Thank You
(Spoiler Warning) I wouldn’t say this is the series finale I was looking for exactly–I envisioned a bit more bloodshed and sex–but it did at least leave me feeling mostly satisfied with the outcome. There were certainly some disappointments, and that wedding felt like a whole lot of filler to me, rather than an important part of the story that just had to be told in detail. Bill Compton is practically dying on his feet, but they went through with saying a load of vows instead of a quick “I do!” to seal the deal between Hoyt and Jess!
There were several other items that made this episode feel rushed; things I’d never noticed before in any other episode. The writing for the last few episodes involving the yakuza really did feel like an afterthought that everyone just lost interest, particularly towards the end. Eric and Pam are free to simply walk around after their apparent betrayal of Mr. Gus?! And because of this they managed to pull off their little stunt with Sarah Newlin. Then, of course, Gus lasted only a few more seconds, meaning his unmemorable time in the show was finally over. I expected some action when the yakuza arrived at Sookie’s, however, Eric performed his vampire Clark Kent act and made short work of the killers, putting an end to all claims the yakuza had on their partnership and Sarah Newlin.
Bill gets his chance to explain to Sookie why he’s allowing himself to die the true death, which she more or less seems to accept, but when Bill asks Sookie to kill him and in the process, give up being a fairy, that’s something she’s not prepared to listen to, so she kicks Bill out.
- True Blood
- Created by
Alan Ball - Cast
Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Sam Trammell, Ryan Kwanten, Chris Bauer, Kristin Bauer van Straten, Nelsan Ellis, Deborah Ann Woll, Carrie Preston - Episode Release Date
24 August 2014 - Ed’s Grade: B
*****
Back at Bill’s, Jess and Hoyt turn up and Bill begins to get all fatherly over Jess. He outright puts Hoyt on the spot by asking if he plans on proposing to Jess. Bill always wished he was able to give his own daughter away all those years ago, and thanks to him already having been turned by then, he never could. Jess and Hoyt call Jason and Sookie for help to arrange the wedding ceremony so it can take place that very day, and that’s exactly what they do.
At the wedding, Andy uses his power as sheriff to perform the ceremony, although, it’s still not legal, but he goes through the motions anyway, while the bride sheds red tears. It’s during the exchange of vows Sookie can hear Bill’s thoughts for the very first time, and what he’s saying helps Sookie make her mind up about helping Bill die.
As I mentioned at the start of the article, the show felt rushed and the writing wasn’t all that sharp. I’m also pretty sure they reused shots from old episodes, and the continuity with Hoyt’s shirt and tie when he and Jason were preparing for the wedding, was pretty annoying. Jason made up for it a little by giving a dumb speech where he tells Hoyt to “keep everything in prescription” instead of “perspective,” even though it did feel a bit contrived rather than well written.
Sookie has agreed to kill Bill (no pun intended) and the pair meet at Bill’s old, but freshly dug grave to carry out his dying wish. Bill lays in his old coffin while Sookie calls up her ball of fairy-light, however, Sookie tells Bill she can’t give up who she is. This means Sookie has to kill Bill the old-fashioned way, using a pointed stick. Bill bursts like a blood-filled balloon, leaving Sookie upset and drenched in Bill’s blood.
The end of the show is spread over several years and taken up with Eric and Pam’s new business venture, then finishes on all the Bon Temps survivors, along with their new kin. Eric and Pam are shooting a TV commercial for their new product “New Blood.” Jump three years and we’re shown how Pam and Eric have became huge success in the stockmarket, as their stocks start making mega-bucks. Suddenly we’re at Fangtasia, where Eric is once again sitting on his throne. In the basement a vampire is drinking blood from a chained-up Sarah Newlin, for the sum of $100 thousand for one minute.
During the making of the “New Blood” commercial, they gave a story about how Sarah escaped but cut herself in the process, and after thankfully finding a few drops of Sarah’s precious blood, their scientists were able to synthesize it. They have one of the most hunted for and valuable humans in the world, in the Fangtasia basement, where they’re selling her blood for a lot of money. But they already have a huge fortune, making more every day. It just seems a bit odd to have all that wealth and still run a small club, and odder still to have Sarah Newlin–whose face is gracing every can of New Blood–in their basement, on tap. Is Eric keeping close for Sookie’s sake? Who can say.
A heavily pregnant Sookie has a whole lot of guests sitting round a large table in her garden. Sam and his family are there; Jason and Bridget Stackhouse with their three kids, too. Basically, everyone who mattered in the show that are still alive, have turned up for Thanksgiving, but we never get to see the face of Sookie’s man. Everyone finally gets to be happy in the show… except Sarah Newlin. She’s chained by the wrists to the basement roof, going slowly insane, with a talkative Steve Newlin to keep he company.
The finale could have been a lot worse, although, it could have been a lot better. It felt rushed in a way it’s never felt before, like they couldn’t wait for it to be finally over, and that’s the memory I’ll have left of a show that started out brilliantly, but couldn’t last the pace. This last season has been entertaining and even showed hints of what made it great to begin with. It’s probably for the best that it’s over with, and the fact they didn’t blow the finale is a huge bonus. But it was a close call. The Eric and Pam arc is ripe for its own show, yet, I rather doubt it would ever happen. Oh, well.
