This week’s True Blood picked up exactly where last week’s left off: Sookie, Bill, and Jessica in car, squabbling. Then: Sookie leaves car, is chased by what Eric will later refer to as “this bull-man,” is attacked and left with supernatually poisonous, bleeding scars on her back. That shut up Jessica for a few minutes, didn’t it? (“Petulant, dangerous, afraid,” Bill describes Jessica, as who among us is not?)
Loved Dr. Ludwig and her grumpy ministrations. Loved Sookie going to Fangtasia, reading Ginger’s mind, and finding Lafayette. (In fact, it was good in general to have a Sookie-centric episode this week, wasn’t it?)
Did not understand why Sookie now owes Eric a favor for helping save her and Lafayette. I mean, going to Dallas to hunt wayard vampires? Who does Eric think Sookie is, Buffy Summers? All suggestions/obvious reasons I’m missing in this regard are most welcome. (Seems like she should have prevailed favor-free, given the righteousness of her argument plus the back-up strength of Bill, who really should have stepped up and supported her, but was curiously, wimpily passive in this scene with Eric. What’s up with that?) But, but: best exchange of the night: Eric to Sookie, “Perhaps I will grow on you.” Sookie to Eric, “I’d prefer cancer.”
Meanwhile, Jason got a revealing earful from Light of Day boss Steve: “Hate is good” when it comes to vampires, he asserted. I haven’t read beyond the first Charlaine Harris novel, but this season’s religious-camp scenes are very much in keeping with series mastermind Alan Ball’s view of organized religion as we know it from Six Feet Under.
I suspect EW readers who’ve complained about the unbelievability of usually skeptical Tara falling for Maryann’s blandishments did not find comfort in the way Maryann soothed Tara with more positive-life-coaching (“Value yourself”). Me, I think Tara has struggled to overcome her usual dubiousness because, after all she’s been through with her mother, she wants Maryann’s affection and interest in her to be good and real. Poor Tara, eh? Besides, by the end, when she witnessed yet another near-orgy at Maryann’s place, the seeds of doubt have definitely been planted in her.
And finally (oh, hell: spoiler alert!) we got a literal glimpse of what’s behind the heretofore-just-silly Daphne: the final shot of the hour was of the scars on her back. Looks as though she is truly poisoned/possessed by “this bull-man,” whatever that means. What do you think it means? Where are things headed?
Comments (1-30) of 174 Add your comment
Good episode. I can’t believe the show is taking a break next week. After three episodes?!! Very glad Lafayette has been released from being chained up in the basement. The image of a black man with a chain around his neck willing to further prostitute himself just didn’t sit right with me. Interesting to find out what more Eric wants from him based on the preview for the next new episode.
This week’s episode was the best so far, tying in eps 1&2. The scene at Fangtasisa with Bill, Eric, Sookie, Lafeyette and Pam was pure gold
It doesn’t matter who owes who a favor when it comes to Eric. Sookie already agreed in the first season to help Eric when he asked as long as what she does for him won’t result in him killing any humans that get in trouble. I think he is just being nice and making her happier about going to Dallas for him, by releasing Lafayette. Things are going to get very interesting in Dallas.. I wonder what Ball plans to do with both Jason and Sookie being in Dallas at the same time. (The whole “Light of Day”/Jason plot is not in the books.)
I thought it meant Daphne WAS the bull man! Great episode, killer show – I love it!!!
True Blood is the hottest show:
http://www.actressscene.com/search/label/Anna%20Paquin
Okay, first Eric got Dr. Ludwig to Fangtasia to heal Sookie, if he hadn’t she would have died. That’s why she owes him one…And Bill “wimped out” b/c he has to obey Eric due to the hierarchy in the vampire world. He can’t really say no to Eric. Plus Bill feels indebted even on top of that because Eric saved Sookie’s life when he couldn’t. (Oh and in the book when Eric says “Perhaps I’ll grow on you…” Sookie says “Like a fungus?” which I think is funnier.)
And as far as the Fellowship goes, it didn’t have a huge presence in the book until they go to Dallas. So far it’s been very much fleshed out on the show to include Jason and in prep for the Dallas run in.
As far as Daphne goes. All sorts of things went through my head when I saw the last shot…but I’m leaning toward her being some sort of supernatural being to be able to survive the scratches, and she’ll probably end up being able to help give info about the creature who gave them to Sookie. I’m not so sure she IS the creature.
Sorry but I’m not so sure about this episode. While it had some good scenes, I thought it was kind of slow. Loved the scenes with Jessica and Hoyt. Pam pouting her pumped were going to be ruined (they so totally are ruined!). The scene with Sook’s wounds bubbling were nasty!
Just spent this weekend reading the Harris books (finally). Love having the difference between the books and the show. I can appreciate both but still don’t know what to expect when I watch the show because of how different they are. Love having the Lafayette story and even like the Jessica story. It fleshes things out more than the books do. I’m completely bored with the Jason story but know that will change soon.
Jessica is growing on me (pun intended). What I want to know — what was up with the pig in the backyard? I’m guessing Maryann is the bull man — didn’t it look like her statue? Besides she might be out to get Sookie because Tara is thinking of leaving her. Good for Terry calling out Sam! And did Eric look greyer/paler than normal?
I’m assuming that since Daphne’s wounds did not heal like Sookie’s did that she is therefore one of MaryAnn’s minions and therefore going to cause more grief to Sam (thereby stirring everything up further)
If you are familiar with the Sookie Stackhouse books then you would know why Bill is being so passive (he is no where near as important in the books as Eric). It would seem that Alan Ball is sticking somewhat close to Charlaine Harris’ books, at least with showing Bill as a wimpy character. I hope it continues, I love Eric and just find Bill irritating.
Here’s my theory:
Maryanne is “this bull-man”, the thing that attacked Sookie. I also think she is what ripped out Miss Jeanette’s heart in the first episode.
The pig… is Carl, Maryanne’s manservant. Like Sam, he can shape-shift. Look at the actor, he even looks a bit pig-like. And we saw Maryanne vibrating in front of the pig at the end of last season, just like she vibrated in front of Sam to make him turn into a dog.
And I agree that Daphne is probably Maryanne’s thrall or something now, on account of the scratches and the poison, etc. Plus, Maryanne seemed unusually interested in Daphne when she was at the bar.
Maryanne= bull-man
Carl= pig
Daphne= Maryanne’s minion
Tonight’s episode to me wasn’t the best of the series, but it wasn’t bad. Jason was tolerable tonight lol
I KNEW that there was more to Daphne.
Anyways, by far my favourite show.
http://tvdonewright.com/2009/06/29/tv-tonight-monday-june-29th-2009/
I think you have to understand how powerful Eric really is. He can do what he wants whenever he wants. Bill and Sookie got a very good deal considering.
A couple other posts are referring to the “bull man” as a minotaur. But if anyone takes a sec to research…there was only one Minotaur and it did not display characteristics of that of the horned thingy in this last episode. I’m going with it being a Windigo.And Daphne could be it. I do not think it has anything to do with Maryann. Great episode. And the whole Bill being subservant to Eric…well…Eric is the “sheriff”
i think the bull man is eggs
Y’all…next week is a ‘holiday weekend’ which is prob. why it won’t be on…but not that I wouldn’t watch and not that most peeps are back home after 4th of July on a Sunday night, but whatev. Also though–Ken, the episode didn’t pick up ‘exactly’ where last week left off…it ended with Bill in Jessica’s house seemingly going to murder or do something bad to her family. This week started a bit after that time-wise, w/ us learning what happened to Jessica’s family the first few minutes until it was revealed that Bill ‘glamoured’ them. keep up! I don’t think Daphne is the horned creature…she was scratched like Sookie was so perhaps she’s one of its minions, whatever it is….
Wow things are changing quickly. I thought that maryanne was the Greek godess of love, the way she was influencing those people. But now a minotaur? Hey at least it ties in with the whole Greek mythology theme. And I wonder what eric wants Sookie for? I know he’s not just takin her down to Dallas to hunt down a few bad vampires…
Maybe I’m missing something, but doesn’t Sookie owe Eric simply because (a) he saved her life, and (b) he let her and Bill live after the latter killed the vampire bartender?
Jess
Totally agree with you regarding the MaryAnn/Carl/Daphne relationship. Good call!
My theory is that this Bull-Man creature is actually MaryAnn and the reason she attacked Sookie is because she asked Tara to move in with her, and that would “ruin” any plan she has going for Tara.
Thought this (like all of them) was a good episode. I thought Sookie’s comment about rather having cancer than Eric was great! I’m sad though that we have to wait 2 weeks for a new episode
I also think that the Christian Fellow ship chick (Sarah I think – The blonde) – I think her sister is Eric’s sidekick Pam, would make a good subplot for an eventual confrontation!
There’s only one legitimate place I’ve found to watch a replay of the show, the rest seem like scams :-/ You can see it over here though: http://jjpeg.com/watch28015.html
They make you do a little survey but after that it’s good to go
Bull man? Bull-oh-knee! Obviously a chupacabra … doesn’t anyone watch The Venture Bros? It’s the same critter as seen in the first episode “Dia de los Dangerous” when it drops out of the plane onto the Doctor’s face. The claws gave it away.
Bill is also scared of Eric because he is older. The books explain the older a vampire is the more powerful he is. Mary Ann is a Maenad (hoped I spelled that right). The greek Gods bestowed power on women they found favorable and they became the Maenad. The Bull Man came out of nowhere but there are many different types of shifters in the books ala weretigers and the such.
this show is so freaking sexy it could burst into flames. It is seriously making summer TV awesome. I agree it sucks about the 2 week break, just when the show is picking up its momentum. Each episode I am on the edge of my seat to see what happens next, not since six feet under have i felt like that, it has come a long way from season 1 which was really campy. Now it just feels like they are really having fun with the characters. I’m just wondering where this thing with Jason and the wife is going…is he gonna become a vampire slayer? are sookie and bill going to meet some monsters in dallas? does hoyt want to be jessica’s bloodslave? I think MaryAnn is the bull creature or she summoned it, she is a powerful witch and they picked a great actress to play it, she just oozes with dark wicked delight in every scene. Poor Lafayette finally made it out of the torture basement, i still don’t get what they were churning down there. Eric is equally sexy and morally repulsive.
I have read all the books but obviously myself and others who have can’t with authority know anything. I’m starting to enjoy some of the differences. I agree that the jason stuff is kind of lame but should tie in to Sookie in Dallas if I’m reading where things are going. My favorite change though is Jessica. I like seeing what a young vampire goes through and her and hoyt were really great. They both acted it perfectly. I also liked the sookie centric aspect of the episode. I still don’t like Tara and i don’t know if it’s how different she is from the books or that she’s just annoying. In the books I’m assuming Maryann would be the maenad and it should be the maenad that hurt sookie. I don’t know why they changed how she was healed though. In the books it’s cool cause Pam and Eric help drain Sookie to get the poison out and then they feed her true blood. That wouldhave been cool. They are making Eric a lot darker which will make him and sookie ending up together hard.
Also in the books the maenad is a beautiful woman and a follower of bacchus. If they hadn’t made it look like a beast I guess wewould know it was maryanne. Also I’m trying to figure out how the murder myster will come in. In the book it’s not as wild as the orgies maryann is having and the murdered character is layfayette. And there should also be a scene with Eric in Spandex. yum. But things are so different I guess we’ll have to see where it goes.
Eric is just getting Sookie to live up to her part of the bargain she made with him. He knew Lafayette’s plight would guarantee that she would do that. Also, he did, you know, make the arrangements to save her from bull-man poisoning, (which I thought was pretty lame compared to the solution Dr. Ludwig suggested in the book.) I wish they would soften Eric’s approach to Sookie on the show. He shows more of a romantic interest in her in the books, which builds to the weird, tangled relationship they have later. Yeah, Eric’s mercenary, but he’s the only character who is honest with her and he had clear romantic/lustful feelings for her. I’m hoping this is just a slow burn character arc.
Also, I loved the Hoyt/Jessica stuff.
I think Daphne is a shapeshifter like sam. The way the dog left and the way she looked at the dog, maybe she shifts into a dog as well. Maryanne is behind the bull. Loved sookie in this episode, loved eric and even loved bill. Can’t wait till those two weeks are over.