With only three episodes left in the season, True Blood continues to pick up new viewers every week. This should come as no surprise to genre fans ... we've known vampires were awesome for years!

One website said that 11 million viewers watched this week if you include HBO On Demand and DVR ratings. That's incredible for a genre show that's only in its second season!

There's a lot of different things that can be credited to the appeal of the show: perhaps the sex, violence or stunningly beautiful cast? More than likely, it's a combination of all three, and the plot lines aren't too shabby either. Every week we get a crazy-good cliff hanger, like the explosion at the end of Time Bomb which led directly into this weeks I Will Rise Up.

After Sookie was freed from captivity by Godric, the oldest vampire we've met so far on the show, things didn't get any easier for her or her vampire boyfriend. Eric, Bill and Jason all ran to her rescue, defeating The Fellowship of The Sun for now.

In a twist at the end of the show, the vampires were celebrating their victory over the prejudiced humans, and a member of The Fellowship came into their home with a bomb strapped to his chest.

In the inevitable explosion, both humans and vampires died, but luckily none that we cared about. Sookie and Jason survived, and of course Eric and the rest of the main vampires did as well. While Bill was outside, chasing after his own maker, Eric bravely shielded Sookie from the bomb. Bill's connection to Loretta will surely be something Sookie is not too happy about in the future.

Eric tricked Sookie into sucking the bits of silver from his chest with her mouth, forever linking her to him without her knowledge. Bill explains that he will now always know what she is thinking and feeling, and that she will start to be attracted to him. It's a little creepy as Sookie would never have chosen to be this way, and it's obvious that she sees Eric's trickery as a manipulative and evil thing to do. He violated her trust, and took advantage of her concern for his safety.

Yes, he's a vampire, and they thrive on evil, but if they want to be considered equal to humans, they just can't go around doing things like that!

Mary-Ann, the maenad that's taken over Bon Temps while Sookie and company have been away, fed a human heart to poor Tara and Eggs. In one of the best scenes of the series, the two lustfully eat it on a blood covered table. I suppose they thought it was in a special sauce?

Next week Mary-Ann will head to Merlotte's to find Sam. I sure as hell wouldn't want to be him right now!

What Worked

Two words: Michelle Forbes. She is absolutely radiant, and her confidence as Mary-Ann makes Tara look like a delicate little kitten. Can't wait to see what her reaction will be to Sookie and Bill when they get back to Bon Temps and discover what she's done to the residents of the town.

Maenad vs. Vampires ... count me in!

What Didn't Work

Godric's quick departure seemed premature. He wasn't in the books long, perhaps even for a shorter amount of time, but his beautiful death left me wanting more. What did he go through to make him want to see what was on the other side of life? What made this vampire choose to leave the mortal world for the unknown? Could it be something more than just being tired of life?

These are all questions that could have led to so much more in the series. Perhaps we'll find the answers out through Eric?

When Sam turned into a fly to escape Mary-Ann, it seemed a bit lame. Yes he's a magical shape shifter ... but even a mouse seems a bit better. To believe that a human could change into any kind of animal is a far reach to begin with, but to make that animal a fly seems a bit far fetched even for a show that has mind readers, vampires and ancient goddesses at its core.

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

"True Blood" stars Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Ryan Kwanten, Sam Trammell, Rutina Wesley, Alexander Skarsgard and Michelle Forbes. It airs on HBO Sundays at 9 p.m. ET.