Now that was a strong episode of True Blood.

And, no, I'm not just saying that because it featured multiple sex scenes, two involving the same woman and one the fantasy of many male high school students.

Nor because Terry only wasted about 30 seconds of my screen time.

Instead, what made "Whatever I Am, You Made Me" the best installment of Season 5 were the interesting advances made across multiple storylines.

Let's start with everyone's favorite Fangtasia manager, Pamela Swynford De Beaufort.

We laughed when she wore a Walmart sweatshirt on the premiere, but we've come close to crying over her vulnerability and loneliness over the last two weeks, as Pam has missed her Maker and we've flashed back to the scenes many fans have clamored for since Season 1: the meeting of Pam and Eric.

It started out sweet. It turned romantic. And then... DAMN! Did anyone see that self-stabbing coming?!? I wanna travel the world with you, Mr. Northman. She wasn't kidding! A bold, conniving move from a bold, conniving woman, but one explained well in Pam's speech about looks and old age and one that adds a new wrinkle to this already-fascinating character.

Add to that Pam's new role as Tara's Maker, and Tara's obvious need for guidance, and we have ourselves a very juicy storyline. It's almost enough to make me regret wishing Tara dead every single day between True Blood Season 4 and 5.

We then have Bill and Eric and their quasi Salome sandwich. A gentleman does not brag about sloppy seconds. Well played, Bill.

A bit of light was shed on The Authority this week in how each member responded to Bill and Eric's request to hunt down Russell Edgington, but really the scenes here were simply fun, from Bill and Eric revealing their inner souls to Salome (before she revealed her outer... self) to the lovable Tina Majorino guest-starring as an Authority employee, hooking up the dynamic duo with possible death devices and uttering the line of the episode:

You're too cute to be goo.

We then move on to Jessica, who showed a bit of lingerie when trying on dresses and... wait. Where was I? Right: she was being her typically cute, bubbly, horny self when a foreign, impossible-to-resist smell permeated her gorgeous nostrils. A fairy, it's safe to presume, right?

I'm not sure if Bon Temps really has room for any more creatures, but I lamented last season how Sookie's adventures in fairy land never culminated in any way at all, so I'm curious to see if this can make up for it. Also: Jessica and Jason? How adorable are they as friends?

Is the latter really a changed man? Will this mean less of Jason Stackhouse without a shirt on if so? And will female viewers stage a coup if the clothing comes back on?

So... we're faced with Bill and Eric about to set forth on Russell recon; Jessica sniffing out Sookie-like spirits; Pam begrudgingly going from mentee to mentor; Debbie's parents on the prowl for their daughter; Sam in on Tara's blood-sucking secret; and Lafayette acting all witchy-washy. Okay, I don't care about the last storyline one bit.

But I'm fully on board for the rest, as this episode moved the important characters along at a solid, enjoyable pace. What did everyone else think?

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.