Given how the previous episode ended, it was a given that the various subplots were going to start heating up. Whether or not they would intersect in any meaningful way was less of a foregone conclusion. I’m happy to say that the writers are firmly back on track this season, to the point where even the most annoying of plot threads is beginning to have a purpose.
I’ll start with Jessica’s survival, as it makes me very happy. I love the fact that this new love triangle is not resolving quickly or easily, though a part of me really wanted Jessica’s dream to be the real deal. This needs to send Hoyt into a new direction, or it needs to end with his death, because the character has been static for far too long. On Jason’s end, it continues to keep him in interesting plot territory, which after last season is a very good thing.
Speaking of secondary love triangles, I kept wondering how the Alcide/Debbie and Sam/Luna storylines were going to get folded into the big picture. I guess we know now! Alcide is likely to drag the werewolves into the escalating vampire/witch war, against the wishes of his new Alpha, and because of Sookie, which is not going to make Debbie any more stable. And since Marcus, the Alpha, is the father of Luna’s daughter, Sam is not going to be able to stay out of it for long, I imagine.
The main romance between Sookie and Eric is way over the top at this point, but that’s largely due to Eric’s memory issues and his too-sappy disposition. Hopefully the war will snap him back into badass mode sooner rather than later. Regardless, Sookie appears to be giving herself over to Eric more completely than she did with Bill, so when Eric does revert, that is unlikely to force them apart.
Of course, Eric is going to have to get out of Antonia’s thrall first, and in the meantime, Sookie and Bill appear to be on the path to a very uncomfortable discussion. That’s been in the cards for a while, so it is likely to be brutal (and therefore entertaining). I see Bill using his intervention in Tara’s survival as a weapon in his arsenal, so to speak, but I wonder how much of his decision-making will be dominated by concerns over the war.
As usual, not every subplot is a winner. I had hoped that Tommy would fall off the face of the planet, but he’s still around, causing trouble. It’s just a matter of how that pans out, though, since I still see him as a dead shifter walking. Sheriff Andy’s addiction is tedious and pointless at the moment.
But the worst is still the subplot with Arlene’s baby, even if it finally progresses into something in this episode. Lafayette’s possession makes a bit of sense after everything that happened in Mexico, but all the silly twists and turns that were necessary to get the doll into the baby’s hands in advance of this plot element just makes it beyond ludicrous. And I just don’t see the point, unless it is meant in some way to advance Lafayette’s character to a point where he can step into the war at the right time with the right talents.
On the whole, though, the good points of the episode outweighed the disappointments, and I think it’s safe to say that this season has been a lot better than the third. In fact, this is shaping up to be one of the more consistent seasons in terms of quality, which justifies the recent renewal for a fifth season.
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4
Final Rating: 8/10