Are you a die hard True Blood fan? How about the Twilight saga? Do they even compare -- or are they in totally different universes?? The Indiana Statesman published an article recently that laid out the reasons that True Blood is way better than Twilight -- as if the True Blood fans hadn't figured that out! I'm going to go out on a limb and say that True Blood and Twilight are the two most popular vampire "worlds" out there right now. Sure there may be other TV shows and books, but these two series (and I'm including the books, TV shows, and films associated with them) are by far and away the most recognizable at the moment. And they have inspired a bitter rivalry amongst their fans! Twilight and True Blood do have some similarities in core stories -- vampire/human romances, special powers like telepathy, and supernatural characters to complete their casts (think werewolves). But that is pretty much where they separate. True Blood comes closer to following long established vampire "rules" - no vamps out during the day (remember what happened to poor Bill when he bravely tried to rescue Sookie from Rene?), no entering into houses where they haven't been invited, and wooden stakes an silver definitely have a negative impact on True Blood vampires. Not so for the Twilight crew -- they just turn all "diamonds and glitter" in the sun (I saw the movie -- not the best special effects effort they could have put forth!), they come and go where they please, and the only thing that kills a Twilight vampire is being pulled apart limb from limb and burned. Ouch. Twilight and True Blood are aimed at totally different audiences - so True Blood gets to be way edgier and scarier. Alan Ball and HBO are not afraid to show the fans the darker side of vampire life, so we get lots of blood and gore. Twilight, in contrast, sticks to the "PG" version of events. I don't even think Alan Ball and HBO know what that means! And let's talk about Sookie Stackhouse and Bella Swan -- those two shouldn't even be in the same sentence! The heroines in each story are so different from each other it is like night and day. Sookie is a much stronger main character than Bella is. The Statesman article points out that in True Blood, there are fewer instances of sexism than Twilight -- something I personally had never thought about. Twilight's heroine, Bella Swan, does put off a "need to be rescued" vibe, and she does let Edward have an unhealthy dose of control over her (really girl - stand up for what you want!). Sookie, on the other hand, doesn't hesitate to get right into the action - beating people to death with shovels, marching straight into Maryann's den of iniquity, telling Eric just what deal she'll strike to guarantee Lafayette's safety. She is one mouthy girl, and her confidence is so sexy! The number one reason, according to the Indiana Statesman, that Twilight bites in comparison to True Blood, is the general content and meaning of True Blood. As they put it: 1. True Blood says something. In "Twilight," the vampires are just vampires. In "True Blood," the vampires are used throughout the show as a metaphor for the marginalized in society-specifically homosexuals. Unlike "Twilight," in the "True Blood" universe, vampires are not a secret. So the show's larger theme is how society adjusts to their presence. The show makes frequent use of news clips covering the debate over vampire marriage and the opposition from right-wing religious groups. The show cheekily plays up the homosexual metaphor with signs reading "God hates fangs" and references to vampires "coming out of the coffin."True Blood has fans everywhere. Even at the Emmy awards -- the whole audience (which included more than a few celebrities) cheered when they showed True Blood clips. What better accolades than your peers cheering you on? That must have been so great for the cast of True Blood! Are you a fan of True Blood? Do you like Twilight too? Is it possible to appreciate both? Share your thoughts with us! Source: Indiana Statesman Photo Credit: HBO Inc.
http://truebloodnet.com http://truebloodnet.com/community http://truebloodnet.com/forums
No comments:
Post a Comment