'True Blood' finale: Things got kinda awesome

Nov 24, 2008, 03:21 PM | by Jean Bentley

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After a sloooooooooow start, True Blood finally became interesting. I started watching out of curiosity (sweet ad campaign, HBO), kept watching out of loyalty (Six Feet Under is just so great), and finished watching because it got kind of awesome. Most of my friends stopped after the first couple of episodes, but that's when it finally got good. I was bummed when the first season ended last night, and not just 'cause I won't get to see a shirtless Ryan Kwanten until next summer (well, there's always On Demand). Some finale musings (with spoilers):

* It was pretty clear that Sookie would finally figure out who was terrorizing Bon Temps, but did anyone else think the reveal of Rene as the killer was a little abrupt? I guess I'd have to re-watch, but I didn't notice any clues about his true identity until the beginning of last night's episode when it became glaringly obvious. (I didn't recognize him in the photo sent to the sheriff's department last week.) Seeing as the writers hit us over the head with the Sam/shape-shifter thing from episode 1, it just felt rushed.

More musings, after the jump...

* I don't know how Bill thought he would help by slowly lurching toward Sookie and Sam in broad daylight, seeing has he gets explode-y in the sunlight. It's the thought that counts, I guess?
* Please take a minute with me to appreciate the badassness that is Rutina Wesley. (Did you see her in the pool scene? Damn, she is ripped.) Let's hope the writers will be able to even out her character's ridiculous mood swings next season.
* A final thought: Lafayette, noooo! The chef/drug dealer could always be counted on for humor, sage advice, or vampire blood. The most obvious tie to the vampire-gay allegory, Lafayette helped keep the other characters from getting too annoying (everyone else is too dumb, whiny, or both).

It was a pretty satisfying ending for a first season. The big storylines all wrapped up nicely, in case the show doesn't get picked up for round two, but the unsolved loose ends have me curious enough to start watching once it comes back next summer. Did anyone else watch the finale last night? What do you think about the plot developments? Will you watch season 2?