True Blood Season One, Episode 2 with Alan Ball

By Liz | October 14, 2009 1 Comment

Episode 2, The First Taste, written by Alan Ball, airs on Channel 4 tonight in the UK. Recalling the synopsis, Sookie comes under attack from the Rattrays but is saved by Bill who heals her wounds with his own blood which leaves Sookie with temporarily heightened senses. Bill joins Sookie for a nocturnal stopover and ends up at his dilapidated estate where he fights off his primal vampire urges for Sookie. Later, Sookie’s desires get the better of her as she returns to Bill’s – and is greeted by his bloodthirsty vampire friends.

Our friend, Ed Gross, who runs SciFiTV Zone, gives us an episode commentary from The Man himself, Alan Ball.

ALAN BALL: I love the scene where Bill meets Sookie’s family and friends. I love Bill and Sookie’s walk in the graveyard. I love the scene between Sam and Tara, where they say, “I’m lonely, are you lonely? Maybe we should have a no strings relationship.”

The episode also goes a long way in setting up the various relationships, delving deeper into the vampire mythology and rooting the show.

And I think that’s really important to do. Our one big directive in the writer’s room, our version of “It’s The Economy Stupid,” is keep it rooted in their emotions. Don’t think, “Wouldn’t it be cool if someone’s head exploded!” It’s more like, “How does this affect them emotionally? How is this grounded in their wants and desires and fears and insecurities?” I think the first three episodes, even the first four, were all about grounding the characters and creating really valid emotional lives for them. It wasn’t until Grand’s murder that things got really terrifying.

The First Taste airs on Channel 4 in the UK, on Oct. 14, at 10 p.m., and on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 9 p.m., on HBO2 in the States. If you visit Channel 4’s website, you can watch Stephen Moyer answer fan’s questions and learn something more about the actor, himself. I know I learned something I didn’t know before and it was delightful!