No recent episode has felt like old times like "May Be The Last Time," which featured such True Blood classics as Sookie running through the night in a white dress to Bill, and Jason horndoggin' on women he shouldn't be checking out.  There was also the continued parade of old characters from the show, appearing in hallucinations, or being conjured.  And of course, there were a lot of things that just didn't make a lick of sense, but then again, would it really be True Blood without that?  Hit the jump for why "my word is oak."

This season on True Blood, the best moments have been when character supersedes the supernatural.  Andy's breakdown on the dock with Holly was one of the best small moments possibly of the entire series.  At that point, it wasn't about vampires and weres and fae … it was just about two parents who were scared and angry because they couldn't find their kids.

Bill and Sookie's story has come full circle in a similar way.  She spent most of "May Be The Last Time" frantically trying to save Bill, because that's what she's used to doing (or vice versa, as has been the case for most of the series).  She caused this, and she wants to help fix it.  After a chat with her fairy grandfather Niall though, she realizes that there's no magical way to fix it.  When she pledges to Bill to stay with him until the end, and the two make love for the first time in forever (but no biting -- it might accelerate the already virulent disease), she's making a choice to just be in a normal relationship with him for as long as they have left.  Without a future (so far), they're hoping to recapture the past as best they can by rekindling their special love.

In another example, things felt familiar when Hoyt showed up with his new hottie girlfriend, who Jason immediately wanted.  That cycle, it seems, is not easily broken even by glamouring.  It was awkward and a little painful to have Hoyt not remember Jason, and then for Jason to comfort him as a law enforcement officer, and not a life-long friend.  But Jason eyeing up Hoyt's girlfriend Bridget said more than any parade of old characters could have about how things don't change, while reminding fans of old storylines and past seasons.

Arlene, too (who has had some great speeches lately), had a nice moment with Sam where she brought it all home, literally: Bon Temps is that home where no matter what happens, you rebuild, because you can't imagine life anywhere else.  It was real and natural -- two traits True Blood doesn't usually trade in.

As for the rest of it … Eric and Pam hunting down Sarah Newlin is a mixed bag.  On the one hand, it gives that dynamic duo something to do (together!), and keeps Sarah and her crazy relevant to the plot.  But less Sarah/Numi is better, and her losing it at the old Fellowship of the Sun camp (a nice reference, along with her initial creepy auditory hallucination) went on for too long when a parade of her ex-lovers, most of whom we only met in the last little bit of the show, berated her.  Hearing Steve Newlin say the word "fornicate" is funny the first time … but maybe not the next five times in one scene.  As for "Nu Blood," it's not a bad way to bring that full circle and wipe out Hep V, but it's also not particularly compelling on its own.

Violet trapping Adilyn and Wade was an odd interlude as well, when she took them to her sex dungeon (why didn't she and Jason stay over there instead of at his shabby housing?), locked them in and told them to have fun.  But two teenagers don't need a lot of dildos and toys to have fun … sex is exciting just for existing at that point, and it was, again, a nice little moment of realism to have them toss all of that aside (and for Adilyn to hear Wade thinking he wasn't into it, but he would do it for her.  So sweet!)  Violet's end game, of course, is to lure Jessica there so she can torture and kill her for sleeping with Jason, but she surely underestimates Andy and Holly's parental intensity (which will likely lead to a staking) regarding the kids.

"May Be The Last Time" continued this season's trend of episodes that are partially boring, partially nonsensical, and partially nostalgic.  The nostalgic part is working out pretty well though, enough to make up for the rest, even when familiar faces are just shoehorned in for one last appearance.  When it's natural and real and about characters, though, it's very, very good.

Episode Rating: B+

Musings and Miscellanea:

-- Three episodes left still seems like a lot … but the conclusion of Bill and Sookie's 7-year love story, at this point, is working sticking around for.  The season should have maybe been eight episodes, though.

-- What is up with Bill's flashbacks?  Doth it portend a baby somehow?  I like how convenient it was that the memory Niall happened to pluck was of Bill's wife Caroline having their first child, which was in chronological order to his other flashbacks in this episode.  I don't particularly get the point yet, though.

-- So can a Japanese satellite find me right now …?

-- I like that after everything, Andy still refers to Bill as "Vampire Bill."

-- Very sweet moment between Keith and Arlene at the end there, where despite her fang-banging dream, she reveals she is a Hep V carrier.  Keith is ok with just dancing (d'aww).

-- Of course Violet used to have sex with her brother all the time.

-- Jessica has been pretty teary and useless in the last few episodes.  I hope she bucks up and gets badass again, QUICK!

-- "Have fun fucking!" - Violet.

-- I think I need to hear more about the dwarf and fae war (or maybe that's just borrowed from LOTR, elves versus dwarves, etc).  Also, Dr. Ludwig (Marcia DeRousse ) has appeared on True Blood before, but if I hadn't looked it up I wouldn't have remembered.  She was awesome in this episode, though.

-- What the hell shirt did Pam pick out for Eric, was that velour??

-- Bridget, the hottie microbiologist (naturally) ain't gonna be nothing but trouble.