The sharp, witty new HBO series True Blood has presented the network with another chance, post-“Sopranos,” to redeem their edgy brand. They have truly found another exciting show with the new series from Alan Ball (American Beauty,Six Feet Under.)
The True Blood Story
The show takes place in backwoods Louisiana, and vampires are now out in the open. They have become the newest minority; with their own American Vampire League and supporters who insist they’re just like everyone else. They have been able to assimilate into society because of a synthetic blood substitute named Tru Blood that is available at stores everywhere. While not everyone has seen a vampire, one finds his way into a small town where not everyone is happy to see him. Stephen Moyer plays the devastatingly handsome vampire, Bill Compton, who becomes intrigued with a telepathic waitress named Sookie Stackhouse. Sookie is played by the suddenly adult Anna Paquin (who won an Oscar for The Piano when she was 11 years old,) and pulls off a complex sense of innocence. She finds herself intensely attracted to the dangerous vampire, and the two begin an odd courtship.
The supporting characters help to drive the rest of the plot. There’s Sookie’s promiscuous doofus brother, Jason (played with a great sense of humor by Ryan Kwanten from Summerland,) and her wise grandmother, played sagely by Lois Smith (who brings experience from her acting career that began in the 1950s.) Sookie’s best friend, Tara, is played by newcomer Rutina Wesley with considerable spunk.
The Impressive Writing for the Show
But the best part of this Southern Gothic show is the writing. Storylines are woven throughout several episodes, and there are many twists and turns. The audience is always left guessing who the bad guys are. In the first several installments of the series, Jason potentially killed one of his lovers and the vampires surrounding the South were pinpointed as having attacked and killed many innocent people. The audience can’t quite figure out who is the enemy—Bill seems like the perfect gentleman, but even he admits that he doesn’t have the same feelings that humans do. So, although Sookie is falling in love with him, the audience wonders every time something bad happens, is Bill involved?
Anyone who is intrigued by the current vampire trend in entertainment (see “Twilight” books) should tune into this show. While there are dark and violent tendencies (and often many graphic scenes,) the series also displays scenes of wry humor and an ironic fight for the equality of vampires.
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