Blood Drained in Season Finale

Episode Commentary: “Beyond Here Lies Nothin”

Regardless of your feelings towards the finale, “True Blood’s” second season has not just been the best show of the summer, but one of the best of the year.

Coming into the finale, “True Blood” was set up for a monumental ending. Maryann had the entirety of human population of Bon Temps under her control, save Jason, Andy, and Hoyt, while Sam was trying to find a way to survive Maryann’s wrath, and Bill and Sookie were looking for a way to kill the maenad once and for all.

It certainly seemed like everything was going to come together and be one hell of a finale, but the episode just felt off.

Like every week, there were some spectacular moments in this episode, however they were countered by some awkward scenes and dialogue, as well as unfortunate character development.

With Dionysus’s arrival imminent, Maryann was preparing to wed the ancient God, and of naturally, she wanted Sookie to be her maid of honor. It would have been your traditional wedding with everyday customs such as licking a giant egg, being under the control of a madwoman, and of course, a shape-shifter sacrifice.

While as a whole, the wedding sequence was very entertaining, there were some parts that just didn’t feel right. For instance, when Bill and Sam arrive, Bill is restraining Sam to make an exchange for Sookie. The part that is a bit irksome. Without giving too much away, it seemed that if Bill had indeed caught Sam, he could just shift into an insect and fly away, otherwise it would look like a trap. Perhaps it’s nitpicking, but it just felt like an oversight that normally the writers wouldn’t allow. The rest of the scene is great, with a little surprising twist at the end that’ll put a smile on your face.

The other part of the finale that fun to watch was with Eric and Queen Sophie-Ann (Evan Rachel Wood, “Thirteen”) in her magnificent palace. The Queen herself is fun to watch. She commands respect, is filled with knowledge, yet has a modern attitude that no other vampire on the show has. The little tidbit of information that comes out at the end of her scene is a great set up for next year that almost assuredly means we’ll be seeing more of Sophie-Ann next year. Oh, and that Yahtzee game she’s always playing, apparently she plays to 5,000,000.

It’s probably tolerable when you know you’re going to live for an eternity.

Outside of those two parts of the finale, there was plenty that seemed out-of-place from the “True Blood” writers. One thing that didn’t make any sense at all what they did with Jason. All year, it looked as if he matured– just a bit, nobody wants a fully matured, responsible Jason Stackhouse– but by the end it felt as if nothing had happened to him and he was the same redneck imbecile he’s always been.

Also, the writing at parts gave the impression that the writers were spoon-feeding their point to the viewer, like at one point when Sookie is consoling Tara after all that’s happened, instead of letting the scene play out naturally, the script opted to go to the direct and cliche route. Again, maybe it’s being overly critical, but “True Blood” has been a show that hasn’t had to dumb itself down for the audience and it should stay that way.

Of course after all the madness died down, they set up the next season, the future of Sookie and Bill’s relationship, and for that matter Jessica and Hoyt’s. One character goes on a search for their identity. And of course, what would “True Blood” be without an awesome cliffhanger?

Overall, “Beyond Here Lies Nothin’” was good, if a bit uneven finale. At times it could be very entertaining, and at others a bit forced. Still, the second season was bloody fun and one of the best shows of the past year.

Now begins the nine-month-long wait until next summer for the third season to begin. Maybe we should all just stay asleep in our coffins until then.