HBO’s True Blood

I love books. Worked in a bookstore for 11 years, so needless to say, I've heard the name Charlaine Harris, and knew she wrote a vampire series.  The problem is that I typically don't like female authors because no matter how gritty their novels can be, there is always an element of romantic love that rings too much like a Barbara Cartland romance novel. Not that I am opposed to romance and love, just not the sappy "he looked at me as though he were looking into my very soul" crap. Plus the main characters name is "Sookie" - I mean really, could it be anymore cheesy than that? And I don't mean good cheese, I mean gawd awful, stinky, limburger cheese.

Now being as I have not read the series, I can't say if the new HBO series True Blood follows the same story line as the books (being as the books are labeled as "southern vampire mysteries" - implying detective type installments - I'd guess not, but it's too soon to say) and I have to admit, the HBO series is starting out really good!

Episode 1: Strange Love

Here we are introduced to the characters of the new show, which all focus around Sookie Stackhouse, played rather adeptly by Anna Paquin. Some of you may recognize her as Rogue of the X-Men series, while others may recognize her as Flora, the daughter in the movie The Piano, which earned her an Oscar. Quite an accomplishment for such a young actor.

We also meet Sookie's brother Jason, who is quite the horn dog, and naked for most of the first episode. In his defense, the women of their small Cajun town in Louisiana are equally loose, and have no problems giving it up. Unfortunately moral-less people end up in pickles and this group is no different.....

Among other characters to note are Sookie's grandmother, who, like Sookie, is intrigued by the vampires; Sookie's boss Sam, who is madly in love with Sookie but does not dare tell her; and Tara, Sookie's bitch of a best friend that I absolutely love! She is crass, and bitter, and 99% bitch - just like me!

So we meet Sookie, a young, very southern waitress with telepathic powers, that is simultaneously naive and wise, and held captive by her ability to read minds. Those who know of her abilities hate that she can read their minds, and those who are not privy to her gift, think her strange; somewhat of a freak. Sookie doesn't care though, as she has gotten quite used to the comments, and unspoken thoughts. She has learned to live with it.

We also learn in episode 1 that the vampires, who have existed under the radar for centuries, have now come "out of the coffin" thanks to the Japanese who invented a tasty synthetic blood named none other than "Tru Blood." This invention means that vampires no longer need to feed on humans, as the synthetic blood sustains them and their hunger. Apparently it has become rather commonplace for vampires to exist in society, and many humans (vampire-bangers) are captivated by them. Unfortunately many humans also loathe them and just want them dead, while others act as "vampire drainers" - humans who drain the blood of a vampire to sell it as if it were heroin. "V-juice" as the vampire blood is called, is known to invoke quite the euphoric high, and unbeknownst to most, has remarkable healing powers.

This is how Sookie meets Bill - the brooding smooth vampire that swaggers in to Merlotte's, the bar Sookie just happens to waitress in. Bill (played by Stephen Moyer, a rather seasoned actor even though I have never heard or seen him in anything) is immediately captivated by Sookie, who seems "different" from all the other humans; Sookie in turn is equally captivated by Bill, as she cannot hear his thoughts, a first for her, and she finally finds peace from the voices in her head while in Bill's presence.

Their chance meeting takes a more personal turn when Sookie saves Bill from two vampire-drainers who subdue him with silver. Who knew silver negatively affected vampires? And for that matter, who knew little Sookie packed such a punch? Unfortunately there are bound to be consequences when a lowly waitress sides with a vampire over her own human kind.....

Episode 2: The First Taste

Remember those vampire-drainers I told you about from episode 1? And how I mentioned consequence? Well, the consequence Sookie faces is basically getting her ass beat to a pulp. But right about the time she is about to get her head bashed in, Bill shows up and kicks some redneck ass. When he is done, he forces Sookie to suck his blood for its healing powers (although I don't recall her protesting too much. The tramp.) Then he licks her clean.

Yeh. I said he licks her clean. And does she "taste different from other humans?" He thinks she does. And that only makes him more intrigued with her.

So beings the romance of Sookie, human, redneck, naive southern waitress who can read minds; and Bill, Civil War soldier turned vampire, seemingly alone and looking to find a place to call home. The only one okay with the potential union is Sookie's grandmother, while everyone else in her life thinks it's a horrible mistake.

Early Conclusion

Time will tell I suppose, and Alan Ball, creator of Six Feet Under, is telling it well with his new HBO series. Each episode ends with a cliff hanger, which I simultaneously love and hate. And so far each episode has offered plenty of sex, nudity, and blood to appease just about all audiences.

I confess I am hooked. And already I am trying to solve certain mysteries. One being the dog that hangs around outside Merlotte's, and seems to look after Sookie. I find it rather ironic that her boss has a painting in his trailer (if you'll recall, I did warn you that this show was a little backwoods and redneck) of a dog keeping watch over a sleeping child. Perhaps Sam is not who (or what) he seems - perhaps he knows something more than he is saying.....

Then there is Tara, Sookie's best friend. Why is she such a bitch? Why do I see so much of myself in her?

I forsee great things for this show and hopefully it won't let me down. So tell me what you think - are you as intrigued with True Blood as I am?