True Blood: Stop Killing My Favorite Characters

Okay, it was bad enough when the show killed off Sookie’s grandmother and now it looks like Lafayette got the axe as well.

Viewers do get some closure in the final episode of the season when the fang banger murderer is finally identified as Drew Marshall, a.k.a., Rene Lenier (Michael Raymond James).  Sookie asks Rene to stay with her at the house because she doesn’t want to be alone and reads Rene’s mind to discover Rene attacked and killed her grandmother.  She manages to hit him with an empty shotgun and run into the woods where he follows and attacks her.  Sam, recognizing the scent on Rene’s orange work vest, turns into the dog and goes after them.  But Rene is easily able to take down the dog, and when Sam turns back into his human form, Rene, disgusted, begins kicking him.

Bill senses something is wrong from his crypt and dares to go out in the burning heat of daylight to save Sookie.  Before he can even reach the gravestone where Rene is attacking Sam, Bill’s burned body collapses.  Sookie manages to grab a shovel nearby and stab Rene in the throat.  Sam and Sookie go to Bill, and Sam carries his body to an open grave where they bury him in the hopes that he will recuperate.

Having found the fang banger killer, the local police release Jason for the murders.  Jason, who was approached by a member of the anti-vampire Fellowship of the Sun while incarcerated, decides to turn over a new leaf and join the Fellowship of the Sun.  Tara, too, embraces a new life with the too-good-to-be-true lifestyle Maryann has recently provided her.  Looking like a new person in nice clothes, she visits Sookie who is on painkillers and a little out of it.  Tara ends up talking to Sam, wishing him well and hoping he gets everything he wants in life.  Maryann comes to pick Tara up, and apparently, Sam recognizes Maryann, looking less than happy to see her.  Bill, alive and healed, comes to the house, offering his blood to Sookie for a quick recovery from her wounds.  But Sookie insists she wants to feel human.  They embrace on her porch.

Later at Merlotte’s, Sookie tells everyone she has plans with Bill later that night.  But Bill and Sookie’s plans are interrupted by Eric and Pam who stop by Bill’s with Jessica.  They call Jessica annoying and tell Bill he needs to take her back.  Detective Dearborne, disappointed that Jason was released, has one too many and Tara and Sookie try to get his keys and call him a cab.  When they walk with him to his car, Dearborne complains that Bon Temps used to be such a safe place before all the vampires.  Dearborne opens the back door, and the polished toenails of a foot that appears to belong to Lafayette’s dead body hangs out.  Tara and Sookie scream.

I suppose the rule of thumb for the writers of True Blood, like many other shows before it, is to keep the story vague and suspense filled no matter how many loose ends are tied up.  I’m not going to lie; this approach has managed to keep me hanging on so far.  I’m even okay that every time Sookie and Bill have another falling out, they still manage to find their way to back to each other.  But why, why, must they keep getting rid of and/or killing characters I actually like, like Sookie’s grandmother, Rene, and now, Lafayette?  While I hope there is some sort of vampire/voo doo magic that allows Lafayette to return next season, I know the show so far has been pretty ruthless when it comes to death. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens next season.

Season 1, Episode12: You’ll Be The Death of Me (originally aired November 23, 2008)

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