True Blood is back and I am prepared to give it the benefit of the doubt. Instead of rehashing the argument that Season Three was a disappointment, I instead will give a sneak peek of what is to come in Bon Temps, Louisiana.
Season Four of True Blood has been labeled as the “season of the witch.” The plot will be loosely based on Charlaine Harris’ fourth Sookie Stackhouse novel, Dead to the World, and will involve a witch coven that comes to Louisiana to wreak havoc among the vampires and the werewolves. Creator Alan Ball has said that one main character will die this season and the tone will be darker than in the past.
Joining the cast for the new season will be Fiona Shaw (Harry Potter) as Marnie, a witch that will cause all sorts of problems. Gary Cole (Office Space) will play Earl Stackhouse, Sookie’s telepathic grandfather who she encounters in the fairy realm. Neil Hopkins (Lost) will star as Claudine’s fairy twin brother Claude, Courtney Ford (Dexter, Vampire Diaries) has been cast as Andy’s sister Portia and Janina Gavankar (The L Word) will play Luna, a fellow shape shifter and love interest for Sam.
There is much in store for the residents of Bon Temps. Last time we left Sookie, she was being taken into the fairy world by Claudine after she banished both Bill and Eric from her home. She was left heartbroken after Eric revealed that Bill had come to Bon Temps just to seduce her by orders from the vampire queen of Louisiana. Sookie’s break-up with Bill will last and she will also have some entanglements with werewolf Alcide. His ex Debbie is still on the loose and last time Sookie encountered her, Sookie almost died. Alcide will have some surprises for Sookie and will be pressured into joining a new pack.
After burying Russell in cement followed by Bill trying to kill him, Eric will have problems of his own with a band of witches. Season Four will also feature Eric losing his memory and Sookie seeing him in a whole new light. Ball has said that fans of the novels will be happy with how close the show will follow the book's portrayal of Eric and Sookie’s relationship.
As for Bill, the new season will see him involved in vampire politics, where he will be trying to deal with his break up with Sookie. Tara will also be brought back to Bon Temps as a new woman. At the end of Season Three, she left town after Sam told her he was a shape shifter and she learned that Jason had killed her boyfriend Eggs with policeman Andy covering it up. Sookie’s brother Jason will have problems of his own with Crystal and the were-panther community of Hot Shot. Jessica and Hoyt will have moved in together, but his mother will still be their biggest obstacle.
The issue of Sam trying to shoot his brother Tommy will be cleared up pretty quickly and Sam will get a new love interest during the season. Mississippi king Russell Edgington caused so many problems with humans at the end last season that the head of the vampire league, Nan Flanagan, will be back to clean up the mess. Lafayette will be on his own adventure, dealing with the fact that Jesus is a witch and both will get involved with the other witches that come to town.
It seems like there is much to look forward to this upcoming season of True Blood and the previews that have come out look promising. Dead to the World is my favorite of the Sookie Stackhouse novels so I am looking forward to seeing how the TV version is handled. You can watch the first eight minutes of the season premiere now or wait until the episode airs on Sunday, June 26th at 9 PM.
I lost interest in True Blood somewhere around the middle of Season Two. Hope you're right that Season Four is a strong one, Erin !