READ MORE | View our weekly recaps and coverage of “True Blood”
Everybody knows that vampires don’t do well in the sun, but in a twist that feels less twisty each time, the ones on “True Blood” keep finding themselves there. And really, if it’s so dangerous, why do they keep surviving?
This time around, the trouble that the witches have been brewing all season compels pretty much every vampire on the show to crave the sunlight and seriously threatens one of our faves. But the vampires saw it coming, so other than some smoky skin, bleeding ears and the requisite dramatics (top photo), only Jessica breaks the silver ties that bind and makes a break for the midday burn.
For longtime fans, it’s not much of a cliffhanger. Since Godric is the only main character in four seasons to actually die from it — and did so of his own volition — it’s hard to imagine that the show will let us lose Jessica (second photo) so easily, but the credits roll before we know for sure. While this is a pretty exciting episode by comparison to the rest of Season 4, we’re still left wanting.
Elsewhere in the land of dumb asses and bad decisions, Eric has become the wuss boyfriend Sookie always deserved, and their interactions are almost as annoying as Tara easily giving up her hot girlfriend in the most-hype, least-payoff gay relationship of the season.
Luckily, there’s still a little ass-kicking going on. Marnie is now Antonia, and it’s true: Hell hath no fury like a witch scorned. Irish actress Fiona Shaw does an impressive job as she goes from bumbling Southern Wiccan to levitating Head Spanish Bitch in Charge (third photo).
Marnie gives Pam a run for her money in the don’t-fuck-with-me department. Pam is hell-bent on making someone pay for her predicament, and it might as well be the ever-put-upon Tara and pretty much anyone else who crosses her path. Like Shaw, Kristen Bauer Van-Straten also commands each of her scenes and is deliciously bad and hilariously mad.
Could we possibly care less about the flurry of also-rans—Sam and Tommy, Jason and Hoyt, Alcide and Debbie, Andy and Holly, and the evil baby who sees dead people (bottom photo)—that are mucking up the season? No, we couldn’t. And when are Lafayette and Jesus going to get it on in some bruho-on-medium man action, not to mention matter again in the thick of things?
It’s time for those potentially compelling, but as-yet unrealized, stories to get up to speed and gel with the rest of the plots. Here’s hoping that the bright light of day shines on a masterful plan to get us back on track before the season finale has to tie it all together in one fell swoop.
