True Blood (TV Series) Sparks Fly Out (2008) User Reviews

Ghosts from the Past

[claudio_carvalho · 9/10 · 20 September 2009]

Sookie breaks with Bill after the incident on the road with the patrolman. However Bill goes to the church as he had promised to Adele to present a lecture about his recollection of the American Civil War and Sookie goes with Sam. Bill's testimony is very touching and his popularity increases with the locals; the Major gives a picture of Bill and his family that he had found in the archives of Bon Temps. Bill also recalls Lorena, a lonely woman that welcomed him in his way back home after the war that became the siren who had transformed him in a vampire.

The dramatic "Sparks Fly Out" is so far the best episode of "True Blood" centered in Bill with a great development of this character. His sad recollection from the period when he was transformed in a vampire and consequently separated from his family is excellent. Unfortunately it seems that my favorite character, Adele Stackhouse, is gone and if that is true, I regret the loss of the wise grandmother. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "As Chamas Voam" ("The Sparks Fly Out")

Lalalalalalalalalala...

[Chalice_Of_Evil · 9/10 · 22 September 2009]

Bill certainly has interesting tastes in music, as evidenced by the start of this episode, where we get to hear some Tuvan throat singing (or, as Sookie puts it, "crazy Chinese gargling"). I wish she hadn't gotten her panties in a twist over what Biill did to that cop in the previous episode. As Bill said, he could've done a lot worse to the guy. The point is he *didn't*, and yet Sookie freaks out. Like Bill says to her, she can't be frightened of everything she doesn't understand.

Lafayette amused me when he said, "Bring it on, hooker. I was all-parish in high school." while batting the things away that Tara was throwing at him. Then Adele amused me also when she was on the phone to some woman (who obviously wasn't as open-minded about vampires as Adele was), and the woman told her she was going straight to hell, to which Adele replied with, "Alright, same to you. Bye bye!" - she's so great. I'm glad she tried to make Sookie see reason and get over her unwarranted hissy fit regarding Bill. The meat thermometer in the sausage demonstration (which Jason uses to show Lafayette just what went on with his johnson in the last episode) was all kinds of wrong. And despite what Jason maintains... he *is* stupid - trying V again just proves that (and gee, I wonder why the Sheriff thinks you're a "sex maniac", Jason? Maybe because you ARE!).

Arlene was damn annoying as usual. I'm glad Sam finally got the chance to take Sookie out (too bad she only accepted because she was mad at Bill). And sorry you're all jealous over Sookie being on a date with Sam, Tara, but you *did* say that sex with him was "no strings attached" - so you can't verywell go and be mad at someone else wanting to date him, now can you?

Then we come to the scene where the episode really kicks into gear, with Bill talking at The Decendants of The Glorious Dead meeting. You had to feel for Bill, sitting out back, hearing the people out the front worrying about the danger of having a vampire present, then hearing that Sookie had arrived with Sam. Jason's tripping out on V brought with it some slightly cheesy effects. Getting to learn about Bill's history, back when he was known as First Lieutenant William Thomas Compton, was where the episode really shined. Everything from here on out was great, starting with him removing the flag (which had been draped over a big cross, to prevent Bill from bursting into flames) and him attaching it to the pole, informing everyone that he in fact does *not* burst into flames when standing before crosses, Bibles or in a church (tripped-out Jason's reaction to seeing him do this was kind of funny). More effective than sparking trees was Jason having a vision of himself being someone in Bill's flashback to the war.

Stephen Moyer is really great during this scene. He sells it completely, and I especially felt sorry for Bill when he's presented with a photo of his human family which he hasn't seen in so long. The crying blood was a neat little effect and the music adds to the whole moment. Adele's right - Bill was indeed "marvelous" during his talk. I like how well he was getting along with the people afterward (except Sam, of course. Nice way of sticking it to Sam, Bill, by pointing out that legally he's still Sookie's employer - even when they're off duty). Bill's "He seems nice.", in reference to Sam, was amusing. Speaking of Sam - he was doing so well on his date with Sookie (he was nice, said all the right things and was probably doing a good job of "charming" her)...but then he had to go and ruin things. Sam's undoing is his jealousy over anyone else who takes an interest in Sookie. Everything was fine until he started objecting to her kissing Bill and sticking his nose into her private life.

The Sheriff and Andy questioning Bill at his home was another great scene (possibly the best scene involving those two slightly annoying characters). Bill's polite attitude towards their questioning him made him all the more likable. The use of Bill's "toaster" - to send us into further flashbacks, which explain its importance - was well done. Very moody, very atmospheric flashback - with the gloomy cottage in the middle of the woods which Bill stumbles upon. His encounter with the widow inside (Lorena) proves to be a memorable one. After her story of what others had done when she offered them food/a place to stay, you almost felt sorry for her...that is until she revealed herself to be a vampire and turned Bill (using his desire to see his family again against him/to convince him to drink her blood). Then we get the truly painful (for Bill) scene of him seeing his family one last time from afar, and being informed by Lorena that he in fact can *never* be with them again. Stephen Moyer is amazing in this scene (infact, both actors are in ALL of their scenes together), as you can see the agony he's going through (and how he's compelled to follow his maker against his wishes). More great use of music here. Watching Bill take out his fillings on the fireplace (thus fulfilling the title of this episode and indeed making 'sparks fly out') is a very emotional moment.

Then, of course, there's even more emotion at the end of the episode, when Sookie discovers her Gran bloodied and dead. First Dawn, now Adele. Quit killing off the awesome characters, show! This episode and the next one are probably the best of the season.

When Johnny come marching home

[lastliberal · 9/10 · 9 October 2008]

There is a lot of back-story in this episode about Bill (Stephen Moyer). Everyone else takes a backseat; even Jason (Ryan Kwanten) and his fooling around with V, which gets him into trouble with Tara (Rutina Wesley).

Bill talks about his family settling in the area and about the War (Civil). The old folks in town are enchanted to talk to someone who may have served with their relatives. Bill, of course, knows them all.

We also see a flashback to the War and how Bill managed to stumble into his fate.

Poor Gran (Lois Smith). Is she dead?

True Blood: Sparks Fly Out

[Scarecrow-88 · 10/10 · 29 June 2010]

But, I guarantee you'll see the world with new eyes.

Lafayette gets Jason hooked on V, giving him a smaller dose this time which overwhelms his senses. Bill participates in a function where he addresses the locals in a townhall setting, where he successfully endears himself to most in attendance speaking on the Civil War and past memories from that time, with a desire for vampires and humans to embrace in a hopeful hospitality instead of the visible angst and hostility quite present in contemporary society. Jason is tole by Lafayette that Tara has been in love with him since they were children. Jason, under the influence of the V "juice", tells Tara that he'd like for them to be an item, but she doesn't quite allow herself to be totally convinced he's serious..later finding that Jason is still the same old sex junkie he's always been. Sam asks Sookie out on a date, her accepting to his surprise. It's evident that Sookie, even though her experience at the vampire bar wasn't exactly worthwhile(not to mention Bill's reaction to a cop who pulled him over clearly because of his being a vampire), is still head-over-heels for Bill, and Sam tries, for naught, to win her heart, to no avail. This True Blood episode is ultimately the sad end to Grandmother Adele's character, Sookie returning from the disappointing date with Sam, finding her dead, lying in a pool of blood after being attacked by what appears to be a vampire. Quite clear, as the series continues, is that it seems every time an effort is made by Bill for the peaceful coexistence of vampires and humans, one of his own disrupts this dream. And, the gap will probably widen between Sookie and Bill because one of his kind killed her beloved grandmother. Now Sookie will not have that shoulder to lean on, that voice of calm to guide her along the rough path of life she so desperately needs, particularly now when men show their attentions towards her. We also see how Bill was turned into a vampire, unfortunately by a female vamp he thought was offering him food and comfort out of kindness, when in fact she had been feeding from deserters of the Civil War and soldiers, seeing their savagery and capitalizing on it as a blood source. We also discover that vampires can cast a shadow and aren't harmed by crucifixes. This I believe is the episode which, because it's so well written and the characters are becoming so well defined, establishes how great the series can be. Preverse humor and quirky characterizations are quite attractive to me. I especially love the scene where Lafayette responds to homophobic comments regarding her hamburger having AIDS by smacking around the rednecks in front of the patrons attending the bar/diner.

"The Plot Thickens"

[skay_baltimore · 9/10 · 16 August 2010]

The similarities between the drops of "V" that LaFayette put on the little squares of paper and "blotter acid" from the 70s was striking.

Humor:

"Mama...he's so white". "No darlin...WE'RE white...he's dead".

Rene to Jason (while Hoyt is talking to a recent divorcée, Randi Sue): "It's like Animal Planet, yeah?...any second she gonna bite his head off, I swear."

Despite some momentary insight that Jason has with regard to his long-standing feelings for Tara, he quickly returns to his turd self -- as he's seen screwing Randi Sue, doggie style, out behind Merlotte's. When Tara sees them, she dumps a bunch of garbage on them. Randi Sue exhorts Jason to not dare stop screwing her. And, after he throws some garbage on her, he obliges.

The scenes before Bill addresses the DGD group in the church, and during his speech -- are both very powerful. Ironically, his speech is not unlike most of our modern-day politicians. But when the mayor shows him an old photograph of himself and his former family his whole mood changes.

Sookie attends the meeting at the church with Sam, then goes out with him for coffee afterward. But when he kisses her, she puts on the brakes, and things don't end too well -- she declines his offer for a ride home, choosing instead to take a cab. When she arrives home she finds her grandmother lying in a pool of blood on the kitchen floor.

This episode reveals Bill's turning. As a Civil War soldier he was starving when he came upon a house where he received food and drink from Lorena -- who turned out to be a 230 year old vampire. She did not kill him because he had been honorable by not trying to take advantage of her kindness. But she brought him right to the brink of death, then gave him her blood to drink -- thus creating his vampire existence. After that, she took him to see his wife and children sitting on the front porch of his house -- but she told him he could never return to them, then they left together.

I don't know about anyone else, but for me, now that Bill's history has been revealed, he seems more human. And the sadness he feels for the family he lost -- not by the war, but by having turned into a vampire -- is quite touching. So was seeing Adlele -- one of my favorite characters -- lying in a pool of blood on her kitchen floor.

S1.E5 - Very Thrilling Episode [9.6/10]

[panagiotis1993 · 10/10 · 1 November 2023]

(S1. E5) My Live Reaction / Review for True Blood Season 1 Episode 5 ''Sparks Fly Out''. Episode 4 was good and I gave it a rating of 9/10. Let's see if this one is better or worse. I think that Sam might be a werewolf, his behavior is pretty weird. Bill talking infont of all these people is so exciting. I have to admit that Bill's speech was absolutely wonderful. Jason being high is so funny. Lafayette destroyed these guys, I really enjoyed it. Sam and Sookie kiss? Bill wont like that. It's nice that in this episode we get to see how Bill became a vampire. What was that ending? Is grandma dead? No! I loved that character. Overall this was an amazing episode, my rating is 9.6/10.

Best episode thus far

[grlym-46849 · 5/10 · 10 August 2021]

Far from great, th show has shown it can have potential. A trip through history added depth beyond the normal drag of dumb southerners. Nothing like the feel you get of the south in the movie "interview with a vampire "