Last night, we finally got to see the first episode of the new season four. It seemed like the wait for the season to start would never come, but, with that said, I also feel like I just wrote my Season 3 review a couple of weeks ago. Time really is playing tricks on me, just like it is on Sookie and those in Bon Temps.
When we return to the show for Season 4, we see Fairyland with Sookie. We’ve talked extensively about these scenes since everyone pretty much has already seen them, so I will only say that Sookie meets her grandfather, “Earl” there and they both escape back to Bon Temps.
I have to say that the special effects here, for me, were a bit much and not needed, but it was short and I was glad when Sookie and her grandfather got back to the Bon Temps cemetery. Granddaddy Earl did not live long after the arrival because he had eaten the “light fruit” and started to “spoil” and, when he died, he disintegrated before Sookie’s eyes. However, before he passed, he gave Sookie his pocket watch telling her to give it to Jason. He also said he loved them.
Sookie returns to her home to see that it’s been completely remodeled and when Sookie enters, one of the construction workers says if she doesn’t leave he will call the police. She tells him to go ahead because she would like an explanation.
Most of this episode was spent catching us up on everyone in Bon Temps to learn what had transpired during the past year that Sookie has been away.
The first person Sookie sees is her brother, Jason who arrives at the house because the construction people, who have been working on the house sent him. We learn here that Sookie has been away for over a year and Jason has now been officially made a “cop”. They reunite and Sookie tells him about some of her journey saying that she saw their grandfather and gives Jason the watch. Jason then reveals that he has sold the house and now Sookie will have to try to get it back.
Just then, Sookie realizes it is growing dark and goes out on the front porch, presumably to see if Bill will show up. She seems to want Bill to come, and, Bill does just that. When he arrives, he tells her that he hasn’t felt her presence for over a year and that he is glad she is alive. Just then, Eric also shows up and Bill quickly tells him “this is not the time and orders him to leave”. Eric leaves, but not before he tells Sookie that he is the only one who hasn’t given up on her. There is a warm “almost reunion” between Bill and Sookie, but it’s clear that Bill has decided to “give Sookie some space” and make no demands, so he leaves her with tears in her eyes.
Before he leaves though, Andy Bellefleur arrives looking very tense and stressed. We learn that he has fallen victim to his addictive personality again and now is hooked on “V”. Jason seems to be the responsible person between the two of them now, and reprimands him and takes the flask of “V” juice away.
We catch up with Lafayette and Jesus as we see them entering a shop where a “coven” is meeting. This is our first introduction to the witches for the season and we see Holly and some new wiccans that are also members of the coven. Lafayette is very reluctant to participate and ends up leaving after Marnie, in a trance, speaks as the now dead vampire, Eddie. Lafayette had a relationship with Eddie in Season 2 and was paid in vampire blood for having sex with him. Jason and Amy saw this and captured Eddie for his blood and eventually, when Jason felt remorse about it, Amy killed him.
Arlene and Terry have had the “daemon baby” and it was a boy. Terry is thrilled, but Arlene, although trying her hardest to love the child, is also very worried that he will be a killer. When she returns home one night, she finds the baby sitting on the floor who has obviously ripped the heads off of several “barbie” dolls that are laying in front of him. She feels that this is a bad sign of what is to come. Terry does not think this and shows all his love and devotion to the child.
When we last saw Tara at the end of Season 3, she was driving out of town, hopefully to find some happiness, because she sure didn’t get any during season 3. We find her now living in New Orleans being a woman wrestler and we come in on her just as she is winning a fight. However, the biggest reveal is that she is now having a gay relationship with a woman named “Naomi”. There was much speculation about who would be the character that “turned gay” this season, and now we know, and most speculators seem to have guessed it correctly. Tara appears happy, so we’re glad for her. Shortly after we see her, she receives a text from Lafayette saying that Sookie is back and she returns to Bon Temps for a reunion.
Hoyt and Jessica are now living in domestic bliss, not. Well, it’s clear that they love each other, but the daily day to day life is putting their relationship to the test. Hoyt wants a woman who will have dinner on the table when he arrives home from a hard day at work and Jessica seems to want to “sow some wild oats” and the difference in their nature is making it even worse.
Meanwhile, the vampires are conducting a campaign to mend their sullied reputation which was ruined by Russell Edgington in Season 3 when he ripped out a newscaster’s vertebrae on live television. Nan Flanagan is filming some “public service announcements” at Fangtasia and she first tries Pam as a spokesperson, but her dead pan deliverance doesn’t quite cut it, so Eric steps in and takes over. This is when Nan says the already famous line, “It’s a post Russell Edgington world everyone and we win back the human public one smile at a time.”
Bill is next seen at a dedication to a center honoring his late wife, Caroline and the Arbor Society for planting several trees. In this scene we are introduced to Portia Bellefleur, a lawyer, who is the head of the Bon Temps Chamber of Commerce.
While Lafayette left the coven angry and in fear of what he had experienced, he seems to also now not be speaking to Jesus. Jesus arrives at Merlotte’s to mend their relationship and also to get Lafayette to try the coven again. Andy Bellefleur shows up interrupting them and asks Jesus to leave, but before he goes, he gets an affirmative that Lafayette will go again to the coven. Andy is out to get him some “V”, but not before Jason arrives backing him off.
While still in Merlotte’s we get our first sighting of Sam’s brother Tommy who arrives with none other than Hoyt’s mama, Maxine. It appears that Maxine has taken the boy in while his leg heals from having been shot by Sam. Sam and Tommy have an exchange and we learn that Sam is paying for Tommy’s rehabilitation and reveals that he is attending, what he says is “anger management classes.”
Another meeting at Merlotte’s is Sookie with Portia Bellefleur. Portia is a lawyer and Sookie is asking for her help to get her home back from the company that has bought it. Sookie manages to read Portia’s mind as she wonders if Sookie is still pining for Bill. This scene provides a hint that there might be a relationship between Bill and Portia, but we’ll have to wait to find out the extent of what that will be.
Hoyt and Jessica have made up, and to celebrate, Hoyt suggests that they go to Fangtasia. Jessica is dancing alone, and we see a human become attracted to her, named Matt. Hoyt returns and gives her some Tru Blood and we see the disappointment in her eyes. She runs to the ladies room and she and Pam have a chat there about her “nature” and that she can’t deny that she is a hunter. This doesn’t bode well for Hoyt and Jessica’s hopeful “domestic bliss”. Shortly thereafter we see a confrontation out front of Fangtasia with Jessica, Hoyt and Pam and a rowdy crowd of “vampire haters”. Hoyt, defending his woman, gets into a fight with them.
Sam is experiencing real satisfaction as he attends his “anger management” group that turns out to be fellow shapeshifters. Sam seems attracted to one special shapeshifter named Luna, who we here will be Sam’s love interest this season. The group meets regularly together and after dinner and discussion shifts into different animals as part of their time together. This time we see them turn into horses.
Jason retuns to Hot Shot and has been looking after the family while Crystal is still gone. Timbo, one of the family, tells Jason that the freezer has broken and when Jason goes to investigate, he pushed inside it and is now captive.
Meanwhile, Lafayette, Jesus and the newly returned Tara, as a guest, are back with the members of the coven and this time Lafayette joins them. We see Marnie’s now dead parrot in the center of the circle and she attempts to bring it back to life. Many of the coven members are surprised by this, but when she is successful and the bird flies and then drops right by Lafayette, all are amazed.
A woman who was also at the coven appears in the next scene being authorized entrance to the Compton house. She enters an office in the home and sarcastically says, “Your Majesty” and knells in obedience. The camera turns around and we see Bill Compton sitting behind a desk in his newly renovated home office. Apparently, Bill is now the King of Louisiana.
Just as this is going on, Eric arrives in Sookie’s bedroom as she is changing into her nightie. Sookie is surprised and asks him how he got in. Eric tells her that he now owns the house and goes on to say, as he looks at Sookie with interest, “Such a a strange situation when reality matches what you pictured in your mind so precisely.” Sookie asks if this is another dream, but he assures her, it is not.
He says because he owns the house, that he now owns her and the episode ends with Eric saying, “Sookie, you are mine.“
I am all in with the time lapse from season 3 to Season 4, but I regret because of it, so much of this episode needed to be spent in time to “get us up to speed”. I think we deserve a thirteenth episode, don’t you? I hear that they are suggesting that for season 5, and if so, I guess I’ll settle for Season 4 only having 12.
I have to say that I’m a bit worried about all the many story lines that they have opened up in this episode. And, I so hope that the witch storyline doesn’t end up being like Season 2′s maenad story because, in my opinion, that story was the least successful story line of all the seasons. However, I’ve already seen Episode 2 (will report on that next week when it officially airs) and feel confident that this season is going to be a good one. I can’t wait to see Bill as the King and to see how Eric and Sookie get on. I’m also intrigued by what is going to happen to Jason and to Sam and that daemon baby.
So, for me, Season 4 looks really good. Tell us what you think by leaving a comment below.
