Boring old Bill gets his groove back: he annihilates an entire pack of werewolves in the opening teaser, gore in mouth n’all, and he even gets to scoff at one of their names (‘‘seriously?’’). Please, please keep this up! This new Bill -– this lamp-throwing-at-Lorena Bill -– is wildly entertaining, and he’s quickly climbing up that ladder to one of the best characters of the season so far. I’m not sure how wise it was to have him slaughter so many wolves so early in the game, as it undermines the cliff-hanger with Eric and Sookie (although maybe this particular wolf is stronger somehow). But it’s interesting to learn that a vampire controls their comings and goings, and Bill is slap-bang in the middle of it all.

Which leads me to Russell, played with a wink and a smile by Dennis O’Hare, Bill’s shining white knight and kidnapper (although he’d be more inclined to think of Bill as his ‘‘guestage’’). While I’m not too keen on all of this territory, faction malarkey, I can’t deny that Russell’s introduction, and his not too shabby digs, is definitely a highlight of the episode. Bill is literally powerless to do anything right now, and with Sookie’s life on the line and Lorena back on the scene, what can he do but obey?

Staying on the vampire front (since I barely mentioned them last week), Eric has taken it upon himself to be Bill’s stand in while he’s away. As he candidly tells Sookie, it’d be more than advantages for him if Bill were never found, and then proceeds to offer her primal sex (and his protection, of course, he’s not a complete douche). I’m not sure if I like where they’re taking Eric. He’s becoming more human and it sort of takes the edge off. I really don’t want the writers to soften him like Spike was on Buffy.

Sam’s storyline gains a bit of momentum as we finally get to meet his biological family. His mother, Melinda (J. Smith Cameron) is a shifter, as is his younger brother Tommy (Marshall Allman), but his father, Joe Lee (Cooper Huckabee) isn’t. Of course, I’ve heard rumours that this lot will take Sam for a ride and make his life hell, but for now, at least, they seem fairly decent (for white-trash). Tommy, of course, is the exception, and baits Sam into a shift-run that almost gets him killed. It’s too soon to tell if this particular storyline will have enough weight to stand against vampire factions, werewolves, and Kings and Queens, but only time will tell.

Tara is still a total shambles this week, but at least there are a few interesting developments made along the way. Lafayette is always there to state the obvious – he’s always there for a much needed reality check. But the whole ordeal involving his mother (ick, I’m sorry, but I really couldn’t stomach her dialogue) felt a bit too Daytime TV for this viewer. Still, the mysterious vampire who shows up to help Tara take out her aggression on a couple of racist rednecks suggests that her storyline could be picking up soon enough. And what was he doing in Bill’s house? He tells Tara he’s no friend of Bill’s, so what’s he up to exactly? And did you see that he got turned on when Tara started throwing punches? I have a feeling the writers may play this pairing out as the antitheses to Bill’s and Sookie’s relationship.

Sookie, once again, has very little to do except worry over Bill, chit-chat with Terry (hilarious, by the way), and clean out her house. I appreciate that the writers, at least, are giving her some funny scenes as result – her impersonation of Bill calling her name was priceless. Again, I’m not too fond of the whole Sookie/Eric teasing (unless, of course, they’re naked – thank you, season 2!). Hopefully things heat up next week and our main character has a bit more to chew on, eh writers?

Heck, Jason gets more to do this week than his sis, but I’m not entirely sure if I care all that much. I have never really liked Jason (except for when he was with Amy back in season 1). The idea of teaming him up with Andy may seem rife with comedic potential, but the show would work just as well, if not better, without him. He was the series’ main source of sex appeal back during the first season, but we have hotter vamps now, so what’s left for him to do? As for that woman that he saw, I’m just throwing it out there, and I’ll probably be slammed for it, but I’m thinking... wood nymph?

Not as solid as last week, ‘Beautifully Broken’ strolls on by at a leisurely pace. I’ve been so looking forward to seeing werewolves on the show, I guess I’m just a little underwhelmed that not much has been made of them yet.

The Checklist

Vampires Vs Werewolves:	Werewolves didn’t have a chance! Bill eviscerates about five of them; Russell kills another, and Sookie doesn’t even feel threatened by the little critters.
Cliff-hanger:	Eric forces Sookie to invite him into her home only to find a mean lookin’ wolf ready to attack!
Pam's Corner:	Pam dishes what it takes for her to stop feeding so she doesn't kill anyone: ''I think about crying children with soggy diapers.''

  -- Mark Ritchie

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