True Fucking Blood

Let’s leave something clear from the beginning. I don’t watch many TV series. In fact, I don’t think I can tolerate watching series on TV. I always buy them on DVD and most of the times I start watching the series when there are already two or three seasons in that format. There are only two cases in which I bought the first season without the second one was yet on the market. And those two cases are product of the enormous respect and admiration that I have for one series in particular: Six Feet Under. Those two cases are Dexter, who is brought to life by an excellent Michael C. Hall (David in SFU); and True Blood, new series by the creator of SFU, Alan Ball. Both series are excellent in almost any aspect that deserves revision.

Dexter was nominated to the Emmy, as expected. True Blood, on the other side, was totally ignored (with some exceptions in minor nominations).

I really don’t understand why. I’m not going to compare it con the other series nominated because I simply don’t know them. But I think that any person, sober or in drugs, can recognize the great quality of material that HBO gives us week after week. HBO is already a warranty of greatly manufactures series, no inhibitions, and excellent stories. Some examples: The Sopranos, Rome, Six Feet Under, Entourage. And with True Blood they didn’t get off key at all. In fact, with no fear to make a mistake and trusting in the great capacity of Alan Ball, they have risked themselves with a proposal that will elevate the standards of their future offers.

What makes True Blood so brilliant? Everything… with no exaggerations. Technically it is impeccable, but is the story itself, its thematic, and the beings that give it life, what really makes this series something very special.

The series is based on a novel saga called The Southern Vampire Chronicles, and it’s located in the town of Bon Temps, Louisiana. The vampires have “come out of the coffin” and are trying to mix in with society. This is possible thanks to the development and comercialization of the synthetic blood called TruBlood, with which the vampires ensure their good nutrition without risk for the society.

Among the society, there are three sides: the pro-vampires, the anti-vampires, and the neutral. There are vampires that respect society, while there are others who can’t let go off the organic food. As part of the society there’s also a new “drug” that is in vogue: V, vampire’s blood.

In this context, the series follows the fates of Sookie Stackhouse, a waitress with the capacity to hear people’s thoughts. She gets to know Bill Compton, a vampire interested in mixing in with society. Sookie has a fascination towards these beings which increases in Bill when she discovers that she cannot listen to what he thinks.

The story itself sounds very well-worn. It is, no doubt. Many people actually compares True Blood with the vomitive Twilight (it was a real effort to put those two titles in the same line). The similarities are there, no question. Nevertheless, its thematic line is what makes this series something that connects with the audience. Obviously, and like in every story, there exists a subtext much greater than what is seen on the surface. True Blood is a story with vampires, lovers, villains, heroes, sex, drugs. But it is a story about prejudices, phobias, minorities, and polarities.

The vampires are a materialization of those subjects that we as a society have encrypted in a collective consciousness and before which there is an immediate reaction. That is what makes the true identification possible of the audience with the story that develops in that town. The series, chapter by chapter, feels urgent.

This story falls over the shoulders of its characters. Each and every one of them is of the best that I’ve seen on film or TV. Alan Ball is just a master storyteller. But the most important thing is that every one of the characters that appear in this series is a real person, vampire or human. A sensation of multidimensionality, deepness, and authenticity exists in every person that appears in the story. Everyone has their stories, their obsessions, their fantasies, and the most important: all of them are imperfect.

This last quality is something that identifies us with them, and makes them all matter to us. The imperfection of the man is something that attracts us, traps us, and obsesses us, because at the end of the line we see ourselves reflected. It is through those imperfect beings that our own internal struggles, as an audience, are made relevant and recognized. Also, it is through the struggle of each character for being better (because none of the characters is passive), that our personal battles make sense.

If you suffer of my same problem (not tolerating the suspense week after week, between season and season), definitely wait for the seasons 2 and 3 on DVD to be on the market. Really. I can’t emphasize enough in this point. If any “ACTII-series” like Lost or Prison Break causes you problems at the end of each chapter, True Blood leaves you with a sensation of emptiness and need few times seen. The series itself is a movie of 10 ½ hours. Just like that, with no exaggerations. Each chapter starts where the last one ended. And each chapter ends in what is known as cliffhangers (those moments of “cut to commercial” that make you dribble to see what’s next), very effective and powerful cliffhangers.

True Blood is, without doubt, a jewel of TV. It is necessary, very fun, and very compelling. Why it was not nominated to the Emmy? I don’t want to speak more than enough; I would have to know the other series to see if they are in the same level. I don’t think so.
And no, I don’t agree… it has nothing to do with the “movie-I-shall-not-name”. It’s everything that SHIT couldn’t be.