Director: Daniel Minahan
Cast: Anna Paquin (Sookie), Lois Smith (Gran), Ryan Kwanten (Jason), Stephen Moyer (Bill), Sam Trammell (Sam), Tara (Rutina Wesley), Nelsan Ellis (Lafayette), Robert Amjarv (Bus Boy), Adalia Braydon (Pretty Girl), Jeremy Denzlinger (Wayne), Alex Gray II (Coby Fowler), Kanin J. Howell (Chuck), Danielle James (Randi Sue), Jim Parrack (Hoyt Fortenberry), Dale Raoul (Maxine Fortenberry) & Carrie Preston (Arlene Fowler)
Cast: Anna Paquin (Sookie), Lois Smith (Gran), Ryan Kwanten (Jason), Stephen Moyer (Bill), Sam Trammell (Sam), Tara (Rutina Wesley), Nelsan Ellis (Lafayette), Robert Amjarv (Bus Boy), Adalia Braydon (Pretty Girl), Jeremy Denzlinger (Wayne), Alex Gray II (Coby Fowler), Kanin J. Howell (Chuck), Danielle James (Randi Sue), Jim Parrack (Hoyt Fortenberry), Dale Raoul (Maxine Fortenberry) & Carrie Preston (Arlene Fowler)
True Blood's really biting now. Is it a coincidence that the last few episodes weren't written by showrunner Alan Ball? I can't say for sure, but there's no denying this is another strong instalment. "Sparks Fly Out" throws a spanner in the Sookie (Anna Paquin)/Bill (Stephen Moyer) romance, with barman Sam (Sam Trammell) plucking up the courage to ask Sookie out on a date. Meanwhile, Bill attempts to endear himself to the people of Bon Temps by hosting a meet-and-greet at church -- ostensibly to talk about the town's history, which he was part of in the 19th-century…If there's one thing that's bugging me about True Blood, it's the town's reaction to the fact a serial-killer has murdered Maudette and Dawn. You'd think everyone would be grabbing their pitchforks and trying to force vampire Bill out of town, but they generally seem quite amenable to his presence. Fascinated, even. Nobody even thinks to publicly accuse Bill of these deaths at the church meeting. Is that really the mass reaction you'd get from a small-town in the Deep South after a vampire moves in and two pretty locals are murdered days later?
Forgiving that, I'm pleased to see the supporting characters growing on me. Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) hasn't done much to engage me, but he gets a brilliant scene here when a group of meathead customers at Merlotte's complain about being served an "AIDS burger". It's a riveting moment, well-performed by Ellis and delivering dark laughs not dissimilar to something Quentin Tarantino might dream up. But I still can't connect with Tara (Rutina Wesley); she's so brash, loud and prickly that you can't envisage anyone liking her, let alone loving her. I really hope we get to see a softer side to her soon, because even flashbacks to her bad childhood haven't made me sympathetic.
Paquin, Moyer and Ryan Kwanten have been good from the start, with the latter particularly adept at his comic relief role. That said, I hope Jason gets something more interesting and relevant to do soon, as his constant sexual mishaps are beginning to lose their luster. Here, he once again takes some "V" (the correct dosage this time) and spends the episode on an audio-visual high, which makes him see Tara in a whole new light.
In retrospect, this episode's plot is rather light (probably because Sookie and Bill's central relationship is put on hold), but what little there is sustains the hour and provides welcome insight into loner Bill. I really enjoyed Bill's talk to the townsfolk, which paved the way for some flashbacks to his human life during the Civil War. It was also a welcome surprise to see how Bill was turned into a vampire and the consequences of his lifestyle change regarding his family. His unwanted "turning" and subsequent experiences have clearly been a huge emotional struggle for him.
While "Sparks Fly Out" didn't serve up a totally satisfying experience, Bill's storyline is very entertaining and an important part of the deepening mythology. Everything else was window dressing, but never boring. The strange dog even reappeared, watching Sookie come home from her "date" with Bill. I remain convinced the canine observer must be linked to jealous Sam somehow. Sadly, Sam's bizarre actions in last week's climax (rolling around smelling Dawn's bed, wearing latex gloves) isn't answered or alluded to -- although we do learn from Sookie that Sam's thought-patterns are different to normal people. Is he perhaps a werewolf, able to control dogs? Just putting it out there. Has anyone noticed a full moon yet?
Overall, while True Blood is moving relatively slowly, it's with a sense of purpose and intelligence. I'm really enjoying the ambience and murky plots so far, and looking forward to every new installment. This episode also contains the most shocking cliffhanger yet; one that will guarantee your loyalty to the series and raises the stakes for moonfaced Sookie. No pun intended.
5 October 2008
HBO, 9pm
