.
After Sookie and Lafayette dispose of Debbie (wonder where they buried the body?), they discover the disappearance of yet another corpse – this time it’s Jesus’. Layfayette attempts to contact him on the other side but to no avail.
The next scene is one of those awkward-hilarious ones that True Blood and HBO are so great at delivering. Ever wonder what would happen if your grown children were to walk in on yourself and your partner? Well, Andy and Holly found out the hard way in this episode!
The Terry storyline finally gets its time in lights. Who is this mysterious military friend and why are Terry and his old squadron involved in so many fires? This storyline is looking more interesting than I first suspected – maybe baby Mikey is not the black sheep we first thought?
Now we flash to Sookie and Alcide. If it weren’t for Lafayette butting in, I would imagine things would have gotten real hairy, real quickly if Sookie had have been left to explain just what she’d done to Debbie without his intervention.
We get a heap of storyline snippets next: Hoyt and Jason, Eric and Nora (and a rather saucy sex scene in a disused shipping container) as well as a particularly tasty morsel: Why are live humans being thrown into that room – who is eating them? Russell perhaps? Who knows just yet…
The most cringeworthy scene follows. Do we really need to see karaoke? Even if it is to expand on the confusion Jason is feeling at falling for Jessica and Jessica making it clear (by flirting with someone else) that she doesn’t want a serious relationship yet. The jury is still out as to whether Jason really would have a conscience around a hot chick either. The only good thing about that scene were Jessica’s killer heels!
We round up the first episode with an absolute cliffhanger. While Eric and Bill are given new identities and being sent on their merry ways, snipers start shooting. The only three left standing are Eric, Bill, and Nora. They are taken prisoner by people announcing themselves as the one true VampireAuthority!
With so many great story lines this season, which was your fave and why? Let us know in the comments below.
The first episode of True Blood‘s third season introduced us to a whole mess of new characters and stories. It also started the season off right with a good soundtrack to get our blood pumping and heart pounding with every scene. Here is a complete list of songs used in the Episode 1, “Bad Blood,” including the artist, song title and plot point when each song was used.
(Songs marked with a [*] are available for purchase at HBO.com)
Powersolo – Good Behaviour* Bill is held captive in a car and drained.
Acumen Nation – Pistol Whip Me (Back Into Your Arms)*
At Fangtasia Sookie interrupts Eric to question him about Bill‘s whereabouts.
Hank Williams III – Crazed Country Rebel* Bill attempts to escape from the car and they crash.
John Lincoln Wright – On the Horizon Hoyt asks Jason for advice and help while they work along the highway.
Stoll Vaughan – Between You and I* Sam tries to get some information from Tommy at the garage.
Sean Patrick McGraw – A Drink with Hank Hoyt calls Jessica from Merlotte’s.
Horrorfall – Necroplasm Fix
The Queen pays Eric a visit at Fangtasia.
Agona Hardison – Here in This Nowhere Town Arlene thinks she may be pregnant. Jason and Hoyt try to pick up some coeds that are passing through town.
Steve McComb – No One But The Dawg* Terry finds Arlene in Sam‘s office.
Billy Squier – Everybody Wants You* Jason tries to get lucky.
Right out of the gate, True Blood takes off running and shows viewers that they are in for a wild ride this summer! As the opening scene flashes quickly from one character to the next, we realize just how many storylines are in motion.
We see Sookie running out of the French restaurant shouting for Bill; Sam looking at the piece of paper with his parents’ names and last known location as he drives off in search of them; Jason stumbling into his house and freaking out over what he has just done; Tara crying over Eggs‘ dead body outside Merlotte’s; Jessica dragging home the truck driver she bit; and, finally, Bill chained in his car by a gang of thugs. They are the “F*** You Crew,” Coot (newcomer Grant Bowler) says, before flipping out a knife and stabbing him in the arm.
After the opening credits, Sookie starts the search for Bill. She tries to file a missing person’s report with the police, but they seem to think they have better things to do with their time. Kenya suggests that maybe Bill wasn’t kidnapped at all but instead got angry at being rejected and ran off while Sookie was in the bathroom. Merci beaucoup for nothin’, Kenya.
Next Sookie goes to Fangtasia to accuse Eric. She finds him in a compromising position with Yvetta, the new dancer from Estonia (introduced in minisodes). He casually (and nakedly) walks over to Sookie. She thinks he took Bill, but he has been with Yvetta all night. “Doing this? For the last six hours?” You seem surprised,” he responds. “Is Bill’s stamina not up to snuff.” Sookie’s next suspect is Lorena, and Eric assures her that he will investigate the matter further because it’s his duty as Sheriff to learn what happened to Bill, “even if I do want what is his.”
Sookie drops in on Jessica next to tell her to call if she sees Bill. Baby vamp has a problem of her own, though. She accidentally drained the trucker and now she doesn’t know what to do with him. She pours some of her blood in his mouth and puts him down in her cubby hole in hopes that he will become a vampire. In between the lesson on mixing her TruBlood cocktail and where the recycling goes, maybe Bill should’ve taught her some of this stuff…
Andy sits nervously in a booth at Merlotte’s while he waits for Bud to take his statement. Terry comes over to comfort his cousin and remind him that he is still a good man. Suddenly, Tara blows up at Arlene for not caring what happened to Eggs. “I’m sorry you fell in love with a serial killer, but honestly, who here hasn’t?” Tara looks like she might attack Arlene until Lafayette drags her home with a bottle of tequila. When Sookie has exhausted every option for the night, she walks in the door and still doesn’t know about Eggs. Tara is crying and Lafayette explains about Eggs going at Andy with a knife and confessing to killing the women. Sookie looks dismayed and admits that Eggs came to her for help in remembering what he had done under Maryann‘s spell. Tara explodes again and starts beating on Sookie until Lafayette pulls her away and takes her back to his house.
Meanwhile, back with those who really did capture Bill, the biker thugs have been drinking his blood to get high. As they speed down the road to who knows where, they’re feeling pretty invincible, until Bill leans over and snaps the neck of the driver, sending the car rolling down a hill. Bill crawls out, weak and bloody from the ordeal. He stumbles off into the woods and calls out for Jessica, who is instantly jarred from sleep in her cubby hole.
Andy sneaks into Jason’s house for a secret chat (these two as buddies is possibly my favorite new thing on the show). He insists that Jason needs to pull himself together. If they don’t stick to their stories, they’ll both get thrown in jail for the rest of their lives: “I need to see a lot less conscience and a lot more cajones, and I need to see ’em pronto.” They have to act normal, and for Jason, that means chasing women. He says he doesn’t want to be the old Jason anymore, he’s trying to be a new person. “When this thing blows over, you can go out and not get laid all you want to, but for right now you gotta be the Jason Stackhouse everybody knows.”
Eric, now clothed (much to the dismay of viewers), is yelling on the phone at someone who was supposed to retrieve Bill for him. “HOW COULD YOU FAIL ME?!” Now Eric has no idea where Bill is, and he is scared of what the Queen will do if she finds out that he has lost the only vampire who knows of their arrangement to sell V.
Sam gets a knock at the door in his Arkansas motel room. It’s Bill. He asks if he can take a shower. Then he suggests that Sam join him: “We’re gonna have a nice time. I hear the water in Arkansas is…very hard.” As they move in to kiss, a phone call wakes Sam up from his dream. A woman from the Magnolia, AR Chamber of Commerce tells him that she doesn’t know where the Mickens have moved since their last eviction, but she knows the tire shop where their son works.
Hoyt is working with Jason on the road crew, telling him about leaving his Mama’s house after finding out that she was lying about how his Daddy died. Jason asks if he wasn’t happier before he knew, but Hoyt says the truth has set him free. In a rare moment of thoughtfulness, Jason replies, “People are always trying to f*** up people’s lives by tellin’ lies about ’em. You wanna really f*** somebody’s life up? Tell the truth about ’em. They ain’t never gonna be the same.” Hoyt subtly tries to get Jason to invite him to stay over, but it’s like talking to a fence post: “Jason! Can I crash at your place for a little while or not?!” “Of course, man. It’s kind of a nasty way to ask…”
Lafayette knows that Tara can’t be left alone, so he calls her mom over to his house to watch her so he can go to work. Lettie Mae brings her minister to come talk to Tara and explain that Maryann was just a devil woman trying to pull Tara down into the fires of Hell. Tara uses her mother’s infatuation with Reverend Daniels to escape to the bathroom and lock herself in. At Merlotte’s, Arlene smells the tiny amount of cinnamon that Lafayette put in the chili and realizes with a shock that she’s pregnant again. Jason pulls Hoyt over to his table where he is flirting with a couple of pretty girls on their way to California for veterinary school. Jason charms them into coming back to his place for some fun. As he gets up to leave, he signals to Andy who, instead of grumbling with jealousy like he used to, gives a nod of approval: “Attaboy, Stackhouse.” Unfortunately, Jason seems to have trouble…performing. Even when the girls start kissing each other, he keeps imagining bullet holes in their heads.
Eric is sitting on his platform at Fangtasia watching Yvetta dance when he gets a couple of unexpected visitors: Queen Sophie-Anne (Evan Rachel Wood) and the Magister (Zeljko Ivanek). It’s clear where the true power lies with this trio when the Magister assumes Eric’s fur-covered throne and begins expressing his concerns about the amount of illegal dealing of vamp blood in Louisiana. “The blood is sacred. Wasting it on anything other than procreation is blasphemy.” He suspects that a vampire is responsible. Eric shifts uncomfortably but accepts the task of finding out who’s to blame. After the Magister leaves, the Queen rants, “Isn’t moral anarchy kind of the point? I can’t think of anything more depressing than living by the law forever.” We learn that her motive for having Eric distribute V is no more complicated than that she needs a lot of money to pay off the IRS. He confesses that Bill has gone missing, but instead of seeing the danger in that, she says to let him rot, wherever he is.
Pam drops by Sookie’s house to give her the check for her services in Dallas. Suddenly, she shivers and says that Eric is calling her and she needs to check in. She then goes to Merlotte’s with more V for Lafayette to sell by the next night. He explains that he’ll never be able to get rid of it all so quickly, plus he has to take care of Tara. Pam quickly puts a stop to his explanation and pins him to the wall: “I don’t know what it is about me that makes people think I want to hear their problems. Maybe I smile too much. Maybe I wear too much pink. But please remember, I can rip your throat out if I need to, and also know, that I am not a hooker. That was a long, long time ago.”
Jessica wakes up with the trucker, still dead and now smelling really bad, lying beside her. Sookie drops in again and asks if Bill has called her mentally like she saw happen with Pam. Jessica admits that it happened while she was sleeping, and Sookie makes her come for a drive and try to figure out the place where Bill had been. Jessica gets a feeling when they’re close, and Sookie sees Bill’s car crashed down the hill. Jessica pulls out the body of the driver and they notice a brand on the neck. They look up the symbol online and find that it has something to do with “Operation Werewolf.”
Bill climbs out of the ground at night and goes to the nearest house. The old lady who lives there says he looks hungry and invites him in. We know what’s coming, and how badly Bill needs to heal, but it still seems cruel when he feeds on someone so helpless and kind. He doesn’t forget his gentlemanly manners when speaking with the old woman and asking to use the phone to which she doesn’t have one. In another demonstration that he is not cruel after feeding off the old woman, he glamors her into forgetting he was there and places a memory of the son that she longs to see coming to visit her and giving her a wad of money to which Bill places in her hand and then leaves. Outside, he can hear howling. He starts running through the woods and then becomes surrounded on all sides by a pack of wolves. “I should warn you…I’ve fed.” His fangs come out, and thus the end of the episode.
What an exciting beginning to the season! There is so much going on, but we are already so invested in these people’s lives that it wasn’t hard to follow. We still have many more new characters to meet. What were your impressions of the premiere? Favorite moments? That hiatus seemed to go on forever–it’s hard to believe that we only have to wait a week for the next episode!
True Blood Recap “Nothing But The Blood” Season 2, Episode 1
By Cheri and Kevin
Prepare yourselves for a non-stop wild ride! Alan Ball”sTrue Blood has returned in all of it”s glory, dripping purple passion and shenanigans galore! Did anyone notice the number of people wearing purple inA?Episode 1? Once you notice it, you might lose count! PurpleA?is the combination ofA?the totalA?opposites of “hot red” and “cool blue”A? and can symbolizeA?sensuality, hedonism, royalty, spirituality, imagination and states of confusion or euphoria (i.e. “Purple Haze”) …A?which pretty much describes some of the many and varying shades of the characters we have come to know and love (such as Sookie, Bill, Eric, Sam, Jason andA?Lafayette…who Lives!!A?Yaayy!!) and new or fairly new characters who fill the screen with larger-than-life personalities (such as Maryann, Jessica, Steve and Sarah Newlin). I would be curious to know if there was a purpose for including soA?many shades ofA?purple in the palette of this episode…or even cooler…was it just *serendipity*?
Best lines:A? From Andy, incredulous when told by his boss that he was both overworked and drunk and off the murder case.A? “What?A? I am not overworked!”
From Lafayette in response to the redneck saying some people think he”s an asshole: “No!”A? (and as it turns out, it”s a magnetic Ass!Who thinks of these things???)
Best scene:A? Wow, lots to chose from here…..Maryann had some great ones, as did Sookie and Bill.A? However, I found the vampire dungeon scenes with Lafayette to hold the most intrigue, as the sets looked like a big budget film to me, and the action very compelling and realistic.A?A? Also, the scenes made you wonder what is in store for Lafayette.A? It looks like a gothic/vampire version of the Spanish Inquisition for my favorite resident of Bon Temps.A? Note to Lafayette:A? just give “em your name, rank & serial number.
Best discussion:A? Well, it could have been Maryann”s rant at Tara”s mother, delivered in cool, dismissive tone…..but I give the award to Sam, who needed a few bottles of liquid courage to finally tell Sookie that he isn”t interested in playing 2nd fiddle anymore, and that he doesn”t need every detail of her life to be told to him in agonizing detail.A?”I”m tired of charring my ass on your back burner.” I love Sookie”s character in True Blood, but this was long overdue.A? Bravo to Sam for finally delivering this long overdue message to Sookie, well done!
Most Changed Characters:The obvious one is Miss Jeanette, Opossums everywhere are celebrating her demise!But Sookie is the most changed ongoing character.Last season, Sookie was played way over the top, as if to a Broadway audience, in episode 1 she”s very toned down and much more suited to the small screen, if anything, she”s a bit too quiet now but hopefully they will manage to bring her up a notch to simmering instead of boiling over all the time.Coming in a close second is Sam.He”s cranky, he”s outspoken, he”s scared, while still being an adorable sexy dog, and it looks like next week, he”s the man in charge.Good for him!
Most Missed Character:Pam.No sign of her in the opening, couldn”t she have at least yelled down the stairs to tell Eric his hair was going to overcook under those foils?
On to the Recap!
First up: Lafayette Lives! Or, we certainly find out thatA?it isn”t him in the backseat of Andy”s car with his red-painted toenailsA?hanging out the door (and I thought that big hint of Lafayette painting his toenails red at the bar in Season One was a sure thing! Just goes to show that you cannot possibly predict what kinda *crazy* Alan Ball has hidden up his sleeve this year.) Miss Jeanette is not so lucky and by the look on her face she did not die happy…and,A?of course, another majorA?hint is the ginormous hole in her chest where her heart used to be. Shocking! We are left to wonder who might have done the deed … and I am sure it will be a long while before we find out. In the meanwhile, Tara finally confesses (after a little mind-reading and prompting by Sookie) that Miss Jeanette is the exorcist/con artist who “cured” her and her mother (Lettie Mae) of demon possession. The sceneA?with Lettie Mae, Tara and MaryannA?is chock-full of high irony … Lettie MaeA?isA?unable (and unwilling) to comprehend the truth that she has been tricked into believing herself “cured”…andA?is most definitelyA?NOT cured of her stubborn hypocrisy and out-and-out cruelty to Tara. WhileA?Maryann (savior? social worker? psychopath?) almost seems the voice of compassion and reason, comforting Tara and telling her, “let”s get youA?Home”. We have only begun toA?scratch the surface of who (and what) Maryann really is. Speaking of irony, when she tells Lettie Mae it is a rare opportunity to encounter someone so devoid of human compassion…I think she was actually paying her a compliment!
Poor Andy is really having a casino online rough time of it…disintegrating in front of our eyes and finally being relieved of his duties in the investigation of the murder by Sheriff Bud (complete with square-dancing regalia and a first prize blue-ribbon stuck proudly to his chest). Why do I get the feeling Andy is about ready to have a major meltdown?
Sookie is really going to have her work cut out for her this year…as sheA?laments, “Every time I think I know what”s what, I find out I don”t know anything”.A?This especially rings true when she shows up at Bill”s after the murder just looking for a little peace and quiet to discover Bill”s newly-made 17 year old Vampire “daughter” in nothing but a towel. Highlights: Bill, the Recycling Vampire! Bill and Jessica trying various mixtures of Tru:Blood so it will taste less like ass to Jessica…When Jessica asks Bill (after he tells her that he has a guest coming over),A?”Can we eat her?”A?and when she tells Bill that he is “sooooo not Eric“. The combustible combination of Bill, Sookie and Jessica can only lead to fireworks as the season progresses.
One especially touching and lovelyA?moment happens when Sookie finally goes into Gran”s room, apparently left untouched since her murder, and prepares to pack up her things. The music playing in the background is the sameA?melancholy yet beautiful tune which played while Sookie sat in the kitchen, alone, after Gran”s funeral and ate the pecan pie her Gran had made. That was one of my all-time favorite scenes and can I just say how much I miss Gran? sigh.
Sookie discovers over the course of the episode that Bill has been keeping some pretty major secrets from her (his vampire “daughter”Jessica and the murder of the heinous Uncle Bartlett). She tells him that she is alot stronger than he thinks and that he has no right to withhold the darker parts of himself from her, especially when she has bared her every tortured memory to him.A?My favorite part of the episodeA?is when Bill tries with all his heart to explain to Sookie that she is “his miracle”. A?He tells herA?”for all the times I have dismayed, aggrieved or failed you, I swear I will atone….I refuse to apologize for what you have awakened in me.” A?Followed by mind-blowing, sizzling-hot make-up sex…Is it hot in here, or is it just Bill?
JasonStackhouse is THE most aggravating of all of the characters…and seems an awful lot like “Stepford Jason” this year. Although I canA?imagine that thinkingA?he was the murderer ofA?4 women last season (one of which was his own Gran and the other his true-love Amy) and being then “delivered” from his jail cell by the Fellowship of the Sun was enough to mush the brains of anyone…much less someone who is as easily led as Jason. Scenes of Jason using a highlighter on the “Vampire Eradication Manual” (my code for the FotS book he is reading), his hero-worshipfulness of Steve Newlin ( “I am reading your father”s book and it is really making me…uhhh….think”)A? and the “sign” from heaven in the form of the inheritance check from Uncle Bartlett (more irony!) to enable him to afford the 1200 dollar class fee for the Light of Day leadership academy…well, they really speak for themselves, actually. I am still hoping that Jason will finally see some realA?”Light of Day” one of these days. I have hope!A? Although…it does not bode well that the tagline running under SteveNewlin”s face while he is debating Nan Flanagan from the American Vampire League is “Opening shots of the Human-Vampire war?”A?Also, it is not a good sign when he totally lies to Sookie about where he is going…could it be that he doesn”t feel entirely good about his association with the Fellowship of the Sun? Me, still hoping.
Lets see…okay, what is up with Sam? He is seriously grumpy…and has turned into one mighty angry dog. Especially when he tells Sookie that he is tired of charring his ass on her backA?burner. Ouch!A?The scenes of Sam first “experiencing” Maryann (is it me, or does she remind anyone else of a cicada?) after running in to her house as a young beagle…ummm…17 year old… show how much Sam really has to fear from her. Though apparently, she is not after his money…and makes that clear, telling him…”How in the world did you get theA?impression that this is about you?” A?I think Maryann is going to stir up more trouble than Bon Temps can possibly imagine. PoorA?Sammy.
I am just silly over Hoyt Fortenberry…I absolutely love it when he tells Jason (after Jason tells him that it is cool with him if he wants to “hit that” about a woman at the bar) “I”m not much of a hitter, I like them nicer than that”…and, when he calls the FotS church a group of Vampire Haters, saying that his church teaches not to hate Vampires..not to hate anyone…Is he just the sweetest thing ever? Hoyt, you are a total dollface.A?A?Ditto Terry Bellefleur…Arlene”s hero at the bar…I am rooting for those two to get together…(although Terry might get the worst end of that deal…)
Tara is “finding love” with Eggs-the-hunk…and Maryann is conspiring to heat things up between the two of them…so much so that she practically knocks out her minion Karl for bringing them some towels just as they were about to get hot and heavy down by the pool. That mansion is really quite theA?pleasure palace…and we have only begun to see just how hot this town can get with Maryann stirring the pot!
Okay…so, last but by no mean least…when we first see Lafayette (alive!!!) chained up in a muddy, shadowy dungeon, chained to some sort of…uhh…Grinding Wheel?… I thought he might have been kidnapped by the FotS. Imagine my total shock later when Eric comes humming down the stairs, highlighting tinfoil in his hair, telling Lafayette, “Shushing won”t do any good sweetheart, we hear everything”. Is that Fangtasia music we hear in the background? I have to tell you, when heA?purposefully removes his highlighting “cape”, the juxtaposition of those amazing arms with the vision of the rest of his outfit (flip flops? track pants?)A?was really something to see! Note to self: don”t piss off the 1000 year old Viking Vampire by screaming for him to die and sticking yourA?silver cross on his face. He just might tear you to pieces and rip you limb from limb.A?Yikes. (we”ll leave the Yahoo and Yum for later…) R.I.P. Royce. (and we really didn”t need to hear that much about his magnetic ass [editors note:I LOVED that part…different strokes!]…although it was nice of him to apologize to Lafayette for the whole “Aids Burger” thing…)
Scenes from next week: Lafayette: Make me a Vampire…Eric: I beg your pardon?
Sookie takes Jessica to her former home and all hell breaks loose.
Jason attends the Light of Day academyA?(with someone yelling, “Die Fanger”A?in the crowd)
Maryann wreaks havoc at Merlotte”s and Sam seems more than willing to fight for “his people and his town”.
The True Blood second season opener certainly did not disappoint! We here at TrueBloodNet.com are so very glad that Alan Ball decided to keep the huggable, funny and incredibly intense Lafayette around.Being gay in Bon Temps was starting to be like wearing a red shirt in a Star Trek episode!You knew before the end of the show, that guy was a goner.I was pleasantly surprised that, although Sookie, of course, tried to break up with Bill over Jessica and Uncle Bartlett, it was more gently handled and the very touching scene with Bill pouring his heart out to Sookie was worth the eight month long wait all by itself, can StephenMoyer act or what?So now we”re back to counting down the days, hours and minutes till the next episode of True Blood!What a great summer it”s going to be!
Sookie Stackhouse isn’t your normal waitress. With an unwanted ability to hear people’s thoughts, being in a room full of people can really be a headache! Enter Bill Compton, a 173-year-old vampire who just wants to fit in. With his lack of brain waves, spending time with Vampire Bill is the “peace and quiet” Sookie so desperately wants.
In the series opener, we learn that vampires exist, and with the Japanese invention of synthetic blood, which satisfies a vampire’s nutritional needs, humans need not fear. An action-packed, comedic gem among so many dark, melodramatic vampire tales, True Blood is a breath of fresh air.
HBO True Blood
What I like most about the story is how real it is. If vampires were to “come out of the coffin” in real life, I imagine their struggle for equality and their battle with themselves to “mainstream” would be similar to what we see on the show. As when other minority groups fight for their rights, the vampires must stand tall against religious organizations, human prejudices, and people’s desire to exploit them.
True Blood has one of the best acted ensembles, with tons of chemistry, since Friends (And if you didn’t like Friends, you have to at least admit that the actors were talented and worked amazingly well together). It’s refreshing to watch a show and get so engrossed in the characters that you forget they’re not really related, or they’re not really best friends, or they’re not really in love (well, maybe they are…)
The opening scene was a very effective hook. We learn right away about the Vampire Movement, TruBlood, and that V-Juice (Vampire Blood) is the hottest new drug on the underworld market. And I love how they threw in fellow HBOer Bill Maher. Of course, I imagine he’d be all for Vampire Rights. It was interesting that they gave us the stereotypical vampire who turned out to be a redneck and then the redneck turned out to be the real vampire. Right away I thought, “This is not a typical vampire show.”
The first scene with Sookie was done very well. And it’s a real treat to hear the thoughts going through the heads of her customers. Her penchant for reminding everyone that she doesn’t like “nasty talk” or curse words is amusing. Overall, Sookie is a very likable character.
By far, however, my favorite character is Lafayette Reynolds. He’s comic relief in an already hilarious show. The part where they’re having the sex talk, and Sookie is looking on in a combination of fascination and disgust, was utterly brilliant. The first meeting of Tara Thornton was also a very humorous scene. I had tears coming out of my eyes when she put the inquisitive, irritating customer in her place. And then threatening to sick her Baby Daddy on the boss… what a riot! The other side characters are all very stereotypical “Southern Folks,” but done so well, you can’t help but love their place in this world.
The scene with Jason Stackhouse and Maudette Pickens is probably my least favorite. (Although, as a General Hospital fan, it was nice seeing Graham Shiels as the tattooed vampire on the video.) I just thought the scene was very overdone with cheesy dialogue.
I was very happy with the introduction of Vampire Bill. Everything goes quiet as Sookie feels his presence. She turns, and they stare at each other longingly as the dramatic music plays in the background. Then the music stops and Sookie sounds like an excited school girl when she proclaims, “I think Merlotte’s just got its first vampire!” Can’t have anything too dramatic on such a fun show.
I think my favorite thing about vampires is that they tend to be decades and centuries old, so they have old fashioned ways about them. Bill is obviously no exception. Even when the Rattrays are an unwelcome interruption to his meeting with Sookie, he still tells them “Good Evening.” What a gentleman?! I was a little disappointed with him, though, when he left with Mac and Denise after Sookie told him not to go!
But the resulting scene with superhero Sookie was well worth it! With barely any fear, she runs to the rescue of the silly vampire who let his bloodlust nearly get him killed (well, I guess killed again)! I like that Sookie isn’t scared of Bill. Right away she decides he’s good, despite his undead status. And poor Bill just doesn’t know what to think of this fearless waitress who risks her life to help him.
Sookie and Bill
Anna Paquin’s and Stephen Moyer’s chemistry is undeniable in this scene. Normally the leading pair’s first scenes in a television show are awkward and unbelievable, but other than the joking-about-his-name bit (where she might have forgotten her line?) it went very smoothly. Right away they made my list of sexiest couples on TV! Of course, is there any girl alive who could be immune to Stephen Moyer’s mysterious good looks and hot-as-hell grin? I was very sorry that the dream sequence in Sookie’s backyard turned out to be an actual dream sequence and not real, and then cut off so quickly!
I think Tara needs a good kick in the rear for mooning over the womanizer Jason. She either needs to get over it or make a move (I doubt he’d turn down any woman, really). I like Tara’s and Sam Merlotte’s easy manner and witty banter. Of course, with Sam, she has to compete with his crush on Sookie, which could get awkward.
There’s not much for me to say about Adele Stackhouse. She’s a straightforward, loving grandmother. It is a bit of a shock to have that familiar, lovable character so comfortable with the conversation about a vampire, though. Then she gets all giddy to meet him and learn about the Civil War from someone who was there. If only in real life… And I find it adorable that she stays up late at night reading paperback novels. I will probably be just like her at that age! She was particularly adorable when she was learning about fang bangers and prostitutes who serve johns of the undead variety. However, I think that conversation would be strange to have with one’s grandmother.
And although Jason is a sleazebag, his concern for his sister is endearing. I was ready for him to go lay down the law with the Rattrays. And I actually felt quite sorry for him when the news of Maudette’s murder was announced. Then he had to act so guilty when the police came to question him, so I felt even worse for him.
Probably my favorite scene in the whole show (with the exception of the Bill/Sookie scenes, of course) is when Lafayette and Tara interact with the man in overalls at the bar on the second night. Tara is incredibly funny when she’s going off on “stupid people,” and I actually believe that Lafayette would like to hook up with him. Following this is when Sookie learns about her brother being arrested and yells at Dawn Green, “I am not psychic!”
The last scene with Bill and Sookie gave me goose bumps. I was leaning into the TV hanging on every word and I was equally taken aback as Sookie was when Bill stood abruptly and left. It was a bit strange how she could jump from being so worried about her bother to being so engrossed with Bill. On second thought, maybe not so strange. Vampire Bill is quite hypnotic! But then I fell a little bit for Sam when he started yelling at Sookie about being a vigilante, and then he comforted her when she started to cry. And I just love how he calls her “cher.” When Sookie yelled at both Sam and Tara to shut up when they weren’t saying anything, just thinking, I couldn’t help but chuckle a bit.
The final scene of the show was brutal. It really brought home my hatred of the Rattrays. Every kick was so realistic and the blood splatter made me cringe!
All and all, I was very impressed with the first episode of True Blood. It was unique and fresh, and left me desperate for more!
For first-timers not familiar with Charlaine Harris’ Southern Vampire Series, the first episode of HBO’s True Blood is still quite an exciting ride. And for those of us well-versed in Ms. Harris’ story, well, seeing our beloved characters onscreen for the first time ain’t bad either.
Let’s look at the episode from the point of view of someone who has never read the novels the show is based on, and who has very little knowledge of the show’s premise going in (this person is also known as “me until after this episode when I became totally hooked and read all the books”). The first Episode introduces us to some very important characters and plot points, and also reminds us why Alan Ball, the visionary behind another HBO hit (Six Feet Under) is such a creative genius.
So, what and who does Episode 1: Strange Love, introduce us to?
Main Characters:
Sookie Stackhouse is the main character. The novels by Charlaine Harris are told from Sookie’s perspective. Sookie is thin and beautiful, with blond hair and porcelain skin. She is 25 years old, and has lived in small town Bon Temps her whole life. She currently works as a waitress at Merlotte’s Bar & Grill, and shares her old family home with her Gran.
Jason Stackhouse is Sookie’s older, promiscuous brother. He is handsome, albeit rugged, and a bit absent-minded and careless. He seems selfish, but has a soft spot in his heart for his sister and his Gran, the only two women who have been constants in his life since he and Sookie’s parents died in a flood some years prior. Jason is a screw-up, bouncing from woman to woman (and bed to bed), but he’s loyal to his family and his friends.
Bill Compton is the first vampire to come in to Merlotte’s. He is over 150 years old, pale, tall and handsome. He speaks with a careful Southern drawl, and seems very anxious to live peacefully among the humans of Bon Temps. Though quiet and straightforward, Bill isn’t one to miss out on an opportunity to test people, especially Sookie. After saving Sookie from the Rattrays (see why below), Bill tests her character by first mentioning how juicy the arteries in her groin are (presumably to see if she is interested in letting him bite her) and by also offering her the blood that was drained from him. When she is repulsed by both ideas, Bill is satisfied, and intrigued by her. He knows she is different, but doesn’t know why or how. He asks her “What are you?” but she does not let him in, just yet, on her secret.
Lafayette Reynolds is the muscular, witty and tough cook at Merlotte’s. Although he often dons muscle shirts which show off his glistening black skin, he is also prone to wearing make-up, and even compliments Sookie on her’s. Although we only get a few brief moments with Lafayette in this episode, keep your eye on him.
Tara Thornton is the cousin of Lafayette, and quite a tortured young woman. We are first introduced to her as she grows increasingly irritated with a customer at her job as a sales associate of a big box retail chain. She quits in a huff (after hurling some choice words at her boss) and eventually manages to land a job tending bar at Merlotte’s the very same night. She is Sookie’s oldest and best friend, and one of the only people who doesn’t think she’s crazy.
Sam Merlotte is the owner of Merlotte’s Bar & Grill. In Episode 1 we don’t learn much beyond the fact that (1) Sam is sympathetic to Sookie’s gift and (2) he is extremely protective of her. Sam is a flannel shirt and jeans kind of man, with golden-red hair that hangs gently over his eyes. His scruffy beard manages to make him even more handsome, but he is also quite mysterious.
Rene Lenier is a good friend of Jason’s who works with him on the road crew. He is oddly handsome, with dark hair on his head and face and a thick, almost unintelligible Cajun accent. He is also very protective of Sookie and a loyal friend to Jason.
Minor Characters:
Mack & Denise Rattray are a wily local couple who frequent Merlotte’s and think Sookie is crazy (though Mack has some pretty perverted thoughts about her rear end). The Rattrays are a classless duo who want little more than to stir up trouble.
Dawn Green is a fellow waitress at Merlotte’s. Thin and brunette, Dawn is also a on-and-off bed partner of Jason Stackhouse.
Maudette Pickens is a plain woman who has had “relations” with at least one vampire (which she filmed and showed to Jason). She beds Jason at least once that we know of.
Hoyt Fortenberry is the strikingly tall and classically handsome, yet slightly dim-witted mama’s boy who is a very devoted friend and co-worker of Jason and Rene. He is quiet and shy, but also kind-hearted and sweet.
Important Plot Points:
Vampires now co-exist with humans. In the opening scenes, we see the sole reason why vampires are now free to “come out of the coffin”: the invention of synthetic blood, called Tru Blood, which supposedly satisfies the nutritional needs of the vampires, making them essentially harmless to humans. We even get to meet a vampire in the first sequence, though he is quite agitated that the clerk of a rural Lousiana convenience store is impersonating a vampire to play a trick on some young college kids. The vampires are even organized, as shown by the Vampire League of America’s outspoken representative Nan Flanagan, who speaks frequently on TV about the need for vampire rights. In the rural Louisiana town of Bon Temps, however, there aren’t any sightings of vampires, until one finally comes into Merlotte’s Bar & Grill, where our main character works as a waitress (but let’s not get ahead of ourselves).
Vampire blood is a drug for humans. While more is revealed about the effects of vampire blood (or simply “V”) on humans later on, in Episode 1 it is made clear that V is a dangerous, yet highly sought after narcotic for humans. The kids who drop by the convenience store ask the clerk if he knows where they can get some, and the suspicious couple sitting in Sookie’s section at Merlotte’s (the aptly named Rattrays) are drainers– folks who prey on vamps so they can drain their blood and sell it on the black market for a huge profit.
Sookie Stackhouse can read minds. The first time we see Sookie she is attempting to shut out the flood of thoughts pouring into her mind from those around her. In fact, it is by hearing the thoughts of Mack Rattray that Sookie discovers the two are drainers. She is able to block out throughts, with some effort, but this “gift” has made most of the town scared of her (or led them to believe she is downright insane). Keep in mind that her gift is an very important part of the story as a whole.
Fangbangers get a thrill from the bite of vampires. Women (and) men frequently step into the danger zone by sleeping with vampires. Maudette Pickens has done it, as evidenced by the videotape she shows Jason (and the fang bite on her inner thigh). Fangbangers supply a valuable service to vampires, as blood lust and actual lust are closely tied together.
Stay tuned for a recap and review of Episode 2. In the meantime, have a supernatural day!
For fans who have not seen HBO’s True Blood Season 7 Episode 1 (entitled ‘Jesus Gonna Be Here’), you may just want to skip away from this post until after you have viewed the episode.
