Hang On To Yourself

By Cindy Davis | TV | September 14, 2010 |

By Cindy Davis | TV | September 14, 2010 |

After a season of extreme highs and lows, Alan Ball gave us a decent finale that mostly straddled middle ground. Written by the man himself, Evil is Going On didn’t leave us with the dramatic cliffhanger of last season (Bill’s proposal and kidnapping), but it was a fairly even-tempered hour that tended more toward the highs than the lows. I do wish we’d been left hanging a little more desperately, but at the same time, I felt our appetites were whetted enough that we’ll at least come back to see where Season 4 is headed. Witches are certainly as intriguing as vampires and definitely more interesting than the mostly lackluster werewolves and shape-shifters we’ve seen. As for fairies, I think we’re still up in the air, but one of the highlights of the hour was seeing angry Sookie set her temper flying free. After a lot of misplaced trust and foolish decisions, Sookie let her emotions rule and for the most part they served her well.

Like a couple of roasting weenies, Eric and Russell lay on the ground side by side, waiting to die. Russell tells Eric his father deserved to be killed; all the King wanted was a couple of goats to feed his wolves. A vision of Godric appears to Eric, pleading with his progeny to forgive Russell.

Dream Sookie runs in a fairy dress to fairy world which is lit by a giant disco chandelier that descends from the sky like a UFO. She hears Bill’s voice calling her and wakes angrily, smacking Bill’s face and accusing him of betraying her yet again. Bill claims to have been pretending the betrayal so he could save her life. Sookie asks where Eric is and when Bill and Pam inform her the studly Viking is burning to death outside, she runs to save him. Russell easily goads Sookie into summoning her power to release the silver cuffs that bind him to Eric, raising her ire with threats. But Russell goes too far barking commands and taunting Sookie, who’s had enough of being ordered around - she tosses the King away from Fangtasia’s door and against a fence as he demands to be hauled inside. Leaving the lunatic laughing and ranting, Sookie instead drags in Eric.

Pam declares that Eric needs human blood and Sookie bids Bill to bite her so Eric can drink her blood. She puts her wounded arm to Eric’s lips and asks Bill to keep an eye on Eric since they both know he could lose control.

Tara watches Steve Newlin and Nan Flanagan discuss politics on the telly while Sam cooks breakfast. When Sam accuses Tara of always leaving too early, she says maybe it’s because he barked in his sleep. Sam confesses to a creature-weary Tara that he’s a shape-shifter. Tara complains that Sam should have told her what he was before sleeping with her. She wishes aloud that she could start over and Sam tells her she can - she just has to keep moving to escape the past. When Tara leaves Sam’s house, she has a bunch of flashbacks that get her crying again.

Bill pulls Sookie’s arm away from his rival’s mouth. Eric tells the incredulous group that Godric appeared to him and told Eric to save Russell; everyone declares him crazy and Eric asserts he’ll go back outside himself. Sookie gets pissed and storms out, silver chain in hand. She wraps the chain around Krispy King’s neck and drags him into the bar as he emits orgasmic groans. Eric chains and binds Krispy King (whose head looks like a well-charred marshmallow) to a pole as Pam, Sookie and Bill complain that Russell is being allowed to live. Eric commands Sookie to babysit Russell while the vamps have their nap, but Bill says he’s staying with Sookie to protect her.

Jason busts in on a meeting between Andy and a DEA officer (Matt Reidy) discussing the upcoming Hotshot raid. Andy pulls Jason aside and they argue over what will become of the innocents; Andy lets slip that the raid is happening right away and Jason runs out.

Hoyt drives up to his work site to find his mother and Summer sitting in chairs, waiting along with Hoyt’s high school guidance counselor - an intervention of sorts. Summer reads her prepared speech of love and sobs, then Maxine begins reading hers. A fed up Hoyt interrupts and tells the interveners off, including the fake therapist who keeps a bottle of Malibu in his desk drawer. After Hoyt walks away, the counselor tries a group hug but Maxine pushes him to the ground.

Lafayette shows up early for work and is alarmed to see a vision of his boss’s bloody hands and discover that he can hear Sam’s angry thoughts.

Russell plays let’s make a deal with Sookie. He offers several million and to kill Eric and Bill - Sookie adds in his Mississippi Pleasure Palace. Krispy King raves about Sookie’s blood and how he admires Bill’s restraint. When she’s heard enough, Sookie sprays Russell in the eyes with liquid silver and he in turn ramps up his threats against her. Sookie spies the Jar of Talbot and mockingly asks why Russell has been carrying it around. She wonders if Russell thinks her blood can bring his dead husband back. Krispy King mumbles and moans and groans as a smirking Sookie defiantly (almost gleefully) carries Jar of Talbot over to the sink, dumps his gooey essence down the drain and turns on the disposal. Russell screams in anguish and Sookie delights. I really adore vengeful Sookie.

Jason and Crystal show up at the meth compound and greet all the inbreeds. Calvin stomps out and angrily rants at Crystal for bringing Jason even as she warns him that the DEA is headed their way. Uncle Daddy Calvin orders his people to clean out the V as a jumped-up Felton arrives to save his high. Calvin calls Felton a pussy; Felton shoots Uncle Daddy dead.

Speaking of pussies, Terry sits crying on his front stoop as Sam arrives. Sam apologizes profusely for his drunken behaviour the night before and Terry cries even harder. When Sam tries to console him, Terry explains that he’s happy crying because his life is so good. Sam gets away as fast as he can. He tries to find Tommy, who has trashed the house Sam was letting him use.

The DEA officer calls the injured Andy a liability and refuses his assistance with the Hotshot raid, instead suggesting Andy make a cigarette run. At the compound, Felton threatens to kill Jason if Crystal doesn’t come with him. Crystal talks down Felton and tells Jason he has to stay and take care of all the kids and family left behind. Jason tells Crystal he’ll find her and she drives off with Felton. Finally, Jason has found his special purpose.

Tara visits her mother and discovers Lettie Mae and Reverend Daniels in a state of undress and about to commit a sin. Tara storms off with Lettie Mae following right behind her and exclaiming that the preacher is going to leave his wife and marry Mama Thornton. Tara wishes her mother luck and leaves.

Sam goes to his office where he sees his safe is missing. He screams at the top of his lungs as Arlene complains to Lafayette that she can’t take Sam being an asshole. LaLa has a vision of Rene holding Arlene by the neck and he screams, scaring Arlene. Lafayette calls Pretty Jesus to tell him what’s going on and Jesus says he’s on his way.

A truck pulls up to Fangtasia, a foot steps out and hearing the door slam, Russell exclaims that his wolves have arrived to rescue him. He’s half right. It’s Alcide coming because Eric called him, but Sookie clearly wishes Alcide came for her (though she balks when he confesses to having Sookie dreams). Eric and Bill walk in and Eric asks if Alcide’s truck is out front. He drags Russell out by the chain around Krispy King’s neck as Pam tells Eric not to bring “that thing” back inside the bar.

The DEA officer hauls Jason into Andy’s office just after Andy has sniffed his hidden V stash. The angry Fed informs Andy someone must have tipped off Hotshot since the compound was cleared out before the raid. Andy is pissed with Jason, who tells the sheriff there are more people to think about than themselves and that Jason knows he did the right thing.

Pretty Jesus arrives at Merlotte’s with a big hug and reassurances for Lafayette. LaLa is terrified of the things he’s been seeing and hearing; Jesus says Lafayette is becoming sensitive to magic. He admits he has been taught magic and that he is a witch, which seems to be mighty attractive to LaLa. I knew Jesus was magic the moment I saw him.

In her quest to become a new person, Tara makes the monumental decision to cut her hair, accompanied by the obligatory crying. Afterward, she goes downstairs to find Sookie, who loves the new (extremely professional) look. The girls share a sandwich and reconnect. Tara says she’s going to go see Lafayette at Merlotte’s and assures Sookie she’ll be back, which means she probably won’t.

Alcide gets reassurance from Eric that his father’s debt has been paid off and drives away. Bill and Eric stand at the edge of a pit filling with cement - Russell is splayed below them and a mixer slowly drops the solidifying material around Krispy King’s body. Eric thinks that burying Russell in this manner will assure his enemy no death and no peace. Godric appears again to Eric, still begging him to stop and the Viking screams angrily, “This is what you made me!” while Russell declares Eric as mad as himself. Bill and Eric watch until Krispy King is buried by cement, complete with the requisite desperate arm reaching up until it too is covered.. (I smile to myself, assured that Russell will return one day.) Bill offers his hand to Eric as if to shake on a job well done, but instead Bill slaps a silver cuff on Eric’s wrist and hurls him into a second pit, then jams that mixer on high, quickly dumping cement over Eric. Bill then makes a call to Eric’s minion Ruben, disguising his voice to sound exactly like Northman and he orders Pam killed.

Hoyt invites Jessica into their new home and tells her he wants to marry her. The pair declare their love for each other and kiss, unaware that a doll is on the floor in an adjacent room. The horror! Meanwhile, Maxine shops for a high powered rifle, intent on stopping her son’s happiness.

Bill shows up at Sookie’s place and she foolishly invites him in again. He informs her Russell and Eric are both gone. Bill tells Sookie he killed Eric to keep her safe and that he’ll also have Pam and the Queen destroyed since they have tasted Sookie’s blood. Bill swears he has never loved anyone like he does Sookie and he will make sure she’s safe. As he steps toward the door and opens it to leave, Bill finds the fairy-blood-boosted Eric waiting outside. Silly Bill, your tricks are for kids. Eric enlightens Sookie, tattling that Bill was sent by the Queen to find her and that Bill let Sookie be beaten the night they met, so he could offer his blood to her. Furious, Sookie kicks out Bill yet again, crying at the news that she was manipulated into falling in love with him. In her rage, Sookie screams at Eric too, slamming the door as he tells her he’s sorry she’s suffering so.

Tara arrives at Merlotte’s, takes one last look and then drives off.

Back at Fangtasia, Pam asks if Eric killed Bill and lets him know she took out her assailant, Ruben. Eric laments having to find a new assassin.

Sam goes after and finds his brother running in the woods. Sam shoots in the air to scare Tommy and demands his money back. The broken-hearted boy cries over Sam having rescued then abandoned him. When Tommy walks away exclaiming that Sam won’t shoot, Sam does in fact shoot.

Bill receives a Queen at his home. She asks if he isn’t as pleased as she that Russell is gone and asks for Sookie to be brought to her. Bill admits he doesn’t have our little fairy and tells Sophie-Anne only one of them will leave his house. They bare fangs and lunge at each other.

Sookie cries some more and then runs from her house. She visits Gran’s grave and talks to her beloved guardian. As she sobs, Claudine appears, holding out her hand and inviting Sookie to come with the fairies. Sookie walks toward Claudine, her light emanating from a hand. Other fairies join them and then the whole group vanishes, leaving us all in the dark until next summer.

Now, how much do we care about the things that happened this hour? Do we really care where Tara went? Do we care if Sam shot Tommy? (My guess is that he shot to scare or wound his brother, most likely the former.) Do we care if Jason is the Lord of the Retards? Do we care who wins the Crouching Vampire Hidden Queen fight? Does anyone even give a shit about Bill anymore - I think he’s pretty much worn out his welcome. I know no one cares about Arlene and her demon baby. Jessica and Hoyt are adorable and we all want them together; maybe they’ve accidentally stumbled upon a old Witch house and they’ll get to investigate some Scooby mystery together. Eric and Pam survived - of course, that’s fabulous. Even better is knowing that at some point, exactly when we expect it, Krispy King will be back to wreak havoc upon someone or other. I mean, if Eric was able to escape the cement that easily, surely a kazillionty year old vampire isn’t going to take the whole hundred years to free himself. Maybe his werewolf buddies were waiting in the shadows and they’ll dig him out in less than an hour. So the big storylines next season will involve Sookie in Fairyland and Pretty Jesus homeschooling LaLa in witchy ways, presumably with a little Holly on the side.

There’s just one little smidge of advice I’d like to send over the interwebs to Mr. Ball. Please give us more than creatures of the season; give us a bit more meat to chew on. We ran through the vampires so quickly and then the shape-shifters and the werewolves and were-panthers in quick succession. Who the hell is left to be human? (Not that there’s anything so great about that.) I understand that it’s cool to throw in all these surprise creatures, but give us a little quality with that quantity. Give us more actors like Denis O’Hare (who had damned sure be on the Emmy short list) and great characters for them to sink their teeth into. This season was a little bogged down with too many characters and too many side stories. True Blood is at its best when it’s more focused and settled back with the people we’ve come to care about — Lafayette, Sam (sans new family), Jason (sans new inbred family), Eric, Pam and even Sookie. Hell, throw Bill in there if you have to. But please cut down on the extraneous, nonsensical filler and pseudo drama so we can zoom in on the good stuff. Oh, and more sex too. Good day to you sir and a kind thank you to you who have been reading. Contrary to unpopular belief, I do love this show and am therefore qualified to criticize it.

Closing credits: Jace Everett and CC Adcock “Evil (is Going On)”

Cindy is no vampire (not that there’s anything wrong with them). You can reach Cindy here