True Blood“Strange Love”
Original Air Date – Sept 7, 2008
Andi M - TwoCents Reviewer
andi@thetwocentscorp.com
Oh my stars, where to start? We’ve got a lot to cover, so let’s start with a list, because I’m fun like that!
The Good:
1. Casting. I like all of them, even the ones I’m not supposed to.
2. The music. What do you guys think? Awesome? I loved it.
3. The way they handle Sookie’s telepathy. Unlike the fangs, this is not cheesy at all.
The Bad:
1. Fangs – The concept is cool (they spring forward like a rattlesnake’s do), but they look cheesy.
2. Vampire Sex. Okay, obviously Sookie is going to knock boots with a vampire at some point and I’m concerned about the precedent that the vampire sex in this episode is setting. I guess we’ll just have wait and to see.
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True Blood
ReplyDelete“Strange Love”
Original Air Date – Sept 7, 2008
Andi M - TwoCents Reviewer
andi@thetwocentscorp.com
Oh my stars, where to start? We’ve got a lot to cover, so let’s start with a list, because I’m fun like that!
The Good:
1. Casting. I like all of them, even the ones I’m not supposed to.
2. The music. What do you guys think? Awesome? I loved it.
3. The way they handle Sookie’s telepathy. Unlike the fangs, this is not cheesy at all.
The Bad:
1. Fangs – The concept is cool (they spring forward like a rattlesnake’s do), but they look cheesy.
2. Vampire Sex. Okay, obviously Sookie is going to knock boots with a vampire at some point and I’m concerned about the precedent that the vampire sex in this episode is setting. I guess we’ll just have wait and to see.
The pilot opens like any HBO show worth it’s salt - with pointless sexual interactions. Nothing wrong with that, it’s HBO after all. Two drunk college students fool around while driving (please do not try this at home) and skid to a halt at the Grab It Kwik because they have TruBlood, the new synthetic blood that allows vampires to avoid eating you. There is a nice little bit of misdirection wherein the real vampire is the camo-clad hillbilly instead of the longhaired goth guy, which introduces us to an important theme: Vampires are not always going to be what you think. Keep it in mind.
Opening credits! And neat ones at that!
Then we’re off to Merlotte’s, the local watering hole where Sookie, our resident swear-hating, sexually inexperienced, telepathic waitress works. It’s a backwoods kind of place that serves burgers and booze and houses some interesting folk. From Sam the Sookie-loving owner to Lafayette the cross-dressing cook to Arlene the trashy waitress. I like them already.
Sookie is busy at work and we get a really great introduction to her telepathy and the fact that people think she’s stupid or they just ignore what’s really going on. There’s an ever-present murmur that she sometimes accidentally responds to or has a hard time blocking out, which prompts people to say things like, “I think she’s retarded.” It’s well done. They’ve really handled the exposition well.
Tara, Sookie’s bff, shows up, fresh from throwing a bucketful of attitude at her boss and a customer and then quitting her job. This seems to be trend. She’s a firecracker, but hard not to like.
Meanwhile somewhere in town, there’s a very sexy man and a not-so-sexy woman having rough sex while watching a vampire sex tape. Again with the HBO and the sex. Oh, but wait, she’s got a hidden camera running. Not that that’s going to come up later or anything.
Back at Merlotte’s, Sam and Sookie have an awkward moment and in walks a vampire. We know he’s a vampire because he comes with his own soundtrack. He’s pretty dirty looking; I’m not going to lie. He’s also painfully charming and mysterious. I can already tell it’s going to be a hard call – Sam or the vampire? Who does a girl choose?
Soon the vampire is “befriended” by a trashy couple called the Rattrays and Sookie hears them thinking about draining his blood to sell, as it’s the new drug of choice. It makes people feel healthy and have an excellent sex drive. But before Sookie can do anything, the Rattrays and the vampire are gone.
She runs outside to stop them and Sam follows, but doesn’t have a compass, apparently, because only Sookie finds the troubled vampire. With the aid of a chain and a knife, Sookie gets medieval and helps out her new friend, whose name is Bill. Yes, that’s right, the vampire Bill. She laughs at him and so does half the audience, which is the point. Remember that part earlier about how vampires aren’t always going to be what you think?
Then, quite oddly, there’s a dog. And Bill remarks that the dog is “checking up on her” and my eyebrow goes up. Huh. I’ll be keeping that in mind.
Jason, the sexy guy from the earlier soft-core porn scene, shows up and guess what? He’s Sookie’s brother. Also, he’s some kind of sex god, because everyone wants him.
Next day, Jason comes over for lunch and gives Sookie a hard time about beating up the Rattrays to free the vampire and they soon learn, much to Jason’s dismay, that Maudette, the same woman he was with the night before, has been murdered.
I don’t know about you guys, but he sure seems guilty to me. And the local law thinks so too because he’s taken in for questioning later that day.
Sookie is understandably upset and looses her temper a bit. But that’s all forgotten when Bill appears with his special soundtrack (he seems fond of that appearing thing that vampires do) and for the second time he asks what she is, insisting that she’s not merely human. Which begs the question; does telepathy make you more than human?
Sookie and Bill make a date for after work and Sam is very upset, which leads to yelling and hugging and his inappropriate thoughts. Note to self: Do not have inappropriate thoughts around a telepath.
After her shift, Sookie waits for Bill, but is met by the Rattrays instead, and they promptly beat the crap out of her.
The End. Phew.
Okay, guys, I have to lay a ground rule. If you are a reader of the series, please do not reference anything that happens later in the book. I know this is hard, but there is too much to spoil for the people who have not read the book. Everyone agreed? Great! Discuss!
I haven't read the books, so I'll second the no spoilage policy.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree on the fangs. I HATE that effect. It's going to annoy me, but I'll find a way to deal. I also agree your other good points. I'm especially happy with the handling of Sookie's telepathy. Edward Cullen had the same gift and that's just how I imagined it to be, so yay!
Overall, I really enjoyed it. The pilot had a couple of hangups, but all pilots do. I'm looking forward to next week!
Great review! It's really hard to comment on all the little clues for things fans of the books caught on to. But...what was up with Maudette being played by someone in her 40's? Sookie later says "I went to High School with her!" Which made sense why they showed Maudette's prom picture (in which she still looked to be about 40). Really, they couldn't hire a younger looking actress for one scene??
ReplyDelete"We know he’s a vampire because he comes with his own soundtrack." I cracked up when I read that!
I havent read the books either, which I think I may have to fix very soon! Though it is kinda cool to not know what is going to happen next!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed watching,I wasn't necessarily expecting such graphic sex scenes quite so early on, but once I recovered from the shock, it wasnt quite so bad *lol*
I kinda loved Tara immediately, the attitude from that girl is amazing!
I am DYING to find out what happens to Jason, and I loved how he reacted when Sookie tried to read his thoughts. He seems guilty to me, but one can never tell :p
All in all, I thought it was a good start and I am looking forward to more!
1. Casting. I like all of them, even the ones I’m not supposed to.
ReplyDeleteWord.
2. The music. What do you guys think? Awesome? I loved it.
I love the opening song and I loved the music that played when Sookie and Bill were in the "tunnel vision". Beautiful.
3. The way they handle Sookie’s telepathy. Unlike the fangs, this is not cheesy at all.
I like this as well too. I thought it was really belieaveble and it actually made me see how aweful her power must be more so than the books did.
1. Fangs – The concept is cool (they spring forward like a rattlesnake’s do), but they look cheesy.
Agreed. They look awkward and they are on the wrong set of teeth I think. Aren't they suppose to be on the canines not the ones right next to the front teeth?
2. Vampire Sex. Okay, obviously Sookie is going to knock boots with a vampire at some point and I’m concerned about the precedent that the vampire sex in this episode is setting. I guess we’ll just have wait and to see.
At first I didn't understand this either, but I think I can see where the director is going with this. I think he wants us to be leery of the vamps more so than Sookie is. There is more, but I don't want to spoil...
She runs outside to stop them and Sam follows, but doesn’t have a compass, apparently.
I see why they did it, but there was just too much time lapsed that he didn't find her in.
I'm really glad to see so many positive reviews! I rally enjoyed the show. I have a few issues, but all pilots are a little wonky.
ReplyDeleteThe big offense seems to be the fangs. I'm hoping that they tone down the use of them in the future. What do you guys think? Will they use them sparingly? Or maybe we'll just get used to them? And why are they on the wrong teeth?
I just finished the first book last night. Well actually it was at 2:00 in the morning, but in any event: I'm really looking forward to see how Alan Ball handles future episodes. I'm already crushing on Vampire Bill. Edward Cullen is but a distant memory.
ReplyDelete