What I’m Watching: True Blood

True Blood: Season 5, Episode 3 “Whatever I Am, You Made Me” (B+)

This show is so completely singular and strange. The Authority is an organization that could exist only in this show’s universe, with sex wielded as a weapon and plenty of scheming to be had by all. Valentina Cervi is particularly alluring as Salome, who managed to seduce both Bill and Eric in different manners. I enjoyed witnessing Eric and Bill’s first meeting back in 1905, and learning that Pam asked Eric to turn her and then forced him to by slitting her wrists, telling him “Let me walk the world with you, Mr. Northman, or watch me die.” She’s much more okay with being a vampire than Tara, who chugged a whole lot of TruBlood before getting stored in Sam’s freezer and trying to kill herself in a tanning bed. Jessica smelling the most wonderful smell and then racing to tell Jason about it could have turned sour since Jason was realizing that all he ever does is sleep with women after his repeat affair with his former teacher, but her decision to put on sweatpants and stay to talk to him was sweet. Holly agreeing to “go steady” with Andy was cute too, and it’s good that Andy didn’t let himself get too hung up on the Facebook photo of him naked. In other assorted developments, I loved seeing Tina Majorino as the Authority employee who harnessed Bill and Eric, and it would be great to see her reappear. Sookie has managed to alienate yet another man, this time by keeping secrets from him, and he’s an ally she could really have used. On top of all this, Lafayette is still struggling with being possessed. Reverend Steve makes for an intriguing new member of the Authority, but more interestingly, it seems that the Authority is in trouble, and Bill and Eric may just have a crucial role to play in saving it.