Some Words About True Blood’s Stephen Moyer and My Horse, Scotty

Once upon a time, in the throes of Truebie mania, I began writing a blog rather ironically called iwanttowritefortruebloodblog.  In the header of this blog was a screen shot of Stephen Moyer as Bill Compton.

In one of my blog articles, I described how my inspiration for a particular post came as I was driving to see Scotty. Scotty is my horse.

My lovely Niece-in-Law very sweetly asked me if the guy in my blog post header was my boyfriend, Scotty.  I giggled. Well, actually, I LMFAO, to use the trendy vernacular.

I thought, perhaps, I needed to clarify things a bit, so in this article I present a thesis based on empirical observation and logic to distinguish between my horse Scotty and True Blood’s Stephen Moyer – just in case it isn’t obvious.

Hot Scott (AKA Scotty, AKA. Be My Hero) is a horse (Equus Caballus) . He is a Standardbred (pacer). He is 7 years old (about 28 in human years). He has brown/black hair and brown eyes and stands about 5 feet to the top of his shoulders (approximately 5′6″ in human terms). He is a gelding. His genetics are primarily American.

The guy in the my blog header is Stephen Moyer – he is a human (Homo sapiens sapiens). He is 40 years old (10 horse years). He has blond hair – allegedly – and blue eyes and stands about 5′10” to the top of his head (maybe 16hh in horse terms). He is an entire (I presume, since he has progeny) and his genetics are English. I was going to say “Stallion” instead of “entire” but, sadly, I’m not qualified to give that appellation.

If Scotty was a human, he’d probably look a lot like Orlando Bloom (pictured). Scotty IS very cute. Note also that Orlando is owned … er…I mean engaged to an Australian girl. As you can see Orlando Bloom does not look like Stephen Moyer.

If Stephen were a horse, he’d probably look like the horse pictured below . This horse does not look anything like Scotty, as you can see.

My theorum is thus proved:
Stephen Moyer does not = Hot Scott.

Damn.

(Photo credits: HBO Inc.; Pieta Manning; People Magazine; Entertainment Daily; Wikimedia)

Once Were Women: The Kick-Ass Female Vampires of True Blood

I love Sookie: she’s smart, brave, and kills evil guys with spades (way cool), but in this article I want to take a look at some of True Blood’s other women … er …well, once were women anyway.

I’m talking about the female vampires of True Blood: Pam, Lorena, Jessica, and Nan.  They are quickly becoming some of our favorite fictional vampire ladies.

Pam Ravenscroft
Pam is Eric Northman’s number one hench-vampire and helps him run the Shreveport vampire bar, Fangtasia. Eric turned Pam about 100 years ago or so, and, to her everlasting joy, freed her from the strictures of Victorian propriety. Pam never looked back.

Pam is a no-nonsense, smart-talking, cynical, world-weary, sort of gangster’s moll type of girl. In a film noir movie she’d be the hooker with heart of gold, but neither hooker nor the heart really apply to Pam, do they?

Though she didn’t get a lot of screen time in Seasons 1 and 2 of True Blood,  word is Pam will be a regular in Season 3.

Lorena
Lorena is Bill Compton’s maker,  snatching Bill from his family in 1868 and led him on a 70-year blood soaked frenzy until he forced her to release him.

Lorena is a femme fatale: beautiful, sexually dominating, vengeful and dangerous, but underneath all that she is co-dependent and so very lonely (not to mention as nutty as a fruit bat). She uses her immortality to seek out a perfect man and then enslaves him.

Lorena appeared only once in Season 1, but re-appeared in a number of Season 2 episodes just to torture Bill some more, all in the name of love. The big question of Season 3 is whether she will get her comeuppance.

Jessica Hamby
Jessica is the sweet, virginal, home-schooled girl who, like Persephone, is dragged down into the underworld to be turned into a vampire against her will. (Not that I’m saying that Bill turned Persephone – at least not that I know of.)

Jessica is transformed by the change in more ways than one. Just like Pam, Jessica is freed from suffocating societal strictures and becomes a teenage vampire rebel without a cause. Just like all teenagers, she seeks an identity separate from her parents, both human and vampire, and we go along for the tempestuous ride.

Introduced as a guest character in the latter part of Season 1, Jessica stole the heart of the True Blood writers and became a regular in Season 2. In Season 2 she got to explore her sexuality, test her boundaries, and get into a whole lot of trouble by the final episode. We are all on tenterhooks waiting to find out what Season 3 has in store for little Jess.

Nan Flanagan
Nan is the first female vampire we meet in True Blood. In Season 1 we see her as the talking head for the American Vampire League (AVL). In Season 2 she is revealed as a much more powerful figure when she knocks heads together after the FoTS debacle.

We don’t know much about Nan. In public she is the acceptable face of vampire society – all professional lines and cool colors. In private she is a kick-ass, black leather clad enforcer who can even face down Eric with a withering glance.

And, no, I didn’t forget Dianne who we met so briefly in Season 1. I do wish she’d return in a flashback – she is such a deliciously mean girl.

(Photo credits:  HBO Inc.)

The Annual TrueBloodNet.com Truebie Awards (TATTAs)

True Blood scored a fist-full of nominations this awards season, but largely lost out (to Mad Men, curse them) apart from a People’s Choice Award for Best Television Obsession and a Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing: Short Form Dialogue and ADR in Television.

Given the dearth of awards we thought we’d come up with a few of our own for our favorite True Blood characters. We have called them The Annual TrueBloodNet.com Truebie Awards or TATTAs. We tried very hard to come up with an acronym that spelled VAMP but had to admit defeat. Perhaps one of you guys can have a go…

So here they are in no particular order…

The Award for Best Crying, Screaming and Frothy Gurgling (often simultaneously) Moment:
Sookie Stackhouse

The Award for Best Sexy Snarl:
Bill Compton

The Award for Best Arrogant Sneer (shared):
Eric Northman and Sophie-Anne LecLerq

The Award for Highest Number of WTF Moments:
Sam Merlotte

The Award for the Cutest Ever Black-Eyed Demon Couple:
Arlene Fowler and Terry Bellefleur

The Award for Best Let’s Cross That Chicken Before it Burns Moment (shared):
Andy Bellefleur and Jason Stackhouse

The Award for Best Gratuitous Washboard Ab Exposure (shared):
Jason Stackhouse and Eggs Benedict

The Award for “Being Kept in this Dungeon is Bad for My Skin” Moment:
Lafayette Reynolds

The Award for Best Maniacal Laugh While Tied to a Chair:
Tara Thornton

The Award for Best “Vampers Gave Me a Really Bad Hair Day” (shared):
Steve and Sarah Newlin

The Award for Best Clueless Sexual Innuendo Relating to Puddings:
Steve Newlin

The Award for Best 80s Killer Disco Diva Styling:
Pam Ravenscroft

The Award for Best Insane B***h Moments (shared – couldn’t separate these ones):
Lorena, Maryann Forrester, and Sophie-Ann Leclerq.
With an honorable mention to Maxine Fortenberry

The Award for How to Channel Pennywise the Clown and Still Look Hot:
Eric Northman

The Award for I Totally Like Missed That Jesus Dude Moment:
Godric

The Award for the Best “I’m 28 and Still a Virgin” Confession Moment:
Hoyt Fortenbery

The Award for Best Cackle Above and Beyond the Call of Duty:
Maxine Fortenberry

The Award for Best “My Hymen Came Back and I’m Really, REALLY, Pissed About It” Moment:
Jessica Hamby

Congrats to all the winners! Next year we hope to have voting, a trophy and everything! Hope you enjoyed the round-up!

(Photo credits:  HBO Inc.)

True Blood Fans Watch and Wait

So many questions were left unanswered after the season finale, and the tidbits of news that we hear from the cast and crew keep the fans on the edge. What happened to Bill? How far is the love triangle going to develop with Sookie, Eric, and Bill? Will Hoyt and Jessica mend their relationship? Is this new boyfriend of Lafayette’s the real deal or is there a hidden agenda behind him? Is Tara going to cope with Egg’s death in a healthy way? Maybe find a new love? Eric is supposed to have a new lover, a new dancer at Fangtasia. So much has been said that the fans can’t wait for the third season, and this is what some of them are saying:

“After I finished watching the 2nd season I thought to myself, “How can they move on from this? It was such a great season.” After reading this I am so excited. I would love to be a writer on this show.”- Becca – www.myspsace.com

“Wow, fantastic teaser. I’m sure, like all of the shows fans, we are very anxious about the return of “True Blood“. I have been watching some of the repeats of season one on HBO, and they’ve made me realize how much more evolved season 2 is, (though I loved and still love season 1!). Wow, Alfre Woodard will be a fantastic addition as Lafayette’s mother! Sounds fantastic. Cannot wait but will have to, I guess!” – Marcia – www.myspace.com

“Wow! She is stunning! I thought this Yvette character was only a rumor but I guess its confirmed now. I hope she’ll only be his lover for a little while. I’m all about Eric and Sookie getting together!! YAY!”- Amy – www.truebloodnet.com

“My theory is that Eric has him [Bill] or at least another vampire does, if you remember earlier in episode 12 or even episode 11. Eric was in talks with the Queen who has instructed Eric to take care of Bill. At the end of E12 someone took Bill with a silver chain or net (curse my memory). Did any one notice that this person was wearing black leather gloves?”- Kassidy – www.truebloodnet.com

“I know that there are those who are skeptical at how well season 3 is going to work, with all the new characters and multiple story arcs that it looks like are going to be featured, but I have high hopes. I think the shows creators should have more idea of where they’re heading, and the regular cast are more settled in their characters. The shows success should mean a larger budget and the network allowing more risks. Plus, we’re getting weres this season! And more flashbacks!”- aphroditemf – www.imdb.com

“I am actually pretty excited for season 3. I am looking forward to all of AB’s added extras.”- Eric Rocks – www.hbo.com

“But I can’t wait to see Sookie and Eric interact. This is a crucial time for the threesome. I love Eric, his personality is just great. The other characters I will wait on commenting about. There are some good ones coming but I don’t want to ruin anything for those of you who haven’t read the books.”- jen s. – www.hbo.com

As you can see we all are excited for a bit more of, “True Blood“.  June isn’t just coming fast enough for us.  At least we’ve got the May release of the second season on DVD to tied us over, as well as our copies of the first season.

(Photo Credit:  HBO Inc.)

Jennifer Mack

The Collected Wit and Wisdom of True Blood’s Jason Stackhouse

It seems that on every True Blood fan site, blog, and wiki, it is always Eric, Eric, Eric, or Bill, Bill, Bill. We think it is time to redress the balance, or as Jason would say, we need a divergence

In this article we celebrate that fine, dumb as a box full o’ hair, sexabilities-god, Jason Stackhouse. And it is his mind (or lack thereof) that we love, as much as his ripped physique.

So to that end here is the collected wit and wisdom of Jason as revealed in True Blood Seasons 1 and 2…

In Season 1 we got to see the more (ahem) physical side of Jason, so the audience didn’t really have a chance to appreciate his native wit and unique take on life. However, in Season 1 Jason revealed that he was perceptive:

Jason to Lafayette: “You’re wearing gold pants!”;

and witty, even under extreme duress:

Jason to Lafayette: “I got gout of the dick!!!”

But Jason’s greatest contribution to the wisdom of the ages (and a warning to men everywhere) was his “big bad of crazy’ rule:

Jason to Amy: “I should’ve known something wasn’t right the second you walked into my life carrying that big bag of crazy! ‘Cause any woman with a purse that big’s bound to have something in it I don’t wanna know about!”

In Season 2, with his body not much required for anything but exhibition, Jason really hit his intellectual and philosophical straps.

The audience discovered he was a biblical scholar in this exchange:

Luke – “Think you walk on water don’t you Stackhouse?” Jason – “I’m pretty sure that was Moses.”

And an existential philosopher of note with:

Jason to Andy: “It’s like if a tree falls in the woods it’s still a tree, ain’t it?”

and how about:

Jason to Andy: “Do you think Sam could turn into a chicken and lay his own egg. Wouldn’t that be weird, eatin’ something that just came out of you?”

and

Jason to Sam: “I smite thee, Sam Merlotte. DIE!”

We all marvelled at his musings on life, love and the nature of good and evil in these exchanges:

Jason to Sookie: “When you love somebody, you gotta love it all, or it ain’t love.”

and

Jason to Luke: “Evil is making the premedicated choice to be a dick”

and

Jason to Andy: “Do you think Sam ever turned into a dog and then made it with a female dog?”

and , of course:

Jason to Steve: “I reckon I’ve already been to heaven and it’s inside your wife.”

And who could forget that subtle and profound question:

“Explain Europe to me?”

Wouldn’t we all like to have Europe explained.  Anyone?… Anyone?… Alan Ball? … Anyone?

Ah Jason, Jason, Jason, we love you and, yes, we too “love the smell of nail polish in the morning.”

(Photo credits: HBO Inc.; screencaps by James)

Sophie-Anne LeClerq – Vampire Philosopher Queen

True Blood is one of the few TV shows worth repeated viewings, which is a testament to the quality of the production from conception to realization. Alan Ball may claim that True Blood is popcorn television, but there’s real meat (or is that blood) in there as well.

The True Blood Season 2 episode Frenzy, written by Alan Ball, attracted a fair amount of criticism after its first airing in the US. Critics described the episode as being too wordy; filled with exposition at the expense of action and plot development.

The scenes with the vampire Queen of Louisiana, Sophie-Anne LeClerq, were those that attracted the greatest amount of negative criticism, much of it aimed at Evan Rachel Wood whose responsibility it was to bring the wordy Queen to life.

So who is Sophie-Anne LeClerq and why is she so wordy? Does she spout philosophical wisdom or base sophistry?

Sophie-Anne is an immortal being, who in Alan Ball’s words: “very powerful, capricious, and most likely insane.” She has been a vampire for several hundred years, but was turned in her teens. She has accumulated the knowledge of several lifetimes, but interprets it all with the mind of a teenager.

We first meet Sophie-Anne in her Day House. Inside it is a luxurious confection of light, water, and desirable things (objects, humans, and vampires). Outside, dioramas of sand and sea block out the real world. It is opulent, perfect, unreal, and terribly sterile.

Queen Sophie-Anne LeClerq explains to a somewhat nonplussed Vampire Bill that everything in existence imagined itself into being. She also takes the philosophical position that there is no such thing as “good” (and by extension “evil”) or “time”. She forces her companions to play endless games of Yahtzee, which she extols as the “most egalitarian game in the world” as it is based purely on the chance roll of dice and requires no skill.

She is her own creation. She is what she imagines herself to be. The philosopher René Descartes famously posited “I think therefore I am” and Sophie-Anne appears to think she is one of Plato’s imaginary Philosopher Kings (or, in her case, Queen) and, therefore, she is.

In understanding Sophie-Anne you might remember the scene in the movie A Fish Called Wanda, where Otto (don’t call me stupid) West asserts that, that “Apes don’t read philosophy” and Wanda shouts back at him “Yes they do, Otto. They just don’t understand it.”

Now I’m not calling Sophie-Anne stupid (I wouldn’t dare), but she is a cautionary tale of knowledge without wisdom, power without limits, behavior without boundaries, life without death. She is the polar opposite of Sookie, who is wise but not learned, powerful (in her own special way) but ethical, strong but kind, and bounded by her mortality.

Source: Quote from Otto and Wanda taken from the film A Fish Called Wanda (1988) – MGM

(Photo credit: HBO Inc., screencaps by James)

Different Vampires, Same Fan Love

Most of us know that True Blood is not the first show or movie to feature vampires. After all, the concept of vampires dates back to Ancient Rome, if not earlier, and vampires can be found in all sorts of texts, as well as some earlier movies. However, some vampires affect us more than others, and as we’ve seen, True Blood has several great vampires, like Bill, Eric, Godric, and Pam, who all have strong fan followings. They’re not the only ones, though. After all, who doesn’t remember Buffy the Vampire Slayer, with Angel and Spike? Or even The Vampire Diaries and the Twilight saga? How about the vampires from Moonlight? After all, the lead vampires of Moonlight had a similar fan following to what I see here on TrueBloodNet.com, with people in love with the vampires and the world they survived in.

Actually, True Blood and Moonlight have a lot in common. That’s probably why people like myself wish we could tune into Moonlight on Friday nights, then have Sundays to enjoy True Blood. Unfortunately, that isn’t going to happen any time soon, as Moonlight was canceled after only one season, while True Blood is thankfully still on air. However, the two shows still have much in common, and if you’re really in need of some good vampires while we continue to wait for Season 3 of True Blood, renting or purchasing the season of Moonlight may help you survive the vampire addiction we all share until True Blood begins airing again in June.

Moonlight is a show that vampire fans everywhere should be able to sink their fangs into. First, like True Blood, when it first came out, there were instant comparisons to another show. Unlike True Blood, which was compared to the Twilight movies, Moonlight was considered by those who didn’t watch it to be a direct rip-off of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer show’s spin-off, Angel, simply because the lead character, Mick, was a vampire P.I., like Angel was.

Even with the charges against it, Moonlight and True Blood have a lot more in common than any of the shows or movies they’ve been compared to. Let’s begin this comparison with both shows in general terms. Both are, as I’ve stated before, shows about vampires. However, there are many different “rules” to both universes. In the Moonlight universe, vampires can go outside during daylight (unlike the True Blood universe), but need to wear sunglasses and take general precautions to protect themselves from the sun, including staying in the shade while outside. Plus, if a vampire in Moonlight is outside too long, they require a lot of blood to replenish themselves from the nourishment they have lost. Another difference between the two shows is the writing and plotlines. Moonlight focused on episode-centric arcs, with only a few season-long arcs, which is very similar to a crime drama. True Blood focuses more on season arcs, like the Maryann story arc, which was the majority of Season 2.

Another similarity between True Blood and Moonlight are their lead characters, Mick St. John and Bill Compton. Both vampires are very similar in the physical way, and often carry very similar attitudes, wishing they could be closer to their humanity again and yet reveling in their strengths as vampires, since that strength allows them both to save and protect others. Both men also have saved their heroines in the past, and also see them as great assets. (Mick has Beth Turner, a young woman whom he saved as a child from another vampire, and Bill has Sookie, of course.) It also turns out that both Mick and Bill were turned by their makers unwillingly, as Lorena forced the vampirism on Bill, and Mick’s own wife, Coraline, did the same to him, but instead of on the way home from war, it was on his wedding night.

That’s not the end of the similarities between the two, though. Both are also quite young in terms of vampire age, and both also have to work as underlings for another vampire. Bill works for the vampire Sheriff, Eric Northman, and Mick works as an underling to his mentor and friend Josef Kostan. However, the relationships between the men and their “bosses” are very different. Where Bill and Eric often squabble and seem to respect yet dislike each other, Mick and Josef are very close friends, and Mick often turns to Josef when he needs help. Both vampires also have girlfriends. Bill has Sookie, starting with the instant connection between them the first time they meet. Mick, on the other hand, has to wait a bit longer for Beth, who is dating a DA when she first meets Mick. For most of the series, Mick and Beth are playing the “I want you but I can’t have you” game, until circumstances change towards the end of the series.

The similarities between the shows don’t end there. Even the leading ladies are similar! Sookie and Beth are both beautiful women. They’re blonde, smart, and able to think on their feet. Both are also great supporters of their men, with Sookie helping Bill and Eric using her skills, and Beth helping Mick solve crimes by being an observant reporter and noticing minor details that not everyone would see.

Other similarities between the two women are not quite as pleasant. Sookie and Beth have both survived a lot. Beth was kidnapped as a child, though luckily found and saved, and Sookie lost her parents in a flash flood. Later on, when both women were adults, they both suffered even more loss via murder, Sookie from the loss of her grandmother and coworkers, Beth through the loss of her boss. However, each woman has the strength and fortitude to get back up whenever life trips them up, and that saves both of them numerous times.

Beth and Sookie are incredibly strong emotionally, and neither feels the need to be turned into a vampire. However, their human strength is nothing compared to a vampire’s strength, which is why they both also get protection of sorts from the friends and allies of their boyfriends, namely Josef and Eric.

Josef and Eric can both be very suave, and they’ve both experienced centuries of history. Eric was a Viking, and Josef was alive to see the French Revolution take place. In many ways, both men are old-fashioned, believing that some of the traditions of their lengthy pasts over current practices, like drinking blood. Eric and Josef are both purists, preferring a direct source for blood, unlike Mick and Bill, both of whom practice modern alternatives (Bill drinks TruBlood, and Mick drinks bags of donor blood).

There are also days where a fan watching either show can alternatively love and hate Josef and Eric. Sometimes, you’re just irritated by how they act, but other days, you see the “mask” each of them wears. An example of this was in Season 2 of True Blood, when viewers were shown Eric’s deep and abiding love for his maker Godric, then his grief at losing the man who had been there for him for a century. In Moonlight, the example of Josef’s “mask” being off was an episode where we were introduced to Josef’s girlfriend, whom he tried to turn. Unfortunately, Josef’s attempts only brought over an immortally comatose woman. Moments like the ones above, as well as flashbacks for all the characters on both shows, help us see past the “masks” as to what they are: a singular prism through which to see mere facets of the characters.

Both Moonlight and True Blood are strong shows that are easy for the average viewer to feel emotionally connected to. They remind us that even if someone is a vampire (or anything else for that matter), there are still challenges to face in daily life, and sometimes even though immortality is a good thing, there’s more to life than just drudging through it. Besides, nothing is ever what it really seems to be on either show. There’s always something new brewing on the horizon for the characters to deal with.

(Photo credit: IMDb.com)

Could Vampires on True Blood Have a Human Baby?

First, let me start off by saying that this is just my opinion about a topic I have been thinking about and something I would like to see happen in future seasons of True Blood because of the opportunities it could create for new plotlines.

Alan Ball has been asked before about the possibility of a half-human/half-vampire baby in True Blood, and he said no to that quite emphatically. What no one has asked and no one has shot down is the possibility that vampires, especially male ones, could have the ability to get a human woman pregnant.

Of course, I do understand that vampires are essentially dead, and sperm and eggs in vampires are dead as well. However, that also somewhat denies the science and technology available in the True Blood world. After all, in the world Alan has created, science has created blood in a lab, which not only allowed vampires to come “out of the coffin” but also has probably ended the blood shortage hospitals and medical centers around the world suffer in real life.

That’s some pretty amazing technology that we don’t really have yet, and such a scientific advancement also could mean that science in the True Blood world could have found a way to bring dead sperm and eggs in vampires back to life.

Take Vampire Jessica for example. Now that she’s dead, she is no longer ovulating, and whatever eggs she has left are still in her body. If the technology was there for those eggs to come back to life, they could be used by Jessica to create a child. Of course, she would probably need a surrogate for the pregnancy, but it could be done, and Jessica would have the choice to someday be a mother if she wanted to, as would other female vampires.

When it comes to male vampires with human women, though, it’s a slightly different story. We can assume that male vampires still experience orgasms, but their sperms are dead on arrival. IF the sperms could be brought back to life, then a male vampire and a human woman could arguably conceive a human baby.

For vampire/human couples, this could lead to a strengthening of their relationship, just like it can for real life couples, and give a vampire (who can’t or won’t turn their lover) family to continue to be around as time continues in their endless journey.

Of course, if this were available in the world of True Blood, there would also be a very large catch. Back in season 1 of True Blood, there was a throwaway line about how babies have the sweetest blood. This would attract vampires, and could possibly become an issue with vampires who don’t have any morals.

In the long run, though, I feel that if the show were to allow humans and vampires to have children together, it could lead to some memorable moments sure to live on in our collective hearts and minds.

Once again, I remind you all that this is just my opinion about the subject, and in no way reflects the views of Alan Ball, the True Blood writing team, or any future storylines on True Blood.

Do you think that there could be future children for the vampires on True Blood, and would it be a good thing or a bad thing if it were to happen?

(Photo credit:  HBO Inc.)

Summer of The Vampires

This summer will be very interesting because vampires will rule the big screen as well as the small screen. June seems to be the big month, the month when both Twilight Saga: Eclipse and the third season of True Blood premiere.  Vampire fans will have something to sink their teeth into this  summer.  In mid June, True Blood will premiere its highly anticipated third season. Fans and viewers alike will have many of their questions answered such as what will Sam find out about his birth family?  What will happen with Tara? With Jason? Will Lafayette find a new love interest?  Will Alcide help Sookie to locate her vampire love? And perhaps the question most on the minds of loyal viewers, who abducted Bill and why?  The question of Sookie’s engagement to Bill will have to wait for a while, as I’m sure that whoever abducted him may have plans for him to be punished or reprimanded in some way. Then, of course, there is the question about a possible Sookie/Eric attraction. There are those fans who feel that since Bill is out of the picture, so to speak, that Eric Northman may pursue a deeper connection to Sookie Stackhouse. After tricking her into drinking his blood, she had already begun to have erotic dreams of him and their may be some kind of “blood-tie” between them. Yet another question might be..n Now that Sam has had Bill’s blood will there be a connection, a “blood-tie” between the two?  Will Sam have erotic dreams of Bill? This next season, werewolves will be introduced and there may be  new vampire faces as well as maybe a few more shifters as well as some of the cast members have hinted.  I suppose that we will have to wait until then to find out where Alan Ball and the writers will go with these story-lines.

Also, sometime in June, the third installment of the Twilight Saga: Eclipse will also be released in theaters. This film, based on the third book in the Twilight series, chronicles Bella Swan’s relationship with her vampire love, Edward Cullen and her ever growing attraction to her best friend, Jacob Black.  Fans of the books will see Bella being stalked by bloodthirsty, vengeful vampires and hounded by over protective and highly territorial werewolves.  Plus, in this film, Bella must make a choice. To remain human and be with Jacob Black and his wolf-pack family or become a vampire and remain with her beloved Edward and his family forever.  It seems that there is so much for her to deal with.  What with vampires ruling the screens at the local cineplex and at home on cable TV, this summer promises to be a most memorable one.  In March, the second installment, “New Moon” will be available on DVD, so that fans can check out or re-view the second film in the series to get ready for the third film opening in June.   Probably around May or June, HBO will release the second season of True Blood on DVD so that fans can refresh their memories of what has already transpired before getting into the third season, which promises to be wild and certainly intriguing.   This summer, it’s all about the vampires.

(Photo credit: HBO Inc.)

Love Vampire Style

It seems that vampires have their own approach and technique when it comes to romance.  This was certainly the case with Mina Murray and her aristocratic and impassioned  undead suitor in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. In the film, Winona Ryder’s character is mesmerized by Gary Oldman’s  vampire count. Although the film is quite graphic, The love story seems to prevail over much of the film. This deeply passionate love is quite evident from their first meeting,their first dinner date and especially near the nd of the film.  Mina  whispering  sweetly,”My love….my love  into her  bloodsucking lover’s ear.  It is because of her love for him that she is able to  release himm from the “curse” of being a vampire.  A most touching scene.

In Twilight, there is also a lot of  passionate expression of  love.  Bella says to Edward, “Im not afraid of you..I’m only afraid of losing you.”   Edward also says to Bella, “I don’t have the strength to stay away from you”  to which Bella replies “Then,don’t.”  This wordplay between them builds up the romantic tension  as their “forbidden love” grows more intense.  There is also a scene in New Moon, where after Edward and his family have departed, Bella is in a moviehouse with Jacob Black  and he says to her, regarding Edward’s  apparent abandonement of her, “Bella,I know what he did to you, I won’t ever hurt you like that…I promise!”  It’s quite clear that he cares for her deeply also. Part of the reason, I think, that so many are drawn to these vampire love stories is that they not only express love but also devotion to the object of their affection.  Their beloved becomes their reason for living or existing.  As Edward once again stated in New Moon to his beloved Bella “You are the only reason  I’m alive  or existing or whatever it is I’m doing”   People want to feel desired and loved deeply.  They seem  to connect with this strongly and ardently.

In the case of  True Blood, HBO’s megahit show about  vampires in the fictional town of  Bon Temps,  The big draw seems to be the ever growing relationship between  vampire Bill Compton and Sookie Stackhouse, a telepathic waitress who can hear other people’s thoughts.  From the onset there were memorable moments.  When Bill asks to see Sookie again, he says “May I call upon you, sometime” a manner reminescent of a long bygone age.   Bill Compton has a special way with Sookie.  He’s mannerly and courteous. He is also  charming and persuasive.  Early on in the first season, he  makes it quite clear that Sookie is his.   Although there relationship is not perfect, both are willing to try and make it work somehow. I have to admire their determination, their commitment to each other.  In the pilot episode, Sookie tells Bill, “I have to get back to work. People are looking at me!”  Bill responds ” They are looking at you because you are a mortal and I am a vampire!” Both of them pursue their “forbidden love” and it grows and becomes more intense.   He is not  just a  bloodsucking monster, He is everything a person could want in a romantic relationship.  He is attentive, passionate  and kind. He can sense when she is in trouble and rushes to her side to help her.   Their love story is as provocative as it is moving.   In the first episode of the second season, Bill confesses love for her. He calls her his miracle  and he tells her that she has helped him feel alive again.  She has helped him to find the best part of who he is.  Although Bill is a vampire, Sookie has a better relationship with him than she has had with anyone. Their love is deep and real.  When he stood beneath her window, Tara Thornton said “Do you think a vampire can really love a human?”  Ultimately, Bill and Sookie went out for a romantic dinner date where they danced and he proposed to her, something  that most vampires don’t usually do.   He also feeds off of her, but never without her consent. Something that vampires don’t usually ask for. He can be fierce and aggressive  and even moody, but Sookie loves him anyway. I think that one of the most touching  things is when Sookie tells Bill, “I know that there is darkness in you, Bill Compton…I know it and it scares the life out of me.”  she goes on to say, “There is also goodness in you, I see it when I look into your eyes.”   She looks beyond the fact that he is a vampire and tries to see the kind, good person he wants to be.  She knows he is a vampire but She loves him just as he is.    Perhaps these  vampire love stories offer us a glimpse into what we would want most for ourselves: to be loved just the way we are.. forever.

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