BLOODTHIRSTY?

"I don't know what you've done to me but I know this much is true... I wanna do bad things with you!"

If you're familiar with those lyrics then chances are [like me] you too are a sucker for the Home Box Office (HBO) hit TRUE BLOOD - which is currently airing its third season. It's safe to say the Twilight saga is mere childsplay in comparsion. Since True Blood's inception in 2008 the HBO dark drama series created and produced by American director, writer, and actor Alan Ball has been all the rage amongst vampire enthusiasts. Based upon the popular novel series The Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris , the fictional tale takes the reader through a small, backwoods Louisiana town dubbed Bon Temps where vampires, werewolves, and whatever else that goes bump in the night, reside amongst the unsuspecting townsfolk. Well, with the exception of politically correct vampires that openly co-exists with humans.

Wait a minute...

How is that possible you ask? It's a long story (pun intended) but makes up four juicy seasons of hand-to-mouth, mindless popcorn munching mystery, mayhem, inter-species drama, and unadulterated romance; meanwhile, all this goings-on centers around Ball's feisty protagonist Sookie Stackhouse (a local, southern bell bar-maid who so happens to be telepathic).   Notably, those who've read the novel prior to watching the series are keenly aware of the director's subtle plot & character deviations from that in the novel(s). However, it is of no negative consequence.

According to an interview with IGN's Matt Fowler in Bloody Bites from True Blood Season 2, Ball states "This wasn't a book I would normally read, but I couldn't put them down," Ball confessed. Ball has a strong desire to stay true to Harris' vision and spirit, but also added that it was important to flesh out the supporting characters from the book, and add extra stories in order to transform it into a viable TV series.  The books are only told from Sookie Stackhouse's (Anna Paquin) perspective, so there was some work to be done. One of the big changes was adding in the character of Tara, who doesn't even appear until Book 2, as a main character in Season 1."  In filmmaking, I imagine walking the finicky tight rope of make-believe is not an easy task... especially when trying to convince an audience to take a plot seriously when your main characters are the likes of those straight out of children's fairytales. True Blood could have easily tipped the scale from viable to corny, but with respect for the author's vision, mindful direction and deliberate casting Ball was able to incorporate his own nuances while maintaining the story's overall integrity.  View previous episodes, "Babyvamp" Jessica's blog, cast pics and more on True Blood's official website at www.hbo.com/true-blood.

FANG FACTS: DID YOU KNOW...

True Blood boasts a Golden Globe and an Emmy.

Actress Brooke Kerr was the original Tara but was later replaced with Rutina Wesley.

Sookie & Bill marry in Malibu... in real life! Anna Paquin & Stephen Moyer tied the knot Saturday, August 21, 2010 after a year long engagement.