Cinema Suicide

Any concerns that I had about the premier episode of True Blood have been alleviated with the second episode of season 2, Keep This Party Going. You have to excuse the clip show nature of the premier since it’s been a while since the finale and they really do have to get you  back up to speed in a way that is fair to old loyals and newcomers alike. I had my suspicions that the second episode would really take flight and it did. Suspicions that they were striking out and abandoning the Charlaine Harris novel plots were also canned as it’s clear that they are, in fact, not and that at least a few pieces of the second Harris novel, Dead In Dallas, will be included.

Just like last time, realize that this is going to be one big True Blood spoiler festival so if you have not caught up on the show yet and don’t want to know what happened on Sunday’s episode, this is the point where you stop reading and scroll down the page a bit. I hear there’s a swell review of Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter and some pictures of Johnny Depp in Alice In Wonderland. Why don’t you look at those, instead?

Lafayette is finally called on to answer for his V dealing ways as he has, like I suggested in the last True Blood episode recap, been taken by Eric and is being kept in the basement of Fangtasia because of his arrangement with the late Eddie. However, it’s more complicated than that. It’s not just that Lafayette was getting blood from Eddie, but one of his buyers, a dealer in Dallas, may know something about the sheriff of that district, who has gone missing. Lafayette does what he can to give Eric and Pam what they’re looking for in exchange for his release, but they throw him back in the basement anyway. Among the human remains in the basement, Lafayette finds a steel rod embedded in a severed leg and uses it to break his chains but he doesn’t make it to the outside as the only human in the club during the day holds him at gunpoint and accidentally shoots him in the leg. Before we get enough of Lafayette for this episode, he tries to cut a deal with the vampires to turn him so he can work in the bar. Eric, Pam and the new guy, Chow descend on him. His fate is uncertain but for such a popular character, it’s unlikely that Lafayette will die off here in the second episode.

Jason heads out for the Fellowship of the Sun leadership camp and, seemingly out of place, makes fast friends with a charismatic dude on the bus named Luke, who lays a heavy story on Jason about the injury that ruined his football scholarship and the long road that led him to the fellowship, but it isn’t long before Fellowship head, Steve Newlin, clearly shows a preference for Jason and a rivalry between Jason and Luke rises. Jason, however, is haunted by his memory of Eddie, his compassion for the suffering vampire and Amy’s brutal treatment. It’s clear that Jason isn’t cut out for what he’s doing but he’s also not terribly smart.

Tara is getting suspicious of Maryann and the loose terms of staying at her place. She’s getting closer to Eggs, though, who explains that he has a rough past of homelessness, drugs and jail time. Maryann, in the meantime, sets up shop at Merlotte’s and uses her supernatural influence to inspire the patrons to drink, dance and, presumably, knock boots. Sam pulls her aside and demands that she cut it out but the mysterious vibrating effect seen in past episodes is put on display and turns out to be her way of manipulating Sam’s shape. She turns him into a dog just to prove that she can.

Sookie, in the meantime, contemplates moving into her grandmother’s room but needs a push so she asks Tara to move in with her. Jessica’s parents have been on TV, as well, begging for their daughter to come home and in a moment of weakness, pity and guilt for being the piece of the machine that caused Bill to turn her, she agrees to take Jessica home to see her parents. Initially, Jessica promises that she will stay in the car, but it’s immediate that she’s at the door knocking. Once inside, it’s not immediately clear what has happened to her.  Her mother and sister are happy to see her back, but her father comes home and is immediately abusive. Jessica uses her new powers to turn the tables on her father but Bill, previously seen refusing to allow Eric to take Sookie to Dallas to look for the missing sheriff, shows up in time to stop Jessica from killing her father.

Overall, Keep This Party Going is a standout episode of True Blood, minimizing the raunch in order to move the story forward. Make no mistake, they’re setting up the pieces for Jason to nail every woman at the leadership retreat but for the moment we have an exciting episode full of plot and some interesting new directions for the show to take. Eric has a new hair cut, which I guess is sending some fans through the roof. I couldn’t care less, actually, but it’s nice to see the Fangtasia players getting a little more screen time. Pam finally gets to do a little more than smirk and deliver a deadpan few words.