Episode Title: "Beautifully Broken"
Writer: Raelle Tucker
Director: Scott Winant
Previously on "True Blood":
In the aftermath of the abduction of Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer), Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) frantically sought help from the police and the vampire community. Meanwhile, Bill was apparently kidnapped by rednecks who drank his blood while forcibly taking him across state lines. Bill eventually got the car to crash and escaped, injuring himself in the process.
Sookie's brother Jason (Ryan Kwanten) was haunted by his killing of Eggs (Mehcad Brooks), despite Andy Bellefleur's (Chris Bauer) attempts to cover for him. Distraught over Eggs' death, his girlfriend Tara Thornton (Rutina Wesley) attacked Sookie when she found out that Sookie had helped Eggs remember what he did for Maryann (Michelle Forbes) — which caused him to become unstable. Tara later attempted to commit suicide.
Sookie's attempt to recruit the help of Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) didn't go well, as he saw Bill's disappearance as a way to rid himself of his rival. However, an unwelcome visit from the Vampire Queen of Louisiana (Evan Rachel Wood) put him on notice that their illicit activities were drawing attention from the vampire hierarchy. Sookie finally managed to get some useful help from Bill's “ward” Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll), but Bill was long gone from the crashed car. Bill fed from an old woman and discovered he was in werewolf territory. He attempted to flee before being surrounded by a pack of wolves.
Story:
Bill makes short work of the werewolves, who turn out to be the same rednecks who kidnapped him in the previous episode. Before he can kill the last two, he is interrupted by the Vampire King of Mississippi, Russell Edgington (Denis O'Hare). Russell tells Bill that the werewolves brought him there by his command and he kills one of the surviving wolves for drinking Bill's blood before ordering Bill back to his castle. Although Bill's every need is met, he is clearly a prisoner of the king.
Sookie confronts Eric with proof that werewolves were involved in Bill's abduction, but he refuses to take action. He then has a flashback to WW2, where he and Godric (Allan Hyde) were disguised as Nazi officers. They also killed a female werewolf who was working for the Nazis. Back in the present, Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) manages to keep Tara from killing herself and he takes her to meet his crazy mother, Ruby Jean Reynolds (Alfre Woodard); as a sort of "scared sane" tactic. Tara later draws the attention of a new vampire named Franklin Mott (James Frain), who helps her take revenge on two other rednecks who literally piss on the grave of Eggs.
In Russell's castle, Bill learns that the King of Mississippi wants his help to blackmail the Queen of Louisiana into marriage. When bribery doesn't work, Russell threatens Sookie's life. Later, Bill's sire Lorena Krasiki (Mariana Klaveno) shows up and taunts him about Sookie. He immediately attacks her and sets her on fire. Meanwhile, Sookie is stalked by another one of Russell's werewolves. Eric shows up at her house to protect her and demands that she invite him in. In the closing moments, Eric attacks the wolf in her home as Sookie fires a gun towards them.
Breakdown:
After the near incomprehensible episode from last week, this was a big improvement in terms of clear storytelling.
And apparently the rednecks that Bill couldn't beat at the beginning of the last episode are the same werewolves he easily defeats in this one. So, I have to ask: is an old lady's blood really that powerful to a vampire?
Because if you recall, that was not a healthy old woman. And don't a lot of old people suffer from iron or vitamin deficiency? If anything, her blood should have made him weaker than normal. Or am I wrong for trying to think this through logically?
Bill definitely made a stronger showing for himself this week, even if he seemed to back down a little too easily to Russell's threats. The scene where he attacked Lorena was terrific, but I should note that at no point was it explained who she was or why he hated her. This show really doesn't make things easy for new viewers.
Sookie got a lot of good moments herself, from her refusal to back down to Eric and her initial realization that a werewolf was stalking her. Sookie's "I ain't that blond" line was also the best of the night. I'm also starting to think that Eric actually does care for Sookie, as he doesn't take action until he really feels that she's threatened. His flashback sequence was also interesting, but I can't believe that no one in the episode mentioned "Werewolf Women of the SS!"
I mean, they were literally fighting a Nazi female werewolf. How do you not comment on that?
Sam Merlotte's (Sam Trammell) reunion with his family was kind of touching, but the rivalry with his brother already seems pretty played out. On the other hand, it was fun to watch Jessica asking for advice on how to be a proper vampire and also how to hide bodies. There are so many incompetent lawyers and cops on TV (particularly on "Happy Town") that it's great to meet TV's first incompetent vampire.
Or does Harmony Kendall count?
The supernatural characters on this show seem to be stronger and more interesting than the human characters. I couldn't wait for the scenes between Tara and Lafayette to end. My god... they are are so boring. Ditto for the pregnant waitress and her clueless boyfriend, who seem like they belong on a different show entirely. I can only assume that keeping some of the characters human and mundane is an attempt to keep the series grounded.
But when you've got vampires, werewolves and shapeshifters, I think we've already left reality far behind.
Crave Online Rating: 8 out of 10.
