It may seem that time is, once again, playing tricks on us since here we are, already providing a review of True Blood’s Episode 2, when it doesn’t “officially” air until Sunday night, July 3rd.
HBO did a wise thing in releasing these two episodes pretty much together since in Episode 2, things finally get going. I understand the need for the updates in Episode 1 of what transpired during the year, but in my opinion, the pace was so much slower in Episode 1 that it was nice to see episode 2 right away so we could start the True Blood Season 3 party going full steam.
We decided to release the review of this episode early because so many fans have already seen it, either on HBO GO or On Demand from their cable company and because there are many reviews already out there. However, because some haven’t seen it yet, and might not want to know what happens in this episode until they do, we have put it behind a “cut”.
Click below to read our review of Episode 2, “You Smell Like Dinner.”
When the episode first opens, we see that Jason who was last seen in Episode 1, locked in a freezer. We now see him laying in a bed and tied to it and Timbo, one of the family in Hot Shot is licking a wound on his forehead. Jason convinces Timbo to release him but just as he begins to untie him, Felton appears and points a shotgun at Jason.
After the credits roll, we continue the scene with Eric and Sookie that we saw at the end of episode 1. Eric is still trying to convince Sookie that he loves her and that she is his, but she’s having none of it. He warns her that she needs protection if she wants to live when he says, “Your blood tastes like freedom Sookie, like sunshiine in a pretty blond bottle.” He warns her again that she needs to be his, and then leaves.
Next we come to the “now” newly renovated, Compton mansion where Bill is talking to a member of his security, Katarina. She has infiltrated the coven and reports to Bill about the group having brought a bird back to life. He tells her that she cannot go back to the circle as it’s too dangerous and proceeds to procure Katarina for the night for himself.
We next go to Fangasia and see the “post Russell Edgington world” as many Rev. Steve Newlin followers are picketing outside. When Pam, Jessica and Hoyt come out Hoyt defends Jessica and gets into a fight. This is when Pam says the great line as she stops Jessica from getting involved saying, “let these good people practice their constitutional right to be fucking idiots“.
Sam and Luna seem to be getting a bit closer, well, at least Sam is trying to, but for some reason Luna seems reluctant and before much can happen Luna runs off.
Sookie comes up to the Compton house to see Bill but is immediately stopped by his security. Bill feels her presence, even in the midst of having sex with Katarina and tells the guards to let her in.
As she enters we get our first real gimpse of how the home has been renovated. Sookie immediately goes upstairs to Bill’s bedroom, which I have to say I thought was a little odd, and opens the door on Bill and Katarina getting dressed.
Lafayette and Jesus are at home obviously very together as a couple now talking about what has happened at the coven. Lafayette is still very skeptical about it, but Jesus tries to convince him that magic doesn’t have to be “black” magic and can be used for good. Lafayette seems to give in, but I wonder if its more because of his feelings for with Jesus than that he is actually convinced it’s the thing to do.
Bill introduces Katarina to Sookie as a member of his security and when she leaves, Sookie asks Bill for his help to get her home back from Eric. He says that he can’t order Eric to sell her house back to her, but promises to try and convince him. He also tells her to seek shelter in another human’s home, but Sookie says, why, Eric can just buy that, too? This is when Sookie asks “How did you become King?” and then goes on to say, “nevermind, every time I found out something about you, I wished I didn’t know it”. She then walks away and we see Bill’s sadness and we travel to a flashback of 1982 London.
In this flashback we see Bill, dressed in “glam rock” attire entering a club in London. He has a full glass of beer which he quickly puts it down in exchange for an empty glass and travels over to the bar. He starts a conversation with the bartender and offers to buy him a drink. We next see them in the alley where Bill is having his dinner feeding on the bartender. When done, he glamours him and sends him away advising him that he will feel weak for about five days and that he should take an iron supplement and B-12 twice daily. Just then, Bill turns in surprised when someone calls out “You don’t kill them…?” He quickly turns around and we see Nan Flanagan. She introduces herself and says she’s been watching him. She asks why he doesn’t kill them and he explains “they may be dinner, but the don’t deserve to die“.
She reveals her reason for seeking him out and explains that Louis Pasteur is a vampire and is working on perfecting synthetic blood so that vampires can subsist on it and therefore be able to “mainstream” with humans. Bill says that the monarchies will crush the movement before it gets started and Nan replies, “that is why we need you.” She explains that she wants him to infiltrate the monarchies and plant the seeds of discord from within. Bill replies, “looking for a few good vampire spies, are you?“ The scene ends with Nan asking him, “Are you in or are you out?”
Obviously, Bill decided to be in and we now we know that Bill is a “double agent” who has been planted within the monarchies all along while also working for the AVL and Nan Flanagan.
Arlene and Terry arrive with the new baby to Merlotte’s because they couldn’t get a sitter for the day. Sookie is thrilled to see the little one and Arlene tells her not to read his thoughts. Sookie says that babies don’t think in words and simply says that all she can say is that he’s an “old soul”. Arlene gets really upsed at this point saying “He’s not an old soul” and rushes off. When Terry, Arlene and the baby go in the kitchen of Merlotte’s Terry talks to Arlene saying,”let’s have a nice night tonight and finish off that bottle of Frangelica we’ve been nursing…” He continues to talk more, but Arlene isn’t hearing what he is saying because she is busy staring at the baby until all of a sudden there is a rupture in her eye causing it to get all red. Talking to the baby she exclaims that he did it says that he is “rotten to the core, just like your daddy.” Terry reassures the baby that he is his father and that he is not evil and says, “Your Mama just gets a little crazy sometimes, which means we just have to lover her that much harder.”
Andy goes to Hot Shot, on the premise to investigate if the clan has any “V”. Jason hears Andy, but Andy is satisfied when told that that Jason’s cries for help are two hound dogs as he is so preoccupied with getting some “V” for himself. Felton is back and is hiding there, and notices Andy’s body language which indicates to him that Andy is hooked on the stuff so he sends one of the inhabitants to give Andy the V. Andy drives away.
Luna comes back to Merlotte’s to re-introduce herself by seducing Sam. She says that she wants to let Sam in, and that she is really going to try. They kiss and decide that they are going to meet up after work. As Sam escorts Luna out of Merlotte’s we see Tommy sitting at one of tables, and as she leaves and Sam turns around, he asks Sam, “who’s your friend?“. Sam says its none of his business.
Sookie returns home with some groceries and out comes Tara who has parked behind the house in order to surprise her. Sookie is shocked and momentarily sees a vision of the evil Mab and other fairies as Tara approaches, but when she realizes who it is, her fear changes to being happy to see her. The girls go inside ready to have a good session of “girl talk” when Sookie discovers that Eric has not only had a new back door installed, but has also installed a “cubby” for himself in her house. Sookie is not happy about this AT ALL.
Speaking of cubbies, we next go to Hoyt’s and Jessica’s home where Jessica has just come up from her hidey hole and sees Hoyt who has a bag of frozen vegatables on his eye, which is bruised from the night before. Jessica offers her her blood to make him heal. Hoyt rejects it saying, “I don’t need that shit” and Jessica gets immediately insulted saying “that’s my blood“. Hoyt tries to explain, but Jessica storms out saying that she is going to the drug store to get some Advil for him, but instead she heads to Shrevesport to go to Fangtasia.
Back at Bill’s, Eric arrives and Bill makes an attempt to get Sookie’s house from him, but fails. He then asks Eric to go to the location of the coven and stop their meetings. Eric initially rebuffs him saying he’ll send Pam, but Bill tells Eric about what he has found out. He explains that the members of the coven are necromances who have brought a bird back to life and that if they can control the life of a parrot, they can control vampires. Eric then asks if the AVL has signed off on this and Bill says, in anger, the he is the King of Louisiana and he doesn’t have to ask their permission. Eric then responds, bowing, saying he will go tonight.
Bill looks as Eric leaves and starts to remember how he got the position of king as we go into another Bill flashback from last season when Bill challenged Sophie Ann. Although initially, Sophie Ann throws the weaker Bill across the room, we soon see that Bill has some help.
Bill has AVL storm troopers as back up and they shoot Sophie Ann on his command and as she dies from the wounds, in walks Nan Flanagan who then dismisses the guards. Nan then talks to Bill asking what all the fuss was about Sookie and he says he found nothing. She tells him “you better not be lying to me, she did and looks what happened to her.” He nods in agreement. She then appoints him King of Louisiana and he promises his loyalty as long as he walks this earth and swears it upon the blood. Then, Nan tells Bill to go “clean up” saying “You’re covered in Queen.”
I have one big criticism of this scene. Since half of it was shot last year at the end of Season 3 and the rest this year, it’s pretty apparent that Bill has a wig on in the more recent shots, The wig looks more like it belongs to Elivs then to Bill. I’m not sure why a better wig wasn’t found. However, since Bill only needs to wear it for one scene, I suppose I can overlook it and I very much enjoyed this flashback.
Sookie has gone to Fangtasia and is trying to get Pam to help her to convince Eric to leave her alone. Pam says, “Did I miss something? Are we girls now? Did we join a book club and read some queer chicklet memiorss and are bound together by estrogen or sisterhood some other feminist drivvle.” She goes on to say “Eric is my maker Sookie, did you really expect me to side with you on this?” Pam goes on advising Sookie that she should reconsider Eric’s offer because he does, in his own way, love her and says, “you need to be somebodies or you won’t be somebody at all“. When Sookie says no, Pam leaves saying “Shame for you then, he pulls good string.”
Luna and the shifter group are meeting and they are each telling stories about the oddest creatures they have ever shifted into and Luna shares she shifted into her own mother. She says that her mother died giving birth to her and she was raised by her father and her grandparents. She goes on to explain that she grew up hearing stories of the Legend of the Skin Walkers and, “According to the Najavo, skin walkers were horrible evil witches who’s powers allowed them to transform into any animal on earth, including other people.” They could gain these powers in one way only by killing another member of their family and since Luna’s mother died giving birth, she has the power. Just then, Sam sees that Tommy has been spying on them and he chases after him and catches him. Sam asks Tommy why he is there and Tommy admits that he just wants to be a brother. The two men decide to try to trust each other a little bit at a time.
Tara showed up at Lafayette’s house and as the two men are going out. Lafayette convinces her to go to the coven with them as a guest. At the coven, Marnie announces that their next attempt will be to bring a dead body back to life. Just as the group are all questioning the wisdom of this, Eric shows up to stop them from meeting. He asks who is the leader, Marnie? When Marnie introduces herself, Eric tells her that this is the last time the coven can convene. Marnie says, “what’s in it for me?” Eric says this is not a negotiation. Marnie then says, “join hands” to the group members and Eric grabs her and begins to bite her.
The group does as Marnie commands and joins hands, but just then, Tara grabs a wooden crucifix to presumably stake Eric with, but as she does, Eric grabs her. Then, Lafayette who has not joined hands to this point, does so and the spell begins. Marnie takes on a new personality and starts to chant which effects Eric in a very strange way. Finally he cowers, and leaves.
In the next scene we find ourselves back were we started, in Hot Shot. Crystal and Felton come in to the room and announce that Jason is going to help them make a baby. Evidently, Felton is “shooting blanks” as Crystal says and since their whole purpose in life is to procreate, they want to use Jason for that. However, in order for him to help them they must first make him a werepanther,and the scene ends with Jason being bitten by the two who have turned into panthers.
The last scene in the episode sets up the long awaited Eric amnesia story line. Sookie comes up on Eric who appears “lost”. She calls out to him, but he doesn’t know her, but does smell her and asks her innocently, “Why do you smell so good.”
I loved this episode. Episode 1, while necessary, was all catch up and this episode really got things moving. I am still concerned that there are so many story lines, but I’m going with the flow about it, for now. The best story lines so far, in my opinion, are Eric’s and Bill’s and maybe the witches and even the Jason were panther storyline. However, the rest, at least so far, seems to be filler to give the many cast members things to do. Perhaps the Luna story will become something very interesting and also the daemon baby too, but we’ll have to wait to see how it goes.
As far as I’m concerned, Alan Ball can do as many flashbacks as he wants. I love, love, love them. Both flashbacks in this episode were just great and I enjoyed them the most. I love learning more about how the particular character got to the point they are now, it adds lots of layers and give more meat to the story.
I’m so looking forward to seeing episode 3, even though when viewed, the season will already be 25% seen. The wait was so long and when we finally get it, it goes by too quickly.
