Another Monday, another day spent thinking about last night's True Blood eppy. My favorite B story thread this season is definitely Arlene's devil baby so we must begin with my single favorite shot in the episode. The little monster slobbering all over Jessica's Capital C Creepy family heirloom doll.
He's so cute. Don't you just want to procure victims for him and grind them up into mushy baby food?
"If You Love Me, Why Am I Dyin'?" is a solid episode but can't help but feel like a smidgeon of a comedown after last week's instant classic in which Eric was robbed of his memories by the new witch coven led by Marnie (Fiona Shaw). This week's episode provided several fun moments and some promising future-implications but the plot mostly was little beats in which characters were trying to decide how to deal with the major events of the previous episode: where should Sooki hide Eric? is Tara getting sucked back in for good? will Lafayette's fear of Eric continue to get everyone in trouble? who is Pam going to eat if she gets too angry? exactly what is Marnie channeling?
Cheers: True Blood is giving both Lafayette and Tara more subtle emotions to play this season.
The major B story his season appears to be Jason's stud captivity in that redneck nightmare village (they mean to use him to sire new werepups). Someone rescue him!
The story is still disappointingly static three episodes in. No other major characters are involved and how long can you keep one of your best characters chained to a bed? This is turning into Misery or 'Whatever Happened to Baby Jason?' only without the benefit of a worthy Bette Davis or Kathy Bates adversary to keep things crackling.
If only he weren't chained to that bed. But y'are Jason, y'are.
Draining It Dry...
Body Count: 2 one vamp (offscreen) by Bill's orders and 1 fairy, Sookie's godmother in point of fact; Sex Scenes: 2 Bill and Portia (he chooses not to bite her confirming my suspicion that Courtney Ford tastes bad) and one highly disturbing reprise of Jason's once passionate rutting with Crystal. It's no longer between consenting adults; Fresh Meat & Trashiest Moment: Pam's too-willing blood donor Jethro "YEAH. FUCKYEAH. SUCKIT. BITETHATNECK." Dial it back a notch, Jethro. You're starting to piss Pam off!; Funniest Moment: "I know I'm a vampire, Snooki!" Eric's empty headedness. LMFAO
Best Sookie Moment and the Episode MVP: The episode's closing joke came brilliantly full circle to that opening laugh with Eric & 'Snookie' reteamed. Eric devours a fairy right in front of Sookie only to adopt one of those sheepish 'who stole the cookies?' chocolate-smeared grins.
Alexander Skarsgård steals the show again with his newly minted comic timing. Episode Grade: B+