TRUE BLOOD Season 3 Premiere ReCap

Network: HBO
Series: TRUE BLOOD
Episode:Season 3, Episode 1


The Pre-Show is an amazing tease and we're getting plenty of Eric Northman so far, which is a welcome change. As far as I'm concerned, Eric is the raison d'etre for The Sookie Stackhouse series. He's the ultimate badboy/hero. I'm a little apprehensive about how they'll portray him this season. They don't want to hook him up with Sookie too soon, especially since Alan Ball has a soft spot for Bill Compton, but I have mixed feelings about seeing him in sex scenes with anyone other than a fangbanger. In my head, Eric owns Fangtasia so his meals come to him, and he doesn't have relationships - he gets his meals and fucks from people whose names he barely knows.

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Sookie runs out of the restaurant looking for Bill.


Jason is freaking out because he shot Eggs, and Andy tells him to run.

Tara is crying over Eggs as the sheet he's covered with develops a red stain from the bullet wound in his forehead. This does not bode well - I think Tara is going to have a rough season where her man plan is concerned.



Jessica finds Hoyt's flowers and smiles, then drags a body into the house. Poor Hoyt.

OK, Bill is obviously in serious trouble. He was just stabbed by two guys who said to call them the "fuck you crew." There seem to be four guys, and they have a silver garrotte around Bill's neck as he's held between two of them in the back seat of his car.

OPENING CREDITS - same as the last two seasons, they have nothing to do with the actual show, and are just as ugly as they could possibly make them.

Sookie is giving Kenya the details of the kidnapping, but Kenya is not being sympathetic because she thinks Bill got mad and left. She tells Sookie that she has to wait 48 hours before they can look for him. Exasperated, Sookie gets into the squad car for a ride back to town.

Merlotte's: Arlene is giving her statement to Sheriff Bud Dearborn. Andy Bellefleur is nervous about claiming he killed Eggs instead of Jason. His cousin Terry is sharing some battlefield wisdom about the first kill and telling himself that he is still capable of good even though he killed someone, and they say they love each other, though I think Andy said it just to shut Terry up. The Sheriff says he's ready for Andy's statement, but Tara and Arlene get into a fight that starts out about Eggs and becomes about race. Arlene says "I'm sorry you fell in love with a serial killer, but honestly, who here hasn't?" We have to wonder if there's going to be a serial killer to fall in love with this season to join the ranks of Rene and Eggs. Do we get one per season?  Lafayette says the Sheriff can find them later at Sookie's house and takes Tara, and a bottle of tequila,  out of there.

Sookie arrives at Bill's house, where Jessica is dealing with a trucker she drank too much from. She's trying to get him to live, tells him she can't take him to the hospital and he calls her a whore. She agrees, then shoves him in a closet as she sees Sookie come in. She says that Bill asked her to marry him, but she didn't say yes, but Bill has been kidnapped and to call her if she hears from him. Jessica goes back to dealing with her dinner. She bites her wrist and holds it to his mouth.

Back to Bill in the car, where his kidnappers are draining him and getting high on his blood in ways so gross I can't bring myself to describe them. Alan Ball doesn't shy away from the ugly, unfortunately, and proves once again that guys don't understand the vampire thing. Bill is trying to talk to his captors, who are tripping on his blood,  and tells them that if they have orders to keep him alive, they're about to fail because if they keep draining him at the rate they are, he will die.

Cut to Jason's house, and Andy and Jason are trying to get their stories about killing Eggs straight. Andy tells Jason "conscience off, dick on and everything will be allright." I'm wondering if they sell "less conscience, more cojones" t-shirts on the web site yet?

Sookie's at Fangtasia and Pam is making advances to her, to which Sookie replies she's in no mood for any "lesbian weirdness" right now and demands to see Eric. Pam says "he's indisposed," so Sookie runs down to the basement, Pam following and sarcastically pretending to try to stop her, and she stops cold when she sees Eric naked. He's got the new dancer, Yvetta, suspended by her arms and is fucking her hard, vampire style. Sookie says "Holy Eff!" Eric looks up and says "Sookie - see anything you like?" but he's obviously not happy she's here at this moment. Sookie tries not to react as he introduces her to Yvetta who barely manages to say 'hi'. He walks over to Sookie naked and she accuses him of kidnapping Bill and asks where he was earlier. He tells her he's been fucking Yvetta all night. Sookie asks "for the last six hours?" to which Eric replies "you seem surprised. Bill's stamina not up to snuff?" He's daring her to find out how much better he is, and it's awesome. She then tells him it might have been Lorena, and he says that he's duty-bound as Sheriff of Area 5 to find Bill, if he was in fact kidnapped, even though  "I do want what is his." The look he gives Sookie is smoldering, hungry and sad as he looks her over. You have to wonder what's going through her head - Eric is saying he wants her, and she has stark proof in front of her what that might mean.  Sookie tells him "then do it," and that he still owes her $10,000. She takes a last look at an exhausted, spreadeagled, naked Yvetta and leaves. That's an image that's going to stay with her. The contrast between Sookie, in a delicate lavender dress with her hair done up, and the naked, exausted dancer, could not be more extreme and Eric is standing between them, but his eyes are following Sookie.

Bill's captors are high on V, and he reaches forward and breaks the driver's neck, causing a car accident. Bill seems to be the only one who makes it out of the car. He calls Jessica, but she doesn't know what the feeling means and is still preoccupied with how to get rid of this guy's body.

Sookie gets home, Lafayette tells her about Eggs being killed. Tara is a wreck, and Sookie makes the mistake of telling her she helped Eggs rememeber what he did. Tara attacks her and Sookie throws her out as Lafayette apologizes.

Eric is furious, and screaming "how could you fail me?" into a headset and it turns out he's talking about Bill.  The kidnappers Eric sent got to the restaurant too late and Bill was already gone. Pam is telling Eric, who is walking around bare-chested in an open red satin robe,  much to our delight, to call the Queen about the fact that whomever Eric sent to kidnap Bill has lost him, reminding him that Bill is the only vampire that can connect him to the Queen's blood trade. Pam tells him he'd better tell the Queen they have a problem before someone else does, but they disagree.

Bill shows up at a motel in Arkansas, where Sam is staying, explaining he could find him because he's had his blood. Bill asks to use Sam's shower, takes the shirt off Sam's back, then invites Sam into the shower with him. Bill is turned on by Sam?! They're almost kissing?! Sam's cell phone rings - it was a dream?! Damned vampire blood! Sam's call has info about his real parents, but it's too soft to really hear. That's a big "fail" for the sound engineers.

Hoyt and Jason are working on the road crew and Hoyt is complaining about his mama lying to him about his father's suicide. Jason takes Maxine's side and says that if you really want to fuck up someone's life, tell the truth about them, "they ain't ever gonna be the same." Hoyt is hinting around for a place to stay, which is going right over Jason's head, then, exasperated, he asks if he can crash with Jason or not.  Jason quickly agrees, though it was a "nasty way to ask." Hoyt's expression is priceless.

Tara's mom comes to Lafyette's house asking how Tara is. Lafayette reminds her that she shot a gun at him, so they won't be building any bridges between them again. He tells her to keep her eyes off god and on her effing daughter because she shouldn't be left alone. He tells her he'll be back by midnight and leaves.

Sookie is at the Sheriff's office begging for help in finding Bill. He says he's got dead humans piling up and he can't spare the resources. She lays her best guilt trip on him and leaves.

Sam is at a gas station looking for Tommy Mickens, but the boy, who has TOMMY embroidered on his shirt,  lies to him and says he quit several months back.

Lettie Mae has a preacher talking to Tara, who is despondent, staring, not moving or even registering their presence. You have to wonder how Lafayette would feel about her calling in a preacher, since it was the exorcism that created all the trouble. The preacher is telling Tara that all this tragedy happened to bring her back to her mama, and her mama says it's just the two of them together from now on. Tara couldn't look more hopeless or dead-eyed.

Bill is coming up out of the ground, having sheltered in the woods for the night. What did he do with his clothes?

Jessica wakes up with a corpse - she tried to turn him so he wouldn't die, but it didn't work. She runs to answer the phone, expecting Bill, but it's Hoyt wanting to see her. As much as she'd love to see him, she refuses him because she's got to do something with this body.

Eric is staring at a dancer (Yvetta? She looks different every time I see her.) intently when in walks the Queen and the Magister. The Queen tells Eric his office is bugged and that she's the one who bugged it, so he should close the club since they want to speak privately. The Queen orders everyone out, but wants the dancer to stay. The Magister says no humans. The Magister says that any use of blood for anything other than procreation is blasphemy, which makes me wonder how he feels about blood bonds. He explains that he knows a vampire is selling vampire blood and asks how many in Area 5 have disappeared.  Eric lies and says "none."  The Magister orders Eric to investigate and expects results, which Eric promises to deliver.

Arlene is at Merlotte's, and realizes she's pregnant again because she can smell the tiny bit of cinnamon Lafayette put in the chili. Jason is at a table with two girls on their way to  veterinary school and tries to get Hoyt to join them. They say they specialize in canine psychology. (That might come in handy if they run into a pack of Weres. I'm just sayin'...) They're laughing at how dumb Jason is, but say they'll follow Jason to his house. Hoyt is reluctant, but Jason tells him he's going to have to deal with the"pussy overflow" if he's going to be his roommate.

The Magister tells Eric and the Queen that this kind of "moral anarchy" - a vampire selling vampire blood - cannot be tolerated and the perpetrator would have to be made an example. He leaves and Eric and the Queen are alone. He tells her that Bill Compton, the one who can turn them in, has been kidnapped. The Queen says "then let him rot," and  she orders Eric to sell all the blood they have on hand, even if it's at half price.  Eric objects, then the Queen throws him against the wall and makes it clear that she expects him to do what she wants. She says the IRS is after her and she needs cash - "Hell hath no fury like a Queen broke."

Pam shows up at Sookie's house and gives her a check for more than Eric owed her, then Pam gets a shiver as Eric calls her. Sookie gets the idea to get Jessica to call Bill and runs back to his house.

Terry looks into Sam's office and asks if he and Arlene are still getting together that night. She says she needs to focus on her kids. I'd be upset at the prospect of having a kid with Terry Bellefleur, too. He's cute, but not wrapped too tightly and she's already got Coby and Lisa to worry about.

Pam tells Lafayette to sell all the V he's got by tomorow. He says he can't and she tells him she doesn't want to hear his problems - she'll be back for the money tomorrow. She also says she's not a hooker, because that was "a long time ago." I hope they don't ruin this character.

Bill is stumbling down the road in the middle of nowhere, not knowing where he is, but sees a house with the lights on.

Sookie questions Jessica about feeling any shivers and realizes that Bill did try to call her. She drags Jessica out of the house, not knowing she has a body to dspose of, though she does ask what the awful smell is. I can't believe Sookie doesn't know what a dead body smells like by this time.

Bill is at an old lady's door. He asks to use her phone, and the poor almost blind thing says she had to choose between the phone and her oxygen, and since no one calls her anyway, she chose the oxygen. Only in America. She asks Bill if he's hungry and he attacks her.

Reverend Daniels is leaving and Lettie Mae is being too familiar with him. She obviously has a thing for him.  Tara thanks him and says she's going to take a shower. She starts the water but is despondent and we can tell she's just not right as she locks the door and sits down staring into space.

Sam is in his truck, following someone - the guy from the service station. Tommy goes into the house calling his mama, so Sam knows he lives there.  Sam looks in their mailbox and finds out they are the Mickens after all.

Back at Jason's house - he can't get it up, but the other girl, who can't get Hoyt's mind off Jessica, joins them. Jason still can't get it up, even with the two girls making out with each other. They have a confernence over his manhood - like, literally, right over it -  that's pretty funny. The Billy Squier track playing in the background (Everybody Wants You) is a nice touch. He tells them that every time he looks at them, he sees big bullet holes in their heads. That finally weirds them out enough to make them leave.

Bill is glamourig the old lady, whose name is Olivia. He leaves money with her telling her it's from her son, Stanley, and finds out that he's in Mississippi. Bill hears a wolf call, and takes off.

Lafayette gets home,  finds out Tara is in the bathroom alone,  and tries to break the door down as we see her swallowing pills.

Jessica and Sookie find Bill's car with a body in it. He has a tattoo that they find, using their phone, refers to "Operation Werewolf." Sookie is less than thrilled with the idea of werewolves.

Bill is in the woods, surrounded by angry and hungry wolves. Bill tells them "I should warn you, I fed" and pops his fangs. End of show.


**SPOILERS**

The previews for next week go too quickly, but we do see Eric telling Sookie that his loyalty is not to Bill and that he's better off if he doesn't come back. Later we see him telling her to invite him in as if it's urgent. I'm praying that means that Eric is going to be honest with Sookie and that he has to come to her rescue. Jason regrets letting Andy have the glory for killing Eggs. Lafayette is carrying Tara out of the house, cursing at Lettie Mae for letting her take an overdose. Later we hear Lafayette say that there's darkness in their family. Sam apparently comes face to face with his family, but Tommy's got a big gun. Bill seems to be holding his own with the wolves.  There's more I didn't catch though I watched it several times.

Everything is amped up this season. The cuts from scene to scene are quicker, because they've got so many stories going on, and I don't like it, but I think I'd better get used to it. They're not going to let us savor much this season if this is any indication.

They showed a Post Mortem after the show about using real wolves to film this season, so the only CGI in the wolves we saw surrounding Bill was the glow in their eyes. Stephen Moyer says he's not afraid of filming with them. I've petted wolves under somewhat controlled conditions, but you have to be crazy not to be afraid of them. A wild animal is always wild, even if they're hand raised by humans. I like the fact that the werewolves are going to be actual wolves, though, not some fake superwolf or human hybrid. As a predator, they don't need any enhancement, they're as deadly as can be just as they are.

I'm an avid Eric and Sookie fan, so a lot of the storylines seem superfluous to me. I'm not that interested in Sam's family of origin, though I like both the character and the actor. I can't stand the Lettie Mae storyline, though I do love Lafayette and Tara and their relationship with Sookie and would like to see more of it. I hope they don't waste a lot of time on Arlene and Terry Bellefleur or Jason and Andy. I'd like to see Hoyt and Jessica get back together, but she's still got a body in the crawl space so that's going to drag out for a while. And, like Eric, it's advantageous to me if Bill doesn't come back, unless they want to hook him up with Pam. I do think Lorena is about to make an appearance, though, so maybe his journey will take a little detour before he makes it home. We got a hint that he may ask not to be found, and that would certainly indicate Lorena is back.

I want more of Pam - we only get little glimpses of her and she's got a lot of potential, though they've hinted they might go in a direction with her I would't like.

There is never enough naked Viking. It will be interesting to see how they handle the relationship with Sookie, though we know there's a major monkey wrench by the name of Alcide coming to town.

So, what do you think so far? Was it worth the wait?

Read my Eric & Sookie fan fiction at:
http://www.fanfiction.net/~morgaineswann

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