True Blood: Scratches

I’m sure it would be very difficult to adjust to life as a “newly turned” vampire in Bon Temps.  First there’s the whole “undead” thing, not to mention the fact that life as you knew it is now over.  You have these strange new urges in a town small enough to breed intolerance. Now add to that the angst that comes along with being seventeen, and you’ve got Jessica’ s dilemma.  She’s proving to be quite a handful for Bill and Sookie.  This week’s episode begins with the three returning from Jessica’s home, where Bill had to intervene to prevent Jessica from turning or killing her father.  He’s pretty pissed that Sookie jeopardized Jessica and went against his wishes by taking her home.  Sookie gets tired of the tongue lashing and foolishly runs from the car, saying that she’ll walk back to town.  By the way, the only thing spookier than Bon Temps during the day is Bon Temps at night.  Sookie doesn’t make it far alone before she’s confronted by yet another unholy entity.  Let’s see, we’ve got vamps and shape shifters like Sam, and now Sookie is attacked and nearly killed by a half-man/half-bull creature.  The name of this week’s episode is “Scratches,” so named for what this beast does to Sookie.  It leaves her with a deep scratch on her back, poisoning her.  Despite her momentary assertions to the contrary, Sookie really needs Bill.  Bon Temps is a dangerous place and she has a knack for getting herself in uniquely sticky situations from which only Bill can save her. And he dutifully obliges each time, loving her above everything and everyone else.  This time Bill’s blood can’t save her, and she must see a doctor.  Bill takes her to Eric and he brings in a doctor to care for Sookie.  She’s a sharp-tongued little firecracker who doesn’t take kindly to vamps, but is willing to help and has experience with them.  She cleans Sookie’s wound and removes the poison.  Now Sookie can take Bill’s blood, and she quickly recovers.  While recuperating at Eric’s she learns that Lafayette is chained in the basement and boldly confronts him, demanding that he release her friend.  He agrees to do so if Sookie will go out of state and continue to investigate the disappearance of his friend that was killed by Jason’s girlfriend last season.  Bill won’t allow Sookie to travel alone, so he accompanies her.

While Sookie recovers from her attack, her brother tries to leave the camp but is persuaded to stick around by the reverend’s wife, who I’m convinced is going to get in his pants before it’s all over.  Back in town, Tara is becoming increasingly wary of Maryanne, having been warned by Sam before witnessing the “spell” Maryanne casts over partygoers at her home.  I don’t think Maryanne will take kindly to Tara moving out of her house and in with Sookie either, but we’ll see more on that next week.  This week’s episode showed how Bill and Sookie really love and need each other.  The minute Sookie tries to run from Bill she goes and nearly gets herself killed.  He is her unwavering protector and would gladly give his life (if he had one) for hers.  That devotion is what makes the show as romantic as it is spooky.  What other show can warm your heart and then nearly stop it with fear?  Bon Temps literally means “good times.”  Other than a handful of decent people, there doesn’t seem to be much good in Bon Temps. That’s what makes Bill and Sookie’s relationship all the more special.  What I like about the series so far is that I haven’t encountered any “filler” episodes yet: episodes that don’t really stand alone and have to be viewed as a chapter in a book rather than its own short story.  With True Blood, each episode is unique and seems important to the direction of the show this season.  I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Season 2, Episode 3: Scratches (originally aired June 28, 2009)

For more on True Blood, click here.

Sundays at 9pm on HBO

Photographs courtesy of HBO, IMDbPro, and Jaimie Trueblood