Season 7 of The Vampire Diaries hits Blu-ray and DVD this Tuesday, August 16. “The Complete Seventh Season” set contains all 22 episodes of the first season the show has gone on without Nina Dobrev’s Elena Gilbert.
Below, find our review of the Blu-ray set.
The Episodes: What you think of the episodes depends mostly on what you are watching for. “Shippers” will find a lot to like, unless you’re a “Delena” fan since half of that pairing is at least physically absent for the season. There are some new couplings, too, that I think people have responded decently to. Season 7 contains some interesting flash-forwards and time-jumps, and Annie Wersching is great while she’s on as Damon and Stefan’s mother. I will admit I didn’t care much at all about the Heretics, so they took me out for a bit.
As the season goes on and the mysteries grow, it’s easier to become invested, and I am thankful we are getting to spend a little more time in Mystic Falls, even if it doesn’t necessarily feel the same to me as it did in those exciting early years. In the end, though, Season 7 will be remembered as “That First Year Without Elena,” for better or for worse. I’m also very optimistic that the final season will be everything that I want. But that’s for next year’s Blu-ray review!
Graphics/Sound/Packaging: The look of the Blu-ray is great and it sounds really good. As for the packaging? Now that TVD focuses on the brothers, they apparently went with a Supernatural motif (two half-faces) for the cover. If it works, great. Hopefully the eighth and final season will get a new cast promo shot, involving folks like Bonnie, Caroline, Enzo, Alaric, and even poor Matt Donovan.
The Extras: The best extra on this disc is a featurette about series leads Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley directing their respective episodes of Season 7. It’s a nice look behind the scenes and it offers a look at the actors that fans don’t always get to see. There’s a “Visit Georgia” PSA that is just as painful and annoying to watch as the one last year; I don’t know if it’s a union or licensing requirement to do these things, but they’re just trying way too hard at being funny, and generally failing. There’s a gag/blooper reel which is fun, though I admit after seeing enough of those things on these sets, I’m kind of over it. Finally, there’s the 2015 Comic-Con panel for The Vampire Diaries which is always interesting to see what they tease (or not). Poor Julie Plec clearly lost her voice before the panel but still went on with it.
Is It Worth It? I admit, I’m always going to recommend one of the earlier seasons, if I’m going to recommend anything from The Vampire Diaries. But, if you’re a fan of Stefan, Damon, Caroline, Bonnie and company, and want to know what they’re up to, there are a lot worse ways to spend your time.
Vampire Diaries: The Complete Seventh Season hits Blu-ray and DVD this Tuesday, August 16. Order your copy from Amazon.com and support KSiteTV!
