Truly, Madly, Deadly_ The Unofficial True Blood Companion - Becca Wilcott [50]
Tara and Sam are the complete opposite of Bill and Sookie, friends with benefits, each desperate in their loneliness. Their partnership feels a bit forced, but it’s a more than passable diversion from the books (in which Sam and Tara don’t hook up) if it means we get to see two fine actors in the same frame. In this episode, we see Sam reveal himself as hopeless and deeply wounded. And the scene in which Tara’s mother hits her — first with a Bible, then with a liquor bottle — is heartbreaking. Tara makes the choice to leave, looking to Lafayette for comfort; he offers a place to stay, medication, and weed.
Jason, too, has come in search of comfort, although his negotiations are all business. Lafayette holds the power, and in one of the more subversive scenes we’ve seen yet, a Caucasian male is forced to dance to supplement his need for V-juice, sexualized for profit while two African Americans look on.
Sookie finds Dawn murdered, and as the episode ends, it’s every man for himself, each character having invested in something only to have something else taken in return. Bill continues to show himself to Sookie, but it’s at the cost of pushing her away. Sookie follows her logic, going against every urge in her body. Tara and Sam turn to one another, one turn further from where they’d rather be. And Jason resorts to vampires’ blood in order to regain his mortal manhood, another diversion from the original books. Only Lafayette seems to be safe for now. Living in relative solitude like Bill, he’s devised a way to keep people coming through his door. We can’t help but wonder if he’s figured out the secret. No ties, no troubles. To thine own self be true.
Exterior view of Bill Compton’s home. Who mows the lawn? (Eleanor Tivnan)
Highlight: Lafayette: “The vamps don’t take kindly to the juice dispenser.”
Nightcap: In the scene in which Sookie finds Dawn dead, there’s a visible pulse on her neck. The movie Jason watches briefly while flipping through the television channels is Dracula (1958). When Sam says he’d like Blade or Buffy to come to Marthaville, he’s referencing two vampire hunters — Blade, a Marvel Comics character personified by Wesley Snipes in three film adaptations, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, created by Joss Whedon and popularized in the long-running cult cable series of the same name (most fans pretend the movie didn’t exist).
Relationship Crypt Falls: Bill, with all this talk of making Sookie yours, I recommend you listen to Simon and Garfunkel’s “The 59th Street Bridge Song” from 1966. It’s okay to slow down; you’re moving too fast. So get some sleep, and give Sookie some space. In time, you’ll get groovy, as the song goes.
Paging Dr. Creepy: It’s a tie between Jason’s voice modulation during the scene in which he attacks Dawn, sounding like something out of Scream, and the Carmen Miranda outfit he’s wearing, which it’s hard to believe any self-respecting vampire would be caught . . . dead . . . in.
Location, Location, Location: Dawn’s cottage is part of a group of houses found in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles, which also includes Rene and Arlene’s home, and Hoyt’s home with his mother. The “cottages” are located close to the Eagle Rock Plaza mall.
Suzuki Sets the Scene: Ingerslev took a lot of inspiration for Lafayette’s pad from reading the books. After she felt she had a handle on his vibe, she turned to the wardrobe department to see what direction they were thinking, in particular, how eccentric they planned to take his style. She was thrilled with the result, having a blast constructing Lafayette’s home out of leopard carpeting and foil wallpaper.
Encore: “Mine” performed by Bing Crosby and Judy Garland can be heard when Sookie sneaks up on Bill and they kiss. Recorded in 1944, Judy Garland’s natural charm is on display in this