Vamps Depart Coffins, Seek Mainstream in HBO Series By Dave Shiflett (Bloomberg) – The time has come to rethink the vampire question. “True Blood,” a strange but often amusing new HBO series debuting Sept. 7 at 9 p.m. New York time, disputes the historic belief that the only good vampire is one with a stake through his heart. The scariest creatures in this show sleep in beds, not coffins. The series, based on novels by Charlaine Harris, is set in the small Louisiana hamlet of Bon Temps. Thanks to the invention of Tru Blood, a synthetic hemo-drink, vampires can establish meaningful relationships with humans without guzzling their gore. Another example of better living through chemistry, though not everyone believes vampires belong in the mainstream. The struggle for tolerance is one of the show’s themes, though at heart this is a love story. Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), is a goodhearted waitress who has the ability to read minds. That’s not an enviable talent during business hours at Merlotte’s, where the brain waves are far from elevated. We’re reminded that if we really knew what was on people’s minds we’d want to bang most of them over the head with a lead pipe. Her life changes dramatically when a tall, dark stranger walks into Merlotte’s. Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) sends Sookie swooning. “I’ve been waiting for this to happen ever since they came out of the coffin two years ago,” she gushes. Yes, Bill is a vamp. And it appears to be love at first site. Though 173 years old, Bill could easily pass for a twentysomething, and that’s not his only attribute. “I can’t hear you,” Sookie says of her inability to monitor his mental transmissions. She’s also a bit surprised by some of his other qualities, including room-temperature hands, until she is reminded by a workmate that he’s not really alive, in the traditional sense. “That’s not his fault,” she says protectively. Bill is clearly attracted to Sookie, sensing a superhuman element in the chirpy blond. One suspects they may be exchanging vital fluids soon, yet for now they are embodiments of innocence, which distinguishes them from several locals. The debut features steamy sex scenes you won’t find in any Bela Lugosi film, including an extremely animated vamp/human encounter augmented by a rope. There’s also a murder pinned on Sookie’s brother, Jason (Ryan Kwanten), a local horndog of note. Tara Thornton (Rutina Wesley), Sookie’s best pal, has a salty tongue but good heart, while bar owner Sam Merlotte (Sam Trammell) carries a torch for Sookie. Maybe he should get himself a set of fangs to improve his chances. The vilest characters are the Rattrays (Karina Logue and James Parks), who supplement their dope-selling income by “draining” unsuspecting vampires and selling the blood on the black market. That leaves Bill a few pints low before he’s rescued by Sookie, though at show’s end it looks like he’ll soon be in a position to return the favor. The tolerance theme provides plenty of jokes. A spokeswoman for the American Vampire League tells Bill Maher (who plays himself) that “we never owned slaves or detonated nuclear weapons.” Good point – and that’s a nice set of incisors you’re packing, sweetheart. “Fang-bangers” are vampire groupies, and there’s a Vampire Rights Amendment embraced by the more progressive members of society. Not a show for everyone, though it’s likely to find a loyal audience among open-minded viewers, plus those who believe vampire/human rope-sex is a taboo worth retiring. (Dave Shiflett is a critic for Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are his own.)
