True Blood

[MCA™]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/x5t_hKDfu7g&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;color1=0x402061&amp;color2=0x9461ca" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/x5t_hKDfu7g&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;color1=0x402061&amp;color2=0x9461ca</a>

[AmbushBug]

So apparently Maryann wasn't a witch at all, she was an exposition machine.

Whenever she's around characters start magically spouting boring expository dialog, sometimes for minutes on end. Truly horrifying, that is.

[PuddinPop]

I agree with Fang...I do not particularly like Evan Rachel Wood and feel the finale needed more pizazz. I was also left longing for more screenplay with Eric Northman

[TheFang]

Wow. That was probably the most anti-climatic and all around lame season finale ever. They're really gonna have to do alot of work early on next season if they want to keep me interested.

And Evan Rachel Wood? Ugh, she is just awful.

[duke_of_earl]

For anyone else who loves the music on the show (I've spent countless hours on the guitar with Bad Things) I found the closing song finally.  It's called Death Trip by the Bad Livers.

I can't find them on the tube, but they are on Rhapsody.

duke

[TheFang]

So many potential spoilers in this Comic Con Trailer, so be prepared...

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/AU1Q1ekwlfg&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;hl=en&amp;feature=player_embedded&amp;fs=1" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/AU1Q1ekwlfg&amp;color1=0xb1b1b1&amp;color2=0xcfcfcf&amp;hl=en&amp;feature=player_embedded&amp;fs=1</a>

[PunkyDJ]

The guy who plays the bald, drunken deputy did MUCH better acting work in 2nd Season of The Wire as Frank Sabotka. He was probably the best thing about that season, and that's saying a lot.

Alexander Skarsgard also does fantastic work as Sgt. Brad Colbert in Generation Kill.

It's a shame seeing them ham it up in True Blood, especially when they're capable of such deep, nuanced acting.

[TMN]

A few things I do wonder about outside of the plot line are, is the acting this bad on purpose? I think they're trying to do some sort of campy southern gothic thing, or at least that's what I hope for. You've gotta be trying really hard to be acting this poorly.

Personally part of the appeal of this show for me is the hokey acting. I would imagine that there is lots of 'eye rolling' and 'sighing' when the actors read their scripts.

[jc_insomniac]

So which "Tara" is the better actor? Or are they equally bad? 

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/KsnG8743oxU&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/KsnG8743oxU&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/NQvHfFyoVyc&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/NQvHfFyoVyc&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;</a>

[AmbushBug]

I think the bad acting is just camp, Fang.

And not all the acting is that bad. In particular, Todd Lowe (as the shellshocked Terry) is excellent, as is Alexander Skarsgård, who gets the menace and charm of Eric just right. Plus, who doesn't love Larry, er, I mean William Sanderson? I'm just waiting for his brother Darryl and his other brother Darryl to show up.

[duke_of_earl]

Did someone mention the word "plot" in a True Blood thread?  How gauche...

duke

[TheFang]

A few things I do wonder about outside of the plot line are, is the acting this bad on purpose? I think they're trying to do some sort of campy southern gothic thing, or at least that's what I hope for. You've gotta be trying really hard to be acting this poorly.

And, is anyone else a little weirded out over the sex scenes between Anna Paquin and Steven Moyer now that they are dating? Just seems a twee bit voyeuristic, especially when they start snowballing her blood. Never mind the obscene age difference.

[AmbushBug]

We don't know she's Circe yet.

But, yeah, she's definitely a Bacchae, at the very least. A devotee of Dionysus who, mind you, isn't an evil person or spirit so much as a weapon of divine retribution, at least according to the classical view of thigns. Then again, TB plays pretty fast'n'loose with the tropes we know and love, so who knows.

One thing I do find interesting is that if Maryann did spawn the Minotaur, then she sent that new waitress as a specific lure, which fits with her MO.

To be honest, Maryann kinda bores me, though. I'm far more interested in who's killing fangs in Texas, and why.

[TheFang]

So what we're saying just to get this straight is that Maryann is Circe the aunt of the Minotaur.

Though the idea of having Circe and the Minotaur in LA might be a little too much for me before I start 

[Darna]

Genius Darna!  I had to go look up Circe in Wikipedia and found this quote:

"She was sister of two kings of Colchis, Æëtes and Perses, and of Pasiphaë, mother of the Minotaur. "

duke

I didn't even know that!!!  This is getting good!    

[duke_of_earl]

SPOILER ALERT!!!
Do you think Maryann is the creature that attacked Sookie?  I don't know if there is a connection...

Maybeee...But probably not. AB and I were racking our brains trying to think of bull-headed-man-beasts, but the only one we could think of was the Minotaur but that didn't seem to fit. 

Genius Darna!  I had to go look up Circe in Wikipedia and found this quote:

"She was sister of two kings of Colchis, Æëtes and Perses, and of Pasiphaë, mother of the Minotaur. "

duke

[skwirrlking]

I couldn't resist the urges to track down marryanne's deal.

i won't post the spoiler, but can pm if interested.

[jc_insomniac]

And I've been hearing some rumors on the interwebs that Eric and Lafayette are going to get it on, which would be quite some amazing to watch. But it could just be wishful thinking. 

Hmmmm. Yeah.

[jc_insomniac]

What I'm wondering is, which of you have read the Sookie Stackhouse book(s?) and how much has the series departed from the novel?

SPOILER ALERT!!!
Do you think Maryann is the creature that attacked Sookie?  I don't know if there is a connection...

Maybeee...But probably not. AB and I were racking our brains trying to think of bull-headed-man-beasts, but the only one we could think of was the Minotaur but that didn't seem to fit. 

[TheFang]

SPOILER ALERT!!!
Do you think Maryann is the creature that attacked Sookie?  I don't know if there is a connection...

Maybeee...But probably not. AB and I were racking our brains trying to think of bull-headed-man-beasts, but the only one we could think of was the Minotaur but that didn't seem to fit. 

[Darna]

SPOILER ALERT!!!

Well, fine, if you want to be more specific about what kind of witch, then yes, I'd agree with you. Especially after the "disappearing" pig in the last episode and how she can turn Sam into his doggy-self when ever she wants.

Do you think Maryann is the creature that attacked Sookie?  I don't know if there is a connection...

[TheFang]

any theories on WTF marryanne is?

altho - i guess i could search the books for some spoiler info.

Witch. Duh.

To be more specific, I think she's some incarnation of Circe, the sorceress who turned Odysseus' men into pigs.  Odysseus was on his way back home from the Trojan War and ended up staying with Circe for a few years.

Well, fine, if you want to be more specific about what kind of witch, then yes, I'd agree with you. Especially after the "disappearing" pig in the last episode and how she can turn Sam into his doggy-self when ever she wants.


And I've been hearing some rumors on the interwebs that Eric and Lafayette are going to get it on, which would be quite some amazing to watch. But it could just be wishful thinking. 

[Darna]

any theories on WTF marryanne is?

altho - i guess i could search the books for some spoiler info.

Witch. Duh.

To be more specific, I think she's some incarnation of Circe, the sorceress who turned Odysseus' men into pigs.  Odysseus was on his way back home from the Trojan War and ended up staying with Circe for a few years.

[TheFang]

any theories on WTF marryanne is?

altho - i guess i could search the books for some spoiler info.

Witch. Duh.

[skwirrlking]

any theories on WTF marryanne is?

altho - i guess i could search the books for some spoiler info.

[MCA™]

What happened to our new episode on Sunday?   

Last Sunday was catch-up day – first 3 eps were on back to back. New episode 4 this Sunday July 12.

[duke_of_earl]

What happened to our new episode on Sunday?   

[jc_insomniac]

Bill hasn't bitten Sookie? It's pretty clear that he did in last week's episode, and that he sucked her blood. I'm also a little confused, because wouldn't Sookie have had to suck his blood also, to keep from dying? Maybe we're all wrong in assuming that Sookie's still human.

No, he hasn't bitten her she just took his blood.  Of course, that's another thing...I'm pretty up on random vampire lore, but I've never read about vampire blood healing normal humans when drunk.  Nor have I heard of a viagra effect if somebody takes a drop of it...

duke

[duke_of_earl]

I don't think they've explained that yet.  How's this for truly geeky--some vampire lore says that the human has to drink the vampire blood after getting his/her blood sucked in order to become a vampire.  Would that make Sookie a vamp?  I dunno--I don't recall if Bill has drunk her blood and then let her drink his...

No, he hasn't bitten her she just took his blood.  Of course, that's another thing...I'm pretty up on random vampire lore, but I've never read about vampire blood healing normal humans when drunk.  Nor have I heard of a viagra effect if somebody takes a drop of it...

duke

[Darna]

Love the show too, but I have a question.  How exactly does one become a vampire?  It seems that you can be bit but still remain human....anyone get that part?

I don't think they've explained that yet.  How's this for truly geeky--some vampire lore says that the human has to drink the vampire blood after getting his/her blood sucked in order to become a vampire.  Would that make Sookie a vamp?  I dunno--I don't recall if Bill has drunk her blood and then let her drink his...

But here's an answer from the book on which the series is based.  Not clear that the series will adhere to these rules
http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2008/10/love_bites_or_did_true_bloods.html

[sweets]

Love the show too, but I have a question.  How exactly does one become a vampire?  It seems that you can be bit but still remain human....anyone get that part?

[NON]

I went to college with Aunjanue Ellis. great actress and person.

Saw Aunjanue as Ariel in The Tempest with Patrick Stewart in Central Park. She was terrific.

Interesting. So did I but in the theater.  We went backstage afterwards to see her and in hopes of meeting Patrick Stewart, we just got a glimpse of him.

went back when they moved it indoors. you shoulda seen it at the Delacorte. it was beautiful.

[VV]

I went to college with Aunjanue Ellis. great actress and person.

Saw Aunjanue as Ariel in The Tempest with Patrick Stewart in Central Park. She was terrific.

Interesting. So did I but in the theater.  We went backstage afterwards to see her and in hopes of meeting Patrick Stewart, we just got a glimpse of him.

[NON]

I went to college with Aunjanue Ellis. great actress and person.

Saw Aunjanue as Ariel in The Tempest with Patrick Stewart in Central Park. She was terrific.

[VV]

I went to college with Aunjanue Ellis. great actress and person.

[duke_of_earl]

Not true. Aunjanue Ellis plays a vampire sidekick named Diane.

Very true!  I forgot and stand corrected!  I maintain, however, that a cop would not pull over her character. 

BTW, the opening of the show is great.  Love the song, too.

duke

[MCA™]

Well, there are no black vampires on the show yet.  But I suspect it will be a most unlucky cop who pulls him over to harass him.

duke

Not true. Aunjanue Ellis plays a vampire sidekick named Diane.

[duke_of_earl]

Why not? They do it to black people all the time. 

Well, there are no black vampires on the show yet.  But I suspect it will be a most unlucky cop who pulls him over to harass him.

duke

[TMN]

Yup, I watch this also. The odd spin on the vampire genre has me a bit worried though, 'cause now  it looks like I'll have to use all this garlic for cooking instead of hanging it over the doors and windows.

[TheFang]

Yeah, i know it's a show about vampires.  But really, would a cop pull over a vampire on the highway alone to harass him?

duke

Why not? They do it to black people all the time. 

[duke_of_earl]

I've been watching it, but the problem is that now it conflicts with Dexter.  Now I record True Blood and watch it later in the week.

I still haven't decided whether I like it or not.  I am hoping that they improve their storyline a bit as some of the situations aren't believable.   Yeah, i know it's a show about vampires.  But really, would a cop pull over a vampire on the highway alone to harass him?

duke

[skwirrlking]

Just saw 5 episodes of HBO's True Blood series via on demand over the weekend. Has been good so far and is a different spin on the vampire genre - at least from what I've ever seen. Although, generally speaking, I am partial to Alan Ball content. Definitely worth a watch.

Here's a brief description from wiki:

"Thanks to a Japanese scientist's invention of synthetic blood, vampires have progressed from legendary monsters to fellow citizens overnight. And while humans have been safely removed from the menu, many remain apprehensive about these creatures "coming out of the coffin." Religious leaders and government officials around the world have chosen their sides, but in the small Louisiana town of Bon Temps, the jury is still out.

Local waitress Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), however, knows how it feels to be an outcast. "Cursed" with the ability to listen in on people's thoughts, she's also open-minded about the integration of vampires — particularly when it comes to Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer), a handsome 173-year-old living up the road. But as Sookie is drawn into a series of mysteries surrounding Bill's arrival in Bon Temps, that tolerance will be put to the test."

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