JULY 7, 2011 2:42PM

True Blood Season 4 Episode 2 - You Smell Like Dinner

 

Louis Pasteur .   What an inspiring and brilliant scientist this man was.   He created the first vaccines for anthrax and rabies.   He founded the discipline of microbiology, and made both milk AND wine safe for everyone to drink.

Oh, and blood.

Among the cool things we find out in Episode 2 of Season 4 of True Blood is that in 1982, Louis Pasteur is an immortal vampire working to create the True Blood formula that will enable vampires in 2008 to come out of the coffin.

I want to believe that Pasteur continued pursuing scientific breakthroughs in his immortal life.   I also hope he had fun with his scientifically implausible powers, wore dandy capes and indulged a little in the decadent vampire lifestyle.

Speaking of “cool things”, we see 1982 Vampire Bill in London punk drag, talking a bit cockney and buying a pint for a mate before draining him of a pint.   

 

There’s a bit of complaining about the Iron Lady Maggie Thatcher.   Now, my first thought was the writers may have read a bit too many Vertigo comics.   My second thought was that they just like to do “period piece dress up” for vampires.   True Blood certainly isn’t the only vampire property guilty of this:

 

(I confess I do love me some Spike vs. the Foxy Vampire Slayer in 1977 New York)

But there exists a perfectly valid reason for Bill’s identification with the U.K.  punk scene.   In 1978, the Sex Pistols’ first North American tour consisted of ONLY dates in the South (with the exception of San Francisco).   I’ve heard different reasons for this, ranging from Malcolm McLaren’s desire to provoke rednecks, to Johnny Rotten’s disdain for the New York punk scene, to a desire to appeal to the American working class the way the Pistols voiced that class’s anger and frustration in the U.K.   Whatever the reason, one of those concert dates was September 1, 1978 at the Kingfish Club in Baton Rouge, Louisiana!

 

Was Vampire Bill moved by that Sex Pistols show? Isn’t he an aristocrat? Was Nan Flanagan also a punk, or just trying to rock the Catherine Deneuve The Hunger trend? Alas, I’m reading too much into it, and these aren’t really the questions to explore.

Another cool bit was the smackdown the witches delivered upon Erik’s ass.  It seems like Lafayette is their power battery.  I’m enjoying the subtle way the show is depicting witchcraft magic, and I’m hoping we don’t start getting CGI lightning bolts or other cheesy effect and looks.  This is going to be a fun war all around.  Possibly the witches’ retaliatory strike is going to throw a wrench in the Big Triangle.  I am concerned that amnesiac Eric means a hiatus of the dick-measuring contest between him and Bill, but it’s creating intrigue, and isn’t that what we all want?

Jessica is losing the fight against her vampiric bloodlust.  Her struggle is pretty sexy, I must admit, even if I feel bad for sweet-natured Hoyt.  I think those kids could make it if they just agreed to a slightly open relationship.  Let’s hope Pam continues being involved in Jessica’s awakening.

Pam, incidentally, wouldn’t join a book club or a support group to save her undead life.  Again she delivers the show’s best line: "Let these good people practice their constitutional rights to be fucking idiots."

What a woman!

Making his way out of boring land is Sam, who reconnects with his brother and is starting a romance with a hot Mexican/Native American shifter woman.  She name checks the Navajo skinwalker legend and we find out she can turn into her own mom.  Of course she’s trouble – this is Sam we’re talking about, isn’t it?

Still relegated to boring land is our fallen Lothario, Jason, who may just be getting the clue that his meth-head inbred girlfriend just isn’t worth the trouble.  Will he become a werepanther?  Why doesn’t he have faerie powers?

Author tags:

skinwalkers, navajo, buffy the vampire slayer, april whedon-washington, nikki wood, james marsters, spike, malcolm mclaren, punk, johnny rotten, baton rouge, sex pistols, louis pasteur, jessica tuck, nelsan ellis, jim parrack, carrie preston, kristin bauer, kevin alejandro, deborah ann woll, sam trammell, ryan kwanten, michelle forbes, rutina wesley, alexander skarsgard, anna paquin, stephen moyer, gary cole, charlaine harris, maryann, terry bellefleur, louisiana, shreveport, arlene fowler, bon temps, hoyt fortenberry, jessica hamby, nan flanagan, american vampire league, fangtasia, jason stackhouse, sam merlotte, tara thornton, pam de beaufort, eric northman, bill compton, sookie stackhouse, television, hbo, public relations, witchcraft, witches, faeries, fairies, bad seed, southern gothic, horror, vampires, alan ball, true blood, salon, open salon, chillerpop

 

Hey Chiller, thanks for covering TB this week. I'm lovin' this season so far, and having read the books, I can't wait to see where the Alan Ball and the gang will take the story. Eric's amnesia was foretold on the page, and delightfully so.

bluestocking babe

July 07, 2011 05:04 PM

Thanks B-babe. I almost didn't make a post for this week! Loving the season so far too.