I watched True Blood again last night. But I’m still not sure if I like it.
I watch it every week. In fact, it’s the first show I watch of my Sunday night choices. But I’m always puzzled when I do, because there’s a lot I don’t like about it.
My big epiphany last night was that the thing I like least about True Blood is the genre. I’m no fan of horror. But then again, isn’t the point of horror to make your viewing experience unpleasant? Mission accomplished.
My second least favourite thing about True Blood is the A-story. Not into Sookie and Bill at all. Don’t buy the romance. Not really interested in them as characters. Sorry.
My third least favourite thing about True Blood is the star. Anna Paquin? Not so much.
But if you take those three things off the table, there’s a whole lot left to like.
The writing is great. The story is rolling out like a novel — rather than a tv series. You never know which direction it’s going to twist in next. The cliff hanger curtains to each episode have been brilliant and for the most part unexpected. (We guessed about Sam quite a while back.)
I like a lot of the minor storylines: Tara’s potential exorcism, Sam’s secret, Jason’s addiction, anything that involves Lafayette. They seem more fully realized than the Sookie-Bill romance story which by comparison doesn’t seem to have much depth. As characters, I find Sookie and Bill sort of flat. Everyone else is quirky and completely original.
They also have some cool web components. There’s a dating site for anyone interested in hooking up with a vampire. The American Vampire League’s site and an anti-vamp site for those who want to prevent to vampire rights amendment from passing.
I’m going to try to embrace the whole horror thing from now till the end of the season. It only took me nine episodes to realize that that horrified, grossed out feeling is part of the point. It’s like the thrill you get from action or that gooey feeling of romance or the laughs from comedy. Now that I’ve finlly recognized that maybe I can start to appreciate the artistry with which True Blood creates those moments.
Maybe Anna Paquin and the Bill-Sookie story line will start to grow on me too.
No matter what, I’m going to keep watching because despite the parts of the series I don’t like, True Blood is certainly the most original series of the season. And most importantly, I really want to know what’s going to happen next.
Kazza
I had a similarly twisted relationship with Tell Me You Love Me. Couldn’t stand it. Found it unrelentingly grim. Didn’t like the characters. The sex wasn’t hot (and I *know* it wasn’t supposed to be).
And yet, week after week, I’d deliberately miss the original airing of a new episode and then tune in days later, red-faced, to watch it.
It was like having a particularly shameful porn habit I couldn’t kick. Ugh.
After watching the True Blood pilot (meh), I am determined not to repeat that experience.
And I hear you on the romance between the leads. Left me cold. I’m out…
J
I watch TB every Sunday too, am impressed by the cliffhangers, and then shut it off and wonder ‘what the hell?’
Certain episodes are written better than others, I think. A few of them were so UNsubtle I almost barfed…but last night when Bill was playing Wii?? Super.
Also, for some reason, Tara’s character bothers me. I can’t figure it out…she’s steely and relentless, and I have a hard time understanding why I’m supposed to care about her. …But man, do I love excorsisms.
So yes…I’m also a very, very confused fan.
J
I think my first comment got deleted. Either that or I’m an idiot.
But basically, I explained that I too am a reluctant TB fan. I think some of the writing is terribly unsubtle, but it’s kind of hard to hate a series that features a vampire playing Wii.
Also, I find the Tara character extremely hard to take. Is there a moment when she’s NOT struggling internally? Geeze. Let’s hope she has a demon inside of her, if not, she’s one annoying creation.
bobr
Disagree about “isn”™t the point of horror to make your viewing experience unpleasant?” — though I admit, it may be too early, and I might be missing your sarcasm… No narrative can want to be unpleasant, except for the self-defeating kind that doesn’t want to be heard. The point of horror is to show you the risk of “the darkness” and to remind you how fortunate you are to be on this side of it.
Deb
I’m right with you. Like a traffic accident – can’t look away. I guess fangs sunk in and I had to go back for my weekly fix. And I’m pretty picky about my vampire lore. But it’s great writing and some fascinating character studies.
Laci
Funny you mention True Blood, I just wrote a blog post about it. But, I happen to be a big fan, and I am considering writing a spec on the show. Do you think that is wise since it is based off a book series? The writing is great, but how much of that can be contributed to the book series? I haven’t read the books but from the others who have absolutely love them. Any thoughts?
Brandon
What draws me into the show is the world, plain and simple. I’m a huge horror fan, I’m totally into the supernatural bent – even if Vampires are the poor-man’s Supernatural – (Look: Fangs, no fur! Scaaary! Ugh.)
Anyways, yeah, the love story is boring as hell, Anna Paquin became the ‘good girl gone bad’ so fast that it made me wonder why they bothered. I used to love the idea that she was a ‘moral’ character, I would’ve loved to have seen that last the first season at least – it would’ve given them proper conflict instead of these insipid ‘relationship’ issues.
But the world… that’s a thing of beauty. Like the Latino vibe that permeates Dexter, I can practically breathe in the dank smell of the Bayou as it rolls into almost every shot.
It’s a scary thing when the secondary and tertiary characters are far more interesting than your mains. That’s usually – in my limited experience – a symptom of the main storyline moving too slow. Bill is interesting, but he’s hobbled by a romance that just does not work.
Okay, I’ll stop ranting now. And yes, Lafayette gets my vote for best supporting character of the year. If the mains were as interesting as him then there’d be a lot fewer problems.
Cheers,
Brandon
admin
I don’t find the whole vampire fiction in True Blood very compelling. Where are the cool revelations about the rules of the world? The twists on the standard vampire myth?
Brandon
They have them, but they’re veeeeery dispersed and ‘hushed’. Usually when they’re brought up it’s quickly followed with a ‘but don’t tell anyone, we don’t like our secrets getting out’.
So far the biggest twists have been the whole ‘vampires out amongst us’ and the ‘Tru Blood’ thing. There’s been hints of Silver affecting them and some stuff about elders and the like but it’s all very basic and painfully spread out. Like they’re afraid to let you know the rules of the world. (Once you know you can hold them to it).
They showed the effects of a staking recently and while both Gory and bloody… well… nothing really exciting.
admin
Laci-
As to the wisdom of spec’ing True Blood: the old rules said don’t spec a show in its firs season and don’t spec a show that’s heavily serialized. I don’t know if that’s still true or not. A True Blood would allow you to showcase your dialogue and scene construction, but I don’t think you could show off your ability with traditional story structure. The episodes have quite an unusual shape. The stories play out very differently than in other TV dramas: storylines pick up at a very highpoint in the action off last week’s cliffhanger and don’t tie up or end, but instead build to another very high crescendo. I don’t know how useful the spec would be in getting you a job, but writing it would definitely be a learning experience.
admin
J-
Your comments did get deleted by my spam filter… it isn’t you. I agree on Tara, why should you care about her? And why the hell does Sam care about her? But it’s like Deb says above, the series is a traffic accident — addictive as V itself, you’re compelled to go back for your weekly fix.
admin
BobR-
Thanks for the definition of horror. For me, it’s an overlooked genre and I’m glad to have someone help me make sense of it. But does True Blood make us thankful to not be on the dark side? There is enough that’s appealing about that world that we keep going back to visit it week after week. But the push-away isn’t the horror itself. It’s an unappealing storyline and a couple of bland characters.
Laci
Thank you Jill for the great advice. I will take that into consideration when I do choose a show to write a spec on. Thanks again.
Aecia
First, I’m sorry if my English is sometimes bad, it’s because I’m French… I’m kidding, but I will probably mistaken sometimes.
The fact that you want to keep watching TB means that it is a quite good new series
And concerning the Bill-Soukie romance, it’s just the beginning, let’s see if it’s gonna be better in the following episodes.
Moreover, Allan Ball is also famous for “Six feet Under”, a great series, so…
TB has everything to be better and better.