True Blood

[Mongoose]

Same questions as the GoT thread (I've not read or watched GoT) because some of you must have HBO! I liked the book series okay, but I really like the political undertones of the HBO show. I'm not really into vampires, but I like True Blood despite myself. The accents are terrible, but not bad since pretty much half the cast is not from the US (Anna Paquin, Ryan Kwanten, Stephen Moyer, Alex Skaarsgard, etc).

I love the whole parallel of vampires coming out of the closet and the "God Hates Fangs" slogan. Very clever.

[S~V~S]

I thought the earlier seasons were more "srs" in that they had better plotlines. The shark-jumping since the werepanthers has been pretty over the top, but it's a guilty pleasure, I still watch it. I heard they got renewed into another season, although this was supposed to be the last year.

Although my "favorites" have moved around, I still like Eric better than Bill, and I have learned to love and appreciate Pam, which really surprises me since I really used to actively dislike her.

I have only read the first book, just out of curiosity really since I was such a fan of the show (my dog is named Sookie, lol) and it was a tad teenagerish for me, so i did not read a second. Should I?

[Mongoose]

I thought the earlier seasons were more "srs" in that they had better plotlines. The shark-jumping since the werepanthers has been pretty over the top, but it's a guilty pleasure, I still watch it. I heard they got renewed into another season, although this was supposed to be the last year.

Although my "favorites" have moved around, I still like Eric better than Bill, and I have learned to love and appreciate Pam, which really surprises me since I really used to actively dislike her.

I have only read the first book, just out of curiosity really since I was such a fan of the show (my dog is named Sookie, lol) and it was a tad teenagerish for me, so i did not read a second. Should I?

The books really hit their stride, around book 3, so you might want to see how another book treats you. That said, it's not my traditional fare. I enjoyed them, but very much in a guilty pleasure way, and there's lots of cheese in the books (that I do not enjoy). I think Victoria Laurie's Ghost Hunter series is probably superior, but her protag is not quite as likable as Sookie. But yeah, teenagery.

[Mongoose]

Also: An honest to goodness YA book that has the same gothic themes as True Blood but has a much more cogent storyline is The Raven Boys. I thought it was going to be Twilighty or like that Beautiful Creatures tripe, but it was damn good. I could not believe how good it was!

[Hedgeowl]

Also: An honest to goodness YA book that has the same gothic themes as True Blood but has a much more cogent storyline is The Raven Boys. I thought it was going to be Twilighty or like that Beautiful Creatures tripe, but it was damn good. I could not believe how good it was!

Now I want to read this book. Since it's part of a planned quartet, I may wait because I hate having to wait for the next book. Twilight drove me nuts. Such bad editting and writing. Why? Also ebooks in general are just horribly edited.

Ok, True Blood. Haven't watched all of the last season. I am definitely more a fan of Eric at this point, but have a soft spot for Alcide naturally. It just keeps getting crazier and crazier and I don't understand Bill's motives at all now. Not sure if I will go back to watching, but a planned series ending always helps. Sam and Tara are some of my favorite characters for sure. I am always rooting for Sam it seems. The tongue-in-cheeck aspects of the show are great, but Having no idea where the series will end up is part of why I am not watching anymore.

[Mongoose]

Also: An honest to goodness YA book that has the same gothic themes as True Blood but has a much more cogent storyline is The Raven Boys. I thought it was going to be Twilighty or like that Beautiful Creatures tripe, but it was damn good. I could not believe how good it was!

Now I want to read this book. Since it's part of a planned quartet, I may wait because I hate having to wait for the next book. Twilight drove me nuts. Such bad editting and writing. Why? Also ebooks in general are just horribly edited.

Ok, True Blood. Haven't watched all of the last season. I am definitely more a fan of Eric at this point, but have a soft spot for Alcide naturally. It just keeps getting crazier and crazier and I don't understand Bill's motives at all now. Not sure if I will go back to watching, but a planned series ending always helps. Sam and Tara are some of my favorite characters for sure. I am always rooting for Sam it seems. The tongue-in-cheeck aspects of the show are great, but Having no idea where the series will end up is part of why I am not watching anymore.

On the show, I LOVE Lafayette. Love him. I think Jessica was a very great addition to the TV series that wasn't in the book series (hope that's not too big of a spoiler).

RE: Twilight - YES! Hated it. Awful drivel. I think you should totally get into the Raven Boys. There is a twist in the book that made me gasp aloud. I'm not melodramatic IRL so it was definitely a shocking moment!

[bea]

to quote gilli and illy - "dayum"

Fuck, I don't even know where to start.

Ok - my back story - I hate vampires as a motif. Like it's so insainely overused. So just..predictable.

I read the Anne Rice books when I was a teen. That was the end all and believe all as far as vampires as a motif goes. I got disinterested in her stories about half way through as a teenager.

So just - I HATE VAMPIRES AS A MOTIF.

But here is my sweet Diggz - he says "watch true blood - it's good" so we watch the first season and it's pretty great, but then I learn from watching it that there are books and now I MUST read them because they are books. (and I read them all. werepanthers is all I can say about the books. where the eff are the werepanthers in the show? Cuz that shite was over the top awesome too! also - Jason's story line in the books was better than his story line on the show. )

And as a reader of the books and a follower of the show - they both take megga turns down the ridiculous - but it's ridiculous I can't not watch. It's my train wreck.

Once season 2 happens the books and the show have so diverged themselves that they really are 2 different entities.
But really - they are both RIDICULOUS! And so very awesomely ridiculous!!!!

Layfete is the BEST character on the show. He is always my "sane voice of reason" I can't even begin to talk about my cranky about his treatment in the books.

So..um..yea...we watch the show... and every time he cues it up I'm all "it's time for ridiculous vampires!!!" (you know as opposed to the joss buffy or angel vampires - which are only slightly less ridiculous in my book...)

for the most part...I can't even...

[Mongoose]

Hey, not sure where you are in the show, but the werepanthers definitely show up in a major crazy way! I don't think the weretiger has shown up yet though.

I'm vampired out too. I wanted the Anne Rice books to be so much better than they were, and The Vampire Lestat was just not very good. A vampire rocker? Ugh.

I think one of my favorite vampire films is Guillermo del Toro's early film Cronos. I thought the movie version of Interview with the Vampire was actually better than the book, and that doesn't happen too often!

[Hedgeowl]

When vampire mania hit through Twilight etc., my feeling was more, 'Wait didn't we just do this? Does no one remember Buffy?" Granted I was a big Buffy fan back in the day. Apparently I had no idea how crazy it would get. You cant pick up a book without a vampire, werewolf, angel, demon, dragan, whatever theme at this point. Makes it hard to find books that are actually worth reading. I like a good fantasy novel, but wow there's a lot of new bad ones.

Lafayette is a much needed character for humor on the show. Someone was telling me he was supposed to be kiled at the end of season 1? 2?, but he was too popular with the fans, so they brought him back.

[Mongoose]

When vampire mania hit through Twilight etc., my feeling was more, 'Wait didn't we just do this? Does no one remember Buffy?" Granted I was a big Buffy fan back in the day. Apparently I had no idea how crazy it would get. You cant pick up a book without a vampire, werewolf, angel, demon, dragan, whatever theme at this point. Makes it hard to find books that are actually worth reading. I like a good fantasy novel, but wow there's a lot of new bad ones.

Lafayette is a much needed character for humor on the show. Someone was telling me he was supposed to be kiled at the end of season 1? 2?, but he was too popular with the fans, so they brought him back.

The beginning few seasons of TB roughly matched up with a book, so I think Lafeyette would have died in Season 1 since he dies in book 1. The whole Tara story line (including her ethnicity) is different in the books. And there's the absence of Jessica from the books, which was a wonderful character. Terry is much older in the books (Vietnam vet instead of Desert Storm), so that was a good move. Arlene is much more likeable on the show too. Not without her faults, but I really think she's fun.

[S~V~S]

I was pretty vampired-out as well, read all the Anne Rices (like Bea, thought they were kinda silly, but still hard to put down for some weird inexplicable reason), did major Buffy time, never read or saw a Twilight, but I did (and still do) love Being Human, I plan on starting the British series soon (I have only seen the USA one), I have been told if I like the US one, i will love the original, and that is one of my favorite shows of all time.

True Blood turned into a bad train wreck IMO, and as such it really is hard to look away from it. The end of last season and the things that are happening in this current season (note to self and anyone else listening; must talk to MP about getting spoiler tags) are silly beyond belief, lol. Just ludicrous. Can't wait to see it tonight It's like a bad Gothic trailertrash soap opera with blood and sex.

I can endure anything so long as they don't bring the werepanthers back

[Mongoose]

I keep thinking - when did they film this? Anna Paquin just had twins!

[bea]

I was pretty vampired-out as well, read all the Anne Rices (like Bea, thought they were kinda silly, but still hard to put down for some weird inexplicable reason), did major Buffy time, never read or saw a Twilight, but I did (and still do) love Being Human, I plan on starting the British series soon (I have only seen the USA one), I have been told if I like the US one, i will love the original, and that is one of my favorite shows of all time.

True Blood turned into a bad train wreck IMO, and as such it really is hard to look away from it. The end of last season and the things that are happening in this current season (note to self and anyone else listening; must talk to MP about getting spoiler tags) are silly beyond belief, lol. Just ludicrous. Can't wait to see it tonight It's like a bad Gothic trailertrash soap opera with blood and sex.

I can endure anything so long as they don't bring the werepanthers back

Yup. That's why I keep tuning in too. I just can't look away at this point. Besides diggz and I don't watch enough comedy.

@ mongoose - you're right - it was the weretiger that never showed up. Either way - I was reading the books and all like "I'm going to be very sad if there isn't a weresquirel in here somewhere...."

I've watched like 5 or so episodes of the British Being Human and it's actually pretty cool. Never saw the American version. I'm still not happy with syfy re: Alphas. We just keep getting sidetracked by all the other shows we watch. (like I'm sooooo behind in person of interest - we've only seen like 3 episodes of bates hotel - there's just SO MANY SHOWS!!)

[Mongoose]

I was pretty vampired-out as well, read all the Anne Rices (like Bea, thought they were kinda silly, but still hard to put down for some weird inexplicable reason), did major Buffy time, never read or saw a Twilight, but I did (and still do) love Being Human, I plan on starting the British series soon (I have only seen the USA one), I have been told if I like the US one, i will love the original, and that is one of my favorite shows of all time.

True Blood turned into a bad train wreck IMO, and as such it really is hard to look away from it. The end of last season and the things that are happening in this current season (note to self and anyone else listening; must talk to MP about getting spoiler tags) are silly beyond belief, lol. Just ludicrous. Can't wait to see it tonight It's like a bad Gothic trailertrash soap opera with blood and sex.

I can endure anything so long as they don't bring the werepanthers back

Yup. That's why I keep tuning in too. I just can't look away at this point. Besides diggz and I don't watch enough comedy.

@ mongoose - you're right - it was the weretiger that never showed up. Either way - I was reading the books and all like "I'm going to be very sad if there isn't a weresquirel in here somewhere...."

I've watched like 5 or so episodes of the British Being Human and it's actually pretty cool. Never saw the American version. I'm still not happy with syfy re: Alphas. We just keep getting sidetracked by all the other shows we watch. (like I'm sooooo behind in person of interest - we've only seen like 3 episodes of bates hotel - there's just SO MANY SHOWS!!)

I've seen the American Being Human a lot and I really like it. I watched the first episode of the UK version and it was really hard for me to get into, but it's still on my Netflix queue and I'm sure I'll return to it at some point. Especially since it's in the last season.

[bea]

So - back on topic - what did everyone think of this season's finale?

[Mongoose]

I LIKED IT! I ARE YOU SAD THAT SEASON 6 |ILL BE THE LAST? I?M GLAD ONE OF ANDY'S KIDS SURVIVED. I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE BARBECUE THOUGH, BUT I THINK SOME OF THE GOOD VAMPS WILL PROTECT BON TEMPS. ALSO SORRY THIS IS IN CAPS. I'M ON MY PHONE AND I CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT.

[Mongoose]

Series Finale: What in the flippin' freak.

If anyone posts spoilers about last night's series finale, please mark it so that others can avoid, thanks!

[S~V~S]

HERE BE SPOILERS ARR!!!

This whole season was silly~ it was kinda like Dark Shadows (the show, not the movie). Just so mundane, yet Gothic. I liked all of the supernatural "frills" from the early seasons, like Godric, and all the ancient stuff. Making the center of all this mystery and supernatural awesomeness Bon Temps, then having all of those ludicrous hep v critters was anticlimactic.

I hated that Taras mother got to be vindicated for all the awfulness she perpetrated while on the V, and I don;t even want to go into the Alcide story arc. Can't do it. The last scene (before the Real Blood Epilogue) the picnic table scene, was awful. To be true to the credits, everyone should have died. LOL, harsh, but that is my opinion.

And WTF?? No werepanther cameos in the final show?

[S~V~S]

[Mongoose]

HERE BE SPOILERS ARR!!!

This whole season was silly~ it was kinda like Dark Shadows (the show, not the movie). Just so mundane, yet Gothic. I liked all of the supernatural "frills" from the early seasons, like Godric, and all the ancient stuff. Making the center of all this mystery and supernatural awesomeness Bon Temps, then having all of those ludicrous hep v critters was anticlimactic.

I hated that Taras mother got to be vindicated for all the awfulness she perpetrated while on the V, and I don;t even want to go into the Alcide story arc. Can't do it. The last scene (before the Real Blood Epilogue) the picnic table scene, was awful. To be true to the credits, everyone should have died. LOL, harsh, but that is my opinion.

And WTF?? No werepanther cameos in the final show?

I was thinking that as well. I couldn't remember if Crystal had died or not. And I couldn't remember if we got a werebear or not or if that was the books. It felt rushed overall and I felt we could have benefited from a 2-hour finale.

I'm also verklempt about Alcide. I felt the writers painted themselves into a corner with that. They kill off Alcide and his bodacious bod in order to have Sookie end up with Random Beard Guy #2? She didn;t shed her light, so she's still fey but with some random mundane. She's putting him and her progeny at risk and that doesn't seem in line with always altruistic Sookie.

[bea]

yea - this last season was the disappoint.

Every single thing they did felt inorganic. Of all of it I think I was most cranky about the Jess/Hoyt/Jason and new girl thing. Every beat of that false to the story that came before it and done only because it was the series end and to play on my emotions. Bah true blood writers. Bah.

[Mongoose]

yea - this last season was the disappoint.

Every single thing they did felt inorganic. Of all of it I think I was most cranky about the Jess/Hoyt/Jason and new girl thing. Every beat of that false to the story that came before it and done only because it was the series end and to play on my emotions. Bah true blood writers. Bah.

I'm sad it's over!

[S~V~S]

What I really wanted was for Sams daughter to turn into a puppy, and Jasons kid to turn into a panther cub, and have them playing on the lawn as the last shot

[fingersplints]

yea - this last season was the disappoint.

Every single thing they did felt inorganic. Of all of it I think I was most cranky about the Jess/Hoyt/Jason and new girl thing. Every beat of that false to the story that came before it and done only because it was the series end and to play on my emotions. Bah true blood writers. Bah.

You could sense that one coming the second Hoyt and that girl walked on screen.