TRUE BLOOD 5X10 Gone Gone Gone review

After last week’s slightly underwhelming episode, we’re moving back on track toward the ultimate face-off between humans and vampires. And Russell Edgington is leading the charge of the [dark] brigade! We knew it would be just a matter of time before he put his foot down and sang his own praises, not Lilith’s.

What We Enjoyed

Did the opening scene with Mike asking to be let into Sookie’s house remind any other watchers of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” the movie? Specifically the part where David Arquette hovers outside Luke Perry’s window, begging to come inside. (Speakeasy saw this movie at too young an age, we think, and has been fascinated.traumatized by vampires ever since).

Every time Maxime Fortenberry comes back on this show we cannot contain our delight, especially when she doesn’t “care for California” but does approve of the eponymous mattress size.

Russell and Steve Newlin are slow dancing to Katy Perry. Has there been a better moment in all of “True Blood”? It’s always a treat when the show weaves in appropriate pop cultural references, and this one, with lyrics like “we’ll be young forever,” suited the moment just right. More of this, please.

The heartbreaking Hoyt scene that verged on “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” territory. His pleading to Jess to make him forget her? Her aquiesing and telling him his new Alaskan gal will be his first love? Killer. Anyone else tear up here? We’re secretly hoping for a reunion wherein Jess follows him to Alaska, pretends to be a fisherwoman (or perhaps a dancer on a cruise ship?) and bumps into him on the street. He won’t know who she is but they’ll fall in love AGAIN and start anew in Juneau and be relatively left alone because we feel like vampires are hanging out in Prague and London and not in Alaska.

On a related note, Jason’s actually a good cop! Who ever would have thought? Later, we get a glimpse of Jason’s vulnerable side when he flags Hoyt down in his car and tries to hold onto him. Can’t ignore the strains of “Heart and Souls” in this one (readers, if you haven’t seen that movie, in which Robert Downey Jr. fulfills the wishes of dead people with unfinished business, you are depriving yourselves).

Great scene with the academic. “Why does my ex-wife name her toes?” is a line we will be entering into our conversations beginning tomorrow.

Russell taking over and speaking in his original accent. “Are we seriously sitting here discussing education reform?” It’s too dull for Russell, who wants nothing more than to harness the power of faerie blood. And behold, the first crack in the newly formed Authority. Russell wants to walk in the sun, while Salome is insistent on staying a creature of the night. It’s a good intersection with the faerie plot line, because as we find out in the final line, Sookie is “owed” to Warlow, the vampire who killed her parents. Any thoughts on who he might be? Someone we’ve seen before or someone entirely new?

What the Show Needs to Work On

Stop introducing characters and then killing them off so quickly, writers. We were just beginning to enjoy the gravelly-voiced new Sheriff of area 5 and then Tara had to go and hatch a plan to cut off his head (though that admittedly was cool, and touching, even, that she and Pam are now of the “us-against-the-world” mentality neither of them thought they’d be interested in). Still, give us a few episodes! In fact, just bring back Roman while you’re at it. And explain that Elliot Stabler left “SVU” because he was made into a vampire. Cross-promotion!

What did you think of tonight’s episodes, viewers? Are the plot lines converging into a compelling enough story for you? Leave your thoughts in the comments.