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True Blood returned for a sixth season Sunday night, bringing with it more mystery, sex and, of course, blood. “Who Are You, Really?” picks up immediately where we we ended in season five, Bill has consumed the blood of Lillith, seemingly dying and returning as Billith, a bloody new monster.
Eric and Sookie hightail it out of the compound and rejoin the rest of their friends leaving the compound. While driving, we are introduced to Governor Burrell. The Louisiana governor has instituted a statewide vampire curfew, ordering them to stay inside or underground after dawn and closing all vampire-run business. I have always appreciated the way True Blood sticks with our current and ever-changing times and this season seems to be no exception. Governor Burrell’s address encouraging others to purchase guns while a protestor throws blood on his suit feels very accurate to our world today. Back in the car, Pam learns Eric has a sister after she and Nora go head to head about the Governor’s new plan. Luckily, Tara is there to comfort Pam. Governor Burrell meets with a woman from the True Blood plant and offers her a partnership to create a new plant for them until theirs are repaired. The governor reasons that this will allow vampires to become “peaceful, law-abiding, and tax paying citizens,” which will help him become re-elected. The two agree on the partnership.
The drama doesn’t stop in Bon Temps and this night is no exception, especially when Bill summons Jessica back to his house. It nearly kills Jessica and Sookie decides to return her to Billith. At the house they discover Bill, clean and dressed once again. Eric and Nora try to ambush him, but this new Bill is stronger. In an attempt to protect Eric, Sookie stakes Bill. However, because Bill isn’t really a vampire anymore, it does not work. Sookie tries to reason with her former love and asks him to leave Bon Temps, but Jessica decides to stay with Bill and demands all of the others leave. Maker and child bond, and Bill discovers he now has telekinetic powers. Eric and Sookie return to her house and bond over how much things have changed between the two of them. Eric recalls the first time he met Sookie, while she struggles with being a different girl than the one she once was. Eric returns the deed to Sookie’s home and, in her first attempt to get back to who she used to be, Sookie rescinds her invitation, forcing Eric out of her home.
New pack master Alcide is having a hard time balancing all the power. He’s also juggling two women: new girl Danielle and his former love Rikki. Danielle and Alcide kiss in the woods and are discovered by Rikki. The three werewolves have a twisted threesome before Rikki lets Alcide know that she is his “main bitch.” As much as I love a naked Joe Manganiello, the werewolf business is my least favorite part of True Blood. Alcide is no longer connected to the main characters and I don’t see him as an interesting enough character to carry a storyline on an ‘island’ of his own. Hopefully Alcide gets thrown back into the major players’ orbit soon.
Someone else struggling with his new responsibilities is Andy Bellefleur, who is practically letting Arlene and Terry raise his fae children. Turns out, Andy is scared he just isn’t cut out to be a father, but Arlene is there to talk some sense into him and ease his worries. True Blood may be known for its supernatural and wacky storylines, but I enjoy when the show is brought down to reality for a moment. It makes these characters feel all the more real – something necessary to keep people interested and attached to the residents of Bon Temps. Things take a wacky turn soon after though, when Andy discovers that the babies are rapidly aging – they’re already children. Maybe by next episode they’ll be off to college!
After shifting into Steve Newlin and shifting back mid-news appearance, Luna succumbs to her injuries and dies outside the compound. Before passing on she tells Sam to take care of her daughter Emma and the two return to Melotte’s. Back at the back, Sam runs into Lafayette and he warns the frycook not to say a word about what he saw tonight. Back at Fangtasia, Tara and Pam argue about Eric. Even though they kissed at the end of last season, Pam tells Tara what they share will never be love and it will never be close to what she shares with Eric. Just as things begin to calm down, a S.W.A.T. Team enters and orders Pam to close down Fangtasia. Tara demands the men leave Pam alone and they shoot her.
One of the biggest questions from last season was “Who is Warlow,” the mysterious assailant who murdered Sookie and Jason’s parents, and it looks like we are finally getting some answers. Jason is steel reeling from the loss and his hatred of vampires grows stronger every day, leading him to tell Sookie she “is as dead to him as they are” after she will not allow him to kill Nora. While walking home, Jason finds a car that immediately stops for him. Inside is a mysterious old man, who, for some reason, doesn’t raise any red flags in Jason’s head. The man inquires about the Stackhouse family, which again doesn’t alert Jason at all. I know the boy isn’t smart, but how dumb can one person be? Finally the man reveals to Jason that he is Warlow and, just as Jason is about to shoot him, Warlow disappears, causing the car to speed off the road. At the same time, the scroll begins to glow while Sookie sleeps and three Lilliths enter Bill’s body.
After a fairly disjointed season five and a change in headwriters, it seems True Blood may finally be returning to its basics. The premiere sets up a very solid season six and I’m interested in seeing where things go from here. The show is at its best when it embraces the campy side while still maintaining the heart and soul we were all captivated by in the first place. It looks like True Blood may have glamoured me once again.
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