This season just keeps rolling right along, and while there are still some elements that leave me scratching my head, it all seems a bit more interconnected thematically than the third season could ever claim. It all comes down to how well the main plot threads are being handled, which makes the lesser subplots more tolerable along the way.
Just when I’m getting even more bored of the whole Tommy debacle, they go and make things interesting again. I’m still convinced that the whole “skinwalker” angle introduced by Luna is going to play a part in however the Sam/Tommy subplot evolves. Just dealing with Tommy would appear to be enough to prompt Sam to gut him once and for all, but I get the feeling there are more twists to come in that situation.
Speaking of subplots I’d rather they resolve quickly and move on from, there’s some movement on the whole Arlene/Terry front. The exorcism was entirely silly, but it seems to have done what every half-hearted effort to expel an evil spirit does: fuel it into even more overt actions. This situation has been played for laughs since the start, so it wouldn’t be a bad thing for it to turn towards something more disturbing in short order.
Disturbing would be a good way to describe Jason’s post-traumatic mental state. He’s clearly having trouble with the knowledge that he was repeatedly raped by backwoods werepanther women, and those issues express themselves in his subconscious filtering of Hoyt’s complaints. Jason’s dream is a nice bit of comic relief, and seeing a writhing Jessica in little more than sheer undergarments was an unexpected treat.
It’s been a while since we’ve seen any writhing out of Sookie, but things are starting to heat up on her end. Her scene with Marnie worked very well, particularly in conjunction with what came later with Bill, and things will definitely be hitting the fan once Bill comes around looking for Eric. Who, at this point, is busy kissing Sookie, so that is unlikely to end well. The fact that Bill is trying to manage the coven situation at the same time sets up a nice exploration of the conflict between his personal and royal desires.
With things getting more dangerous with Marnie (and quickly), it makes sense for Jesus and Lafayette to get out of Bon Temps. Ominously, Jesus’ creepy grandfather has been waiting for them, which raises all kinds of red flags. This guy looks to be trouble, and in a good way. Since it’s clear that Marnie is simply a willing vessel for a vengeful spirit (or several), it would be good to see the witchcraft theme play out in other aspects. And since Jesus was leading Lafayette down questionable paths in the third season, this is a good way to pull that back into the story.
I’m leaving a couple of things out, but as usual, a lot happens in any given episode of “True Blood”. In the third season, that led to a lack of focus that undermined everything about the show. This season, the writers seem to be doing a better job keeping the plot threads moving, especially when they start getting tedious.
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4
Final Rating: 7/10