Eric is under the CONTROL of the possessed Marnie’s spell…
And Sookie, under the CONTROL of her feelings for Eric, decides to help him.
But, Sookie alone will CONTROL the situation and make the rules.
Marnie wants to regain CONTROL of herself and her coven against the vampires by directing them to seek further justice against Eric.
Tara agrees because she reminds Lafayette of how vampires like Eric have often taken away her own CONTROL of herself and her life.
Lafayette believes that sometimes the best way of regaining CONTROL is simply to try to smooth things over rather than gain the upper-hand. He continues to believe that Eric is the one who will eventually have CONTROL of the situation, and in turn them, no matter what.
A tale told in HotShot explains the power and the CONTROL that nature has over those like them as Crystal caresses Jason, the one they will CONTROL.
A group of Anti-Vampire activists attempts to expose the CONTROL vampires have over the human population in order for humans to regain CONTROL of the situation.
Although under the CONTROL of a set-up, a vampire must pay for that set-up as Bill exerts his ironic CONTROL over the very vampires of his own species he loathes.
Jessica reveals that she let her Vampiric instincts CONTROL her and Bill attempts to tell Jessica that she should tell the truth to Hoyt rather than try to CONTROL him or CONTROL the situation by lying or with-holding information.
Sookie realizes the CONTROL she has over Eric in his amnesic state.
Pam tries to exert the CONTROL that she and Eric have in order to force Sookie to protect Eric but Sookie asserts her own CONTROL of the situation by demanding payment.
Jessica CONTROLS Hoyt and the situation by glamouring him.
Eric tries to find out how much CONTROL he has over Sookie but she insists he has none and won’t ever have any, maintaining her own CONTROL over him and the situation. Eric is left feeling wistful and powerless to her.
Lafayette continues to remind them that Eric will eventually assert his power and therefore his CONTROL over them.
Under the CONTROL of V, Andy attempts to assert his control over others such as Sam any way he can in order to not feel powerless in some way.
Under the CONTROL of her hormones and some of the feelings she may have for him, Sookie seems to try to be seducing Alcide in some way, only to be reminded of Debbie’s CONTROL over him.
Maxine is under the CONTROL of a scamming Tommy and her doll obsession (ha ha).
Crystal tells Jason he is under the CONTROL of a powerful transformation.
Portia tries to take CONTROL of things with Bill by setting up the terms of a sexual relationship with them and Bill tries to CONTROL the situation by insisting upon the limitations of things between them.
Tara realizes some of the power and the potential CONTROL she continues to have over Sam as he seems to acknowledge that.
Jessica attempts to CONTROL the situation with the doll by giving it to Arlene’s baby as Arlene looks at the baby who CONTROLS her mental stability.
Tommy tells Sam that they can CONTROL the windfall intended to go to Maxine and that they can become partners in crime.
Marnie attempts to surrender herself to the CONTROL of the powerful spirit that possesses her.
Jason, under the CONTROL of Hotshot and Crystal, is forced to father the babies for the entire town.
Claudine tries to get back her CONTROL over Sookie even as she refuses. However, Eric shows the vampiric power and CONTROL over fairies by draining Claudine.
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General Thoughts:
Lafayette illustrates that it’s not always possible to solve a situation and also maintain your pride. This speaks to a block of many of the True Blood characters – pride. Maybe that will even be the downfall of the witches this season and the thing vampires must set aside in order to organize and unite and defeat them.
We, the audience, are supposed to be reminded that Alcide will never be a viable option and that her involvement with him (a werewolf) will put her life at risk just as her involvement with vampires will ( in the form of the woman who attempted to kill her-Debbie).
Bill didn’t bite Portia because he had just condemned another guy for being set up during a feeding and it showed that is the number one issue weighing heavy on his mind as King, even though he probably won’t stop himself and either will his child-Jessica. He didn’t know whether things with Portia were a set-up initially and it wouldn’t be a good idea to mix feedings with business (though sex seems perfectly acceptable( ha ha). Will he be able to condemn Jessica as easily as he condemned that man? What about if he himself is ever caught? Will the Authority condone such an action, even by a King, without a ruling outside of his supposed “authority within the Authority.”
Claudine’s refusal to fight vampires and Eric’s subsequent draining, while funny and justified for Claudine in particular, shows that maybe Queen Mab is right to close off contact with the human world in some ways and puts the reality of things in front of Sookie’s eyes…..from the very vampire she will come to love.
Positively, this may illustrate Eric’s own ability to restrain with her in part due to his love.
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Talktrueblood's Blog 
#1 by Ethan Ralph on July 15, 2011 - 2:16 am
Enjoyed the article as always…Didn’t think about Bill holding back because he was afraid of being setup, although that makes perfect sense…also agree with the theme of the episode being control, so kudos are in order for that as well.
#2 by Kat on July 16, 2011 - 10:28 pm
Thank you Ethan!
Yes, that’s gotta be the reason I think.
#3 by Anette on July 15, 2011 - 10:11 am
Well done, as always 😉
Amnesia Eric is so cute… I know I’m reapiting myself, but why oh why I never meet half naked viking on a side of road? I was a good girl, but nothing so nice never happened to me 😉
AS shows so much talent and actor’s ability in that part! In 1 and 2 ep. he was as usually little cocky and strong and now, gush, so sensitive, naive, and those “sorry” line are amazingly acted! Perfect! He is a boyish, so young if you know what I mean, and polite and real gentleman (even if he drunk to death fairy good mather!) that Bill should learn his lesson of how to be a real gentleman.
It is great to watch how his and Sookie true feelings show up when the circumstations change. Scene when she wash his feet (he has his own hands, so he could do it by himselfe) was moving. She is caution in word but not by actions, she obviously loves him, or at least cares about him, she is worried (as when she tried to read a Ch. Harris book when he disapeared from his chamber), she is fascinated by his new side she noticed. And he even without mamories is falling into her, and he is so protective – poor Pam has a proof on that 😉
So even if Sookie has control over him (ot much, drinking Claudine was best exemple on that), and even if she controling her words, she haven’t got control over her feelings, over her heart. And Eric, well, he lost control over his memories, over his life, he need to be protected, but n the same time, this part of him, which was over control when he has got power and duties as a sheriff and master, now take control – he shows his emotions, his need of love and care. As Freud would say – amnesia broke control of super ego over him.
At that moment I’m little tired of to many plots in that show, hope it will be more clean later, but Arlene, Jess and Hoyt, convent, Bill, Eric, fae, werewolfs (gush, Debbie found Jesus?! WTF!) and Hot Shot, Sam and Tommy, other shifters, Pam, authority, Andy and his sister-bitch, LAffy and Jesus… too many story lines, too chaotic, hope AB doesn’t introduce more characters or it would be like big pot of “what you can find in your fridge”. AB CONTROL your imagination, please 😉
But I’m glad to read your great recap, it’s always a pleasure.
#4 by Kat on July 16, 2011 - 10:50 pm
Thank you. I am sorry I have been on vacation. I wont neglect the blog the rest of the season.
I ask myself the same question ha ha.
I agree that is the best part of the Amnesia Eric story.
She seemed to be surprised he was speaking of her beauty for no reason other than his pure attraction to her.
She definitely would not have washed his feet otherwise when it was clear he could have done so himself.
Wow, that was a very thoughtful Freudian reference.
We all know that the other plots are a reality of the show so we have to learn to connect them and accept them. I think that this season will connect all the characters a little sooner (it seems that all of these characters will convene in the end somehow).
#5 by TruFan on July 15, 2011 - 11:10 am
I suppose it was going to happen eventually, this is the first recap of yours that just left me thinking, huh? It’s not that those things didn’t happen, but there are always control issues in this show, I didn’t feel this particular episode was more about it then any other.
I agree with Annette that the the multiple plots are getting very tiresome. There was another website that put all the Sookie and Eric scenes together, it was about 10 minutes long. Since I consider this THE main storyline, that is way too little time out of an hour show to devote to it. Honestly I don’t care at all about the doll and baby storylines. It’s pretty obvious where that is going. The baby isn’t evil, but the doll is and will possess the baby…or some such uninteresting nonsense. Bill shouldn’t even be in the show at this point, but off to Peru. I’ll admit I find him a bit more interesting now then in previous seasons, I don’t feel his storyline is important. Jessica and Hoyt I love, but again, it doesn’t feel important enough to waste so much time on it. And the Tommy thing with Hoyt’s mom should be another show altogether!
Also, Sam and Tara, while characters I like, just feel like they are nothing to do with the main story, which in my mind is the witches vs. vampires.
Pam is great, I love what she’s doing, and I like the Nan character as it relates (and will relate) to Eric. Why is Alcide involved again? It made sense in the books, but here it doesn’t. It really feels like they tacked that scene on just to tell us that his girlfriend is off the V. Did I care? No. Do I want to hear more about it? No, I do not. Too many story lines, too many characters. True Blood feels like it’s spiralling out of control and watering down all the stories to the point where it’s hard to care about ANY of them.
As always, I loved the Eric scenes. Too bad there weren’t more of them, and too bad they cut them all up and seed them through the show the way they do. It’s annoying.
I know this has been a very negative comment, and that’s not my usual style. I do apologize for that, I’m just getting frustrated.
I still love what you do and look forward to all your reviews and comments, its the show I am frustrated with, not you or your lovely website, Kat. I’m impressed you found any common denominator amongst the different stories, it’s more then I’ve been able to do.
(fangtasia)
#6 by Kat on July 16, 2011 - 10:58 pm
Sorry, I was on vacation.
I respect your opinion and always welcome it of course. I felt it was more about control because it seems there was an i on domination and the subsequent control over the characters by those dominant influences beyond the usual amount to me.
Even Sookie liked how she could control the new Eric…she hadnt felt such control before…etc. Jessica has always had control over humans, etc and has lost her control but she never used that domination to control the one human she loves- Hoyt. Jason had never been controlled by a woman that much before, even Sarah Newlin never manipulated and controlled Jason the way Crystal did. Maxine had tried to be controlled by Hoyt and felt she could control Tommy but the tables were turned. Marnie has never had such control over others and is literally being controlled by this spirit whom she was turning herself over to to be controlled by.
I agree the Sookie time should be longer but it’s just unfortunately the case we will have those side plots so we should learn to embrace them or at least she their value somehow even though it can be very frustrating. I do think the chracters will come into the main story soon from what I can see…I have faith.
I understand. Come here to complain whenever!
#7 by eriklover on July 17, 2011 - 3:14 pm
The Eric time should be longer.. with or without Sookie till she gets some brain tissue back. I’m also frustrated by all the storylines that don’t connect to the vampires. WTF cares about Hotshot? There is a waste of Jay’s body & talent with those inbreds. Once he gets back to BT & maybe connect with Jessica or ant Vamp then we can start cooking.
maybe I want the control or give the control of the whole TB show to someone who can keep the storyline interesting. I do like Bill better as a Queen so at least there is some more interesting interaction for Eric. Everyone else is so BORING.. Russel Eddinton was great. SS just can’t carry the show..Human with talents just don’t do it.
We the public fans want more Eric time. Tara should go back to NOLA.
It’s just gotten too boring for me. They’ve gotta pick up the pace AND NOT with those “fillers.”
#8 by TruFan on July 17, 2011 - 7:15 pm
You’re preaching’ to the choir with me, Ericlover, lol. I don’t remember Hotshot being quite so hillbilly in the books. I mean they were definitely backwards, but the tv version is just crazy…like deliverance crazy.
#9 by Kat on July 18, 2011 - 2:24 pm
It looks like it is Jessica from what we saw in last night’s episode.
In my opinion, it isn’t boring its just that it isnt as interesting as our Eric time.
Yes, I think I am almost more upset by their portrayal of Hotshot than almost anything else about the books they bastardized.
#10 by osterby on July 17, 2011 - 7:55 pm
I personally find that “the real” story is told by the secondary characters. TB is written in parallels.
In season 1 Sookie was attacked by a crazy ‘V’ addict couple, the Rattrays and Sookie woke to her head being licked. Season 4 Jason is beaten up by a crazy ‘V’ addict couple with his head being licked.
Bill ‘glamoured’ Sookie in season 1 to control their relationship and Jessica ‘glamoured’ Hoyt in season 3 to control their relationship.
Bill saved Sookie by tossing Rattrays from Sookie into the trees, later killing them and giving Sookie his blood. Jessica saved Hoyt from his attacker Tommy by throwing him into the trees and giving him her blood.
There are so many more, Kat could make an entire blog post with them, but you get the idea…
The parallel character’s motives make me question Bill’s motives.
#11 by Kat on July 18, 2011 - 2:31 pm
I agree Osterby! AP has shown us that clearly.
There could be a multitude of blog entries about the parallels. Maybe I should do a blog about how there is something to be gained from the other stores. As I said above, the stories are not boring they just are boring compared to our Eric time for us…
If you watch a soap opera there are always a multitude of story-lines (I think True Blood takes some of it’s style from them) and you always have your favorite story-line so it can get frustrating when you have to sit through some other stories you find less interesting in order to get to your favorite one….
Fortunately for us, they have found a way to connect the stories through parallels and I have a feeling everything will connect in the end this year.
#12 by TruFan on July 19, 2011 - 6:16 am
I’ve never watched a soap opera, so maybe that’s why I find the format so frustrating. I prefer the style of a main story with a B-story, usually the B-story is really focusing on one character. Think Star Trek (Voyager, DS9) for a really good example of how to have multiple main characters and still allow you to be interested in each one. The secret is ONE AT A TIME. I think that is where True Blood ultimately falls apart. A soap opera usually runs every day doesn’t it? With that sort of time maybe you have time to cover unlimited stories and mash them together. When you only get 12 episodes a year, I feel you need to focus a bit more.
#13 by Kat on July 19, 2011 - 4:19 pm
I have and I still get frustrated! ha ha.
I haven’t thought of the Star Trek example even though I have seen that show.
Agreed. Very nice point!
#14 by Anette on July 19, 2011 - 6:34 am
I like series like UK Skins, one episode for one character, from his point of view, it’s great way to make the story line deeper and more full if you see some things from different perspectives. I know TB is more soap opera, but I could only dream about one full ep. of Eric and Sookie 😉
#15 by Kat on July 19, 2011 - 4:18 pm
Wow that sounds interesting. I have never seen that show!
Me too lol
#16 by Anette on July 19, 2011 - 4:33 pm
well, in Skins is pretty good show, I know there is also american version, but after one or two ep. of USA Skins I stoped UK is just better.