Talk us through itSookie has spent the night with Bill and is in seventh heaven, a feeling not shared by her co-workers and the customers at Merlottes. Being this is Bon Temps the news of Sookie's upping the ante with Bill soon spreads with notable reactions from Arlene and Rene. To her credit Sookie isn't backward in defending her private life. Lettie Mae, Tara's alcoholic mother, is convinced she needs an exorcism and when Tara doesn't come forward with the cash Lettie hits the bank up for a loan with the expected results and embarrassment for Tara. We do eventually go the South's version of a back swamp exorcism, please note no possums were injured in the scene, and wait with some anticipation to see how that turns out next episode. And if that's not enough to get the motor running Malcolm, Liam, and Diane (the three vampires last seen in episode three) make the scene at Merlottes causing mayhem till Bill shows up and drags them away. Seems the vampires have got a place on the outskirts of Bon Temps, information that isn't lost on Royce and his two redneck mates. Meanwhile Jason is getting real antsy on scoring some "v juice" and Lafayette has to physically stop the out of control junkie from helping himself. Jason decides to hit Fangtasia but thankfully is saved from certain death by a young drifter named Amy, who introduces Jason to a whole new "v juice" experience.
ReviewAnother episode that attempts to cram more under the bonnet than a hotted up Impala while running with previous plot arcs and trying to deliver on a decent hour of entertainment. Things are getting complicated down Bon Temps way and the various Writers and Directors are trying to leverage more into each of the twelve episodes of season one than a normal show would attempt with twenty two odd outings. True Blood is one series where you need to pay attention to every scene as nothings being thrown onto the screen to pad out running time. Burning House Of Love is neatly framed by Sookie's thoughts on Bill, as the episode starts out well before turning into a nightmare for our gal. If we ever needed proof that the South isn't going to accept Vampires unilaterally then this episode delivers on that. One of the best cliff hangers of the season is delivered and once again viewers are going to be burning down churches if they stand in the way of them seeing how it pans out in episode eight. One of the strengths of True Blood is that things are not left hanging, Sookie will find out about Bill sometime next episode. Another development that I'm waiting on seeing the results of is Lettie Mae's exorcism. I was wondering what this might involve, and for sure the ceremony that's performed is pretty much as far removed from bedrooms in Georgetown as it's possible to get. This is more your backwards hoodoo affair with surprisingly rocks, a possum, and not much in the way of pyrotechnics. It's actually pretty effective in a sort of prime time exorcism fashion but the casting out of the demon into a possum was a good reference to Jesus and the herd of swine from Biblical sources. A touch of authenticity there for Christian leaning viewers. Whether or not Lettie Mae and Tara have been shrilled remains to be seen, but hey what's a minor demon or two in amongst the vampires between friends. Ominously, for Tara's cash funds, the old woman who performs Lettie Mae's exorcism thinks Tara needs one as well. The down home atmosphere is maintained throughout regardless of how improbable the situation is. Grounding the fantastic in the everyday nails it. Jason is well and truly addicted to "v juice" and Writer Chris Offutt touches all the required bases to bring that idea home. Besides trying to sell the family silver, Jason attempts to steal "v" from Lafayette, and is on a self destruct mission at Fangtasia. We assume at this stage, nothing's a given in True Blood, that Amy arrived at just the right time and may in a sort of hippy fashion keep Jason from doing something totally stupid. Though given Jason's batting average with girlfriends and psychotic killers one hopes that Amy has her life insurance paid up. More on Amy next episode, she likes American authentic, and for sure Jason fits that category in a blue collar fashion. Wait until Amy gets to meet the rest of Bon Temps residents. 
You have to wonder what the future holds for Royce and his crew, they have managed to alienate the gay community (well okay Lafayette), and clearly won't be guests of honour in the normal fashion at any vampire soiree. About the only group they haven't antagonised yet is the Afro American, though this is based on a lack of Jewish or Catholic demographics in Bon Temps. I have a feeling there's going to be a whole "what you sow so shall you reap" vibe happening somewhere down the track for Royce and his crew. Before I forget Sam Merlotte was spotting by Detective Andy and Terry running naked through the swamp. Since this goes down early in the morning I'm wondering if there was a full moon the night before. Actually thinking about it Sam can't be a werewolf as there would be a number of missing persons happening, that a resident lycan could blame the vampires for. What or who Sam actually is will no doubt get revealed in due course, but unfortunately I'm putting away the lupine tarot card. Of course Sam could simply have a few Roos bounding away in the top paddock. Adina Porter (Lettie Mae Thornton) has had limited screen time thus far but is becoming more noticeable as the season progresses. Porter did real well with the alcoholic scenes, the praise Jesus bible thumbing scenes, and pulls off the required emotive depth in a weird sort of fashion. I'm appreciating her work here and hopefully the character of Lettie Mae will be fleshed out over the rest of the season. 
Once again the soundtrack delivers on the Southern rock style offerings. I should mention I guess that I've actually not heard a lot of these tracks before but will definitely be hunting out the soundtrack CD as I'm grooving to the beat here. We get "Just like Heaven" The Watson Twins , The Swampires' "Rolex", Jeff Laine's "Frankie & Johnie", the excellently titled "Whiskey in My Whiskey" by The Felice Brothers, a touch of black grooves "Fuk Tha Prince a Pull Iz Dum", Japanther, Country Fried delivering on "Leaving", the improbably named The Knitters with the titular track, "Let It All Come Down" G. DaPonte, one I have heard before the Cowboy Junkies version of "Sweet Jane", and Cobra Verde hitting "Play With Fire" over the closing credits.
Summary ExecutionI was onboard the Burning House of Love groove train and had me a real good time with the episode. They are starting to cram a real lot into each episode, something I appreciate, and nothing is being left hanging in the air. True Blood is intelligent, sexy, and works for an adult audience with no interest in Stephenie Meyer's schlock. Each new episode has me appreciating the show more, and Burning House of Love was no exception.The pre-orders are being taken for True Blood season two with retailers aware that the next DVD set is going to sell hard in the opening few weeks. You can get all sorts of product enticements with the two picks for mine being ezyDVD's key ring and JB's tee. Naturally we'll wait on a half decent price, read going cheap, before committing. It's about this stage of the session that you really have to say if you haven't been following the events in Bon Temps then you are going to be left out in the cold. The show now relies on it's audience to know what has happened in previous episodes and to be aware of even minor characters. Advice here would be grab the DVDs of season one and get stuck in. For regular True Blood viewers, Burning House of Love is pretty much the best episode of the season thus far. Grab a beer at Merlottes and dial in.
ScaryMinds Rates this episode as ... Bring on the demons of the night, and anything else that goes bump.
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