True Blood Season 4 Review: 400 years is a long time for a grudge

I see dead people (and not just of the vampire variety)

After Lafayette (with more than a little help from Tio Luca) saved Jesus from the rattlesnake bite, they called Grandfather back in the room. He was very upset they interrupted his sexy time with his wife. Unnecessary visual, Gramps, but thanks. Jesus let his Grandfather have it, saying he already knew that Lafayette was a medium, all of this wasn’t necessary. But Grandfather said he didn’t do it for Jesus, he did it for Lafayette, so he would finally know what he was. Laf has a confused face the entire scene, and probably not just because they are speaking Spanish. On the trip back home, Jesus tells Lafayette this is a huge deal and mediums are very rare (although there are two in Bon Temps!). Laf doesn’t seem to want anything to do with it, but Jesus says it doesn’t matter, the spirits will come with or without Lafayette’s permission. And they do!

Back at Merlotte’s Arlene is working with Mikey on her back (is that safe?). Holly has a strange non-date with Andy Bellefleur consisting of him bringing roses, telling her they were on sale, and then quickly spiraling into a V-withdrawl enduced spaz attack. When Andy runs for the door, Laf is left making Andy’s favorite meal for no one. He starts making cute faces at Mikey, who seems more interested in the empty spot behind Lafayette. But when Laf turns around, he discovers that spot isn’t as empty as he thought – the black woman from last week is there cooing at Mikey again. She is surprised to find Laf can see her but then just gives him the “shhh” face.

She starts talking to Mikey, but since I didn’t take Creole in high school (shockingly, my school did not offer that…) I’m not sure what she said.  When Lafayette starts to freak out, because I don’t think he fully realizes/wants to realize this is a ghost, she disappears and Arlene looks at him like he is crazy. Poor Laf. And what’s with the baby? And how is the doll invovled? And I’m confused. Someone call Alan Ball and ask him for me.

About last night….

Full moons are crazy – just ask people who work in an ER – but for shifters things seemed a little extra nuts. First, Alcide and Debbie joined the Shreveport pack. Debbie was overjoyed but Alcide was distracted because A- he didn’t really want to join and B- he knew Sookie was somewhere in the woods (and possibly C- having deer blood swiped across your forehead is just plain icky). Debbie, trying to be supportive, said they should take 10 minutes to go find Sookie and make sure she was okay. And when they found her, well, she was just fine thankyouverymuch. Knowing just what they were about to walk in on when Alcide picked up their scent I had to giggle a bit because, my goodness, that was awkward. The best part was Debbie’s face. First a bit of joy knowing that Sookie was happy (very!) with someone else and then upset when she turned to see Alcide’s face was not one of relief seeing she was safe, but of anger and possibly jealousy. The next day Debbie had trouble, um, performing, in bed because she was still thinking about last night. She is afraid Alcide loves Sookie. While he does’t say no exactly, he does say that he worries about Sookie but they are just friends. He loves Debbie. Debbie asks if that is forever, and he says yes, but with a noted bit of hesitation and a less than thrilled face as he hugs her. Sigh.

Meanwhile in Bon Temps, Sam takes Tommy to the hospital who says he probably just ate something weird when he shifted last night. Ummm, Tommy, you totally screwed over two people that are very close to Sam. You don’t think he is going to find out about this?? Dumb dumb dumb. Well guess what, Sam is definitely confused when he tries to call Luna and she is more than a little pissed off. He goes to see her to see what happened, and she asks if he was drunk last night. They soon realize that Tommy shifted into Sam (when Luna turned into her mom she threw up a lot and ran a high fever like Tommy did). Both are more than a little upset and feeling violated. Sam goes home, nearly kills Tommy and then just throws him out. Someone tell Sam he needs to rehire Sookie!!

What becomes of the broken hearted

When Pam attacks Tara and Naomi, she gets a little caught up in her hatred. She goes back and forth threatening both of them, but puts her focus on Tara, giving Naomi time to run into Merlotte’s and gather a crowd of people and their camera phones. They see she is rotting and ask if she is a zombie. As you can guess, that doesn’t go over well. She leaves, but first promises Tara she will find her wherever she goes and kill her. Pam goes back to Fangtasia where that little old lady doctor gives her a peel (GROSS) and then tells her in order to look nice again she has to inject herself six time every day for the rest of her life because this peel doesn’t heal her- she’s still rotting – it just can make her pretty again. Tara meanwhile, says goodbye to Naomi, who doesn’t want to go or wants Tara to come with her. But Tara knows every moment she is with Naomi, she puts her in danger and she doesn’t want Naomi’s life in her hands. So Naomi drives back to New Orleans, leaving Tara sad and alone once again. As she drowns her sorrows in a bottle of Vodka, Marnie/Antonia finds her (I will get to her escape in a minute) and draws in Tara with the promise of taking out the vamps.

The rest of that story soon. But doesn’t Tara remember the last time she was drunk and sad and finds a strange woman in the middle of nowhere – she ended up in  delusional Manead induced state. Silly Tara. Meanwhile, Jason is home, not turning into a werepanther. Ok, time out. So that’s it? He’s just not turning? I don’t care if they don’t follow the books. If they always followed the books we wouldn’t have Jessica or Lafayette. BUT, what was the point of the first half of the season if Jason doesn’t wind up becoming a Were? Just so he needed Jessica’s blood? Because that seems a bit of a convoluted way to make that happen. Okay, rant over. Speaking of Jess, Hoyt comes over to chill with Jason because Jess was summoned to Bill’s for vamp business. Hoyt talks about how things aren’t working out with Jess and how he is so sad about it, and Jason feels guilty and makes sloppy joes. Oh Jason – of all the girls….

400 years is a long time to hold a grudge

Now that Antonia has full control of Marnie, she uses the Spanish sheriff to escape. First she has him kill (but not by draining) the female guard that was the mole in the coven, but not before he glamours her into telling the guards at one entrance to move so Antonia escape. Then the sheriff attempts to kill Bill, but when Bill gets the upper hand with the stake, the sheriff forces Bill to use it to put him out of his misery. But not before letting Bill know Antonia plans on having the vamps meet the sun again. Bill tells the remaining sheriffs to try to get all of the vamps in Louisiana out of the state, and those who want to stay must silver themselves in their coffin/resting place. Antonia meanwhile is gathering together her coven with the help of Tara. They get Holly and about 20 other witches, some of whom leave when they discover Antonia’s plan is to have all the vamps meet the sun. Bill tells Jessica what has been going on and she agrees to stay with him. He also goes to Sookie’s where she and Eric just had crazy marathon sex in (and I may be forgetting a few places) the woods, the foyer, the couch, the bed (but not the shower).

They also had a sweet conversation in bed where Eric tells Sookie he doesn’t think he wants to remember because then he won’t be the same person and she won’t love him anymore. Sookie isn’t sure what she wants, but she wants to believe that she will still like Eric with his memories. Eric lets Bill know the reunion was a very happy one (Sookie scolds him – hysterical!) and then Bill lets them know what is happening. Sookie agrees to help silver Eric since he has no intention of leaving. And so as the dawn breaks, the vamps are all silvered in an attempt to keep Antonia’s long held (and well-earned) hatred for vamps from being their demise. Bill and Jess are put in cells in the basement where they have some nice father/daughter talks. He apologizes for being the cause of all of her pain, but she tells him she is thankful he turned her. And that she is going to kill Marnie. Sookie and Eric continue their discussion of his memories as she lies with him so he doesn’t have to suffer alone. Ginger covers Pam and her freshly growing skin in chain mail in her coffin. And then, after a long wait, Marnie starts the spell. The wind starts to blow all through Louisiana. The vamps all start to crave the sun, including Maxine Fortenberry’s neighbor who apparently didn’t get the silver/leave memo. She burns in front of Maxine (“I knew it” she says!) Pam starts shaking and screaming as Ginger, who while eternally scared is also fiercely loyal, lies on the coffin hoping to keep Pam inside. Sookie is at first upstairs with Jason, and as the winds start she tells him what is happening. She goes to Eric. Eric begs Sookie to let him go, which she refuses. Jason also realizes that Jess will be trying to get out and runs to Bill’s. Jess who had never been silvered before today, was not as full covered because Bill was trying to be gentle. She gets loose, gets past the guard and heads up stairs. Bill commands her to let him go too, but she doesn’t. Outside, Jason is tackled by a guard and all we hear from in the house is gunfire moments before Jess reaches the door and opens it, letting the sun shine in.

Aaaand scene. What??? I mean, I’m sure Jess and Jason are both fine, but still! Good ending!

As we rapidly head towards the finale (we are in the second half of the season already!) things are starting to come together. The witches are at their most powerful. The vamps are in a lot of danger. And Debbie is starting to crack. Alan Ball, as always, promises some bloodshed before the season is out – who do you think won’t make it to season 5? I have some thoughts/hopes. There is one major death in the book that causes repercussions for the rest of the series, and I’m desperately hoping that one happens! Oh – and do you think we’ve seen the last of the faeries? Perhaps Sookie’s Faerie power will be instrumental in ridding the world of Antonia once and for all….

Written by Melissa Miller. Find her on Twitter @serrae

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