let the season 5 countdown begin!

Waiting really does suck, and now we fans of True Blood have a very, very long time to wait until we find out what happens to our favorite residents of Bon Temps, LA. But I was wondering about next season and what book elements, if any might appear next season.

I started re-reading the series. There's a lot that can't happen in the show because they've gone in a different direction (killed off characters, brought in other ones, etc). So. There's no more Sophie-Anne and so probably (most likely) no Andre, Siegebert, or Wybert. We've met Hadley and she's not a vampire (at least, she wasn't the last time we saw her. Who knows what might have happened in the interim?). Sookie won't have a reason (at least, she won't have the same reason) to go to New Orleans to clean out Hadley's apartment and probably won't meet Amelia.

A lot of the next book has to do with Jason shifting and becoming settled in the werepanther community. The nice guy Calvin in the books turned into dead uncle-daddy meth dealer, so his side plots are done. However, despite the fact that we haven't seen Crystal and the rest of the panthers on the show for a while, I think it might be optimistic of us to think we're done with them. It seemed to be too quickly and easily resolved. Although Jason does seem to have enough to keep him busy what with Hoyt hating his guts, his new friends with benefits thing with Jessica, and Steve Newlin on his doorstep (possibly a vampire now, and most definitely hating Jason's guts also).

Other things that show up in the next book - the packmaster contest, the supernatural sniper, and the pirate vampire. The packmaster contest on paper was between Alcide's father, and Patrick Furnan. It could be shifted to be between Alcide and whoever. Although there wouldn't be much point of a contest now, since he took Marcus down by force, somebody would have to challenge him. Besides, and more to the point, do we really want to see a packmaster contest?? Was that a chorus of "Hell no's!" that I just heard? Yeah, me too. The only thing we could get out of it, as far as I can see, is the introduction of Quinn. He can be a little bit of eye candy (like we need anymore) --- uh, I mean, another love interest for Sookie, now that she's ditched the vamps (let's see how long that lasts, shall we?). Besides, I like tigers.

As for the sniper - they could introduce a sniper, I guess, one who is picking off shifters and weres, but that seems a little tame for the Bon Temps of the True Blood universe.

The pirate vampire - again, they could introduce Charles Twining (but, as I said about Terry's war buddy - does this show really need some more random characters?). He would be fun character to have around. But his purpose in coming to town - exacting further payment for the death of Long Shadow) doesn't apply here. Bill already did that, in creating Jessica, unless Long Shadow's sire is really holding a grudge.

I wonder too about the Authority - something's gotta happen there, right? Like we actually find out who they are? Since Russell's coming back, I think that will bring more vampire politics back to the fore. Did he actually marry Sophie-Anne in the series? Will he make some claim on Bill's kingdom (how much longer will he actually have a kingdom, anyway?)?

I also just read that Tara may or may not really be dead. Will she come back as a ghost that possesses Lafayette? Will Sookie's shrieks for help summon a vampire who saves Tara by turning her?

Who knows? But the countdown to season 5?

Begins now.