Loving True Blood in Dallas

Sunday, June 7, 2009

From Boston Globe

AMERICA has become a have and have-not society - those who have HBO and Showtime and those who are dependent on the networks.
At no time is that more clear than in June, a traditional time of dread on the networks, whose idea of daring programming is to stick Jay Leno into prime time. And you'll have to wait for September for that "historic" event.

But for pay-cable subscribers, it's always September, as we get ready for "Weeds," about a drug-dealing suburban mother, and the new Edie Falco series, "Nurse Jackie," about a drug-abusing medical practitioner, both on Showtime beginning Monday. The vampire series "True Blood" returns to HBO June 14 and the new comedy series "Hung" follows at the end of the month. The title will have to suffice as the description.

Transgression is the common theme to all these shows, as it has been for most of the pay-cable series from "The Sopranos" onward. For some, like "The Tudors," transgression can come a little too easily, which makes it easy to dismiss pay-cable series as catering to a prurient love of sex and violence or to an adolescent celebration of drugs.

It would also be wrong. The level of sophistication in the writing on these shows is quite remarkable, both in terms of the script and the issues they tackle. Take "True Blood," which on the surface caters to popular taste for all things vampiric; hot bodies having hot sex; and, every now and then, a bit of ultraviolence. They're based on the entertaining enough Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris, but like Alfred Hitchcock or Stanley Kubrick in "The Shining," the HBO producers and writers (led by Alan Ball of "Six Feet Under") raise the pulp material to another level, fueled by a juke-joint soundtrack that might even one-up the music of "The Sopranos."

The satire of the religious right, as one example of the show's themes, is razor sharp. Sookie is a waitress who's fallen in love with a sexy, Civil War veteran of a vampire, which drives her brother into greater and greater paroxysms of hatred for the fanged ones, who are continually campaigning for human rights. Or maybe posthuman rights. This season, the brother takes a W-like sudden turn from party boy to religious convert and hero of right-thinking folk. "It's always something out there that gets all the blame or all the credit," says another character, "whether it's Jesus or gin.

Read on

What you might have missed from Loving True Blood in Dallas blog Thurs, Fri and Sat

June 6th
Dallas celebrates the return of True Blood with a Contest #4
True Blood Season 2 :New American Vampire League Video
True Blood Season 2 :New Fellowship of the Sun Video
Alexander Skarsgard : Friendship in the time of war
Fan Art from Fiveon
True Blood Bloodcopy: Flash If You Love Vampires
Club Dead and the Rime of the Ancient Mariner
True Blood returns June 14th New York Times
Alan Ball Confirms Maryann's Bad Nature in 'True Blood'
*New* Season 2 True Blood Cast photos
True Blood Music Video of the Day: Let's Get Rocked by Def Leopard

June 5th
Essential Seven Vampires!
Dallas celebrates the return of True Blood with a Contest #3
Exclusive Interview with 'True Blood' Star William Sanderson
'True Blood' devotees are thirsty for more frrom LA Times
True Blood Season 2 press release
True Blood BloodCopy :True Blood Season 2 | Viral Deposition, Gymnast, 911, Seeing Eye Dog
Bon Temps bumperstickers
True Blood Recipe: Merlotte's Fried Dill PIckles
True Blood Goes to the Movies: William Sanderson ( True Blood's Bud Dearborn) stars in 'Blade Runner'
New t-shirts for Eric Northman fans
True Blood Bloodcopy: "Celebutante" Gets Bit
Alan Ball answers fan's questions
Alexander Skarsgard thrives in ‘Generation Kill’
True Blood Music Video of the Day:
Dallas celebrates the return of True Blood with a Contest # 2
Stephen Moyer, Bill Compton on Alan Ball's hit HBO TV series True Blood will be appearing on The View on Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Vampires and Dental Work, Together At Last

June 4th
True Blood: The Second Season is "Beyond Amazing" (And, Perhaps, Full Of, Uhh, Bloody Cheese)
True Blood 2009 Emmy Awards :List of Submissions For Nomination
HBO's 'True Blood' has oblique local angle in Hawaii
True Blood nominated for Television Critics Assn. Award
Dallas celebrates the return of True Blood with a Contest # 2
Fans Question and Answers with Alan Ball
Some more juicy tidbits about True Blood Season 2
Charlaine in True Blood Season 2 Finale
Novelist behind HBO's 'True Blood' planning guest appearance
Transportation Vampire style from True Blood Bloodcopy
TV actress Ashley Jones, from soap to 'Blood'
Romance Twilight fans get chance to cruise with vampire film stars
Guillermo Del Toro on Vampires
True Blood Music Video of The Day: You Found Me by The Fray

True Blood: Variety reviews first 4 episodes

From Variety..hmm 'Without spoiling anything, there is also a scene in the second hour (four were made available) that might be as grotesque as anything ever produced for television' ????

Filmed in Louisiana by Your Face Goes Here Entertainment. Executive producers, Alan Ball, Gregg Fienberg; co-executive producers, Brian Buckner, Nancy Oliver; supervising producer, Alexandra Woo; producers, Mark McNair, Raelle Tucker; director, Daniel Minahan; writer, Woo;

Sookie Stackhouse - Anna Paquin
Bill Compton - Stephen Moyer
Jason Stackhouse - Ryan Kwanten
Tara Thornton - Rutina Wesley
Sam Merlotte - Sam Trammell
Arlene Fowler - Carrie Preston
Bud Dearborne - William Sanderson
Andy Bellefleur - Chris Bauer
Terry Bellefleur - Todd Lowe
Maryann Forrester - Michelle Forbes
Eric - Alexander Skarsgard
Jessica - Deborah Ann Woll
Eggs "Benedict" Talley - Mehcad Brooks
Rev. Steve Newlin - Michael McMillian

The second season of "True Blood" goes down smooth, representing a perfect summer concoction -- long on soapy romance, macabre intrigue, and graphic bursts of sex and violence. HBO's stab at playing to a cult audience has turned out to be perfectly timed for the pay channel, offering a lighter counterweight to the emotionally darker dramas airing elsewhere. And while the vampires-as-downtrodden-minority gay metaphor continues to resonate throughout these early episodes, exec producer Alan Ball and company have firmly established their alternate universe as its own engrossing (and occasionally gross) little world.

Cast additions that came onboard as season one progressed have also shot adrenaline through "Blood's" veins, though the central story remains the same: The different-worlds romance between Sookie (Anna Paquin), who has the psychic ability to hear people's thoughts; and Bill (Stephen Moyer), the vampire born during the Civil War era for whom she has madly fallen, and vice versa.

Their relationship is complicated, however -- and that qualifies as an enormous understatement -- by sundry outside forces, including the regional vampire leader Eric (Alexander Skarsgard), who covets Sookie's powers; and the teenage Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll), who Bill was compelled to transform into a vampire. The latter yields darkly comic results, inasmuch as petulant youth and a thirst for blood are a potentially combustible mix.

Meanwhile (and there are a lot of meanwhiles), Sookie's friend Tara (Rutina Wesley) continues to fall under the spell of the mysterious Maryann (Michelle Forbes), adding a spooky "Rosemary's Baby"-type undercurrent to the proceedings; and Sookie's dimwitted brother Jason (Ryan Kwanten) experiences a religious awakening, enlisting in the vampire-hating Light of Day Institute.

In short, there's a helluva lot going on, and the assorted subplots feel more compelling this season, including the constant sense of menace surrounding both Eric and Maryann. Moreover, the religious overtones of the Jason storyline should irritate the religious right (just to drive home the parallel, a sign in the credits says "God Hates Fangs"), whose intolerance toward gays has been superimposed onto the undead. "They live forever, but we were here first!" the group's acolytes cheerfully sing on the bus to their religious retreat.

Without spoiling anything, there is also a scene in the second hour (four were made available) that might be as grotesque as anything ever produced for television. In fact, I'm feeling a little nauseous now just thinking about it, which I realize, for some, will in and of itself provide a strong inducement to watch.

Fortunately, "True Blood" boasts several less-grisly enticements, as well as the whole women/teenagers-love-vampires fantasy that, frankly, strikes me as vaguely pathetic. Then again, there's something to be said for a series that connects with audiences on various levels --with characters both above ground and below.

camera, Matthew Jensen; production designer, Suzuki Ingerslev; editor, Michael Ruscio; music, Nathan Barr; casting, Junie Lowry Johnson, Libby Goldstein. 60 MIN.

http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117940424.html?categoryid=32&cs=1

True Blood Music Video fo the Day:Heads Will Roll by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Heads Will Roll by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs LYRICS

Thanks, Marilyninsomniac

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Dallas celebrates the return of True Blood with a Contest #4

True Blood / Sookie Music

1.What is the episode theme song for at least 3 episodes of Season 1 of True Blood?

2.Tell me what scene in the episode at least one of the songs is heard.

3.Name one song, artist or just describe type of song Bill plays in his car, when he and Sookie go to Fangtasia.

4.Tell me one song or CD that is mentioned in the books , tell me book title and artists name

Email your answers to Dallas (truebloodindallas@gmail.com)
Put the Contest #4 in subject area !

Good Luck

Email: "Dallas " at Loving True Blood in Dallas

Here is list of available prizes ! HERE

SOME of these prizes WILL be offered everyday - NOT all the prizes.(we randomly draw 4 available prizes each day so all the "good prizes" won't disappear the first few days )

Each day (June 3rd - June 14th) there will be a chance for you to win a prize.
The entrants will be randomly numbered and the winner will be chosen by the Twitter character @TaraThornton each evening.

That days contest ends 12 (Noon) cst the following day

You foreign folks are welcome to play but if you win you will have to pay postage I can't offer to mail stuff internationally, sorry.

True Blood Season 2 :New American Vampire League Video

True Blood Season 2 :New Fellowship of the Sun Video

Alexander Skarsgard : Friendship in the time of war

MANILA, Philippines – War brings out the best and the worst in people. On the set of the new series Generation Kill (premieres tonight at 9 on Max/Cinemax), it only brought out the best from the actors. Take it from Alexander Skarsgard, who plays Sgt. Brad “Iceman” Colbert in the series.

“We shot the episodes for seven months in Namibia,” reveals the 32-year-old Swedish actor. “We were so isolated. It was like we were stuck in a different planet. You embark on the same journey for several months with people you haven’t met before.”

When this happens, human nature dictates that you stick to each other like Mighty Bond. In-between takes, Skarsgard got to know his co-stars’ families, girlfriends and significant others like never before. They became instant family. And this showed on screen. Theirs is a chemistry as strong, if not stronger than blood. It’s borne of kinship for the past seven months in a place far, far away from home.

It would have been totally different, says Skarsgard, had they been shooting say in nearby California, where they could just jump into their cars and go home to their families after a shoot.

“I had 32 brothers for life at the end of the shoot,” reports Skarsgard.

He also came away from the experience a lot richer as an actor. As battalion leader, Skarsgard plays someone who doesn’t like being in the limelight but must do so because it’s his job.

read on

Fan Art from Fiveon

Sookie Stackhouse by =Fiyeon on deviant ART

True Blood Bloodcopy: Flash If You Love Vampires

If this video is to be viewed as a microcosm of youth culture—the same way that, say, the new Real World/Road Rules Challenge does (yes, you read that correctly, MTV is still producing those ratings-grabbing shitshows)—then we have some breaking news for you.

Teenage girls have found a new reason to flash their boobs in public (and on camera)—vampires. Hallelujah! It's not just for Mardi Gras beads or shitty baseball caps anymore!

One problem: location. These nymphettes are trying to entice vampires to appear out of nowhere at cemeteries. More breaking news: we don't hang out in cemeteries. But if anyone wants a free show, head to one after midnight during Spring Break week and apparently it'll be boob city.

Club Dead and the Rime of the Ancient Mariner

Eric and Sookie talk a little literature in Club Dead

Some Eric is familiar with, some -not so much

"Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink," I said, and Eric laughed out loud. That was why I liked him, I thought rosily; he "got" me.
"Good, the shot's taking effect," said a white-haired man in a sports shirt and pleated trousers. He was human, and he might as well have had a stethoscope tattooed around his neck, he was so clearly a doctor. "Will you be needing me?"
"Why don't you stay for a while?" Russell suggested. "Josh will keep you company, I'm sure."
I didn't get to see what Josh looked like, because Eric was carrying me upstairs then.
"Rhett and Scarlet," I said.
"I don't understand," Eric told me.
"You haven't seen Gone with the Wind!" I was horrified. But then, why should a vampire Viking have seen that staple of the Southern mystique? But he'd read The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner, which I had worked my way through in high school. "You'll have to watch it on video. Why am I acting so stupid?
Why am I not scared?"
"That human doctor gave you a big dose of drugs," Eric said, smiling down at me. "Now I am carrying you to a bedroom so you can be healed."

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (originally The Rime of the Ancyent Marinere) is the longest major poem by the English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge written in 1797–98 HERE

http://www.online-literature.com/coleridge/646/

True Blood returns June 14th New York Times

Reality, Fiction and Points Between

Here is a roundup of some of the more noteworthy shows of the summer television season. Only those with announced premiere dates are listed. (Sorry, “Mad Men” fans.) All dates are subject to change at less than a moment’s notice; PBS programs are listed by their national premiere dates, but local broadcast dates will vary.

TRUE BLOOD (HBO, June 14) Now that the serial-vampire-killer mystery has been solved, Sookie (Anna Paquin) has a more prosaic problem in Season 2: sharing the attention of her vamp boyfriend, Bill (Stephen Moyer), with his teenage apprentice, Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll). But the body count doesn’t taper off, as the first episode includes a murder outside Merlotte’s Bar and Grill. Look for Evan Rachel Wood to join the cast later in the season as a vampire queen.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/07/arts/television/07hale.html?_r=1

Alan Ball Confirms Maryann's Bad Nature in 'True Blood'

from Ace Showbiz

Creator of HBO's "True Blood", Alan Ball has confirmed that Maryann Forrester is up to no good. In an interview with SCI FI Wire, he revealed that back in Bon Temps, Maryann "begins stirring up all kinds of trouble" although she was portrayed in the first season as very saintly to Tara. "She's got an agenda, and it's not a good one," Alan said.

In the first season, Maryann first appeared in the middle of the road with a boar while Tara was driving home drunk. Thinking that she had hit the figure, Tara got out of the car only to find that there was nobody. Few days later, Maryann posing as a wealthy social worker, released Tara from jail and accommodated her. Toward the end, Maryann leaned on her mysterious side when it was known that she has a secret past involving Sam. She knew Sam could shape-shift to dog and they had an encounter when he was only 17.

Director Michael Lehmann said non-human Maryann will be a huge part of the story in the second season. Michelle Forbes, who plays the character, also confirmed that her agenda will be opened up wide.

Also in the interview with SCI FI, Alan summarized what will happen in the new season, saying "Sookie and Bill will go to Dallas to help find a missing vampire who is the sheriff of the Dallas area. And Jason is going to become involved in the Fellowship of the Sun Church in a way that is really surprising."

"There's a very interesting relationship in the show between Rev. Steve Newland of the Fellowship of the Sun Church and his wife, Sarah, and Jason, that just took on its own life as we were shooting, and it's hilarious. I can't get enough of the Newlands and Jason together."

The blood begins spilling Sunday, June 14 at 9/8c. "Everything gets deeper. Everything gets more intense. It's a lot scarier. It's sexier. It's just really, really fun," Alan promised.

http://www.aceshowbiz.com/news/view/00024744.html

New Season 2 True Blood Cast photos

This appears to be a photos shoot the day of the 'Beyond here lies nothing' promo video. I think this is what everyone is wearing in that video.

Enjoy the slideshow below, please save the photos to your own computer and enjoy.

Anna Paquin as Sookie Stackhouse / Stephen Moyer as Bill Compton / Alexander Skarsgard as Eric Northman / Ryan Kwanten as Jason Stackhouse / Rutina Wesley as Tara Mae Thornton / copyright HBO.