“Scratches” (Season 2, Episode 3)
I spent most of last week talking about how boring I find Bill, and how much I love Lafayette. I think what it goes to show is that as much as I like this show, it’s less for the main relationship as it is for all the relationships between the secondary characters (Though I still love Anna Paquin’s Sookie Stackhouse … As Jane said over at TV Squad, “She’s got spunk.”). Producer Alan Ball has done a excellent job crafting these characters and putting them in interesting situations.
Say what you will about the whole thing, I’m really enjoying what’s going on with Jason. Even he is not sure if the if the Church of the Fellowship of the Sun is where he belongs, and he plays that uncertainty well. His relationship with Sarah Newlin also continues to move along at a slow, albeit intriguing, pace. I think she’s got a bit of a thing for him, and that the old Jason Stackhouse, the one that would sleep with anything with a pulse, is going to show back up before the season is over.
Jessica has quickly become one of my favorite people on the show, partly because Deborah Ann Woll is a very pretty woman, and because the situation surrounding Jessica is so different. It’s not only having become a vampire, but it’s getting out from the incredibly sheltered life that she lived previously. Her experiences with Hoyt were completely new to her, as he accepted her for who she was, something I doubt she’d ever experienced before.
I still can’t put my finger on exactly what is going on with Maryann. She seems so open and free, but she lies to Tara about her past with Sam. Where’s the upside in that? What from that past is worth her keeping the secret (it’s not hard to imagine why Sam is keeping quiet, but I’m still not getting why she is). However, we do know she throws one hell of a shindig.
Sam and Daphne make a surprisingly normal pair, at least at first glance. I think Sam needs a normal enough girl to keep him grounded, and away from the insanity that is Tara. Daphne seems earnest enough, wanting to do well, and obviously has a bit of a crush. I said first glance, because it was the last of the episode that we realize that she was attacked by the same beast that got to Sookie earlier in the episode.
Ball has also spent time with some of the characters we don’t see every week. This was the first episode that featured much of Hoyt, but his appearance made perfect sense. Terry’s conversation with Sam, especially when he had a mini-explosion at Sam about being a quieter, played right back into the PTSD that had made him a prime candidate of being last year’s murderer. Detective Bellefleur also got into the fun at Maryann’s party, though he couldn’t solve the case of the missing pig (Had I not realized the fact that Terry and the Detective are related? They have the same last name). Pam, Eric’s sire, is always good for a laugh, and this week’s thread about ruining her shoes searching for the beast was no exception.
One minor exception to the rule. There is one of True Blood‘s secondary characters that I find just as boring as Bill. Tara’s new boyfriend, Eggs, is as boring as a egg white omelet (Yeah, so it was a bad pun, but what are you going to do?).
The way that these characters are crafted is what makes this show so wonderful. Lafayette, who wasn’t still around at this point in the novels, to me might easily be the best part of the show, and I’m very happy he’s still around. I know that some have criticized the addition of so many new characters to the show this season, but I think they have put together a solid cast, top to bottom, and look forward to where this season is going.
Clacked by Ivey West 
on Jun 30, 2009 @ 14:00 EST5EDT
I love Bill. So there.
I’m enjoying Jessica so much more than I expected. At the end of season one, I was not looking forward to where she would take us. Now I really enjoy her scenes. I also like how Eric will chat with Bill about being a sire – their scenes about that are quite enjoyable.
Eric is a great character and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for him. I’ve not been a huge fan of Lafayette, but introducing him into Eric’s world will make him far more exciting to me.
The addition of MaryAnn is great. Not only do I adore Michelle Forbes, but the character is really intriguing and has given a bit of punch to the townsfolk with all their sexual desires.
Not a fan of Tara. I think she is too whiny for as sassy as she tries to be. I’m glad Sam is done with her, but now I’m also worried about Sam as I don’t know what the hell ate some of Daphne!
Jason. Poor bastard is so gullible. He wants to be – I don’t know – Liked? – so much that he is willing to follow just about anyone. You know those camp leaders are not at all what they seem – so what the hell are they?
All in all, a fantastic second season start. Really opened the story, invited more people in while still keeping it all inclusive.
I have to admit, I am liking Eric more and more, especially the dominance he exhibits in every scene, emphasized through the contrast of Bill with Eric (a bit wussy) and without Eric (totally boss).
I don’t like the modification to Tara’s personality. I’m assuming the ‘shy,’ uncertain Tara is closer to the books, but last season, despite her inconsistencies, she appeared incredibly self-aware. So, it’s odd how easily Mary Anne sways her. I actually miss the Sam-Tara relationship. They had a great on-screen connection, even when non-sexual, and Daphne is a bit blah.
I love the covert parallel between Jason and Tara regarding brain washing and religion. Both are taken under the wing of charismatic characters, who offer salvation, but clearly will provide the opposite. However, I miss Jason’s womanizing ways. While I think Maryann is a Circe-type character, I’m not crazy about Michelle Forbes in it as her face doesn’t really move.
I feel there’s a bit of miscasting with Eric & Bill’s entourage. I didn’t really feel conservative Bill would have a disco clothes wearing acquaintance, altho’ I know that’s their point. However, with Eric, I do think he’d have more diversity in his posse and someone a bit more in your face and likely to wear viva glam. So, I wish Pam and Bill’s Gal 1920s from last season could switch places.
Eric is Pam’s sire not the other way around. That is why Pam had to go trek in the swamp and ruin her shoes even though she didn’t want to.
Pam feels more comfortable in conservative dress because she’s from a time when they had bloomers and petticoats and such, she does dress differently when she’s at work as that is one of Eric’s rules.
I’m sure Eggs will turn out to be very interesting soon enough. Once we see that Ensign Roe (er, Maryann) is not who she says she is… I bet she is has also done something to hide something terribly wrong with Eggs as well.
My bet is that he’s actually undead of some sort, and the comment Tara made a couple of episodes about him smelling bad was foreshadowing.