Truly, Madly, Deadly_ The Unofficial True Blood Companion - Becca Wilcott [129]
I think it is a great way to send a message without being overbearing or controversial about the topic. I also think it gives a show that is clearly very make-believe a very real-world connection.
I’m not sure it adds value to the show. It’s like dodging anvils really. It’s like every other scene sometimes. We get it already!
The connections are there, but do not overwhelm the show. I think it is a nice undercurrent, but not overly allegorical. They add their own little bit of value to the show because gay rights are something that we as Americans are, unfortunately, still struggling with. I think people are afraid of what they don’t know or what makes them feel uncomfortable and they would rather hate than accept those things. I’m glad Alan Ball and the writers have chosen to address this important issue that we all need to continue to work on.
The world treats LGBT people as if they are something unreal or unnatural, much like the way people (in this series) treat vampires.
Being gay myself, it was pretty hard not to see that connection. If anything, I think it endeared me to the show even further, as the fight for equality and acceptance has always been important to me, and it’s nice to see that fight in another context.
Q: Do you have any rituals when you watch True Blood?
I record the show and watch it several times after each showing. Always alone so I can concentrate.
My ritual is to watch it as it airs. I don’t care what my boyfriend says, we’re watching it. He could take it or leave it. Sometimes if I have to DVR IT, I actually enjoy it more alone since I can exclaim and also drool over Eric as I please.
I watch it alone, never eating, because I was eating when I watched Eric dismember that poor guy in the basement. Won’t make that mistake again!
I watch it alone on my laptop. My parents saw a few bits and the characters were having sex at those moments! So my parents think that it’s some nasty, gory show. That’s great, I really don’t want my parents next to me when I’m watching it!
My husband and I always used to watch the show together before he left for basic training. We both used to work nights, so if one of us was off before the other we would read the title of the episode and text it to one another to prep us for the episode, but we would never watch it alone.
Dark room, no exceptions. I think the darkness adds to the ambience and feel of the show, plus I feel a little bit more “in the story” that way. I will wait ’til the episodes are available to download, then my boyfriend and I watch at the same time, and connect via Skype so we can talk and share in every last surprise.
I watch with my best friend who has also read all the books. We imbibe a lot of alcohol. Then we spend an hour laughing, screaming, swearing, swooning, and sometimes throwing things at the television. Afterwards we spend about two more hours conducting an autopsy of the episode, and then the next week we get together and do it all over again. After the season finishes we have a marathon — all 12 episodes. When that is over we cry for a bit, and then we go back to our books.
Q: Who have you been surprised to learn watches True Blood?
One of my teaching colleagues is also a big fan, which is a bit more interesting, since she appears to be a goody-goody teacher. I guess there’s a little more bite in her than I expected.
My very conservative, Catholic niece who is raising small children, and even objects to the diversity on Sesame Street, never misses True Blood.
A priest.
Funny story. When my mother came to visit, I hooked