Anyway, just continuing to concur with the Tara is annoying theme.

So much this. And from the jump. The lady who came into FauxHome Depot? That would definitely be me. I have no idea what things are called and, BTW, I don't work there. Since you're getting paid to provide customer service, why not just give it a shot? Beer dude at the bar? Just asked for a beer. Not even rudely. And he gets a lecture about the racially charged nature of naming a black girl Tara? That poor, drunk woman didn't need someone to go all Dr. Phil on 'roids on her. And the waitresses in the bar wear black shorts and white t-shirts. The slutty one is the only one rocking the severe booty shorts and I assume that is a personal choice. Sookie's are perfectly respectable. And as Epic points out, her own camis are showing off a lot more than the tees.

Gah. I said I liked the character more last night than the first episode, and I guess that's true. I mean, the scene where she blew off afro pick dude was funny. And maybe someday it will even have a point. But Tara seriously needs an off button. Her behavior just does not seem justified by the alcoholic mom/hard knock life back story we've been shown. And her "devotion" to Sookie seems more like obsession. Maybe if she had some of her own business she wouldn't be all up in other folk's kool aid.

The original actress who played Tara was SO MUCH WORSE than the current Tara.

Which still doesn't make the current Tara likeable.

Ok, question for people who have read the books:in this second episode, there's a scene where we see that Ted Newlin and his family have died. How are they going to work this into later seasons? Aren't they supposed to be based off the books? How can you have the second book without Newlin? And he's also in the third book -- he stakes Sookie in Club Dead.

Or did I get the scene wrong?

True Blood has already been renewed for a second season, by the by.

I have to say, not having seen the show but having read quite a few of the books, it's fascinating watching people's reactions and speculations.

wrt Sam's presence in episodes - for quite a while, imdb was showing that Sookie was only in 4 episodes out of 12 - I mean, I actually concluded that the show was going to diverge wildly from the text and make her a supporting character rather than the main role. So it could just be that he's not been updated yet. (Or not.)

Re Erin's whitefont:

I haven't read the early books in a while, but you're definitely correct that this diverges from the text. IIRC, we're only barely aware of the Fellowship of the Sun's existence at this point. They definitely weren't killing off leaders this early in the first book. However, they can just tack some other name on the character and still have him do Newlin's stuff. Much like Tara's really a much more peripheral character in the books, but she's taking the best friend role that was more Arlene's in the books.

I don't like Tara at all. I have no problem with fleshing out the character and introducing her early, but she just seems so much NOT like a person Sookie would hang with. And the actress plays her so OTT.

Epic, you're right, of course. It just seems a little weird to make such a point of it. Why? I mean, is it supposed to play in later to a O NOES! VAMPIRES R RLLY BAD! WOW! kinda of thing, playing into Sookie's naivte about them at the beginning. Cause I'm thinking that death will not be an accident. I can't play back the show; doesn't it say they were killed in a microburst or something? Or am I wrong, there?

A highway sign fell on them, I thought.

Dexter rates a special flip/fake magazine cover & content in EW this week, and yesterday or the day before, Showtime sent out the link to Dexter VIP subscribers (e.g., signed up on an email list) for the premiere episode.

Besides the season premiere, Hall's up for an Emmy, so I'm sure this is all part of that.