I came to this show late, having been somewhat burned out by the failure of Moonlight. I thought I'd had enough of vampires for awhile. Then I picked up the books by Charlaine Harris, liked her quirky, Southern heroine, and tried out the HBO series. It has its flaws, but overall this is a deliciously wicked soap opera with fangs.
She's Not There - Sookie returns to Bon Temps from Faerie to discover that her few hours away translates to more than a year missing. Airdate 26 June 2011
You Smell Like Dinner - Bill orders Eric to check out the local coven, which turns out to be a mind-blowing event for the Viking vampire. Airdate 3 July 2011.
If You Love Me, Why Am I Dyin'? - Alcide the shifter returns, Tommy and Sam square off again, and Marnie discovers new muscle. Airdate 10 July 2011.
I'm Alive and On Fire - Sookie asks Alcide to help her find Eric; Jason seeks escape from Hotshot. Airdate 17 July 2011.
Me and the Devil - Bill moves against the witch who is threatening the vampires of Louisiana. Arlene and Terry seek reassurance about Mikey. Airdate 24 July 2011
I Wish I was the Moon - Bill learns that Sookie has been hiding Eric. He arrests Eric and obtains a death warrant for him. But when he jails Martonia, everything backfires. Airdate 31 July 2011
The Cold Grey Light of Dawn - Bill takes drastic measures to protect his subjects from Marnie's death spell. Tommy learns that he can shift into humans now, and betrays Sam on a fundamental level. Airdate 7 August 2011.
Spellbound - Bill and Martonia face off in a graveyard, with serious consequences for bystanders like Eric and Sookie. Jessica, Hoyt and Jason find things getting complicated among themselves, and Alcide's new pack leader menaces Sam. Airdate 14 August 2011.
Let's Get Out of Here - Bill saves Sookie's life and she dreams about both him and Eric. Lafayette endures a psychic invasion, and Martonia moves against the vampires again. Airdate 21 August 2011.
Burning Down the House - Sookie must call on her fairy blood to save Bill and counter Martonia. Mortals and immortals alike converge on Martonia's emporium. Airdate 28 August 2011.
Soul of Fire - Jesus and Lafayette confront Martonia in a hostage situation. Airdate 4 September 2011
And When I Die - Season finale. Eric and Bill end up in a stakeout, Jesus pays a heavy price for his magic. Death, resurrection and new characters. Airdate 11 September 2011
Bad Blood - True Blood's third season picks up where the second left off, with biting and blood and death and sex and… well, it's definitely worth watching. Airdate 13 June 2010
Beautifully Broken - Vampires, and now werewolves. Lovers, now separated. Mismatched couples, thrown together. True Blood's third season is shaping up to be as good as it's two predecessors...Airdate 20 June 2010
It Hurts Me Too - Painful, mixed-up relationships abound, but there are glimmers of promise, hope, and happiness among them. Airdate 27 June 2010
9 Crimes - Alcide invites Sookie along to his ex-girlfriend's engagement party. You don't have to be a werewolf to know that no good can come of this. Airdate 11 July 2010
Trouble - Jason finds a new love, Eric smarms his way into Russell's good graces, and Tara's new boyfriend continues his wicked charm. Airdate 18 July 2010
I Got a Right To Sing the Blues - Lorena tries to kill Bill again. Sookie is interrogated by the King of Mississippi. Airdate 25 July 2010
Hitting the Ground - Sookie tries to rescue Bill; naturally, everything goes wrong. Airdate 1 August 2010
Night on the Sun - Bill tries to build bridges with his progeny, Jason tries to save Crystal, and Eric confronts a test of his allegiance to Russell. Airdate 8 August 2010
Everything is Broken - When the Magister goes missing, Nan accuses Eric of complicity. Bill discovers who, or rather what, Sookie really is. Airdate 15 August 2010
I Smell a Rat - Jason's attempts to help both Tara and Crystal backfire. Eric gets his long-awaited revenge. Airdate 22 August 2010
Fresh Blood - Eric forestalls Russell's vengeance with the "ultimate vampre dream" - daywalking. Sam gives way to an epic temper tantrum. Airdate 29 August 2010
Evil is Going On - Season 3 finale. Jason steps up to take care of the people of Hotshot. Sookie and Bill may be permanently on the outs. Jesus makes plans for Lafayette's future. Airdate 12 September 2010.
Nothing But the Blood - Season 2 begins with Sookie, Tara and Andy discovering just who that is in the back of Andy's car; Sam confronts a person from his checkered past, and Bill must deal with his rebellious teenage protegee. Airdate 14 June 2009.
Keep This Party Going - Eric bargains with a desperate prisoner, Jason finds a way to get half-naked at Jesus camp, and Bill and Sookie try to parent a new vampire, Jessica, with disastrous consequences. Airdate 21 June 2009.
Scratches - After a quarrel with Bill, Sookie stomps off into the woods and is attacked; Bill must bargain with Eric to save her life. Meanwhile, Tara begins to suspect all is not what it seems to be at Maryann's mansion. Airdate 28 June 2009.
Shake and Fingerpop - Half of Bon Temps goes to Dallas, the other half to an orgy. Sam connects with Daphne, and Lafayette forms a new connection. Airdate 12 July 2009.
Never Let Me Go - Sookie, Bill and Eric devise a plan to find the missing Sheriff of Dallas, and Sam gets a little puppy love. Airdate 19 July 2009.
Hard Hearted Hannah - We see a bit of Lorena and Bill's backstory, things go horribly wrong at the Fellowship of the Sun, and we learn the true nature of Eric's relationship with Godric. Sam finds himself in a world of hurt at Maryann's latest party. Airdate 26 July 2009.
Release Me - Chase themes and non-consensual sex are the order of the night in Dallas and Bon Temps. Airdate 2 August 2009
Timebomb - Matters come to a head at the Fellowship of the Sun. Tara and Eggs eat an unspeakable meal with Maryann, and Sam is framed for murder. Airdate 9 August 2009.
I Will Rise Up - A wounded Eric tricks Sookie, while Lafayette turns to his aunt Lettie May to try to pry Tara loose from Maryann's influence. Airdate 16 August 2009.
New World In My View - Sookie, Bill, Jason and Eric return to Bon Temps and confront Maryann. Hoyt and Jessica try to deal with Hoyt's mother, and Jason plans to help Sam out of his predicament. Airdate 23 August 2009.
Frenzy - Bill appeals to the Queen of Louisiana for help, Sam turns to an unexpected source for assistance, and Hoyt is forced to make a choice. Airdate 30 August 2009.
Beyond Here Lies Nothin' - Season Two Finale. Maryann prepares for a sacrifice and drafts Sookie to help, while Sam prepares to lay down everything for Sookie and Bon Temps. Airdate 13 September 2009.
Overview - I reviewed the entire first season as a whole, to prepare for the second.