It was announced a few months ago that the novel “666 Park Avenue” had been optioned for television and there it sat for months. Now, it has been announced that ABC will adapt Gabriella Pierce’s 2011 novel for television due to air in the 2012-2013 television season.
Terry O’Quinn, Vanessa Williams, Dave Annable, Rachael Taylor, Mercedes Masohn, Robert Buckley, Helena Mattsson and Erik Palladino will star/appear in the show.
The show will follow Gavin Doran, played by O’Quinn and his wife Olivia, played by Vanessa Williams who own The Drake, home to dozens of residents who are unaware of the supernatural forces at work in the building. When a young Midwestern couple – Jane Van Even and Henry Martin – is hired to manage The Drake, they begin to unravel the mystery.
David Wilcox (Fringe), Leslie Morgenstein (Gossip Girl, The Vampire Diaries) and Gina Girolamo (The Secret Circle, The Lying Game) will executive produce.
Here is ABC’s pitch:
If you could make one wish, what would it be? And what would you do to get it? At 666 Park Avenue, all of your dreams and burning desires can come true: wealth, sex, love, power, even revenge. But just be careful what you wish for, because the price you pay… could be your soul. Welcome to The Drake, the premiere apartment building on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.”
Read the novel’s official plot synopsis below:
What if your mother-in-law turned out to be an evil, cold-blooded witch . . . literally? Ever since fabulously wealthy Malcolm Doran walked into her life and swept her off her feet, fledgling architect Jane Boyle has been living a fairy tale. When he proposes with a stunning diamond to seal the deal, Jane can’t believe her incredible luck and decides to leave her Paris-based job to make a new start with Malcolm in New York. But when Malcolm introduces Jane to the esteemed Doran clan, one of Manhattan’s most feared and revered families, Jane’s fairy tale takes a darker turn. Soon everything she thought she knew about the world—and herself—is upended. Now Jane must struggle with newfound magical abilities and the threat of those who will stop at nothing to get them.”
HBO has finally premiered the full trailer for the upcoming season 5 of “True Blood.”
Season 5 will include several new cast members such as Christopher Meloni, most know for working on “Law & Order: SVU.” Details on who his character will be has yet to be released. Also joining this season is Scott Foley as Patrick, one of Terry’s war buddies. Louis Herthum will join as JD, Alcide’s father and Kelly Overton will appear as Rikki, a werewolf curious about Marcus. It has also been revealed that Carolyn Hennesy will play Rosalyn Harris, a texas vampire thrown into the mix.
Alan Ball has cast the reoccurring role of Alexander Drew for the upcoming season 5, a Chancellor of the vaunted Vampire Authority.
“True Blood” is based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris. The novels follows the world as the existence of vampires are revealed and the two groups of humanity struggle to co-exist around the world. The novels focus primarily on the town of Bon Temps, a small town in Louisiana and the life of telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse.
The new season will premiere June 10th. You can see what we already know about season 5 here, or just watch the trailer below.
Elena: So, Rachel, what was it about this episode that made you say the F word all over Twitter?
Rachel: Holy Craaaap, Dany’s Dragons were stolen! This shit DOESN’T HAPPEN IN THE BOOKS. I am lost. This scene is such a great representation of how I felt during the entire episode. HBO is finally making changes that put the readers in the dark and now we (get to?) enjoy the show in much the same way as non-readers. Sitting on the edge of our seats, no idea what’s happening next, worrying for our favorite characters.
The changes can’t please everyone, but if they continue on making these sorts of changes, that don’t rewrite entire plotlines, I think it will be great. It is an adaptation, after all, and I don’t think anyone can reasonably expect the writers to follow each book exactly. (Remember when I kind of hated The Hunger Games? Yes. It was because the movie followed the book too closely and lost most of its heart in the process.)
This change for Dany’s storyline ESPECIALLY is definitely the right move for HBO. I love Dany. She is one of my favorite characters, but her storyline can get a little…well, boring. HBO recognized that sitting around in Qarth receiving sycophants and having Jorah make you feel uncomfortable is not enough of a story for Dany. Compare that to what is coming for pretty much any other character, and it is absolutely understandable and expected that HBO would spice it up. I’m totally fine with it. I’m upset that Irri is dead, but at least she defended the dragons with her life. She was brave.
And the noises the baby dragons were making? Heartbreaking. I cannot wait to see Targaryen Dany Eyes in full force for the entirety of the next episode. Girl is going to lose her mind.
Rachel: Elena, what did you think as a non-reader?
Elena: It didn’t really stand out to me as being obviously not of the books when I watched it, and so I think the writers did a really great job of integrating in Martin’s trademark “you can see it coming in retrospect but never in advance” sort of solipsistic-character interaction with the world. Having had Dany’s behavior in Qarth in the book explained to me, I can see why this didn’t happen in the books (read: because she didn’t leave her dragons alone very much), but in the show it was just sort of a duh moment. Like…the entire city knows you’re there, and that you have dragons, and that you are making house calls on all the rich men, trying to finance Operation: Reclaim the Iron Throne, and that you have a very limited contingent of guards. Why wouldn’t someone move in to take the one thing of value (sorry, Dany) that you have while you are essentially defenseless? I know there is a thing about hospitality and guests, but…she’s not the guest of the city but of Xaro. Also, the city is full of rich men. Sure, some of them did it entirely honestly, but as Xaro pointed out, most of them did not—they did things that would make a back-alley whore blush and didn’t blink because it was what needed to be done. Of course some opportunistic Qarthian is going to try and steal her dragons.
This scene also tied in very well to what is going on with the rest of the show right now. Part of being a lord in this land is being able to hold what you claim…we are actually seeing that theme play out in macro with the various kings and will they be able to hold their thrones (as indeed Robert was barely able to) and on a micro-scale with individual holdings. Such as Bran not being able to hold Winterfell against Theon…and Theon in turn probably not being able to hold it long against Robb or anyone Robb sends. Or his sister, for that matter, when her 500 knights get there (assuming she even sends them). Come on, she’s not going to let her brother use her men to secure what he stole and still call himself Lord of Winterfell. She’ll steal it from him. Ha! Take that, Theon!
Elena: Speaking of Theon…were there more changes from the books in his Winterfell-felling quest?
Rachel: Oh, Theon. Theon, Theon, Theon, Theon. Having just seen Avengers I am tempted to draw lots and lots of parallels between Theon and Loki. They’re both adopted. They both have older brothers they have a really complicated relationship with. They’re both horrible fucktards. And yes, both are strangely compelling. Although, I think we’ll give Loki the trophy in prettiness, we’ll all agree. (Sorry, Alfie, considered yourself…Loki’d).
But yes, there were more changes in Winterfells scenes. Let’s talk about the things that HBO has done in that I liked:
THE DETAILS: Bran had a handle hanging above his bed that allowed him to sit up my himself. I loved this detail. Not only because it gives Bran more physicality – we don’t see him only move around with Hodor’s help – but because it also means that Bran has made a turn-around from the depressed child we saw following his accident. Bran has figured out how to go on with daily life.
Yes, I’m totally OK with the fact that they compressed (again) several scenes into one. Namely that instead of Theon killing Mikken (which would have made no sense as he isn’t a character in the show), he killed Ser Rodrik (who dies a little later in the book, but I can’t tell you details). There is emotional impact since we know this character, plus Theon’s total inability to get through Rodrik’s neck in one or even three blows is just…gugh. Maybe we shouldn’t blame Theon – all that salt air can dull his blade. And since the Greyjoys Do Not Sow, we can’t expect them to have any native blacksmiths around to keep their weapons sharpish. But those of us who’ve read the books know Theon’s worse moments are coming…soon.
Maester Luwin’s performance. What a scene stealer! Isaac (Bran) did an awesome job as well at conveying the frustration of a little boy who can do nothing to stop the inevitable. Not merely due to his handicap but because he has no men and no way to oust Theon from Winterfell. He is feeling the responsibility of keeping his people safe, but it is Maester Luwin that really steps up in his scenes. He is no fool to let a boy shoulder those responsibilities. Also – that opening scene with the ravens. WIN.
I’m going to scoot right on by seeing Tonks naked (Wow, these Harry Potter books got way adult) except to say that she should have just killed him, otherwise why even put yourself through it? She could have skipped boning with Theon and gone straight to offering herself to the guards (arguments against this will include – “but she needed Theon to be asleep!”…Yea…or dead?)
But really I have to love any scene in which Shaggydog makes an appearance.
Rachel: Anyway, there were lots of wtf moments in terms of writing in the Osha escape scene, agree?
Elena: Man, that sequence was just killer. Tonks Osha is yet another Badass Bitch! Are there any women in Westeros who are not secret badasses? No wonder all the men are so terrified of letting them do anything but knit. I mean, all these warring rapacious assholes have to get the genes from somewhere, and apparently it’s not all from daddy…but I digress. Right. Lots of WTF when Osha goes in and has sex with Theon. The only point to that scene is to continue the narrative confusion of what her game is until the end of the episode. Because, seriously, there is no reason for her to bang Theon if she isn’t going to kill him! Gurl. Your brain is a bit too one-track here. You have Theon sleeping like a baby in all his self-satisfied glory, no guards in sight, and you…just put your cloak back on and walk out? Honey, the guard would have been just as certain Theon sent you to warm his night if you had gone to him first. Did you worry not having the scent of Theon’s balls on your breath might tip your hand?
Rachel: Insert me making a face and saying “Theon’s Balls?” to myself.
Elena: Anyway, Osha’s mad plan to escape with Bran and Rickon was, aside from the 5-minute detour (bc you know that’s all it took) to fuck Theon to sleep, pretty brilliant. And while I would totally like to claim that I knew she wasn’t really betraying Bran, because she’s Tonks, and she’s too Awesome for that…honestly, I didn’t question her trying to get out of being the Stark’s indentured servant at all. But the second she slit that guy’s throat I remembered what happened on the day she was caught. Theon wanted to kill her, and Robb stopped him. She told Robb, if you spare my life, I am yours. And she is from the North. They do not make bullshit vows like the Iron Islanders do. She meant that. And Theon was fucking there, and he fucking heard her make that promise, and he doesn’t have a bazillion character motivations to keep track of the way I do. So how the fuck did he forget that?
So, yeah, Osha is awesome.
Theon is…not awesome. He totally allowed himself to be bullied into having Ser Rodrick executed, and then he had to be bullied into doing it himself. I don’t think he has very long to live. He’s not fooling anyone into thinking he’s real leadership material. If he weren’t such a hosebeast I might feel sorry for him. Like, I understand he has conflicting motivations. And I get that he is young and hasn’t been exposed to having to do these hard things for himself. But at the same time, if he had a stronger sense of self, he’d have the courage of his convictions. Instead he has no convictions, just whatever seems necessary at that moment. He is not thinking ahead, and in the game of thrones if you can’t think five moves ahead you’re going to lose. Theon can’t even think one move ahead right now.
I just hope Robb gets his wish to be the one to kill him. I feel like that isn’t going to happen for him, though. Theon’s just Too Stupid To Live.
Rachel: So remember when Roose finally wanders over to tell Robb and Cat and Talisa of Theon’s betrayal, and Cat is all, “I TOLD YOU!”? You were right, Cat. You were riiiight. Robb is basically an idiot if he thought he could rely on Theon as if he were Jon. No way. Everyone forgot that Theon was a PRISONER. Everyone but Cat, because she’s very good at remembering which ones are her children and which ones aren’t.
Ten thousand extra points for Roose’s “Let me send word to my Bastard at the Dreadfort.” YESSS. SEND ALL THE WORDS. And leaches!
As far as Robb still mooning over Talisa…eh.
Elena: That was such an awkward mom intrusion. Robb was just starting to get his mack on, inviting her to have dinner in his tent and all, and then his mom comes up and might as well have pulled him away by his ear. Ha! Also Cat is going to get to say I Told You So a second time when Lady Talisa turns out to be not foreign and not Talisa. The lady part I give her, Robb’s right about that, but otherwise? I call bullshit on that story. Cat smells it, too. She keeps giving that girl the skank eye, like, “Bitch, please, I have a pen pal in every keep in the Riverlands (except Harrenhal, obviously), and I know there ain’t no mothafucking lady named Taleezha running around here with any legitimate purpose.”
Also, having Roose’s inclination to suck fingerbones explained to me, your caption on our first Talisa picture (“Roose, you’re making this [amputation] awkward”) is stunningly hilarious. Apparently, like the books, OUR VERY COLUMNS can be revisited with greater appreciation once the bigger picture comes clear!
Elena: Right. So, since I mentioned Harrenhal…what did we think of this week’s episode of As the Wheel Turns: Isengard?
Rachel: LOL at Littlefinger’s teleportation abilities. Yet another creation of the show that is not in the books. It’s kind of weird. I guess they don’t want to pull a Downton Abbey and put everything in letters for people to read and then pull dramatic faces over – I get it. Also, I’m going to assume that show-Littlefinger TOTALLY recognized Arya but very handily CHOSE not to. However, I…have no idea why he would do that. If he did recognize her and then told his ally Tywin…they probably would have shipped her back to King’s Landing or arranged a trade to get Jaime back…maybe. But Littlefinger doesn’t give a rip about ol’ horse face, he’s got other fish to fry.
By far the best moment was Jaqen H’ghar’s kill. Again, changes from the book, but the impact and plot movement is the same. Plus, HA! Arya demands, Jaqen delivers. Tywin does…nothing? The fallout (ha) of this kill may actually come back to kick Arya in the butt. Tywin isn’t the type of lord to ignore the fact that one of his men was obviously murdered right in front of him.
Thaffierths! <———— I’m sorry. I had to.
Jaqen H’ghar strikes (our hearts) again! Let’s here it for team, “More water, sir?”!
Elena: I don’t know, that guy was getting on Tywin’s nerves. Maybe he will choose not to look a gift horse in the mouth?
Really the whole sequence convinced me that Jaqen H’ghar is kind of in love with Arya. Not, like in a creepy sexual way, but in the “I’ll wait for her” guy in love with Hit Girl on Kick-Ass way. He finds her fiery spirit irresistible. Also I think he responded to her imperious tone. She definitely channeled her mother there, with that NO, JAQEN, IT MUST BE NOWWWWWWWWWWWW. Like even the representative of the red god took a step back and decided not to annoy Her Ladyship further. Because if Arya uses a Cat tone, you know shit’s about to get real, and he couldn’t stand to see his little bird of death get hurt.
Rachel: A… raven, perhaps? As to Jaqen – representative of R’hllor? You think that? Just because he mentioned him to Arya before? I totally understand why you would think that given the line but take this is a negative head nod from me. Ya know.. FYI. (This has been a message from DarthRachel Omnipotence Corps.)
Elena: Conclusion: Stark girls are irresistible to sociopaths. Or perhaps it’s Tully girls, if Littlefinger’s obsession with Cat is any guideline. Discuss in the context of Sansa’s arc this week.
Rachel: The big San/San moment this week! Sandor rescuing Sansa. Not going to lie, my exposure to The Phantom of the Opera as a small child has left me predisposed to liking their dynamic even though IT’S TERRIBLE. It is! He’s an amoral killer with a hate-gig, and she’s a naïve (but learning) prisoner. It’s romantic in a brooding, windswept moor sense, but also horrifying. More San/San!
The riot in King’s Landing might actually be less powerful in the books than it was in the show. In the books they’re on horseback, and everyone is running, and I was not in as much fear for characters’ lives (okay, let’s face it, there aren’t a lot of characters I give a rip about in the scene to start with) as I was in the show. Putting them on the ground not only saved them horse-renting money, it helped put the camera down in the riot instead of horse-back level. Well done!
Elena: I would say…it’s easy to fear for a character’s life even if you actively want to see them dead. It’s just that fear is perhaps the wrong connotation. “Actively question their ability to survive” is more tone-neutral, yes? Because I actively questioned the ability of any of them to survive. It would be a fitting end for our Good King Joffrey, White Knight of Douchebaggery and High Wizard of Craziness to get trampled in street riot by peasants throwing cow pies. Better yet, by peasants force-feeding him cow pies. That would make my life complete…but it was not to be. Instead the little fuckball left Sansa out to get raped to death in the streets. He obviously is not turned on by sub’s the way the Hound is. Maybe he should toss over Sansa for Margaery, I bet she could whip (literally) some sense into him. But the Hound probably should have let Sansa at least get her little princess hymen snapped by the first of those street roughs; then Joffrey would have thrown her to him like a bone! Maybe he will anyway if Margaery strolls into King’s Landing with her father’s army and a black leather dress on. San-San 4evah!
Rachel: I’m laughing at that because I know you, I know you aren’t actually advocating Sansa be raped. You’re making a comment on how fucked up and shitty Joffrey is, YOU HEAR THAT COMMENTORS?
I don’t have much to say about the introduction of Ygritte except that I love her and it was perfect and I demand more Ygritte! So what did you think of Ygritte becausesheismyfavoriteandIreallyhopeyoulikeher?!
Elena: Ygritte was AWESOME! She is going to test Jon Snow’s knowledge of Where To Put It very quickly, I sense. Although considering how uncomfortable her wiggling made him, perhaps he really DOES know.
God, I can’t wait to see what all she can manipulate him to do with her feminine wiles. I mean, Jon Snow is this poor horny virgin who couldn’t even bring himself to bang a Winterfell whore (and the whore was obviously not actively trying to seduce him or she could have talked him out of walking away, so obviously he has NO experience even attempting to resist feminine wiles, because he has never in his life had any directed at him), and here’s this wild thing who calls his bluff when he’s told to kill her and almost escapes him and still fights him the only way she can…yeah. This is not going to end well for him. If by end well we mean staying true to his vows at The Wall, that is. The actual sex will probably end very well. She will show him the true meaning of a Wild Rumpus (because she’s a wildling, and Jon Snow has run off to Where The Wild Things Are…AKA North Of The Wall).
I kind of expect that she takes Jon to the wildling camp and he finds out that the King Beyond the Wall is actually Uncle Benji. Because that would be dramatic irony of the type that is totally irresistible for this kind of story (cough *soap opera with swords* cough). And if the King Beyond the Wall is not a man to whom Jon Snow owes ostensible fealty…then Jon Snow will someone end up the new King Beyond the Wall, because that’s just how things are going to go for the kid. His destiny is not to become wildling shish kebab or live out his days on The Wall until he is old and impotent and telling stories about how he could have stopped a civil war but didn’t. No.
But now he won’t have to, because he has met Ygritte, and she is pretty enough to tempt even a Lord of Winterfell, and she is hard enough to impress even a Lord of Winterfell, and yet she is low enough that the Bastard of Winterfell doesn’t feel out of his league as long as he doesn’t lose his fights to her! Jon Snow, meet Rocked. As in, your world officially is. And yes, the romance reader in me will unabashedly ship the one fucking couple of maybe-they-could-hook-up characters on this show for whom it would not be a disaster or betrayal in one way or another to actually hook up. I mean, yes Jon vowed celibacy, but…come on. Even Lord Mormont admits they don’t actually expect the men to keep that vow, and anyway Jon’s “brothers” kind of threw him to the wolves on that one with their whole, “you go on and kill her while we walk to the top and wait for you” bit. There was just no way he was ready for killing a pretty girl without having seen her kill someone first. So I’m not going to consider it any kind of oathbreaking for him to forget about those assholes (even though Jon will be emo about it for YEARS). Anyway, my main point was, Yay, Ygritte!
Rachel: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH (insert me laughing hysterically and weeping and then laughing again and I will never tell you WHYYYYYYYYY)
AMC began production on season three of “The Walking Dead” Monday, and Executive Producer Robert Kirkman did an on-set interview with AMCtv.com to discuss his thoughts and expectations for the upcoming 16 episodes.
According to Kirkman, Season three will see several changes, some of which were teased in season two’s finale such as that the group will at last depart from Herschel’s farm after it is overrun by walkers and that they will arrive at a seemingly abandoned prison, where a numerous plot twists unfold.
When it comes to the prison, Kirkman said he is very excited for fans to see the prison set.
They’ve taken a lot of what you see in the comic book series and brought it to life in ways that I didn’t think possible,” he said. “This is going to be one of the most impressive looking things that’s ever been put together for a show.”
Season 3 will also see the addition of new characters such as the sinister Governor (David Morrissey), whose actions suggest humans may pose more of a threat than the undead.
The plan was always to evolve naturally into a place where the zombies essentially become a manageable threat,” Kirkman said. “You know the rules. You know how to deal with them. To a certain extent they become something to not really be scared of unless you mess up. Humans, however, do not follow any rules and will always do something that surprises you and are capable of doing things far worse than trying to eat you…We’re definitely going to be seeing a lot of horrible things.”
Along with the Governor, fan-favorite zombie slicer Michonne, played by Danai Gurira, will also be joining the cast.
Kirkman explained he was impressed with the sword skills she is picking up in training.
She’s going to be doing all of the hard character stuff and drama that The Walking Dead is known for, but she has tremendous physical capability and the sword training that I’ve seen is absolutely amazing,” he said. “I can’t wait to see her hack up some zombies.”
Season 3 will have 16 episodes, making it the show’s longest season yet. With the extra time, Kirkman said he looks forward to packing in as much character development and action as possible.
The actors and the crew and a lot of the producers would not be thrilled to hear me saying this, but I love doing 16 episodes a year,” he said. “I think the more the better, and I think it’s a lot of fun. We are going to get to tell bigger stories, and tell more stories, and get into the characters a lot more. So the more the merrier.”
AMC wisely had renewed “The Walking Dead” for it’s third season on October 25th, 2011 after the season 2 premiere broke cable ratings records. Actual filming for season 3 is scheduled to begin shooting in another area, Senoia, on May 31, 2012.
Season 5 of “True Blood” may feel like it is taking forever to arrive (June!) but at least there are a few spoilery things we already know going into the new seasons.
This article is written assuming you have seen season 4.
RUSSELL IS BACK!
One of the first things we learned about season 5 was t hat neurotic and evil vampire, Russell Edgington, is back and ready to wreak havoc in everyones lives.
At the end of season 4 we saw his cement tomb broken open and the vampire king of Mississippi gone. Eric as already accused Pam releasing him, but as of now we don’t know who has done it or why. However, he is probably reasonably more upset and crazy than before and if he before he ripped a spine out of someone on live television we can only imagine what he is capable of now that he is pissed off instead of just distraught.
Steve Newlin is also returning
Close-minded anti-vampire activist Rev. Steve Newlin is also returning and it appears he has been turned. His return as a member of the undead was revealed in the season 5 trailer. However, given the tricksy nature of Bon Temps and the “True Blood” world, everything should be taken lighting till we see it for sure.
If he is now a vampire, will he still be in love with Jason, and will he still be annoyingly preachy? Or has he replaced that with a penchant for drinking blood (and probably being happier for it.)
Pam and Eric might no longer be “Pam and Eric”
We know that Eric is Pam’s maker, but we also know she has been incredibly faithful to him for MANY years. Despite her constant lashing out regarding his feelings for Sookie and her “precious fairy vagina.” Through four seasons she has remained by his side, albeit full of anger and sarcasm. However, after a recent clip was released for season 5, it seems she will no longer be by his side. She even goes so far to request him to release her from their bond that most fans thought was mutual rather than maker-bound.
There is a bromance a-brewin’
In an interview recently with E Online, Alexander Skargard, the hot distraction known as Eric, revealed some insight into the weird eskimo-bro relationship that is Eric and Bill.
“There’s a bit of a bromance between going on this year between Eric and Bill…It’s fun because I love Stephen Moyer to death, and after four years of butting heads, this is more like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. We have a common enemy and we have to team up this year.”
Eric and his … Sister?
Not much is known about her… at all. What we do know that she is her Vampire sister, sired by Godric to be part of their Vampy family.
The character is to be played by Lucy Griffith, and during a recent interview with TV Guide, she said this about the character:
“She’s an irreverent British lady who we think was turned during Elizabethan or Victorian times. It’s been years since she’s seen Eric, and she is very excited. She looks up to him, but they’ve had a fiery love/hate relationship in the way that brothers and sisters do.”
Sounds creepy to me. Hopefully she isn’t the same brunette we see Eric kissing in the trailer.
Chris Meloni, need I say more?
A few months ago it was revealed that SVU star Chris Meloni would be in Season 5 as a Vampire named Roman and a member of “The Authority.”
We don’t know much about what his character will be like in the series, but what ever it is, I’m sure it is bad-ass.
There is going to be a lot more Terry
Last season we saw the entrance of a character played by Scott Foley. He was Terry’s platoon leader in Iraq and from what we have seen, it appears that some really terrible stuff went down while they were serving. While nothing is ever as simple as mean people and PTSD, we assume something more is going on behind the scenes.
However, having more sweet lovable Terry in the show is definitely a win.
More Fairies…
So far we have only gotten small glimpses into the true fairy world. We met Claude, who helped Sookie escape from Fairy land, who turns out is part of a fairy triplet set that includes Claudine, who is already dead after Eric drained her, and Claudette.
According to Deadline, we will be meeting Claudette for reals during this new season. Supposedly she will be helping Sookie learn more about her Fae roots and their way of life. However, I don’t suspect that will go over so well. You know, with all the vampires… that are everywhere… all the time.
Jessica and her well … something
What is going on with Jessica and Hoyt? After their incredibly cute relationship that ending increibly badly, we can’t help feel bad for Hoyt… in a way that makes us want to hug him… forever. So where do they stand in the new season? Not much is certain, but if he dies, or becomes a vampire… I might cry.
Sam and Luna got some trouble headed their way
A new clip released a few weeks ago feature shape shifters Sam and Luna talking about something pretty mysterious. What we do know is that Sam is going to protect his woman. No matter what she turns into. Who is going after who is the question but with Sam at her side, they will probably be fine… right?
Some classic books provide fodder for directors for decades to come. They get remade every decade or so by new directors for a new audience. Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland has inspired numerous film adaptations. Ronald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has also been adapted multiple times. The latest addition to the list is L. Frank Baum’s Dorothy and The Wizard of Oz.
Most recently adapted for television in the form of SyFy’s “Tin Man”, starring Zooey Deschanel and Alan Cumming, the story is now providing the foundation for two new projects.
E!, a network known mostly for reality shows such as Keeping Up With the Kardashians, is now developing several scripted drama series. Among the new shows is “Dorothy”, a new take on Baum’s classic story.
Here is E!’s description:
Inspired by the book Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz, a girl from Kansas City falls for a man and moves with him to the Emerald City to work at his Emerald Hotel.”
The show will be written by Natalie Krinsky (Gossip Girl, Grey’s Anatomy), so viewers can expect hearty servings of weekly drama.
In other Oz-related news, Summertime Entertainment is developing its own adaptation—a 3D CG animated film.
The role of Dorothy will be voiced by Lea Michele, most known for her role on “Glee.” Tony Award-winning actress Bernadette Peters will lend her voice to the character of Glinda the Good Witch.
To have Bernadette Peters as Glinda is such a treat,” said Will Finn, one of the film’s directors in a report from Summertime Entertainment. “She epitomizes the character who is known by Oz fans worldwide to have a very caring and generous heart.”
Peters agreed with this sentiment.
“Glinda and I have the same heart and soul,” she said. “Her hair has a mind of its own like mine!”
According to ComingSoon, Peters and Michele will perform a duet on the film’s soundtrack.
Also starring are Martin Short, Jim Belushi , Dan Aykroyd, Kelsey Grammer, Megan Hilty, Hugh Dancy, Oliver Platt and Patrick Stewart. The film will be directed by Dan St. Pierre.
Elena: Renly died! I CALLED IT! Four episode arc. I WIN!
Rachel: Yes, I barely contained myself when you predicted Renly would last four episodes. Good job! And now that I’ve successfully won my campaign of convincing you magic exists in this world, I expect you to predict lots more!
I’m not sure I think opening with Renly’s death was the best idea? I don’t know. I agree it was a splendid cliffhanger for episode 4, but now that is has lost its momentum, seeing Shadowbaby come in and kill Renly was kind of a “duh” moment. Maybe I’m being harsh because I already know what is going to happen. I did enjoy Brienne’s emotion. I argued with another fan who said that Brienne being so emotional when she hadn’t had any lines up until then was hard to believe, but, frankly, Brienne’s story is not about her being devoted to Renly. Her story begins with Renly’s death.
As for this “controversy” that Loras wasn’t given ENOUGH emotion in his mourning scene…I’m giving you the stank eye, GoT fandom. IT’S HAPPENING. Right now. …… can you feel it? Loras was totally devoid of emotion in that scene with Margaery and Littlefinger! He was empty! The love of his life is dead on a table in front of him, and he is not dealing, you guys. I thought it was a much more powerful choice than to have him beating his chest and yelling, especially on the heels of the scene with Brienne. This way it doesn’t feel like a rehash. Neither steals the glory from the other.
But speaking of that scene…gosh, I heart Margaery! I’m so glad they’ve expanded her for this show, and we get to see her more. Littlefinger is deftly maneuvering as always, while Margaery takes advantage of the only avenue to power left on the table at the moment. It’s a great scene completely filled with all those key events in the future that book readers love. BAM. This is when the show is good. This is when I can walk proudly and say I am a fan of the show as well as the books. More of this, HBO. MORE!
Rachel: Is this what you thought Shadowbaby would amount to? Are you disappointed you didn’t get a zombie army?
Elena: I am not totally surprised that we didn’t end up with a demon army, if only because we’re maybe halfway through book 2 of 7 at this point. So a demon army seems a bit…unlikely at this point in the narrative. I feel like that will happen at the end, that the series comes down to everyone waking up from their petty power play when seven armies of supernatural shit converge. You’ve got White Walkers versus Shadowbaby-demon army and just when the world’s about to get overrun, Dany and her dragons swoop in, burn them all, save Sansa, and claim the Iron Throne. Can’t wait. But that’s the end of the series, not book 2 stuff.
That being said, it was kind of anticlimactic that all Shadowbaby did was kill Renly. I mean, I guess that’s all Shadowbaby needed to do, but the high point of that sequence was definitely Davos’ face during the birth and not the actual outcome of the black magic.
Rachel: Brienne is working for Cat now, this can only go well.
Elena: That pairing makes a really odd sense (well, wouldn’t have seen it coming but now that it’s done it makes total sense kind of odd sense) to me. I am not Cat’s biggest fan, but I actually got chills when she gave her vow back to Brienne. Say what you want about CTS, she has learned the dignity and honor of the north pretty well by this point. And that is a great place for Brienne, because Brienne actually is an honorable knight. She has to out-knight the male knights to prove she’s qualified, so while they can run around putting themselves on Arya’s Jaqen H’ghar death list (I’m looking at you, Mountain), she has to play by the formal rules of chivalry and oath and loyalty and honor.
I also think, though, that she and Cat have to be very careful not to bring out the worst in each other when it comes to dealing with people who don’t have something to prove regarding honor and whatnot. I guess I’m suggesting here that Cat might be in some small way driven by a motivation to prove she IS a true northerner and a proper Lady Stark, which is more important now than ever since Robb isn’t just Lord of Winterfell but King in the North and she is one of his designated proxies. Anyway, though, one of the hardest things for people who are really good at living by a set code to do is not judge the people who can’t/don’t, or who live by a code they cannot comprehend. As Rachel suggests, this pairing may go poorly for everyone they come into contact with….
Rachel: What do you think about Bran’s expanding “powers”? And Rickon? Rickon is my favorite character btw. From now on and forever. Rickon for King!!!!
Elena: Rickon? Who’s Rickon? Do you mean BAM-BAM? I know we talked about fake names for characters and how, no, but…that’s what he was doing at the table! Just banging away like a fucking heathen. Bam-bam Stark, so say I, so mote it be. Also because…does Rickon even know his own name at this point? I think Cat might be a little bit late in getting back to him. Ser Rodrick and Maester Luwen obviously don’t have a mother’s touch with taming a half-feral possibly autistic child. Clearly Cat had all the magic there (can you hear my sarcasm—okay, fine, that was so season 1 and now we’ve all forgotten about how she couldn’t do anything for any of her other children when Bran was maybe dying…oh, wait…).
Speaking of Bran, yes, I’m so glad they are getting more into his dreams. And I hope Theon’s visit to Winterfell will be instructive for Bran when it comes to dream interpretation. Because what else was the Theta Chi president suggesting with his cryptic “but that would mean—” remark except a pantyraid on Winterfell?
Good thing Bam-bam doesn’t even know what underwear are. I wish Theon all the luck getting back on his pirate ship once his crew realizes there was nothing at Winterfell to plunder except one wildling female prisoner and the links in Maester Luwen’s chain.
Rachel: Also, Asha is the greatest troll in all of Westeros.
Elena: Speaking of people with one line in the is episode…Quaithe? Is her entire purpose to pop up randomly spouting vague shit I can’t remember?
Rachel: Ding ding ding ding ding! Oh, Quaithe. Here is the thing about her and the trope she represents – the prophet trope. HOW DO THEY REMEMBER? Not the prophets, because they’re obsessed, and I totally get them remembering it; no, how do the main characters remember? Some whack-a-doo pops up spouting cryptic messages that are LONG and complicated and you’re supposed to be able to remember each of the parts and in which order? No. Sorry, no.
Lots of fans are also pretty mad about Xaro. I don’t see the point in changing him from gay to straight. One of the main reasons Dany refuses Xaro, besides being canny on her own sometimes without Jorah’s council, the fact that Xaro wants one of Dany’s dragons in exchange for the ships (and the marriage, but whatever), is that Dany doesn’t want to marry a gay guy no matter how he can help her regain her throne. This girl has NEEDS, and this girl will not settle for anything less than some more fresh Drogoey meat. (I say this with the knowledge that Dany and her handmaids often partake in um…stress relieving behavior. Thus proving my point that Dany has NEEDS.) Which is why I get so EMBARASSED for Jorah and his little girl crush. It’s at once kind of romantic and also nauseating. Embarrassing to watch but also juicy? I should stop.
But yes, Quaithe. Did you like her mask? I thought her mask looks like if Spiderman needed a mask but all he had were those little balsa wood chips you make fake shingles for doll houses out of….But then again Pyat Pree looks like a Sith Senator, so I guess Qarth is just a weird city in a land far away, made of dreams and bits of charred meat.
Elena: Qarth is obviously a con. Also I am totally going to be Quaithe for Halloween and one of my Ren Faire days this fall. Gotta start memorizing some good prophecies, though. Cause, yo, Rachel’s right, how am I supposed to remember all that shit?
Wait, what are we talking about?
Rachel: Oh right, Tyrion!
Elena: I wasn’t talking about Tyrion.
Rachel: Yes, Tyrion and Bronn and what you have so delightfully dubbed as “their trip to the set of Rome”. Which is the only excuse for that teeny tiny caravan that Tyrion is hanging out in when he utterly pwns Lancel (More wine, sir?). And then he’s strolling the grossest bits of the city sans guards with just Bronn by his side?
I just don’t think that is plausible. He’d be on a HORSE, or something. The Lannisters are not well-liked at this point, not by the peasant class anyways. People are calling him “demon monkey” in broad daylight! Guy needs to be on a horse for his own safety. This is when the show is strange. Not pull your hair out bad or anything, just strange. Was it extras cost double day when they were filming?
Meanwhile Roy Dotrice cameoing as the pyromancer was a stroke of genius. For anyone who doesn’t know, Dotrice narrates the audiobooks though he is also a screen actor. He was just SO excited to be melting flesh like tallow. Isn’t it nice? That George envisions a world where people find meaningful work no matter their destructive impulses? Very enlightened.
Rachel: Cersei – petty or actually retarded?
Elena: It depends on whether she has really left the defenses of the city to Joffrey (or herself, for that matter), or if she just told that to Tyrion to be a bitch. I don’t think either of them have the tactical chops to really be the military leader in a time of unrest, you know?
The wildfire solution really does have Cersei’s stamp on in, though, doesn’t it? Roach on your plate? Burn the table! Better yet, burn the whole dining room! Daddy will buy me a new one!
My concern is this. You have 7000 barrels plus whatever pyromancer can make in the meantime if he can resist the pissing on it experiment. How far does that really go against 100,000 men and ships? Maybe you have enough to burn Stannis’s army to ash. Fine. What happens when Robb Stark’s army gets there? What about the king beyond the wall (cause you know even with Jon Snow Who Knows Where to Put It’s promotion that avalanche ain’t gonna be stopped from rolling down the mountain)? Seven thousand barrels since the time of mad king Aerys isn’t really all that much of a safeguard if it’s your only defense.
Elena: Anyway. Going back to beyond the beyond, what the big deal about this Halfhand guy who shows up at the mountain camp and apparently needs no introduction?
Rachel: Qhorin Halfhand! He’s the great ranger of the Night’s Watch is all! Famous South of the wall, well, okay, famous as far South as Winterfell. The way Southerner’s might feel about Barristan Selmy is how Northerner’s feel about the Halfhand. He’s the batman of winter. Jon would obviously jump at the chance to go on a mission with the guy.
Just go with it. He’s a bad ass. He’s only got half a hand.
It was definitely sweet of Sam to automatically take up Jon’s duties because he wants to eliminate all of Jon’s barriers to do what he has always wanted to do. I hate to see Sam and Jon split up for any length of time, but as long as Jon has Ghost, he’ll be fine. Right? I mean, I didn’t see Ghost. I heard he was there. I just imagine they CGI some floaty red eyes in the snow and call it a day.
Elena: Sam is the bestest friend evah! Also. Why am I so strangely attracted to Jaqen H’ghar?
Rachel: If you weren’t I would expect there to be something wrong with you. There’s just something about a weird dude with bad hair who talks about himself in the third person, ya know? Actually … I have no idea. He has this effect in the book as well, so we can’t blame it on the admittedly beauteous casting. I think it’s because guy gets shit DONE. That is attractive in a book full of devious twisty plots. With Jaqen it is simple. The man has a debt. The man pays his debt. The girl and the man are even.
HAHAHAHA AHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHA. (This is me laughing and pointing and hyperventilating along with all the other theory hounds out there. We are legion.)
Anways, Harrenhal. Place keeps getting better! Actually it does. Jaqen, Shirtless Gendry, and now Arya is on Team More Water, Sir? That scene between Arya and Tywin is pretty amazing. Not afraid dude. NOT AFRAID. Hell yes, Arya. Kick Ass. Take ALL THE NAMES. Remember them. Say them at night. Never forget.
Tensions are running high between characters in the upcoming new season 5 of “True Blood.” A new behind-the-scenes clip released shows that Eric doesn’t even trust his always there assistant, Pam. When it comes to the return of Russell Edgington, no one is safe, and Eric has questions.
After accusing Pam of being the one who released Russell she requests Eric to release her.
With Russell back, Alcide has also offered protection to Sookie with Lafayette doubting that a werewolf can protect her.
We have already seen some of the rising tensions to be faced in the next season with an earlier clip feature Sam and Luna. HBO has confirmed that fans will get the answer to the question on everyone’s mind since last season,: what is Tara Thornton’s fate after she was shot by Debbie? That alone was traumatic enough for most of us so it will be interesting to see where this new season takes us.
“True Blood” season 5 will premiere Sunday, June 10 at 9 P.M. EST on HBO.
You can watch the new clip below as well as the one featuring Sam and Luna.
Elena: So is Qarth going to be as awesome as it seems like it will be?
Rachel: Qarth is…well, it is Qarth. Dany’s storyline begins a fundamental change here, maybe not in what you would expect from her as a character, but from what you would expect from GRRM as an author. Dany has been relentlessly journeying up until now, and with each stop on her journey she’s added another skillset, another aspect of her personality. She is definitely more than the unsure young girl who wishes to go home; now she’s a canny survivor. Qarth will teach her to be an effective politician.
I’m not going to lie and say that book readers don’t sometimes complain about Dany’s storyline. Maybe she will just sit in Qarth for a while, but dammit, she’s going to LEARN STUFF. Just you wait. Lore building! Baths! Cool dresses! Interpersonal relationship building!
Meanwhile from what I’ve seen so far of Qarth, I’m totally happy. I am not going to bitch about the lack of boobie-revealing dresses (really…I’m not), and I’m totally fine with Xaro being a summer islander. The line was kind of weirdly delivered, but whatever. Qarth is a multicultural city. The milk-men of Qarth are definitely present. SO EVERYONE JUST CALM THE HELL DOWN ABOUT IT. I mean… if I don’t ever hear another race-based complaint from the Game of Thrones fandom…well, that would make my damn life..
Also…Pyat Pree looks like a Star Wars character. Not like a Sith or anything, just one of those random background Naboo politicians with questionable morality.
Who am I kidding.. Pyat Pree IS A STAR WARS CHARACTER.
Elena: So…can we talk about that field nurse Robb decided he wants for his queen?
Because that scene was pretty fabulous. She’s fabulous.
I’m not sure if her strategy for man-catching is brilliant or not. Walk onto a battlefield and look all brave and compassionate and did I mention brave? And then saw a guy’s foot off—and, come on, y’all, that was not a one-clean hack and it’s done kind of amputation but literally sawing through the flesh and the bone, grind, grind, grind, crunch, ah THERE it goes finally and then the foot falls off into the mud, thunk—and then stand up totally unaffected by what you just did and tell off a king.
Damn.
Girl’s got brass balls the size of Grey Wind’s.
And Robb noticed. He was straight, I’m King in the North…I live by the old ways…I need a woman who is strong enough to deal with that…and even more I need a wife who will question me sometimes because, y’all, I’m not even 20 and I don’t have people second-guessing me anymore and secretly deep down inside I could use the certainty that comes after a good honest debate wherein I am forced to consider things I didn’t think of and make logical defenses of my decisions…HER! THIS ONE! I MUST MARRY HER! IT IS A SIGN FROM THE OLD GODS!
No, that’s not right. That comes later, when Robb thinks it over and has to figure out how to justify breaking the alliance his mother made for him. For now he was just like OMG-she-is-a-hot-BAB (bad-ass bitch), and then his eyes turned into hearts like zombie-Albie and for five seconds GOT turned into a romantic comedy, Westeros edition (because that line? “At least tell me your name!”—that line has been in pretty much every rom-com about a beautiful stranger since the beginning of time). Hey, maybe that’s what the whole series is. I don’t know yet.
So, her strategy? Brilliant. Brilliant because it worked. (Yes, I realize she is not actually trying to catch any man’s attention by being a nurse. I’m just saying it was such a tactically excellent move that if it had been her strategy it would have been the bestest strategy ever.)
Rachel…thoughts?
Rachel: JEYNE! Or as she is called in the show, Talisa from Volantis. Can I just…can I just call bullshit right now on “Talisa from Volantis”? I’m gonna. Here I go.
GURL. WE KNOW YOU’RE JEYNE WESTERLING. Now, whether the character is lying to protect herself from Robb OR the producers have changed her name a la Asha…I don’t care. I’m just going to call her Jeyne Westerling. I’ve dedicated a great amount of space in my head to remembering names of fake people, and I just don’t have room for fake names of fake people, too.
Let’s trust that the average Game of Thrones viewer can tell the different between a smart move and a dumb move…and leave it at that. (I know that the producers don’t trust that the average Game of Thrones viewer is anything else but an 11 year old boy searching for stimulation and violence…but let’s PRETEND).
I’m starting to get negative.
Elena: Can you be negative about Joffrey?
Rachel: I like Joffrey. Well, I mean I like to hate Joffrey, which is the same as liking the character because HE ISN’T REAL so you can’t actually dislike him for real because none of the terrible things he does actually happened.
But even though he didn’t actually make Ros the adorably (sarcasm) inserted prostitute stand-in horribly abuse and rape another nameless prostitute…I still hate him for it. This was such a weird scene to watch, because I knew it was coming. Fans had been discussing this particular scene (fabricated for the show) for a few days online prior to the episode airing. Calling it the most disturbing sex scene they had ever seen, a totally unnecessary scene, a scene that pushed the limits of cable broadcasting, etc., etc., etc.
I agree that the scene was unnecessarily disturbing. I think we get it, we hate Joffrey. Was there anyone out there that needed an extra push? However, because I was prepared for uncalled for depravity I wasn’t as throw-remote across-the-room, scream-at-everyone-around-you disgusted as many. I did turn to my friends and put my hands in the air like, “just another weird thing we had to sit through.”
Speaking of additionally weird things – Littlefinger using Ned’s bones as a come on was fucking dumb. Littlefinger is smarter than that. The only way I can live with it is to continually think all out of character behavior is masterminded to confuse us! YOU’RE SO CRAFTY LITTLEFINGER!
< / end ranty bullshit >
Elena: See, I find it interesting that people who read the books thought that scene was unnecessary. I think it was, maybe not necessary but at least useful, in making it clear that Joffrey is not just some spoiled child who wants to kill everyone who disagrees with him who is in the unfortunate position of being able to order that done. No. He is a straight sadist. He might very well have gotten his nuts off watching Ros beat and maybe antler-rape her fellow whore, just…not by engaging with them himself.
And this was far from the most disturbing sex scene I’ve seen. Please. I’m not saying it wasn’t disturbing or awful, but…it had nothing on, say, Irreversible. And pushing the boundaries of cable TV? How? All it actually showed was an ass-spanking. Ros raised her hand in such a way as to imply maybe there was just more beating rather than penetration, and I’m sure that was done to soften the blow, which I find kind of a cop-out on HBO’s part. You can’t actually show it, fine, but at least have the balls to be clear about what’s happening after the screen goes black.
Also, can I point out how monumentally poor Tyrion’s choice of whores was? Normally he’s more savvy. But I looked at the difference between Joffrey and those two women and was kind of like, no wonder he’s not interested. They were both so obviously older than him. And he is a slender young man, with a very boyish look. Most men like to feel big and powerful around women, ergo they like women who are smaller than they are, or at the very least the same size. Both of these women were bigger than Joffrey, because they are ADULTS, and he is so very obviously not. Tyrion should have had Littlfinger’s brothel send a couple of 16-year-olds who’ve been at it since they were children (since you know Littlefinger has child-sex on offer somewhere, so he’d have the personnel for this) who would be Joffrey’s age and on his same juvenile scale.
There might also have been an aspect of the women’s experience versus his inexperience. Fumbling virgins feel much more comfortable with other fumbling virgins than with someone who is uber-experienced and (in your head, at least) going to laugh at you for not knowing how to do any of it.
Rachel: So, Elena, is Melisandre magical?
Elena: SHADOWBABY OMG! I give up. Melisandre is magical.
Rachel: CORRECTION – Melisandre’s VAGINA is magical. Did I not tell you? DID I NOT TELL YOU? So yeah, shadowbaby. Coming at ya. The look on Davos’ face is probably my favorite moment. First he’s all, “Don’t talk about my wife.” Then he’s all, “HOLY CRAP WHAT IS COMING OUT OF YOU?” Poor Davos. Shit just got real for him. Methinks Melisandre is not going anywhere soon. Much to Davos’ discomfort.
And then you think about Stannis and his 13 men vs Renly and his 100,000 and (minus a peach, grrr) how much their little bitchy feuding does not matter because MAGIC. Plus a million to Stannis. You don’t know what Team Stannis is doing with said magic yet, but you know it is magic, and magic automatically gets plus a million. It’s the law.
Yeah, Renly has Margaery on his team, so don’t count Team Peach out…but MAGIC.
Elena: That was super-fucked up. I scrawled WTFFFF (what the fucking fucking fucking fuck, naturally) in my notes for this scene.
I am still creeped out about shadowbaby. I am worried for everyone in Renly’s camp. I have this fear that shadowbaby will take over everyone’s brain in the camp and then Stannis has the 100,000-man army and his red woman and shadowbaby, and yikes, y’all. It’s going to be shadowbaby drones vs white walkers vs dragons at the end.
I vote dragons. TEAM DANAERYS KHALEESI STORMBORN!
Speaking of dark and creepy things…why is Harrenhal like Isengard?
Rachel: Well Moff Elena, Isengard is a place useless little hobbits go when their hiking leader is brutally killed by douches to learn how to not be useless.
They also go to learn how to torture people with rats.
They also go to get wine (More wine, sir?) for Tywin BAMF Lannister. Which you fucking DO, because being a cup bearer is way better than being a smith or a dead guy hanging from a gibbet. Plus, you can learn things when you’re allowed to stand in corners of rooms occupied by BAMFs.
Also, it looks like Lannister guards have officially been combined with the Mountain and his men. Plausible, considering the Mountain is a Lannister banner-man. It’s fine. This eliminates needless scurrying about the countryside, and as long as they keep Arya’s litany…then I don’t think anyone will have a problem understanding who is who.
Plus next week it looks like we get more Jaqen H’ghar! * fangirl screaming * Okay…just me screaming.
Charlaine Harris, writer of the novels that inspired HBO’s award-winning series “True Blood”, may soon be developing a second show. Syfy recently bought the rights to Harris’ Harper Connelly Mysteries with plans to create a show titled “Grave Sight.”
The series is based on her four-book series that launched in 2005. The story is about a young woman named Harper Connelly, who was struck by lightning as a teenager.
Now in her 20s, she senses the location and last memories of dead people,” according to Entertainment Weekly. “In the Syfy adaptation, Connelly teams up with her protective stepbrother, Tolliver Lang, to help find a missing teenage girl, only to uncover a network of lies and murders throughout a small town in the Ozarks.”
The pilot episode is being written by Kam Miller (Law and Order: SVU). “Grave Sight” has a decent shot at picking up viewers considering Harris’ first book-to-television adaptation, “True Blood”, continues to enjoy great success going into its fifth season. The series has received critical acclaim, and has also won both an Emmy and a Golden Globe.
Harris, a New York Times bestselling author, also continues to have a large and devoted fanbase. The news of the prospective show is being re-tweeted at a rapid rate by Harris’ followers.
As long as Syfy doesn’t try anything weird (see: Sharktopus), the show should see generous viewership. For those interested in checking out the books before the Syfy premiere, official plot summaries follow.
Book 1: Grave Sight (2006)
Harper Connelly has what you might call a strange job: she finds dead people. She can sense the final location of a person who’s passed, and share their very last moment. The way Harper sees it, she’s providing a service to the dead while bringing some closure to the living – but she’s used to most people treating her like a blood-sucking leech. Traveling with her step-brother Tolliver as manager and sometime-bodyguard, she’s become an expert at getting in, getting paid, and getting out fast. Because for the living it’s always urgent – even if the dead can wait forever.
Book 2: Grave Surprise (2007)
“While in Memphis, psychic Harper Connelly senses-and finds-two bodies in a grave. One of a man centuries-dead. The other, a girl, recently deceased. Harper’s investigation yields another surprise: the next morning, a third body is found-in the very same grave.
Book 3: An Ice Cold Grave (2008)
Hired to find a boy gene missing in Doraville, North Carolina, Harper Connelly and her brother Tolliver head there, only to discover that the boy was the only one left of several who had disappeared over the previous five years. All of them teenagers. All unlikely runaways.
All calling for Harper.
Harper soon finds them—eight victims, buried in the half-frozen ground, all come to an unspeakable end. Afterward, what she most wants to do is collect her fee and get out of town ahead of the media storm that’s soon to descend. But when she’s attacked and prevented from leaving, she reluctantly becomes a part of the investigation as she learns more than she cares to about the dark mysteries and long-hidden secrets of Doraville—knowledge that makes her the next person likely to rest in an ice-cold grave.
Book 4: Grave Secret (2010)
Lightning-struck sleuth Harper Connelly and her stepbrother Tolliver take a break from looking for the dead to visit the two little girls they both think of as family. But as they travel to Texas, memories of their horrible childhood resurface. Family secrets ensnare them both, as Tolliver learns his father is out of jail and Harper finally discovers what happened to her missing sister Cameron so many years before. And what she finds will change her world forever.
All of the books are available on Amazon for $7.99. For comic lovers, there is also a three-part graphic adaptation of the series. Launched by Dynamite Entertainment last year, the book offers yet another take on Harris’ mystery.
