The Vampire Diaries: The Complete Seventh Season is hardly terrible but it’s clear the writing and stories weren’t as strong and with Nina Dobrev’s departure, the series needs to end, which it will next season. Still, I’m sure hardcore fans might find it entertaining.
The Vampire Diaries: The Complete Seventh Season
(2015-16)
Genre(s): Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Warner Home Video | NR – 926 min. – $54.97 | August 16, 2016
Date Published: 08/24/2016 | Author: The Movieman
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THE SEASON — 3.0/5 |
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Season Synopsis: After Elena Gilbert succumbs to the sleeping curse at the end of the sixth season, those who remain must try to pick up the pieces and move on. Damon (IAN SOMERHALDER) attempts to live life as “just Damon.” Stefan (PAUL WESLEY) confronts his first love while growing closer to Caroline (CANDICE KING), who grieves the loss of both her friend and her mom. Bonnie (KAT GRAHAM) explores her new powers. Damon and Stefan’s mother, Lily (ANNIE WERSCHING), tries to drive a wedge between her sons. Damon is determined to take down his mother and her band of Heretics – who are hellbent on retaliation and mayhem – while Enzo (MICHAEL MALARKEY) struggles with his loyalties. With idyllic Mystic Falls apparently falling apart, the action and suspense is grittier and more white-knuckled than ever.
Quick Hit Review: The Vampire Diaries enters into its seventh season with major changes, the main one being the departure of Nina Dobrev’s Elena character who slumbers in a casket located within a crypt. The reasons for her leaving are up for debate whether burnt out and wanting to do something new (she is co-starring with Vin Diesel in xXx: The Return of Xander Cage) or the drama between her, Somerhalder and his wife, Nikki Reed. Whatever the reason, whether or not she stayed, the series was beginning to become long in the tooth (so to speak). That’s not to say there aren’t some interesting moments this season. I still enjoy watching the brotherly conflict between Damon and Stefan and adding their mother into the mix, along with her hellish minions, was a nice touch, not to mention seeing the lovely Annie Wesching in a series following her departure from Amazon’s Bosch series (highly recommend that show, fwiw). But outside of those two, you have Caroline spinning her wheels dealing with the loss of Elena and even Bonnie’s storyline isn’t that interesting. Even so, and while this series isn’t what it once was (probably could’ve or should’ve ended after five season… sacrilege I know), the upcoming season 8 will be its last and the series finale will see the return of Dobrev, much to the delight of fans… |
SPECIAL FEATURES – 2.25/5 |
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The 3-disc set is housed in an HD Keep Case and side-slides into a matted slip cover. Inside there is a redemption code for the Digital HD copy. Unfortunately the features aren’t that great this go-around: Unaired Scenes are available on ‘Day One of Twenty-Two Thousand, Give or Take’, ‘Never Let Me Go’, ‘Age of Innocence’, ‘I Carry Your Heart with Me’, ‘Live Through This’, ‘Best Served Cold’, ‘Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me’, ‘Hell is Other People’, ‘This Woman’s Work’, ‘Moonlight on the Bayou’, ‘One Way or Another’, ‘Requiem for a Dream’ and ‘Gods & Monsters’ Directing Vampires (7:20; HD) – Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley discuss helming the undead in their respective directing duties this season. 2015 Comic-Con Panel (27:16; HD) is footage of the cast and producers as we look ahead to Season 7. Come Visit Georgia PSA (5:29; HD) – See how locations in and around Atlanta become Mystic Falls. And last up is a Gag Reel (3:49; HD) with outtakes and bloopers from the season. |
VIDEO – 4.5/5 |
| The Vampire Diaries: The Complete Seventh Season sinks its teeth onto Blu-ray presented in its original televised 1.78 widescreen aspect ratio and a 1080p high-definition transfer (MPEG-4 AVC codec). Much like the other seasons, this one looks great in HD with often times bright colors during daylight scenes to the starkness for the dark ones showing no signs of artifacting, pixilation or banding. Detail levels are also quite impressive especially for the close-ups and even some of the background objects. (Copied from the Season 5 Blu-ray review) |
AUDIO – 4.25/5 |
| The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is what I consider adequate, just not very expansive. Dialogue levels at least are relatively crisp and clear and some of the sound effects aren’t bad, but at the same time, it’s not especially dynamic where some of it just comes off as flat at times. Still, when the soundtrack kicks in, be it the score or choice pop/teen music, it’s bad. (Copied from the Season 5 Blu-ray review) |
OVERALL – 3.0/5 |
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Overall, The Vampire Diaries: The Complete Seventh Season is hardly terrible but it’s clear the writing and stories weren’t as strong and with Nina Dobrev’s departure, the series needs to end, which it will next season. Still, I’m sure hardcore fans might find it entertaining through and through. The Blu-ray released by Warner Home Video offers good video/audio transfers but the features are a bit lacking. |
Check out some more screen caps by going to page 2. Please note, these do contain spoilers.