True Blood is back, and it is goooooood. The good folks at HBO were kind enough to send me the first three episodes of the new season, and I devoured them - all in the name of journalistic integrity, mind you. We already know that witches figure heavily into this season - very heavily. You get to meet them in episode one, and it is going to get intense pretty fast. Fiona Shaw as Marnie, the leader of the coven, does a great job - she is totally creepy and innocent all at once.

After the jump, I will give you a few more hints at what season three will bring. They will just be hints, but if you want to remain 100% spoiler-free, I would move along.

At the end of season three, Jesus tells Lafayette that he is a witch, and yes, he is part of Marnie's coven. Lafayette is not terribly bothered by that, and he and Jesus are now living together. Tara left town at the end of season three. We will see what happened to her. That eerie calm that overcame her while she cut off her hair? That remains - she is a totally different Tara.

Jessica and Hoyt are living together, and it is not all it is cracked up to be. I think it is pretty obvious that Tommy didn't die when Sam shot him (or shot at him), but that is all you are getting out of me. Sam, meanwhile, is hanging out with other shifters. Arlene and Terry had the baby, a little boy named Mikey. Terry loves him as if he were his own flesh n' blood, but he is the only person who knows it is not his biological child. Jason is still taking care of Crystal's Hotshot family. That will quickly bite him in the ass.

Politics take a large role in season four. After Russell's little temper tantrum on the evening news, protests against vampires and fangbangers have intensified. Eric tries to put a friendly face on the vampire PR effort, especially since Pam's face is permanently Botoxed into a scowl. Nan from the AVL is back, too.

As for Sookie and Bill? Well I don't want to give anything about the main characters away. I will tell you two things: both characters appear right from episode one, and Bill has a really attractive new haircut.