Unsurprisingly, Eric manages to effortlessly stop the werewolf who broke in and attacked Sookie. First, he tries to force information out of him. He refuses, insisting that he would be as good as dead if he gives anything up and that they might as well kill him now. Eric doesn’t hesitate at this and violently tears in to the were’s flesh. It’s times like this that I’m really happy that the show is on HBO and not basic cable. These moments of gory goodness and any excise for Eric shows a little skin is always welcome. With a show like this there’s something for everyone; sexual allure, gritty violence, intriguing suspense, interesting characters and story lines, and plenty of social and political commentary. They really don’t have to hold back on anything.
Before Eric completely destroyed the intruder, Sookie managed to get something from him; the word, Jackson. Sookie figured this must have been the name of the person who sent him, but Eric realizes that Jackson, Mississippi is where he was sent from and likely where Bill has been taken. Sookie is eager to go there and investigate the one lead they have, but Eric insists that she at least gives it a day. Eric has other business in town so he arranges for Alcide to do his bidding. Alcide is only there because he is paying a debt, but he allows Sookie to start looking for Bill without being in immediate danger herself. Meanwhile, Eric gives Lafayette a surprise late night visit. He pulls up with a convertible and greets him, “Hello sweetheart. Hop in”. He has a certain incentive to motivate Lafayette to push the vampire blood.
The episode’s flashback sequences revolved around Bill this week. We were taken back to 1868. Bill had been a vampire for three years, but decided to go back home despite the risks. He had a short lived reunion with his wife and deceased son who had been infected with smallpox. Lorena makes an appearance, threatening to kill the human woman in his life even then. It is fairly interesting, but it is kind of more of the same thing with Bill; he regrets his existence and craves for a sense of humanity. The only thing really worthwhile that comes out of this flashback is to remind Bill that he can’t be involved with a human without making them suffer.
The ending did bring out a darker side in Bill and was viewed as disturbing by many viewers. Personally, I think they could have gone even further with it. Regardless, Bill is headed in the right direction. He is no longer the polite and perfect southern gentleman; he’s a blood thirsty vampire with ugly emotions. Here he acts on those emotions towards a character I can definitely do without. He isn’t acting in passion for once, only hate.
The episode has a lot of great chemistry. Sookie is clearly getting softer towards Eric and she is a definite priority to him. Alcide and Sookie’s chemistry is what really stood out. Joe Manganiello does an incredible job with the role. It helps that he has such great screen presence. He portrays fierceness within the character countered by a certain gentleness; you really can’t help but be intrigued by the character. I already like Alcide far more than I did in the books. I really look forward to all of his material throughout the rest of the season.
Tara has a few steamy moments herself with her new vampire friend, Franklin. She acts against her better instincts and gives in to Franklin. She allows him to bite her. When he doesn’t she asks why not, she told him he could. Franklin responds, he doesn’t want to bite her if she wants it. Oh that devious vampire, always getting more pleasure out of taking what he wants from victims than having a partner in the bedroom. It turns out he was looking for a lot more when coming to town than a one-night stand. He’s after Bill Compton like most people seem to be these days. From the beginning I was suspicious about him and there is something very off about him. It’s clear he has a job he plans on completing no matter who he has to take advantage of in the process.
