As we all know Alan Ball has done a phenomenal job creating the hit show we all love and adore, True Blood. Alan continues to win over the hearts of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transvestite) audiences as well. Alan recently spoke to Lesley Goldberg from Advocate.com about how he will be staying true to the source material, Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse novels, and why gay audiences are so attracted to his work. He even gave out some spoiler information and discusses about some new gay characters that will be joining True Blood in season 3. So you have been warned there is spoiler information in this post. If you do not want to know do not read any further.
Lesley began by asking Alan why he was so attracted to Charlaine’s novels. Alan answered by saying:
“It was an impulse purchase and it was just so much fun. The minute I finished the first book, I wanted the second one; it was like crack. I got addicted. I guess it was somewhere around the third or fourth book where I thought, This just really holds up, I think this could be a great TV show.”
True Blood has certainly proven to be just that! Lesley went on to ask Alan if the gay metaphors were something he envisioned right from the start, when he read the books. Alan agrees that there is a lot of that in the books due to the fact that the books contain numerous gay characters. Alan went on explain that we would be introduced to some of these characters in the upcoming season 3 of True Blood. Wait, new characters!! Lesley asked Alan which new characters would we see and Alan answered saying:
“We’ll be meeting the vampire king of Mississippi and his long, long-term companion — and by long-term I mean really long-term — Talbot. I think Lafayette may meet a love interest, and certainly Pam, who works with Eric, she’s certainly got a lesbian vibe — I don’t know that that’s all she is, but she certainly does seem to appreciate the women.”
Lesley also asked Alan what he thought it was about vampires that attracts so many LGBT fans. Alan responded by saying:
“I think it’s certainly not a huge step for LGBT people to identify with any group of characters that are, as a group, outsiders, that mainstream society feels threatened by; that are fabulous and powerful and sexy and all of that stuff.”
Lesley went on to discuss a possible storyline between the lesbian vampire queen, Sophie-Anne and Sookie. Since Sophie-Anne is romantically involved with Sookie’s cousin, Hadley, is it possible the queen may want that same relationship with Sookie? Alan does see the queen taking an interest in Sookie, but not in a romantic way. Alan explains that he thinks Sophie-Anne’s interest in Sookie is more about what makes Sookie so exceptional. Alan promises that we will learn more about that in season 3 as well. Lesley went on to ask Alan about the new vampire king, Russell Edgington, and if his character would remain gay, which is how he is portrayed in the novels. Alan answered:
“I think the kings and queens of the various states are aware of each other, and yes, he definitely knows who she is. Whether or not they end up in a scene together I can’t really say; it depends on actors’ availability and scheduling and those kinds of things. But they definitely are aware of each other.”
Lesley then asked Alan about how true the True Blood writers remain to the original novels. Alan responded by saying:
“I think we try to stay very true to the spirit of the book series. We have made changes. The books are all narrated by Sookie, so the books are basically all Sookie’s story. We definitely have — in fleshing out the other characters — been creative. I think where we may not stay true to the books entirely, we do try to stay very true to the spirit of them.”
Lesley asked Alan if he discusses changes he plans on making with Charlaine. Alan said no, they don’t discuss it, and that Charlaine said it best at Comic-con when she explained, “I don’t tell Alan how to write his show and he doesn’t tell me how to write my books.” Alan goes on to say that him and Charlaine have a great working relationship and an admirable respect for each other. He feels the books have helped the show and the show has helped the books, but they are two completely different mediums.
Lesley then brought up the fact that Alan had said a character would die in season 3, and asked if this storyline would follow the third book. Alan answered by simply saying:
“I’m a little leery to answer these questions because if I say yes it just gives it away. For people who read the books, some things will not come as a surprise. But for people who don’t read the books, it will be a surprise.”
Lesley ended their interview by asking Alan a huge fan question, will we see Jason Stackhouse scantily clad in season 3, since he was a bit modest last season? Alan said:
“Well, he was at church camp! [Laughs] There’s no shortage of man candy on the show and Jason is back in Bon Temps and he may be up to his old ways. I can tell you that you’ll definitely get to see a lot of Jason in the first few episodes, and by a lot, I mean a lot physically. [Laughs].”
Oh, I can hardly wait! Alan always knows how to leave us wanting more, and I definitely want more!!
SOURCE: Advocate.com
Photo Credit: Albert L. Ortega/PR Photos via monstersandcritics.com
Zoraya
okay! so ive been reading all these posts on all these different pages and i agree with you all that season 3 will be amazing and the show is fan-freaking-tastic…but i do have some issues that maybe you all could help me sort through!
1) why why WHY do so many people want eric and sookie together?? i think that in the books, as well as in the show, bill is so much better for her. bill actually loves sookie and cares for her, whereas eric just wants her bc hes attracted to her for some reason (which i of course know why but wont spoil it for the nonreaders!) and bc he needs her special ability. hes never really loved her, except for when he had amnesia!
2) i read in another post on another page something about sam becoming an alpha male…isnt that only for the werewolves?
3) i love that they brought in hadley so early! most pleasant surprise ever! i dont understand why so many ppl didnt like evan rachel wood as the queen. true, in the book i pictured a much more subdued and ‘innocent’ woman, but evans a great actress and i still liked her portrayal.
4) why doesnt eric like bill? this is a rhetorical question, of course, but i just want eric to not tell the queen hell help ‘take care of bill.’ it makes me cry that everyone is so against my poor bill.
5) i hate that eric is making sookie have so much of his blood (in the book and show). it shows what a little sneak he is. and i hate that sookie wont give him a piece of her mind!
sookie has started to bother more and more as the books progress, so please excuse me if i seem to rant. but, overall, im happy with the show. i cant understand how its so perfect. the books are just okay for me. i was addicted, but as bill and sookie grew fi=urther and further apart, charlaine started to lose me. and when i read that charlaine had to be convinced not to kill off bill my jaw fell to the floor! WHAAT?? bill has done nothing wrong! hes just so great and nobody else seems to feel the way my sister and i do.
ahahahhahah but i digress. love the show and cant wait for june!