The McGuffin Review: True Blood - Season 2, Episode 3 - 'Scratches'

Posted by Cory Johnson on 07.04.2009

What is that thing and what did it do to Sookie?

Bill is speeding, careering, and generally driving like a maniac with Sookie and a sobbing Jessica in tow. Jessica hates Bill for making her a monster. Sookie tries to apologize for the situation that she caused with Jessica, but Bill won’t hear it. Bill accuses Sookie of undermining his authority and causing this cluster. Bill glamoured Jessica’s family within an inch of their sanity to protect them and make them forget what happened with Jessica. Bill calls Jessica a loaded gun, warning Sookie (who he calls an irresponsible child) that Jessica is not a dog for her to dress up and play with. Sookie stomps out of the car and Bill helpfully points out that Bon Temps is 20 miles away. Sookie tells him that she’d rather walk and Bill gets back in the car. Jessica points out that Sookie wants Bill to go after her, but Bill reasons she will come back once she has calmed down. Sookie is stalked by a heavy breathing beast, apparently a Minotaur?!? The beast runs Sookie down, clawing her back, and making her scream which causes Bill to race after her….as the haunting strains of “Bad Things” welcome us to episode 3 of this season of True Blood “Scratches”.

Bill finds Sookie bleeding and helpless in the road. Sookie didn’t see what did this to her, but she cannot move. Bill bites his wrist, but the second that Sookie tries to drink she beings to shake, spitting up foam and seizing.

At Fantasia, Bill orders Jessica to drive straight home while he takes Sookie inside.

Daphne is short $64.08 for her shift. Sam bitches that she will have to pay for it, since he is running a business. Daphne gives him all of her tip money and offers an IOU with a disgusted sigh for the rest. Tara tries to find out what Sam has against Maryann, since she dropped $300 in his bar tonight. Sam warns her that she doesn’t even know Maryann. Nice non-answer.

Sookie is on a table, bleeding all over the table from the nasty wounds on her back. Dr. Ludwig, an older woman with no bedside manner at all, confirms that Sookie is dying. Sookie has been poisoned similar to the poison of a Komodo dragon, but more potent. Komodo dragons, she helpfully points out, will poison their victims and stalk them for days, waiting for them to fall before eating them. Ludwig orders Bill and Eric out.

Bill tells Eric about Sookie’s Bull-man. Eric says that he has not seen or heard of anything like that, and he is apparently over 1,000 years old. Eric orders Pam and Chow to search the woods, over Pam’s protest that she is wearing her favorite pumps. Eric gives a short, foreign-language command that I can only interpret as, “just do it, bitch”, and Pam and Chow are off. Eric calls Pam loyal but lazy and asks about Jessica. Bill classifies her as petulant and dangerous. Eric calls being a good maker very rewarding. Bill starts to panic about being away from Sookie, but Eric reassures him, recalling that Dr. Ludwig treated one of Pam’s humans after he was mauled by a werewolf. Sookie’s screams stop the story.
Ludwig is pouring something over the scratches on Sookie’s back, causing them to smoke. Ludwig orders Bill to hold her down, when he hesitates; she informs him that the other choice is to let her die. Bill holds down a writhing, screaming for her life Sookie as Ludwig digs out the wounds in her back with her fingers. Sookie screams in utter agony…….

And Jason wakes up screaming in his bunk at the leadership conference, only to find Eddie in his bed. Eddie launches himself at Jason’s neck until…….he wakes up for real this time. Jason prays for a sign, and one of the other campers throws a pillow at him, yelling for him to shut up.

Ludwig finishes cleaning Sookie’s wounds, telling Bill that she can accept his blood now. Bill goes to bite his wrist, but Eric becomes the devil, whispering that his blood is much stronger. Bill refuses, of course, and lets Sookie feed on him. Ludwig wants her payment by the end of the week, and she turns out to be an elderly midget (of all things). Eric believes that Ludwig helps them because of the healing properties of vampire blood. Sookie finishes feeding and falls asleep. A very dirty and disheveled Pam and Chow return, reporting that they found human tracks, but animal scents. Eric tells them to send alerts, and bitingly tells Pam that those weregreat pumps. Eric offers to let Bill stay in Longshadow’s coffin. Bill thanks Eric for saving Sookie, and Eric knows that there will be a way for her to repay him.

Maryann is getting ready for a party. Tara asks Maryann point blank why Sam hates her. Maryann “guesses” that Sam is jealous and blames Maryann for helping Tara move on. Maryann encourages Tara to take care of herself and not take on other people’s issues anymore. Maryann then hands over a doobie big enough for Cheech AND Chong. Tara can’t resist though she has to work soon.

Sam is packing his things, and asks Terry to look after the bar….as his last choice. Terry calls Sam a coward for running away.

A former vampire pet, with bite scars all over her chest and neck, testifies that she was a living snack machine to the group at the leadership conference. Sarah makes a reluctant Jason share with the group. Jason, going against the grain, confesses that his sister dates a vampire, his girlfriend staked a gay vampire (who was a real nice person). Sarah corrects him, saying that Eddie wasn’t a person. Jason says that his best friend killed his gran and girlfriend just because he hated vampires. Jason was hoping that this conference would show him his true calling, but he sees that it just isn’t going to happen and leaves. Sarah chases after him, telling him that they are alike. Sarah marched for vampire rights, and her sister became a V addict and died. Sarah asks to Jason to consider the fact that if there were no vampires, all his loved ones would still be alive. Sarah and Jason pray together in a unique/weird pose.

Sookie wakes up without a scar on her. Ginger the barmaid says that she loses weight working with vampires, since she forgets to eats. Ginger lets her thoughts drift and reveals that Lafayette is in the basement. Sookie hears this and Ginger’s next thought about the gun under the counter. Sookie races to the gun and makes Ginger take him to a half-dead Lafayette. Sookie promises to get him out of there.

Eggs plays guitar for Maryann’s party guests. Eggs confides to Tara that Maryann gave him the guitar and the encouragement to play. Tara realizes that she is 45 minutes late to work. Tara, blowing her chance at employee of the month, decides that she is not in the mood to deal with Sam and won’t go in.

Bill races to Sookie and hugs her tightly. Bill notices that something is off, wondering if she is still upset about their fight, but Sookie wants to know if Bill knew about Lafayette. Eric solves Bill’s question by listing Lafayette’s crimes, namely trading sex for vampire blood. An enraged Sookie slaps Eric, causing Bill to freak out. Eric calmly says that he is glad that she is feeling better and likes her look in a red Fangtasia t-shirt. Sookie tells Eric to go to hell, Bill tries to get Sookie to calm down (just guess how well that works), but Sookie threatens to go to the police if Eric does not let Lafayette go. Eric bares his fangs and glides towards her, hissing that he does not respond well to threats. Sookie holds her ground, afraid, but not backing up. Seeing this, Eric withdraws, hoping they can come to some arrangement.

Sam leaves a message for Tara, understanding that she won’t be coming in. He asks her to open her eyes and look at everything around her. Arlene busts in late because of her kids again. Sam nicely asks her to go get changed. Arlene is working for Sookie, and feels obligated to, since her ex-fiancée killed Sookie’s gran and tried to kill her. Arlene notices that, “nice and understanding looks good on you Sam”. Sam looks at his wall pictures, focusing on a great picture of Sookie behind the bar.

Jessica wakes up in Bill’s house alone and bored. A very dolled up Jessica walks into Merlotte’s while Sex and Candy plays in the background. That sound you just heard was something fecal getting ready for a nasty encounter with a fan. Hoyt sits down next to Jessica. Jessica cannot stop staring at Hoyt’s throbbing jugular. Hoyt compliments Jessica’s nice smile, and calls her beautiful. Hoyt sweetly tells her that he could stare at her smile all day. Jessica sadly sighs when he says “all day”. Hoyt offers to buy her a drink, and goes off on a nervous tangent about how they make chicken fried steak. Hoyt is a little shaken when she asks for Tru Blood, but finds her being a vampire “awesome”.

Sookie bargains with Eric over the terms of Lafayette’s release, which include her going to Dallas to search for Godrick. Bill protests of course, which only strengthens Sookie’s resolve to go. Eric offers to pay her expenses and out of nowhere, Sookie asks for $5,000, because she has missed work and needs a new driveway. Bill is shocked, Eric calls her cocky. Bill ups the amount to $10,000 and announces that he is coming with. Eric refuses, but Sookie calls all of her terms deal-breakers. Eric, seeing that she will not back down, agrees to her terms. See sharp dialogue below:

Eric: You surprise me, that is a rare quality in a breather.
Sookie: (with a hard, icy stare) you disgust me
Eric: (with the slightest grin) perhaps I’ll grow on you.
Sookie: I prefer cancer.

Pam drops off Lafayette, remarking that she was hoping she could keep him. Eric scolds her for having too many pets already. Lafayette groans that she is not his type. Pam asks if she can kick him, Bill steps up, saying that she could try. Eric stops the posturing by reminding everyone that they need to leave immediately. Bill will make travel arrangement, with Eric’s credit card. Eric tells Lafayette that he will see him around. Lafayette croaks out that he is done with vampires. Sookie stares daggers at Eric.

Tara watches drunken party guests strip, dance, dry hump, and generally walk around topless. Detective Andy wanders around, taking in the drunken sights, including a pig in a shed. Maryann greets Andy, who claims there has been a noise complaint. Andy asks if Maryann has a livestock permit for that pig, but Maryann asks ‘what pig?’ Andy looks again and the pig is gone. Maryann offers Andy a drink, which he takes, promising that it will be the only one, since he is on the clock.

At dinner, Steve tries to convince Jason that hate is needed to combat the baby-killing vampires. Steve calls it a war and asks Jason to pick sides. Sarah breaks out the big guns, and by that, I mean banana pudding. Sarah leaves to go get the whipped cream and all I can think about is Varsity Blues. Steve keeps asking Jason if he can feel God’s plan for him.

Jessica brings Hoyt home, complaining that the house is full ofl Bill’s creepy old stuff. Hoyt empathizes, saying that his mom keeps her doll collection in his closet. Hoyt tries to show Jessica his, er, how to play Wii, but Jessica starts to kiss him. They kiss until Jessica’s fangs pop. Jessica is horrified, delivering a great teenager line that she would die if she weren’t already dead. Hoyt reassures her that he thinks she is great, and that they can wait. Jessica smiles, then pounces on Hoyt with her fangs, saying that she has waited too long already.

Bill and Sookie drop off Lafayette, who asks Bill to tell Eric that he doesn’t remember anything about the last two weeks, in fact, he remembers being at Club Med. Bill calls that smart. Inside Lafayette locks the door, sits in the first chair he can find, and wraps himself in blanket, crying softly.

In the car, Sookie wonders why the more open her mind becomes, the more evil she sees. Bill generalizes, saying that both people and vampires are capable of good and evil, some at the same time. Sookie uses Eric as a case example, refusing to believe that he is capable of good after what he did to Lafayette. Bill has had worse sheriffs, but Eric saved Sookie’s life. Bill hates that Eric is putting Sookie in danger again, and that he showed her how grisly vampire justice can be. Sookie is glad that she knows, so that she can know what to be afraid of. Bill hopes that Sookie is not afraid of him. Sookie sees the darkness in Bill, but also the goodness in his eyes (awwww….).

In the hot tub, Eggs and Tara kiss until a naked massage therapist joins them and starts rubbing Eggs. Tara takes this opportunity to notice that this party is freakin’ nuts, everyone naked and cavorting unnaturally. Tara gets out of the tub, stomping off past a girl messily draining a bottle of Tru Blood. Eggs catches up with Tara, saying that he just got carried away. Tara asked if that is what Maryann is about, and asks if he is in the lifestyle. Eggs protests, saying the party is just a bunch of drunken people getting carried away. Tara says that if this is his scene, they are not a couple.

At his door, Bill notes that he misses petticoats because they left something to the imagination….and because they required a certain skill to remove. Sookie, having a hot flash of fantasy, thinks that the Halloween store might have some. They kiss their way inside to find Jessica feeding on Hoyt. Bill races to them and throws Jessica across the room. Jessica protests that she wasn’t going to bite Hoyt, and Hoyt sits up with no marks on him. Bill throws Hoyt back down on the couch and Sookie pleads for him to stop. Bill looks like he is going to make Hoyt into lunch.

Sam, as a dog, playing with his dog friend (talk about a sentence I never thought I’d write), jumps into the lake. The other dog won’t follow and just barks. Once in the water, Sam reverts to his human shape, and the dog runs off just as Daphne arrives. Daphne is there to cool off, as her hard-ass boss really laid into her this week. Sam apologizes and Daphne strips down, taking off her pants, and then her shirt, revealing a huge set of scratches on her back-just like Sookie’s!

Analysis
True Blood continues to showcase some of the best acting on television. Anna Paquin continues to make Sookie more than just the silly, vampire-loving girl. Sookie has a defined presence, capable of owning and stealing every scene she is in, the way that she stared down and one-upped Eric was just incredible. Sookie’s moral center, coupled with her compassionate and isolated nature that makes her such a fascinating character to watch. Her dialogue can be irritating at times (I see the goodness in your eyes), but it rings close and true to the character.

The other main component of the show is the Bill-Sookie relationship. There is longstanding rule in ongoing series that as soon as the main characters get together, the show is over or looses an edge. This has been a worry as Bill and Sookie get closer, but they never get too close before one of their differences drives them apart. While it is a little tedious sometimes to watch them bicker and go from loving to stubborn, it feels very real and frustrating for the characters, making it worth watching for the viewer, because it is easy to see that they share so many of the same personality traits.

The storylines in the episode were good. One thing that this series will have to “battle” along with success is the temptation to get too deep into supernatural themes and alienate portions of the audience. The Minotaur thing (or whatever that was) was a little sudden and random. Jason’s eventual conversion to a vampire hunter for the Fellowship of the Sun church is taking forever (it also can’t be much longer until he sleeps with Sarah and Steve takes his eventual pass at him-he is an evil religious leader after all. While that portion of the story did not take up much of the episode, it felt much longer than it was. I do love that Eric is being haunted by Eddie, that is a great little tweak to the character.

Making Eric a more complete character is a great move, because his odd charisma can serve the show well as either as protagonist or antagonist. I still do not see a happy ending for Lafayette, but there was really no purpose to turning him into a vampire. There is no way that Eric is done with him, even though he let him go. I don’t understand why Eric needs Sookie, but I’m in for the ride to Texas.

They lessened Maryann’s sinister side by basically making her cause people to strip and hook up. She went from from seemingly the big villianess to just manipulative.

For at least the next four years, HBO shows will still be judged by the quality of The Sopranos. Knowing that no show is going to be able to live up to that standard, HBO has created shows capable of cultivating a rabid cult following. True Blood succeeds in energizing that type of fan base. True Blood is not the best show on HBO (that would be Big Love), but True Blood is a close second, in addition to being sexier, sleeker, and more buzz worthy. HBO has a show that can be the centerpiece of it’s original programming for years to come.

Things I Wonder (please no spoilers)
Do Jason and Sookie share a physic twin kind of bond?
Werewolves?
So Eric made Chow and Pam?
Was Maryann the beast?
Was Sarah’s story all BS?
Did anyone peg Dr. Ludwig as a midget? How shocking was that?
Is “Sex and Candy” required in at least one TV show a month? Macy’s Playground must be rolling it in by now.
Who was that vampire at Maryann’s party drinking the Tru Blood?
Why exactly is Sam running?
Do you like Jason’s storyline?
Poor Hoyt, huh?
Wouldn’t it be great if Bill made Jessica feed on Hoyt?
Why does Pam need pets?
Sometime, Eric and Sookie are going to kiss, aren’t they?
So the Bull-Man/Minotaur gored Daphne and she just didn’t notice?
Daphne isn’t the Minotaur, right? She wouldn’t be stalking Sam, right?
Sookie has some amazing fire within her, doesn’t she?
How can one girl look so vulnerable and strong at the same time?

Thanks for reading. As always, feedback, comments, and emails appreciated. TRUE BLOOD is taking a holiday next week, but please check out my music reviews over at the music section next week. This is Cory, have a great July 4th, and keep watching.

The 411: Another good episode featuring another scene-stealing performance by Anna Paquin. Sookie continues to evolve into one of the most fascinating characters on tv, and the inclusion of Eric and his quest to find out what happened to Godrick is going to make for some great tv. This show is good enough right now that the little quirks of the show are hardly noticeable.

Final Score:  7.5   [ Good ]