I guess this is going to be "one of those weeks". My depression is really kicking my ass and I'm kind in free form craziness mode so please excuse my randomness for the next few days. But don't worry I should be alright .
On to other things, so I've been watching True Blood since everyone I know seems to be talking about it. I'm about 3/4 of the way through the first season and here's my thoughts (mainly on the plot) for those who care: (EDIT: This came off sounding little more negative (and a lot longer) then I intended but know all of this was written in a constructive frame of mind.)
-The pilot concept of vampires becoming integrated into American society (and the issues surrounding it) I think is a really fresh and smart concept, but it seems the writers haven't moved it any further. So far it seems a lot tired, recycled, vampire plot lines have been used. The writing doesn't seem to have any subtlety; by the time the shocking moment comes around it has lost it's punch because by then you've pretty much predicted it. Secondly, the writers have no subtlety in their attempt to have a thinly veiled connection between the vampire's fight for civil rights in the show and the real life fight for gay civil rights. My complaint in this is it isn't thinly veiled and woven into the plot but more or less thrown in when convenient often at the expense of the atmosphere of the show which adds nothing but confusion and causes a lost of focus.
-After 9 episodes or so all of the characters except maybe Bill feel very hollow and undeveloped. I mean I can handle a lack of information about them at the beginning and have more information come out as the story goes on but the fault here is there's not even enough information to make me feel they are even real people with real thoughts and feelings that are more then 1 dimensional. They seem to be trying to move towards more character development but the first season is running out.
-The southern stereotype thing seems way way too over done. Almost bordering on offensive and this is coming from some born and raised in a northern state., where those stereotypes aren't exactly discouraged by everyone. This one dimensional stereotype is kind of odd since both of the people listed for helping create the series and the books are at least listed as being from the south. While I have never lived in the South I have spent enough time in many of the southern states to know that generally southerners are decent folk, many of which are very intelligent, and have a very high level of hospitality.
-Oh my bloody hell is there a lot of sex going on. Not a judgement just an observation. But shit it seems like a fucking (no pun) documentary on rabbits.
-On a positive note, I think the True Blood opening title screen has a tremendous amount of artistic depth to it and I believe is a very good attempt to get in you into the feeling of the True Blood setting. It gives me the feeling that this show can develop into something amazing as it seems to lack all of my complaints listed above.
Summary of my initial opinion after viewing 3/4 of the first season: It's an ok show, not great but not crap (there's much much worse out there right now). It has potential to be great and has all of the elements of a great show are they just aren't in the right configuration. I'm still watching and am now interested in seeing where they are going to take this series.
On to other things, so I've been watching True Blood since everyone I know seems to be talking about it. I'm about 3/4 of the way through the first season and here's my thoughts (mainly on the plot) for those who care: (EDIT: This came off sounding little more negative (and a lot longer) then I intended but know all of this was written in a constructive frame of mind.)
-The pilot concept of vampires becoming integrated into American society (and the issues surrounding it) I think is a really fresh and smart concept, but it seems the writers haven't moved it any further. So far it seems a lot tired, recycled, vampire plot lines have been used. The writing doesn't seem to have any subtlety; by the time the shocking moment comes around it has lost it's punch because by then you've pretty much predicted it. Secondly, the writers have no subtlety in their attempt to have a thinly veiled connection between the vampire's fight for civil rights in the show and the real life fight for gay civil rights. My complaint in this is it isn't thinly veiled and woven into the plot but more or less thrown in when convenient often at the expense of the atmosphere of the show which adds nothing but confusion and causes a lost of focus.
-After 9 episodes or so all of the characters except maybe Bill feel very hollow and undeveloped. I mean I can handle a lack of information about them at the beginning and have more information come out as the story goes on but the fault here is there's not even enough information to make me feel they are even real people with real thoughts and feelings that are more then 1 dimensional. They seem to be trying to move towards more character development but the first season is running out.
-The southern stereotype thing seems way way too over done. Almost bordering on offensive and this is coming from some born and raised in a northern state., where those stereotypes aren't exactly discouraged by everyone. This one dimensional stereotype is kind of odd since both of the people listed for helping create the series and the books are at least listed as being from the south. While I have never lived in the South I have spent enough time in many of the southern states to know that generally southerners are decent folk, many of which are very intelligent, and have a very high level of hospitality.
-Oh my bloody hell is there a lot of sex going on. Not a judgement just an observation. But shit it seems like a fucking (no pun) documentary on rabbits.
-On a positive note, I think the True Blood opening title screen has a tremendous amount of artistic depth to it and I believe is a very good attempt to get in you into the feeling of the True Blood setting. It gives me the feeling that this show can develop into something amazing as it seems to lack all of my complaints listed above.
Summary of my initial opinion after viewing 3/4 of the first season: It's an ok show, not great but not crap (there's much much worse out there right now). It has potential to be great and has all of the elements of a great show are they just aren't in the right configuration. I'm still watching and am now interested in seeing where they are going to take this series.
VIEW 5 of 5 COMMENTS
dyl_n:
True Blood plot lines and characters are primarily (but not entirely) based on a book series by Charliane Harris called the Sookie Stackhouse Novels. They are a goth/vampire version of Harlequin Romance (and I love them all!!). 
hadd:
I hope you are feeling better dude. I totally agree with your critique of TB by the way.