The 411 True Blood Review: Episode 9 - 'Plaisir D'Amour'

Posted by Marilyn Yang on 11.03.2008

This week we learn what happens when a vampire is staked to death, and it isn't pretty. There's more Eric, and less Tara. Jason is almost tolerable, but Amy is definitely not. Sam's big secret is more or less revealed. In response to last week, I include as many little details as possible. I start to count the loose ends so far in the series.

After a recap, this week's episode picks up right where last week's left off. Sookie is being strangled by Longshadow, the bartender at Fangtasia. Before Longshadow gets a chance to bite her, Bill breaks off the handle to a beer tap and stakes him in the heart. Longshadow's death is prolonged and gory, and involves him spewing a fountain of blood all over Sookie, then pretty much melting to the ground. Ginger (the woman whose mind Sookie was reading that got Longshadow busted) vomits. Sookie is stunned and doesn't say a word. Open credits.

Sookie cleans up in the bathroom while Ginger crawls around the bloody floor cleaning up and apologizing in hysterics. Eric tells Bitchy Hostess to glamour her when Ginger's done cleaning. Eric buys Bill a blood. (Get it, instead of a beer?) Bill killing Longshadow was a bad move. Apparently vampires don't kill other vampires, and especially not in front of other people, particularly vampire witnesses. Bill asks Eric how the situation can be fixed. Eric offers to take Sookie, which Bill refuses.

Jason is driving Amy and Eddie (the lonely gay vampire they kidnapped last week, who is also Lafayette's V source.) Jason realizes Amy has kidnapped vampires before. He's not happy. Amy turns on some hippie shit on the radio, telling Jason he needs to mellow out. I'd actually thought he was handling the situation pretty well by not freaking out horribly, but okay.

Back at Fangtasia, Bitchy Hostess tells Sookie to change her clothes since she's got vampire in her cleavage. Bill and Eric still need to discuss some things. Sookie asks if Bill's in trouble, and is told that that's for the boys to discuss. Bitchy Hostess (whose name is Pam) picks some vampire goo out of Sookie's cleavage. Sookie is unphased. Ginger comes introduces herself to Sookie, as if they've never met before. Pam begins to see why there's such a fuss over Sookie. She can read minds and can't be glamoured... oooooh.

Jason and Amy are carrying Eddie, still incapacitated by various silver things, into the basement. Amy starts drawing blood from Eddie. Eddie and Jason are both wondering what the plan is. Amy tells Jason to "live in the now." Jason's response actually makes sense and is also funny. "I do live in the now... I've gone entire months without thinking about shit. But the truth is, 'the now' kinda sucks, and if we both can't admit that, then we are one-hundred percent fucked." He actually refuses to drink from Eddie. Eddie keeps looking Jason in the eyes, and it freaks him out. Jason eventually gives in and drinks.

Now on to Tara, who is in Jeanette's trailer. (Jeanette did the exorcism on Tara's mom.) Tara's exorcism will be $799.95, because what Tara has inside is worse than the demon her mom had. Jeanette tells Tara her loneliness is starting to be a part of her.

Bill walks Sookie to her door. Sookie is wearing the clothes Pam gave her, and looks a little like a dominatrix. Bill assures Sookie he's not in any trouble, and just got a slap on the wrist. They go inside to see blood splattered all over the walls. Bill tells Sookie not to look up, but she does, and blood sprays on her face. Correct me if I'm wrong (and I know you will), but I believe Gran's cat is dangling from the ceiling fan. This makes Sookie scream, unlike Longshadow spewing his entire blood volume all over her earlier.

Cut to Jason and Amy, who are naked and about to have sex. Amy stops Jason and says they have to thank Eddie for the gift he's given them. Correct me again if I'm wrong, but I think kidnapping and taking blood from an unwilling participant doesn't count as a gift, and Amy is starting to really piss me off. They have sex in front of Eddie, with a nice psychadelic background of a forrest or something. There are two waterfalls of blood in the background at one point. (Waterfalls? Bloodfalls?) Eddie is slowly dripping blood still while Amy and Jason go about their business.

Bill and Sookie are in bed. Sookie says every time she closes her eyes she sees Gran's face. Bill tells her that he won't let anything happen to her. All the trouble Sookie is in is because of Bill. Bill feels like it's his fault. Sookie tells Bill all the trouble she is in was her choice, and her choice when she chose to be with Bill. Therefore, it's Sookie's fault, because she can't lay the blame on Bill. Sookie and Bill kiss, and Sookie rolls over to go to sleep. There a flash of the image of Gran's body in the kitchen, startling Sookie.

Jason and Amy are laying in the grass looking at some trees. Oh, and they're listening to the trees too. Jason is feeling lightheaded, and asks Amy if they're still high. She says they're not, but Jason needs to eat something. She feeds him an almond, and it blows his mind. (I thought vampire blood heightened senses for a while, so shouldn't Jason have noticed the strong connection with food after the numerous times he's done V in the past? Or has he just not eaten in weeks?) Amy tells Jason that he should go on a raw food diet to clean his body and soul. Because obviously, I want my soul to be cared for by a bitch who kidnaps a sad, overweight, gay vampire for his blood. Jason and Amy start making out, but are interrupted by Eddie's screams from inside. Jason starts to exhibit signs of remorse, and suggests that they feed Eddie or at least do something so he doesn't die. Amy points out Eddie isn't a person, and Jason counters it with the fact that his truck isn't a person but he still takes care of it. Jason wants a plan. Amy says the plan is, "Everything will work out because it has to." Jason says this isn't a plan. And behold, I agree with Jason on something. Also, my hatred for Jason is now transferred to Amy, and I'm having a difficult time being able to tell Jason is developing a sense of decency, or if Amy just annoys me so much that I tolerate Jason more now. Amy says that she's never felt like she has when she's with Jason. A lot of bad things have happened to her, and she feels that she deserves "this." Amy tells Jason she loves him. Jason doesn't say it back. Amy says some stuff about how everyone needs to be loved, but when it comes time to say it they run off scared. Jason finally says, "I love you too." Amy makes the moment even less touching by telling him to say it again, and Jason jokes, "You only get it once. That's all."

Cut to Tara, looking at herself in the mirror and counting backwards from ten. (Jeanette said earlier for Tara to try this, and if Tara could do the entire countdown, Jeanette would leave her alone. But Jeanette was sure Tara wouldn't be able to stand herself for even ten seconds.) She makes it to seven when her mom barges in, saying Sam is at the door with flowers. Tara's mom accuses Sam of sleeping with Tara. Tara moves Sam and their conversation outside. Sam has realized he has spent his life running away from people, or pining after one he can't have, so he'd rather have Tara even if she is messed up. Tara turns him down.

Amy, Arlene, and Sam are at work. Arlene very obviously yells that her place isn't big enough for an engagement party, and Sam says she can have it at Merlotte's. But Arlene says she wants it outside or in the warehouse next door. Sam calls Arlene conniving, but still offers to pay for part of the engagement party. I find Arlene pretty irritating too right now. Sookie comes in pretty pissed off.

Jason is outside, also at work. He looks high as a kite, staring up at the trees. Lafayette is eating lunch, and says mayonaise shouldn't be considered a secret sauce. Rene starts a jackhammer, and Jason tackles him to save the tree. Rene asks Jason if it's worth it to possibly kill his best friend to save a tree. Since when were Rene and Jason best friends? For that matter since when were Arlene and Sookie that close, even? (They were all buddy-buddy last week.) One of the guys on the crew calls Jason "Jay," which is apparently not okay if you were not on the football team.

Back at Merlotte's, Sookie has words with Andy before he decides what to get for lunch. She tells him about how the serial killer got into her house, cut off the head of her/Gran's cat, and took the head with him. She yells some more, until Amy comes over to take Andy's order and get Sookie out of there. Amy finds Sookie outside. Amy tells Sookie that Jason misses her, and there are still people around who love Sookie. Amy says she hopes one day to be among those people, and Sookie tells Amy she's too good for Jason. I think this is supposed to be a nice moment between the girls, but since we've seen what Amy's also capable of, I'm not so touched.

Jason comes home and turns on the tv to more debating with Nan Flanigan, head of the American Vampire League. Nan points out that there were three vampires murdered in Louisiana last week (from "The Fourth Man in the Fire"), and there has been no vampire retaliation. So who is being hunted now? We hear Eddie screaming in the background, and Jason tells him to shut up. He goes to the basement, where Eddie asks Jason to move him because the chair is digging into him. Jason obliges, but hurts himself in the process.

Tara comes into work and finds an envelope full of cash. Sam won't talk about it until after work.

Bill is at home with a Wii, practicing his golf swing. Eric, Pam, and Longshadow's replacement Chow come by to take Bill away somewhere. Bill says he has to stop by Merlotte's to tell Sookie.

Back to Jason and Eddie. Jason is stretching out his injury, and asks Eddie about his weight. Eddie used to be an accountant. A year ago, Eddie had a wife and son. His son was beat up at school when another kid said Eddie might be gay, but not in as kind words. Eddie himself didn't even know. Jason says that Eddie doesn't look like he'd be gay, and Eddie counters that one would expect a gay guy to look more like Jason. One day Eddie was in a bar and a man even less attractive than Eddie had beautiful men all around him, and the rumor was this guy was a vampire. Eddie decided that was who he'd be, and he was eventually turned into a vampire. Jason asks how Eddie did with the guys after that, and Eddie says, "You tell me." Jason says nothing. Considering how much contempt Jason had for Bill in earlier episodes and even Eddie in this episode, it makes you wonder why Jason has all this interest in Eddie's story.

Bill, Eric, Pam, and Chow arrive at Merlotte's. Bill stops to talk to Sam in his office first, and asks Sam to keep an eye on Sookie. (Chow has to be with Bill, so he's in the office too.) Sam agrees to do it for Sookie, not Bill. Meanwhile, Eric and Pam are promoting Fangtasia to the other patrons at the bar. Eric is giving out flyers, but stops Pam from giving one to a guy with a bandage on his arm. Before we know what happened to the guy's arm or why he's being denied a pass to Fangtasia, Bill comes out of the office to talk to Sookie. Eric tells everyone in Merlotte's that they can tell when a human has wronged a vampire [insert meaningful pause on Amy here], and the humans shouldn't feel too comforted by the words of Nan Flanigan. Bill tells Sookie he has to go, and Sookie says she'll go with him, but he can't. They kiss, and Pam says if she had any feelings, she'd have the chills. Eric says he wouldn't. Eric summons Bill away. Tara sees the whole thing, and asks Sookie if she's okay. They make up from the fight they had last week.

Back to Jason and Eddie. Jason is telling Eddie about the flood (that took his parents) and how his grandfather was already gone by the time he was living with Gran. Note there are many beer bottles all over the washer and dryer, and only Jason has free hands. Eddie says a boy needs a man in his life to teach him how to be a man. That's the hardest thing for him, since his son has all women in his life now. Jason says that's how he was raised, and look at him. Oh... right. Maybe not the best example, Jason. Eddie gives Jason a hard look, and Jason accuses Eddie of trying to glamour him. I thought Eddie was just giving Jason a look for being so dumb. Eddie says he's too depleted to glamour, nor is he particularly good at it. You don't learn how to be a vampire overnight, just like you don't learn how to be a man overnight, either. Eddie asks if Jason is going to marry Amy. Jason admits that he thinks Amy might be the one. Eddie says she's not, and that Amy is a psychopath more dangerous than Eddie could ever be. This pisses Jason off, who leaves to get more beer.

Back at Merlotte's, Tara tries to give Sam back his money. He convinces her to keep it. They kiss. Sookie and Lafayette in the kitchen, and Sookie walks out to see Sam and Tara getting it on. Sookie tells Amy she needs to take off early and is heading to Bill's, and asks Amy to cover the rest of her side work. Amy reluctantly agrees. Sookie gets in her car and drives off. Sam comes out of his office buckling his belt, and tells Amy she's doing a good job. He finds out Sookie's left early, and rushes out to go after her. He's stopped by Andy, who says that the story of how Sam was raised by naturists in a nudist colony didn't check out. Sam tells Andy he forgot something and runs back inside. Meanwhile Sookie is driving on the road. A dog runs out the door past Andy. Sookie pulls up to Bill's house. The dog shows up too. Sookie and the dog (she's decided to call him Dean) go to bed.

Jason comes back from getting more beer. He also got Tru Blood for Eddie, who looks pretty weak.

Sookie is asleep and tells "Dean" to get off her feet. She wakes up to see Sam naked, asleep at the end of the bed. She screams, and wakes up Sam, who also screams. End credits.

The 411: Okay, I know there will be hell to pay for saying this, but I'm being honest. I'm not hugely hooked on this show, and I think this is mostly due to my lack of patience, and the rate at which certain plots unfold. I'm bothered by how the recaps often show things not particularly relevant to the episode they are preceding. For example, the beginning of last week's episode showed Bill killing Uncle Bartlett, but so far no one's noticed he's missing or found a body. There's a recap where Lafayette ominously tells Tara she'll regret eating a piece of cornbread with bad juju (from the episode "Cold Ground"), but so far nothing has come from it. Don't tell me the demon Tara has is from a piece of damn cornbread. The episodes themselves also have tons of loose ends. It took nine episodes just to officially reveal (in a roundabout way) that Sam is a dog. Back at Gran's funeral (also the episode "Cold Ground,") Andy tells Jason he's not done with Jason as a suspect in the murders, but nothing happens. Remember all the people who were murdered? How come no one seems that bothered by it except Sookie? And has anyone noticed how the fake southern accents are toned down (not that I'm complaining?) And Bill is inconsistently pale in some scenes but not so much in others? What about Terry's random story about his necklace made from the penis of a possum (which is two-pronged)? No one missed that in last week's review, by the way. That being said, this week's recap before the episode is actually relevant, and Jason acts more like a human being, while Amy seems increasingly depraved. "Plaisir D'Amour" is pretty good, but the numerous loose ends that have been ignored are starting to get to me.

Final Score:  7.0   [ Good ]