If you have any inkling of what's going on in the entertainment world today, you already know that vampires are the hottest thing since boy bands. Just like boy bands though, there are different types of vampires out there.
We have the ones that sparkle and glisten in the sunlight, a la "Twilight," and then you have the ones that prey in the night, leading creepy mysterious lives, like the ones in the Underworld series.
My favorite kind? The rockstar vampires. That's what I call the fanged characters on HBO's "True Blood." This show, produced by Alan Ball, and based off of the Sookie Stackhouse series written by Charlaine Harris, is literally the equivalent of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll in the vampire fan world.
Article Photos
"True Blood" has made it cool to like vampires. No, "Twilight" didn't do it. They just introduced a younger generation to vampires. Whiny, brooding, sissy ones, but still, you have to start somewhere.
I usually don't like the female leads. I'm not sure if it's jealousy because they get the hot male lead as their love interest, or the fact that sometimes they are just so stupid. (I'm looking at you, Bella Swan.)
But Sookie Stackhouse, played by Anna Paquin, by far, is my favorite heroine in a story. She's not completely human. (Spoiler: she's a fairy, but it sounds cooler than it really is, I swear.) She's witty, and she actually tries to take charge and save herself from danger.
Now in it's fifth season, "True Blood" has introduced viewers to every facet of mythology you could possibly think of. We have shape shifters, werewolves, werepanthers, witches, Greek mythological creatures, all balled up into the tiny, fictional town of Bon Temps, La. All of these creatures are equally cool, and no, I do not care if that makes me sound like a nerd.
There's a couple things about these vampires that I like. They can't go out in the sun. If they do, their skin charrs and turns to ash. When they die, they burst into a pile of bloody guts.
Call me creepy, but I like the gore that these vampires bring to the table. They don't eat or drink, they drink "True Blood," the show's namesake, a beverage that is marketed to vampires. These vampires are out in the open. Humans know that vampires exist. They even have a union, a president and authority. These vampires are regal, they have kings and queens for each territory, which are made up of the oldest and most prestigious vampires. That also gives the viewer background scenes set centuries ago because some of these vampires are hundreds of years old. And the older they are, the stronger they are.
They work hard to fit in with the world. The show portrays an almost racist side of the people; there are some who accept the vampires as part of society and then there are others who protest everything vampire related and call those who side with them "fangbangers."
I'm also happy to see a show that has its fair amount of eye candy, for both sexes. You have Alcide the hunky werewolf, Eric the jerk vampire, and Jason, Sookie's hillbilly brother. And I'm not even mad at the fact that all the beautiful men (excluding Jason) are after Sookie. She deserves it! The poor girl has lost so many family members, including her parents and grandmother.
This show isn't too geared toward the 18 and under crowd, and it's on HBO, so it's allowed to be like that. Some people think it's too risque to watch, calling it "soft core porn," but that doesn't take away from the show. Sometimes I have to watch episodes more than once because so many exciting things happen and you get lost from time to time, but that's what keeps me hooked on this show. Each episode is just as racy and exciting as the next. It even mixes some humor within all the vampire politics, suspense and gore.
Although I don't have HBO, I am lucky to have Netflix, so I can seclude myself in front of the TV for almost a full day watching an entire season at once. It leaves me in withdrawal like a crack addict. I'm serious about this. Ask anyone who watches "True Blood," and you will find out you cannot get enough of this show.
"True Blood" is now on HBO on Sundays at 9 p.m. But trust me, if you haven't seen this show, catch up on the jam- packed past seasons. You won't be sorry.
