September 2, 2008
Vampire Pride
The vampires of HBO’s new series True Blood (premiering Sunday September 7), from Six Feet Under creator Alan Ball, just want to be able to walk into a convenience store and purchase a six-pack of synthetic blood without being harrassed. Is that so wrong? These small-town America bloodsuckers are yet another mistreated minority in our national fabric.
Judging from the first two episodes, this alternate-yet-familiar-looking universe takes time to warm up to, and its Louisiana locale means you hear a lot of good actors (including Oscar winner Anna Paquin) speak with bad Southern accents (“You had sex with a vam-pahr?”). But if the show’s not exactly grade-A television on the level of Mad Men, its blood and kink could make for trash TV of the highest order.
Plus, Ball seems to be having a blast milking the gay allegory. In case the concept of vampire-as-outsider doesn’t register, the roadhouse sign in the opening credits should: It says, “God hates fangs."
True Blood premieres on HBO Sunday September 7. Alan Ball's feature film directorial debut, Towelhead, which he also wrote for the screen, opens in major cities September 12 from Warner Independent Pictures.
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