From Dusk Till Dawn Season 2 Episodes 1-6 Reviews: Vampires Never Looked So Good

I'm so happy my cable provider (which shall remain nameless) finally got the "El Rey" channel. Now I can watch "From Dusk Till Dawn". For those of you not familiar with the story, below are the basics of season 1. See also my recaps at From Dusk Till Dawn Season 1 Reviews

The Gecko brothers (Seth and Richie) are robbing banks and murdering anyone that gets in their way. They plan to escape the authorities by taking a family hostage (preacher Jacob Fuller and his children Kate and Scott) and escaping in their RV across the Mexican border. The police are in hot pursuit. Texas Ranger Freddie Gonzalez is especially intent on catching them since they killed his partner Earl (Don Johnson).

Richie has visions of a mysterious woman. He has no qualms about killing people and is cray cray. Seth is the saner and less violent brother. They head to the Titty Twister bar in order to give Carlos $30 million in stolen bonds. We know Carlos is a vamp but the brothers don't. The boys think they're home free but the trouble is just beginning.

The featured dancer at the bar is Santanico Pandemonium (who is the woman Richie has been seeing in his visions). Freddie also arrives in hot pursuit of the Geckos. The night starts off normal but then all hell breaks lose.

The strippers and everyone else that works at the bar are vampires. They plan to eat all the patrons. The few survivors are chased down into the labyrinth. The bar is built on top of an ancient temple. Scott is turned into a vamp by Carlos. Jacob is also turned by Scott. Kate kills Jacob at his request. Santanico turns Richie and they escape. Seth and Kate leave in a separate car. Freddie (aided by his visions) also miraculously survives and heads back to Texas. We're not sure what happens to Carlos or Professor Tanner (ie Sex Machine).

That leads us up to season 2. We learn that the vamps are called culebras. They are centuries old snake-ish vampires. They need to feed on human blood or they will die. They can also turn those they bite into vamps or they can take on the image of the person they bite (but only for a shot period of time). At least one of the culebra (Santanico) has wings on occasion and can fly.

The culebras are ruled by Nine Lords so the vamps can't just run around and do what they want. Santanico and Carlos' jobs at the Titty Twister were to keep the higher up vamps fed or else.

"Opening Night" picks up some three months after the season one finale. We first find Santanico working at a meat packing plant. But it's all a cover. Lots of vamp action ensues.

On a more romantic note, Richie gives Santanico a tennis bracelet and thinks they're a "couple". Both Santanico and I aren't so sure. I think she's just using him for what she needs. After living all those hundreds of years, why would she fall for him? She was enslaved by Malvado. She had a long relationship (if you want to call it that) with Carlos.

Back at the Titty Twister, Lord Malvado arrives. He is the head of the Nine Lords and a real meany. He rips Narcisco's face off. His coat appears to be made of faces. He wants Santanico back at ANY cost. He resurrects an ancient know as "The Regulator" to hunt her down. I think he's made of dirt?

Flash over to Seth and Kate. Seth is now a drug addict and having lots of hallucinations. Kate still wants to find Scott and save him. Kate meets a new vamp friend named Rafa. Seth also meets a tattoo artist/fake passport maker named Sonya. They later hook up.

"In A Dark Time" we learn that the stolen bonds are supposed to be some sort of map. Carlos says "The bonds are the map. I am the map". I have no idea exactly what happened to Carlos in the labyrinth but he's now cray cray. He even ripped out his fangs in there.

Since the Geckos stole four bonds, Malvado can't read the message. It turns out Professor Tanner is still alive and is now a culebra as well. He tells Malvado he can read the message with the aid of a codex (which is back at his house). He doesnt know that Freddie has already visited and taken it. Meanwhile the Regulator finds Kate and Seth. They barely escape thanks to Rafa. Unfortunately Rafa pays for his help with his life. Kate and Seth attempt to go their separate ways but later get back together.

"Attack Of The 50 Foot Sex Machine" shows us more of Santanico and Richie's plan. They are going to use some girls (including one named Paloma) as bait and then follow them back to Malvado's lair. Richie goes to see his Uncle Eddie (who is an old con artist). He originally thought the brothers were dead because they killed two other people and drove them off a cliff to make it look like an accident. Eddie eventually introduces Richie to a pimp named Blanchard. He will lead them to Malvado.

Tanner learns Freddie has been snooping around his house. He pays Freddie's wife Margaret a visit (disguised as police officer named Tony). Freddie arrives before she becomes his next meal. But Margaret has to give Tanner the codex to keep him from killing Freddie. She then takes their daughter and leaves town until the trouble is over.

Seth and Sonja arrive back in Houston in "The Best Little Horror House in Texas". Carlos travels to Blanchard's place to procure more girls. The scene is tense as Carlos eventually realizes that Mrs Sanz is really Santanico. They fight. We see Carlos dragging Santanico's body away. She has a bullet wound in her head. She can't be dead though... can she?

Kate finds Scott at their home. He cannot control his hunger and has eaten a girl. She helps him bury the victim. Later Scott tries to eat Kate too but she is rescued by Gonzalez. She wants to believe Scott but he tricks her AGAIN and leaves. Kate says she will kill Scott the next time she sees him.

In "Bondage" Carlos is terrorizing the not-quite-dead Santanico by keeping her in a freezer. Apparently vamps dont like the cold (cause... ya know... they're cold blooded). He makes her wear a strange face mask and drags her around by a leash. Carlos shows her the locals are worshipping her as a goddess. I still dont' know what this dude's game is. He's a perv in my book.

Seth finds Richie being held hostage by Blanchard's men. He helps him escape but is chastised by Richie (who says he was doing just fine without him). The Gecko brothers are begrudgingly back together. They trick a crooked cop and follow him back to Malvado's new hideout-- Jackknife Jed's.

"Bizarre Tales" is one of the best episodes in terms of revealing the MesoAmerican mythology of the show. We learn that another of the Nine Lords is nearby. He is Celestino Oculto. The guy likes to write stories for a publication called "Bizarre Tales" (hence the episode title) and has really long fingernails. Freddie was able to identify him based on his visions (which occur if he shares blood with someone either alive or dead). He and Kate head to Oculto's house.

Oculto says Malvado quenches his thirst by luring victims to the Titty Twister. Oculto does it by murdering countless victims and drinking their blood like fine wine. He tells Gonzalez that he previously had encounters with Earl (who doesnt seem to be the angel that Freddie remembers). Malvado and the Regulator show up. Oculto hides Kate and Freddie (because he's "special"). Malvado kills Oculto (by ripping a big snake out of his throat) and steals the "key" (which is a big club they use to kill people with).

Seth and Sonja and Richie and Santanico meet for dinner to discuss how to both rob and kill Malvado. The meeting doesnt go well. Santanico doesnt trust Sonja (and neither do I).

Carlos is back at the club. He and Narcisco discuss a different business arrangement. We learn that Carlos turned Narcisco centuries ago. Carlos realizes they cant make a deal and so he beheads Narcisco. Scott throws the head in the back of the car and the two take off. They had rigged the Titty Twister to blow and it explodes in a ball of fire.

Grade: 4 1/2 Monsters (out of 5). I'm really enjoying this season so far. The acting is top notch and there's lots of eye candy. Vampires never looked this sexy before. There's also enough vamp action is each episode to keep ya coming back for more. Sure the mythology is a bit confusing at times but everything else compensates for that.