'True Blood' Season 5, Episode 2 Recap - 'Authority Always Wins'

We're only two episodes in, and already the "previously on..." segment is taking up half the hour (slight exaggeration). That's how complicated this show has gotten. I don't see much point to it now... if you missed anything up to this episode, you're going to be pretty lost.

Part of that is due to the insane number of storylines going on at once here, so let's just go by character:

Sookie/Lafayette

We ended the last episode with these two, as they convinced Pam to turn Tara, and Tara emerged from her hole in the ground quite pissed at Sookie. The attack results in Tara throwing Lafayette clear across the lawn and biting Sookie on the neck before Pam finally intervenes and forbids her progeny from biting either of them.

In short, Tara is a little upset. She storms through the house breaking stuff, like a child who also happens to have superhuman speed and strength. It's all Sookie and Lafayette can do to trap her and drag her downstairs so she doesn't burn up in the morning.

That night, Lafayette actually considers staking Tara, but Sookie talks him out of it. An emotional scene, and one of the few moments of this episode, or the last, in which things slow down enough for our characters to actually think or feel something about what's been going on.

By morning, Tara has calmed down enough to confront Sookie and Lafayette and tell them that she'll never forgive them for this. With that, she runs out the door and straight into the silver mister that Sookie bought to ward off Russell. Was that supposed to be funny? Because I enjoyed it.

Sam/Luna

Sam and Luna get to walk away from the pack without any more complaints, though Martha does show up wanting to see her granddaughter (Emma, of course). Luna maintains that Emma is a shifter and not a werewolf, but Martha disagrees... and by the end of the episode we see that Martha was right. Oh, and Sam and Luna get into an argument that escalates way too quickly.

Alcide

Alcide doesn't care about the goddamn laws.

Terry/Arlene

Terry has now taken to creepily sleepwalking and also smacking Arlene by accident every time she sneaks up on him. Don't sneak up on people with PTSD. Arlene also gives a visit to Patrick to get to the bottom of things. We all yawn, knowing that this particular storyline has not been interesting thus far, and will continue to be a snoozer throughout the rest of the season.

Jason/Jessica

A quick update on these two: Jessica is still dressing sexy, and Jason is still totally into her. Hoyt continues to hate Jason. Andy encounters some V, but gives it up. Yay Andy!

Jason also gets clocked in the face this week by a teenager because Jason slept with him mom. This whole turning over a new leaf thing might be more difficult than anticipated.

Jessica gets a visit from Newlin, who attempts to buy Jason for $10,000. An uncomfortable conversation about Jason's butt follows, and ends with Jessica booting Newlin out of the house. "Jason is my friend," she says, and then she kicks out all the college kids, too. Is she having a change of heart? Does this mean she'll be showing less cleavage/leg from now on? I hope not.

Also, the reverend is quickly becoming a pretty fantastic character, and played perfectly by Michael McMillian. Kudos to him.

Pam

Missing Eric, who she still does not realize is captured by the Authority, Pam has some flashbacks to how the two met. It was a romantic encounter in a back alley that involved slitting a guy's throat. Aww. So cute.

Bill/Eric

Present-day Eric is still in the custody of the Authority, as is Bill. First the two are interrogated in their cells, which are equipped with those fancy lights that mimic sunlight and also happen to really hurt if you're a vampire. Then they're interrogated in separate rooms, where pure silver is injected into their veins. That one would probably be bad for you even if you weren't a vampire.

Bonus points for Bill's torture face.

Finally, the two are brought in front of all the chancellors, along with Norah. We finally meet Roman, played by Christopher Meloni, and we also get a nice long scene out of it. Doesn't that feel good? Not bouncing around from character to character for a bit? We just get to focus on this one room and the scary vampire with a stake in his hand threatening to kill Bill and Eric. Ahhhh.

Some interesting stuff about vampire fundamentalism later (according to their Bible, God and Lilith were vampires and Adam and Eve were just food), Bill makes an offer: their lives for the life of Russell Edgington. Bill and Eric reveal to the Authority that they haven't killed Russell just yet, so if they can bring him to the Authority, they go free.

Now, how to do that? I don't think a silver mister is going to do the trick alone...

A few quotes:

- "Easy now, she just lost her son." "She just ATE her son!"

- "Stackhouse, I had sex."

- "Oh yeah, crazy Sharon!"

- "Jesus, Stackhouse, did you sleep with every woman in this town?" "I must be close, yeah."

- "I'm gonna bake you a pie."