She's Not There

"She's Not There"
Season 4, Episode 01
Air date	June 26, 2011
Written by	Alan Ball
Directed by	Alan Ball
Episode Guide
previous "Evil is Going On"	next "You Smell Like Dinner"

"She's Not There" is the Season 4 premiere episode of True Blood, and the 37th episode in overall.

Synopsis

"I have a fairy godmother? Okay, if your job is to look after me, can I just say you suck."

―Sookie to Claudine

Sookie sees Barry and the magical fruit

Sookie and Claudine arrive in the fairy realm, which looks like a whimsical, mythological world, complete with glowing magical light-fruit called Lumiere. Claudine introduces her to other fairies where Sookie encounters Barry and discovers that her grandfather is there. He claims he’s only been there a few hours, but this is where he’s been missing for the past 20 years.

Sookie refuses the Lumiere fruit and notices that something is off in the perfect place. When she attempts to communicate telepathically with her grandfather, the other fairies all hear her. Queen Mab commands her to eat the Lumiere fruit and when Sookie refuses, she tries to force-feed it to her. The Queen blames Sookie for letting Bill taste fairy blood and declares that they are now harvesting humans. Sookie somehow deflects Queen Mab with her light powers...turning the glowing fairy realm into a barren wasteland with ugly creatures instead of beautiful fairies.

Sookie and her grandfather run from the fairies, aided by another fairy who tells them that there are some who don't agree with the Crown. They escape through a portal and land in the cemetery. But because he's eaten the Lumiere fruit, it’s not long before Sookie’s Grandfather rapidly ages and turns to dust in front of her.

Sookie see's her Grandaddy Earl

Sookie returns to her home to see a group of contractors redoing it. She walks in confused when they threaten to call the police. When the cop shows up, it's Jason, who is shocked to see her and explains that she has been gone over 12 months. Those ten minutes in fairyland just cost her a year of her life. Everyone thought that Bill had killed her. Not knowing she was still alive, Jason--now a full fledged cop--sold her house. Andy is more violent than usual because he’s hooked on V and going through withdrawal.

Pam pays Jessica a visit

Sookie tells Jason that she was in a place where time moves differently; to prove it to him, she gives him their grandfather's watch. At that moment, the sun starts to set and Bill comes to the house, in joyful disbelief that Sookie is alive. Eric also comes to the house, almost instantaneously, telling Sookie that he alone knew that she was alive and that he never gave up on her. After a spat between Bill and Eric, Bill commands Eric to leave...which he does, reluctantly. To save Sookie from questioning, Bill tells everyone that she was on "vampire business" and she agrees to go along with the lie.

Meanwhile, Lafayette is being pressured into joining a witch coven by Jesus Velasquez. Jesus introduces Lafayette to Marnie Stonebrook, the head of the coven, who guesses or channels Eddie, Lafayette's former vampire lover and supplier of V.

Arlene has had her baby and is terrified of him. Arlene comes home to the baby ripping the heads off Barbie dolls and freaks out on Terry who loves the boy very much.

Jason in Hotshot

Tara has become a cage fighter in New Orleans and only keeps in touch with those she left behind by postcard. She is also in a relationship with a fellow female fighter. Sam is taking anger management with a group of Shapeshifters to get over shooting Tommy. Tommy is alive, but with a limp from Sam's bullets. Tommy shows up to Merlotte's with Maxine Fortenberry looking overly cleaned up.

Bill speaks at a ribbon cutting ceremony at the new Senior Citizens Center in Bon Temps. He thanks the Mayor and the Chamber of Commerce, which is led by Portia Bellefleur.

Hoyt and Jessica are living together, but facing some domestic troubles. They fight over human food vs blood and get into an argument over eggs. Jessica also has urges that she can't control. At Fangtasia, she lusts after a fangbanger and is visibly shaken over her lack of self-control. Pam gives her some unsolicited advice over suppressing her "hunter" nature but Jessica resists, telling her that she loves Hoyt.

Jason is still taking care of the werepanther tribe in Hotshot. It's clear that he's sticking to his responsibilities and they all care for him deeply. However, while making a food delivery, they trap him in a freezer.

Sookie's caught naked by Eric

During all of this, Nan Flanagan and the American Vampire League are trying desperately to remedy Russell's little stunt on the news, which set back their PR about 1000 years. The Vampires are in need of some massive damage control. Nan is determined to win back the public one smile at the time...and Eric and Bill assist her in making PSAs.

Eric reveals he is the one who bought Sookie’s house with the intentions of making her “his.” while Bill has become the new Vampire King of Louisiana.

"Sookie You are Mine!"

―Eric Northman

Trailer

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Notes

Featured music

• ''Real Wild Child" - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
• "What's On Your Mind - Soda Jerk
• "Better Get On" - Danny Wilde
• "Calling the Shots" - Missisipi Mike Wolf
• "What You Do To Me" - 'Blakroc (Featuring Billy Danze, Jim Jones, Nicole Wray)'
• "Dues" - El Camino
• "Xcess" (Remixed by Schneider of Rammstein) - Slick Idiot
• "She's Not There" - Neko Case & Nick Cave

Continuity

• After three seasons in a starring role as Bud Dearborne, William Sanderson is removed from the opening credits of this episode. Denis O'Hare also departs the main cast after appearing in the opening credits last season.
• Lauren Bowles, Janina Gavankar, Fiona Shaw and Jessica Tuck all join the main cast as Holly Cleary, Luna Garza, Marnie Stonebrook and Nan Flanagan respectively. Bowles previously appeared as a recurring character in the third season and Tuck appeared in a recurring role in the previous three seasons.
• Sookie discovers that her grandfather Earl is alive after previously believing him to be dead.
• The fairies true faces and motivations are revealed to the viewer.
• When Sookie returns to Bon Temps, she discovers twelve months and two weeks has passed since her disappearance in the closing moments of the third season finale. Because of the year time jump, the lives of the remaining characters have changed significantly since then and marks the longest passage of time between episodes.
• After brief appearances last year, witches are formally introduced to the viewer.
• Portia Bellefleur, Andy's sister and Terry's first cousin, is finally introduced after being referenced in the first and second seasons.

Memorable quotes

Pam: "The restrooms are for humans. Do I need to explain why?"

Pam: "That tree with the plaid shirt has a name?"

Cast

Starring Anna Paquin as Sookie Stackhouse Stephen Moyer as Bill Compton Sam Trammell as Sam Merlotte Ryan Kwanten as Jason Stackhouse Rutina Wesley as Tara Thornton Alexander Skarsgård as Eric Northman Kevin Alejandro as Jesus Velasquez Marshall Allman as Tommy Mickens Chris Bauer as Andy Bellefleur Kristin Bauer van Straten as Pam Lauren Bowles as Holly Cleary Nelsan Ellis as Lafayette Reynolds Janina Gavankar as Luna Garza Todd Lowe as Terry Bellefleur Jim Parrack as Hoyt Fortenberry Carrie Preston as Arlene Fowler Bellefleur Fiona Shaw as Marnie Stonebrook Jessica Tuck as Nan Flanagan Deborah Ann Woll as Jessica Hamby Guest starring Gary Cole as Earl Stackhouse Dane DeHaan as Timbo Courtney Ford as Portia Bellefleur Lara Pulver as Claudine Crane Rebecca Wisocky as Queen Mab Dale Raoul as Maxine Fortenberry Vedette Lim as Naomi Alexandra Breckenridge as Katerina Pellham Chris Coy as Barry the Bellboy Neil Hopkins as Claude Crane Clay Wilcox as Ernie Christina Moore as Suzanne McKittrick Chris Butler as Emory Broome William Schallert as Mayor Sterling Norris Randy Wayne as Matt Dean Chekvala as Roy Dendrie Taylor as Beverleen Fiona Dourif as Casey

Co-starring Lisbeth Scott as Singing Faerie Bradley Dodds as Lloyd Ricki Noel Lander as Servant Faerie Guy Perry as Faerie Goblin Kendall Lake as Fangtasia Dancer Blaine Saunders as Becky Brandon Molale as Officer X Christian Malmin as News Correspondent Tahmus Rounds as Drunk Man Bernhard Eichholz as Puppeteer Uncredited Clare Benavides as Half Faerie Laura Liz Perloe as Faerie/Drunk James Harvey Ward as Felton Norris