HBO: True Blood

[EricMontreal22]

Oh is that from the book? I didn't realize from the show it was HER OWN blood she was having sold--I thought it was just V in general. Hrmmm

And that's a great point about the blood bond--didn't think of that.

[BadZoe]

No the only real mention of V in the books is the Ratray's trying to drain Bill.

If all it took was a few drops for Sookie to get all hot and bothered about Eric, I can just imagine the lure a V user would have to the Queen who is supposed to be much older than the 1000+ year old Eric. Lafayette's probably selling QueenV on stamps like LSD while he had to sell larger quantities of Eddie's blood since he was only a vamp for a couple of years.

[Sylph]

Soundtrack was released a few days ago:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003CLAMWA/?tag=rovi09-20

[EricMontreal22]

A new trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt3VeLsukGU

And the last of the 6 minisodes--Jason!

Bring on Season 3!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFezWyYIG8U

[marceline]

From Ausiello:

I can't even imagine...

[Sylph]

Probably more sickola-shitola from Alan Ball... Nothing else he can write.

[YRBB]

OMG! Episode 2.11:

The Queen so totally ROCKS! (Eric, you were right!) It's hard not to like her with that intro!

And the reveal that it was Tara's girl fantasy that summoned Mary Ann to Bon Temps? I was I totally didn't connect it until the flashback (which is why it's so great!)

Soooo much fun!

The cliffhanger was kinda lame (saw it coming a mile away) but it's always great to see Sookie yell her pretty little face off.

[EricMontreal22]

You can see the full fan event Q&A online http://www.hbo.com/true-blood/about/video/ultimate-fan-q-and-a.html?autoplay=true&cmpid=ABC123

[YRBB]

Finished season 2... The end of the Mary Ann storyline was orgasmic! And Eggs shot! And somebody attacking Bill and taking him away while Sookie changes her mind and tells Bill she's going to marry him! Dramaaaaa! lol

[EricMontreal22]

YAYE now you can catch up with all the Minisodes I posted I agree, I loved the end of the Maryann storyline (even if I know a good chunk of fans thought it went on too long--a sentiment maybe I can agree with, but I still loved it). And yeah the cliffhangars for this season

[Sylph]

http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/06/10/true-blood-ew-cover/?xid=rss-feed-todayslatest-%27True+Blood%27%3A+See+new+EW+cover

[Sylph]

I don't really think it's huge. Obsessiveness of its fans creates illusions of grandeur and how this whole planet loves the show.

What bugs me about Alan Ball is that he is incapable of writing something... 'normal'. To use that rather debatable adjective. He always has to anchor his writing in something bizarre, 'unusual', creepy, ludicrous, ridiculous, even sick. It has to be something 'controversial'.

Lives of people who run a funeral home or Louisiana populated with vampires, maenads and werewolves. It reminds me in ways of sh!tty stuff like Fantastic Mr. Fox (first thing that came to mind, there are plenty of other examples) where animals are actually... people. Instead of talking about the same issues in a normal way, he has to transport it in his kind of universe.

Writing a show like, for example, Brothers & Sisters is beyond his reach (and I mean Brothers & Sisters as it should have been, not the way it was/is). He has to hide his shortcomings under a plethora of shiteous goings on and proclaim it as high art in a sea of despicable TV shitola.

[EricMontreal22]

Disagreed--as he has said, he wrote SFU as Knots Landing, the way he wanted it but with the setting HBO asked him for. His plays are largely devoid of any "gimmick" or hook. He's no Ryan Murphy, tied to a concept.

My sister recently said how TB reminded her of SFU in that at various points in time you could relate and sympathize with nearly every character, they were so well rounded. That's rare, for me. You're never told who's someone you should like, who's someone you shouldn't. He has amazing strength that way.

[Sylph]

No, he didn't. He is delusional if he thinks he wrote Knots Landing. Please. Take a look at the show. It couldn't be more divorced from normality and farther away from KL. He is actually quite like Ryan Murphy, but a 'magician' with cheap tricks higher up in the hierarchy.

But, I mean, it's OK, you fell for it, it works for you. People are allowed to be deceived.

[EricMontreal22]

I don't think you watched much. The setting was never even a crutch on SFU--it was about people who HAPPENED to live in a funeral home, not the other way around. Similarly with True Blood, what's so great about it is the "non normal" stuff is just there--even unlike much lauded writers like Joss Whedon (who does use sci fi/fantasy as a crutch IMHO), the show could and would work without the supernatural stuff. I've gotten so many people into the show who profess to hating vampires and "vampire stuff" before, snobby people like the lit prof I work for. (Yes, that IS pretnetious of me to bring up, but--there's a reason Tony Kushner of all people called it the best show on tv).

"He is actually quite like Ryan Murphy, but a 'magician' with cheap tricks higher up in the hierarchy."

WHAT cheap tricks exactly? The strength of SFU was it had very little to do with their "crazy" work situation. It showed just how relatable and normal the people were--and then ultimately used death only for its metaphorical weight. I've never seen better written soap opera, to be honest, and much of that was because, take the setup away, and it's still awesome character work.

Your argument could easily be turned around to say Bill Bell was no great writer because he relied on soap opera as a starting point, with all its conventions.

A while back you accused me of being condescending and nasty to you. Is this payback?

(and I don't think people ARE allowed to be deceived, at anytime. I do think they're allowed to like what they like, and there's more worth in trying to figure out why they like it than pointing out why they shouldn't)