TRUEBLOOD – “Bad Blood” AKA – “A Pack of Wolves” (3.01) -review

Sookie turns to Eric for help in finding Bill; Andy urges Jason to stay the course; Sam reconnects with his past; Tara seeks refuge from her grief.

The long awaited season three of TRUEBLOOD has arrived. I think it was great season opener and it dropped a few plot-lines, despite its title confusion. So lets break this down by character since last season and where they are headed now.

Bill & Sookie were off having a romantic dinner, and Bill proposed. Sookie returned from a monetarily restroom run to find her suitor gone. As season three begins Sookie is convinced that Bill has been kidnapped. She even has an emotional and powerful moment as she tells the Sheriff that Bill’s undead life is just as important as anyone else, and that he should be looking for Bill. Her desperation to find Bill takes her to Eric who despite his own misgivings agrees to help look for Bill. Still unsatisfied by the search for Bill, Sookie turns to Jessica for help in the hopes that she can locate her creator. The pair find a tattoo on one of Bill’s kidnappers resembling a rune symbolizing something about werewolves.  Meanwhile a kidnapped Bill escapes his ‘V” loving captors and eventually is able to feed and heal his wounds. This proves to be useful when he encounters a strange pack of wolves.

Andy & Jason are desperately trying to cover up the fact that Jason shot and killed Eggs, who savagely begged Andy to arrest him for multiple murders. Eggs, Tara’s once possessed boyfriend died last season finale not too long after Sookie released his blocked memories. Tara is distraught over Eggs death and in standard fashion takes it out on everyone and eventually ends up being consoled by her mother and her minister.  Despite care by her mother and Lafayette, Tara attempts to commit suicide. A very odd event even for her and almost a bit cheesy if you ask me. Meanwhile Jason and Andy make their plans to cover up the murder of Eggs with Andy taking the rap and Jason going back to his ways of having sex with strangers or as Andy puts it “being normal”. Andy expects his new role easily while Jason despite his best efforts, cannot get it on with a pair of willing women because he sees imaginary bullet holes in their heads. Jason and Tara being unstable is pretty much a given so there is no new ground being covered here, but let’s see where this season takes us.

Lafayette can’t cut a break after last season. Ever since he was held by Eric for dealing in “V’ he has had no short supply of it or Eric’s demands. Eric has been supplying Lafayette with “V” under orders from his Queen, Sofie-Anne and soon “V” becomes an issue for the Vampire Magistrate. Eric and his Queen manage to convince the Magistrate they will do all they can to uncover the “V” seller and their possible vampire supplier. Sofie-Anne tells Eric to sell off their remaining supply of “V” and her lack of concern regarding Bill’s whereabouts. Despite the fact he knows that Eric is a “V” supplier. These events send Pam straight to Lafayette who now must sell off a load of ‘V” in 24 hours.

Jessica continues to find her way as a vampire and to struggle in her relationship with Hoyt. She was last seen feeding on a trucker who she inadvertently kills and drags to Bill’s house. The only thing she can figure out to do is to try and revive the man with her own blood, which fails since he is dead. She also finds flowers left by Hoyt and even takes a call from him that is quickly overshadowed by a dead body now in her possession. Before she can dispose of the body, Sookie arrives to have Jessica help in the hunt for Bill. Meanwhile Hoyt has moved in with Jason and despite the overflow of female pleasures can only think of Jessica.

Sam who left last season to find his true parents has a homo-erotic dream starring Bill. Despite his odd dream Sam soon locates the whereabouts of his lost parents and the plot thickens. Not much to go on here and his dream with Bill is quite disjointed. Lets see where the writers are taking Sam this season.

Werewolves, ‘V” trafficking, Love affairs in turmoil, suicide, parental issues, kidnapping and one dead body all add up to one interesting season opener. I will reserve my in-depth coments until I view the next episode.

See you next week…for another viewing of this vampire drama.