Talk us through itSookie drops in on Bill Compton one evening with the details of some local Electricians who are prepared to do some night work. Unfortunately Bill has some guests in the form of three viscous Vampires who aren't interested in the whole "coming out of the coffin" thing. Bill manages to keep everything under control, though he is out gunned in the fang department, and Sookie is not best pleased. Trouble in romance-ville kids, would that make Sookie into necrophilia? Meanwhile Tara walks out on her alcoholic mother after getting crowned with a vodka bottle and ends up sleeping with bar owner Sam Merlotte. And just to keep the flames of passion well and truly thriving in Bon Temps Jason is all over Dawn Green, well until he finds out she also slept with a vampire that leads to complications in the wedding tackle department for our redneck Cassanova. Thankfully for Jason Lafayette has just what he needs to make him feel better. Unfortunately in the interim Dawn has become victim number two as Sookie discovers. Wonder who will get the blame?
Review"Hepatitis D is the only blood born pathogen to which we are susceptible. Malcolm must be furious" - Bill Compton.The third episode of True Blood kicks into gear immediately after the cliff hanger in episode two, Sookie being confronted by three vicious vampires who look about ready to take a withdraw from the blood bank. It's Vampire Bill to the rescue there, and in one hell of a well constructed scene we are introduced to the fact that the older the vampire the more powerful it is, Bill isn't top predator here but does push the limits, "Sookie is mine!", in a display of protectiveness towards Sookie that comes across well. Bill knows his place in the hierarchy but isn't prepared to let undead vampires suck, well at least not on our Southern Belle. Sookie of course has a few surprises of her own, all three visiting night creatures are shocked to learn that "glamming" doesn't work on her, especially Malcolm after giving it the good old night college try. And she is able to deduce that cabana boy has "Hep D" via her mind reading abilities. Interestingly only one of the three out of towners wonders how Sookie knew this. Sookie comes across as a strong character able to stand her ground and not be overwhelmed by the whole vampire thing. Though for the first time in the season she does begin to question her relationship with Bill, and the inherent dangers in being in that relationship. Frack me I'm starting to sound like a chick discussing the latest happenings in a daytime soap over here. Okay strained relationship between Bill and Sookie, ask your sister if you want more details I'll be watching the rugby and drinking beer. On the bright side of the crucifix we learn there is a hierarchy among vampires, with higher authorities, and that a nest of vampires invariably turns mean and nasty. Stay tuned for developments along those plot pointers kids. This show is actually well crafted with ideas introduced that will have a bearing latter in the season I would imagine. With episode three things are being ramped up toward a cajun cookout of blood, sex, and just for the hell of it more blood. Lafayette is one busy dude and you have to wonder when he gets any spare time to work on his fabled website. During the day the flamboyant one works on the local road gang, which he enjoys due to the muscle tone it gives him, during the night he works as a short order cook for Sam Merlotte, he's the local drug supplier, and to top things off scores some green by being a rent boy. This character is wearing way too many hats and the script writers really do need to tone down his activities to something believable. On the bright side Lafayette does sell a test tube of "v juice" to the ever susceptible Jason Stackhouse with the proviso that he'll only need a drop or two in order to go into Viagra mode. We already know from episode two that any ingestion of vamp blood also heightens the senses and puts the "h" into horny. Anyone not know where this is likely to go? I'm just waiting on the results folks, Jason is not going to keep it to a drop or two. Meanwhile in other developments, soap opera time again folks, Tara has had enough of her alcoholic mum and in one strange development leaps into the sack with Sam. Not entirely sure where that relationship is going, though ironically Sam is smitten by Sookie and Tara has always had feelings for Jason. Are things about to get a lot more complex? 
The show wraps with yet another murder of a young lady who has previously done the wild thing with a vamp she meet in a vampire orientated bar. Unfortunately for Sookie she finds the body, and in a development no one didn't see coming Jason is once again in the middle of things. Ladies if in Bon Temps, don't sleep with Jason it's a death sentence pure and simple. While we all know Jason isn't the culprit here he's going to have a pretty hard time convincing the law of his innocence, especially considering the argument and gun shots witnessed by a neighbour the previous evening. I'm looking forward to episode four, it promises to be a hoot and a holler. Over the course of the first couple of episodes the major characters have been introduced, the conflicts given some air time, and the underlying comparison to the black civil rights movement of the 1960s has been established. Yes I'm expecting True Blood to be a hit with the bleeding heart crowd and the chardonnay socialists, who will read all manner of bollocks into it. With Mine the action has been cranked up a notch and the careful ground work laid in the previous episodes is now seeing some foundations being poured. The show is steamier than a Russian bathhouse, has a comedy underside that had me chuckling, and isn't afraid to throw in the darker notions. You won't find any emo sparkling vampires in this series, the resident fang gang are predators and happy with their inner blood lust. Rutina Wesley (Tara), keeping up our actor profiles here, is amazingly good as the sassy chick who takes most things in her stride. I'm really enjoying Wesley's work and am hoping we don't have the standard horror reduction of ethnic minorities ahead of us. If anyone from HBO is reading, Rutina Wesley rocks my world, please keep Tara alive and well. Just a note before we wrap, hell yeah the show is full of T&A (starting with the opening credits), but exploitation is being avoided and the various hot spots are used to advance the plot in a meaningful way. Sexually active ladies who have had a vampire interlude are being killed; ladies and gentlemen we have a deranged Dexter in the house.
Summary ExecutionWell I for one dug episode three and am now itching to get my fangs into the fourth outing in the True Blood world. Things are coming to the boil, we have some intriguing story arcs, and I'm left wondering about the motivations of Mr. Bill Compton. Vampires and Serial Killers, things just got interesting down in the swamp.We're only a few weeks away from the release of season two, which must be well anticipated given the amount of advertising it's receiving, so I'm going to up the rate that I review season one to try and be ready for when those shiny new discs land on my desktop. Hold onto your linen kids I'm going into second gear, starting next week, I'm starting to think that True Blood is about the best current horror show on the idiot box after Dexter. It has enough forbidden love for the ladies to tune in and catch, Vampire Bill has the added advantage of being able to brood better than Angel, and the T&A sandwich in with the horror themes is going to have duders firing up the beers and high fiving their mates. Something for everyone, not often we get to say that, and a welcome diversion. Have a Bon time folks, Merlots are open and ready to serve you.
ScaryMinds Rates this episode as ... Vampires that have teeth to with their bark.
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