(Season Two, Episode Four)
Since the beginning of the series, I have held that there is one central problem with True Blood, and since I’ve begun reviewing the show this season, I’ve shared this opinion (again, and again, and again): Bill Compton is a singularly boring character, with no discernible personality. What I think, however, is that I haven’t given credit to the gradual influence that his relationship with Sookie has had. Now that Jessica is involved, however, they’ve thrown gradual out the window, because Bill was out of his comfort zone this week, and it was a very good thing.
Sookie, Bill, and Jessica run into problems when they arrive in Dallas to help track down Godrick, but Bill foiled the attempted kidnapping by agents of the ‘Church of the Fellowship of the Sun’. Sookie and Jason’s until now separate plot lines are slowly beginning to come together. The church, and their ‘Soldiers of the Sun’ represent a serious threat to the vampire way of life so recently revealed to the public. How that affects Eric, other sheriffs, and Vampire Kings and Queens, will be an interesting story that I hope plays out this season.
Like I alluded to before, Bill has been coming out of his shell. You could almost see his resolve falter when he was admonishing Jessica about Hoyt. His interactions with Eric have shifted quite a bit, but you can’t beat the look on his face when he was putting the final touches of the glamour on the would be kidnapper.
While it took a plane ride for the ‘Compton Party’ to make it to Dallas, Eric moved back and forth a bit more easily. Prior to his meeting with Bill, he spent some ‘quality time’ with Lafayette. It is a bit odd that Eric would help our favorite short order cook recover from the wounds that he inflicted, and the explanation of being important to Sookie, if anything, was more creepy. I like this relationship between Lafayette and Eric, and am curious to see what’s next.
Jessica has become one of my favorite parts of the show. It has a lot to do with Deborah Ann Woll‘s performance, playing her introduction to the dark world she is forced into with such wonder and curiosity. Yeah, she’s no angel (I hope they don’t leave the thing with Hoyt completely behind them), as seen by her ordering in while staying at the hotel in Dallas, but Bill is right that she was born into a much different world than he was. Her ‘turned on fangs’ having nothing to do with it. I promise.
If Jessica has been my favorite addition to the show this year, Anna Camp and Michael McMillian‘s Sarah and Steve Newlin closely follow. Both of their relationships with Jason are a bit off. I believe in (and look forward to) the inevitability of Sarah and Jason having a tryst. I seriously doubt that the interest between the two is solely coming from Jason, but I also wonder where Steve fits into the whole thing.
Little Tidbits:
Clacked by Ivey West 
on Jul 13, 2009 @ 16:00 EST5EDT
I don’t know how I feel about Daphne, I preferred the personality of the waitress Jason dated that Renee killed off. I liked Sam’s friendship with Tara and his crush on Sookie, although the hopelessness of the latter made me feel sorry for him. They’ve really muted the Tara character. Since when has she been so clingy with LaFayette? She relied on him in the past, yes, but she also knew when to support or tongue lash him i.e. the V. So, her desire for attention during L’s worst moment seemed off. Also, why is she so blind to Mary Anne? She seemed more aware of the bacchanal last week, this time she got caught in it. Speaking of culty brainwashing, I have a feeling the minister and his wife are using the latter to draw Jason in.
I’m starting to warm up to the new cook. He isn’t as sassy as LaFayette, but I guess they can’t give 2 characters the same personality. Speaking of which, I can’t wait until they return L to his full glory.
Regarding Bill, they’re definitely making him more boring. Last year, as the only vampire in Bon Temps, he was mad cool. But, this year, with Jessica and Eric, they’re re-making him as the ultimate party pooper, although he had some good moments this ep. I enjoyed watching him train J in glamouring. On side, side characters, I really liked the ME and the Sherriff’s sidekick. Although the Jessica-Bill relationship is humorous, with Lafayette out and Tarah-Sam not really talking, I miss the seemingly improvisational, yet humor-filled dialogue that the ME, the sheriff, and his gal Friday, provided. Final note: Poor Deputy Andy.
My favourite part of the season so far has to be Anna Camp’s smile. I doubt they could have cast anyone better to play Sarah.
Not sure I really like the Mary-Anne storyline so far. The whole gyrating thing seems so random. Her power to make people go wild was cool with the sex and even the gluttony, but I draw the line at eating dirt. Really, what the hell was that all about? Then again, I’m not at all a fan of Michelle Forbes (she scares me for some reason), so I’m already down on it.
*POST AUTHOR*
LOVE Michelle Forbes, but, like I said, I’m tiring of the MaryAnn storyline. Its time to really get moving.
Yeah, love Anna Camp, too. Thus the picture, unnecessary as it were.
An: What has Tara seen of MaryAnn yet that would give her any reason to doubt her. All she’s gotten is support. But it will eventually come to a head, sooner, hopefully, rather than later.