TRUE BLOOD: Timebomb

Alas, I have returned from my slumber (aka two weeks of starting a new job and moving into a new apartment) to review this latest edition of “True Blood.” Let me get started before I get sidetracked by more furniture that needs to be moved…up flights of stairs.

My, my are things heating up! I’m gone for two weeks and everything goes to hell in a handcart, doesn’t it? I thought this was one of the more thought-provoking episodes we have EVER seen, and especially the most intriguing of this season. It really helped to further what I have loved about the show from the beginning: seeing the interactions and complications of vampires living with humans. This week, we really saw the two camps of thought within the vampire community butt heads, or fangs (sorry, it was just too easy) and my education of the Civil Rights Movement kept popping into my head.

Despite how campy this show can be, it’s easy to see the parallels between transpiring events and the civil rights movements of the past…and present. This week we had the passive (Martin Luther King, Jr & Godrick) to the militant (Malcolm X; The Dallas Vampires) trying to take down the same enemy (ignorant people) in wildly different fashions. In the church, everything came to a head, complete with Godrick being the ironic, Jesus-like figure above everyone. It might be unintentional, but the parallels were smacking me straight in the face tonight.

Anyway, it was great watching everyone’s expectations get deflated as Godrick turned out to be as non-violent as a vampire can be, attempting to teach as well as defeat. I wonder if he has always been like this, or if coming out of the coffin has changed him in some ways.

I’ve always been fascinated, also, by the relationship between a vampire and their maker, as well as how that plays into everything else. Apparently, the sheriff’s wishes trump that bond, because Bill was pretty quick to toss his maker on her ass, although I’m sure we haven’t heard the last of her, just like we aren’t done with good ol’ Reverend Newlin.

There were some sweet moments too, tonight, amidst all of the social subcontexts and wasting of time back in Bon Temps. Jason apologizing to Bill was adorable, and might be the biggest win Jason has had in a while. Also, saving Sookie was awesome and I think that, whatever happens with the suicide bomber, Jason will play a big part in being somewhat of a hero there too. After all, Sookie will be in danger too.

As far as Bon Temps goes, I’m not as angry about it as I was earlier in the season, but I still don’t see what it has to do with anything. OK, so we know what Maryann is now. Big whoop. She is making everyone in the town do horrible things (sodomy with a tree might be the worst though. It could even trump eating Daphne’s heart.)  What does that matter though? There’s this really weighty storyline of a war between humans and vampires over plain ol’ civil rights, and then there’s this goofy, B-movie subplot involving Dionysus and cannibalism, etc. In relation, I just don’t care.

I’m hoping Maryann and all of her shenanigans will come into play at some point, but until then, it’s just diverting our attention from an amazing primary storyline.

I’m taking bets people…does anyone die in the suicide bombing? Also, where does Maryann fit into the grand narrative of the season?