"True Blood's" Dynamic Trio

HOLLYWOOD—Sunday night's episode of "True Blood" was titled "Frenzy." With characters running in every direction and the storyline going solidly in the direction of the demonic Maenad, Maryann, played brilliantly by the talented Michelle Forbes. Fans finally are getting to learn the secrets of this diabolical woman. A maenad is a female follower of the Greek god Dionysus. Who knew that could be so deadly? Maryann's rein of terror over the town of Bon Temps is coming to a bloody conclusion. However, it will not be this week.

As the episode began Bill Compton played by Stephen Moyer was at the palace of the Queen of the Vampires in Louisiana, who is nothing short of over the top, beautiful and kinky to say the least. She's a strong woman who has a mind of her own and it's fascinating to see how Alan Ball can bring in new characters who interact so well with the other characters in the storyline. This lady is powerful and intelligent. After toying with Bill like a cat does a mouse, she finally explained how to kill a maenad. Maryann has to be close to killing her own prey before you can do so, which left Bill worried about Sookie, who is in a grave bit of danger as well.

Sookie and Lafayette were keeping Tara hostage while Tara managed to convince her mother to help her escape so that she could get back to the love of her life, Eggs and save him from whatever Maryann had planned. Tara's mother has never been a role model or a strong person. She's spent years drinking and neglecting her child. These weaknesses in Mrs. Thornton is what Tara used in order to convince her mother to help her escape. Her mother pulled a rifle on Lafayette and Sookie and demanded that they let her daughter go. Lafayette immediately struggled with post traumatic stress and began seeing vampire Eric's face. Eric held Lafayette in a dungeon for weeks while feeding off of him earlier this season. Lafayette seeing a gun pointed at him became weak and timid.

Once Tara escaped Sookie threw an object at Mrs. Thornton hitting her on the side of her head and then she and Lafayette ran to hopefully stop and save Tara from becoming Maryann's minion again. While Hoyt and his mother Maxine left Jessica heartbroken and in bloody tears. Jessica could not stop herself from biting Maxine who in the previous episode was very cruel to her. Hoyt had been the love of Jessica's life and he turned on her when he realized that she could not control her vampire urges and attacking his mother was the final straw. While back home Hoyt battled with his mother who was determined to head for Maryann's to see the arrival of "the god who comes." Still under Maryann's possession she told Hoyt that his father had not been killed by a robber decades earlier, that he'd committed suicide and was a whining coward. Those words crushed Hoyt who had grown up believing his father was a hero who was killed trying to save his family. Some fans were not very impressed by Queen Sophie. Colleen Squeglia Tarara said, "I thought this episode was good. I am extremely excited that it's nothing like the books, because I am in suspense every time I watch. I was a little disappointed with the way Rachel [Wood] is acting, but I'm sure it will get better with time. She's suppose to be a young adolescent and so she's acting like one [sic]." While Jean Summers questioned, "I know she's only 15, but could Dakota Fanning have played Queen Sophie-Anne better?" I happen to disagree with most people. I thought Ms. Wood was excellent in the role and offered an upbeat, offbeat nymph type demeanor to a role that we all would have been expecting regal and elegant since she is a Majesty in the series. I think director Daniel Minahan handled it perfectly this evening with a new actress coming on at the end of the season who has to be different yet still fit perfectly in her new spot amongst the other characters. If the show had one deficit it was the bad language. Sure it's fine to use a bad word in the dialog from time to time. Though tonight fans were taken aback by the overuse of such vulgar language. Bobby Head who is a devoted follower of the show and by no means a prude tells Canyon News, "Tommy, I watched the show Sunday night. The storyline was fine, but I never heard so much cursing since 'Deadwood' went off the air. It was like the writers were too lazy to put decent dialog in the script, so they just threw in the 'F' word every chance they got." Other fans felt the same way. It's the end of the season and maybe the producers and writers are riding high on the popularity but laziness in this manner fans don't like very much or appreciate. Bill was finally able to break away from Queen Sophie when Eric arrived, but the two men had a very tense moment when Bill admitted to Eric that he knew who had started Lafayette back to selling V. Eric thought his secret was safe and the expression on actor Alexander Skarsgard's face was amazing. Eric is angry and feels betrayed. Bill went on back to Bon Temps where things are in a true frenzy. The town's residents including Sheriff Dearborne played brilliantly by character actor William Sanderson are all running around in a trance with eyes blackened with evil. Maryann was furious that her minions had stupidly been fooled into believing they were turning over Sam to "the god that comes" last episode, when they were only turning him over to Deputy Andy and Jason Stackhouse who were in disguise as the god that comes. When she got furious with them, there was a high pitch sound she emitted from her mind and they were sent screaming and crying into the other room like kindergartners running away from spinach. Jason and Andy had very poignant scenes as they prepared for the holy war which they are embarking on against Maryann. Ryan Kwanten as Jason Stackhouse only improves by each episode. He was very funny on Sunday night when Sam Merlotte played by Sam Trammell explained his abilities as a shape shifter. "You mean you can turn into any animal?" said Jason. "Yes, once I imprint on them," said Sam. "That's cool," stated Jason. Fans were in hysterics over how Kwanten an Aussie has adapted and mastered playing the southern American redneck to perfection. Sookie arrived at her home which Maryann has taken over as her coven to the surprise that Tara has been taken over once again by Maryann. Sookie watched in horror as Tara and Eggs showed signs of demonic possession while dancing around her bedroom. Then a hand on her right shoulder. Lafayette who earlier had shot at Maryann, who blocked the bullet with her bare hand was able to take possession of Lafayette as well as everyone else in town. The episode ended to a horrified Sookie viewing Lafayette's black eyes. Fans are excited about the ending. This week "True Blood" takes Sunday night off. But on September 13 the season finale arrives. Who will be Maryann's sacrifice? Will it be Sam, Sookie or Lafayette? I am not telling. You'll have to watch HBO to find out. Source: Tommy Garrett Canyon News (Photo credit: HBO, Link 81 Collection)

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