BLOOD CLOT

After seven seasons, there were a number of major questions left to be answered in the show's final installment. Overall the reviews have been abysmal. Numerous polls asking where it ranks among the worst show finales of all time. Well after 7 seasons I went in with an open mind and tried to find all the good I could. I might not change your mind, but I owe it to the show to give it a proper send off. So here we go.

While many characters have become fan favorites, we began with the two who got everything started. It was only fitting for True Blood Season 7 Episode 10 to open with Sookie and Bill.
Bill noted how appropriate it was that they found themselves in the living room where he and Sookie shared so many moments. Bill felt Sookie deserved everything life has to offer and that being with him would deny her that. It wasn't all about her, though. The disease had made him feel more human than ever, bringing him to the conclusion that his life as a vampire had been a lie.

In cheating death for centuries, he had been denied many of life's joys and its finality.
Asking Sookie to kill him took real balls, but Bill underestimated how willing Sookie would be to give up her light to do it. If all Bill wanted to do was let Sookie live her life, he could have just broken up with her and walked away. But he couldn't let her go.

Where Sookie got hung up was trying to decide if paying Bill the "ultimate kindness" would be the ultimate disservice to herself. So a rather off-put Sookie was left with a decision to make. More on this later.

Fittingly, we next checked in with Eric and Pam at Fangtasia.

After a final one-handed choke by Eric, he filled Pam in on his plan to kill Gus Jr. and market New Blood on his own with Pam. It was one of the best exchanges these two have had. 

 

Then Eric and Pam disposed of the Yakuza guards in synchronized fashion.

And engulfed Gus Jr. in flames.

But alas,  I uttered a sigh of disappointment. I so wanted to see one last epic Eric kill. After watching him tear people's hearts out and rip faces off over the years, I wanted something memorable.
Then - in what turned out to be the final act of kindness we saw him pay Sookie - Eric intercepted and dispensed with the threat against her. We didn't see him kill the Yakuza members, but the unaffected way he grooved along to the music as he drove away with their mutilated bodies was just the kind of Northman scene I had been hoping for.

 

It was then Pam's turn to offer up a final fantastic scene as she caught up with Sarah Newlin.

Loved the way Pam laughed off and turned down Sarah's proposal to be her lesbian progeny. 

Then Sarah mentioned Tara and...

Pam showed just how much Tara's loss pained her. We never got to see Pam's reaction to Tara's death. Her reaction here was a nice nod to their relationship and to how big a heart Pam really possessed.
Pam then helped herself to a vaccination by drinking Sarah's blood. The tight shot was beautifully vivid and one of the best depictions of a vampire feeding we have seen on True Blood.

Over at Bill's house, Jessica showed up along with Hoyt. Bill - still drunk with nostalgia - selfishly overstepped his bounds again when he asked about Hoyt's intentions to marry Jess and Jess was like "OMG Beeyillll!!!" It was an awkward a moment as this.

I was happy to see Jessica stand up for herself and call Bill out for his actions. Hoyt was the perfect gentleman as he reacquainted with "Vampire Bill," but was that seriously a proposal he uttered to Jess? Again, Bill forced the whole issue and was really to blame. Much of this finale showcased how selfish Bill turned out to be as he tried to make it all about him.

Hoyt was too honorable a man to offer up anything but an honest answer and reaction to the awkward situation he was thrust into. So I can't be too mad at him, nor can I blame him for wanting to marry Jess. I also can't fault Jess for wanting to give Bill one last moment of happiness though. Bill would also be able to give her away at her wedding, which is as much a part of the dream scenario as anything I guess.

The next morning, Sookie showed up at Jason's and met Bridget. To what must have been the collective shock of fans everywhere, we learned Jason did not end up sleeping with her.

Along those lines of the unbelievable, Jason thought for a moment Sookie was asking him for advice.

She of course wasn't, but the two got to share a nice sibling moment before their phones rang.
In typical Jason obliviousness, he asked Sookie if he should throw the dresses in the trunk of his car, then literally tossed them in the back seat when Sookie told him to "throw" them in there. Loved that.
She then asked him if he told Bridget where they were headed. I liked that he didn't lie to her about Hoyt's wedding. Seeing them starting off on a honest footing gave me hope that it would work out for him and Bridget.
Arlene and Holly were honest - but also not above a little dish session.

They, of course, would also relish the opportunity to snoop around and check out Bill's house (which few people had been in) so I was pleased they included that aspect of the wedding proceedings.

Jason and Hoyt reunited as best friends (at last!) and we got one final classic Stackhouse moment while telling Hoyt how you have to live every day like it is your last to gain "prescription" on life. .

Andy admirably answered the call to preside over the marriage and gave us one last "Vampire Bill."

He also produced a great laugh from me when he yelled at Arlene to turn down the procession music. After collecting himself, he offered up a heartfelt endorsement of the union of Jess and Hoyt despite what their government might say. In doing so, he made a strong parallel comment on the real life issue of gay marriage in America.

That was a theme that seemed to continue when Sookie visited with Reverend Daniels. Bill wanted Sookie to give up her power to let him go, but also to give up any other vampire's attraction to her by giving up her essence as a faerie. That was how she could live what he felt would be a normal happy life, but what Reverend Daniels so eloquently contended was that Sookie was exactly the person God intended her to be.

She was born a certain way and that was no mistake, it was what made her special.

Everything he said made sense, which is why it seemed so strange Sookie then called Bill to have him meet her in the cemetery. After dressing so sharp for the wedding, I was a bit shocked to see the outfit Bill chose for his funeral. Guy looked like Joe Shit the Ragman.

Sookie ultimately chose to not give up her powers, her essence, but was still willing to help Bill. She checked to make sure it was what he wanted a couple more times. Then after a final "I love you" and kiss, she put the handle of a shovel to his chest and together they let go of their life together in an explosion of blood.

Vampire deaths, with the exception of Godric's, have never been pretty on this show. So despite the emotional and pivotal nature of Bill's death, it was an accurate way for him to go. His death left a heartbroken Sookie covered in what would have to be considered true blood. I still don't know whay he didn't just wait for the sun to come up and spare Sookie the dry cleaning bill.


As Sookie took one last walk through the dark woods of Bon Temps (will she ever learn?), the screen faded to black and I had mixed emotions. I had not gotten my fill of Eric and Pam. Thankfully, there were still a few minutes remaining which showed Eric and Pam reaching financial fame and then back where we all fell in love with them. Eric was back on his throne at Fangtasia and Pam was running things behind the scenes. Furthering the theme of their coming full circle was this shot.

 

Sarah got what she deserved in the end via a life haunted by Steve. Jason ended up with Bridget and apparently had moved past that not sleeping together thing, from the look of all them keyuds they had.

Sam returned with Nicole and their family and we faded to black from a final scene showing a pregnant Sookie take her place beside an unknown bearded man at their Thanksgiving dinner.

As we said "toodles" to True Blood, I was thankful for the finale. Despite all that Sookie and company experienced, they found a way through it all for a life worth living.

Looking back, True Blood paved the way for a plethora of shows and movies featuring vampires, werewolves and other supernaturals. So, at the least for that - regardless of how you felt about the finale or True Blood Season 7 - we should all be grateful and say "Thank You."

 

I'm out!