what is the story in the books?

Book Sam: Not an orphan. In the military sometime before arriving in Bon Temps. I think Dad was in the military too. Mom was remarried. Shifters and weres in the books can only pass on their shifting to the firstborn in any "pureblood" coupling, i.e., Sam is a shifter is younger brother and sister are not even though both of their parents are. When the weres and shifters reveal their existence - with an announcement and public nation-wide shape changing: his step father shoots his mother.

Terry Bellefluer, you are way too good for Arlene. I'm just saying.

Jessica and Hoyt are love. I am so rooting for those two crazy kids. Does this mean we'll get a Hoyt sex dream starring Jess soon? Because I could be down for that. Also, those two need to get together and whoop ass on Tommy Mickens. How much did I love Jessica picking that fool up and tossing him into the woods like so much garbage? So, so much. The Sam backstory payoff is still not enough to justify foisting the horrid Mickens clan on us all. I feel like there was a better way to get that out than to have us sit through several episodes of soiled underpants and dog fighting and incest vibes and various and sundry other trashy tropes.

Crystal is a panther? Cool. I think Jason will be more OK with that than she or her dad suspect. Maybe she will bite Jason and turn him into a panther, too. (Or maybe that just works for werewolves. Or does it even work like that for werewolves in the True Blood-verse?)

Russell Edgington is so supremely, beautifully fucked up. I know as this season's big bad he will eventually have to die, but dang. I would love for him to hang around for a little bit just being crazy and menacing, pulling out spines, stabbing greasy male hustlers through the heart. He's fun.

LaLa and Jesus and their Magical Mystery Tour? Eh, but I suspect it's going to take us somewhere more interesting.

sumi, interesting. that sounds like less angsty Sam though.

He is.

I could not be MORE with sumi in re: the Sam story. This sharp turn away from woobie Sam to icky Sam is not making me happy.

Go you with the prescience, Glam!

The Russell exploits this ep just made me sad. I hope he gets himself together because 'crazy like a fox' Russell is much more watchable than just plain crazy Russell.

I did not enjoy Lafayette & Jesus' Big Adventure.

I don't recall anyone ever talking about V-llucinations before and the murky family history seemed convenient and creepy. Since, for all intents and purposes, they are both new characters, I'm wondering how these historical revelations will fit into the Southern Vampire Universe.

I'm not disinterested in their family backgrounds per se, but those scenes seemed to scream, The Social Commentary Portion of the Program...Let me show you it!

My guess in re: Lafayette and Jesus is that (book spoilers) we're introducing magic workers to lead up to the big witch/were/vampire war next season - and you know, amnesiac Eric - I mean, if they're going to make any reference to the book at all, this would also mean that possibly the cliffhanger could be Jason kidnapped by Felton - what do you think?

sumi, that makes sense. You refined my one thought, which was okay, so they are witches now? Huh. But the context you put it in fits them in a way that I can got with.

I wonder if they will end up replacing Amelia down the line as protectors . That would make it all worthwhile, not to mention interesting.

regarding your last bit of spoilerfont, bonny, NOOOOOOOOOO!!!! i like Amelia.

i'm extremely disappointed in the way they're handling Eric's character too. Sookie came there of her own free will, she is questioning Bill AND she kissed. him. back! there was no reason why Eric couldn't appeal to her and tell her what he's planning. it's just another attempt by AB to keep E/S separated and continue the snoozefest that is B/S.

I like that character too - I have to say that I was a bit worried (book spoiler) when Jesus talked about the Jaguar (el tigre in Spanish) that he was going to be instead of Quinn. You know?