This week's episode of HBO's True Blood takes a breather from the non-stop insane action of the last few weeks, and is more character-driven, but it does feature a shocking finale.

We open with Bill having arrived at Sookie's house with the young lady none too pleased with how the night went, and is even more peeved with Bill's choice of driving music. She calls it "crazy Chinese gargling", but he helpfully explains that it's "Tuvan throat singing" Oh, that's a relief. I was positive the Budweiser frogs had taken V blood and transformed into ... horny toads. (I'm sorry.)

That's just the last straw for Sookie, though, who realizes that she and Bill have nothing in common, and the fact that he might have killed that cop who pulled them over if she hadn't been there seals it for her. He tries to tell her that he's trying his best to "mainstream", but she isn't impressed, and they mutually decide that it might be best not to date anymore.

And through all of this ... that mysterious dog keeps a watchful eye.

After the credits, someone starts banging on Lafayette's door, and when he opens it, Tara storms in, furious that he sold V blood to Jason, and worried that Lafayette is getting in over his head.

He promises to make thing right with Jason, but they need to make things right with me for the next scene. Lafayette heads over to Jason's house to make amends, and Jason explains what happened at the hospital, using the visual aid of a sharp meat thermometer injected into a sausage. As Lafayette cringes at the thought, Jason also explains that he to endure it without the aid of "Anastasia" (I guess watching kids' movies helps dull the pain when you get your penis drained).

Ryan Kwanten

Lafayette tells Jason that what he needs is a little hair of the vampire that bit him, and if he does V blood the right way, it can open up wonders he never thought possible (he also lets it slip that Tara has had the the hots for him for years).

They sit down with Lafayettes's magic bag (which actually looks like a fishing tackle) and he puts a single drop of V on a small paper towel square, and explains that it's a drop from a "new" vampire, and is "pure undiluted 24 karat life", and goes on about letting it "soak in" and "carry you away", and that if Jason consumes it, he'll see the world with different eyes.

All this time, Jason is enraptured, and Ryan Kwanten is hilarious in these scenes, as he looks like a six-year-old seeing a magician for the first time. He takes the drop, and laments that he can't believe he's doing this again.

Sookie is at work (having just come from her gran's house, who unbeknownst to her has been getting threatening phone calls about letting Bill speak at her civil war club), and is shocked and bemused when Sam asks her to accompany him that night to hear Bill speak.

She accepts his invitation, but is distracted by detective Andy, who tries to trick her into revealing info about Jason. He mentions that Tara and Jason are a couple, which sends her into a fit of giggles, and confirms his suspicion that Tara made up that alibi about she and Jason being together.

She reads his thoughts and realizes he's telling the truth, and when Tara comes in, confronts her in the ladies' room. Tara admits to giving Jason an alibi, and when Sookie tries to probe her thoughts for more info, we get my favorite scene in the episode. All that Sookie can hear when she tries to "read" Tara is a bunch of gibberish. Obviously, Tara knew what was coming, and tried the mental equivalent of sticking your fingers in your ears and shouting "LaLaLa I can't hear you! LaLaLa". I've seen lots of shows about mind readers, and I've been patiently waiting for that scene for ages.

Rutina Wesley

Later that night, it's time for the meeting of the "Descendants of the Glorious Dead", which is being held at a local church. Helping with the set-up is Hoyt and his mother. (And you guys can keep your Bill, Sam, and Eric ... I'll take the strapping Hoyt. I guess, like Julie Brown, I like 'em big and stupid.)

Hoyt and his mama are having troubles with the giant golden cross next to the stage where Bill is supposed to speak. She wants to take it down lest Bill "sizzles up like fat back bacon", but they can't take it down, and end up throwing an American flag over it.

Will Bill sizzle up like fat back bacon? Will Sookie and Sam take it to the next level? And what about that absolutely SHOCKING ending? Find out what happens after the break!

As the church fills up with interested gawkers, Jason arrives, still hopped up. His senses are heightened, and makes a V line for Tara, and nervously sits next to her.

The meeting starts, and Bill comes out and immediately removes the flag from the cross. He explains that vampires have no problems with crosses, and he's just as patriotic as everyone else, and I'm wondering if Bill isn't one of those Republican vampires who get into trouble in airport restrooms.

Three good ole boys have some fun at Bill's expense by waving around some garlic, but he sniffs it off, and when the mayor (played by William Schallert, who's been around long enough to have played the TV father of both Patty Duke and Nancy Drew) asks him about an old timey photograph, Bill tears up and explains that it was his human family (hmm ... I sense a back story coming up).

Stephen Moyer

After the meeting, Sookie and Sam approach Bill, and Sam is all like "yeah, my GIRLFRIEND and I are going to get some coffee, because it's what my GIRLFRIEND wants", and Sam and Bill look at each other like they're going to whip out the ruler at any time.

Back at Merlotte's, Jason, Hoyt and Rene are having a boys' night out, when Jason looks over and sees Tara (and in my second favorite scene of the night, sees her in a fantasy shot as a water nymph). He approaches her, and she immediately knows that he's till high from V. He tries to convince her that they were meant to be together, but she says "call me when you're sober."

Hoyt decides to try some Tru Blood, but makes a social faux pas when he accidentally uses it to toast the woman he's been scoping. She's a horny divorcee who was ready, willing, and able to be with him, but turns away in disgust when she sees his choice of drink. I wonder if Hoyt is going to be the comic relief in every episode, or whether there's more to him?

Sam and Sookie are having coffee, and she admits that it's harder to read him than other people, because he's somehow "different". As they leave, Sam gets very hands on, and Sookie has to tell him to slow things down, because she can't go from kissing one man to another so soon, He goes ballistic, and wants to know what else she did with Bill, which rightfully offends her, and she ends up refusing his offer for a ride home, and calls a cab instead. As he kicks himself for what happened, the dogs in the neighborhood loudly commiserate with him.

Nelsan Ellis

Lafayette gets a chance to shine when the three good ole' boys refuse the burger he made because "it might have AIDS." Big mistake. He approaches them, and gently informs them that their ignorance of AIDS and gay men is disappointing, and the men apologize and offer to buy Lafayette a drink. Okay, that didn't happen. Lafayette gets his dander up, and ends up putting the beat down on all three rednecks, and gives a hi-five to a delighted Jason on his way back to the kitchen.

Bill arrives at home, and is met by the Sheriff and Andy, and invites them in for a Fresca and conversation (no, seriously). He answers some questions about the murders, and when the cops leave, we get Bill's flashback to the war, which also serves as "BIll'S ORIGIN STORY".

We see Bill as a soldier, tired and injured, stumbling through the bayou. He comes across an isolated shack, and asks for help. Upon entering, he's confronted by a war widow with a gun (who's a dead ringer for Lisa Loeb, but without the Nana Mouskouri glasses).

The woman nurses him back to health, and then asks him to spend the night with her. He politely declines, informing her that he's a happily married man, and she's surprised. It's not the first time a soldier has stopped by, and everyone else took full advantage of the situation. He declines again, and starts to leave when her true nature is revealed. She's a vampire, and attacks him before he can get out the door.

He awakens to find that she's been feeding on him, but has decided not to let him end up like ... all the others. He sees rows of drained bodies and heads all around him, but because he was a "gentleman", and chose not to take advantage of her, she's decided to let him live ... or die, rather, and live again.

After drinking her blood and becoming a vampire, Bill makes the horrible realization that he can never see his family again. It would be too difficult to watch them grow old and die while he stayed young, and if it was found out they were harboring a vampire, they'd be killed. Bill flashes back to the present and has a nice medium hot mad scene.

Tara is throwing away some trash in the dumpster when she hears a commotion and looks around the corner to see...*sigh*...Jason and that bimbo divorcee playing leapfrog. She's livid, and tosses the trash on him, but Jason is all like "what's the big deal, darling?". Gotta love him.

The episode ends with Sookie coming home, and opening the door to reveal ..... wait for it ...... the bloody, dead body of her grandmother lying on the kitchen floor.

WTF?

I wasn't expecting that! I guess I should have listened to Brian on the vlog when he speculated it might happen ... but when has he ever been right about anything?

What did you guys think of this episode? I liked it ... they got away from the full-throttle craziness for an episode and focused more on character development and humour. Let us know what you think, and come back next week for another recap!