TRUE BLOOD: Hard-Hearted Hannah

Did you get your vamp on last night? I hope so because if you missed Sunday’s TRUE BLOOD you missed one hell of an episode.

I’ve been griping the past few weeks that not much was happening.  The ambiguity around Maryann’s storyline was starting to detract from my overall enjoyment of the show.  And while I’m still not there on that particular storyline, there was enough forward progress tonight that I’m willing to be a bit more patient and see how it plays out. Besides, there were so many other fantastic bits to tonight’s episode that I can forgive yet another orgy.  (There’s a sentence I never thought I’d write).

Force is defined as violence, compulsion, or constraint exerted upon or against a person or thing. And as defined, some of our Bon Temps friends found themselves forced into situations that just aren’t right.

Poor Lafayette. That guy has been to hell and back over the past few weeks.  He’s tried to return to normal life but the damage has been done.  He’s scarred. And it seems no matter how hard he tries he just can’t escape the vampires that kept him hostage.

Being chained up and with death hanging over your head 24/7 has got to leave a mark.  Lafayette seems to be suffering from a little bit of post traumatic stress disorder.  When Andy Bellefleur comes at him screaming and accusing him of being involved in the murder of Miss Jeanette, the man cowered in the corner.  All he saw was Eric’s face.

I don’t know about you, but I found it disturbing not only to see Eric’s face associated with Andy’s voice, but also to see Eric in that awful shirt and tie.

It was sweet the way Terry comforted Lafayette.  Also a victim on PTSD, Terry recognized the signs and did what he could to help Lafayette in that moment.

But later when Pam showed up at Merlotte’s, Lafayette’s fears resurfaced again. Seems that the vamps think that he owes them one, and they want him to pay up in the most unlikely of ways…by forcing him to sell V. Huh?!

Meanwhile, on the other side of the family tree, Tara can’t seem to escape the hold of Maryann.  A broken water heater has made our Shake ‘n Bake lady all kinds of cranky. But when Eggs and Tara take off on a road trip to replace the part, Eggs stumbles upon familiar territory…literally. Eggs is led by instinct off the road and into the woods where he and Tara stumble upon what looks like the aftermath of a horrific scene.  Blood soaked clothes and rocks have Eggs remembering bit of a time he was supposed to forget. He doesn’t have all the details, but he knows this particular place holds bad memories for him.

The two leave and head back to the house. There they stumble upon one of Maryann’s weekly orgies.  They look confused and horrified, but are eventually taken over by whatever power Maryann possesses. Their eyes are black and they join in on the backyard sexcapades.

Daphne and Sam know a little bit about the sexcapades themselves.  These two shape shifters can’t seem to keep their hands off one another.  But when their “animal” instincts took over and Daphne revealed herself as her ‘go to’ animal – “a pig” – well, I think we all knew things were going to go South from there.  Seems Daphne has been using Sam all along.  Her interest in him was tied back to Maryann’s desire to capture Sam. Daphne and some thugs took Sam by force into the orgy woods to face a bull-headed, knife wielding Maryann. (And no, she wasn’t being stubborn, she was really wearing the mask/helmet of the bull.) From what I can gather, it seems as if Maryann gains strength from sexual energy?! Can that be right? (Note: I’m open to theories, but I don’t want to be spoiled…ok?)

Poor Sam.  He always seems to pick the wrong girls.

The girl he really wants has got her hands full with not one but two men.  There’s Bill, Sookie‘s beloved, and then there’s Hugo, her fiance. Or fake fiance. Sookie and Hugo go undercover to the Fellowship of the Sun and pose as an engaged couple looking for a place to marry. But Steve Newlin knows just who he is dealing with.  Their cover is quickly blown and the two are forced into the basement of the church. Bill, who always knows when Sookie is in danger wants to help her but he’s forced to stay put by Lorena, his maker.  They haven’t seen each other in over 70 years, but it seems that she still harbors a bit of a crush.  Looks like she might want Bill back.  And that’s just what Eric was hoping for when he invited her to Dallas.

Also making a visit to the great state of Texas is Hoyt Fortenberry, who just might be one of the dang cutest boys on TV.  He missed Jessica, and since his Mama was vamp-blocking him, he decided to go to her directly. Aw, Hoyt. The two disappeared into the bedroom without letting us know what was happening behind the  closed doors.

I’d like to think that if God and I  were talking to me directly (or at least IMing me) she’d be encouraging me to do dirty things with Jason Stackhouse too. I’d like to think God is good in that way.  And that’s just the BS Sarah tells Jason in order to convince him to make sweet, sweet love…in a church no less.  It seems that Sarah Newlin was as disturbed as we were by her husband locking Sookie in the basement.  She not only told Jason that her marriage is over but also revealed that he is being recruited to start a vampire war rather than defend against it. Wonder if the two will be getting also so well once Jason finds out his sister is being held against her will in the church. Sarah should really enjoy as much of Jason as she can now…just in case.

Quite the episode. Certainly not short on action (in every sense of the word). As I said, still not loving the Maryann storyline, and I’d really like some more answers soon, but I’m along for the ride so I’ll guess just have to wait and see.

A few other random thoughts…

• Bill back in 1926 was a piano player and lounge singer…and not so nice. I know there were many women swooning over the singing. I wasn’t one of them. I thought it was kind of cheesy.

• I was nauseated by the scene in which Lorena and Bill were having sex covered in blood. Ew. Just ew.

• Sorry, but Sookie continues to annoy me. Someone put a muzzle on that girl.  And Anna Paquin’s acting? So distracting to me.

• Anyone else think that at some point in time something BIG is going to go down, and when it does Andy Bellefleur will be the hero?

• My favorite line of the night: (Jessica to Hoyt): “I’m so happy that I could cry, but I don’t wanna because it’s really gross when I do.”

• I’m all for a little more Jason/Luke bonding time.  I can’t help but think that Luke is a perfect blend of Kerr Smith and Nathan Fillion.

Thoughts on tonight’s episode?  Are you excited where the season is going?

In case you missed it, here’s the TRUE BLOOD Comic Con panel and the brand new TRUE BLOOD trailer.