Sookie uses herself as bait for the Hep-V vamps, the town rises up, and Eric is all mopey-like.

“HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO SIX FLAGS?”

Note: The following review goes into detail about the episode. SPOILER ALERT!

Looks like True Blood is above turning dead werewolves into werevamps, damn. “Fire in the Hole” definitely brought the heat this week with engaging scenes from Sookie and Bill, Eric and Pam… actually this week was a good week for pairs in general, with some being stronger than others.

Sookie and Bill’s scenes this week were a good touch and brought back the feel that the show had in Seasons 1 and 2. The whole point of Sookie visiting Bill last week in “I Found You” was so that she could use herself as bait for the Hep-V vampires in hopes of her capture in order to find out where they are holding Arlene and co. The whole plan seems hokey and surely there’s another way (LIKE CHECKING THE VAMPIRE BAR!), but this was all in place for narrative reasons for better or worse. Looks like it was the latter. Sookie keeps getting people killed, but to her credit she had the exact opposite intention in mind with this plan, which makes the death (let’s hope, don’t even start True Blood) of Alcide that much more hurtful and shocking. While it felt a tad bit rushed, and weird given that we are so used to everyone being turned to keep their character on screen. I’m glad the option of turning Alcide was brought up and quickly shut down to avoid any corny cliff hangers.

Eric and Pam’s scenes took place more in flashback form this week, with most of it being useless. Sure we got more of Eric, but it wasn’t in the form of the modern day vamp we’ve come to know. Eric doesn’t seem to care about his physical state, and this episode showed that with him not being enthusiastic and full of life (well…) as he used to be. This all culminated to the anticlimactic realization that Sarah Newlin was still alive at the hand of Jason’s mercy. Everything that dealt with Sarah Newlin this week felt highly unnecessary. I don’t think seeing that she was in LA doing yoga warranted time to open the episode. We also got a look at the assassin, yakuza-type crew from Eric’s flashback in present day in search for Sarah. If the show wants to sell us that these guys are a force to be reckoned with, they should give them common sense. Shouldn’t they have searched the yoga instructor’s house?

Andy, Jason, Jessica, and Violet all made up the quartet I’m naming “Cops and Vampers.” After rescuing Adilyn and Wade from prison, Andy and Jessica teamed up with Jason and Violet to help find Sookie. There portion of the episode showed just how threatening the townspeople can be, but showed how incompetent we already knew they were. This is something they have in common with the Hep-V vamps, fierce, sure, but very weak and dependent. These are the vampires that took out a whole town?

Lafayette and James got another pairing, the first being in the premiere which was actually touching and enjoyable to watch. This week it was more recreational stuff that served as filler and relieved from the drama. I don’t think relief was needed though which made these scenes feel more like interruptions. Lettie Mae is still “sensing” Tara who we found out is in fact dead as far as Pam’s feelings go. Willa and Rev. Daniels also got a scene where he explained to her how he and Lettie Mae saved each other. He also had to revoke his invitation as she was a drug for Lettie Mae.

THE BREAKDOWN

True Blood managed to deliver a good episode this week providing us with some useful pairing of characters. Sookie and Bill’s scenes were intimate and escalated to the death of Alcide. Eric and Pam were present in the present and past, although their scenes were a bit underwhelming. And Andy, Jason, Jessica, and Violet had an intense standoff with the townspeople causing the death of another, yet minor character, Maxine Fortenberry. There was filler and there was impact this episode, one of which I wish will continue throughout this final season.

What was your reaction to Alcide’s death? Is it Sookie’s fault? Provide your condolences in the comments below.

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