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It’s that time again! Some of my favorite supernatural beings are back in Bon Temps for another exciting season. Season four picks up where it left off. When we last left Sookie, she learned from Eric that Bill’s intentions for her were not pure, and she wanted to get the heck out of town. She goes to faerie land in the premiere, which is very surreal and very un-True Blood. She meets her granddad and realizes that time is not what it should be in this “magical land.” While she wants to learn more about herself and her family, she realizes that this might not be the place to do it.

Continue reading “ADVANCE REVIEW: Season 4 Premiere of True Blood” »

One of my favorite shows is back! In Treatment returns for an all new season next week (October 25th on HBO) with an all new cast of characters. Of course, Dr. Paul Weston (played by the amazing Gabriel Byrne) is back but he has a new therapist (played by the incredibly versatile and multi-talented Amy Ryan) and a new patient in veteran actress Debra Winger as well as some newcomers. There is nothing like this show on TV, and it is truly worth watching. This is the first season that isn’t adapted from the Israeli version (that one only had two seasons), so I am curious to see what happens. This much I know for sure, I will be wishing I could sit on Dr. Weston’s couch. Check out a new trailer and a 30 second promo for the upcoming season below!

Continue reading “FIRST LOOK: In Treatment Season 3” »

The big season finale of True Blood is tonight and I am so excited about it. The season has had a lot of crazy twists and turns, including more supernatural beings and the introduction of witches. I think this season is probably overall the strongest of the three, although I could have done without crying Tara and bad-ass Sam. However, I have really enjoyed all the new characters that have been introduced. One in particular, Holly Cleary, drew my attention the minute she appeared. She has a very strong presence in the books, and I look forward to seeing what direction Alan Ball takes her in. I recently had the chance to chat with Lauren Bowles, who plays Holly, about relating to her wiccan counterpart, what makes this show so special for her (hint: she’s a big fan!) and what’s coming up in the big finale.

Continue reading “EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Lauren Bowles (Holly Cleary) from True Blood” »

Are you as excited for tonight’s episode of True Blood as I am? Last week’s episode ended on an absolutely amazing note. In fact, so amazing, that Russel’s super creepy quote has been part of my household. It’s been a great season so far, and it just keeps getting better.

In anticipation for tonight’s big episode, here are a couple of great preview clips. Not too spoiler-y, don’t worry!

Pam questions Eric:

Jessica confronts Arlene:

Be sure to tune in tonight at 9 pm to HBO for “I Smell A Rat”

True Blood is well into its third season, and it has been fantastic so far. It’s probably the craziest and wildest season yet, and I am enjoying every minute of it. One thing creator Alan Ball doesn’t shy away from is the introduction of new characters. This season we’ve seen new (and sexy) werewolves (ahem Alcide), a new Merlotte’s waitress, and a wolf pack who are into drugs and vampire blood. Crystal Norris (one of those new characters) is a love interest for Jason, but there’s still an air of mystery surrounding her. She comes from the Norris family, who are involved with drugs and she appears to have a fiancee. But what is the real deal with Jason’s new crush? I recently had the chance to chat with Lindsay Pulsipher, who plays Crystal, about the mysterious role, what’s coming up for Crystal and what draws her character (besides the obvious) to Jason Stackhouse.

What originally drew you to the role of Crystal Norris?
I haven’t read the books, but after I got to know her through the writers of True Blood — through their eyes — I was just fascinated with her mystery. She was written with a lot of mystery, and she has several layers going on. And as we’ll soon see later in the season, she’s got a lot of things that she’s trying to cope with and deal with in her life, and I just loved the aspect of being able to play such a complicated, mysterious character. It was really exciting for me.

Definitely. Crystal also has a very interesting background. Can you tell us a little bit more about her family and where she came from?
Little things are revealed throughout the season — more and more about her past and her history — but she’s from this family that cooks meth and they’re meth heads basically (laughs). She’s never really left this compound. It’s all she’s ever really known. She doesn’t really have a social life outside of the compound, so the world outside of that is just so big and intimidating to her I think.

For those who have read the books, or picked up on hints in the show, know that Crystal has some supernatural or non-human elements to her. How are you able to relate to a character that might not be entirely human?
There’s some instincts that Crystal might have that might be a bit foreign to normal folk. (laughs) In the books, she definitely has some supernatural powers. And I think that she has the instincts which myself as a normal person might not have and it was really fun to explore — I’m getting into dangerous territory (laughs).

Don’t worry, I know you can’t spoil too much! What has it been like working so closely with Ryan Kwanten? I’ve heard he’s a bit of a prankster, so are those scenes filmed seriously or is there a lot of joking around?
Oh my God, Ryan is absolutely a practical joker, and very spontaneous in his acting. So we could be doing the most serious, heartfelt scene, and he could pull some little trick or some little Jason-ism out of his hat, and completely throw me off (laughs), which I completely appreciate as an actor — to keep it fresh and funny and spontaneous. And he definitely does that. He’s a great actor, and he really knows his character well, so that is really refreshing to act opposite somebody that is so in tune with his inner Jason. (laughs) It was so much fun.

That’s good to hear. And what do you think draws Crystal to Jason?
I think that it’s his — obviously, he’s a very charismatic person, and when he approaches her truck and she seems him without a shirt (laughs) [like] “Who is this? And what is this guy doing?” so there’s that element of charm, and he’s very funny. But I think on a deeper level, she’s been locked up on the compound, and I think that she might see a little bit of an escape for her, and a way for her to maybe put her past life behind her, and she kind of looks at him and thinks “Could he be the one to help me do this?”

Right. And on the alternate side, why do you think Jason is so drawn to Crystal? She’s different from any other girl he’s been with before.
It’s a hard question for me to answer. I’ve been asked that before. It’s hard for me to answer for Ryan, but I think she’s kind of mysterious and maybe he’s picking up on some things that Crystal has going on in her life that other girls in the past haven’t really had. And I think that there’s that air of mystery that he’s intrigued by.

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After a week off for the holiday (hey, even vampires need some time off), True Blood returns tonight for what is sure to be some amazing blood-sucking action. The third season has gotten off to an amazing start with the introduction of werewolves, a King, and some vampires with questionable motivations (ahem, Franklin Mott). One of my favorite characters on the show, Pam, is taking on a bigger role this season. The fabulous, sassy, preppy, powerful vampire has had some of my favorite scenes so far. I recently had the chance to speak with Kristin Bauer (who plays Pam), about her character, working very closely with Alexander Skarsgard (her maker Eric Northman), and environmental causes that are very close to her heart.

Continue reading “INTERVIEW: Kristin Bauer (Pam) from True Blood” »

The third season of True Blood is officially upon us and it’s off to a fantastic start. Tonight’s episode picks up the steam even more (wolves!) in what is sure to be an amazing season. Vampires are certainly the focal point of the show, but it’s the people in Bon Temps that make the show interesting. One of those people is Arlene, the take-no-prisoners waitress at Merlottes who loves her kids, hates vampires and just realized she is pregnant with Terry Bellefleur’s child. I recently had the chance to talk to Carrie Preston (who plays Arlene) about how she relates to her character, her favorite moment from filming the show and working with Alan Ball. I also had to throw in a question about her husband Michael Emerson as well now that Lost has just ended.

What originally drew you to the project?
I had the great fortune of working with Alan Ball on his feature film “Towelhead”, and he’s the one who told me about “True Blood.” He said he had a part for me in it, but when I read the script I didn’t know what he was talking about. Arlene was so different from me, and I didn’t think I was physically right for the role. But when the offered me the part, I couldn’t resist it. It was a chance to play a real character and to transform, which is something you don’t usually get to do on television.

How do you relate to Arlene? Are you anything like her?
I’m not as outspoken as she is. I’m also not narrow minded like she is. But I can understand where she is coming from. I grew up with women like Arlene, and I take it as a responsibility to find the humanity in her. On the page sometimes, Arlene runs the risk of being ridiculed by the audience by coming off as a stereotypically racist, ignorant southerner. Yet I think she expresses a much needed viewpoint on the show, which is this: Vampires might be seductive and mysterious and sexy, but they are also killers by nature, so maybe we shouldn’t trust our children with them!

Arlene is a heavily influenced character, as she showed last season with Marianne. However, she is strong at the same time. What has it been like playing her?
I like to find the balance between the humor and the pathos with Arlene. On the page, I get a lot of one-liners or jokes, but I try to find the truth behind them. I always try to build a three dimensional woman with responsibilities and cares and woes that are similar to the concerns of our audience. She’s grounded in the real world, which is a nice balance with the supernatural stuff going on around her.

Is there more to Arlene that we don’t know yet? Will we meet her children’s father?
The audience is going to see a deeper, more emotional side of Arlene this season. However, it’s not the familiar histrionics that she displayed in the first two seasons.  I don’t know if you will ever meet the father of her first two children — I like to think they are two different fathers, actually.

Arlene has had some bad luck with men. Do you think Terry Bellefleur will be different?
Terry is by far the sweetest and most vulnerable man Arlene has ever dated. He’s the first guy who seems willing to drop everything to make her and her kids happy, so even if he’s got some emotional issues due to the war, it seems like she wants to make things work with him.

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The day is finally upon us! True Blood season premiere day! The wait has been rather long, and it certainly sucks but it’s over. When last we left our favorite vampires (and humans alike), Bill had been kidnapped after Sookie left him to think about his marriage proposal. We pick up right where we left off in “Bad Blood.” Of course, I can’t tell you who kidnapped him or why…but some of you might have an idea if you read the books. However, it’s quite riveting, I will say that. Sookie thinks Eric kidnapped Bill and is quick to accuse him.

Shortly after, The Queen returns. I didn’t hate her as much as some of my other True Blood loving friends, but regardless, she’s back and as commanding as ever. The Queen is worried about the selling of V and gives very specific orders to Eric. The only other person who knows about Eric and the V is Bill, so of course it is in Eric’s best interest to find Bill.

One of the characters I love the most — Pam — is taking on a bigger role this season, and I am so excited about that. There is an amazing scene between her and Sookie that made me laugh out loud. I just love her subtlety. Kristin Bauer van Straten is such a brilliant actress and I can’t wait to see more shining moments with her.

And in the world of one of my other favorite characters, Jessica is dealing with the aftermath of biting that trucker from the season finale. She also feels Bill’s “call,” something we have never seen or heard about thus far, but that’s all I’m going to say about that. Sookie goes to Jessica to help her look for Bill. She’s a little harsh with her in my opinion, but maybe that’s just me. I suppose if my super good looking Vampire boyfriend had just been kidnapped, I’d probably be the same way. Tara is struggling with Egg’s death, and her mom returns to help her. I’m not going to spoil anymore but Tara continues to be her semi-crazy Tara self. In this episode we are also introduced to wolves! They use real wolves which is pretty unbelievable. I will leave the mystery of in what capacity we are introduced to them, but it’s pretty great.

And what about the others? Sam is looking for his family and probably has one of the best scenes of the whole episode…with someone you would hardly expect him to have a scene with. Arlene is feeling guilty from all the madness that went on last season and tries to make it up to her kids. And Tara isn’t the only one dealing with the death of Eggs, so are Jason and Andy. And not to worry, you will see plenty of Jason. I’m pretty positive it’s in his contract.

Overall, I thought it was a fantastic premiere. Some people you hope get naked do indeed get naked and all our favorite characters are back. One thing I really liked about the premiere is that it resumed right where the season finale left off. Often times with premieres, the show picks up 6 months later or even years later. I love that True Blood treats its audience like they are intelligent (which we are) and fills each episode with subtle nuances that are just brilliant. Alan Ball is a genius, and I love being transported into his world (and Charlaine Harris’) week after week. Despite going a bit off the handle with all the Marianne stuff last season, I still think that it is consistently one of the best shows out there. I can’t wait to see what the rest of season 3 brings, because it’s bound to be crazy and amazing.

Be sure to tune in tonight at 9 pm to HBO for the 3rd season premiere of True Blood.

Happy True Blood premiere day! Waiting sucks, but the wait is just about over. I am ready for some amazing vampire action! True Blood kicks off its third season tonight and I will be posting a spoiler-free advance review but I will say this: It is amazing. In addition to our old favorites, there are many new characters coming our way. I am always a little wary of being introduced to so many new characters, but last year, Jessica became one of my absolute favorites. One of those new characters is Jesus (played by Kevin Alejandro), who is Lafayette’s new love interest. I recently had the chance to chat with Kevin Alejandro about his new character, working with Nelsan Ellis (Lafayette) and the big differences between his character on Southland and Jesus. He was very tight lipped about season 3 but he still gave some interesting insights into the show.

How did you originally get the part of Jesus?
I had to go through a series of auditions. It was actually quite a long process. I think it was about a month before I finally found out whether or not I was going to be a part of the show. I went through several auditions with producers and call backs and stuff like that, but I think the deciding [factor] was the last audition where they had to narrow it down to a handful of guys, and we all had to go into the room and have what’s called a chemistry read with Nelsan [Ellis, who plays Lafayette] and whoever fit the best [got the part]. I was glad to feel that they thought that I was that one.

We haven’t been introduced to your character yet, but he is the caretaker for Lafayette’s mom. What more can you tell us about him?
That. And he is the love interest to Lafayette, played by Nelsan. There’s a really strong connection that they develop. You can just look forward to a lot of really interesting things that happen. I can’t really tell you too much about it. Other than what you already know.

Had you seen the show before you got the part?
Oh yeah, definitely. That’s what made this whole process really cool is that it was this show that I had already gotten into, and just to get the audition was like “Oh yeah, that would be awesome.” Further d0wn the line, as steps got closer and closer to it, I was like “Wow, this might actually happen.” It’s really super cool to be a part of something that you already know, and that you’re a fan of.

Absolutely. And have you read the books at all?
I have not, actually no. A buddy of mine, who is actually the Godfather to my kid, he works on the show, his name is Luis. He’s a camera assistant. So when it first came out, he was like “This is such a great show…” so we got into it for that.

So you have been for the past few seasons been playing Nate on Southland. How different is it going from playing Nate to Jesus on True Blood?
It’s completely different, like two different worlds. But that’s part of the decision making, what helped me decide to do this was that I’m coming off Southland as a gang detective, as a husband with a couple kids, and dealing with that sort of hard-core life. And then to play a character like Jesus who is going through a completely different hardcore world and life. His sexual preference is different, it’s such heightened – they’re just two extreme worlds, and that was so challenging and very inviting. That’s part of why I wanted to do it.

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Waiting sucks. But on Sunday, the wait for season 3 of True Blood is over. I have seen the first three episodes and I can tell you they are fantastic. If you have read the books (or even if you haven’t) you know that Lorena (Bill’s maker, played by the lovely Mariana Kleveno) takes on a bigger role this season. There’s also werewolves and witches and more crazy action (and also some clothes-less Eric). Whatever the season brings, I am extremely excited for it. I recently had the chance to chat with Mariana Klaveno about Lorena’s complexities, how she’s able to relate to a vampire, and what makes Bill (and Stephen Moyer) so special.

What originally drew you to the project?
When I first read for it, it hadn’t started airing yet. So I all I knew was that it was Alan Ball’s new show, which that in and of itself was enough of a draw. I knew it was his new show, and that it was about vampires, and that it was set in the south. And that’s kind of all I knew, but I was such a fan of Six Feet Under, and I just love his creative genius, that I was drawn to it immediately just because I knew he was behind it.

Obviously, Lorena’s not human, but there are human elements. How do you relate to her?
I try to focus on — in any scene with Lorena — I always try to go back to what’s at her core, what motivates her. And sadly, it’s a tragic love for Bill. And that’s behind everything, and that’s what makes it easier for me to participate in a scene where my character’s doing something really evil (laughs) or really morally questionable. That’s really who she is. She’s a tragic, lonely, desperate character who may be a little unstable as well. And it all stems from her need to be loved and to have this connection with this  man that will never be returned.

She’s also an incredibly powerful  female character– not just because she’s a vampire — so what has it been like playing her?
Oh that’s just been a dream. (laughs) It’s fabulous enough to play a vampire, but to play a very powerful vampire, and exactly — to be in these power scenes with men, and go toe to toe with them, and sometimes literally throw them across the room (laughs) is a fantasy of mine. It’s an insane amount of fun to play her. Again, I have to give Alan the respect that he deserves for giving so many on the women of the show such powerful and complex parts. That doesn’t always happen.

Absolutely. And what has it been like working so closely with Stephen Moyer?
Stephen is fantastic to work with. He’s an amazing guy, and a brilliant actor, obviously. He’s an incredibly generous actor. He’s always concerned about how you’re doing, and even if it’s somebody who’s only there for the day, who has a couple lines and is there for the day, he’s always concerned about if they’re being taken care of, if their experience is as good as it should be on the show, and that’s the qualities of a true leader, when you’re looking for someone to lead a cast and I have to say that Anna’s the same way. And they’re just the most wonderful people and a wonderful couple and extremely funny. And it’s just a joy to be around them and work with them.

That’s good to hear. And you touched on it a little bit, but Lorena is a very complex character with many layers. She’s still a bit of a mystery to us. Is there more to her that we don’t know yet that we might find out soon?
Yes! I can’t give too much away, and not too much is revealed, but you do get to see a little bit more in season three and you see some new sides to her, which I’m excited to see how it comes out, and excited to see how the fans receive that. Some new shades of Lorena, and a little bit more information in terms of who she is.

I’ve read the books, so I know that Lorena has a pretty big role in season 3. Did you read the books before you started the show?
I did, yes. Lorena doesn’t really have a strong presence in the books. Luckily for me, Alan and the writers have changed that when it comes to story lines in True Blood. And I enjoyed the books immensely, they’re very fun, but I did read them looking for insights into who my character was and where she comes from, but it doesn’t really give a lot away. She’s even more mysterious in the books. You hear about her a lot, but you barely even see her. So we’ve expanded on that, and taken some liberties. I did read the books, but I kind of had to do a lot on my own of coming up with storyline and background.

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