TV: True Blood

[Kyuuketsuki]

For any of you interested in good drama and vampires (either or both) then the latest HBO (who also made the excellent "Rome", "The Sopranos", "The Wire" and "Six feet Under") show, "True Blood" is worth a watch.

Alan Ball’s latest creation, the mysterious, witty and sexy drama “True Blood” is an example of what HBO does best. Networks seem to be abandoning scripted programming in favor of low cost reality shows. The scripted dramas that remain are primarily procedurals; the cop, lawyer and doctor shows. HBO understands that audiences like characters. Sure, the plots on “In Treatment” and “Big Love” are stellar, but equally important is the development of the main players. The same applies for “True Blood.”

“True Blood” is essentially a vampiric soap opera. What makes the show special is how it holds a mirror up to the audience; entertaining while making people think. I didn’t catch “True Blood” when it ran last season. All of the first season episodes were On Demand and I decided to give it a try recently. I thought that maybe if I liked the show, I could watch them over a couple weeks. I ended up watching the entire season in one night. I admittedly fell asleep during the last episode, but woke up and finished it the next morning before I did anything else.

The show centers on the relationships between vampires and humans in small Louisiana town. The main character Sookie Stackhouse, played Anna Paquin, meets and falls in love with a vampire named Bill. That relationship is the anchor for the show. While the show gets it right with the character development, it does suffer from “Will & Grace” syndrome. The supposed main character is the least interesting. The most interesting stories and performances come from the supporting cast. Most notably, the black cross-dressing, drug dealing, short order cook, escort, adult website owner Lafayette stands heads and shoulders above the rest.

Addressing social issues surrounding basic civil rights, humans are the majority, the norm. The vampires are a metaphor for blacks, gays, the disabled etc. In the midst of that, it is hard not to recognize Lafayette, played brilliantly by Nelsan Ellis, as almost a third group. He isn’t a vampire (yet) and while he is human, he still is set apart by his size, race, sexuality and demeanor. For me he represents the “Other.” You don’t have to be a cross-dressing escort to connect to that feeling of being stigmatized for being different.

Religion serves as a character in the show and most of the church’s attention is placed on keeping vampires and humans separate. You can’t help but notice the statement being made as the church leaders decry vampires marrying humans. Proposition 8 anyone? Hell, let’s take it back a bit more. It was only in 1967 that the Supreme Court ended all race based legal discrimination on marriage. As you watch the show, you start to wonder how long it will be before the majority loses it’s need to subjugate those who are different.

While the show does make you think, let me be honest...it’s sexy too. This isn’t a docudrama. I watch it for the statements, just as much as I watch it to see Sookie and Bill get it on. There is just enough wit, drama and sex to give the show an energy that never lets it get dull. Alan Ball has this down to a science. He did the same thing with “Six Feet Under.” If you haven’t started watching this show, give it try. You won’t be disappointed.

[Read More Here] (warning season 2 spoilers)

I've watched all of season 1 but because I'm trying to go straight I'm re-watching it on FX+ and planning to watch them in the UK as they come out ... season 2 is about mid way ion the US.

I absolutely love the series ... it is quite possibly the best vampire series ever and well up there as far as dramas go.

Vampires, telepathy, other oddities ... all set in Southern Bible Belt US and where the prejudice vampires are debatably analogous to that against gays, blacks and so on ... but it's way more complex than that.

Awesome series! Give it a go ... your brain will love you!

Kyu