First off, Sam is mayor. Good choice, Bon Temps! Seriously, he’s one of the few level headed individuals in the town, so let’s give him a chance. And then he introduces the vampire buddy program, and reason goes out the window. Remember the Hep-V virus that got released? Well about 1/8th of the vampire population is infected, and these victims have taken to banding together and wiping out towns, infecting other vampires, and generally being unpleasant. Sam’s idea is that a vampire will protect any person or family that willingly offers them clean blood (humans can be Hep-V carriers without being affected or knowing it). It’s a good theory, and it will definitely shake up the vampire/human relations in town.
This gives a few characters the chance to make amends, including Jessica who offers Andy her protection, but without the expectation of blood. It doesn’t provide much closure, but it’s great to see Jess step up and stop wallowing for once. Tara, who hasn’t had much to do lately, finally gets an apology from her mom for being a generally terrible mother, and she offers her blood to her. It’s a nice touch, going well with the “I didn’t feed you” speech she gives, but I’m suspicious. The night this happens, the humans are all getting their test results back on whether they have Hep-V or not. I’m more than willing to be that Tara’s mother is knowingly poisoning her daughter, who, if you remember, is an “abomination” in her eyes. Maybe Tara’s coming back in a strong way next year.
Elsewhere, Bill has written a bestselling book about the whole affair, including his brutal murder of the governor, and yet he still walks free. Maybe no one believes him, or maybe the world is just insane, but I’d rather have Bill out and about rather than rotting in prison.
Meanwhile, Jason is still Violet’s blood slave, and she’s still withholding sex from him. I don’t know why this matters, although she did warn him that he would be begging her for it before it happened. Maybe it’s a big plot point for next season, but for now it’s just a bit sad for Jason. That guy without sex is like a normal person without oxygen.
The only new development that doesn’t sit well is the fact that Alcide and Sookie are dating now. They talked once this whole season. Once. And now they’re in a loving relationship? It doesn’t feel right. Sookie had to end up with someone, and it seems like Alcide is the last guy she hasn’t been with in town, so it’s his turn. Take it or leave it, but I’m not a fan of the decision.
Luckily, the final shots of the episode are still enticing and leave plenty of room for an exciting next season. The infected vamps act more like a pack of rabid dogs than zombies, and there’s certainly no shortage of them. Leaving fans with a shot of them closing in on Bon Temps in big numbers is one of the better teases the series has ended with, and I hope the outbreak becomes a central part of next season’s plot.
In general, this season of True Blood was one of the best in recent memory. The last few episodes picked up the pace and gave our characters plenty to do while effectively thinning the herd, and the show is finally fun again. There’s no more fanger politics and strategy. In fact, everything was funnier, sexier and more in line with what the series used to be. Here’s to hoping that next season, whether it’s the last for True Blood or not, can keep the torch going, and remember what made the show successful in the first place.