“True Blood” Weekly Lowdown: Trouble

Five episodes in, this is shaping up to be the best True Blood season so far.   Yeah, I said it.

I'm sure Franklin became everyone's favorite new character last night.  He had Tara tied up, this time to a chair, in Russell's mansion.  In an incredibly creepy way, he really likes her. Telling Russell that heand Tara are like twins, "This one is spectacularly different."  The way Russell keeps tying her up is both sexy and crazy.  Finding Tar's phone, and the text messages from a concerned Lafayette, he lovingly asks what he should text him back, "Look at how fast I can type motherf***er."  Oh Franklin, I love you.  Even though you're batcrap crazy.

When Tara escapes, as so many of my lovely Twitter friends said, like a "runaway slave", she is caught by Coot.  Franklin is way too upset over her trying to leave, "I feel like I've been staked!"  (Eggs was never that needy.)

Favorite scene of the night:  When Tara reminds him that she is human, he takes her to Shoney's for a special meal. He then suggests that the solution to their problems is that he turn her into a vampire.  Don't do it girl!

The always bitchy Talbot doesn't like the new guests, but he does like Eric being there.  Eric doesn't know that Bill is already there, although you'd think he would.  He decides to stay after Russell promises to try to save Pam from the Magister.  How good did he look in that baby blue sweater?  I bet he got it at United Colors of Benetton.  While Talbot shows him around, "boys only", Eric notices a crown and flashes back to his life before he became a vampire.  Sitting with his parents his father tells him "You can't spend your life between a woman's legs."  Well, he certainly didn't listen to him. We see that Russell had his family killed and that's why Eric doesn't trust him, or the werewolves. Russell questions Bill over the folder Franklin found at his home, specifically asking about why he needs to know about Sookie's genealogy. Coot tells Bill that Sookie is sleeping with Alcide and then Bills lays the smack down. Aww, he still loves her.

Sookie wakes up to Alcide and Debbie fighting.  This woman and her 80's hair, why?!  A girl fight between her and Sookie would be hilarious, "You're f***ing my wolf, bitch!"  I need that on a t-shirt.  After Alcide gets rid of her they go see Colonel Flood who tells them that Russell has been using the wolves for centuries and that he's too powerful to defeat.  Finally getting away from Russell, Bill finds Sookie at Alcide's and tells her that it's too late for him, but that she should leave as soon as possible.  Of course she doesn't have time to because Coot, Russell and that bald bodyguard burst him and we see another one of Sookie's powers.

Jason shows up for work at the sheriff's office but does nothing more than make a paper clip limbo bar and get ink all over himself. Without the vampires, wolves and other supernatural creatures, Bon Temps is actually pretty boring.  Andy puts him in charge of washing a cruiser, this is where he sees Crystal again. Pulling her over, shirtless, he tells her to meet him at Merlotte's later that night. I'm not really feeling this girl--Jason, you can do better.

Meanwhile, Terry moves in with Arlene and he couldn't be happier. "It's what normal people do Sam, they fall in love."  Sam's family moves in with him. We get a hint that Joe Lee may be using Tommy in dog fights.  It's nice that  he and Sam are becoming close, and so are he and Jessica.  Hoyt comes in with a date and Jessica has to play the jealous ex.  Not before glamouring a couple not to tip Arlene. Tommy tells her that she can do better and that Hoyt "looks like he got bombed by radiation on his way to middle school."  Way to step up your game.

After teaching Tommy about cigars, Lafeyette sees Jesus and panics a little because he thinks his mother has died.  Turns out, Jesus is just there to see him.  How pretty did Lafayette look in his gold eyeshadow and headscarf? You betta WORK! He seemed so shy talking to Jesus, it was kind of weird for him to be out of his hookah element.  This might be the first guy that Lafayette has ever been into in a real way.  After watching him serve up burgers, they play the sexiest game of pool I have ever seen.  I'm liking where this is headed. Lafayette needed a break from taking care of Tara and pushing V.

I enjoyed this episode so much more than the last one.  I'm excited to see where Lafayette and Jesus' along with Tommy and Jesssica's relationships go.  Sam's storyline is really starting to pick up, and more Franklin!

Bon Temps is full of sexy, good news.

Photos: HBO.com