IMHO "True Blood" (2.3): Scratches

The second season of HBO's True Blood continues to impress with another superior episode that features Sookie chased through the forest by a horny creature (no, not Bill), Tara finally starting to pull the wool from her eyes concerning Maryann, and will cellar dweller Lafayette finally leave his shackles behind?

Join us below for the top ten reasons why this episode earns an up arrow, but beware of spoilers!

10. It looks as though Tara is starting to get wise to Maryann's "Plato's Bayou Retreat". Hopefully Eggs will remain shirtlessly oblivious.

9. Okay, what the hell was that creature that attacked Sookie? It had twirly horns, poisonous talons, and a nasty disposition. At first I thought it was Bill O'Reilly, but many people are saying it was some kind of minotaur. What do you think?

8. Poor Sookie. She's still banged up from last season's altercations, and now this! She has three deep scratches down her back, and drinking Bill's blood just makes her foam at the mouth.

7. Bill takes her to Fangtasia and there's a splendid Grand Guignol moment when the doctor tries to drive the poison out of the scratches. She pours an elixir on the wounds and Sookie starts screaming as it bubbles and foams, and the doctor runs her fingers inside the scratches to remove the globs of poison. Unfortunately, I was eating dinner at the time, and it was almost enough to turn me off my "poison puss glob" casserole.

6. I love Pam! She and Terry (my other favorite secondary character) both had nice scenes this week, with Pam and her pumps, and Terry and his general instability.

5. Lafayette is finally released from the dungeon thanks to Sookie, who trades his freedom in exchange for helping Erik solve the "Dallas Mystery". But where will he go from here? According to the previews, Erik is not exactly finished with our favorite gay fry cook.

4. Are Jessica and Hoyt going to hook up? I liked their scenes together, and Jessica used a line that only a teenage vampire could get away with ... "This is so embarrassing. I'd die if I wasn't already dead!".

3. What is the deal with new girl Daphne? When she shows up as Sam is skinny dipping (and damn that murky water!), she disrobes to reveal ... three deep scratches on her back. Hmm ... what do you think it means? Was she attacked by the bull-creature, and is under its control? Or could she possibly by the bull-creature?

2. Jason and Steve are having dinner when the reverend starts railing about vampires and then motions outside, saying "there's a war going on out there", prompting Jason to ... turn around and look. Oh Jason, how I love you and your head full of rocks.

1. "Sarah doesn't whip out her pudding for just anybody". 

What did you think of this week's episode? And are you as pissed as I am that HBO is giving us reruns next week after just three shows? I know it's the Fourth of July but still...