True Blood – Nothing but the Blood (2.1) review

Alan Ball returns with season two of his breakout hit True Blood based upon the works of Charlaine Harris. Mr. Ball starts his new season of True Blood with a murder, a mystery and of course sex. The new season tries to be nothing more than it should be a great adult vampire drama. I was very curious about season one when it aired and found myself addicted at once. It was a show about vampires that did away with all the foolish myth of previous stories, it gave them a real existence and pumped them full bloody erotic fun.
 
I believe True Blood’s season opener will keep the viewer on the edge of their seat and a little hot under the collar, there is enough nudity to keep both male and female viewers happy. I was glad to see the writing remains top notch and the return of beloved characters was a welcomed event. True Blood makes you care about its characters and does a wonderful job of suspending reality for an hour to allow vampires live among us, “cheers” to Charlaine Harris, and Alan Ball.  

The first episode of the season opens with a discovery of a dead body in Detective Andy Bellefleur’s vehicle. A camera hints that the victim inside is African American, and their brightly painted toes suggest it may be the missing Lafayette Reynolds, Tara Thornton’s drug dealing and homosexual prostitute cousin, who is also a cook at Merlotte’s. We saw Lafayette attacked outside Merlotte’s, while taking out the trash in last season’s finale. His assailant was unknown to us, but something about that person made Lafayette very afraid.

To Sookie Stackhouse, Tara, and the viewer’s relief it is discovered that the corpse in the detective’s car is not the missing Lafayette, but Miss Jeanette, a woman who performed fake exorcisms on both Tara and her alcoholic mother in season one. Tara discovered her treachery last season but never told her mother, who seemed to have greatly improved after the exorcism. Miss Jeanette’s heart has been torn out and her face is frozen in a silent scream. Whatever attacked her wanted its victim to suffer; the body sends Andy Bellefleur off on a drunken investigation much to everyone’s dismay. Throwing Bellefluer on the hunt was a master stroke, and it could lead to some very interesting twists and annoyances for the characters of the show whether they are innocent or guilty.

Tara realizes that she must tell the police about the victim in Andy’s car and how she knows her, which leads to the police contacting her mother. This ultimately leads to a fight with her mother and the reappearance of Maryann Forrester, a woman who has become season two’s anomaly. We see through Sam Merlotte’s flashback dreams that Maryann is something we have not yet encountered in this parallel television universe.  Sam offers to make amends for his past crimes against her, when she visits his office at Merlotte’s.  Maryann does not want money,  and we never learn what she wants, but she does seemed pleased as she and Sam walk into the bar and find Tara and Benedict “Eggs” Talley locked in a passionate kiss. Tara and Eggs met at Maryann’s home in which they both stay as refugees under her care. Maryann definitely gives me the creeps, but it seems to only add to her beauty.

Sookie meets up with Bill and learns about Jessica Hamby, a seventeen year old vampire Bill was forced to create for his murder of Longshadow, a bartender at Fangtasia. Sookie also learns that Bill is responsible for her Uncle Bartlett’s untimely death, which left Sookie an unwanted inheritance; she seems somewhat distant about her uncle’s death, because he was a pedophile. She is however not pleased that Bill has kept secrets from her. She tells Bill this and is about to leave, when Bill professes his apology and unyielding love for Sookie. She forgives Bill and the two have makeup sex, which many should find quite fun to watch.

While Tara, Sam and Sookie deal with their problems, Jason Stackhouse is enthralled by his new found religion. He is a new member of the Fellowship of the Sun, an anti-vampire Christian sect, we see spoken about throughout season one. Jason’ gets deeper into the Church and its beliefs; soon he gets the chance to meet its founder’s son, Reverend Steve Newlin, who convinces Jason that he must attend a leadership seminar, despite Jason’s statement of having no money to do so. Jason is told God will show him the way, and thanks to Uncle Bartlett’s death and Sookie’s unwanted inheritance, Jason gets the money he needs to seek his divine inspiration.

Jason throws himself into whatever he does with a tremendous passion. To see him go from sex maniac and vampire blood addict to religious fervor is something to see. I think Jason’s new found faith will be a roller coaster ride for him and everyone else. Sookie might very well want the return of her sex crazed and irresponsible brother, once his metamorphosis to disciple of the Fellowship, is completed.

Meanwhile, as all this transpires we are shown flashes of some unknown underground chamber, where Lafayette and several other prisoners are chained to some kind of large wheel, that they turn by walking in a circle, they are unwilling and terrified slaves. Screams can be heard above and no one in the room seems to know where they are or what exactly is going on. As the episode fades and returns to Lafayette’s plight we learn that he is a prisoner of Eric Northman, who is seeking answers for the death of three vampires from last season. Lafayette sees a fellow prisoner killed as he foolishly attacks Eric, and the episode ends with fear in Lafayette’s eyes. I was afraid for Lafayette and glad to see that he was alive at least for the moment. 

Alan Ball has thrown out quite a few threads of plot in the season opener; let us hope he can keep it all taught and keep us viewers hanging on for each episode of True Blood to come.

Here are some questions I hope to see answered this season:

• Will Lafayette survive his plight and will it change him?
• How will Jason’s spiritual journey change him and the town of Bon Temps?
• Will Eric take Sookie for himself or allow Bill to keep his new found love?
• Why is Sam Merlotte so afraid of Maryann?
• Just exactly who or what is Maryann and what does she really want?

Season two has started off with a brewing of death, sex and mystery. I really can’t wait to see what happens next, and I am glad to see another great cable show continue to thrill and shock its audience. I bear my fangs proudly, as I long to drink up more True Blood.

About PLMII

Philip Lee McCall II or “PLMII” to his legions of manuscript minions has authored several dark fantasy collections. Through the use of poetry and prose, PLMII takes readers on excursions into a dark fantasy realm filled with vampires, werewolves, exorcism, and a lot of other creepy things guaranteed to make you lose sleep. For more information on PLMII visit his website by clicking here.