True Blood: It’s a Dog Eat Dog World
November 6, 2008 by Elma Rahman
Filed under Television
It is no shock that Alan Ball, creator and executive producer of the macabre HBO hit, Six Feet Under, decided to take on True Blood as its creator and executive producer. Ball is also known for having written the critically acclaimed American Beauty. What is shocking is that True Blood, more than half way through its first season, may be my favorite of Ball’s uniquely dark works. Ball, whose ability to capture the gloomy cloud in the seemingly sunniest of places, has-with a strong cast and crew- truly created a world that oozes the shadowy stench of death and superstition in the little town of Bon Temps, Louisiana.
In the most recent episode, “Plaisir d’amour,” Bill stakes Longshadow for trying to take out Sookie when she identifies him as the Fangtasia thief. According to Eric (Alexandar Skarsgàrd) and Pam (Kristin Bauer), a vampire killing another vampire over a human is considered the worst crime. Bill, attempting to calm Sookie, tells her it’s not a big deal. Sookie has to wear one of Pam’s leather dominatrix style outfits home after getting Longshadow’s flesh and blood all over her. Bill and Sookie discover Sookie’s cat has been the next victim as they discover its bloody body hanging from the ceiling fan of her house.
Jason and Amy (Lizzy Caplan) continue their Bonnie and Clyde style kidnapping of Eddie (Stephen Root), the vampire they drag back to Jason’s house for V. In his basement, they take the silver mask off his face, which has caused burning, and tie him to a chair. Jason feels guilty, but Amy has no problems in taking his blood with a needle. She swallows the red liquid, and Jason soon does the same. They end up having sex right in front of Eddie, thanking him for his contribution while continuing to have hallucinogenic visions of swimming through bright, green forests (making me wonder if Ball is also good friends with the crew from Pineapple Express).
Tara continues to consider having her demons exorcised as she talks to Miss Jeanette over a glass of rum in her trailer. Miss Jeanette tells Tara that the price for removing her demon is higher than her mother’s because her demon is much more dangerous. Tara, upset with having to pay more money, and basically being told that she is so unpleasant to be around that she probably couldn’t even stand her own company, storms off. Sam, trying to prove to Tara that he wants more than just sex, brings her flowers and later gives her the $800 for her exorcism-while still managing to give concerned and longing glances to Sookie who comes in to Merlotte’s upset about her murdered cat.
Bill is visited by Eric, Pam, and Longshadow’s replacement, Chow, while he is playing video games at his house. They have come to take him to his hearing for killing Longshadow. Before Bill leaves, he first visits Sam at Merlotte’s, asking him to watch over Sookie. Sam angrily agrees, but tells Bill it’s only for Sookie’s sake. Sookie and Bill exchange one last, very long kiss while Pam and Eric look on. Sookie decides to spend the night at Bill’s where no murderers would think to look for her. Outside Merlotte’s Detective Bellefleur tells Sam that his story about growing up in a nudist colony never quite checked out. Sam, trying to get to Bill to watch over Sookie, tells Bellefleur he forgot something and runs back in. The stray dog runs out and ends up at Bill’s where Sookie names him Dean and invites him to sleep with her on Bill’s bed.
Jason, still guility for having kidnapped Eddie, brings him True Blood. They talk about their lives. Eddie asks Jason if he loves Amy, and he admits he thinks she’s the one. Eddie tells him she’s a psychopath and not to marry her. Jason gets upset, telling him to shut up.
Sookie wakes up to find that Sam is lying on her bed naked. They both scream.
A man who turns into a dog, voo doo priestesses, vampires living openly among humans, humans addicted to vampire blood, and old-fashioned, nosy Southern neighbors-does it get much better than that? In true Alan Ball style, True Blood has managed to put a dark, somewhat believable spin on the lacy doilies and syrupy sweet ambrosia salads of Southern tradition, and I love it!
Season 1, Episode 9: Plaisir d’amour (originally aired November 2, 2008)
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