“True Blood” – The new mystery series on HBO
Can’t believe it’s been so long since I’ve updated my blog! I will try to be better in the future.
Okay, I looked forward to the new HBO series “True Blood” but have to say, I was disappointed. The premise of the show is that the Japanese have invented a synthic blood for vampires to drink so they no longer have to attack humans. The result is that vampires now walk around openly – at least at night, and subsist on “Tru Blood” that they can buy at the local supermarket! On top of vampires, we have a main character, Sookie Stackhouse, who’s physic and can hear every one’s thoughts – everyone except the vampires. A bit over the top? Yup.
In spite of an interesting premise, I thought the show was slow, hard to understand and all the Southern characters had IQ’s of about 40. If I’d read the series of books upon which the show was based, it would have made more sense. But I’m sure I’m not the only viewer who had never read the books.
Besides the characters all being dumb as rocks, there were a couple of gratuitous sex scenes. Now, I have nothing against a good sex scene, if it makes sense in the context of the story. These didn’t. It was almost as if the producers said, “Hey, let’s put in a real good sex scene right in the beginning to grab the audience!” and they did. There were a couple of bloody scenes too culminating with Sookie getting the snot kicked out of her, so if you’re not into gore, skip this series.
I probably will watch again on Sunday, to see in the story gets more interesting. If I were to grade the show, I’d have to give “True Blood” a C. If you watched it, what did you think?
September 11th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
If you remember, we know each other from Absolute Write.
I didn’t catch the HBO program, but to be honest, it doesn’t sound very good. I think the vampire thing is fast becoming (already has become) over done. Good lord! Can’t they come up with anything new? After all, if we struggling authors (trying-to-be in my case) are expected to, why can’t HBO?
September 11th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
I have got to start watching more tv. Seriously, I’m so out of it. Although I may give this show a miss.
September 12th, 2008 at 7:24 am
Hi Geof!
Yeah, I think they came in with this vampires story WAY too late – every aspect has been done to death. HBO like all other producers of shows always want something new and different – just like so-and-so! Can’t win.
Carlene
October 10th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
To those who haven’t read the Charlene Harris novels upon which the HBO series True Blood is loosely based, I urge you to read the Sookie Stackhouse series because you will be pleasantly surprised.
Harris is a Southerner herself and does not disrespect the culture of northern Louisiana the way the HBO series does. Her characters are human first, Southern second. They are neither better nor worse than any one else. Even her vampires and other non-human characters often retain a sympathetic humanity than is demonstrated through their interaction with Sookie.
Nor does she write gratuitous violent sex scenes. She can and does write steamy, thoughtful and plot-logical sex scenes that do illustrate intimacy between characters, but she does so with respect for the characters, the plot and the readers. The HBO series misses the intimacy point entirely.
Sookie’s brother is sex addict, that is clear in the novels, but we eventually discover why as the series progresses and the novels focus on Sookie’s understanding and familial loyalty to him despite his flaws. He never takes vampire blood to enhance his sexual vigor nor does the character Lafayette become his drug source – Lafayette doesn’t last that long. Tara never works in the bar nor is she related to Lafayette. HBO’s Ball has taken plotting liberties to add sensationalism to punch-up the story lines to grab attention, not to enhance the plot.
In the novels, the violent sex occurs off-stage, as it were — merely after-the-fact indicators of the mental illness of the murderer. At no time are we subjected to the scenes that the HBO producer-writer creates. So much of the HBO series does not occur in the novels that I am often hard-pressed to remember that the show is supposed to reflect the novels.
Harris has written the Stackhouse novels as a multi-genre series; the books are a blend of science fiction, suspense, romance and mystery. Each book unveils a deeper level of the world in Sookie (and perhaps we all) live. Vampires are not the entire focus. There are werewolves, shape shifters, fairies/angels, maenads thus far, with perhaps more supernaturals to come. Harris has world-making skills that make this world plausible because she does not go for the sensational. It is a matter-of-fact presentation as if Sookie is simply awakening to seeing things are they really are, not as she was conditioned to see them.
Kelley Armstrong is another author who develops this approach to blending the supernatural into our normal perspective of the world. Harris and Armstrong use murder mysteries as the core plot path and simply weave the other genres in to flesh-out a fuller view of what it means to live in a multi-faceted world.
By the way, Sookie herself is not a psychic. She is a telepath – able to “read” thoughts, not minds. The novels trace her development from shame of and persecution due to her “gift” towards master of and elevation based on it. Harris carefully develops Sookie from a virginal innocent to an innocent survivor of experiences that would have brought most of us to emotional ruin. Harris is known for writing about women who find their inner strength when faced with a variety of challenges. Check out her other series to see women overcome a variety of circumstances.
True Blood is what it is: a ratings grabber developed for a specific type of audience. It has its good moments; it has its poor ones. Fortunately, the novels are not so uneven. The good thing I see about it is that it might bring Harris more readers and more income.
Now that premier phase is over, perhaps True Blood’s quality will rise to the level of the novels. Though, I suspect, it may be difficult to regain the trust and respect of Harris fans, because the television series has changed so much of the narrative. It has cheapened the characters, brutalized the sex, coarsened much of the supernatural aspects. Instead of developing a sense of wonder about the world and deepening the human experience, it has limited thus far to stereotypes and sensationalism. The novels are worth reading; the jury is still out on the television series.
November 12th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
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