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| Season 4 Promotional Poster |
Episode one was the perfect teaser. It gives us just enough material to keep us hungry for more True Blood, hinting that a lot has been going on, and that a lot more is to come.
It picks up a year and two weeks after the end of Season 3. The audience (and Sookie) is left in the dark (or in Sookie's case in the light) as to what went on in her absence. Here's why:
At the close of Season 3, Sookie leaves our plane of existence to live with her fairy kinsmen. I'll be honest, I was a bit unsure about this storyline. I mean, the whole fairy-land/garden-of-eden schtick reminded me so much of a paradise setting on the holodeck (yep, that's a Star Trek reference \\_// )—unnatural even for True Blood. I don't know, I just wasn't sure where the story was going to go. I didn't really buy into the whole creatures-of-light-frou-frou-chiffon-party-dresses-sugar-and-spice fairy angle. It wasn't dark enough for me. But boy did True Blood bring the dark! Exhibit A:
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| Greetings! I am Mab, Queen of Fairy Tra La La Land! Welcome! |
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| Oh Harro!!! Check out my true form! Prepare to die! |
Not only were the fae not who they claimed to be (Thank goodness!), but time slowed down in their plane of existence. This explains why Sookie spent fifteen minutes there, and a tad over a year went by here. Oh, also in fairyland, Sookie runs into her grandfather—thought dead by the people of Bon Temps—but dies—for good(?)—as they escape back into our plane.
So Sookie returns, shaken but charming as usual, to a very very different Bon Temps.
Jason is a now an actual cop. He works closely with Andy Bellefleur—who developed a V addiction. Also, after a year of searching for his thought-to-be-murdered-by-Bill-Compton sister, he gives up and sells the Stackhouse home to an unknown buyer—much to Sookie's dismay. Jason has also taken up the responsibility of caring for the Hotshots pack of werepanthers. Clearly, werepanthers bite the hands that feed them—episode one ends with Jason being beaten over the head with a bat and locked in a freezer.
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| Jason - now a man in uniform. As if he needed any more help with his man-whoring game... |
Bill Compton seems to have kept himself busy as well. It seems that he is now the new king of Louisiana (What happened to Sophie-Ann?!!?)—now outranking Eric. He is also seen at a ribbon-cutting for some sort of resource center dedicated to his wife (from his human life). Aaand, he seems to be plotting something involving the witches.
Ooh, the witches. I'm going to be honest, the witches storyline didn't interest me at first either. I mean, we were going on a V-induced hallucination by Jésus and Lafayette, so I wasn't really sure how the witches were going to tie in to the series.
Enter Marnie.
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| Oh Marnie. Are you channeling spirits of the dead again?! You'll scare the guests! |
I love the fact that Fiona Shaw, who plays Aunt Petunia in the Harry Potter movies, is playing Marnie. Aunt Petunia:Staunch Wizard Hater::Marnie Stonebrook:Power witch-Coven master. Oh, the irony!
It seems that Jésus has been busy convincing Lafayette to "uncover his true potential" as a witch. They "join" Marnie's coven and some freaky-friday shenanigans ensue (and the preview at the end of the episode ensures that more are to follow).
Holly Cleary is also seen as a member of this coven. You may remember Holly from her failed hokey Wiccan ritual to induce Arlene's miscarriage. Well, Marlene carried to term and is convinced that her little toddler is the spawn of Satan (i.e. Rene Lenier from Season One).
Tara has left Bon Temp and has adopted a nomadic lesbian life. Yes, i said lesbian.
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| Tara and Naomi: cage-fighting power couple of the year. |
Tara seems to be as beautifully broken as ever. What with her year's worth of running, hiding and lying, I am certain her storyline has her headed back to Bon Temps and trouble's waiting arms.
Elsewhere:
*Nan Flanagan, public face of the American Vampire League (AVL), is seen cleaning up the mess made by Russell Edgington—AVL PSA production for damage control.
*Tommy Mickens is now the ward of Maxine Foytenberry, Hoyt's Mother. Tommy has a brace on his leg and is undergoing physical therapy after being shot by his brother Sam.
*Sam is undergoing anger management therapy. I'm not sure if this is at an actual clinic, or with his new shifter friends.
*Eric is still a jerk (a sexy jerk), and turns out HE bought Sookie's house—and since he owns the house, he seems to believe that he owns Sookie as well.
*Pam is still icy cold and betchy—to Jessica on Hoyt: "That tree, in the plaid shirt, it has a name?"
*Lastly, the storyline I'm not so crazy about: Jessica and Hoyt. It seems like there's trouble in Paradise. Jessica, as usual, is seen trying to fight her vampire urges. I have love love LOVED Jessica and would hate to see her character change drastically.
Things to look forward to from the teaser at the end of the episode:
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| More witch-y shenanigans from Marnie's lovin' coven: Project Resurrection. |
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| When vamps and witches meet: "I <3 u," says Eric to Marnie. |
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| "There's a new coven in town," - Bill Compton. |
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| "I'll eat who I want!" - Jessica Hamby. Looks like Pam is teaching Jessica a thing or two in bad-assery. |
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| I am very intrigued as to what could make Nan go primal in public! |
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| "You ain't right!" - Arlene Fowler to her son. |
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| "Who put you up to this?" - Jason Stackhouse. |
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| And finally, it seems like we'll be seeing more of the gorgeous Mab and her fabulous fairy friends. |
Well, that's all for now because
EPISODE 2 HAS JUST FINISHED LOADING!!!
Catch you on the flippity flip!
Images from:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150207505473563&set=a.10150207505438563.329223.69144888562&type=1
Screen grabs snagged from my screen.
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