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Trueblood: where the vampires are vampires
So as I briefly mentioned in my other post today, I'm at loose ends. When I ended off my last post with that video of one of my favourite scenes from Trueblood, I thought "hey, that's what I can do! Write a brief review!" But I suspect this is going to turn into something more of a "this is why I love Trueblood" with frequent reference to Twilight for contrast.
Now then, for the uninitiated, in brief, what is the Trueblood series about?
Right then, any questions? None? All right, we're done for the day.
Just kidding. That was a short, 15-second clip of Eric Northman, one of the sexiest vampires there is. He's a thousand year old viking, and a jackass. He's also quite creepy at times, open about his sexuality, can get violent, etc. But here's the thing: he's not Edward Cullen.
Neither is Bill Compton, what you could think of as the "Edward" figure of the Trueblood series.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
(I should confess my sins, first: I have read the Twilight series. And seen the movies. I can be entertained by them without respecting them, all right? >_> For examples, see "Reasoning With Vampires", which tears apart the diction and characterization of the Twilight books, with hilarious results (P.S.: three separate links).)
Trueblood is based off of a delightful series of novels called the Sookie Stackhouse series, which is named after the main character, a telepathic barmaid in her mid-twenties who lives in smalltown Louisiana. Right off the bat, you learn that Sookie is no Bella Swan. She may be in a dead-end job in a small town, and she may be intrigued by vampires (and vampires may be intrigued with her, later), but she can and will stand up for herself. At the beginning of the series, vampires have only been "out of the coffin" (AKA revealed themselves to the world) for two years; they could live openly now because of the invention of synthetic blood, which is now marketed in drinkable form as "Trublood" and other brand names. Sookie is excited to learn that a vampire has moved to town, because she's never met one in person before. In actuality, Bill has just moved BACK: back when he was alive (he was killed just after the American Civil War, which makes him just over 140 years old, in vampire terms) he lived in the town of Bon Temps and actually raised a family there before he died. There's a great scene in the middle of the first season where he attends this "Descendants of the Glorious Dead" meeting, which is comprised of Civil War buffs, and gets to talk about his experiences on the front lines of the war. (He also gets hugged by Terry, the Viet Nam vet, at the end; Terry has finally found someone who can actually symapthize with him.)
Anyway, right away you can tell that Sookie will not be a Bella: it's SOOKIE who ends up rescuing Bill from danger right after they first meet, from a pair of drainers, drug addicts who subdue vampires with silver to drain their blood, which has properties that enhance you, ah, mentally, physically and sexually. ("V", as it's called, is a controlled substance.)
And here's the thing I like about Sookie and Bill's relationship: it's kind of sort of like a real relationship! They don't decide they're in love first off. They don't really have a love-hate-does-he-or-doesn't-he-oh-woe-is-me-and-pining kind of attitude towards each other. They grow on each other, help each other out, actually hang out, and are adults about things. This isn't a highschool drama. Oh no, not by any means.
Also, when Bill does creepy vampire things (or just jerky things), Sookie ACTUALLY CALLS HIM ON IT. When he acts like he owns her, she tells him straight out that he doesn't. It's the same way with Sookie and Eric. She stands up to him, despite the fact that he could snap her like a twig, if he's doing something that she believes is cruel and inhuman. When vampires do creepy things for the humans they're in relationships with, it's not portrayed as healthy or romantic or whatever, like Edward's stalking and "protectiveness" is. It's creepy, it's what vampires do, and it's definitely NOT okay most of the time.
Another thing that I enjoy about the Trueblood series is that when vampires are actually several hundred years old or more, they ACT like it. We're not just told that they sound like they're "from another time", as Dana complains in "Reasoning with Vampires", but we actually get things like accents and antiquated attitudes. Bill actually does talk stiltedly and uses older forms of speech, especially when he feels ill at ease, and so he DOES sound like he's from the mid-nineteenth century. When Eric and his progeny, Pam, are alone, or when Eric is having a personal moment with his maker, Godric, who is over 2,000 years old, they don't speak English, they speak a form of Swedish or something else Scandinavian. Why would two non-native English speakers speak English amongst themselves if they have a long history together that doesn't involve English at all?
Also, people in the past don't speak English just because. See here, for the scene where Godric turns Eric.
Also, how about vampires actually acting like vampires? Fangs and all? They burn to death in the sunlight, drink actual blood from actual humans (at times), are superhumanly fast, have no outrageous powers beyond glamouring people and sometimes flying, if they're powerful enough... They have to be invited into a human inhabited residence by an actual human being, though, and their invitation can be rescinded, to humorous effects. They can be killed by stakes to the heart, and they can be hurt or bound by silver... if you can get that close. Vampires can be cruel, and they don't always like things like human laws and human pretensions. They WILL suck your blood, and yes, they are scary, and they are very, very dead.
As a side note, there are also other supernatural things like werewolves, shapeshifters, maenads, and even faeries, later on. So there are still things that regular humans don't know about... yet. ;)
A word of warning: this is an HBO series, so there is gratuitous sex, sometimes with secondary characters you couldn't care less about. Some of it IS plot-relevant sex, though. I still fast forwarded through some of those scenes, but whatever.
And apparently the (Swedish) actor who plays Eric is truly very, very naked in all of his nude scenes. Eric, who outranks Bill in terms of both age and in vampire political power, frequently likes to mess around with his not-quite underling, as in this scene where Bill returns home to find Eric just lounging in his bath (without permission, of course). They discuss texting, too, which is quite funny considering their ages. Bill hates it: "I hate using the number keys to type."
(For my favourite Eric scene, see the video I linked in my last blog post, in which Eric discusses children, or, as he calls them: "They're like humans but miniature. Teacup humans.")
Anyway: hot vampires, awesome characters, well-thought out consequences of having vampires in the world... Also, history bits. And funny bits. No sparkling. Fangs. The repeated assertion that vampire-human relationships aren't exactly healthy or even that romantic most of the time (although they do have their moments). No teenage angst. No sparkling love confession scenes after two weeks of knowing each other. Vampire politics. Badass fight scenes instead of avoiding fight scenes. History! The phrase "nazi werewolf" (although they aren't, really).
Also, the creators of the series aren't afraid to make fun of themselves. Bill's pronounciation of Sookie's name is famously intense at times. Sookie herself makes mention of this when she's talking about Bill's disappearance with her brother, Jason. (A 12-second clip, must-see.)
You can have really gory scenes, horror-filled scenes, intensely emotional scenes... And you can get adorable ones, too, like this short clip of Sookie and Bill babysitting her friend Arlene's kids. Bill actually raised three kids of his own (as Sookie was quick to point out when Arelene hesitated about leaving her kids there with a vampire about), and he's adorable with them.
Note Bill's speech patterns. And woobie-ness. And no, those aren't his real fangs.
A lot of this series IS a metaphor for addressing issues surrounding racism and anti-homosexuality... although it's been pointed out that it's not a perfect metaphor because, well, vampires can fight back. And you will lose if they do.
Incidentally, Trueblood also has a very catchy opening theme song. Does Twilight have an opening theme song? ... Just sayin'. ;)
Anyway, so if YOU find yourself at loose ends this holiday season... consider watching the three seasons of Trueblood. You will not regret it. ;)
In conclusion, here, have an unrelated video in which Buffy doesn't take any of Edward's bullshit.
Now then, for the uninitiated, in brief, what is the Trueblood series about?
Right then, any questions? None? All right, we're done for the day.
Just kidding. That was a short, 15-second clip of Eric Northman, one of the sexiest vampires there is. He's a thousand year old viking, and a jackass. He's also quite creepy at times, open about his sexuality, can get violent, etc. But here's the thing: he's not Edward Cullen.
Neither is Bill Compton, what you could think of as the "Edward" figure of the Trueblood series.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
(I should confess my sins, first: I have read the Twilight series. And seen the movies. I can be entertained by them without respecting them, all right? >_> For examples, see "Reasoning With Vampires", which tears apart the diction and characterization of the Twilight books, with hilarious results (P.S.: three separate links).)
Trueblood is based off of a delightful series of novels called the Sookie Stackhouse series, which is named after the main character, a telepathic barmaid in her mid-twenties who lives in smalltown Louisiana. Right off the bat, you learn that Sookie is no Bella Swan. She may be in a dead-end job in a small town, and she may be intrigued by vampires (and vampires may be intrigued with her, later), but she can and will stand up for herself. At the beginning of the series, vampires have only been "out of the coffin" (AKA revealed themselves to the world) for two years; they could live openly now because of the invention of synthetic blood, which is now marketed in drinkable form as "Trublood" and other brand names. Sookie is excited to learn that a vampire has moved to town, because she's never met one in person before. In actuality, Bill has just moved BACK: back when he was alive (he was killed just after the American Civil War, which makes him just over 140 years old, in vampire terms) he lived in the town of Bon Temps and actually raised a family there before he died. There's a great scene in the middle of the first season where he attends this "Descendants of the Glorious Dead" meeting, which is comprised of Civil War buffs, and gets to talk about his experiences on the front lines of the war. (He also gets hugged by Terry, the Viet Nam vet, at the end; Terry has finally found someone who can actually symapthize with him.)
Anyway, right away you can tell that Sookie will not be a Bella: it's SOOKIE who ends up rescuing Bill from danger right after they first meet, from a pair of drainers, drug addicts who subdue vampires with silver to drain their blood, which has properties that enhance you, ah, mentally, physically and sexually. ("V", as it's called, is a controlled substance.)
And here's the thing I like about Sookie and Bill's relationship: it's kind of sort of like a real relationship! They don't decide they're in love first off. They don't really have a love-hate-does-he-or-doesn't-he-oh-woe-is-me-and-pining kind of attitude towards each other. They grow on each other, help each other out, actually hang out, and are adults about things. This isn't a highschool drama. Oh no, not by any means.
Also, when Bill does creepy vampire things (or just jerky things), Sookie ACTUALLY CALLS HIM ON IT. When he acts like he owns her, she tells him straight out that he doesn't. It's the same way with Sookie and Eric. She stands up to him, despite the fact that he could snap her like a twig, if he's doing something that she believes is cruel and inhuman. When vampires do creepy things for the humans they're in relationships with, it's not portrayed as healthy or romantic or whatever, like Edward's stalking and "protectiveness" is. It's creepy, it's what vampires do, and it's definitely NOT okay most of the time.
Another thing that I enjoy about the Trueblood series is that when vampires are actually several hundred years old or more, they ACT like it. We're not just told that they sound like they're "from another time", as Dana complains in "Reasoning with Vampires", but we actually get things like accents and antiquated attitudes. Bill actually does talk stiltedly and uses older forms of speech, especially when he feels ill at ease, and so he DOES sound like he's from the mid-nineteenth century. When Eric and his progeny, Pam, are alone, or when Eric is having a personal moment with his maker, Godric, who is over 2,000 years old, they don't speak English, they speak a form of Swedish or something else Scandinavian. Why would two non-native English speakers speak English amongst themselves if they have a long history together that doesn't involve English at all?
Also, people in the past don't speak English just because. See here, for the scene where Godric turns Eric.
Also, how about vampires actually acting like vampires? Fangs and all? They burn to death in the sunlight, drink actual blood from actual humans (at times), are superhumanly fast, have no outrageous powers beyond glamouring people and sometimes flying, if they're powerful enough... They have to be invited into a human inhabited residence by an actual human being, though, and their invitation can be rescinded, to humorous effects. They can be killed by stakes to the heart, and they can be hurt or bound by silver... if you can get that close. Vampires can be cruel, and they don't always like things like human laws and human pretensions. They WILL suck your blood, and yes, they are scary, and they are very, very dead.
As a side note, there are also other supernatural things like werewolves, shapeshifters, maenads, and even faeries, later on. So there are still things that regular humans don't know about... yet. ;)
A word of warning: this is an HBO series, so there is gratuitous sex, sometimes with secondary characters you couldn't care less about. Some of it IS plot-relevant sex, though. I still fast forwarded through some of those scenes, but whatever.
And apparently the (Swedish) actor who plays Eric is truly very, very naked in all of his nude scenes. Eric, who outranks Bill in terms of both age and in vampire political power, frequently likes to mess around with his not-quite underling, as in this scene where Bill returns home to find Eric just lounging in his bath (without permission, of course). They discuss texting, too, which is quite funny considering their ages. Bill hates it: "I hate using the number keys to type."
(For my favourite Eric scene, see the video I linked in my last blog post, in which Eric discusses children, or, as he calls them: "They're like humans but miniature. Teacup humans.")
Anyway: hot vampires, awesome characters, well-thought out consequences of having vampires in the world... Also, history bits. And funny bits. No sparkling. Fangs. The repeated assertion that vampire-human relationships aren't exactly healthy or even that romantic most of the time (although they do have their moments). No teenage angst. No sparkling love confession scenes after two weeks of knowing each other. Vampire politics. Badass fight scenes instead of avoiding fight scenes. History! The phrase "nazi werewolf" (although they aren't, really).
Also, the creators of the series aren't afraid to make fun of themselves. Bill's pronounciation of Sookie's name is famously intense at times. Sookie herself makes mention of this when she's talking about Bill's disappearance with her brother, Jason. (A 12-second clip, must-see.)
You can have really gory scenes, horror-filled scenes, intensely emotional scenes... And you can get adorable ones, too, like this short clip of Sookie and Bill babysitting her friend Arlene's kids. Bill actually raised three kids of his own (as Sookie was quick to point out when Arelene hesitated about leaving her kids there with a vampire about), and he's adorable with them.
Note Bill's speech patterns. And woobie-ness. And no, those aren't his real fangs.
A lot of this series IS a metaphor for addressing issues surrounding racism and anti-homosexuality... although it's been pointed out that it's not a perfect metaphor because, well, vampires can fight back. And you will lose if they do.
Incidentally, Trueblood also has a very catchy opening theme song. Does Twilight have an opening theme song? ... Just sayin'. ;)
Anyway, so if YOU find yourself at loose ends this holiday season... consider watching the three seasons of Trueblood. You will not regret it. ;)
In conclusion, here, have an unrelated video in which Buffy doesn't take any of Edward's bullshit.
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Related, have you read Shiver? Seriously. My new favorite book.
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And hey, if you're not sold on the actual TV series, you could try reading the first book, which is very well-written. The first one is called "Dead Until Dark", and they're by Charlaine Harris.
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I like the characters enough to make up for the way the plot goes all over the place, though. I also really like Bill (a very interesting character, with being a veteran and then a vampire and now sort of re-learning parts of humanity), and am very sad that apparently they are going to break up. Oh well. The second book ends very nicely, with the reconciliation and the memories.
Shiver, by Maggie Stiefvater. OOOOOMMMMMGGG. I loves it. It breaks the genre cliche of having DRAMATIC TENSION come from a second/third romantic interest -- the plot is moved by far more complicated and interesting issues. *happy sigh*
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Also, that book is now added to my "to read" pile! :D I <3 werewolves. :3
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(Also: Eric is definitely preferable over Bill, although Bill does have his moments...)
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I have actually read the books. The first was utterly dull, the second was probably my favorite in retrospect because there is a character somewhere in all that first-person after all, the third was okay just because Alice and Jasper are a way better couple (and the author admits they have the better relationship, even if she uses "deeper"), and then the fourth came out and aldskjhtpweoiru;lkj.
I was working at a summer camp. Reading them actually did give me a huge leg up for talking to the kidlets, especially when I could work in a few mentions of 'this is a sucky boyfriend move.'
The Buffy/Edward remix is still one of my favorite things ever made. "What are you, like, twelve?" is the only proper way to react to Mr. Victorian Transplant. (Nobody with that much self-loathing came out of Chicago, in a nice enough area that they had a piano.)
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Oh, so it was more of a "know thy enemy" thing? Cool! ;)
I seriously love that remix. <3 Buffy has a perfectly reasonable reaction to the perfectly unreasonable, creepy actions of Edward!
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Alice and Jasper made me very happy, and I actually used them as a conversation-starter for a healthy relationship. She runs off to Rome on a suicide mission because her brother absolutely fails at life, and you don't see him pitching tantrums. Plus, "the hyperactive 'ditz'" and the "broody empath" are a trope couple that I always find really cute.
I was working at a summer camp, and nearly all of the girls read them. All of my cabinmates had read them. I reluctantly read the things, found myself surprisingly attached to Alice (and Jasper as soon as he had characterization), and continue to not understand the hype. The writing is average, the lead character has no defined personality traits past "clumsy" and "self-sacrificing to the extent that she actually is a floormat," and... meh. There are better books with better messages and snappier writing.
My roommate was ready to shoot me for liking that remix, but come on. "Secretly watches her sleep at night" is stalking, and the rest fits a lot of textbook definitions for an unhealthy, controlling relationship that's statistically likely to head down the path to an abusive one.
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"There are better books with better messages and snappier writing." SO, so true. At the moment, I'm particularly attached to the Temeraire series, by Naomi Novik, an alternate history - the Napoleonic wars, but with DRAGONS. I've been meaning to write a review of it for this blog, and I will perhaps do so next week when my exams are over. D: I also quite liked the book (not movie) version of the Time Traveler's Wife. Oh, and the 1632 series. :3 Other than that, I've mostly been working my way through historical non-fiction for my thesis. D: What reading has tickled your fancy lately?
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Recently, I've been re-reading favorite authors. I haven't had the time for new authors, but Tamora Pierce has fun characters (and sensible/frank approaches to teenagers that have sex) and I like David Eddings' Belgariad and Malloreon.
I don't have that much alternate history on my shelves at the moment. I read quite a bit of fantasy, and sometime in my life I'd love to write a YA book. That gives me all the more incentive to pay attention to just what publishers will buy. I have quite a bit of plot down for a very lighthearted fairy tale, but getting the right start/tone is a long, long work in progress.
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I loved Tamora Pierce when I was younger! ...and I really should reread them one of these days...
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Tamora Pierce's latest for Tortall have been very fun. I never saw Buffy, but Pierce admitted in an interview that she based the new male lead on Spike. (I've never seen interview credit for it, but I strongly suspect that Joren of Stone Mountain is Draco II.) Trickster's was one of her best yet. All kinds of political rumblings and espionage and a tricky line for good guy/bad guy.
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All authors do it. She just has fun with it--apparently Rosto (in the Beka Cooper series, ancestress of George Cooper) has the exact same scar as Spike, besides the attitude.
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http://beboots.livejournal.com/22705.html