The 411 True Blood Review: Episode 5 - 'Sparks Fly Out'

Posted by Marilyn Yang on 10.06.2008

We learn how Bill became a vampire. Sam finally asks Sookie out. Jason doesn't have sex for almost a whole episode. Lafayette gets a small moment to shine. My head almost explodes at the end of the episode.

So it has occurred to me dear readers (all 3 of you) that I am hard of hearing, and the name of the vampire bar in last week's episode is actually Fangtasia, which makes much more sense than Fantasia, like the Disney movie. Fake southern accents also make it hard to understand things, but okay, I was wrong.

Bill drives Sookie to her house. They argue about how he glamoured the police officer. Bill says he's doing his best to "mainstream" and be around humans. Bill thinks Sookie is scared of what she doesn't know. Sookie says what she had before maybe have been boring, but it was safe. Bill says he won't call on her again. We see recurring dog hidden in the bushes. For a dog, he looks a little pissed. Open credits.

Gee, who could be banging on Lafayette's door? It's Tara, who starts throwing things at him. She's mad at Lafayette for dealing V. She says my favorite quote. Tara throws a few more things at Lafayette, and it makes her feel better. I'm a little surprised Lafayette isn't mad that Jason told someone who gave him the V.

Gran is on the phone with someone lecturing her for getting Bill to speak at the Civil War club. Sookie walks into the room, and Gran starts to end the conversation prematurely. The caller says, "You will go to hell for this." To which Gran replies, "Okay, same to you, bye now." Gran is awesome. Also, Bill's talk starts at eight o'clock. Sookie tells Gran she doesn't think Bill will work out. Gran says that if she had a chance to know someone who experienced the world differently, she'd take it. Again, Gran is probably one of my favorites at this point.

Cut to Jason at Lafayette's. Jason shows us all a demonstration of what happened to Jason Jr. at the emergency room with a hot dog and meat thermometer. Lafayette asks Jason if he told anyone about the V. Jason lies and says no. He doesn't know if he can look Tara in the eye ever again. Lafayette says not to sweat it, since Tara has been in love with Jason since she was eight. Jason had no idea. Jason decides not to do V ever again, but Lafayette convinces him that if used properly it will open up Jason's eyes to things he's never seen before. Lafayette has more V in his car. He gives a deep talk about how V is life, and if you take it you need to "soak it in." Lafayette places drops of V on little blotters. They both take some.

Sookie is at work, and has cut her right hand. Red-headed Arlene and Sookie talk about how Sookie won't see Bill again, and it's a good thing she wasn't hurt at Fangtasia. Sam asks Sookie out on a date (coffee after the Civil War talk.) Everyone's staring at them, so Sookie hasn't much of a choice other than to say yes. Detective Andy is at Merlotte's too. He asks Sookie about Tara and Jason's relationship, and Sookie denies there is one. Andy starts thinking trash, and Sookie tells him to watch his mouth. Andy starts thinking that it's true Sookie can read minds, and Sookie rushes off to refill his drink. (Has anyone noticed that Sookie always does that when someone catches on that she's read his mind?) Sookie finds Tara in the bathroom. Tara admits to lying to give Jason an alibi, and asks why Sookie's going out on a date with Sam. Sookie says he's nice and has a good job. She asks if Tara is hiding anything else, and Tara lies. Sookie tries to read her mind and gets, "Lalalalalalala." Tara says not every detail of everyone's personal life is Sookie's business, and walks out of the ladies' room. Tara tells Sam to keep Sookie away from her. Sookie goes up to Andy and tells him that she has noticed Tara and Jason sneaking around. Andy thinks that she's lying, and Sookie calls him out. She tells him that she can tell what he's thinking, so Andy might as well be a man, and call her a liar out loud to her face. Oh, and there's not much to listen to in there, anyway. Bottom line, leave Jason alone.

Cut to the church, and it's DGD time. (Descendents of the Glorious Dead meeting, where Bill is going to talk.) One of the churchgoers tries to take down a giant silver cross, saying it wasn't thought out very well to bring a vampire into a meeting at a church. Good point. Bill's sitting in the kitchen with a bottle of Tru Blood, listening to everyone. He knows Sookie is with Sam. Tara is sitting alone, and Sam and Sookie join her. Tara says she can always use more white people. She's doing well with the one-liners this week. Now we see Jason outside, still tripping (or whatever you would call it) on V. He's staring at a magnolia tree and the flowers look like sparklers. Jason makes his way into the church, and there's nice soothing music playing. Everything's in slow motion, and we see a drop of sweat trickle down Tara's neck. He takes a seat next to Tara. Sam tells Sookie to relax, but on second thought thinks she doesn't know how to. Gran introduces Bill, whose family was one of the oldest of Bon Temps. Bill was once known as First Lt. William Thomas Compton. He's welcomed with scattered applause. Bill takes off the flag covering the big silver cross (much to the amazement of the crowd), and puts the flag back in its rightful place, saying he wouldn't stand in front of it. This pleases the crowd. And apparently, vampires can hang around crosses now. Various people are chatting in the audience. One of the churchgoers is getting a jello mold out of the fridge and notices the bottle of Tru Blood. He takes a sniff, but doesn't drink. Bill knows one of the churchgoer's ancestors, who lost his life trying to save a young wounded soldier. The mayor has found an old picture of Bill and his family from 1862. He became a vampire before he made it back home. He couldn't go back home as a vampire. Bill gets a little teary eyed (as do a few in the audience), and we see that Bill's handkerchief has blood on it. So, vampires can be around crosses and cry blood now? At the reception afterwards, Bill is well received by the audience. Sookie congratulates Bill for winning everyone over. Sam and Sookie leave for that cup of coffee.

Jason is still on V, sitting in Merlotte's with his two friends. One is Hoyt, the guy at the DGD meeting interested in the bottle of Tru Blood. Jason see Tara at the bar, but she looks like she's in the Garden of Eden instead of pouring beers. He goes to get another round, and strokes Tara's arm saying it's like an electric fence. Tara says Jason's still high and she's going to kill Lafayette. Jason admits to being high, but for the first time he can see clearly. Jason thinks Tara is "the One." Tara says to come see her when he's sober.

Sookie and Sam are on their date. Sookie says Sam's thoughts aren't the same as others. Sometimes she only gets sounds, like "waves of emotions." No one knows anything about Sam. Sookie jokes that she's crazy, and Sam says she's fine the way she is.

Back at the diner, a table of rednecks (Arlene's words, not mine) sends back a burger to Lafayette, thinking it might have AIDS. Lafayette takes out his earrings, and heads to the table with the burger. This should be good. Lafayette says everything on the table has AIDS, licks the hamburger bun, and shoves it in the hamburger orderer's face. He quickly takes out all three guys at the table. He reminds them to tip their waitress. Jason finds this delightful. Honestly, I do too.

Sookie and Sam leave the diner. Sam makes a move on Sookie, and they start making out. (Pat on the back for Sam.) Sookie puts on the breaks saying it's too soon since Bill. They argue. Sookie goes back inside the diner saying she'll call a cab.

Back at Merlotte's, a blonde is dancing by herself. Hoyt strikes up a conversation with her. Turns out Blonde's divorce was finalized, and she's celebrating. Hoyt thinks about going home with her. He orders a bottle of Tru Blood, which is body temperature and nasty. Jason tells them that V is the real stuff. They toast, and clever Hoyt accidentally raises his bottle of Tru Blood to Blonde, who loses interest.

Bill arrives home and gets a flashback of his family on the porch. Sheriff Bud and Detective Andy have some questions for Bill. Bill invites them in. He has Fresca, for guests. While Bill is in the other room, Andy points out they have no evidence. Bill is questioned about his whereabouts the night of Maudette and Dawn's murders. Bill creepily admits no vampire could resist a fresh corpse, and any vampire would have drained it of every last drop of blood. Bud and Andy leave. Andy leaves his pen behind at Bill's on accident. Bill looks at the toaster (pokey thing used for toasting bread in the fireplace) and has a flashback. In the flashback, Bill stumbles to a house and needs food, water, and help. He breaks into the house, and a woman points a gun at him. She ends up feeding him, and Bill explains that he tried to take a shortcut to Bon Temps and overestimated. The woman hasn't heard from her husband, Col. Gibson, in months. She's considered herself a widow for a while. She cleans the blood from Bill's face, and tries to lean in for a kiss, but Bill has a wife and son waiting for him. Bill leaves, but wait! Bitch is a vampire, and she feeds on him. Bill wakes up in bed and sees the dead bodies of the other soldiers this woman has "helped." Bill drinks her blood so he can live to see his family. "You are mine," she says. Bill sees his family on the porch, and he must leave his family because he can't go inside, and his family can't harbor a vampire.

Back to Tara at work. She's taking out a bag of garbage and finds Jason banging Blonde (her name is Randy Sue) around the corner. Jason tells Tara to join in on the fun. Tara dumps the trash on Jason and Randy Sue. It's okay. They keep going at it.

Sookie's cab takes her home. She goes inside. She's slipped on some blood on the floor. Gran is dead in a pool of blood. Holy shit. End credits.


Favorite quote:
"Giving Vampire blood to Jason Stackhouse is like giving Ho-ho's to a diabetic."

The 411: I'm willing to accept what I consider a slower-paced episode (last week's "Escape from Dragon House) to set up an episode like "Sparks Fly Out." I thought this week's episode was great. We learn more about Bill's pre-vampire days. Sookie and Sam go out on their first and possibly last date. We see Lafayette do a little more than be comic relief. (Okay, maybe the whole AIDS burger thing can be considered comic relief compared to everything else in the episode, but at the same time he gets to kick a little ass.) Jason even sucked a little less in this episode, and actually got to talk instead of just grunting during sex. I like that "Sparks Fly Out" wasn't as heavily focused on Sookie and Bill's relationship this week, in favor of other characters that needed more development. Naturally, I want to give this episode a lower rating due to the devastating ending, but I can't.

Final Score:  8.5   [ Very Good ]