True Blood on HBO

On this week's True Blood, Sookie has a run-in with a mysterious monster, which brings her to Fangtasia, where she discovers Lafayette locked up in the basement. Jason's doubts about Jesus camp are quelled by Sarah's fervent ministrations. Maryann has a party, the nature of which causes a rift between Tara and Eggs. A sullen Jessica enjoys a night out at Merlotte's. And Sam and Daphne have common interests. At first blush, "Scratches" appears to tie up some loose ends, but in fact, it's setting the scene for a very different True Blood, which starts in two weeks. Let's see what we have in store:

On this week's True Blood, Lafayette, ever the survivor, tries to make a deal with his vampire captors. Tara becomes suspicious of Maryann's motives. Jason is a standout at Jesus camp. Maryann tortures Sam, as she delights the patrons of Merlotte's with a little interpretive dance. Sookie gets into trouble with Bill when she lets Jessica visit her family. Meanwhile, Eric has a job for Sookie and Bill, which will have them singing "the stars at night/are big and bright" in no time.

True Blood
9 pm/ET HBO
How much of a relief was it to know that Lafayette isn't dead? Of course, being chained up in a vampire's basement and watching another human get eaten alive isn't much of an alternative, but you can't have everything. And even though he hasn't been to work for a while, Lafayette probably wouldn't recognize Merlotte's if he came back tonight, especially after Maryann works the bar's usual customers into a frenzy that Sam isn't likely to forget.

Read on for previews of Merlin, Impact, In Plain Sight and Killer Hair. read more 8 Comments

Sunday's True Blood premiere answered at least one burning question: Is Lafayette alive? Answer: Yes! Nobody is more surprised by this turn of events than Nelsan Ellis, the actor who plays Lafayette.

As a fan of the Sookie Stackhouse novel series, on which Alan Ball based the vampire drama for HBO, Ellis knew that Lafayette, Merlotte's wisecracking cook — and part-time pornographer/drug dealer — is totally dunzo after Book 1. When he arrived on set for the finale episode's table read, he prepared himself for the end. "I thought, this was fun, time to look for the next gig," he says. What changed? Read on...

Some recent ratings highlights:

• Sunday night's Season 2 premiere of True Blood drew 3.7 million total viewers, HBO's best audience for a piece of original programming since The Sopranos' June 2007 sign-off. True Blood's numbers represent a 157 percent increase over its series debut, and a 51 percent gain over the first season's finale. 

• Jon & Kate this Monday welcomed a mere 2.9 mil into their tense little home. That marks a week-to-week drop of 33 percent and a whopping 70 percent plunge from the heralded season premiere.

• In Week 2, The Closer ... read more 14 Comments