'True Blood's' second season approaches, but where's Lafayette?

from Chicago Tribune blog

I'm trying to finish up a couple of features today, so I hadn't planned on posting much, until the HBO press release on Season 2 of "True Blood" hit my e-mail in-box.

I wasn't terribly keen on "True Blood" when it debuted, but thought it improved to the point where it had become an escapist sort-of-not-that-guilty pleasure by the end of Season 1. The draw, for me anyway, wasn't really the lead couple of Sookie (Anna Paquin) and her vampire lover Bill (Stephen Moyer), but the show's varied and excellent supporting cast.

So I was glad to see that most of the supporting cast from last season, including Rutina Wesley as Tara and William Sanderson as the local sheriff, will be back for Season 2.

Even better news: Guest stars Alexander Skarsgard and Michelle Forbes will be back as regular cast members when the show returns June 14. (For full cast information and for summaries of the first few episodes of Season 2, look below.)

But here's the question that leaped out at me when I scanned the press release from HBO: Where's Nelsan Ellis?

Ellis' character, the fierce and funny Lafayette, was the best thing about Season 1 of "True Blood," but the character was last seen apparently being abducted outside the restaurant where he worked. And Ellis' name is nowhere in the Season 2 press release.

I immediately called HBO to ask about the lack of Lafayette, but a rep for the network wouldn't say whether or not Lafayette will be back at any point in Season 2. Hmmm... I sure hope he is. A "True Blood" without Lafayette is potentially a "True Blood" I'm less interested in.

Concluding its 2008 run last November, the first season of TRUE BLOOD was a hit with subscribers and critics. USA Today called it "wildly imaginative," with "one of the best ensembles of the new series," while TV Guide hailed the show as "graphically sexy and scary, and often wildly funny," and "a broadly entertaining, deliciously twisted slice of modern Southern Gothic."

Before the new season of TRUE BLOOD kicks off, viewers will have a chance to catch up on season one. HBO2 will present three episodes per night back-to-back at 8:00 p.m., June 4-6, while HBO will present the first season's final three episodes back-to-back at 8:00 p.m. on June 7.

"True Blood: The Complete First Season" will be released by HBO Home Entertainment on DVD and Blu-ray May 19; "True Blood: Music from the HBO Original Series" will be released by Elektra Records the same day.

TRUE BLOOD was created by Alan Ball; based on the Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris; executive producers, Alan Ball and Gregg Fienberg; co-executive producers, Brian Buckner and Nancy Oliver; supervising producer, Alexander Woo; producers, Mark McNair and Raelle Tucker.

Chicago tribune http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2009/05/true-blood-new-season.html

True Blood - Episode 2.10 - New World In My View

True Blood - Episode 2.10 - New World In My View

Casting Call

[CHAUFFEUR] This handsome, well-groomed but hot-headed middle-aged chauffeur is freaked out and then furious when a couple of "hick town tweekers" smash land onto his car out of nowhere, shattering the windshield...2 scenes (1)

[NIKKI] A clueless, 20-something sorority girl with her name on her T-shirt, she shows up at Lafayette's looking to score some V so she can get through her finals. Despite evidence that it's not a good time for her to be there, she announces that she won't leave until he helps her...1 scene (33)

[SECRET SERVICEMAN] A serious-looking vampire decked out like a secret serviceman (sunglasses and earpiece), he pats down Bill and tells him the Queen is expecting him sptv050769...1 scene (47)

[RANDOM FRENZIER] Male or female, 40s, this person is one of the crazed mobs. He/she hoots maniacally and is eager for some blood and gore...1 line, 1 scene (32)...1 line, 1 scene (32)

Source: SpoilerTV

Eric Northman is finger lickin' good

The second "Beyond here lies nothing" promotional video really featured Eric ...but not this much.






Eric fans have really enjoyed it..here is what it looks like to Eric fans ...

*Spoilers* Season 2 True Blood Episode #15: “Scratch ”

Episode #15: “Scratches”

All we know about the episode HERE

Debut: SUNDAY, JUNE 28 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

When Sookie is attacked by a mysterious creature, Bill must enlist Eric’s (Alexander Skarsgård) help to save her. At the Light of Day retreat, Jason has second thoughts about the sect’s anti-vampire agenda, but Sarah and Steve counter his doubts with flattery and promises. After snapping at Tara (Rutina Wesley) and new employee Daphne (Ashley Jones), Sam decides to cut and run. A bored Jessica heads over to Merlotte’s, where a smitten Hoyt (Jim Parrack) falls under her spell. At another Maryann-hosted party, Tara finds her attraction to Eggs (Mehcad Brooks) interrupted by a swirling, aphrodisiac fog.
Written by Supernatural’s Raelle Tucker; directed by Scott Winant.

*Spoilers* Season 2 True Blood Episode #14:“Keep This Party Going”

Episode #14: “Keep This Party Going”

Debut: SUNDAY, JUNE 21 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

Everything else we know about this episode here

Sookie is forced to cope with Bill’s obligations to Jessica, as well as the romantic inconveniences the teen vampire’s presence creates.

At the Light of Day leadership conference, Jason makes a favorable impression on its ambitious leaders, Steve (Michael McMillian) and Sarah Newlin (Anna Camp), though not on his jealous roommate Luke (Wes Brown). Maryann casts her spell on Merlotte’s patrons, and Sam proves helpless to stop the revelry.

Written by Brian Buckner; directed by Michael Lehmann.

Blood Copy Volume 13: Vampire terror in the streets of L.A.

This is even more important since they have started again as a lead up for Season 2.

Blood Copy for Season one HERE
Blood Copy for Season two HERE

We are revisiting the Blood Copy videos which were part of the HBO True Blood viral marketing campaign that helped introduce the True Blood television series in the summer of 2008. We will be doing a radio show on this topic soon.
Previously we have see the mysterious packages were being received, the gatekeeper awakened on a mysterious website, .... Blood Copy website HERE http://bloodcopy.com/

The blog and videos not only were a marketing ploy but they also served as a prologue to the series ...
Here is the blog entry for that time period HERE ( August 31, 2008)
It's great to watch these videos but you also must read the blog entry for that week.

*Spoilers* Season 2 True Blood Episode #13: “Nothing But the Blood”

Episode #13: “Nothing But the Blood”

Everything else we know about this episode here

Debut: SUNDAY, JUNE 14 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)

Other HBO playdates: June 14 (11:00 p.m.), 16 (11:30 p.m.), 20 (11:30 p.m.) and July 5 (9:00 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: June 15 (8:00 p.m.), 18 (10:00 p.m.), 19 (midnight) and 21 (3:15 p.m.)

From HBO: A shocking murder outside Merlotte’s has Bon Temps reeling. Meanwhile, Sookie’s (Anna Paquin) relationship with Bill (Stephen Moyer) is tested when she learns about Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll), and of his involvement in her uncle’s death. Sam (Sam Trammell) recalls a shape-shifting encounter he had with Maryann (Michelle Forbes) as a 17-year-old. Jason (Ryan Kwanten) gets a sudden windfall that allows him to pay for a leadership retreat with the Fellowship of the Sun. Two adversaries find themselves sharing a mysterious dungeon and, possibly, the same fate.

Written by Alexander Woo; directed by Daniel Minahan.

HBO's 'True Blood' set to suck a new season June 14 Read more: "HBO's 'True Blood' set to suck a new season June 14 - Monsters and Critics"

Love, love, love "Vampiric pot- boiler "

Alan Ball's Louisiana vampiric pot-boiler comes back to the smallscreen June 14th.

According to HBO, deep in the muggy backwoods Louisiana town of Bon Temps, the mystery surrounding the serial killer has finally been solved.

Yet a new deadly twist threaten Sookie Stackhouse and everyone around her.

The hit series "True Blood" kicks off its 12-episode second season Sunday, June 14 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT), on HBO, followed by other new episodes on subsequent Sundays at the same time.

The show is darkly humorous, laced with sex and sweat as the not-too-distant future is splayed out in vivid color, as outsider vampires have left the blood-sucking closet behind them and walk among the living.

The premise of the series is hinged on the idea that mass-produced synthetic blood has replaced humans as nutritional source. Ostensibly.

The show follows the romance between waitress Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), who can hear people’s thoughts, and her soul mate, 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer).

Alan Ball adapted the best-selling Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris.

Other actors include Ryan Kwanten, who stars as Sookie’s brother Jason; Rutina Wesley as her best friend Tara Thornton; Sam Trammell as Sookie’s good-hearted boss Sam Merlotte; Carrie Preston as Sookie’s fellow waitress Arlene Fowler; William Sanderson as Sheriff Bud Dearborne; Chris Bauer as Detective Andy Bellefleur; Todd Lowe as Terry Bellefleur; Michelle Forbes as Maryann Forrester; Alexander Skarsgård as Eric, a Nordic vampire; Deborah Ann Woll as Jessica, a new vampire under Bill’s supervision; Mehcad Brooks as Eggs “Benedict” Talley; Michael McMillian as Rev. Steve Newlin; Mariana Kloveno as Lorena; Anna Camp as Sarah Newlin; and Jim Parrack as Hoyt Fortenberry.

June’s episodes:

Episode #13: “Nothing But the Blood”

Debut: SUNDAY, JUNE 14 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)

Other HBO playdates: June 14 (11:00 p.m.), 16 (11:30 p.m.), 20 (11:30 p.m.) and July 5 (9:00 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: June 15 (8:00 p.m.), 18 (10:00 p.m.), 19 (midnight) and 21 (3:15 p.m.)

From HBO: A shocking murder outside Merlotte’s has Bon Temps reeling. Meanwhile, Sookie’s (Anna Paquin) relationship with Bill (Stephen Moyer) is tested when she learns about Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll), and of his involvement in her uncle’s death. Sam (Sam Trammell) recalls a shape-shifting encounter he had with Maryann (Michelle Forbes) as a 17-year-old. Jason (Ryan Kwanten) gets a sudden windfall that allows him to pay for a leadership retreat with the Fellowship of the Sun. Two adversaries find themselves sharing a mysterious dungeon and, possibly, the same fate.

Episode #14: “Keep This Party Going”

Debut: SUNDAY, JUNE 21 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

Sookie is forced to cope with Bill’s obligations to Jessica, as well as the romantic inconveniences the teen vampire’s presence creates. At the Light of Day leadership conference, Jason makes a favorable impression on its ambitious leaders, Steve (Michael McMillian) and Sarah Newlin (Anna Camp), though not on his jealous roommate Luke (Wes Brown). Maryann casts her spell on Merlotte’s patrons, and Sam proves helpless to stop the revelry.

Episode #15: “Scratches”

Debut: SUNDAY, JUNE 28 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

When Sookie is attacked by a mysterious creature, Bill must enlist Eric’s (Alexander Skarsgård) help to save her. At the Light of Day retreat, Jason has second thoughts about the sect’s anti-vampire agenda, but Sarah and Steve counter his doubts with flattery and promises. After snapping at Tara (Rutina Wesley) and new employee Daphne (Ashley Jones), Sam decides to cut and run. A bored Jessica heads over to Merlotte’s, where a smitten Hoyt (Jim Parrack) falls under her spell. At another Maryann-hosted party, Tara finds her attraction to Eggs (Mehcad Brooks) interrupted by a swirling, aphrodisiac fog.

The first season of "True Blood" was a hit with subscribers and critics. USA Today called it “wildly imaginative,” with “one of the best ensembles of the new series,” while Monsters and Critics hailed the show as “a Southern Gothic suck-fest."

Read more: "HBO's 'True Blood' set to suck a new season June 14 - Monsters and Critics" - http://www.monstersandcritics.com/smallscreen/news/article_1476449.php/HBOs_True_Blood_set_to_suck_a_new_season_June_14#ixzz0FDX7L3KJ&A

Stranger than fiction The hippest show on HBO originates from a garage office in Magno

From December 2008

MAGNOLIA - Directions to Charlaine and Hal Schulz's place in this southern Arkansas town are highlighted by a left turn on to a county road just past the John Deere dealership. Last house on the right, behind the pond. Watch out for the dogs.

They're yippers, though, not biters.

As Hal puts it in his e-mail, "It's almost exactly 50 miles from the exit off the interstate to our driveway." Or about as far from Hollywood as imagination allows. Left past the John Deere dealership. House behind the pond. Park out back. Near office in garage.

It's not exactly where you'd expect to find the woman whose work is behind one of the hottest, hippest, sexiest, weirdest, of-the-zeitgeist shows on HBO these days.
A show, True Blood, that, in its first season, was nominated this month for two Golden Globe Awards and is in the vanguard of all this vampiremania among book buyers and TV watchers and teenage romance readers.

from Arkansas online by Kane Webb
http://twitdoc.com/docview?doc=15234662&key=key-vlwfihadxo02dj82es&usr=trueblooddallas

Dead and Gone Time Line

OK, here is what I have for the basic outline for 'Dead and Gone'
Let me know what else should be on this as far a big events.

It looks as if the book action takes place over 8 day period, I originally thought it was even less time. What did I miss ?


Dead and Gone Time Line

Day 1
Afternoon Sookie, Amelia and Octavia at home watching TV
Sookie goes to work at Merlotte's
The night of the weres reveal
Sam gets call about his mother being shot, put's Sookie in charge and Sam leaves for Texas.

Day 2
Sookie goes into work very early and works 2 shifts
Chapter2
Bobby Burnham brings wrapped item to Sookie
She goes to Fangtasia 7 pm
Chapter 3
Ritual marriage with Eric
Leaves Fangtasia and goes home and sleeps

Day 3
FBI agents ( Weiss and Lattesta) come to her house to question her about Rhodes
Chapter 4
She gets call about Crystal
Goes to Merlotte's
Calvin comes to Merlotte's
Andy says the bar has to stayed closed
Chapter 6
She goes to Fangtasia and talks to Eric

Day 4
Chapter 7
Sam returns from Texas
Sookie goes to Tara's
Sookie works at Merlotte's
Niall comes
Chapter 8
Octavia's friend comes and she leaves
Sookie and Amelia visit

Day 5
Andy and Lattesta come to Sookie's house
Diantha
Chapter 8
Visits at mall with Claude and Claudine
Kills Fairy Murray
Quinn comes -fights Bill
Spends night with Eric

Day 6
Jason comes
Chapter 11
She goes to Arlene's
Works later that night

Day 7
Breakfast Amelia
Remy calls
Wal-Mart to buy squirt guns
Calls Eric
Works Merlotte's
Chapter 13
Bubba/Tray

Day 8
Tray poisoned
Fintan
Jason comes with Mel
Sookie works
Mel confesses
Calls Bill from Tray's
Sookie is kidnapped
Tortured
Rescued

Day 9
In hospital
Claudine knitting
Sees Bill
Chapter 18
Battles, deaths (Tray and Claudine)

Day 10 ( 2 days later)
Niall comes to visit Sookie and Jason
Chapter 18

True Blood in Dallas Blogtalk Radio: Dead and Gone, what do you think ( episode 22)

Tonight we talk 'Dead and Gone'. The 9th installment in the Sookie Stackhouse mystery series hit the book shelves last Tuesday morning and we've all had time to read it now ..

I asked for reviews from blog readers and received 20 of them and I asked everyone to call in to the show and talk about the book ...this is a FANTASTIC show !

It's funny , smart and really interesting ...

Many have posted their reviews in the comment section below
Congrats to Laura and Stacy winner of our bookplates.

True Blood Music Video of the Day: Join Me In Death by HIM

Join Me In Death by HIM LYRICS

Thanks, FaithLillisir