Geoausch

I finally got around to watching the premier episode of the HBO series, True Blood. Vampires never fascinated me, but at the same time, HBO series have never disappointed me. Hell, I’m one of the few people who loved, and still love to this day, Carnivale. With True Blood, I’m left wondering if HBO will disappoint me with a show or if I’ll finally develop some sort of interest in the undead.

I hate cultural stereotype, especially when they involve areas native to me. True Bloodis set among the bayous of Louisiana, an area not that foreign to me. Many of the characters force an unnatural Southern accent, creating an unrealistic feel to a show before the subject of vampires is even introduced.  Likewise, it appears that the creative staff has little, if any, knowledge of the geography of Louisiana. It appears that the story takes place either in eastern Louisiana or in southern Louisiana, as supported by several visual and cultural references. However, after sustaining injuries in a bar fight, one character mentions driving to “the hospital in Monroe,” which is in the western corner of the state.

I accept that with a subject matter like vampires, reality must temporarily be suspended. If I look past some of the negative cultural stereotypes (don’t think I didn’t notice the not-so-subtle references to racism and intolerance in the rural south) and geographic inaccuracies, the series presents several promising possibilities. I suspect that over the course of the next few episodes we will see some serious character development, a speciality of HBO.  The possibilities of Anna Paquin’s character (“Sookie Stackhouse”) alone intrigue me enough to give HBO my time for at least two more episodes. Also, will we find out that Bill Compton, played by Stephen Moyer, is some historical figure from the past.

All in all, I think it’s far too early to make a decision on True Blood, though its’ debut wasn’t as impressive as Fringe.