What in the blazes is going on?! What the hell is Sookie? She can read minds. She can shoot light from her hands. She has no blood type. And, well, she seems to have the ability to allow vampires to walk in the sun if given enough of her blood. I haven't even mentioned the bat-shit crazy, pixie-esq Utopia she visits whilst in a coma. Some woman, I can't recall her name, Claudine, methinks, warns her not to let Bill steal her light. She also says that her parents weren't killed in a flash-flood. Add to that Sookie's cousin, Hadley, knowing all about her abilities, and you have to wonder if every Stackhouse is a supe.

I literally have no idea where they're taking Sookie's storyline, and yet I love everything that's going on. I'm confused and elated at the same time. [Dude. Read the books! – Ed.]

The body count during this episode is staggering: Lorena, a massive player, Coot, new to this season but very much an active character, and the Magistrate, all meet their maker in this episode. I couldn't believe that they offed Lorena during the pre-title sequence. I mean, I know Sookie said she'd kill her one day, but I didn't think it would actually happen so soon and in such a casual, albeit icky, icky manner. I'm so glad the Magistrate is a pile of blood; it really transforms Russell from an interesting, kooky villain into an all-out don't-fuck-with-me bad guy. And the way his marriage to Sophie-Anne is officiated is hilarious, air kisses and all.

Tara continues to climb back into my favourite character slot, as she takes on Debbie and kicks Bill out of a truck into daylight. I love this woman! Can Bill endure the sun's rays forever now? Or does he need a top-up? He was starting to sizzle there for a while, but he seemed healthy enough when he arrived at the hospital (mind you, he did have a field day when draining Sookie's blood).

As for Sam and his family issues, it sort of comes to a head this week as he stops Tommy from fighting (although we do get some gruesome shots of a pile of dead canines, which I felt really wasn't necessary...). Still, something doesn't sit right with me. I still think Sam's gonna be in for a serious awakening, and that Tommy is somehow duping him. I hope I'm wrong, cos he's starting to grow on me.

The season just keeps getting better and better. After a handful of ho-hum setup episodes, True Blood is on a roll with an impressive offering of gory, shocking and fabulously well-written episodes.

And we get to see Pam again! She's okay. Phew! Writers, consider yourself safe!

The Checklist

Vampires Vs Werewolves:	Werewolves win again! (If only for the fact two main vamps die in this episode.)
Cliff-hanger:	Russell lops off the Magistrate's head!
Pam's Corner:	PAM! (''How'd you know I was a Tiffany's girl?'') Even with pure silver wrapped around her entire body, she still invites the Magister to pierce her eyelids with a pair of Tiffany earrings.

  -- Mark Ritchie