True Blood

fisgon

Was seriously looking forward to this, love Alan Ball (six feet under, American Beauty), have enjoyed Buffy, would watch Anna Paquin in anything (mmmmmmmmmmm!), and it did not disappoint.

It started on friday, on Fx, if anyone isn't aware of it, a show set in Louisiana where vampires and humans coexist, uneasily. There is a vampire civil rights movement, echoing the black civil rights of the 60s, and the vampires are seeking more respect now that they don't eat humans anymore, the Japanese have synthsised blood that they can live on.

It is all very Southern Gothic, very sexy, witty (God hates fangs!), has a good-looking cast and looks like it has a lot of potential. Anyone else see it? (I actually missed the end as my sky plus box went wrong and deleted all my saved programmes. will see it again on Sunday)

Basq

To be fair, the pilot was an utter turd!

But the series HUGELY improves when it finds it's feet 2 - 3 episodes in.

TheHairyFairy

Really good show. As Basquille says stick with it, you will be rewarded!

MikeCork2009

Totally agree. Started watching it a few weeks ago, was slow to get going but 2/3 episodes in was completely hooked. Caught up to the US now myself and having watched 16 episodes to date back to back its really hard waiting a week for an episode - yup its really that good

fisgon

Just watched end of first episode, nice to see, after Stringer Bell and Beady got work in the American Office, and Omar has been in a few things, that Frank Sobotka is back working as the Police Chief, him and his baldy head. (The Wire reference, if anyone is wondering.)

Also, anyone hear Ray Foley talking about it the other day on Today FM, he liked it but slated Anna Paquin, said she was a rubbish actress. maybe I'm blinded by a slight (or more than slight!) crush i have on her, but i thought she was really good in it, totally convincing.

MayoForSam

The gap between her two front teeth is a teensy weeny bit off-putting alright . Maybe leaving space for her to grow some fangs at some stage....

Great show, very atmospheric in terms of recreating that southern bayou, Louisiana swamp feel. Even the opening credits are good. I'm about 3/4 of the way through Season 1. Bill is a great character with an interesting history and Lafayette is a hoot. Very sexy show to boot.

fisgon

I think the gap in the teeth is key to her attractiveness. the slight imperfection that makes her distinctive. It also helps with her character, I think, she is the ingenue, apparently innocent but actually possessing special powers.

Agree about the Southern feel, it reminds me, only in atmosphere though, of a film of a few years back with Sam. Jackson and Christina Ricci, Black Snake Moan, in the way it captures that hot, sweaty, lazy, sexy vibe of the American South. That's where it really succeeds so far, I think.

lemon_sherbert

Does anyone know if they are going to start showing it on the more common channels? I've heard good things, but I don't have the FX channel, and I don't want to watch online

Harpy

lemon_sherbert wrote: »

Does anyone know if they are going to start showing it on the more common channels? I've heard good things, but I don't have the FX channel, and I don't want to watch online

yeah channel 4. i read that they have gotten the rights for true blood and generation kill..

Our man in Havana

I agree the pilot was utter shoite. Hopefully it will improve with time.

dudara

I remember reading the books that the show is based on years ago - they were entertaining enough. The DVD is available for sale in Oct on Amazon - I'll probably wait for that.

fisgon

- Anna Paquin....those little dresses, the gap in the teeth, the psychic waif persona...nuff said
- The variation on the vampire theme....they've kept the old classics - avoiding sunlight, fangs, needing blood to live, heightened senses - but have added stuff, I especially like the idea of V-juice, and how vampire blood is like an elixir of life for humans when they drink it
- The whole atmostphere of the American South, the sultriness, the sexiness, the sweatiness, you feel you need to shower after watching, but not in a bad way...
- The sexiness.....and not just the sex itself, but especially Sookie and Bill. Apparently the two actors are an item in real life, and I'm not surprised, the scenes with the two of them in are hot, electric..
- The accents, though some of them slip a bit. Sookie is not pronounced like Lorelai's friend in the Gilmore Girls, but more like 'Suckeh'.
- Pretty much everything.....

Corkfeen

Watched this a few weeks back in about 3 days. Found it very enjoyable as a series.
Haven't watched any of the second season yet but its one of the better shows on tv at the moment. Has anyone else noticed that the best US shows these days are from their cable networks? Shorter Seasons and less fillers due to that I guess (Far more freedom to the cable networks too )

MayoForSam

Corkfeen wrote: »

Haven't watched any of the second season yet but its one of the better shows on tv at the moment. Has anyone else noticed that the best US shows these days are from their cable networks? Shorter Seasons and less fillers due to that I guess (Far more freedom to the cable networks too )

Yup, the smaller pay-per-view channels are not as beholden to the general public and advertisers so they can go for slightly off-beat, riskier but infinitely more interesting material. Just look at HBO's output over the last 10 years, puts everything else in the shade (The Wire, Sopranos and lots more besides). Another one that springs to mind is AMC (Breaking Bad and Mad Men).

fisgon

According to that font of all knowledge The RTE Guide, TG4 is going to show True Blood in the Autumn. Good for them, they were the only Irish channel to show The Wire, and now the next best HBO show can only be seen on our Irish language channel. It really shows up RTE's conservatism and lack of any kind of willingness to invest in these great imported shows.

Check it out if you haven't seen it, it rocks.

fisgon

lemon_sherbert wrote: »

Does anyone know if they are going to start showing it on the more common channels? I've heard good things, but I don't have the FX channel, and I don't want to watch online

This starts on Channel 4 on Wednesday. Anyone who hasn't yet seen it, check it out, it's sexy, intriguing, innovative, funny, it looks great. Do yourself a favour.