Spoiler Alert!!
Season 5 of the HBO cult classic True Blood premiered last night and fans around the globe were treated to a number of twists and turns in Bon Temps. The episode entitled “Turn! Turn! Turn!” did just that, picking up exactly where we left off last summer, while also offering up some new storylines and new characters that are sure to have a significant effect on the small Louisiana town and its inhabitants.
If you remember, Season 4 ended in dramatic fashion with Sookie (Anna Paquin) holding her best friend Tara’s (Rutina Wesley) lifeless body in her arms. Tara literally took a bullet for Sookie, saving her from a shotgun blast delivered at the hands of the jealous werewolf Debbie Pelt (Brit Morgan). Fast forward to season 5 where we see the duo on the blood soaked floor of Sookie’s house, and Sookie is doing everything within her power to save her friend’s life. Calling out for help, you would assume Eric (Alexander Skarsgård) or Bill (Stephen Moyer) would come to the rescue…
Nope, Tara’s fate conveniently falls in to the hands of Pam (Kristin Bauer van Straten), who has arrived at the homestead looking for Eric, her maker. With the dry sarcasm that we’ve grown to know and love from the vamp, Pam sees the bloody mess and says, "Color me impressed; you guys know how to party." Clearly Tara is not going to survive, so Sookie and Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis), who answered Sookie’s cries for help, convince Pam to turn Tara into a vampire, a being that Tara could never stand. Later, Tara emerges fangs out and headed straight for best friend Sookie's jugular - as it were.
Meanwhile, Rev. Steve Newlin (Michael McMillian), the Fellowship of the Sun leader from Season 2 shows up at Jason Stackhouse’s (Ryan Kwanten) door sporting a sharp set of fangs and a new lease on life. He comes out to Jason saying, “I'm a gay vampire American, and I love you Jason Stackhouse.” Just as Jason is letting him down gently, Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll), the scorching redhead bursts in proclaiming, “Jason is mine!” Newlin leaves and Jessica whips off her coat, revealing a pretty amazing lingerie number, now who could resist that offer?
The next night love-struck Jason shows up at Jessica’s home (Bill Compton’s residence) and walks in on a party that Jessica is throwing. Jason, rightly assumes that he is hers, and looks for affection right away. Jessica rejects him and says that she just wants to remain friends with benefits.
Poor Jason…
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Cut to Bill and Eric. In last season’s finale, the frenemy vamps killed Nan Flanigan (Jessica Tuck), the powerful spokeswoman for the authority (American Vampire League). So now they are vigorously working to clean up their mess when they begin to sense that Sookie is in distress. Eric doesn’t want to answer the call, having been hurt by her decision to stay single for a while. But Bill, and eventually Eric, rush to the home, where they run right into the authority’s silver net.
They are taken to a holding area but are quickly rescued by Eric’s sister-by-maker, and authority chancellor, Nora (Lucy Griffiths). Nora, a hot new vamp this season, jumps Eric and the pair have crazy sex within earshot of Bill.
Once they finish, Nora gives Bill and Eric the green light to take off, but they would have to leave the state and all they know. She gives them new identities, Bill is now Marcellus Clark and Eric is Ike Applebaum. And they definitely need to take their new names and get out of dodge because Russell Edginton (Dennis O’Hare), the old Vampire King of Mississippi, is actually alive and looking to avenge his lover, Talbot’s (Theo Alexander) demise, and his own attempted murder.
So, we’ve taken care of the vamps, now on to the werewolves…
Sam (Sam Trammell) is on the run because he has taken responsibility for the murder of the local pack leader, Marcus (Daniel Buran). It was actually Alcide (Joe Manganiello) who was responsible, but Sam wants to protect him as Alcide came to his rescue at the end of last season. Sam’s girlfriend and Marcus’ ex, Luna (Janina Gavankar, Papi from The L Word), doesn’t think taking responsibility is a good idea because she knows that the group will stop at nothing to avenge their fallen leader.
The wolves catch up to Sam and it seems that he is a goner when Martha (Dale Dickey), Marcus’ mother, makes her entrance. She needs Sam to lead her to her son’s remains because the pack members need to consume their fallen pack master in a crazy werewolf ritual. Just as Sam’s beating, and the devouring of the corpse begins, Alcide arrives to claim responsibility.
The premiere episode was full of humans, vamps, werewolves, shape shifters and witches, but what remains to be seen is which group will emerge as the most dominant this season. Last season Sookie’s BFF Tara returned from a stint in New Orleans as a MMA fighter who fell in love with one of her female opponents played by Vedette Lim. We’ll just have to wait and see what’s in the cards for Tara’s love life now that she’s a vamp.
Be sure to tune in Sunday nights at 9:00 pm on HBO.
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