Recap 7.9 True Blood “Love is To Die”

“I swear to God talking to him tonight was like talking to a suicidal toddler.”

Do you think we could have a penultimate episode that’s all about tying up loose ends? I get why a lot of the more casual viewers might dislike this episode, but it’s clear to me that the producers are making a serious effort at giving True Blood fans exactly what they want. And way to go. I loved every minute of this episode.

That said, I’m almost as impatient with Bill as everyone else is. Yes, yes, I get it, vampires are dark, Sookie the fairy is light, the baby was a black void, he done her wrong. But if Bill really wants to die, why not take the cure and see if Eric is right about the disease causing suicidal depression? Bill could always meet the sun later on a la Godric if it’s not the disease, couldn’t he? This Bill wanting to die flashback thing has just gone on too long — so long that if Bill changes his mind in the series finale and decides to live, it’s just not going to ring true.

But I did love that Bill released Jessica, apologized again for turning her in the first place, and told her how proud he was. Jessica has always been one of my favorite characters in this series, and she spent a lot of this episode making amends as well as adult choices. I’m all for Jessica ending the series by rekindling her relationship with Hoyt, but the fact that he still doesn’t remember their past is a possible problem. If Hoyt is smart, he’ll leave it as it is. We shall see.

I was right about Brigette as Jason’s consolation prize. If it hadn’t been done so sweetly and skilfully, I would have been rolling my eyes at Jason finally experiencing honest communication in bed with a woman instead of a whole lot of sex. I’m happy that Jason got several fun Jason-like moments, though, with the five minute concussion being no big deal and the frozen peas on the crotch thing. I wonder if this whole riff about Jason wanting to have kids is to counter an ending of the series where Sookie ends up with a vampire and can’t have them herself? (And how convenient is it that Hoyt doesn’t want kids, and Jessica can’t have them?)

Wouldn’t it be a kick in the pants if the show ended the way so many fans want it to end, with Sookie and Eric together? I was just so happy with all of the terrific Eric-related content in this episode. The way he was a real friend to Bill and tried to save Bill’s un-life. Sookie crying on Eric’s shoulder. Eric waiting for Sookie in the darkness of Merlotte’s/Bellefleur’s parking lot.

Even better, Sookie got to fly with Eric. And that made me realize they were just giving us some closure, and they’re *not* going to give us an Eric/Sookie ending. I usually avoid book spoilers in my series reviews and I won’t say how the books end, but my favorite thing about the books was the connection Sookie had with Eric and the lovely way he treated her. Oh, well.

At least they gave us that absolutely hilarious gem of a scene with Ginger on the throne at Fangtasia experiencing the best … minute of her life. (Skarsgard’s expression was priceless.) It’s too bad they had to follow it up with Eric giving up Sookie’s location to Gus and company. Pam has been used to control Eric a few too many times this season. It’s losing its impact.

But honestly, this episode rocked and I’ve been very happy with this final season. I haven’t enjoyed True Blood this much since season four. Let’s hope they don’t blow it all with the finale.

Bits and pieces:

— The staff party at Merlotte’s/Bellefleur’s was just lovely, like a holiday or, more accurately, a goodbye party. Jessica made peace with James (with Lafayette watching carefully from the other side of the room), Arlene gave Sookie advice, everyone had a good meal, perfect.

— Sam has had practically zero plot this season, and now he and Nicole have left Bon Temps in the rearview mirror. Sam wants to see his daughter grow up. That worked with all of this season’s emphasis on babies.

— I did enjoy Jason carefully explaining to Brigette that they weren’t having sex because it was very Jason and very True Blood.

— It would be nice if Jason and Hoyt were best friends again at the end of the series, but I’m not counting on it. They can’t tie up every loose end.

— In this week’s hair report, why did Gus make Pam dye Sarah’s hair blonde again? So she would look prettier to vampire customers, I suppose?

— Could someone tell me why Sookie has been wearing the world’s ugliest shirt and hairdo for what, three episodes now? She’s the lead in this series, isn’t she?

— “Love is To Die.” Has anyone died yet? I don’t think anyone died in this episode. Maybe I wasn’t paying close enough attention.

Quotes:

Sookie: “Whatever this is, whatever you’re doing, you don’t get to hide behind the word ‘fate’.”

Bill: “I’m choosing the true death.”
Jessica: “Fuck you, Bill.”

Pam: (to the sobbing Jessica) “Cry on my jacket, you’re paying for it sweetheart.”
And yet, Pam was right there to hold Jessica, like Eric was there to hold Sookie. Pam can be sweet, but only while accompanied by snark.

Sookie: “You’ve started over so many times. How do you do it?”
Arlene: “Well, it helps when your ex-husband comes to you in a death vision and tells you to.”

Eric: “She loves you.”
Bill: “She’ll learn to love someone else. But not while I’m on the planet.”

Bill: “It was a void. A black void. Sookie had given birth to death.”
Eric: “Fuck.”

Eric: “I’m over a thousand years old, Bill. If I had an aptitude for marriage counseling, don’t you think I would have figured that out by now?”

Pam: “I need to remove this gag. El gaggo. I need to remove-o. Fuck it. (to Sarah) Listen up, twat lips. I’m going to remove your gag ’cause I can’t get the foils where I need to get them with it on. But please don’t mistake this for an act of kindness.”
Twat lips. That goes on my list of top ten Pam-isms.

Eric: “Can I give you a lift home?”
Sookie: “You don’t have a car.”
Eric: “I’m aware.”
Swoon.

Eric: “Ginger, I spent my entire night flying around dealing with other people’s relationship problems. Now does that sound like me to you?”

Eric: “On the throne it is.”

Four out of four plates of etouffee and dirty rice,

Billie Doux
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Billie Doux is the founder of Doux Reviews and has been reviewing her favorite shows for a ridiculously long time. More Billie Doux.