True Blood

So, who else is watching the best trailer trash show on TV right now besides me and mine?

True Blood, in it's second season on HBO, is populated with quirky characters, all more than ably acted by a fine cast of mostly young players. The storyline is reasonably cogent, while still being wildly careening and "oh, snap" filled.

It has resonated with me from the first episode, even though it makes me feel dirty (in a liberating way) when I watch it. I just keep loving even more. Much as I like highbrow stuff, I find this show to be titillating in the extreme. Also, it occasionally satisfies the geek in me, as in Season Two/Episode Six, which I just watched.

A large part of this episode takes place at the church home of the Fellowship of the Sun, a Christian organization determined to take out the emerging vampire culture and the vampires that represent it that is exists in the world of TB. These scenes were apparently shot at Marty Leonard Chapel in Ft. Worth, TX. I only know this because, immediately upon seeing the church in Sunday's episode, I recognized the architect as being one Faye Jones, whose most renowned work is the Thorncrowne Chapel in Arkansas, and so I hopped online and looked up examples of his work until I found this one.

Jone's architectural style is immediately recognizable. He uses a lot of very simple, straight lines reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright (not surprising, as Jones was a student of and friend to Wright). I also have a fairly intimate knowledge of Jones' work, because when I worked at Earl Hankins Roofing and Sheet Metal, we contracted to construct a brass sculpture that was designed by Jones, and which now sits as the central form in the Fulbright Peace Fountain at the University of Arkansas. We also did the roofing on a chapel design that was constructed at Powell Gardens, East of Kansas City on Highway 50. I would venture to say that, at one time, I was probably the most knowlegeable roofing company office manager in KC where Faye Jones was concerned. ;-)

So...small world syndrome aside, who else watches True Blood? And as long as we're at it, anyone else a fan of Faye Jones' simple, elegant designs?

I watched it all last season, but got too p.o'd because I'm a fan of the books, and the show went off in wildly non-book storylines. So I'm not watching it this time.

The books are better.

I haven't read the books, but am hooked on the show and I also immediately recognized the chapel in last night's show. I knew it could not be Thorncrown because that one is in the woods, but the architecture is so distinctive and I knew Jones had designed others like Thorncrown. Wonder if they knew the plot of the show that was filmed there?

I like the show a lot, but I gotta say Jason's stupidity can be grating.

And yes, the church was beautiful.

i don't watch normal tv at all.... i don't even flick through the channels.
its sports and movies.....and now, for true blood, hbo.
i love the show... the one thing that kinda bothered me, is i didn't like any of the girls.. until now that is ....this new vampire chick [bill compton's ex] is a goddess.

I have been watching it. I never read the books (though I just started the first one) so any differences aren't bothering me much.

If the sight of flowing blood bothers you, don't watch it. Also naked bits. (If I didn't know better, I'd think the producers had looked for a FAQ on filming nude scenes: Q: I'd like to film actors completely nude, but I don't want to stoke controversy by actually showing their genitalia. What is the best way to accomplish this? A: Just make sure there is another person's body, or head, pumping around on top. (Don't forget doggie style as an option!))

I like Jessica a lot. (Perhaps it's because she listed the clarinet right up there in the same breath with little sisters, parentally-administered belts, and homeschooling as things she was glad to not have to deal with anymore as a vampire.)

This whole weirdo cult thing is, well, weird. Between that, and the shapeshifters, and Sookie's abilities, it's obvious that we've got several things going on besides vampirism. It makes me wonder what latent ability Jason has.

As much as I like paranormal stuff, I just can't get into the paranormal romance genre.

SteveDallas;584636 wrote:

It makes me wonder what latent ability Jason has.

Gumpism.

Michelle Forbes, who plays Marianne, was giving me a "she looks familiar" vibe. But I hadn't bothered to look her up. She played a) Admiral Cain in Battlestar Galactica and b) Ensign Ro Laren in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Looks like she's bidding for a career attending cons....

The rest is just gravy

oh my god, favorite show at the moment!!!!

What I would do to get my hands on Eric....mmmm....Eric!! or Bill.

Its not showing here, but I am watching it and loving it. Last weeks episode was the best this season.

Elspode;584510 wrote:

These scenes were apparently shot at Marty Leonard Chapel in Ft. Worth, TX. I only know this because, immediately upon seeing the church in Sunday's episode, I recognized the architect as being one Faye Jones, whose most renowned work is the Thorncrowne Chapel in Arkansas, and so I hopped online and looked up examples of his work until I found this one.

Here are the shooting locations for True Blood.

I don't see Ft. Worth listed, but it might be out of date.

I've been watching a few of the episodes. The Marianne character is interesting. I especially like the way they make her vibrate like a tuning fork when she's working her mojo. I was sort of wondering what would happen if someone were to taser her while she's doing that. Maybe we'll find out in a future episode.

We love this show. I heard creator Alan Ball talking about it on NPR a while back, but it took us a while to get around to recording it. Now we're hooked. The intro to the show looks like something Rob Zombie would do, says Pooka. And, yes, hot redhead, vibrating Goddess, all that. We also love the sub-plot of the horny preacher's wife and her impressionable boy toy.

gratuitous sex, and too far off the real plot. Poor Charlaine must be pissed. Boycott!

Yeah, this thread is pretty much people who like the show.

They cant follow the book too closely, then its just like a journal, they has to be some surprises for the book followers.

Some surprises, fine. Not wild-ass making characters and plots up.

Wild-ass making characters and plots up is not, in itself, a bad thing. What is, or is not, is how you do it, and why. I cite: Ayn Rand's screen play of Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead.

Flint;585571 wrote:

Wild-ass making characters and plots up is not, in itself, a bad thing. What is, or is not, is how you do it, and why. I cite: Ayn Rand's screen play of Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead.

That was the one where he forgot to put bathrooms in the building, right?

hee hee hee....good one, SD

Thanks, I realize I'm reaching way back on that one.

I just got into this show:) It hasn't hit Brit TV yet...God Bless BitTorrent!

One of the brilliant things about watching via torrent: I have the entire first series on my harddrive. So...I watched the first ep....and the ending meant I just had to check out ep 2....which led to ep 3...I've been watching for four nights and am about to watch the final two eps tonight.

Love it. Just love it. I especially like the opening sequence. God that;s so classy and weird and compelling.

Apart from Being Human (brit comedy/drama) I was really not into the whople vamp thing. Sick to death of hearing about Twilight. Sick of the whole teen-vamp-romance genre. Then I saw this. Bloody good show. Love it so much I have decided to check out the books.

Very glad to hear the TV diverges from the books, cause that means the books won't be predictable.

I only gave this show a go because it's from the makers of SFU. I wasn't disappointed. It's just as beautifully made and as quirky. Not one bad performance in it.

I also love that Southern drawl. Sometimes I have to rewind and listen to the odd line again, because I couldn't make it out. But I don't mind that.

[girly moment]The way Compton says 'Sookie' sends a shiver down my spine [/girly moment].

Flint;585571 wrote:

Wild-ass making characters and plots up is not, in itself, a bad thing. What is, or is not, is how you do it, and why. I cite: Ayn Rand's screen play of Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead.

SteveDallas;585579 wrote:

That was the one where he forgot to put bathrooms in the building, right?

Yes, and then after dynamiting the building to cover his mistake, proceeds to deliver the best line of BS ever as an excuse.

excellent

I've been listening to the audiobook of the first Southern Vamp mystery (Dead until Dark). I'm only at the second chapter but am absolutely loving it, but I realise now that Tara and LaFayette were additions to the character list. Personally, I think they're great. They add a lot to the story for me.

I think when a TV maker uses a book as a basis for a show it almost always needs rejigging somewhat. A little like Dexter. It just wouldn't have worked on TV had they not made changes. TV has different requirements and different conventions and part of that is to do with the range of characters portrayed. In the books so much is to do with the internal world o fthe central character. On TV they don;t have that luxury so depth needs adding through other means.

Besides: it was never intended just to be a retelling of the story in a different format. The original books are just the stepping off point; the inspiration and the basic frame on which the programme maker can hang his own vision.

Probably makes a difference which you come to first. Having arrived at the books via the tv show, I find that I miss some of those additional charactors at times. But I think both can be enjoyed on their own merit as separate but connected entities.

I haven't watched Dexter yet... I'm going to have to Tivo it I guess... people keep mentioning it to me.

It's completely marvellous. One of my favourite shows ever.

Oh.my.god....Put episode 11 online alfuckingready!!!!!

Dexter is great, Im just getting into Six Feet Under, with the Dexter dude in it.

Nate is HOT

DucksNuts;591413 wrote:

Oh.my.god....Put episode 11 online alfuckingready!!!!!

*nods* the suspense is fucking killing me

DucksNuts wrote:

Nate is HOT

Interesting bit of trivia... the Nate actor originally wanted to play the role of the gay brother character. He thought it was really strange that the producers wanted him to play the Nate role, and didn't think he was right for it at all. Which is hysterical, because of course he's perfect for it.