Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

True Blood: The Complete Seventh Season Blu-ray Movie Review

The seventh season may disappoint, but its Blu-ray release does not...

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown November 5, 2014

Catching sight of The Complete Seventh Season's cover, my son asked, "Dad, why is that lady crying blood?" Zero hesitation. "Because she's on a terrible show, kiddo." Cue laughter from my wife.

There was a time not so long ago when it appeared as if True Blood might recover. Every season through its sixth -- however flawed, however misguided -- at least had enough potential, bite and showpiece beasties to keep viewers coming back for more. No such luck with Season Seven. More than the worst season of the series, it stands as one of TV's most disappointing, anticlimactic, underwhelming final seasons in recent memory, with a finale episode that left diehards and series addicts outraged, fence-straddlers scoffing and shaking their heads, and former fans who vacated the premises glad they left before it all came crashing down. What went so horribly, horribly wrong? Certainly not the cast. Anna Paquin may have spent the last several seasons on autopilot, but her co-stars, new and old, have given their all; blood, sweat, tears and gristle, and with the sort of conviction and commitment other shows would kill for. Certainly not HBO. The premium cable network threw its full support behind every episode, without exception. And certainly not the series' at-times rabid fanbase, which wasn't demanding any of the flat-lining character beats, dead-on-arrival villains or cancer-ridden storylines that sap the final season of life. No, the fault lies squarely at the writer's room door. The seventh season aims to give each human, faerie, werewolf, vampire and mainstay a fitting send-off, but instead bathes itself in endlessly sentimental, melodramatic, ultimately uneventful muck, unsure of what to do with the ensemble, the mythos and, really, the show.

A battle between raging Hep-Vamps and their Bon Temps prey sets the stage for a season-long series of hair-raising denouements for Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer), Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgård), Jason Stackhouse (Ryan Kwanten), Sam Merlotte (Sam Trammell), Alcide (Joe Manganiello), Tara (Rutina Wesley) and their human/vampire allies and adversaries. Some of the series' most beloved figures will meet cruel fates, while others will cheat death (true and otherwise) to forge happily-ever-after relationships. What will happen to your favorite True Blood character?

What HBO's seventh season synopsis fails to mention is that the "cruel fates" include the weirdly immediate and essentially off-screen splat of a key vampire in the opening minutes of the first episode, an ordinary-but-fatal headshot to another supernatural being some time later, and a string of increasingly unsatisfying deaths, reunions and farewells, few of which match the intensity and heartbreak the actors work so hard to sow and reap from their scenes. Other elements aren't much better. The hep-vamps and anti-vampire mobs that dominate the first half of the season are some of the most uninteresting baddies to grace the series. The return of Anna Camp's Sarah Newlin doesn't help. At all. The sudden shift of attention to the Yakanomo corporation and its dealings gets sillier by the minute. (Although it does allow Skarsgård's Eric to finally cut loose in one gloriously gory sequence that should have been repeated a minimum of seventeen more times by finale's end.) The various Hep-V infections are tantalizing bits that unfortunately go nowhere fast (or good). Tara's storyline is infuriating. Sookie is more obnoxious than ever. Sam is completely wasted. Joe Manganiello may as well have stayed home. And the best moments belong to Jim Parrack's Hoyt, Deborah Ann Woll's Jessica, Kwanten's Jason Stackhouse and Ashley Hinshaw's Bridgette, who come together in an extremely low-key but extremely effective subplot that runs circles around other storylines. (The relationship between Eric and Kristin Bauer van Straten's Pam nearly does the same.)

But Jason, Hoyt and Jessica -- even Erik and Pam -- can't save the seventh season from itself. Or Sookie Stackhouse for that matter. Weepy, whiny, indecisive and inexplicably important... for some damn reason... the show's leading faerie is at the center of every storm, apparently so she can learn just how tough life and love really are. Yep, that's it. All the drama, all the death, all the backstabbing, subtext, social commentary, bloody encounters and pulpy showdowns lead to Sookie trying to find happiness, with or without the half-dozen beastie's she's bedded along the way. There are some fantastic performances in Season Seven. But just imagine how much more impactful True Blood and its final hurrah might have been had the series' writers managed to give the cast some real meat to chew on; a real villain to face; real consequences to consider; real dilemmas to overcome; real pain to endure; anything other than thinly penned goodbyes and cheaply dealt destinies. Fans have been with some of these characters for seven seasons now. They deserve better... both the fans and the fan-favorite characters.

The Complete Seventh Season features ten episodes spread across four BD-50 discs:

• Jesus Gonna Be Here: A band of rogue H-vamps crashes the vampire-human mixer at Bellefleur’s, with shocking results. As Sookie seeks refuge from accusations that she’s somehow to blame for the chaos in Bon Temps, the “one vampire for every human” plan moves forward. In the face of a vigilante insurrection led by redneck Vince (Brett Rickaby), Bill receives aid from an unexpected source.
• I Found You: A trio of hostages taken in the Bellefleur’s attack looks to a familiar face as a possible liberator from the H-vamps. Sookie and Jason visit the neighboring town of Saint Alice, where a young woman’s diary offers clues to the potential fate of Bon Temps. Spurned by Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis), a desperate Lettie Mae (Adina Porter) turns to Willa (Amelia Rose Blaire) to channel her family past. Vince whips his fellow vigilantes into a dangerous frenzy. Pam’s search for her maker leads her to a very familiar place.
• Fire in the Hole: Sookie hatches a dangerous plan to take down the H-Vamps, even as Vince and his armed vigilantes pose an equally serious threat. Lafayette gets high with James (Nathan Parsons); Jason eyes a family future with Violet (Karolina Wydra); Willa is forced to find a new place to stay; Sarah Newlin sheds her past. Pam offers Eric a compelling reason to return to Louisiana and be the vampire he used to be.
• Death Is Not the End: In the aftermath of yet another bloodbath, Sam, Sookie and Jason find themselves the bearers of bad news in Bon Temps and beyond. Pam recalls the events that led her and Eric to Shreveport and Fangtasia. Bill and Jessica get nourishment from unexpected sources. Following a new lead, Sookie enlists a band of vampires and humans to track down the H-Vamps.
• Lost Cause: Exhausted from her recent travails, Sookie finds herself the unwilling host of a festive mainstreaming party in Bon Temps. In search of an elusive adversary, Eric and Pam head to Dallas and attend a gala fundraiser. Andy (Chris Bauer) makes a life-changing decision; Jessica and James reach a crossroads; Bill loses himself in remembrance of human days.
• Karma: A shocking discovery forces Sookie to reassess her recent involvement with Bill. In Dallas, Eric and Pam forge an unlikely alliance in their hunt for a shared nemesis. Andy bickers with Holly (Lauren Bowles) about their children’s behavior; Lafayette shares a vision with Lettie Mae; Jason owns up to his true feelings about Violet; Sam finds himself in a quandary regarding Nicole (Jurnee Smollett-Bell).
• May Be the Last Time: Eric, Pam and Mr. Gus (Will Yun Lee) close in on Sarah in Dallas. Adilyn (Bailey Noble) and Wade (Noah Matthews) find a temporary haven, and unexpected hospitality. Refusing to accept the inevitable, a desperate Sookie turns to unexpected resources in search of a miracle. Bill recalls the inexorable forces that led him to his marriage 170 years earlier. A familiar face resurfaces in Bon Temps. Sam faces a dilemma.
• Almost Home: With his prey in sight, Eric reconsiders his end-game strategies against Sarah. Sookie puts her life at risk in hopes of saving Bill. Lettie Mae and Lafayette urge Reverend Daniels (Gregg Daniel) to join them in their V-fueled search for Tara (Rutina Wesley). Violet eyes payback against those who betrayed her, while an old love is reborn for others.
• Love Is to Die: A desperate Bill tries to ferry Warlow away from the faerie plane, but Sookie is having none of it. Meanwhile, Eric arrives at Vamp Camp, looking to inflict serious human damage. In Bon Temps, friends and family take emotional turns remembering a fallen neighbor. Bill feels the pull of Lilith’s sirens.
• Thank You: Sookie weighs a future with and without Bill. Eric and Pam struggle with their uncomfortable partnership with Mr. Gus. Sam makes a choice, while Andy comes upon an unexpected inheritance.

True Blood: The Complete Seventh Season Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Like previous season releases, True Blood: The Complete Seventh Season features a striking, at-times stunning 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation. Misbehaving grain, oppressive shadows and hot contrast are out in force, but it's all in good stylistic fun, as intended. Detail is razor sharp, particularly in regards to close-ups, and nary a hair, pore or spatter-speck of blood goes unshowcased. Edges are a bit too well-defined, occasionally exhibiting hints of ringing, but it's hardly an issue or distraction. Colors are as heightened as contrast (again, as they're meant to be), primaries pop (reds especially), skintones are quite capably saturated and black levels are bottomless. Better still, macroblocking, banding, aliasing and other things that go bump in the night are held at bay, and there aren't any apparent encoding mishaps to point to. The series' gritty, noisy, deep bayou aesthetic will turn off some but fans will be delighted.

True Blood: The Complete Seventh Season Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

As is the case with HBO's previous True Blood releases, The Complete Seventh Season boasts a ferocious DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track that makes the most of every snarl, roar, explosion, faerie blast and clash of claws. Dialogue is clean, clear and perfectly intelligible at all times, no matter how chaotic or explosive the human vs. creature conflicts become. LFE output is tremendously effective, backed by monstrous power and first-class dynamics. Rear speaker activity is excellent as well, with convincing, often playful directionality and an enveloping, sometimes genuinely creepy soundfield that balances the soundscape and series' score with deft ease. All told, there's no disappointment to be had with Season Seven's lossless track.

True Blood: The Complete Seventh Season Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentaries: Five cast and crew commentaries are available: "I Found You" with director Howard Deutch and writer Kate Barnow; "Death Is Not the End" with actress Kristin Bauer Van Straten, executive producer Gregg Fienberg and writer Daniel Kenneth; "Karma" with writer/director Angela Robinson and actresses Carrie Preston and Lauren Bowles; "May Be the Last Time" with director Simon Jayes, writer Craig Chester and actor Chris Bauer; and "Thank You" with producer Brian Buckner and actors Stephen Moyer and Anna Paquin.
• A Farewell to Bon Temps (HD, 28 minutes): A retrospective comprised of interviews with virtually every member of the cast, as well as a pair of roundtable chats between series creator/executive producer Alan Ball, executive producer/showrunner Brian Buckner and actors Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Alexander Skarsgård, Ryan Kwanten, Sam Trammell, Nelsan Ellis, Kristin Bauer van Straten, Chris Bauer, Rutina Wesley and Carrie Preston.
• True Death: The Final Days on Set (HD, 15 minutes): The final month on set with the True Blood cast and crew, who grow more anxious and emotional as the show nears its bittersweet end.
• True Blood Lines (HD): An interactive but cumbersome character tree that provides information about the humans, vampires, werewolves and other supernatural beings in Season Seven.

True Blood: The Complete Seventh Season Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

True Blood's seventh season flails, falters and, eventually, falls flat on its face. Character fates are unsatisfying, the storylines are disappointing, the villains and baddies all but neutered, and the scripts a mix of heightened dialogue and melodramatic mush. Only the performances deliver, allowing the series to cross the finish line with some semblance of dignity. HBO's Blu-ray release is much better thankfully, with a striking video presentation, terrific DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track and solid collection of special features (which include five commentaries and a half-hour retrospective special).