TAGGED AS: Netflix
Bloodline was among the first in a wave of Netflix cancellations. The streaming service, which has allowed flagship series like House of Cards and Orange is the New Black to go for five seasons and counting, has started tightening their belts. Sense8 was the latest cancellation announcement, ending in its second season.
Season 3 was announced as Bloodline’s final season last year. Since the May 26 release of the series’ final 10 episodes, critics have been harsh, but fan reactions have been more mixed, including plenty of enthusiastic positives.
The first season of Bloodline, which is Certified Fresh at 80%, began with John Rayburn (Kyle Chandler) confessing to the audience that he and his siblings killed their brother Danny (Ben Mendelsohn). Viewers watched the Rayburn family saga unfold and got to know more about the Rayburn family secrets, including those of matriarch Sally Rayburn (Sissy Spacek) and siblings Meg (Linda Cardellini) and Kevin Rayburn (Norbert Leo Butz). The first season culminated with Danny’s murder and revealed he had a son (Owen Teague).
With Danny killed, season 2 struggled to maintain the delicious tension in Rayburn-family conflicts. Mendelsohn still appeared in flashbacks, along with new characters like the mother of Danny’s son, Evangeline (Andrea Riseborough), and Ozzy Delvecchio (John Leguizamo), a shady character from Danny’s past looking to extort the Rayburn’s further. Still, the series took a hit in its critical reception and season 2 stands at 50%.
Critics have been even harsher to season 3, giving it a 29% score from seven reviews as of this writing. Its audience score is considerably higher, at 64% from 149 votes. That’s not perfect, but nearly two-thirds of fans are enjoying the final season of Bloodline. You can see some of the most devoted below.
https://twitter.com/Direct2Video22/status/870668573320073217
https://twitter.com/frostedjakess/status/869561634313953281
https://twitter.com/miller_time41/status/869559731999969280
https://twitter.com/MikiSmith6/status/869553665841012736
Bloodline can even claim some celebrity fans. High School Musical‘s Sharpay herself, Ashley Tisdale, got starstruck when she saw Mendelsohn in person! Reign‘s Torrance Coombs is also watching a home.
https://twitter.com/ashleytisdale/status/870485836369870848
https://twitter.com/torrancecoombs/status/870492782468583424
(Photo by Jeff Daly/Netflix)
But, some fans agree with critics that the ending was too abrupt. This is in part because creators Glenn and Todd Kessler and Daniel Zelman had a plan for five or six seasons. They had to cut the long arc short to wrap things up.
https://twitter.com/benesricardo/status/869549373352550404
https://twitter.com/wonderbruno/status/869559719920324609
https://twitter.com/Mrsconz/status/869552387832389632
https://twitter.com/TheJackKnife76/status/869567438236602368
https://twitter.com/nicholasvogel/status/869576115072909312
Even fans of the final episodes agreed the finale didn’t do the show justice.
https://twitter.com/RobinPunte0109/status/869561288342614016
https://twitter.com/stephstrong/status/869564403619942401
The most controversial episode in Bloodline’s history has been “Part 32,” episode 9 out of the final 10. John ends up in the hospital and seems to wake up in an alternate reality. Some went with it. Some were just lost.
https://twitter.com/johnnnymarkham/status/869543918496624640
https://twitter.com/hellllocecilia/status/869548646047592453
https://twitter.com/khamill/status/869566517838569472
https://twitter.com/mr_zee_/status/869542116120285184
(Photo by Rod Millington/Netflix)
Then again, some just found the series’ burn a bit too slow for them. Bloodline took its time introducing each of the Rayburns and revealing tidbits of their past. For some who made the 33-episode investment, it just wasn’t worth it.
https://twitter.com/sdj19/status/869554185095852032
https://twitter.com/Deltacetum/status/869553089103187968
Now that Bloodline is over, some reflect on the series as a whole. Any disappointments in the final season might be mitigated in the context of the big picture. Like this video, where an excited Bloodline fan considers season 3 an improvement, yet still not reaching the height of season 1.
And other fans who simply commented on the series as a whole.
Even with the finality of “Chapter 33,” some aren’t ready to say goodbye to the Rayburns.
https://twitter.com/S_ATL_Wrestling/status/872264639995940866
https://twitter.com/radseed/status/870481016519094272
https://twitter.com/BeholdALady/status/869552004846292993
At least there’s one thing all Bloodline fans can appreciate:
https://twitter.com/Deltacetum/status/869556397930893316
Bloodline is available to stream now on Netflix.
