SPOILER ALERT!  (If you have not watched this episode, then do not read post)

I'm so excited that True Blood is back!  I'm still reeling from last night's episode and need to watch it again, but wanted to post my thoughts.  If you read this and have not watched the episode, do not leave a comment about being spoiled.  You have been warned twice now.

So, we started right where we left off.  Tara's head was half blown off, Debbie Pelt is "definitely dead" (you bookworms will get that), and Bill and Eric have narrowly missed the True Death, instead ending Nan Flannigan and her miscreants.  As I'm sure some of you were, I was very excited that Tara got shot.  Nothing against Rutina Wesley (I think she's great), but Tara whips out a few good lines every season and then slumps back into her "whoa is me, I hate my life, all vampires are evil because I hooked up with one suicidal one".  Of course Bill and Eric feel Sookie's fear, but as Eric put it "F--- Sookie, she just dumped both of us".  I feel Eric on this one, I am also biased as he can do no wrong in my eyes.  Remember that Eric is 1,000 years old and pretty much detached himself from human emotion in order to survive.  He let's his guard down (not totally his choice since he was under a witch's spell) and gives his heart to Sookie.  Five minutes later she tells Bill and Eric that she can't be with either of them.  Bill has already had a year to get over Sookie, and let's face it, Bill is a little more sensitive than Eric is, plus they had their own immortal butts to save!  "The Authority" is now after them, and Russell Edgington is back (though they don't know about that yet).  We'll get back to Russell in a minute.

I'm still trying to figure out what kind of trunk Bill and Eric were put into.  It was most likely built for vampires.  Not smart vampires.  They escape to realize their "captor" is Eric's vampire sister, which leads to a biblical reunion that poor Bill has to endure.  Only on TB can someone have sex with their sister and it be okay, but she's not his biological sister, she's his vampire sister meaning they share the same maker.  You can only sleep with your "kin" if you live in HotShot and turn into a panther at least once a month.  Apparently their reunion was heard because the "one true Vampire Authority" caught up with them.

Since Bill is "out of town" and all of the Louisiana sheriff's are dead except for Eric, Jessica is left in charge of the kingdom.  Is it just me or is Louisiana totally up for a vampire coup now?  I think I would have called Pam in, but that's me...  Jessica's doing a great job taking care of things, Rock Band with college kids is totally what the area needs right now.  She's left poor Jason totally in love with her being called "girlfriend fucker" by his one time friends (is that all they could come up with?).  Jason has another suitor to contend with as well.  The newly created vampire Steve Newlin  shows up at his door, glamours him into letting him in, and professes his undying love for Jason Stackhouse.  That was worth the 3 years we waited!  Jessica swoops in telling Mr. Newlin that Jason "is hers" leaving poor Jason totally confused, which is not hard to do.

Since neither Bill nor Eric came to Sookie's rescue it was a good thing Pam stopped by looking for her maker.  Sookie begs her to turn Tara.  Pam warns her it may not take, or she may not be normal, but Sookie trades a favor for her best friend's life.  Tara was pretty much dead as half her head was blown off so I'm having a hard time believing she could really turn.  As all good makers do, Pam goes to ground with Tara in a Walmart sweatsuit.  Why should Pam get dirty?  Meanwhile Sookie and Lafayette clean up what's left of Debbie (where did they put her?) just in time as Alcide strolls up to the door to give the bad news about Russell.  I'm hoping she remembered to pick up Debbie's stray tooth from wherever she kicked it to.

Sookie rushed off to fairy land so fast at the end of season 3 she never knew Russell was buried in a parking garage.  I'm a little sketchy on that.  Personally, I wouldn't have put him in B level, I would have put him in the foundation.  However, he still would have been dug out.  They just made it easier for his helper.  Now he's consuming poor humans that his minion's are dragging from who knows where.  Sookie almost tells Alcide what she has done to Debbie when Lafayette comes to the rescue and picks a fight with the werewolf.  The pair head off to Lafayette's house to take care of Jesus's body, but it has magically disappeared.

Let's not forget about the Shreveport werewolves and the death of Marcus.  His pack comes looking for him and Sam doesn't sell Alcide out.  He's ready to take whatever punishment they give him.  He agrees to lead them to Marcus's body so they can have their pack ritual, which is apparently eating your former pack master.  Ewww.  Alcide is now the pack leader, sort of.  I guess we'll see what comes of that.  Luna lets him know what has happened to Sam, and as Alcide is a good guy too he's not going to let Sam take the blame for him.  I'm loving pack master Alcide so far.  Hopefully he will be a little less whinier than he is in the books.

And what's up with Terry's friend?  What did they do in Iraq that is making someone burn them all?  I guess we will see.  Oh yeah, Andy had sex!

After their day of body disposal Sookie and Lafayette return to Sookie's house and wait for Tara and Pam to rise.  Pam emerges leaving Sookie and Lafayette in utter despair because they think Tara did not turn.  Then, in true vampire style, Tara jumps out of the ground and onto Sookie so fast your head spins.  Apparently the change took place, but there is no human emotion or memory left in Tara.  She was about to make Sookie her first kill.  I admit I was a little upset that Tara was still alive, but if it adds to the story in a good way then it's okay with me.  I trust Alan Ball.  That was it, they cut to black and whatever catchy song tied into the episode.

Did I leave anything out?  As I was writing this, I kept remembering new things to add!

As for the preview of the season...
Obviously Debbie Pelt's disappearance is not going to go unnoticed.  Hoyt is wearing manscara which makes me think he starts frequenting Fangtasia to find a vampire girlfriend replacement. It looks like the Authority is all good with torture as they try and brainwash Eric and Bill.  Alcide must become pack master because he says "no one will hurt my pack".  I'm so ready for next week!