Season five of TRUE BLOOD continues various threads started over the course of the show as vampires Bill and Eric find themselves in trouble.  Sookie and Lafayette make the decision to have Tara turned into a vampire to save her life (but she isn’t grateful for what they did).   With ancient vampire Russell Edgington freed from the cement tomb that Bill and Eric put him into, it starts a chain reaction of events as the ruling body of vampires called the Authority decide what to do about it.  They can kill Bill and Eric, but they ultimately decide to use Bill and Eric to bring Russell in for vampire justice, but the events set in place make things come out unexpected involving the blood of the ancient vampire Lilith.  Meanwhile, Alcide battles with J.D. when Alcide learns where the pack’s loyalties will lead.   Sookie and her brother Jason discover that a vampire was responsible for the death of their parents which starts their quest to find that vampire.  Also Sam sniffs out some people who are targeting shifters.

 

Season five continues the path for redemption for Eric who started out as a dark vampire character who is actually more human than Bill ever was (as Bill continues to continue his descent back into darkness).  Season five is one of the better seasons of the show behind season one as everything that the vampires have sought to bring about may just come apart at the seams.   I can’t wait to see what season six will bring since the final episode of season five sets it up for some big changes in the next season.  TRUE BLOOD is always about change and evolution for the characters and the storylines.  The only time it seems to go off the rails at times when it goes into plot lines like the hidden fairy bordello in the middle of a field, Sherrif Andy getting a fairy pregnant, a cook/ army vet being chased by a fire monster due to a curse put on him, and a repeat of Lafayette getting possessed by an angry spirit again.  The show's best strengths are to focus on the vampire and werewolf plots.  Everything else seems to be fluffy storytelling.

 

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Five audio commentaries including commentaries on episode 11 and 12 with various cast and crewmembers

 

Authority Confessionals (Disc 5) which has members of the Authority give insights about the ruling body of vampire society

 

Enhanced Viewing Mode

 

Episode six Autopsy (Disc 3) gives a picture within picture experience analysis of the episode along with interviews and behind-the-scenes footage.

 

True Blood Lines (Disc 5) shows all the connections and blood lines of all characters and who they are connected to.

 

Inside The Episodes featurettes for every episode as crew and sometimes cast talk about the episodes

 

DVD versions of episodes on two double sided discs

Also included is a code to download and/ or stream a digital copy of season five.

 

FINAL ANALYSIS:   Season five is one of the more crazier seasons of TRUE BLOOD which sets the stage for some major changes in season six.  It is the best season since the first season.

 

This review is (c)6-7-2013 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.  Send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com

 

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