Recap 4.4 True Blood “I’m Alive and On Fire”

Sookie: “You drank the whole fairy, and you’re going to your room.”

There was definitely a family theme in this episode. Surprise family (Luna’s daughter). Really lousy family (the Mickens and the Hotshot clan). Incestuous family (Bill and the Bellefleurs, and, of course, the Hotshot clan).

Do we have a new love triangle?

I felt quite a twinge for Eric, who seems to be mourning the loss of his humanity anew, and hates the thought of returning to the dark. He was reluctant to go to bed, much like a child. And his drunk scene on fairy blood was adorable. We *almost* got a love scene. Sookie was surprisingly tender and protective toward him and actually lied right to Bill’s face to protect Eric. Good thing, too, because it really does look like the new vampire monarch deliberately put Eric in harm’s way by siccing him on the coven.

So much for Bill, because we apparently have a fairy-vampire-werewolf love triangle. Loved Alcide eavesdropping on Sookie and Eric, and then immediately afterward, Eric eavesdropping on Sookie and Alcide. Hilarious, and definitely my favorite part of the episode.

Joe Manganiello doesn’t do much for me personally, but I’ll be the first to admit that he is utterly spectacular naked. I thought Alcide was about to full frontal in front of Sookie. Unfortunately, the director was just teasing us.

I don’t think Debbie is taking all this as well as Alcide thinks she is.

Revolving imprisonment

Poor Jason! He’s never been my favorite character, but I’ve never felt more sympathy for the guy. I did like that doing the right thing was what got him free. (Someone needs to get those poor panther kids out of Hotshot.) So much for his undying love for Crystal, huh? Here’s hoping she’s wrong about the next full moon. Or maybe not. Being able to turn in to a panther might be fun — as long as he doesn’t have to live in Hotshot.

As Jason was freed, Tommy was imprisoned. I knew Melinda Mickens was lying as soon as she opened her mouth, but it’s difficult to accept that any set of parents could be so incredibly evil. It’s too bad Tommy has alienated the man who rescued him last time. Will Sam even bother to look for Tommy? Does he even care any more?

Marnie still continues to confuse me

Meanwhile, back at the Buffy-like Magic Shop, someone really has to stop Marnie before she accidentally curses the rest of the cast. Truthfully, though, Marnie herself doesn’t seem evil. But she’s opening the door to evil, which is always a bad idea. I even thought for a moment that Marnie and her “spirit” were going to switch places or something. That flashback to the Inquisition was just horrible. Seriously, I find that whole part of the history of women upsetting.

Nan mentioned a Spanish Massacre four hundred years ago, witches versus vamps. Does this have anything to do with what happened to what-her-name, Marnie’s spirit buddy? She certainly does seem to hate the vamps. Could they please give her a name already?

Bits and pieces:

— Luna’s ex is not only a werewolf, he’s a stalker. This can’t be good for Sam.

— Andy and Portia, very much adults, are living with their grandmother? Great great great great granddaughter. So much for that little liaison. I assume that means Bill is Terry Bellefleur’s ancestor, too? There’s something delightful about Bill and Terry being related.

— Poor Pam. Let’s hope that isn’t permanent. It looks painful. And horrible.

— “Uncle daddy” Felton is toast. Hallelujah.

— Loved the joyous pinching of bottoms. Irritating when it’s happening to you, but very cute to watch.

— “In this case, milder only meaner. It will take less time to RECOVER” said an ad for Tabasco Jalapeno sauce behind Maxine Fortenberry. I wonder if it was a comment on her character? She did teach Tommy to read and it meant a lot to him, so good for her. Hard to believe that she’s actually a better parent than the ones he has.

— Lafayette has power. Does Tara? It runs in families, doesn’t it?

— Will Jason start having sex dreams about Jessica now?

— Eric has a farm (did they say where?), an apartment in Paris, and a plantation in Barbados.

— I’m not even going to address the devil baby using magic markers. Do we really have to endure this subplot? I promise I won’t complain if it just goes away.

Quotes:

Nan: “Don’t fuck this up. How many retired kings do you know?”

Lafayette: “You get her ass on the goddam goddess line and you tell her to turn this curse a fucking round.”

Eric: “I’ll just lull all the sea monsters. Gators! Krokodiler! Show yourselves!”
I looked it up. ‘Krokodiler” is Swedish for ‘crocodiles’, of course.

Eric: “I’ll never swim in the sun again.” Aw.

Marnie: “Stop saying fuck. I can’t concentrate.”

This episode felt a bit more focused on more important stories, and focus is good. Three out of four bottles of tabasco jalapeno sauce,

Billie Doux

(Billie Doux and her contributing writers review science fiction, fantasy and cult television shows at BillieDoux.com.)