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Anna Paquin Truly Enjoying Her True Blood Romance By Monique Jessen Originally posted Friday September 04, 2009 10:05 AM EDT 
Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer Photo by: Axelle / Bauer-Griffin |
Being on True Blood is bitingly good, but for Anna Paquin also having her fiancé on set of the HBO vampire series is simply the best.
"What makes relationships so difficult with my job is all the traveling and being away from your significant other," she tells Britain's Elle for its October issue. "Eventually it gets too hard to maintain."
But since the Oscar-winning actress, 27, began dating her TV vampire costar Stephen Moyer in February, life has been a dream, as they get to hang out constantly.
"It’s great to have the freedom to enjoy your work and not feel like you're leaving your other life behind," the New Zealand-raised Paquin says. "It’s a pretty sweet setup."
Recently engaged, Paquin and Moyer, 39 spend most of their downtime in London, thanks to British-born Moyer’s Essex roots.
"I’m happy with my London-slash-Los Angeles lifestyle with my English boyfriend," she says.
So, aside from their close proximity on set, where they've kept their romance discreet, what was it that drew them together?
"It’s not so much about the things you have in common, like the fact that half the television I watched growing up was British TV," explains Paquin, who was born in Canada. "It’s just the shared experience of being foreign in America, a place where you’re sort of expected not to feel foreign."
For now, the newly engaged couple are happy living the American dream, at their home in Southern California's Venice Beach, drinking orange juice at a café near the ocean. "I could write a guidebook to spray-tanning," she jokes. "I’m fully transforming into the Californian babe."
09/04/2009 | Post Comment |
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| *Minor Spoilers* | *Minor Spoilers* | *Minor Spoilers* |
Charlaine Harris on True Blood - From Daemon TV:Charlaine Harris on the Season 2 Finale of TRUE BLOOD Pictures Check out a couple of pictures of Charlaine Harris on the season 2 finale episode of TRUE BLOOD, “Beyond Here Lies Nothin’.”
Now if there ever was an appropriate episode for the author of the Sookie Stackhouse books, on which True Blood is based, to guest star it would be the finale!
As you can see, she will be visiting Merlotte’s and saying hi to Sam. I wonder if it was weird for her to step into the world she created. I’m sure fans will be happy to see her, especially since this is the last episode of season 2, *snif*. And of course don’t forget to tune in to the Season 2 finale of True Blood on Sunday September 13, 2009 at 9pm on HBO. You can also check out more pictures from the True Blood season 2 finale here.
09/04/2009 | Post Comment |
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25 Actress Spotlights: Anna Paquin September 4, 3:33 AM  San Antonio Pop Culture ExaminerRyan Johnston Anna Paquin has what other young “talents” in Hollywood do not - potential, vulnerability and range in many different roles. Starting off her acting career in 1993, the New Zealander has starred in more than 20 films and shown what it takes to be a true actress for this generation. Here are a few of Paquin’s best pieces to view - 
Holly Hunter & Anna Paquin in The Piano |
was Paquin’s first role on the big screen, where she played Flora - a mischievous, cute and cunning pre-teen to a mute mother. The role eventually won her an Academy Award - making her the second-youngest Oscar winner ever - beating out front-runners Winona Ryder and Rosie Perez. The story is set in New Zealand during the 1850s and tells the story of an arranged marriage and the unexpected love that develops between two strangers accompanied by the power of music. Expect big dresses, lots of nature and an amazing start to a promising career. [Continue reading...] 09/04/2009 | Post Comment |
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'True Blood' invigorates vampire genre Creator Alan Ball weaves human parallels into fantasy drama
Caitlin Huggins | The Daily Gamecock | Issue date: 9/4/09 Section: The Mix
When most think of the typical vampire, what comes to mind is the image of the sophisticated seductress with an air of aristocratic pride.
What many probably don't picture is a vampire named Bill, who speaks with a heavy Southern accent and lives in the backwaters of a Louisiana town filled with trailer parks, gay short-order cooks and people who resemble our own society.
"True Blood" breaks the mold and the unwritten rules of the vampire genre. Generally, stories within the fantasy genre tend to have plot lines lacking true depth or the ability to generate a connection with the audience. They offer an escape for the dull realities of the mundane world. But in "True Blood," not only does the plot offer an escape, but it connects with genuine emotions through familiar situations and feelings.
The series' growing popularity can be attributed to what it offers. The men get their fill of sex, violence and nudity, while women get satisfaction with several heart-wrenching romances and drama. Essentially everyone gets their slice of the pie and series creator Alan Ball expands his audience.
"'True Blood' is not a show for anyone who doesn't like violence or sexual scenes," third-year English student Christina Snyder said. "I like the show mainly because it's unpredictable, and let's face it, I'd let the male vampires on the show bite me."
[Continue reading...]
09/04/2009 | Post Comment |
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Disengage your brain for 'True Blood's' finaleMaureen Ryan TV critic | September 4, 2009 
Stephen Moyer and Anna Paquin (HBO)
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We're used to top TV dramas evoking elegant meals, six-course affairs full of rich textures and witty constructions. We know we'll usually need time to intellectually digest these savory feasts.
No such time is needed for "True Blood" (which, after a Labor Day weekend break, airs its Season 2 finale 8 p.m. Sept. 13 on HBO). "True Blood" isn't a carefully assembled feast. It's a jam-packed, all-you-can-eat buffet served with a side of crazy.
That recipe -- which creator Alan Ball has effectively tweaked since the show debuted last year -- has turned the populist vampire drama into a huge hit: The Aug. 23 episode of "True Blood" attracted 5.3 million viewers, a figure that doubles when repeats are added in. Those are smoking-hot numbers for a premium cable channel.
Halfway through the show's increasingly addictive second season, I realized the mistake I was making with "True Blood." I'm not trying to insult the show by saying it's no "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" or "Angel," but it isn't. There's no deeper meaning here. Metaphor, schmetaphor.
Sure, most of the vamps on the show, most notably the devilishly charismatic Eric (Alexander Skarsgard), are sexy, hot rebels doing whatever they want with whomever they want. There's no denying the appeal of those hedonistic appetites in these stressful times.
09/04/2009 | Post Comment |
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Rutina Wesley and Nelsan Ellis to be in Boston this weekend - from Boston Herald:We Hear: True Blood, Tiger Woods & more... By Inside Track | Friday, September 4, 2009
That, from the Love Conquers All File: Jonathan Young, the 23-year-old South End man who allegedly stabbed his fiance - 48-year-old J.Jill designer Michael Leva - multiple times in the chest after a night of partying, has not updated his Facebook relationship status since his arrest. It still says “Engaged.”
That RCN is bringing “True Blood” stars Rutina Wesley (Tara) and Nelsan Ellis (Lafayette) to Boston this weekend to promote the Sept. 13 season finale of HBO’s hit vampire drama and to promote a Sept. 17 “True Blood” Red Cross blood drive. The actors will attend a bloody good “Fangtasia” bash at King’s from 9 p.m. to midnight Saturday. They’ll also pop up at the Qdoba Mexican Grills in Kenmore Square and on the Northeastern campus Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
09/04/2009 | Post Comment |
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Vampires, Orgies and Maenads, Oh My!  Well, I'm definitely not in Bon Temps anymore. Maryann Forrester was enjoyable earlier on in season two of True Blood with all her manipulations. I must say, however, that enough is enough. The endless orgy scenes are a total waste of air time, in my humble opinion. We get that she is inciting their behavior, ad nauseam. Hell, I am starting to hear the chant in my head when I am trying to go to sleep Sunday night.
When these scenes go on for extended periods in nearly every episode lately, it gets old. Most of us are fed up. Not saying I'm a prude or anything, but this was such a minor part in "Living Dead in Dallas" that it is almost laughable now. Someone laid an egg on the bed in Sookie's house? Tara thinks Mr. Perfect Buns (Eggs) is her true love? A meat altar is decaying on Sookie's lawn? Wouldn't a garden gnome have been sufficient? As my bitch Lafayette might say, "Wrap it the fuck up!"
[Continue reading...]
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From Edmonton Sun - Band of Skulls song played "New World In My View":
Skull session By LISA WILTON, SUN MEDIA Last Updated: 4th September 2009
Never underestimate the power of vampires -- At least the Hollywood ones.
U.K. rock group Band of Skulls found this out recently when one of their songs landed on the hit HBO vamp-centred series, True Blood.
"It was a big ol' orgy, drug-taking scene,which is pretty cool," says singer-bassist Emma Richardson.
"The response from that has just been incredible. As soon as something like that happens or is mentioned, sites like Myspace or Twitter go a little bit wild. It's funny to watch."
It's been an eventful year for Band of Skulls, who were known as Fleeing New York before changing their name -- and their sound -- last November.
[Continue reading...]
09/04/2009 | Post Comment |
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TRUE BLOOD CREATOR: 'WE ALL WANT TO BE VAMPIRES'
The woman behind smash-hit TV series TRUE BLOOD insists the world is obsessed with vampires because they never die, age or feel frail.
Charlaine Harris, who penned the book that inspired TV writer Alan Ball to create a new vampire drama, is convinced people no longer look at the undead bloodsuckers as monsters - but would rather like to be one.
The author says, "We're all obsessed with youth and staying in peak condition. Vampires don't have to go to the gym. They don't have to die. They don't have to go on (diet plan) NutriSystem. They don't have to have new knees.
"They don't get high blood pressure - they don't have blood pressure. It's all effortless for them, and I think we're all going, 'Gosh, that sure looks good!'"
09/03/2009 | Post Comment |
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Great article from TrueBloodNet - Sam Trammell added to Scream 2009 Awards:
Sam Trammell Added To The Scream 2009 Awards Late!
Sam Trammell who plays the lovable shapeshifter, Sam Merlotte on Alan Ball’s hit HBO TV vampire series True Blood has been added to SpikeTV’s Scream 2009 Awards nominee list late! It is a good thing that they added Sam because it would have been an injustice not to include him on the list of nominees. Sam has been nominated in the category Breakout Performance - Male along with Taylor Kitsch, X-Men Origins: Wolverine; Taylor Lautner, Twilight; Robert Pattinson, Twilight; Chris Pine, Star Trek; Will.I.Am, X-Men: Wolverine; and Sam Worthington, Terminator Salvation.
As a reminder voting continues until Saturday, October 17, where True Blood fans can vote often and also view exclusive red carpet and backstage coverage of the event, by visiting scream.spike.com.
Here is a recap of all the categories that True Blood is nominated in:
| Best TV Show - Battlestar Galactica
- Dexter
- Fringe
- Lost
- Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles
- True Blood
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| Best Horror Actress - Jennifer Carpenter, Quarantine
- Jamie King, My Bloody Valentine 3D
- Lina Leandersson, Let The right One In
- Alison Lohman, Drag Me To Hell
- Anna Paquin, True Blood
- Monica Potter, The Last House On The Left
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| Best Horror Actor |
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| Best Supporting Actress - Jennifer Carpenter, Dexter
- Ashley Greene, Twilight
- Carla Gugina; Watchmen
- Evanna Lynch, Harry Potter An The Half-Blood Prince
- Shirley Manson, Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles
- Rutina Wesley, True Blood
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| Best Supporting Actor - Ryan Reynolds, X-Men Origins: Wolverine
- Simon Pegg, Star Trek
- Leonard Nimoy, Star Trek
- Taylor Kitsch, X-Men Origins: Wolverine
- Rupert Grint, Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince
- Nelsan Ellis, True Blood
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| Breakout Performance - Male - Sam Trammell, True Blood
- Taylor Kitsch, X-Men Origins: Wolverine
- Taylor Lautner, Twilight
- Robert Pattinson, Twilight
- Chris Pine, Star Trek
- Will.I.Am, X-Men: Wolverine
- Sam Worthington, and Terminator Salvation.
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| Best Ensemble - Battlestar Galactica
- Lost
- Star Trek
- True Blood
- Twilight
- The Watchmen
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| Scream Song Of The Year - “War Zone” by Rob Zombie, Punisher: War Zone
- “New Divide” by Linkin Park, Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen
- “Other Father Song” by They Might Be Giants, Coraline
- “Desolation Row” by MY Chemical Romance, Watchmen
- “Decode” by Paramore, Twilight
- “Bad Things” by Jace Everett, True Blood
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| Best Villain - Eric Bana as Nero
- Helena Bohman Carter as Bellatrix Lastrange
- Cam Gigandet as James
- Lorna Raver as Mrs. Ganush
- Liev Schreiber as Victor Creed/Sabretooth
- Alexander Skarsgard as Eric Northman
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09/03/2009 | Post Comment |
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Too funny - more information on this intense story - from EOnline: Ryan Kwanten vs. Jon Gosselin: Who'd You Prefer? Today 4:48 PM PDT by Marc Malkin
Who would you rather hang with—smokin' hot True Blood star Ryan Kwanten or pudgy on-the-verge-of-a-divorce father of eight Jon Gosselin?
Sources confirm that Mr. Gosselin has been replaced by Kwanten, who plays Jason Stackhouse on HBO's hit vampire series, for a special celebrity appearance on Sunday at Harrah's Resort in Atlantic City.
We're not exactly sure what the 32-year-old Kwanten is going to be doing during his time at the New Jersey hotel and casino...but does it really matter? He can just stand there and we'd be more than happy to stare at him.
TLC, the network responsible for Jon & Kate Plus 8, forced Gosselin, 32,to back out of the gig, according to celeb tabloid Life & Style. The magazine also reports that his estranged wife and mother of his children, Kate, 34, was likewise told to cancel an appearance at Harrah's tomorrow night. A rep for the network declined to comment.
But buyer beware: In a release touting its exclusive, Life & Style not only identified Kwanten by his TV name, but they described him as a "super-hot vampire." As any True Blood fan could tell ya, Jason is a mere mortal living among the bloodsuckers of Louisiana.
Even so, we do hope Kwanten's contract includes a poolside party without his shirt on.
09/03/2009 | Post Comment |
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From HBO: True Blood: Recap Ep 23
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Kudo's to Skarsgard Fans for the great photos of Alexander Skarsgard:Alexander Hanging Out With Straw Dogs Costars &Friends 09/03/2009 | Post Comment |
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Jon Gosselin Replaced — By A Vampire Series Star! Jon Gosselin had to pull the plug on his Harrah’s Resort appearance in Atlantic City, N.J., this Sunday (September 6) and is being replaced by super-hot Ryan Kwanten, who plays Jason Stackhouse on HBO’s True Blood.
“TLC forced Jon to cancel,” an insider tells Life & Style, referring to the channel that airs Jon & Kate Plus 8. But he’s not alone.
“Kate Gosselin was scheduled to appear at the Resorts casino in Atlantic City on Sept. 4. However, TLC forced her to cancel the appearance,” adds a second insider.
09/03/2009 | Post Comment |
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| *Minor Spoilers* | *Minor Spoilers* | *Minor Spoilers* |
From Starpulse - Interview with Anna Camp about Sarah Newlin:Anna Camp Chats About Her Role On 'True Blood,' Getting Nude With Daniel Radcliffe & More Starpulse got a chance to speak with Anna Camp, an up-and-coming actress who recently guest starred in "True Blood," and she is already well known in off-Broadway circles for her roles in "Equus," "Columbinus," and "The Scene."
She just recently wrapped up the movie "Forgetting the Girl" and chatted about her love for the theater, her upcoming guest star roles, and how she turned "True Blood's" Sarah Newlin from a black and white character to a colorful (i.e., slightly crazy) real person.
[Read entire article]
| It's interesting you say that, because getting into "True Blood," I can see some things Blanche and Sarah have in common.
Yeah! I didn't even think of that, but definitely. They're both these Southern women who have this idea of what it means to be a Southern belle. And sort of, revolting against that but feeling confined by that ... that's true! I didn't even think of that. But they definitely have similarities.
The interesting thing about Sarah is that she's a really high powered woman in a lot of ways, and very intelligent, but she keeps on trying to be the woman behind the man rather than just coming out of her own shell. And she seems to resent that in time with Steve, so it'd be interesting to see her come out as a leader, what do you think?
I know, I would love to see her totally break away from the Fellowship of the Sun or take over the Fellowship of the Sun. You know, and really see what she can do, because I think now that she feels betrayed by Jason and her husband - because her husband didn't give her all the information about the war and everything - I think she could really take over and go crazy. (Laughs) Or I would like to see her really lose all faith in God and go searching for her own path, and find her own world, and really hit bottom before she can rise up out of it again. So I think there's great potential for the character, I hope that the writers think so too.
Oh I think they do. They gave you more and more to do as the show went on, probably because your portrayal of Sarah was interesting because there was a lot going on under the surface. She seemed on the surface to be a typical preacher's wife and then there's all these little things that came out. She became a very three dimensional character as the story went on. I think a lot of people would love to see more from her and maybe see her with Jason down the road to see what happens.
Yeah, I hope something really crazy happens to her. It's funny you say that, Alan Ball actually when we were first shooting he said that he had this idea of what Sarah was, and how it was pretty black and white. And how she was pretty dead set against the vampires, and just wanted to seduce Jason purely because she wasn't attracted to her husband anymore. They did say that through watching what I was doing with each episode, they began to make it more real and make her really believe that she was lost and needed to find love again and she was doubting everything that she had known for the past ten years, being with her husband. It's cool you noticed that.
The Fellowship of the Sun was actually really developed well, and I think the whole thing with Sarah and that she used to be a sympathizer to vampires. I think that was one of the most interesting things to come out of that storyline, because it was so how Sookie or someone else could go if things went a little wrong. That's what made her a more complicated character than some of the others.
Exactly, you don't know what you're capable of believing if something happens to you personally. And you want to go off on revenge or try to make something right, but when something happens to you personally ... how your beliefs change and how you put these blinders on. It's something that could happen to anybody in the world, and I think they did a good job of showing that Sarah is not just this spiteful power-hungry woman but she's definitely hurt and lost and looking for answers.
 Absolutely and when Sookie got there and Sarah was very sympathetic to her, and almost wanted to save her from what was happening, and that was again a redeeming quality about her character.
I'm just so thankful that they gave me a three dimensional character to play, and I had the best time working on that show, so I'm glad you like it. I'm really excited especially for the last two episodes.
Oh good so we do see the Newlins again!
Nooo, well, I can't really ... (laughs). I can't really say that. But I love the show.
But you were a fan of the show before you got cast right?
Yes, I actually just did this interview and they asked me how I got involved, I actually auditioned for Sookie!
Can you give us any spoilers about whether the Church will have a role in next season?
Well I can't really, but I think it would be crazy if we didn't come back because the Fellowship is such a strong group. If we just sort of vanished and our whole cause was just sort of done and gone I don't think that would make much sense. I'd like to see us come back, and I think it would make sense to have us come back. We could either tie it up or we could be fighting the vampires. The vampires need to have that force to be fighting against, to live in society and be fighting against something besides other supernaturals is part of the show I think, that sort of balance.
I think one of the major parts of the show is actually the human hatred of vampires and the fear of vampires, more than the supernatural elements. The Fellowship kind of represents that.
Yeah I do too. I think that it's such an interesting concept because you go back to all the metaphors of what the vampires are representing in society today ... any minority or gay people or anything like that. And I think to have that force looking down upon it really creates an interesting and dynamic story. I'd like to have that back (laughs) for more than one reason!
(Laughs) I think we'd all like that too. I was watching a scene recently, it's the one with Jason's fantasy of Sarah when he was starting to look at her in a different way and she's cooking....
Oh (laughs) right yeah!
Was that hard to shoot? There are so many funny things that happen with Sarah and Jason, I can't imagine keeping a straight face for that!
It was crazy and it was all improv, I improv'ed all of that! So the director Michael Raymond that day and Alan Ball wrote that episode, all it said in the script was Sarah licks barbeque off her finger, that's it! And they said they wanted me to ... they had the music blaring and they were like 'just dance.' We did it a couple of times and then they were like 'we're going to make it like his fantasy, so just go all out! Go go go, go farther then you think you'd ever go.' And I was like 'really?!' There's a lot of stuff they didn't use that I was just like laughing and breaking up I'm sure, because it was definitely a funny fun way over the top scene to shoot. I'm happy that they picked out a couple of moments I didn't even know they were going to use.
I watch the show with a whole group of people and we're all really into it, and when you did the last line 'I hate your hair!' we all burst out laughing.
I'm glad, I'm glad you thought it was funny! I love the dynamic and working with Michael McMillian, and he's really funny too. We sort of clicked and I think he plays his character very well. |
09/03/2009 | Post Comment |
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(More articles in this series can be found on this page of True Blood News.)Pan and True Blood - the connections and relations
I have received so many comments from faithful readers mentioning the Greek god Pan in regards to True Blood that I have decided to acquiesce to their assumptions and make an article about it.
Lolobromios had this to say: "Pan is linked to Dionysus and Maenads (apparently he slept with all Maenads) in various articles I've found on the web. Also the words "panic" and "pandemonium" (obviously) come from his name which seem to be applicable to the townspeople."
Could Pan be lurking within the eggseen at the end of last week's episode? We'll have to tune in (next week, not this Sunday) to find out!
Pan was the bisexual son of Dionysus, which is why he is related to panic and sexuality. He was known for instilling fear and terror in his enemies, as well as possessing a love of music (which could seduce or terrify a human when played by Pan). He seduced every maenad and even the moon goddess Selene. His goat horns are the influence for our modern day characterization of Satan. Could Carl indeed be a satyr and Eggs = Pan?
According to the Greek historian Plutarch, Pan is the only Greek god who is dead. Carl was shot in the head in last week's episode - another possible alternative? Tune in to the season finale, "Beyond Here Lies Nothin'" on Sunday, September 13th at 9:00 p.m. to find out. Make sure you do so with a bottle of TruBlood!
Lolobromios brought up an important detail when he/she mentioned that the term "panic" comes from Pan and his influences. It immediately made me think of Pandora, the woman who - out of sheer curiousity - opened a vessel and inadvertently unleashed all the evils upon mankind. At the very bottom of the container was hope. In my other article, I mention that MaryAnn's concoction sounds a lot like the Dionysian Mysteries - a cult whose rituals include a sacred basket. In another article, I also mention the meaning behind the chant, where Bromios means "loud." Pan was known for being very noisy. Enorches means "dancer," and Pan was extremely fond of music. Bacchus refers to the frenzy induced by Dionysus, a power Pan also possessed.
Tara is surely Pandora in this context. We just learned in "Frenzy" that she called forth MaryAnn when the pharmacist concocted the fake exorcism. Because of this, pandemonium has been unleashed onto the town of Bon Temps. It was an honest mistake, just as in Pandora's case, and the thing we mustn't forget is that out of all that evil - there was still hope. This could be a foreshadowing clue as to the show's season end.
Pandora was given as a gift to Epimetheus, a foolish Titan who lacked foresight and whose name translates into "a fool looking behind while running forward." Based on what I've seen in True Blood thus far, Eggs seems the perfect characterization of Epimetheus.
09/03/2009 | Post Comment |
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Great article about our favorite Viking from New York Post:SWEDE TOOTH SEXY VAMP IN 'TRUE BLOOD' ECLIPSES 'TWILIGHT'By SARA STEWART
TALK about being glamoured. HBO's "True Blood" may be an ensemble show, but this season there's only one character everyone's talking about: Eric, Eric, Eric.
Alexander Skarsgard, a Swedish actor previously seen on "Generation Kill" and in "Zoolander," has been stealing every scene he's in on the campy drama, in which he plays Eric Northman, the local vampire sheriff and bar owner with Viking origins and a yen for Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin).
In last Sunday's episode, he brandished a rifle while wearing a housedress and referred to children as delicious "teacup humans." Earlier this season, he tricked Sookie into (very suggestively) sucking bullets out of his chest, disemboweled a man while wearing highlighting foils in his hair, and masqueraded as a Southern hillbilly.
And fans clearly can't get enough of him.
Robert Pattinson, who plays heartthrob bloodsucker Edward in the "Twilight" films, may be breathing a sigh of relief right about now -- the fan-phobic star is fast losing his status as world's sexiest creature of the night, thanks to Skarsgard.
In a poll titled "Who makes the hotter pretend vampire?" on Hollywoodgossip.com, the 33-year-old Swede beat Pattinson 66 percent to 33 percent. (Comparatively, Stephen Moyer, the ostensible romantic lead on "True Blood," lost to Pattinson by the same margin in an Us magazine poll.)
So what is it that makes Skarsgard so irresistible?
"I think there's a flexibility in his masculinity, and a vulnerability," says writer Jacob Clifton, who recaps the show on the Television Without Pity Web site. "He's a lot more unilaterally flirtatious, and expresses emotions in a very different way than an American actor."
Also, he adds, "He catches the light in a very nice way."
Lady Gaga thinks so, too. She cast him as the traitorous lover in her video for "Paparazzi," which required them to film a lusty opening scene in bed and then on a hotel room balcony.
"Alexander is a very good kisser," she recently told a Swedish magazine. "I don't know how other people do [it], but we were kissing for real."
She's preaching to the choir. Skarsgard's native country has reportedly voted him Sexiest Man in Sweden five times.
Recently, a scene from the 2002 Swedish film "Hundtricket" ("The Dog Trick") has been making the rounds on YouTube and elsewhere. It's a minute-long sequence of Skarsgard and two other actors showering. ("Possibly with subtitles," said one site. "We couldn't tell you.")
At the moment, he's shooting a remake of the 1971 Sam Peckinpah movie "Straw Dogs." Subject-wise, it's a weighty contrast to his vamp rival Pattinson, who was last seen on-screen wearing a silly mustache as Salvador Dali.
A TMZ film crew recently caught up with Skarsgard in an airport and asked him what he thought of the "Twilight" vampires. "I think they're cute," he said with a mischievous grin. "They're adorable."
09/03/2009 | Post Comment |
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Hmmm ... Will "Eggs' be back Season 3? From Digital Spy: 'True Blood' star joins 'The Deep End'
Thursday, September 3 2009, 6:14am EDT By Dan French, TV Reporter
True Blood star Mehcad Brooks has landed a part in ABC's midseason show The Deep End, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The 28-year-old actor, who currently plays Benedict 'Eggs' Talley in HBO's Blood, has reportedly joined the legal drama as a series regular.
Brooks will play a new character called Malcolm Bennet, an associate at the prestigious LA law firm.
He has previously starred in season two of ABC's Desperate Housewives as the murderous Matthew Applewhite, who was shot dead in the season finale.
It is not yet known whether Brooks will depart True Blood, on which he was recently made a series regular.
09/03/2009 | Post Comment |
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Rutina Wesley on Chelsey Lately 09/01/2009:
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Mythology ... fact or fiction? Lengthy analysis from Miami Spirituality Advisor: Greek mythology in the HBO series True Blood - recently revised
 A while back I came upon a comment left by a fellow fan of the show analyzing the mythological theme present within the characters. I thought it would be fun to take a closer look at the portrayal of ancient gods and goddesses through True Blood’s human and supernatural counterparts.
Sookie is most likely the goddess Psyche (a play on words because Psyche means "the mind" and Sookie is able to read them, and because Psyche and Sookie sort of sound alike). Before becoming a goddess, Psyche was a beautiful mortal girl to whom no one wished to marry. An immortal (Cupid), sent by a higher authority with a hidden agenda, is sent for Psyche but ends up falling in love with her. He can visit her only in the night and when Psyche’s passion for him grows to the point that she simply can not resist him, he flees out of fear of her discovering who he truly is. They eventually end up together again (her becoming immortal, too) and their story is the personification of everlasting love. Indeed Sookie seems to be tapping into a goddess-like power… We’ll just have to wait and see.
** One of my readers, Steph, mentioned the fact that in season 1, when Sookie is dreaming of Bill – she is wearing a "first kiss" nightshirt emblazoned with Cupid and Psyche. Although just a dream, Sookie and Bill share their first kiss. **
But how does Sookie tie in with Eric? Well, Sookie is also a likeness of the goddess Iris – representation of the rainbow and messenger to the gods. As symbolism for a rainbow, Iris unites gods to humanity (ringing a bell yet?) Iris is able to put to sleep all those who tell falsehoods whereas Sookie, with her telepathy, is able to tell who is honest and who is not. Iris was responsible for saving Phineas from the harpies, which could be representative of saving Sam from the townsfolk. Iris is suspected of being a one-time consort or wife to Morpheus.
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09/03/2009 | Post Comment |
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(Information presented below not verified by HBO True Blood Wiki.)
MaryAnn and her followers repeat it constantly:
"Lo Lo Bromios, Lo Lo Dendrites, Eleutherios, Enorches, Bacchus."
But what does it mean? Here is what I have been able to decipher:
The "lo lo" part is most likely a mistake. A capital "i" (I) looks very much the same as a lowercase "l" (L), and so I'm led to believe that what is really intended to be said is, "Io io bromios," et cetera.
Io most likely means "lord" or "master" because the term always proceeds those two words in ancient Greek songs of praise. Io was also the daughter of Inachus in Greek mythology and is the name of a moon of Jupiter, but the first explanation makes the most sense in this context.
Bromios is an epithet - that is, it is a term used to characterize and/or a descriptive title for the god Dionysus. It means "thunderer," "noisy" or "boisterous" -literally translating to "to roar."
Dendrites comes from the Greek word "dendron" (tree). Dionysus is also a tree god, symbolizing his power over nature and fertility. He is also a patron diety of agriculture.
Eleutherios is another epithet for Dionysus - it means "the liberator." Dionysus was known for freeing one from one's normal self through wine, ecstasy or madness. His divine mission was to end the world of worry and care.
Enorches can be roughly translated into "the dancer." Enorches was also the son of Thyestes, a man with a deep history of incest. Enorches' mother was also his aunt, Daeta. In addition to his sister, Thyestes fathered a child with his daughter and slept with his twin brother's wife. Upon learning of this deceit, Thyestes' brother killed Thyestes' sons and served them to him as food. Does cannibalism sound familiar?
Well, it gets better! Remember the end of the Sunday, August 30th episode of"True Blood?" In that 11th episode of season 2, titled "Frenzy," Tara and Eggs are building a nest for an egg.
Enorches, son of Thyestes and his sister Daeta, was born out of an egg and later built a temple to Dionysus.
Bacchus is the Roman equivalent of Dionysus, referring to the frenzy he induces - "bakkheia."
So we can extrapolate the following from the chant:
"Loud God, Tree God! The Liberator, The Dancer, The Frenzy Inducer!"
P.S. Almost all myths depict Dionysus as a "foreign" god with little known origins, meaning he is typical of theepiphany, "the god who comes."
09/02/2009 | Post Comment |
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Blood, Religion, and Vampire Evolution
September 2, 2009 | Rebecca Taylor
Imagination, the catalyst for both science and religion, allows us to make sense of life and death. If vampires are the offspring of imagination, it begs the question: Why would we imagine such beings into existence?
Before we had a scientific understanding of mortality, this is what we knew: We were born from the blood of our mothers’, and we died from the loss of our own. When an animal is hurt, it compulsively licks the blood from its wounds. Even now, so detached from our own animal nature, we are possessed to do so. If you cut your finger, your first instinct is to suck the wound. You consume your blood as it leaves your body in an effort to sustain life.
If blood is the key to life and death, it is not hard to imagine how the vampire was dreamt into existence. If we drink blood, the vessel of life, it follows that we will live forever. Allow imagination to take this idea a step further, damning those that drink (Deuteronomy 12:23: Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood is the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh.) and a monster is born.
Yet it has been recently reported that a group of neo-vampires have “evolved” and risen above their blood drinking ways. We have seen fictional accounts of this on True Blood–Vampire Bill loves his synthetic blood substitute–but the vampires of Tampa Bay, FL have taken this above and beyond the kitsch. According to St. Petersburg Times staff writer Alexandra Zayas, who spent months among Tampa Bay’s vampire population, “vampires can also psychic or pranic feed, sucking the energy directly from the auras of others, or they can ambient feed on the collective excitement of high energy places like dance clubs.”
While I suppose I’d rather meet a pranic vampire alone in a dark alley as opposed to the neck loving variety, it is hard to imagine a world where vampires no longer drink blood. Mystic blood still courses through our veins: Australian Aboriginal dancers paint their bodies with blood to evoke Dreamtime; Christ’s transubstantiated blood brings Catholics eternal life; Japanese pop culture identifies nosebleeds with sexual desire; Prince, a Jehovah’s Witness, refuses blood transfusions because of his faith; and it was not so long ago that Billy Bob Thornton’s blood was dangling from a chain around Angelina Jolie’s neck.
Like water, blood will never cease to be essential; it will always capture our imaginations. Blood is what connects us, above all else, to vampires. Without it, neither humans nor vampires exist.
09/02/2009 | Post Comment |
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RCN Hosts Blood Drives and Events With Appearances by HBO(R) Hit Series "True Blood's"(R) Nelsan Ellis University of Illinois Medical Center Partners With RCN for Fall College Events in Chicago
CHICAGO, IL -- (Marketwire) -- 09/02/09 -- RCN Corporation (NASDAQ: RCNI), a leading provider of all-digital and high definition video, high-speed internet, and premium voice services to residential and small-medium business customers, as well as high-capacity transport services to carrier and large enterprise customers, announced today it will partner with the University of Illinois Medical Center as part of its Fall Rush campaign. This year's promotion includes two blood drives and three "True Blood" themed events where guests have an opportunity to enjoy music and refreshments as well as free tastings of Tru Blood, the highly anticipated real blood orange beverage from HBO.
The first "True Blood" themed event was held at Carmen's Pizza on August 19; an additional event was held at Qdoba Mexican Grill on N. Lincoln Ave., near The Biograph Museum on September 2.
"True Blood" fans will have an opportunity to meet star Nelsan Ellis, who will be making an appearance at the "Fangtasia" party scheduled for September 11. Hamilton's, located at 6341 N. Broadway St., will be the place to be from 9pm-12midnight.
Ellis is known for his role as Lafayette Reynolds, the short-order cook at the show's popular hangout, Merlotte's. Decorated to resemble Fangtasia, the show's popular vampire bar, the party will feature music, food and refreshments. The "Fangtasia" party is open to all fans, but requires an RSVP to www.rcn.com/fangs
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09/02/2009 | Post Comment |
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Slightly different True Blood Finale Preview:
09/02/2009 | Post Comment |
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Interview of True Blood's costume designer - From Hollywood Crush MTV:
Alexander Skarsgard In A Dress, Anna Paquin's Sexier Look & More: We've Got 'True Blood' Style Secrets! Posted 1 hr ago by Amy Wilkinson  One thing we've always loved about Alan Ball's titillating tale of Bon Temps and its supernatural beings is the series' fine attention to detail—did you notice that clever "Sorry, We're Dead" sign hanging outside vampire Eric's Fangtasia bar last week? This keen eye extends to virtually every corner of HBO's drama, including its fierce fashions.
We got the chance to chat with "True Blood" costume designer Audrey Fisher who spilled on Alexander Skarsgård's cross-dressing moment, where she shops for the cast's fashions (hint: K-Mart!) and the inspiration for newcomer Evan Rachel Wood's '40s-glam look.
HOLLYWOOD CRUSH: During last week's "True Blood," Alex appears in one of Lafayette's delusions wearing a dress. Did it have to be specially made for him? He's a pretty big guy. I can't imagine it was ready to wear!


AUDREY FISHER: Actually, no! We were able to buy larger sizes of Lettie Mae's outfit, which fit just fine with a few alterations. I love putting Alex in all of these delusional outfits: first Andy, then Lettie Mae. Who's next?
 We'd previously put up a post linking back to an InStyle interview with Deborah Ann Woll in which she said most of the cast's clothes (or, at least hers) comes from Walmart. Is that true?
Deborah Ann is absolutely right! I want to keep the clothes as "real" as possible, which simply means shopping at places where these characters would actually shop. So yes, I've shopped for most of the cast at Walmart, Kohl's, K-Mart, JCPenney, Sears — all stores that real people from Bon Temps could afford — and stores that I can afford especially when I need up to six multiples of costumes because of blood and stunts! Of course some characters are outside of that world, like Maryann (pictured in green), Eric and Pam. For those characters, I get to go more upscale (which could mean Loehmanns to Neiman Marcus and everything in between!). And of course I love to make as many costumes as time and money will allow in our wonderful workshop.
 Sookie (Anna Paquin) has been dressing a lot "sexier" this season (and looking tanner!), was that intentional?


Sookie is growing up, becoming more womanly, and also trying to please her vampire boyfriend, who happens to be a bit old-fashioned since he's 173 years old. So, yes, her style has evolved. She's become confident in her sexuality and that shows in how she dresses for both Bill and herself, but still she will always be a ladylike Southern belle, flirty and feminine but never too brassy. And that works for Bill.
How did you decide upon Evan Rachel Wood's '40s/'50s glam look? Was that something that Alan Ball requested?


Alan, director Dan Minahan and I agreed that Queen Sophie-Ann would have a retro-glam look, as if during her 400 years of living, the Queen has chosen the '40s as her favorite silhouette. Evan was delighted with this plan!


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09/02/2009 | Post Comment |
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Always enjoy Roth Cornet's reviews:
True Blood "Frenzy" S2 EP11 Blog Review
09/02/2009 | Post Comment |
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GAMERS
 For such a new vampire I’ve often been told I have an old spirit. This might explain my relative disinterest in video games. In my human days, I never owned a game console, never rushed to buy the newest shoot em up or sports franchise. This often put me squarely in the minority among my peers. But being a vampire would change things. Vampires are an ancient race, witness to numerous games that have come and gone, and it is only the best of these that can survive to maintain our interest. Chess. Knucklebones. Marbles. Even a pleasant evening of cards. So surely this relatively new fad of computerized entertainment would fail to hold sway.
Or so I thought.
I was shocked to accept an invitation to an undead friend’s dinner party the other evening, only to learn that afterwards we would be engaging in some game where we pretend to sing and play guitar. Even more surprising, none of the other guests seemed to mind. In fact, they were delighted, and began a conversation of their favorite selections. Magical quests to uncover artifacts, extraordinarily violent gore fests (although I’ve been told the blood inevitably looks completely fake), one undead even professed his love for a game that entails simply directing a human character through a virtual world populated with other avatars.
Why would vampires have such interest in video games? Our reflexes make even the most complicated mere child’s play. The scenarios crafting us into deadly beings or great heroes offers little more power than we have in real life as undead. Why waste time facing an enemy made up of digital code when we can face a true battle of wits against a real opponent?
I asked this outright at the party, the other vampires looked at me like I was insane.
“It’s fun, Andrew. Try it.”
Honestly, I still fail to see the point. But I did manage to learn something that night. My singing voice is no better now than it was when I was alive, as the computerized crowd at this make-believe rock concert told me in no uncertain terms:
You Suck.
09/02/2009 | Post Comment |
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Charlaine Harris comments on finishing Book 10 "Dead In The Family" in her blog:
| I finished DEAD IN THE FAMILY Sunday, the last possible day I could finish it. My friend Toni is reading it now, and then I’ll send it to my editor, Ginjer. The concept of DITF was originally quite different from the book I ended up writing, but that often happens and doesn’t quite scare me like it used to. At first I thought DITF would be very episodic; it turned out to have a unifying theme and to have a crazy night of resolution. Of course, this may change once my editor has a read!
By the time I send a book in to New York, I hate it. Maybe I hate DITF a little less than others. I don’t know if that’s good or bad.
Finishing a book is like coming up out of deep water. It’s a relief just to breathe and look around and return to the land of the living. |
"Dead In The Family" description - ***MAJOR SPOILERS*** - Highlight text to read:
| Sookie Stackhouse has finally settled into a relationship with the Viking vampire Eric, and her errant brother Jason seems to have his life in order, too. But all the other people in Sookie's life - Eric himself, her former lover Bill, her friend and boss Sam - are having family problems. Eric's maker shows up with Eric's 'brother' in tow, the ailing Bill can only be healed by a blood sibling, and Sam's brother's marriage is about to take place ...or will it? The furor raised by the coming out of the two-natured has yet to settle; some people are just not ready to sit down to dinner with a man who turns into a dog. And Sookie herself is still recovering from her last ordeal. She's definitely improving, physically and mentally, but she's always going to have some dark moments now. The werewolves tell her that there have been strange and ominous passers-by in the Stackhouse woods; now Sookie is about to come face-to-face with one of her more distant relatives ... |
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09/02/2009 | Post Comment |
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Photographer Tyler Shields gets down and dirty with Allan Hyde (Godric):Allan Hyde
 Allan Hyde played the amazing 2000 year old vampire Godric on True Blood, in real life he is 19 which makes his performance even better!!! Such a great guy and smart kid he will do very well that I am sure of, for more on him check back and if you have yet to see True Blood check it out…
Allan Hyde gets very dirty for The Dirty Side of Glamor the book I am working on as we speak.
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09/02/2009 | Post Comment |
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Bloody tears:
09/02/2009 | Post Comment |
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For those of you gamers out there who also happen to be obsessed with True Blood you'll be interested to learn that an independent group of Trubies have started an online RPG (role play game) dedicated solely to your beloved vampire series! It's name: Fangtasia Bar, The Role Play With a Bite. At first glance it is fairly rudimentary, but if you're hungering to take a turn playing your favorite Louisiana vamps or mortals, here's your chance.
If you are a Trubie, but are unfamiliar with what an online storytelling RPG is, it's fairly simple. You create a character, in this case someone from the show, and then enter into one of the "story threads". You read what the other characters are doing and then write an entry of your own, telling the other players what you character's actions are in the scene. It's actually quite addictive.
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09/02/2009 | Post Comment |
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From BloodCopy:
CALLING IN THE CAVALRY?
August 31st, 2009 
*(Yes, this is an image from a video posted by the FOTS. But given the Newlins’ recent troubles, I figured they wouldn’t mind if I borrowed it for usage on my sinful, non-wholesome pro-vampire site.)
Now, on to the main event. Quick update on the mass hypnosis turning local breathers into maddened children:
Nothing’s changed.
In fact, things may even be getting worse. From all accounts the police station is in shambles, the streets are littered with trash, and someone pilfered the top choices from the local butcher. One, ahem, under-clad couple romping outside my home happily informed me the “God who Comes” is coming. Not sure what that means, but I’m caught between hoping this alleged deity shows up to put an end to the whole mess and fearing the arrival may worsen matters.
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Alexander Skarsgard (Eric) Vs. Cam Gigandet (James): Who's The Scarier Vampire Villain? By Amy Wilkinson If you were caught unaware wandering the forests of Forks or the balmy swamps of Bon Temps, whose creepy footsteps would you fear the most: Cam Gigandet as "Twilight" tracker James or scary (although super sexy) "True Blood" Viking vamp Eric Northman played by Alexander Skarsgård? That's the question posed as part of Spike's 2009 Scream Awards, which honor the best in fantasy, sci-fi, comics and horror. The two vampires go head-to-head (or sharp teeth-to-fangs, if you will) in the Best Villain category alongside Eric Bana as Nero in "Star Trek," Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange in the "Harry Potter" films, Lorna Raver as Mrs. Ganush in "Drag Me to Hell" and Liev Schreiber as Victor Creed/ Sabretooth in "Wolverine." We're only interested in the two bloodsuckers though (duh!), so here's how the pair stack up:
| Build | | Eric: | The strapping Viking is a ceiling-grazing 6'4" and is stacked like a Greek god. | | James: | The lithe, lean nomad stands at an even 6 feet. | | Advantage: | Eric. No explanation necessary. |
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| Years As A Vampire | | Eric: | 1,000 | | James: | Unknown, though he's at least 80 years old having menaced Alice right before her turning in 1920. | | Advantage: | Eric. It's safe to assume that if James had hit the millennium mark he would have been hob-nobbing with the Volturi instead of a small coven of shoeless vampires. |
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| Special Abilities | | Eric: | We saw for the first time (I believe) in last week's "Frenzy" episode of "True Blood" that Eric can fly. | | James: | The bloodsucker is more bloodhound with his ability to track his prey with a sort of "sixth sense." | | Advantage: | James. Though it was a close decision, James' ability to find you WHEREVER YOU GO is much creepier (and likely deadlier) than flitting around like Peter Pan. |
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| Deadlines | | Eric: | In the "True Blood" universe, Eric can snack on you without killing you, which means an encounter with him is much less likely to result in your death or rebirth as a fellow vamp. | | James: | In Stephenie Meyer's world, a single venomous bite from one of her baddies is all it takes to leave you writhing in pain for days until you're a member of the undead nation. | | Advantage: | James |
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| Style | | Eric: | Nothing says "I'm ready to kick butt" quite like a wife beater. | | James: | The tracker wears his dead victim's duds. | | Advantage: | Eric. He'd never stoop to wearing used clothes, most likely cause he'd never fit in them! |
Overall winner: Eric. Based on his Nordic heft, millennium of experience and impeccable wardrobe, the "True Blood" vamp just edges out the "Twilight" tracker.
Check out Spike.com to see the rest of the nominees for the Scream 2009 awards, including a showdown between "Twilight" and "True Blood" for best ensemble and many more.
09/01/2009 | Post Comment |
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When Hansel and Gretel met ABBA ... Funny review from Seacoast Online: 'True Blood' recap: Disco Eric flies, but can't save ‘Frenzy' Queen Sophie-Anne makes painful debut, Sookie & Lafayette bond over Eric, Jason & Andy bond over zombies and Hoyt really should shoot his mother
When Hansel and Gretel met ABBA ... |
By Gina Carbone | September 01, 2009 4:34 PM
“Dude, do not cock-block me!"
“Frenzy” was far from the best episode of season two. In fact, it was a bit silly.
(Why Yahtzee, by the way? Boggle too complicated?)
The main problem we've had since veering from the superior Dallas episodes is the dearth of exciting vamp-driven action in comparison to goofy maenad-driven action.
To quote that other great sage, Eric Northman: “Don't you like vampires, little girl?”
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09/01/2009 | Post Comment |
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TV's Best Bads: True Blood's Eric to rival Buffy's Mayor
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TV’s bad men (and women) tend to play second fiddle to big-screen evil. You can see it in our gallery of the 20 Vilest Villains in Pop Culture: Only two,Dallas’ J.R. Ewing andThe Simpsons‘ Mr. Burns, are from the tube. I think it’s time we celebrate them. Who are the best bads you’ve seen on the small screen? It occurred to me as I watching last Sunday’s True Blood — and found myself saying “Eric, don’t eat the children” out loud, with a smile on my face — that the joy Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgard)brings me now rivals that received from watching Mayor Richard Wilkins (Harry Groener) in the third season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. For me, a villain is great when I start to wonder how much of the character is on the page, and how much is coming from the actor: Whose idea was it for Eric to be reclining on his elbow as (insert dismissive look) shapeshifter Sam asked for his help in defeating Maenad Maryann? And what about that wink he gave after he said, “Goodnight, tiny humans” to Arlene’s kids, or the way that he fixed his hair after flying to seek advice from Queen Sophie-Ann and running into Bill, who asked if he was only there to look like a hero to Sookie? (”Oh, Billy. This paranoia, it’s really quite unbecoming. Has she, uh, mentioned me?”) You may think I’m giving Skarsgard too much credit, but we know he worked closely with the show’s costume designer for the infamous foil/flip-flop kill scene in Season 2’s second episode, so…
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09/01/2009 | Post Comment |
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Sideswipe: Those bloody developers
Wednesday Sep 02, 2009
By Ana Samways
A clever billboard for Prime's True Blood is pasted over Marlin Group's advertising for its ill-fated Soho Square development in Ponsonby. "Finally the Soho Square developers admit they are a bunch of blood-suckers!" declares a reader.
09/01/2009 | Post Comment |
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A celebrity *ahem* endorsement from *cough* Lindsey Lohan per Warner Bros Extra TV:Lindsay Lohan's 'True Blood' Obsession
Posted by ExtraTV Staff on September 1, 2009
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Millions tune-in to HBO on Sunday nights to watch this summer's sexiest series "True Blood," and Lindsay Lohan tells "Extra" she's also a fan! "Nobody can speak when True Blood is on," LiLo tells "Extra's" Mario Lopez. When Mario told Lindsay he'd never seen the vampire hit, Lindz was shocked! No worries, Mario plans to catch up via TiVo. Lindsay also tells "Extra" she's moving away from acting to try producing. "I've been creating a bunch of shows that I've written treatments for and that I'm going to be producing -- and that's more interesting to me," the 23-year-old says. Lohan would also like to work with Tina Fey again. The two teamed up for "Mean Girls," and Lindsay hosted "Saturday Night Live" when Tina was still a part of the cast. Lindsay tells us she would love to make a guest appearance on "30 Rock." Miss Lohan also reveals she changed her middle name to Morgan, but not because of "30 Rock's" Tracy Morgan! As for rumors about starring in the new Robert Rodriquez flick, "Machete," the starlet stayed mum. When asked if she was working on the action-drama, Lindsay answered, "Maybe," adding, "I didn't say I was part of it yet."
09/01/2009 | Post Comment |
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UK Daily Mail declares True Blood's vampire look in this season:The vampire look? Only suckers will be sporting the Twilight style this season By Morwenna Ferrier
 In: The pasty vampiric look is all the rage as tans have gone out of fashion |
What works on the silver screen isn't necessarily easy to incorporate into your autumn wardrobe, which is why fashion's latest and least likely muse baffles me.
Vampires - yes pasty-faced bloodsuckers - are the new, erm, black.
Tans lost their currency this summer, while fancy dress sales have gone up by 35 per cent. And the vampire obsession shows no signs of abating.
Post Twilight (the hit story of a teenage girl who falls in love with a vampire), we have fallen hard and fast for the grown-up vampires of True Blood on satellite channel FX - coming to Channel 4 in October.
Equally, we expect big things and big looks from a whole family of them in The Vampire Diaries, on ITV2 next year.
Obviously, fashion is channelling a pared down version. The levels of gothness varies with the wearer - think chinos and leather in True Blood; alabaster skin and Topshop in Twilight.
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09/01/2009 | Post Comment |
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Blood Work! “True Blood” video recap 2.11: Alright, who laid the egg?!  Sep 01 2009
It’s that time of the week, Campers!
Yes, we’re back with the penultimate episode of Blood Work Too, the second season of our True Blood video recap series where we discuss the hit vampire series, play with dolls and cats and generally make total asses of ourselves.
This week we’re a bit down because … well, because this last episode suuuuuucked. But rather than let it ruin our pre-Labor-Day warmup, we decided to catch some sun and play some Yahtzee. Join us as we enjoy tropical drinks and complain about the shit going down in Bon Temps!
9/01/2009 | Post Comment |
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Australian News with an interview of Ryan Kwanten:Ryan Kwanten OK with nudity in True Blood
By Katherine Field | AAP |September 01, 2009 04:07pm
 Fighting fit ... Rising Aussie star Ryan Kwanten spent most of the first series of True Blood in the buff. Picture: HBO |
•Actresses "more nervous than me"
•Success from handling rejection well
•Stays fit for his "vain" character
AUSTRALIANactor Ryan Kwanten says he's comfortable appearing naked on screen in his fair share of graphic sex scenes in the US vampire series True Blood.
The 32-year-old former Home and Away actor plays southern US labourer and ladies' man Jason Stackhouse in the hit TV show and spent much of the first series without clothes on.
"I feel like it's something Jason my character would actually do," Kwanten said.
"I never feel like I'm putting myself out on a wire because the writing is always so good as well.
"And most of the time the actresses are more nervous than me anyway."
The buff actor has tried to stay especially fit for the show.
"I usually just try and cater the body to the role, obviously Jason is someone who looks after himself. He's very vain," Kwanten said.
"He's aware of his looks, so it's important that I stay on top of it but I also just enjoy fitness in general."
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9/01/2009 | Post Comment |
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From Houston Press - the music of Frenzy!"True Blood, Episode 11: Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "Frenzy" and a Naked Crazy Town In Peril
Tuesday, Sep. 1 2009 @ 7:30AM
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Short interview of Evan Rachel Wood by TV Guide Magazine: Evan Rachel Wood: Vampire Queen By Damian Holbrook September 01, 2009 08:42 AM EST No longer the sullen teen of Once & Again or gothed-out girlfriend of Marilyn Manson, Evan Rachel Wood is all grown up—and glammed up—as True Blood’s vampire queen, Sophie-Anne Leclerq. That so doesn’t bite.
We hear Sophie-Anne is gonna get down with someone in Bon Temps.
[Laughs] No! I don’t know how that got out, and I don’t want people tuning in and being disappointed. It’s not a sex scene; it’s just a steamy scene. There’s a little something going on with somebody you don’t expect.
How old is she?
I’ve heard somewhere between 500 and 1,000 years old. And she’s spoiled—she’s a queen—so she’s decked out in the best clothes and the best jewelry. She’s incredibly smart and witty, but she is definitely deadly.
Is she heroic?
You don’t know if she’s good or bad. I think she’s a little bit of both.
Does she have any weaknesses?
None that I know of, but you know, everybody does. I was gonna say she’s only human, but she’s not! [Laughs]
Now who would you rather bite, Eric or Bill?
I’m gonna say Eric.
This is a big change for you.
It’s gonna be another side of me that people have never quite seen. I think it’s the role I was born to play.
09/01/2009 | Post Comment |
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True Blood Season 2, Episode 12 Holds All the Answers
The Season Finale for True Blood Appears to Have an Exciting Conclusion
True Blood season 2 episode 12 will serve as the season finale this year. True Blood season 2 episode 12 could also mark the end of the line for several characters that have come to hold important roles in the second season of the hit HBO show. This season has seen many ups and downs for the characters of Bon Temps, and many of the supporting characters of the show have definitely seen better days. In episode 11 from season 2, True Blood revealed the queen vampire, played by Evan Rachel Wood, who is not quite what one would have expected from someone with such power. At the same time, it showcased some truly great writing for the show.
The last episode (True Blood season 2 episode 11) was probably the funniest episode of the entire run for True Blood. By poking fun at some of the things that have been happening in the show, using twists of the tongue to find humor in dark situations, and instilling some humorous back-and-forths between two main characters the show has really out-done itself. It's not an easy thing to do with such dark subject matter as people dying, zombies taking over Bon Temps, and a character with God-like powers killing at will, but the writers at True Blood have truly shown some great skills with the pen in recent episodes.
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09/01/2009 | Post Comment |
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| ***SPOILERS*** | ***SPOILERS*** | ***SPOILERS*** |
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Highlight to reveal hidden text----->
Sue in Bridgeport, Conn.: OMG! Was that Sookie in a wedding dress in the previews for True Blood's season finale last night?
Close. It was Maryann in a wedding dress and Sookie in a maid-of-honor dress for some season-finale craziness, courtesy our favorite maenad. (Maryann plans to marry the sacrifice-conjured Dionysus or some such nonsense.) Expect many surprises on the Sept. 13 True Blood finale, including Sam turning to an unlikely ally to help save Bon Temps.
08/31/2009 | Post Comment |
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In Which True Blood Ruins My Vampire Yahtzee Fantasies
By Meredith Woerner, 5:21 PM on Mon Aug 31 2009
Last night was the big campy Queen vampire reveal. Will she be pretty? Will she be rich? here's what vampire Evan Rachel Woods said to me... que sera sera.
This episode seemed to tread water a little bit, much like last week's, but at least we got in some quality Eric time. Seriously, he was all over the place with his Matrix-flying dress-wearing Swedish ass. And we approved of all of that. The rest? Well, kind of a crazy let down. But let me tell it to you, "Pro and Con" style.
Con: Evan Rachel Wood's Queen schtick. Was she a whole lotta glam packed in one tiny body? Yes. Well styled? Yes. Did she have a fabulous day room? Yes. Was she handed some of the best one-liners in True Blood History? Oh yes. The True Blood crew, cast writers, stylists set this character up with the most non-fail safety net in the history of sexy vampires, to say clever things. Which is why I'm shocked to the core at how she almost destroyed this character entirely. Her delivery came across as brittle, wooden and, well, dead.
 In fact I enjoyed all those other things about her character so much that I would forget how bad her delivery was, with a gasp and giggle thinking... oooooh, vampire Bill playing Yahtzee — hand claps all around chortle, chuckle, snort — wait... what? You're not even trying. I felt like I was watching my baby sister pretend to be the rich older next-door neighbor with the old clothes from the dress-up box. "Whaaats that you say," feigned eye roll and look of disinterest, "that's acting, mah dear boy. Now lookatme be all vampiresque and royal campy camp." It's not fair, she was handed the best lines of the night on a silver platter, and the whole time I was thinking Vampire Bill is out-crap-acting you. Be more something, anything — be more interesting. Your blood donors are out shining you. It was like listening to nails on a chalk board to hear her stiffly eke out the "kidding" joke to Bill about having sex. Bill is the uptight vampire, not you!
Bottom line: ERW half committed to True Blood, and in a land where people shoot light out of their fingers, pretend to be horned gods, have sex with trees, and turn into flies, you really have to lay it all out there if you want to stand out. When Sam transforms into a fly, he sells it... when Jason talks his idiotic banter, there's no winky cringe from the actor trying to imply that he's secretly smart underneath it all. Ryan Kwanten is 100% Jason, awkward eggplant engorged penis scene and all, and that's why we love him If you don't commit, you're just a disappointing cameo that wasted a great character. But what am I saying? There is no such thing as time or God or whatever for a vampire, but I don't really remember because I was zoning out every time she spoke, hoping we could get back to the day-room shots, which were lovely.
 But again, let me remind you that her writing, look and surrounding cast were all excellent. I would frame the pictures I grabbed of her in her larger-than-average fangs. She's a classic undead beauty, you cannot deny it. But The Queen lost a loyal subject out of me entirely with her delivery.
Did I want her to be better? Yes, a thousand times yes.
But moving on, because it's not healthy to harp on this and there's a lot of good still to come.
Pro: Hoyt's response to Jessica's actions is pretty believable, and I approve — he's been a momma's boy longer than he's been a boyfriend.
Con: Tara is still upset about Eggs, I'm upset that she's upset about Eggs, doesn't she pride herself in being a smart person? Did she not just realize that she was possessed and that this lady is probably going to kill more people and make them eat hearts? So shouldn't we think about this a bit more? Nope, not Tara. She will yell and scream and say totally unfounded things like, "I finally found a strong, beautiful good man who loves me".... oh, Tara I hate to burst your bubble but, no. None of those things apply to Eggs, or anyone named Eggs, ever.
Con: Tara called Lafayette a freak....now you're just being mean. Pushing Lafayette off your side is the wrong thing to do lady.
Pro: Sam, Jason and Andy cleaning up the bar...glad we have time for this guys.
 Pro: Jason and Sam fighting each other, and Jason kind of making sense — not really but a little bit, especially when he stats quoting leftover things in his brain, "sometimes you need to destroy something to save it."
Pro: Arlene's kids have taken to the woods, which is what kids do when they are hungry: turn into crazy feral children. That's why you should feed them regularly or they will turn on you.
Pro: Bill Texts Sookie. What do you think Bill's text looks like? "SUUUUKIE I WILL BE RETIRING AT THE PALACE, I WILL RETURN UPON NIGHTFALL. I WILL REQUIRE RELATIONS. ERIC IS EVIL. XO - VAMPIRE BILL"
Con: Sookie's description of Tara's feelings while being possessed makes no sense.
Con: Tara is spoiled and cares about no one other than herself, which is probably why she and Sook are besties. Seriously Tara you're going to let your Mom shoot the only person who cares about you?
Con: Why haven't we been seeing more of Lafayette's sex dreams? More of L's dreams, less of Sookie's, please.
Con: Lafayette's PTSD reaction. Twitchy boring annoying I hate both Tara and her mom now.
Pro: But because of his crazy PTSD episode we get Eric in Tara's mom's dress. Yay. I'd forgotten about these moments. So does this mean Lafayette is having sex dreams about Eric and PTSD dreams?
 Pro: Sookie telling Tara she's being a fucking idiot. Well, at least someone said it.
Pro: Jason's mind wrapping around Sam's powers. I'm glad it doesn't actually stop here with the questions.
Pro: Dance With me!
Con: Sam and Arlene kids talking about their mysterious missing Daddy: "All i know is his name is Dwayne and he tattooed mama's name on her stomach." Well, that's probably not important at all, is it?
Con: Sookie telling Lafayette to suck it up. Is he not driving the car towards the problem? Timing, babe, timing.
Con: Tara storming in and kissing smiley faced Eggs and not once thinking, hmmmm this was a huge mistake. But no matter "That shit doesn't work on her anymore...punch to the face.....nope wait it does." So that was easy enough, wasn't it? Moving on.
Con: Maryann's new powers of 1,000 squeaking mice.
Pro: Jason arguing about taking advantage of women while they're passed out or under the influence of the devil or whatnot. Con: SHAME on you True Blood for making me think that Andy was dead, even for a second.
Pro: Hoyt's sad backstory, finding out while his mom was all crazy pants.
Con: Sookie comparing the naked people in her house to when she almost got raped in Dallas — but really, this house defilement was so much worse than her rape. Are you kidding me? It's like there is a bell in her head saying, "Wait a minute, we stopped talking about me. Hey remember when I almost got raped, you don't? Well this is worse me me me me me me I I I I I I, the world all happens because I make it so!"
 Pro: Thank god Arlene and Terry are in the tree.
Pro: This is the first time I've been afraid of the black-eyed people because holy crumudgeoncrapple she just cut off her finger as a gift! I'm glad they didn't take it this far too early.
Pro: Sink guy, at my next wild party, I'm making sure I have one of those handy.
<----Pro: Eric decides to sit like this....
Con: Hey remember Pam? She remembers you and wants you to remember the funny joke she made once about shoes, remember she just said it! Think! Hard! Also BAD outfit. Pam, but arguably this is all in her wheelhouse, so it's a Con/Pro really for being consistent, like when Bill wet-blankets things.
Pro: Tea cup humans are delicious.
 Con: Eric's willingness to help out, presumably to impress Sookie. Blah, we are so lucky that this whole disgusting display of emotion was then covered up with FLYING ERIC.....zoooooooooom. Eric Awaaaaay.
Pro: Bill in flowery trunks.
Con: This whole hilarious moment is almost ruined by the Queen and her attempt to convince me that she loves seeing two men together — please, with some sort of believability, please. Prove it.
Con: KARL! oh no who will bring us towels now! No way will Lafayette be her bitch man.
Con: EVR is RUINING vampire Yahtzee for me. RUINING IT. I will never forgive her for this. This is one of those moments that will probably never be captured on screen again and she is just yawning through it. I'm being robbed of the experience of fully enjoying vampire Yahtzee. And the worst part of it all, I feel like she knows she's doing it. I'm getting the impression that in her mind she doesn't really care how the Vampire Queen of Louisiana would play Yahtzee. I never actually believed that she hated 3-sies or anything else she was all but reciting from memory during this conversation. It's more, "I said a funny campy thing. Look at me, I'm so glam-glam goth, which is totally in right now, campy camp camp words, okay bye." UGH.
 Pro: Thank god for Hadley and her slutty but not really bathing suit, and pigtails. It's cute trash with a red strawberry tint, and I'm into it. Am I curious about her backstory, maybe next season with the whole Arlene's other ex whatnot. I like that Bill didn't tell her Gan was dead, probably for that best.
Pro: Thank you for finally saying what we've all been thinking, Queeny. This is your pro for the night: it's time for Eric and Bill to get together already.
Pro: Eric's mussy Peter Pan hair. I can flyyyyyyyyyyyy.
Pro: Bill calling Eric desperate and than saying he'll tell the Queen he's letting humans sell vampire blood. Who's desperate now, bitch? I also like how pissed this made Eric, let's hope there is more to the Queen. A mean side perhaps?
Pro: Jason making sure he and Andy carb up before their big battle, then they each say pussy 1,000 times and Jason gets to talk about how hard it is being him... There really is too much good to this conversation. I think I need to post it. I'm taking back last weeks aforementioned Supernatural Surveillance Andy and Sam private eye sitcom... I'm thinking it may have to be three men and a vampire baby, I can't live without Jason saying the things that he does. Accepting title submissions now.  Also another pro to Jason for foreshadowing the terrible scrambled ended. Remember this is how True Blood uses foreshadowing, by just telling us the future.
Con: Sookie is STILL on the floor? She's so helpful and smart.
Con: Sink boy is gone.
Con: Aaaaand the big reveal is a giant egg. Yep a giant freaking egg. No, no seriously a group of adults sat down and looked at each other and decided that the big climax for the second to last episode that we've bore through countless hours of group sex for, will be squeezed out of Maryann's well dressed body, because she is a chicken lady.
  Then Sookie screams because they just ruined the best character in the world by making him a black-eyed zombie. And I scream, because it's a giant fucking egg. This is what I've been waiting for? So Maryann is going to make love to whatever comes out of the egg, or does it need to be fertilized like fish eggs? Will she sit on top of it at one point and cluck like a giant bird? Yes, True Blood, I was surprised, but I'm not sure if it was a good thing. Then again that's pretty ridiculous but perhaps we've gone a bit too far with this one. We may have crossed the rat shit insane Rubicon by already having Eric in a dress, Yahtzee, black eyed naked zombies and flying undead people. Just saying it's hard not to see this giant egg and think this...
And that's it. We have to wait a whole extra week before the finale, which feels like a reenactment of Jason's god hoax from the previous episodes but with more dresses, and probably a death. Here's what I'm taking away with ERW: she was bad, but beautiful. My problem with her was the stiff delivery which really got in the way when you compare her to the actors that are just going insane on this series. Eric had to bend over and convince me that children were especially yummy this episode, and he did, expertly. So can I just take old ERW as eye candy and just que sera the whole Queen conundrum, like she did to Bill's problems... Yes I can, I'm not happy about her super-fun game time face, but there's always vampire Taboo and vampire Pictionary.
08/31/2009 | Post Comment |
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'True Blood' Stars Embrace Fans' Vampire Lust "True Blood" fans' role-playing reverence for vampire show's sexy characters.
HBO's True Blood is riding the modern day vampire wave, showing off fan favorites like a cross-dressing short-order cook and a smoldering blond vampire with tin foil in his hair. But the lack of capes hanging in the wardrobe closets hasn't stopped the show's avid devotees from sinking their teeth into the fanatical world of dressing up in costume and role-playing.
No one's more surprised than the show's stars.
"It's been a little bonkers!" Michelle Forbes, who plays a sexy "Maenad" creature named Maryann Forrester, told ABCNews.com. "I was a part of Battlestar Gallactica, so I'm used to that world. But I didn't expect it with True Blood. I thought it was a show about a sleepy little town in Louisiana."
That fictional "sleepy little town" is Bon Temps, home to a cluster of vampires who are fairly newly "out of the coffin."
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08/31/2009 | Post Comment |
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Stephen Moyer, Anna Paquin, Ryan Kwanten & Alexander Skarsgard Nominated for Scream 2009 - Spike TV: Spike TV Announces Nominees for 'SCREAM 2009' - 'Star Trek' Tops List With 17 Nominations
Spike TV Announces Nominees for 'SCREAM 2009' - 'Star Trek' Tops List With 17
Nominations.
4th Annual Global Event Honoring The Blockbuster, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror and
Comic Book Genres of the Year Tapes Saturday, October 17 At The Greek Theater
In Los Angeles.
[Read entire article...]
Nominated - Best Villan: Alexander Skarsgard  "Everyone knows it's the VILLAINS who have the most fun. Thanks to the 'SCREAM' team and congrats to everyone at 'True Blood.' This is very exciting for the whole show," said Best Villain nominee and star of HBO's "True Blood" Alexander Skarsgard. | Nominated - Best Horror Actor:
Ryan Kwanten  "Thank you for the nomination and thank you for letting me frighten you. I look forward to doing it again sometime soon," said Ryan Kwanten after hearing he was nominated for Best Horror Actor for his role as Jason Stackhouse on "True Blood."
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08/31/2009 | Post Comment |
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True BloodÂ’ finale countdown: what we know and what we are dying to find out
After last night’s steaming hot episode of HBO’s hit vampire romp “True Blood,” based on the Sookie Stackhouse novels from author Charlaine Harris, the anticipation mounting for the (delayed) September 13 finale is almost unbearable. So, to help get my fellow ‘fangbangers’ through two weeks of no fresh “Blood”, I have compiled a list of things you should know going in, and what we can (maybe) hope to take out of this second season finale.
Where we are now:
Maryann, the maenad, has driven the whole town crazy. If the creepy black eyes weren’t enough, the food orgies, violent mood swings, and self-destructive behaviors of the entire town, should seal the deal that Bon Temps is rushing into a downward spiral faster than a speeding train.Tara is under the spell… again. After a brief interlude last week where Sookie seemed to ‘unposess’ her childhood friend, Tara ran right back into the arms of the devil (maybe literally) when she decided to hurt everyone she cared about in order to rescue Eggs.
The Vampire Queen of Louisiana is a capital B.A. The lovely Evan Rachel Wood (‘Across the Universe’) nailed the part of the bisexual (or maybe omnisexual) queen, who lives a lavish lifestyle in New Orleans. We also know that when she ‘insists’ upon something, Bill, or any other vampire has to oblige. And, she has been around long enough to know a thing or two about maenads, including the fact that they have willed themselves into immortality but want nothing more than to die a true death… And, she is looking forward to meeting Sookie, which can’t be good.
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08/31/2009 | Post Comment |
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TV Opening Credits: HBO rules
 San Francisco Chronicle columnists Tim Goodman and Peter Hartlaub recently came up with their top-ten lists of TV opening credits.
The topic is one of my favorites and a long-discussed one amongst friends, usually when drinks are slung and there's no more dollars for the jukebox (or Photo Hunt). Though I agree with most of Goodman and Hartlaub's choices, I want to recognize the network that deserves the most accolades for their incredible opening credits, and that's HBO.
Here are my five picks for the best of the best, and I'm not even going to include The Sopranos, since the Chronicle boys gave enough love to that theme!
| 3. True Blood: HBO's latest breakout hit is another Alan Ball production and its opener perfectly exemplifies what kind of show you're getting into. That Jace Everett song hits all the right notes against images of a show centered around a small southern town in Louisiana in a world where vampires have recently outed themselves to the public. Bouncing between shots of sex and church and everything in between that screams South, Ball is enticing viewers into his world and clearly, based on ratings, people are biting. |
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08/31/2009 | Post Comment |
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Kristen Bauer's Wedding Interview - from On Milwaukee :Milwaukee Talks: "True Blood's" Kristin Bauer
Racine native Kristin Bauer keeps herself busy. In addition to playing Pam, the vampire club owner on HBO's hit show, "True Blood," Bauer is also an artist, an animal rights activists and a new bride who got married on her family's farm.
As an actor, Bauer has 53 credited television and film projects -- everything from "Seinfeld" to "Desperate Housewives" to "Boston Legal" and now, "True Blood," which she says is her favorite project yet. With "True Blood" approaching its season-two finale, we caught up with Bauer by phone to discuss "man hands," her new-found recognition, her memories of Mayfair Mall and more. Enjoy this latest Milwaukee Talks.
OnMilwaukee.com: What's it like working on a show that some critics are calling one of the best on TV? Kristin Bauer: It's incredible, surreal and unexpected.
OMC: What part of it is unexpected? Because I've watched every episode of "True Blood" and knew it was a pretty unique show from day one.
KB: I don't know if it's me having been in the business a bit and have gotten my hopes up so many times, because there's so much about filming that I can't control. I've done some amazing things that people didn't really see, and some crappy things that everybody saw. I somehow have to focus on just saying the words and then forget about it. I assumed it would be amazing because of (executive producer) Alan Ball, and I love vampires, and the cast is so incredible. I was working on another show, and halfway through the hair and makeup, someone said, "We just have to tell you whe love 'True Blood,' and you're incredible as Pam!" They were giving me attention that seems different than the other hit shows that I've been on like "Seinfeld." There's a real mysterious component to this level of interest.
OMC: The season is just about over, so I'm assuming you've been done filming for a while. Do you feel like every episode is just getting better?
KB: Yeah, I do. I feel the excitement, even though I know what is going to happen. I still can't wait for Sunday.
OMC: Do you watch the show?
KB: Yeah, they screen them at lunchtime on the set. I'm as excited as anybody.
OMC: What else are you working on?
KB: I'm doing "Private Practice" this week. It's totally different; I'm playing a human.
OMC: You're only 35, but your biography says you acted in 53 different roles. That seems like a lot. What are some of your favorites?
KB: I really am partial to comedy, which is one thing I love about "True Blood." I think Pam is hysterical. A lot of the TV stuff I do that is dramatic is harder work. It's great as an actor to show people that you can do that, but maybe I've just gotten lazy, but I really like playing fun roles. "Seinfeld" was fun, and "Romy and Michele's High School Reunion " was fun. "Desperate Housewives" and "Boston Legal" were fun. "True Blood" is the most fun of any job I've ever had.
OMC: Even better than the "man hands" episode of "Seinfeld?"
KB: That was pretty hysterical, because a sitcom set is a blast. That cast was so happy and so easy-going. They worked like three or four hours a day. "True Blood" is 17 hours a day. It's really cinematic, so the filming moves much more slowly.
OMC: Do people still ask you about the "man hands?" Do they all want to see your hands? KB: Yes, they do. I get asked that all the time. OMC: I'm assuming those weren't actually your hands. KB: No, thank God. Can you imagine? OMC: Speaking of special effects, how do the fangs work on "True Blood?" KB: It's a magical CGI trick. We just say the line again with fangs, and somewhere these guys just make that happen. OMC: Your Pam character had less of a role in some episodes this season. Will we see more of her in season three? KB: I hope so. You never know what Alan Ball is going to do. I've heard from fans of the book that her role gets larger.
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08/31/2009 | Post Comment |
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HBO's 'True Blood' takes dark turn as Bill, Sookie and the rest of Bon Temps head for the season finale by Marcia White | Monday August 31, 2009, 8:11 AM
Sunday night's "True Blood" was a bummer.
It was a bummer for Bon Temps in general as several minor characters lost limbs or their lives as Maryann continued her rain of chaos.
It was a bummer for Lafayette, who had to attempt to rescue his cousin, Tara, from Maryann's clutches again. This time, Lafayette didn't emerge the hero. In the last few seconds of the show, an evil-eyed, apparently turned Lafayette confronts Sookie in her totally trashed grandmother's house.
It was a bummer for Hoyt and Jessica. Hoyt turned against Jessica after she bit his mother, who had fallen under Maryann's spell and was being more than her usual nasty about their relationship.
And it was a bummer for Bill. He went to the vampire queen for some advice on how to get rid of Maryann, but instead, the queen was more interested in her fleshy pursuits and playing Yahtzee.
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08/31/2009 | Post Comment |
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I dream about Alex/Eric ... do you? From Entertainment Weekly's Watch With Kristin: True Blood Redux: Raise Your Hand If You're Having Sex Dreams About Eric
Sun., Aug. 30, 2009 9:05 PM PDT by Jennifer Godwin
Welcome back to Bon Temps, TV fans! This weekwe fans of True Blood are arming ourselves with flame throwers, grenades and advice from the Queen in anticipation of the climactic final battle with maenad Maryann. She's marshaling her troops, and we're marshalling ours, but there's no telling yet who will have the upper hand in the end.
If you've haven't watched yet, sit down with your Snickers-and-Tabasco cassarole and spin up that DVR! But if you have seen tonight's installment of True Blood and you're ready to talk, fly on here.
What We Learned
Good Night, Tiny Humans: Best part of the episode? Eric and Pam’s reactions to Arlene’s children—Pam thought they smelled funny, but Eric thought they were kinda cute, calling them "teacup humans" and gleefully showing off his fangs upon request. Truth be told, Eric being nice to small children was swoonworthy and we do not mind one bit that Alan Ball toyed with our hormones like that. In fact, we’d like some more please. P.S. Eric can fly?! What the heck?
Don't Go to the Dark Side: In other news, Sookie and Lafayette revealed to each other that sucking Eric's blood had turned them into saucer-eyed freaks ofa sort. Both admitted to being subconsciously sexually obsessed with the Viking vamp, and Lafayette even seems to be contemplating a crossover into the world of the undead. Count on that being a continuing storyline for all parties involved.
Oh Those Wacky Vampers! Love that 2,000-year-old Sophie looks and sounds indistinguishable from a Valley girl, and that she is significantly less insane than the other ancient vampires we’ve met lately. (Godric, we’re looking at you.) What did you think of her Yahtzee fetish? Adorable or annoying? The sun room was unquestionably fabulous, and the foodie-style appreciation for free-range, organic human was a nice touch. Do you trust her advice on maenads? Will you be happy if she sticks around for a while?
Unacceptable: Now, Jessica should not have tried to eat Hoyt’s mother, and she deserved a scolding, but did Hoyt really have to leave her? Those two crazy kids belong together! Of course, part of why we love Hoyt is that he’s so patient with his bitch-ass mother, but honestly, if we have to choose, we choose Jessica!
Blech: For the umpteenth week in a row, this Maryann stuff isjust plaindisgusting. The woman cutting off her finger? Yuck. And as we learned at the very end of the episode, that bitch got her claws into Lafayette! That’s not OK, and indeed, the blame for that falls on Tara who just had to run off like an idiot to save Eggs. Here’s to Jason, Sam, Andy and vampire Bill saving the day from that nut, who has believed herself immortal and who dabbles into bestiality and cannibalism. Ugh.
What’s To Come
Next week is a bye week, sorry guys. There’s no new True Blood next Sunday (all the regular SundayHBO shows are clearing out of the Labor Day weekend), but when the show returns in the following week, everything finale comes to a head in the season finale. We’ll find out if the boys are capable of taking out Maryann and liberating Bon Temps (signs point to yes), and we’ll get our first realhints about what’s to come in season three...
What did you like and loathe about tonight's ep of True Blood? Post in the comments!
08/31/2009 | Post Comment |
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Reasons to love Sophie-Ann - From The Examiner: 'True Blood': Top 5 reasons to love Queen Sophie-Anne
All hail the Queen, or pay for it with your life (Photo: HBO) |
Vampire Queen of Louisiana Sophie-Anne (Evan Rachel Wood) finally made her long-awaited debut on True Blood, and she didn't disappoint.
She was onscreen all of 10 minutes, but definitely upped the show's queer factor. She also delivered the best lines of the night.
Herewith, the top 5 reasons to love the Queen:
1. She's bisexual.
Sophie-Anne prefers to feed on women, and she has a female lover, who just happens to be Sookie's cousin, Hadley.
What does the Queen think about the opposite sex? "I haven't enjoyed sex with men since the Eisenhower administration," she said.
2. She lives in a really gay palace.
Sophie-Anne's taste in decor is over-the-top gay.
Her "day room" was complete with antique French furniture, a pool, and chandeliers and statues made entirely of seashells. The jazzy mood music and beachy sound effects gave the joint that extra special something.
3. She likes to watch two men get it on.
As poor Bill (Stephen Moyer) begged her to let him leave, the Queen forced him to stay with her all day (shirtless and in swim trunks, no less). She also made him feed on a "pure, like before the industrial revolution" male Latvian concubine, who offered to have sex with Bill.
As Bill grabbed the boy's head and bit into his neck, Sophie-Anne excitedly bared her fangs and said, "I love watching two men together."
Later, when Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) arrived and upset Bill, Sophie-Anne remarked,
"All this alpha-male posturing. Why don't the two of you just f--k each other and get it over with? I could watch."
4. She looks like an Old Hollywood diva.
Sophie-Anne screams glamour. She dresses and acts like a 40's or 50's-era grande dame, and walks around dripping in jewelry. She seems to prefer light or white colors, which must be a bitch to dry clean after a good femoral feeding.
5. She loves playing games
As if toying with Bill all night as the frenzy in Bon Temps raged on wasn't enough, the Queen also insisted on playing a game of Yahtzee.
During the game, she finally gave Bill the information he sought. She called maenads "sad, silly things... relics who believe in the God who comes". When Bill asked, "Does he ever come?", Sophie-Anne replied, "Of course not. Gods only exist in humans' minds, like money or morality."
08/31/2009 | Post Comment |
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True Blood Sucker Punch: Episode 11
Welcome to Sucker Punch, the only blog post that ranks the gaudiest moments on this week's episode of True Blood.
(Warning: Spoilers Ahead)
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Okay, look... I know it's hard to be a television writer. You've got character development and plot continuity and about six million other things to think about, and you're usually juggling multiple episodes at once. From that perspective, it's a miracle that any episode of any series is ever any good, which is why I can forgive my favorite shows when they have a bad episode or two.
And I'll definitely have to forgive True Blood for this week's installment, "Frenzy." It's pretty much a disaster.
But let's start with the high points---except for the Sucker Punch of the Week, of course, which will give us a happy ending. (Ew. Not that kind of happy ending.) Trapped beneath the flaming rubble of this hour, there are a few lovely exchanges between characters. Lafayette and Sookie's scene on the porch, for instance, lets them connect in a believable, low-key way about their mutual ties to Erik, and the episode gives Nelsan Ellis several other meaty moments. Swinging between sauciness, terror, bravery, and loyalty, he delivers a captivating performance.
But you know who's really captivating in this episode? Tara. In one of my favorite scenes of the whole season, she callously manipulates her mother into letting her out of her handcuffs so she can try to save Eggs from Maryann. She can't blame her cruelty on the buggy black eyes---she's choosing to prod her mother's guilt by saying she'll forgive the old lady for her alcoholism and bad parenting. And then once she's broken her mother's spirit, Tara races into a trap for a man she's known for about two weeks. Hardly worth the suffering, you know?
The whole affair just makes Tara seem small and petty and messed up. But good for Alan Ball for writing such a complex scene. It reminds us that in the present day, Tara's not her mother's victim anymore, and while she's certainly earned some empathy for her crappy childhood, she also has allowed herself to become the kind of adult who makes selfish choices. That creates dense and thoughtful drama.
One more thing: I love that Tara's exorcism is what called Maryann to Bon Temps. It means the Maryann storyline is rooted in the ongoing arc of the show and isn't just an arbitrary "complication" that was grafted on for kicks.
However, this revelation is also where the trouble begins.
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08/31/2009 | Post Comment |
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YouTube preview of Episode 212: Beyond Here Lies Nothin'
08/31/2009 | Post Comment |
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