That’s the fangs we get? ‘True Blood’ wends weirdly toward end

When last we saw Bon Temps — that seemingly sleepy Louisiana town that’s chock-full of more weirdness per square foot than Venice Beach and Hollywood Boulevard combined — “True Blood” (9 p.m. Sunday, HBO) had jumped ahead six months.

Telepathic fairy Sookie (Anna Paquin) was shacking up with werewolf Alcide (Joe Manganiello). Shapeshifter Sam (Sam Trammell) had been elected mayor. Vampire Tara (Vegas native and Las Vegas Academy grad Rutina Wesley) had finally reconciled with her horrible mother. And humans were being paired with healthy vampires, trading their blood for protection from roving gangs of wild fangers infected with the deadly hepatitis V.

As the drama’s final season kicks off, things, umm, well, let’s just say they get interesting.

And for a show like “True Blood,” that’s really saying something.

There’s really not much I can divulge about this season’s first two episodes that wouldn’t land me in hot water with the spoiler police other than “True Blood” is coming to an end, its writers know it’s coming to an end, and it’s probably about time that it’s coming to an end.

Still, even as bizarre and frustrating as its latter seasons have been, the demise of “True Blood” will leave a sizable hole in a TV landscape that’s about to be Swiss-cheesed.

HBO will also say goodbye to “Boardwalk Empire” and “The Newsroom” after their next seasons. FX’s “Justified” and “Sons of Anarchy” each have one season left. AMC’s “Mad Men” is down to its final half season. And the once-mighty “Two and a Half Men” and “Glee” are about to follow the critical darlings “Parks and Recreation” and “Parenthood” out the door.

And those are just the series that, like “True Blood,” know their days are numbered and get to go out on their own terms.

■ Food fights: Local pastry cooks Barry Ackerman and Fred Isla team up to compete for $100,000 and the chance to work at Carlo’s Bakery at The Venetian on the new season of “Next Great Baker” (9 p.m. Tuesday, TLC). And “Hungry Investors” (9 p.m. Sunday, Spike) is back in town as Kailyn’s Kitchen squares off against Rambo’s Kitchen.

■ Grab your glow sticks: “Under the Electric Sky,” a 3-D documentary filmed at last summer’s Electric Daisy Carnival, opens Friday at AMC Town Square.

■ Get your freak on: The gang from “Freakshow” (9:30 p.m. Tuesday, AMC) comes to town for the reality show’s second-season finale.

■ On the road: The Hangover Heaven bus will be featured as part of “Mega RV Countdown” (9 p.m. Sunday, Travel Channel).

■ On a roll: Local acrobat and rolla bolla performer Jonatan Riquelme is headed to “America’s Got Talent” (9 p.m. Sunday, KSNV-TV, Channel 3). By my count, he’s the 1,849th Las Vegas act to appear so far this season.

Contact Christopher Lawrence at clawrence@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4567.