***SPOILERS***
See, things just get nasty when you forget your manners.
See, things just get nasty when you forget your manners.
So after being brought up to speed with the whereabouts/shitty situations/horribly messed up emotional states of our regular characters in Ep 1, the second episode of the season gives us a lot of eating, a lot of bonding (between siblings, cousins, co workers…) and a metric arseload of new characters. Introduced this episode we had King Russell, Talbot, Melinda & Joe-Lee Mickens, Ruby-Jean, Jesus, Franklin, Calvin, Crystal…shit am I forgetting someone? I think that’s it. Phew.
The most significant would probably be Russell Edgington, the King of Mississippi and the vampire responsible for Bill’s kidnapping. From interviews with the actor (Denis O’Hare) and other snippets of speculation I had already formed an expectation for an over the top, ridiculously evil super-villain. But though his entrance on horseback and his enormous and lavish crib were certainly over the top, the character was surprisingly more subtle. But…’tis still very early days, and I have a feeling we’ll be getting a taste of just how bad Russell is pretty soon. And what he lacked in flamboyance was certainly made up for by his décor obsessed Euro-lover Talbot (Theo Alexander). Imagine a filthy rich housewife mixed with an Italian fashion designer (although the actor is Greek) and you’ll be getting the picture. Easy on the eyes and with some gem lines to boot, I think he’ll be an entertaining supporting character.
This either a Nazi werewolf flashback or the newest big and little buddy cop show.
There was a continuity lapse with his having short hair in the flashback, which is odd for a show usually so fastidious with detail, but it must have been the episode for these kind of mistakes as there was yet another one in the Jessica and Pam scene in the bathroom. Since Jessica spent 2 weeks with Eric and Pam when she was made in season 1, and they let her feed on humans, why would she now have to ask Pam how to do it without killing the person? But that’s just me being super nerdy, and everything else about that scene was win. Pam and Jess might be, I shit you not, the two most entertaining characters in the show right now. Their twisted girly bonding was such a fun scene, and the character of Jessica and acting of Deborah Ann Woll have already created many season highlights. Her later scene with Hoyt on the porch was absolutely heartbreaking and a brilliant example of how a young love story can be done well.
And speaking of excellent characters and actors, Lafayette, played by the amazing Nelsan Ellis, continues to be the voice of reason, a fount of wisdom, and now, one hell of a good son too as we find out he’s working his fabulous ass off to keep his mama cosy in a home for the mentally unstable. Somehow, Ruby-Jean Reynolds manages to have more hate in her than Maxine Fortenberry did last season, and her acid-tongued barbs are convincingly delivered by new cast member Alfre Woodard. It’s family bonding all around as not only has Lafayette apparently rescued cousin Tara from her suicidal self pitying, over in Arkansas Sam meets his real momma and daddy. Momma and bro are shifters too, daddy is normal, and this storyline still continues to be a bit meh despite the fact that little bro tried to turn Sam into roadkill when they went for a shifted-doggie run. Jason and Sookie, after getting over the fact that he’s eating her chicken and she kneed him in the balls, have a sweet sibling bonding moment. Anna Paquin and Ryan Kwanten always do a great job with these scenes, and I think the occasional scene where they are together does wonders in reminding the audience just how alone they both are and how much they need each other being the only family they have left. Plus, we got what I think may the first fan in-joke in the history of the show when Sookie imitated Bill’s trademark ‘Soookehh’ pronunciation of her name. Thanks for the wink, writing staff!
'Think Santa could get me some brain cells for Christmas?'
We met another darkly handsome and brooding vampire (with added British accent) who helped Tara kick the shit out of a couple of rednecks at the bar, and a mysterious young woman who captivated Jason’s attention before disappearing into the woods. Your head exploding yet from all these new faces? But out of new characters, bonding, and eating, eating was probably the most important thing in this episode as it was over dinner (a 3-course meal of blood delicacies) where we learned more about Russell and just why he needs Bill. It’s all rather complicated; he wants state lines to cease to exist, he wants to marry Queen Sophie-Anne, he wants to make Bill sheriff of Area 2…which all culminates with some fangy aggro as he threatens to bring Sook into the mix and momma Lorena showing up, only to promptly have a lamp thrown at her and be spectacularly set alight like a human…er, vampire torch.
3 dapperly dressed dudes drinkin' blood, Just your average dinner party.
Man, I need a drink just recapping this crazy shit! There’s an awful lot going on and it’s all a bit much to comprehend. With so many storylines and so many characters I think most viewers will still need another episode, maybe a couple, before things feel settled enough to get into the meat of it all. That said there were still many high points to this episode: Eric showing emotion, Nazi werewolf flashbacks, lots of Jessica and Terry Bellefleur. The strong points of this show are definitely the richness of the characters, even the more minor ones, and their relationships with each other. This episode did a great job weaving the supernatural and horror elements through the very human challenges the characters face. Between all the seriousness and gore the comedy was sacrificed, which is definitively a negative but you can’t always have it all.
Best bits:
-Eric and Godric Nazi flashbacks
-Jess and Pam in the ladies room
-Sookie bonding with Jason
-Sookie bonding with Terry
-Jessica calling the hardware store for a chainsaw
-Lorena going up in flames
Best quotes:
-Coot to Bill: ‘You’re about to get deader, dead ass motherfucker.’
-Lafayette to Lettie Mae about Tara: ‘You’ve failed this girl for the last time.’
-Pam on how she controls herself when feeding: ‘I think about crying children with soggy diapers. Also maggots.’
-Eric to crying Sook: ‘Please don’t do that. Makes me feel disturbingly human.’
-Sookie to Jason: ‘What are you doing eating my chicken in the dark?’
-Jason: ‘There’s werewolves? Bigfoot, he real too? Santa?’
-Sookie: ‘I keep expecting him to come through the door and say…Soookehh.’
-Ruby-Jean to Tara: ‘God killed you, too.’
-Tara: ‘Almost.’
-Jason to Andy about the reporters: ‘Are they here cos of Eggs?’
-Andy: ‘No, they’re here cos I won the Miss America pageant!’
-Terry to Sookie: ‘I always liked you. And I’d miss you if you got killed.’
-Sam to Tommy: ‘I didn’t realise this was a ‘whose life is more fucked’ contest.’
-Jason to Andy again: ‘You are a real life, honest to Jesus hero. You’re the wind beneath my wings.’
-Andy to Jason: ‘You’re prettier than most girls.’
Eric to Sookie: ‘You’re going to invite me in. So I can protect you. Or have passionate, primal sex with you. How bout both?’
So after some minor docking for lack of laughs and sheer overload, and the fact that I enjoyed last weeks ep a bit more, 302 will get from me…
7.5/10
