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Aug. 9th, 2009 01:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
brokenrecordOk, so I did end up reading all the Sookie Stackhouse (True Blood) books the past week, which was a lot of fun. And then I was bored, so I rewatched season 1 and season 2 of True Blood.
Ok, so when I first watched True Blood last fall, I shipped Bill/Sookie pretty hard. I thought they were really sweet together. I... don't really remember my other reasons. I didn't really think anything of Eric. I didn't hate him, but he wasn't there enough for me to form an opinion of him. I looked at the reaction post I made after I first got into the show, and I didn't mention him at all. This season, I've really been enjoying him, but I hadn't really been shipping him with Sookie. Well... I don't know. Basically, at the beginning of the season I still shipped Bill/Sookie, but that pretty much faded with every episode. Their relationship has been pretty lame this season. And in the last episode or so, I was suddenly like "Hey, Eric/Sookie could possibly be interesting!" So anyways, that's basically what I was like going into the books.
After reading the books, I absolutely adore Eric. He's one of my favorite vampires ever. And I totally ship Sookie/Eric. I don't know what there really is to say about them other than they're so awesome together. I really can't wait for the show to start getting to that stuff.
I do not like Bill in the books. He's a pretty big douche. And what he's like in the books has definitely affected how I see him on the show, now. But even without that, watching the series over again, he started bugging me more. I still really like him and Sookie/Bill in the first episode or so, but I like it less as it goes on. I hate how often he lies to her and keeps things from her because he's trying to protect her. They never seem like equals.
I'm not really a huge fan of any of Sookie's other love interests in the books. Alcide was okay at first, but going back to Debbie after all the crap she did is pretty screwed up. And Quinn annoyed me. Mostly just because when he was introduced, it was like "Seriously, ANOTHER love interest? Doesn't she have enough guys going after her as it is?" Really, I didn't have much against him other than his relationship with Sookie was boring. I remember not being a huge fan of Book 6 pretty much just because there was so much of him and there was only like three parts with Eric. And he also kept a lot from Sookie. The two of them are kind of interchangeable for me, too. I mean I know Alcide's a werewolf and Quinn's a tiger and they have totally different stuff going on, but they pretty much seemed like the same person to me.
Sam I actually really like in the books, which surprised me. I'm not a huge fan of his on the show. If Sookie doesn't end up with Eric in the books, I think I'd be okay with it if she ended up with Sam. He's a really great friend to her, in a way that he's not been on the show. And he's less creepy. I like how he's kind of a normal guy. He is a shifter, but he's not into the politics at all. I could see her settling down with him more than anyone else, if that's what she wants. I mean, I don't ship them together, but it's nice not hating him in the books.
I really love Pam! I liked her on the show, but she's not on it enough for me to get really invested in her. But in the books, she's awesome. I want Pam/Sookie friendship on the show now. I love her friendship with Sookie and her talking to her about how she broke Eric and how she totally teases Eric about his feelings for Sookie (you know she does this all the time). This needs to happen already! Ok, I realize Sookie doesn't even like Eric yet on the show, and they weren't great friends at this point in the books, but still!
Since rewatching the show after reading the books for the first time, I have random (seriously, these are really random) thoughts on the show now:
I'm kind of confused about Eric's attitude in his first few episodes in season 1 towards TruBlood. In the books I definitely remember him drinking it and having no problems with it. I mean, I'm sure he'd probably prefer to drink from a willing live human, but he didn't seem to have any problem with the synthetic blood. But in 1.09 Eric's all "I don't know how you can stand it" and all that. Also, the whole scene when Eric's like "You killed a vampire for a human. You're going to have to pay" or whatever is weird when in the book the only issue (well, legal issue; Longshadow's sire does come after him/Sookie, as far as I remember) is paying a fine. I guess I shouldn't get too annoyed by it since the whole reason for changing Long Shadow's killer from Eric to Bill and making it a bigger deal is to bring about Jessica who is awesome and Jessica/Hoyt which is my favorite part of season 2 only to Eric (who I only love more because of book!Eric anyway), but still.
For the show in general, on the one hand, it's nice that characters apart from Sookie/Bill/Eric are fleshed out in the show because it's not all just from Sookie's POV. On the other hand, I care most about what's going on with Sookie, so when other storylines get too much attention, I start getting bored. This is true mostly of Jason having sex all the time in season 1, pretty much all of Tara's storylines apart from Tara/Jason and Tara/Sam, and all the goddamn orgies in season 2. I mean, it's kind of nice that they flesh out the maenad storyline a lot more the show because it was really random and short and bizarre in the book (she pretty much just... walked away and that was that; I'm hoping she gets destroyed or whatever on the show), but at a certain point it's just way too much. I don't really need that many scenes every episode about it.
I REALLY hate Sam in the show, especially after seeing him in the books. At least in season 1. He's a little too creepy, and he's way too controlling over Sookie's life when he's just her boss. I pretty much love him in the books. I don't remember him in book 1 because I read that back after season 1 ended, but in the rest of it, he's a really great friend to Sookie. She can trust him so much more than she can on the show. I feel like Sam on the show would NEVER call Eric even if he thought it would make Sookie feel better. Although the one improvement in season 2 is that he has a history and hates Maryanne rather than randomly sleeping with the maenad in book 2. I mean, that storyline hasn't been resolved yet, but it's not as wtf as in the book. I'm curious if they're going for a different storyline with Sam, or if he's going to give himself to Maryanne so she'll stop with the murdering and orgies and stuff and Sookie will see and misinterpret. Or something. I don't know. Anyways, I think part of why Sam is sucky in season 1 is that they're trying to make it seem like Sam might be the killer, but still, he could be a better friend to Sookie.
TV!Bill is so much better than book!Bill. He can be so funny! Not... on purpose usually. But playing Wii Golf! And telling Eric he didn't text him back because he hates using the number keys to type! And telling Jessica they're a recycling house! He's such an old man at times. I think this is why I'm always like "...seriously?" when they bring up Bill's computer program in the books. Like, I see how that could be useful and all, but how is BILL the one who creates it?
One thing I'm missing from season 1 that's not in season 2 as much is the main cast interacting with each other. They all have their separate storylines away from each other, and it's... weird. Tara and Sam barely interact if ever, Sookie and Tara, Sookie and Jason, Tara and Jason, Tara and Lafayette, etc. I mean, I guess since Sookie and Jason are in Dallas (although separately) they can't really interact with anyone back in Bon Temps, but still. I suppose there isn't anyway around it. But it would be nice if they were more connected.
I irrationally really enjoy whenever anyone calls Bill "Vampire Bill," particularly to his face. It cracks me up, for some reason. Hoyt in particular does this, and I find it adorable. Everything about Hoyt is pretty adorable, though. He's definitely a million times improved from the books (not that I hate him in the books, but I never really took much notice of him).
Speaking of Hoyt, I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT HOYT AND JESSICA AND HOYT/JESSICA. I feel like things between them are going to get totally screwed up at some point, but for now they are awesome and adorable. They are so far my absolute favorite thing that's not in the books. I also really enjoy what they've done with Terry's character on the show; he's definitely one of my favorite minor characters.
The whole Bill being on trial thing at the end of season 1 makes way more sense for him leaving than just the politics stuff at the end of book 1 and it makes Bill more likable than in the books, but at the same time, the whole thing is really weird. It just doesn't fit with my perception of vampires in general and vampire politics from the books. I don't really know how to describe it. It almost seems more barbaric than vampires are in the books? I might just be misinterpreting them and thinking better of them as they are. I don't really know what my problem with it is. I'm probably just crazy.
90% of the reason I decided to rewatch the show was because the books made me love Eric so much more than I did from just the show, so I wanted to rewatch so I could fully appreciate him like I didn't the first time. But I must say, I like him 100 times more after he cuts his hair. I don't know why! I mean, I guess part of it is that it coincides with him being a major character rather than popping up in about half the episodes for a scene or two. And the other part is probably that I'm just really shallow, and I think he looks way better with the cut hair. I know that the long hair is canon, but I'm hoping they keep with the short hair. When I was reading, I pictured Eric like he is in season 2, even though the descriptions kept talking about his long hair. I tried to ignore the descriptions in the books for the most part anyways; the clothes she has the characters wearing most of the time are ridiculous.
Bill is so ridiculous in the season 1 finale. Like, you're real helpful there, Bill, walking all slowly and burning to death. That's what I didn't like about how in book 8, I think, Bill was like "I will die for you, Sookie! Can Eric say the same thing?" and Eric didn't say anything, but it's like... well, no, he wouldn't say that he would, but he's not going into whatever it is planning on dying. That won't do anyone any good. Besides, Eric totally has shown that he would die for her (for example, when she was holding the Dr. Pepper bomb in book 7 and he wouldn't leave, even though he was kind of "...wtf am I doing?" about it). But Eric would never run out into the sun to save her because... wtf good does that do? Bill seems like the guy who would be all "My undead life is not worth living if Sookie is not alive!" Which, ok, that's sweet and all, but it doesn't really do anyone any good. I kind of love how in 2.07 when Bill's all "We need to rest!" Lorena's all "Yeah, right, so you can run out into the sun and kill yourself trying to save her?" and he's all "No, I'm not suicidal," because it's like yeah, okay, Bill. It's not like you totally have done that before or anything. I enjoyed that Lorena's reaction to that was like "Yeah, right, Bill. I know you." Killing himself trying to save Sookie is so him.
Also, going through the books and the show made me realize that I always seem to go for the vampires over werewolves/shifters in this kind of stuff. I don't know why. If you asked me if I had a thing for vampires over other sorts of supernatural creatures, I would totally say no, but... apparently I kind of do? The only werewolf character I've really adored and shipped with anyone was Oz. But besides him, I always seem to go for the vampires.
Anyways, now I'm super excited for the episode tonight and for the rest of the episodes in the season (especially based on the little bits I've heard of them and on the parts of book 2 that we haven't gotten to yet). My parents and I are also going to finish season 1 of Dexter tonight. My mom enjoys it a lot, too, now that she's caught up. And my dad even said last night that he likes it more than Buffy (which I don't agree with for the shows overall, but season 1 of Dexter is pretty much perfection). Also, I realized that we're leaving to drive back to school in exactly 2 weeks. Weird. I didn't realize it was so close. These 2 weeks are probably going to go by really quickly.
Ok, so when I first watched True Blood last fall, I shipped Bill/Sookie pretty hard. I thought they were really sweet together. I... don't really remember my other reasons. I didn't really think anything of Eric. I didn't hate him, but he wasn't there enough for me to form an opinion of him. I looked at the reaction post I made after I first got into the show, and I didn't mention him at all. This season, I've really been enjoying him, but I hadn't really been shipping him with Sookie. Well... I don't know. Basically, at the beginning of the season I still shipped Bill/Sookie, but that pretty much faded with every episode. Their relationship has been pretty lame this season. And in the last episode or so, I was suddenly like "Hey, Eric/Sookie could possibly be interesting!" So anyways, that's basically what I was like going into the books.
After reading the books, I absolutely adore Eric. He's one of my favorite vampires ever. And I totally ship Sookie/Eric. I don't know what there really is to say about them other than they're so awesome together. I really can't wait for the show to start getting to that stuff.
I do not like Bill in the books. He's a pretty big douche. And what he's like in the books has definitely affected how I see him on the show, now. But even without that, watching the series over again, he started bugging me more. I still really like him and Sookie/Bill in the first episode or so, but I like it less as it goes on. I hate how often he lies to her and keeps things from her because he's trying to protect her. They never seem like equals.
I'm not really a huge fan of any of Sookie's other love interests in the books. Alcide was okay at first, but going back to Debbie after all the crap she did is pretty screwed up. And Quinn annoyed me. Mostly just because when he was introduced, it was like "Seriously, ANOTHER love interest? Doesn't she have enough guys going after her as it is?" Really, I didn't have much against him other than his relationship with Sookie was boring. I remember not being a huge fan of Book 6 pretty much just because there was so much of him and there was only like three parts with Eric. And he also kept a lot from Sookie. The two of them are kind of interchangeable for me, too. I mean I know Alcide's a werewolf and Quinn's a tiger and they have totally different stuff going on, but they pretty much seemed like the same person to me.
Sam I actually really like in the books, which surprised me. I'm not a huge fan of his on the show. If Sookie doesn't end up with Eric in the books, I think I'd be okay with it if she ended up with Sam. He's a really great friend to her, in a way that he's not been on the show. And he's less creepy. I like how he's kind of a normal guy. He is a shifter, but he's not into the politics at all. I could see her settling down with him more than anyone else, if that's what she wants. I mean, I don't ship them together, but it's nice not hating him in the books.
I really love Pam! I liked her on the show, but she's not on it enough for me to get really invested in her. But in the books, she's awesome. I want Pam/Sookie friendship on the show now. I love her friendship with Sookie and her talking to her about how she broke Eric and how she totally teases Eric about his feelings for Sookie (you know she does this all the time). This needs to happen already! Ok, I realize Sookie doesn't even like Eric yet on the show, and they weren't great friends at this point in the books, but still!
Since rewatching the show after reading the books for the first time, I have random (seriously, these are really random) thoughts on the show now:
I'm kind of confused about Eric's attitude in his first few episodes in season 1 towards TruBlood. In the books I definitely remember him drinking it and having no problems with it. I mean, I'm sure he'd probably prefer to drink from a willing live human, but he didn't seem to have any problem with the synthetic blood. But in 1.09 Eric's all "I don't know how you can stand it" and all that. Also, the whole scene when Eric's like "You killed a vampire for a human. You're going to have to pay" or whatever is weird when in the book the only issue (well, legal issue; Longshadow's sire does come after him/Sookie, as far as I remember) is paying a fine. I guess I shouldn't get too annoyed by it since the whole reason for changing Long Shadow's killer from Eric to Bill and making it a bigger deal is to bring about Jessica who is awesome and Jessica/Hoyt which is my favorite part of season 2 only to Eric (who I only love more because of book!Eric anyway), but still.
For the show in general, on the one hand, it's nice that characters apart from Sookie/Bill/Eric are fleshed out in the show because it's not all just from Sookie's POV. On the other hand, I care most about what's going on with Sookie, so when other storylines get too much attention, I start getting bored. This is true mostly of Jason having sex all the time in season 1, pretty much all of Tara's storylines apart from Tara/Jason and Tara/Sam, and all the goddamn orgies in season 2. I mean, it's kind of nice that they flesh out the maenad storyline a lot more the show because it was really random and short and bizarre in the book (she pretty much just... walked away and that was that; I'm hoping she gets destroyed or whatever on the show), but at a certain point it's just way too much. I don't really need that many scenes every episode about it.
I REALLY hate Sam in the show, especially after seeing him in the books. At least in season 1. He's a little too creepy, and he's way too controlling over Sookie's life when he's just her boss. I pretty much love him in the books. I don't remember him in book 1 because I read that back after season 1 ended, but in the rest of it, he's a really great friend to Sookie. She can trust him so much more than she can on the show. I feel like Sam on the show would NEVER call Eric even if he thought it would make Sookie feel better. Although the one improvement in season 2 is that he has a history and hates Maryanne rather than randomly sleeping with the maenad in book 2. I mean, that storyline hasn't been resolved yet, but it's not as wtf as in the book. I'm curious if they're going for a different storyline with Sam, or if he's going to give himself to Maryanne so she'll stop with the murdering and orgies and stuff and Sookie will see and misinterpret. Or something. I don't know. Anyways, I think part of why Sam is sucky in season 1 is that they're trying to make it seem like Sam might be the killer, but still, he could be a better friend to Sookie.
TV!Bill is so much better than book!Bill. He can be so funny! Not... on purpose usually. But playing Wii Golf! And telling Eric he didn't text him back because he hates using the number keys to type! And telling Jessica they're a recycling house! He's such an old man at times. I think this is why I'm always like "...seriously?" when they bring up Bill's computer program in the books. Like, I see how that could be useful and all, but how is BILL the one who creates it?
One thing I'm missing from season 1 that's not in season 2 as much is the main cast interacting with each other. They all have their separate storylines away from each other, and it's... weird. Tara and Sam barely interact if ever, Sookie and Tara, Sookie and Jason, Tara and Jason, Tara and Lafayette, etc. I mean, I guess since Sookie and Jason are in Dallas (although separately) they can't really interact with anyone back in Bon Temps, but still. I suppose there isn't anyway around it. But it would be nice if they were more connected.
I irrationally really enjoy whenever anyone calls Bill "Vampire Bill," particularly to his face. It cracks me up, for some reason. Hoyt in particular does this, and I find it adorable. Everything about Hoyt is pretty adorable, though. He's definitely a million times improved from the books (not that I hate him in the books, but I never really took much notice of him).
Speaking of Hoyt, I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT HOYT AND JESSICA AND HOYT/JESSICA. I feel like things between them are going to get totally screwed up at some point, but for now they are awesome and adorable. They are so far my absolute favorite thing that's not in the books. I also really enjoy what they've done with Terry's character on the show; he's definitely one of my favorite minor characters.
The whole Bill being on trial thing at the end of season 1 makes way more sense for him leaving than just the politics stuff at the end of book 1 and it makes Bill more likable than in the books, but at the same time, the whole thing is really weird. It just doesn't fit with my perception of vampires in general and vampire politics from the books. I don't really know how to describe it. It almost seems more barbaric than vampires are in the books? I might just be misinterpreting them and thinking better of them as they are. I don't really know what my problem with it is. I'm probably just crazy.
90% of the reason I decided to rewatch the show was because the books made me love Eric so much more than I did from just the show, so I wanted to rewatch so I could fully appreciate him like I didn't the first time. But I must say, I like him 100 times more after he cuts his hair. I don't know why! I mean, I guess part of it is that it coincides with him being a major character rather than popping up in about half the episodes for a scene or two. And the other part is probably that I'm just really shallow, and I think he looks way better with the cut hair. I know that the long hair is canon, but I'm hoping they keep with the short hair. When I was reading, I pictured Eric like he is in season 2, even though the descriptions kept talking about his long hair. I tried to ignore the descriptions in the books for the most part anyways; the clothes she has the characters wearing most of the time are ridiculous.
Bill is so ridiculous in the season 1 finale. Like, you're real helpful there, Bill, walking all slowly and burning to death. That's what I didn't like about how in book 8, I think, Bill was like "I will die for you, Sookie! Can Eric say the same thing?" and Eric didn't say anything, but it's like... well, no, he wouldn't say that he would, but he's not going into whatever it is planning on dying. That won't do anyone any good. Besides, Eric totally has shown that he would die for her (for example, when she was holding the Dr. Pepper bomb in book 7 and he wouldn't leave, even though he was kind of "...wtf am I doing?" about it). But Eric would never run out into the sun to save her because... wtf good does that do? Bill seems like the guy who would be all "My undead life is not worth living if Sookie is not alive!" Which, ok, that's sweet and all, but it doesn't really do anyone any good. I kind of love how in 2.07 when Bill's all "We need to rest!" Lorena's all "Yeah, right, so you can run out into the sun and kill yourself trying to save her?" and he's all "No, I'm not suicidal," because it's like yeah, okay, Bill. It's not like you totally have done that before or anything. I enjoyed that Lorena's reaction to that was like "Yeah, right, Bill. I know you." Killing himself trying to save Sookie is so him.
Also, going through the books and the show made me realize that I always seem to go for the vampires over werewolves/shifters in this kind of stuff. I don't know why. If you asked me if I had a thing for vampires over other sorts of supernatural creatures, I would totally say no, but... apparently I kind of do? The only werewolf character I've really adored and shipped with anyone was Oz. But besides him, I always seem to go for the vampires.
Anyways, now I'm super excited for the episode tonight and for the rest of the episodes in the season (especially based on the little bits I've heard of them and on the parts of book 2 that we haven't gotten to yet). My parents and I are also going to finish season 1 of Dexter tonight. My mom enjoys it a lot, too, now that she's caught up. And my dad even said last night that he likes it more than Buffy (which I don't agree with for the shows overall, but season 1 of Dexter is pretty much perfection). Also, I realized that we're leaving to drive back to school in exactly 2 weeks. Weird. I didn't realize it was so close. These 2 weeks are probably going to go by really quickly.
