Friday, December 26, 2008

Season two - what would you like to see ?

I wrote this as a post on the wiki today, we were generally talking about what we thought needed to happen in season 2

These were some of my thoughts - what are yours ?


The books are all written from the Sookie fist person POV -the TV series is not, which does allow for Alan Ball to fill in the Sookieverse outside of what Sookie sees, hears and knows, that will mean multiple storylines (like Lorena and Jessica which we either don't have or don't know as much about in the books) and Amy and Tara's mom (which again we don't either have as the same character in the books or they aren't in them at all ) - and that's all OK we want him to expand the universe.

I do want to see Ball and his creative team fully develops the Sookieverse and Anna might have to work a little overtime because we do need to see her a lot , after all he is what the series (book and TV) is all about.

1. They need to spend more time writing for the main characters and give them more screen time.

2. They need to spend more time developing the ' Supe' story lines, Jessica is a good 'Supe' story line and we are all scratching our heads as to how it will effect the main Sookie/Bill relationship. (and I think that's the desired effect)

3. They need a very strong story editor to oversee the entire series, so there are NO MORE writing mistakes from episode to episode like the one we saw from Episode 9-11 with why Bill was gone and where and why Sam was "taking care ' of Sookie. I believe Alan Ball wrote and directed 1, 2 and 12 and then every Episode in-between was written and directed by a different person and they seemed to stray off the over all story arc.

4. They need to utilize the excellent actor they have in Alexander Skarsgard. His character, Eric was not utilized much in season one (nor was Eric really that important in Book one) but Eric plays an increasingly important role as the series progresses and everyone is excited to have Alex as Eric.

5. Memo to all writers: Sookie is not helpless, weak, petty, nitpicky, bitchy or screechy -she is smart, fair, loving, brave, loyal, open minded, independent, trustworthy and very socially adept in very unusual social situations. She has led a sheltered life and has not had much experience with men, but the events in her young life after meeting Bill make her grow ( and grow- up) quickly.
So don't write for her like she is anything less than all of the above!

6. Continue to bring True Blood stories, characters and issues to the forefront of our real political and social life - that is what Charlaine has always done it with the books -I believe she said once she was "on a mission with Sookie"

I think she has accomplished that in the books and Ball needs to in the show. He can continue to create a world where we can talk about social injustice, prejudice, inequality, race, sexual orientation, "otherness", politics, justice, freedom, bigotry, civil rights, love and friendship in the context of fiction and allow the fiction to lead us toward discussing these vital social issues and human complexities in the real (mainstreaming) world outside of Bon Temp and therefore hopefully work to make things better.

Great art and literature has always led progressive thinking in societies.
Yes, I am saying True Blood and the Sookie books can truly be great when they make us THINK !

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I disagree. I think that book-Sookie is petty, bitchy, self-absorbed, self-rightous, and emotionally immature. I much prefer TV-Sookie. Although book-Sookie has matured some, in that she's become a bit of a slut, I don't see that she has changed and "grown up" like the other characters. I'd like to see that in the books. I find her to be the most annoying character in the books. She's almost thirty years old and she can't manage to finish a conversation with Bill, Sam, or Eric because she just can't deal with anything emotional. It gets old. I'm glad that Alan Ball took the character in a different direction.

" Dallas " said...

Too bad, it must be hard for you to have read a series of books about a character you dislike so much.
I think she is a terrific charater and look forward to where Charlaine takes her and I hope CH get renewed to write another 10 sookie books in 2010 !

Anonymous said...

Eh, I don't HATE her. I think that she's an interesting character. I just think that she needs to grow up and get over herself. In any case, I love your blog.

Anonymous said...

Nicole, I agree with you on some points. After the first few books I found Sookie becoming judgemental and self righteous, indeed! I almost felt that if I were a character in the books Sookie would not like me. For example, she judged people at that orgy party, yet as you said, she's not exactly keeping her own legs closed either.

She does get bitchy because she tends to push people away who want to help her a little bit, but I don't feel that they show that side too much. I feel for the most part she gets bitchy where appropriate.

I hope Charlaine Harris helps Sookie step down her high horse a bit. And that she gains better sense. Sometimes I feel like she is asking for trouble rather than having no other choice to be in the situation.

I find that (so far - knock on wood) I like where Alan Ball is taking Sookie. She seems a lot more real than Harris' version. He shows that she has amazing qualities as well as some growing up to do. I hope I get to see it.