True Blood: Whatever I Am, You Made Me

"These beans are as cold as titties in a brass bra."

This episode, primarily, is about Tara- a character neglected last season somewhat- beginning to come to terms with what she now is. We also learn of the Sanguinistas, their opposition to the Authority, and their approval of Russell Edgington, of whose presence we are always reminded. Bill and Eric have their work cut out.

Still, Tara still has her friendship with Sam, whose plotlines have increasingly gone off in their own direction of late. At least he's someone she can trust, and drink with. It's nice to see them intersecting again.

Jason spends much of the episode coming to terms with the fact that he lost his virginity to an old teacher- an interesting character point- while we see more of Pam in 1905, with events going predictably and foreshadowing her growing into her own role as maker, and Bill's first meeting of Eric. Steve Newlin inhabits his new role as comic relief. Andy and Holly are now officially a couple, which is sweet. Oh, and one of the Chancellors is Salome. The Salome. "Chancellor Agrippa".

Nora is tortured by the Authority, but has spirit: "And, as we say in Surrey? Sod the fuck off, you cunting twat". All this is delivered in a delightfully cut glass accent; top swearing.

We end with an angst-ridden Tara attempting sunbed suicide, but we know Oam will discover her maternal instincts and save her. A good episode, giving the plot and characters space to breathe, and all about what made the characters- Tara, Jason, Pam- what they are.

True Blood: If You Love Me, Why Am I Dying?

"You just killed my fairy godmother!"

"Sorry."

This episode is largely about the amnesiac Eric, and how, vampire or not, he's so sweet, innocent and loving without memories to define who he is- a comment on human nature there, I feel.

Jason, meanwhile, is to be made a werepanther so the somewhat inbred tribe can survive another generation. It seems that panthers rules the Earth once, but were eventually eclipsed by what sound an awful lot like fairies. Jason is fed viagra, tied to a bed and... well, raped by Crystal and all the other women of child-bearing age. It's horrible. 

Jessica finally admits she's been unfaithful to Hoyt and he takes it badly... so she glamours him into forgetting. And so the relationship crosses the line into abuse. Again we have the theme, unusually, of women abusing vulnerable men. Tommy and Maxineare perhaps another example- her need for an obedient son figure is a little disturbing, but at least she's teaching him to read.

The episode ends with Marnie casting a big necromancy spell to raise the dead, with the process seeming very sexual. But Pam is after her. Meanwhile, Eric innocently murders Claudine at an awkward moment. Oops.

I'm loving this season and have no idea where it's going. Addictive as ever.

True Blood: 9 Crimes

"Well, maybe the man you love only ever existed inside your head?"

This is the episode where, after some odd behaviour by Bill, his and a distraught Sookie's relationship goes Deep South. At first she disbelieves the fact that he's apparently dumped her by phone, but things look grim. Especially as Sookie and Alcide seem to have chemistry; he looks suspiciously like a sudden new love interest. His relationship situation- an ex gone bad- even parallels hers. Oh, and he's a werewolf.

Meanwhile, Sam's useless and now homeless family continues to sponge off him, but as now we have little clue as to where this is going. And we see an erotic dream about Sookie and Eric... but it's his dream, not hers.

Most chilling, though, is Franklin and his pursuit and kidnapping of Tara; he's aren't ooh example of an abusive man in how he talks and acts and she's completely at his mercy. The fact that he's a vampire is an obvious metaphor here; someone who seemed, at first, to be kind and concerned, is in fact disturbingly and casually controlling, with a breathtaking but completely unexamined sense of male entitlement. He's far more terrifying than anything we've seen before.

Elsewhere, Jason realises he's getting older, a fed up Bud retires formally as sheriff in favour of Andy(!) and Bill rats on the Queen (and Eric) to Russell Edgington as V-dealers. It seems that Sophie-Ann needs the money. This leads to a raid on Fangtasia by the Magister and Pam being held prisoner after V is found. Eric has 24 hours to find Bill, his scapegoat, or she dies. There's a lot of intense vampire politics all of a sudden, with power games and little proxy wars.

 Eric deepens his interest in Lafayette as an employee. Jason decides he wants to be a cop. And Edgington is still consorting with werewolves- what's he up to? 

We end with Sookie running from a load of male werewolves in a thematic episode about male violence to women- even Bill bites the girl he "procures" for the King, but worst of all is Tara's kidnapping and multiple rape, which makes for deeply uncomfortable viewing.