TRUE BLOOD: Keep This Party Going

Hello, fellow Fanger Fanatics out there! Philboy here to take on my third series for GMMR, “True Blood”. Before I get started on the jam-packed second episode of season two, let me give my thanks to Kath for taking reviewing duties last week as I was delving deep into Nashville, Tennessee and its CMA Music Festival.

I did want to mention before I started my tenure as “True Blood” analyst by saying that I have not read the books and will not until the series is over, which I hope does not occur for a long time. The show and all of its storylines will not be weighed against anything else but the content itself. I would welcome all of the debates, though, in the comments and will try to respond and increase the dialogue as much as I can.

Sookie, Bill & Jessica

I love the character of Jessica. I know that this is a divisive topic within the fan community. After Sookie and Bill decide to make up and try to turn over a new leaf, Sookie tells Bill to try to be a little gentler with Jessica because, in the end, she’s still a teenager (with a wicked accurate Bill impression, I might add). After seeing her parents on TV, Jessica tells Sookie that she realizes how much she loved them and misses them and wants to just be near them again. Sookie, who recognizes loss and is also a bit of a sap at times, takes her. But sweet Jessica reveals herself as a vamp when her abusive father comes home and starts berating her. Was Jessica genuinely missing her family or was this a ploy for her to get back at her domineering, home-schooling family? Bill shows up at the end of the episode to clean up the mess, getting angry with Sookie in the process.

Let me also go on record saying I am very pro-Bill. Eric is an interesting character, but I really love how human and somewhat altruistic Bill can be. Therefore, seeing him glamour a child was incredibly unsettling. The deeper we get into the politics of the vampire world, the more drawn in I become. The reason Bill had to show up is that both Sookie and Jessica are technically his, aren’t they? It’s a fascinating way to leave things for next week.

Sam and Maryann

Maryann shows up to the restaurant, eats all day and makes everyone all frisky. Then, when Sam confronts her, she gets all shaky and does his shape-shifting for him – turning him into a dog. She threatens that she can make it happen at any time, so Sam better be a little nicer to her.

This could be the most fascinating storyline of the season for me so far, mostly because Maryann is such a mystery. Yes, I know that in the books she is defined as something, but until it comes out on the show it’s all hearsay and speculation. On top of what she actually is, I think that what brings her to Bon Temps is still in question as well. I think Tara will play a bigger role in everything than we might expect.

Jason and the Fellowship

A lot of comments I’ve read about “True Blood” and last week’s premiere have included the sentiment that Jason is dumber this season. While I can see where they’re coming from, I think he was just blindsided by the feeling of a higher purpose, which made him kind of dumbfounded. In this second episode, he’s dealing with trying to start a new future that he thinks he believes in and reconciling it with his past and the woman he loved. And while I don’t think he’s being a fraud, I think that part of the house of cards Jason has built will come crumbling down at some point.

Lafayette

Lafayette as a vampire? I can’t decide whether I would love or hate this. His hilarious point is indeed valid: He’s a scumbucket already in most people’s eyes, so it doesn’t quite matter if he turns, does it? It would definitely turn the show on its head a little bit, as well as keep us linked to Fangtasia and Eric and the gang. I think most of me is just happy that he’s alive and still on the show.

Are you just as excited this week as you were for last week’s premiere? Thoughts on what our friends and foes in Bon Temps are up to? Will Eric turn Lafayette and do you want him to?  Will the Fellowship “turn” Jason?  Any why is Daphne the worst waitress in the world?

Philboy is a Midwesterner just trying to find a job and live his entertainment-obsessed life. His can’t miss shows are “24”, “HIMYM” and “True Blood”. His thought for the week is, “Does my girlfriend not being able to get into ‘True Blood’ affect the relationship in any way?”