Right around this time of year—for the past three seasons anyway—my blood starts to course rapidly through my veins. Fear of withdrawal symptoms impel me to watch HBO OnDemand (along with 12.7 million other viewers), for hours and hours. I read my old Stackhouse series books—including Dead Reckoning, Charlaine Harris's most recent—to try my darnedest to figure out what will happen in the new season.
Yes. I’m waiting on HBO’s True Blood series to begin again.
This is a vampire series, but trust me when I tell you that it ain’t just about my bloodsucking friends Bill Compton and Eric Northman. As the season ended last year, Sookie had just broken up with her yummy vampire suitor, Bill. Considering she’s only just found out she’s a faerie, all sorts of doors are bound to open up for her. We’re wondering exactly whose supernatural arms she’ll end up in for Season 4.
Let’s start from the top.
Sookie Stackhouse is a young, sweet, and innocent waitress who resides in the town of Bon Temps, Louisiana, which is turning into a proverbial powder keg of paranormal phenomenon these days. She also happens to be a telepath, who until last season didn’t know that she was a faerie. Since the start of the show, she’s had one constant in her dating life, and that was Bill. He’s a sexy 150+ year-old vampire who’s managed to capture Sookie’s heart, along with her virginity.
Much to our sadness, their love affair has come to an abrupt and not too horribly unexpected ending due to Bill’s dishonesty and secret investigation of Sookie’s origins. Sookie is fae (faerie), which gives her special powers—at present that manifests itself in bright light shining from her hands and the ability to read the thoughts of humans—and makes her irresistible to vampires. (I know, I thought it was a Merlotte’s uniform too!)
At any rate, last season leaves her and her best friend, Tara, together in the broken hearts club. I know that Sookie’s problems seem a bit sticky, but Tara takes the cake: Over the past couple of seasons, she’s been the unfortunate suitor to both a dude possessed by a maenad and a deranged and crazed vampire with a sadistic streak. That is bad dating karma.
With all that’s happened, it’s only natural to wonder what else could creep into the lives of the Bon Temps residents. Well, Louisiana wouldn’t be Louisiana if there weren’t witches. We met the wolves in Season 3 and in line with the books (although much of the series deviates wildly from the books), the witches are up next.
Season 4 has been coined The Season of the Witch, and until the season starts, we’ll just have to spend our time contemplating the next steps for our favorite vampires and Bon Temps residents. Since Sookie is single, and this is romance after all, there will need to be a new suitor. I’m placing my bets strongly on Alcide. While he’s not a vampire—bummer—he has a few amazing qualities. He is kind, upstanding, gentlemanly… he has abs of steel… becomes a wolf during the full moon, he is uncommonly good through and through… did I mention his abs of steel??
I think you can literally trace one of those bulging muscles all over his body. He is some yummy goodness, but since I’m a fanger to my very core, I can’t let go of the little sliver of hope that Sookie and Eric will get together this season (did you SEE that kiss last season? Whoa!). He is so unfathomably sexy; it is a shame to waste all of that appeal on an empty coffin… not that his coffin is all that empty…
My rationale for her heading to the lupine dating side with Alcide is totally tied to her fed-up-ness with the vampire clan and their manipulative ways—I think she’ll go for a beating heart this time. I’m glad I’m not in Sookie’s shoes right now because I would surely lose my seat in the congregation over this one.
And what about Tara’s future this season? She is a troubled girl with an alcoholic mother, so it would seem that she should catch a break soon, right? Well, that’s what we thought after “Eggs” Benedict Talley was killed by Jason. We’d all hoped that her most recent relationship with Russell would have ended better than that shot to the heart. The end of the season found a schizophrenic Russell kidnapped, being bludgeoned with a fireplace poker, and finally shot in the heart with a wooden bullet-all in the name of love for Tara.
She may end up going back to her good ole friend with benefits, Sam. After all, he’s not that bad for a dog. My heart goes out to the girl, I swear. She’s been through a lot. Perhaps that next guy will be the one. This is going to sound crazy, but she should really try that nursing facility where her cousin Lafayette got his new guy friend, Jesus.
That’s a hot little number, if I say so myself. Good catch for our ex-drug dealing, road worker by day, short-order cook by night, prostitute Lafayette.
Romance is in the air, for sure, on the purple fringed couch. That is, of course, if Lafayette can get over himself and accept his Wiccan powers. Last season, we learned that Lafayette’s mother was of the witch doctor supreme sort. And Jesus had a helluva grandfather to contend in the long run.
With the expected witchery, I’m wondering how your para-hater Arlene will fair. She seems happy enough with her shell-shocked lover, Terry, but something evil is lurking just under her Merlotte’s apron. A demon baby, that’s what! It’s enough to make you wonder whether or not she’ll survive this, considering harmless little Jessica freaks her out.
Ok, maybe she’s not that harmless—she is a vampire, after all—but while we’re on the topic of babies, what’s the deal with the one-eyed doll in our lovebird’s new abode? I’m referring to Jessica and Hoyt. Aren’t they cute, setting up to play house?
I seriously hope he gets her a tricked out cove to hide away in during the daylight hours. Too cute—I have such high hopes for them! Maybe Louisiana will be the first state to declare marriage between a vampire and a human legal. Here’s looking at you, kids!
Before we move on, let’s appreciate this shot of Hoyt looking a bit less simple than usual, shall we? Hello, baby!
Speaking of romance, Jason, Sookie’s gorgeous and totally absent of a brain brother, has found his muse in Crystal, a werepanther from Hot Shot—the poor part of town. Side note: he’s a full three and a half points hotter than she is, so I’m not sure if this will last as long as the book’s romance.
By the movie, She’s Out of Your League’s theory, you may be able to cover one point, but once you jump from a six and a half to an easy ten in the looks category, it’s tough to cover the differential.
She better keep her figure… I’m just saying. Is there anything higher than a 10? Jason may be it.
It’s been a long winter, and we’re not out of the woods yet. We’re waiting on the activities in the Faerie world, as well as how Eric and Bill will interact with one another now that Bill’s tried to kill him. There’s a lot to anticipate in the new season and I cannot wait.
What are you looking forward to most this season?
Book 10 finds our maven in love, utterly and completely, with Eric. Unfortunately, she is being stalked by a crazy faerie that remains rogue since the vampiric/faerie battle in the last novel. Some of my favorite love scenes happen in Book 10. Charlaine really went all out for this one. Job well done!
And just in case you’re wondering, you can purchase a complete set of books 1-8 for the low, low price of around $40. That outta keep you plenty busy for a little while.
Until next month, we’ll wait with bated breath to see all of our dreams come true. This is one fanger that personally can’t wait.
Aliza Mann, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Paraplayground.com
