No Spoilers Tuesday

Salon.com has a funny bit on the first 3 minutes in Fairyland. Yep, it's filler till I find something spoilerish, just go with it, OK?.

A sneak peak at "True Blood's" season four premiere

Now with more fairies, magic fruit, and the boss from "Office Space"

BY DREW GRANT

HBO

Guess who is back? Sooookeh!

"True Blood" is back! "True Blood" is back! Okay, technically we have to wait till June 26th to see the fourth season of Alan Ball's campy vampire Gothic with the worst fake Southern accents since James Van Der Beek told his dad he didn't "waaahnt yer liiiiife" in "Varsity Blues." But ever since HBO released the first three minutes of the premiere, I can feel the butterflies of my intense love/hatred with this show already fluttering in my stomach.

In case you hate spoilers, don't read this next part: Now we know where Sookie went when Glinda the Good Witch Claudine her Fairy Godmother came and swallowed her up in a ball of light. Because remember, Sookie (who I keep wanting to write out as a Snookie, so help me God) is part fairy, and also she is mad at her boyfriend Vampire Bill, so why not just run away with a lady offering you glowing fruit, right? Anyway, Sookie gets transported to heaven/fairy land/a Greek bathhouse with very complimentary lighting, and runs into some old friends!

Look, there's Barry, one of the throw away characters from Season 2! And his hunky fairy godmother! If we're going by Sookie Stackhouse novels, Barry will be playing a bigger role this season. (Though if we were going by Charlaine Harris' books, Lafayette would have died a long time ago and there would be a vampire Elvis named Bubba.)

Sookie looks a little concerned with all the Glowfruit consumption, probably because it's a little too reminiscent of Maryann the maenad and her Ecstasy raves two seasons ago. But before she can get too upset, look over there! It's Grandpa Gary Cole! He doesn't know how long he's been up in Fairytown, eating Glowfruit. This is presented like it’s a bad thing, but I don't know. There are worse things than remaining immortally young and hanging out with hot fairies all day. Although knowing Sookie, it won't be too long until she's running back to control-freak Bill and his nemesis/BFF/sheriff, Eric "No black tank top, no glory" Northman.

What are you looking forward to loving/hating next season? Is it Alcide? Jason's new adopted meth family? The scary thought that Tara might return? Personally, I hope this season is all Jessica and Hoyt: those two kids could have a spin-off show and I'd watch it over this.

HBO put up the HD Break Up Trailer-

From the Vault-

Many fans have made it very clear that they are not thrilled with the look and atmosphere of Fairy Land. This has not gone unnoticed and True Blood writer Brian Buckner addresses the issue in his commentary on the season 3 DVD.

Bruckner comments on episode 7 together with Anna Paquin and Joe Manganiello. During the hospital scene where Sookie visits Fairy Land he says:

“Let me address one thing and it’s an interesting phenomena on the show because in the age of the internet it’s very easy to find out what your audience thinks about everything. People were sort of unanimously not thrilled with Fairy Land, but I do want to say that this isn’t actually Fairy Land. It’s a hallucinatory dream and it’s what Fairies are presenting about themselves to try to get Sookie to come with them. So think of it as a trap and the real Fairy is going to be something very very different and more sinister. I promise”

Joe Manganiello: “Sinister Fairies?”

Buckner: “Oh yes. Badass.”

Joe: “I didn’t know this was a trap. I thought that all Fairies lived in Lilith Fair or something.”

The most negative thing Anna read about Fairy Land is that it looks like a Tampax commercial.

Digging Up Season 3, June 7th on HBO

Lot of digging going on with HBO, we dug deeper with a fun clue-finding contest and now we will dig up S3. Thanks Jody (again). This is a special season 3 highlight show, sounds pretty good.



French commercial for the DVD from Warner Bros. France-



WHAAAAAA???? Just read this from Digital Spy, maybe they just mean video bits not everything else.
HBO will reportedly release one more preview before the season debuts.

Sunday Has THE Best Promos.

This is fanmade, a great compilation of the promos so far. It's by the talented Andra, see all her work HERE.




A new promo from last night, right off the TV, True Blood has the best fans. Oops, I deleted that one for a better quality vid by the lovely Jody.


This might be taken down soon, HBO GO's sneak peek. I have to be honest, not liking the Fae twists at all. The book storyline was perfect, Earl being Fae just, just...I can't.



True-Blood.net has a synopsis of the HBOGO preview-

 The video itself is not yet available to non-subscribers (we’ll post as soon as it is), but we’ve got the scoop on what happens to share with you.

Sookie finds all sorts of surprises in faerie land.

The episode opens in the faerie world where all is calm and pleasant, full of tinkling music and happy people. A golden light pulses and Sookie appears with Claudine. Inquiring if Claudine is the “leader” in this world, Sookie is informed that no, in fact Claudine is her faerie godmother. “If you’re job is to look after me, can I just say that you suck? Do you know many times I could’ve used a faerie godmother?” Sookie huffs. “You’re still alive, aren’t you? You’re not exactly Miss Trouble Free you know,” Claudine notes.

At this point Sookie is greeted by Barry the Bellboy, who just arrived with his faerie godmother, Lloyd. I know, right? The faeries go off to get a drink and let Barry & Sookie catch up. Another faerie comes by and offers them a lumiere, a “light fruit,” what look like glowing peaches. As Barry bites into his, Sookie sees others eating them and something seems “off” to her. She warns Barry to stop, but then her eye is caught by a man off to the side, enjoying his own fruit. It’s her grandaddy, Earl. She greets him, but Earl doesn’t recognize her. When she tells him who she is, he is disbelieving. “I just saw you last week, it was your birthday.” “Grandaddy, that was 20 years ago.” Cut to black.

So what did we learn?

• Time in faerie land is not the same as in our world.
• Barry and Sookie weren’t the only humans present raising the question of just how many people with faerie blood exist.
• In the True Blood-verse, it appears that Earl didn’t die, he just disappeared into faerie land.

Saturday's Late Dribbles.

The Vault has a couple more pics of E10 filming, the actress is Caitlin Carmichael. Eric with another teacup human!

SFX.co.uk has recently had some good TB articles and here's one more-

Executive producer Alexander Woo teases season four of the hit US vampire show (mild spoilers)

Issues over identity will play a big part in season four of True Blood, reveals executive producer Alexander Woo in an exclusive interview in the new issue of SFX (out next Wednesday).

“We have a world of characters that can shape-shift: werewolves, shape-shifters, and were-panthers,” he says. “There are themes of identity there. Then there is a great sense of identity when you are a werewolf being part of a pack. Alcide has always been a lone wolf and not wanted to be so much a part of the pack, but we ask, ‘Can he get away from that?’ Also at the end of season three, Sam tells Tara to get the hell out of town so she can get away from everything that happened to her by running away. We will see how Tara deals with that and if leaving Bon Temps really changes who you are.”

As for Sookie, she, “has to question that she is so alluring to vampires because of something magical in her blood rather than her herself,” while Sam, “has reinvented himself, but how successfully he’s done that is a different question. As we’ve seen in flashbacks, he was living off the grid, engaging in criminal activities. When he is brought into the midst of his birth parents and brother, he seems to revert to who he was – a man filled with rage enough to shoot somebody. It’s not clear if Sam has been successful in reinventing himself either.”

Woo also teases, “More than one fan has noticed that Russell Edgington (Denis O’Hare) wasn’t killed at the end of season three, which leaves a crack of the door open. That speaks to how extraordinary Denis was and what a great character that turned out to be. We didn’t have the heart to excise him from the world right away and I think it was one of the more successful parts of last year.”

Read the full interview, packed with even more revelations (including what vampire Eric’s identity crisis will be and why the show hasn’t packed off Bill to Peru like in the books) in the new issue of SFX, out next week.

True Blood season four begins in the US on 26 June and arrives in the UK on FX at a later date.

HBO Press Release Friday ( ok, so it's from yesterday) & More S4 Photos!

Jethro Nededog from Zap2it has some interesting  news, loved his live blogging during the Paleyfest.

'True Blood's' Jessica Tuck reveals that Nan and Bill have history

HBO just released the most revealing trailer so far for "True Blood's" Season 4. 

In it, we see the American Vampire League's spokeswoman, Nan Flanagan, assigning Eric and Bill  to damage control on the human-vampire relations front after Russel Edgington's  very public display of vampire blood-thirst in Season 3.

New series regular, Jessica Tuck (who plays Nan) says that her character takes on an increasingly significant role in Season 4.

"It would be foolish to think that her efforts were just about making humans and vamps one big happy family," Tuck tells True Blood's Nest of Nan's work to mainstream vampires. "There is an agenda behind her agenda but that is not for me to reveal right now. Stay tuned."

And while we see her ordering Bill around quite a bit, the actress says there's something more underneath their adversarial relationship.

"All I can say is that Nan and Bill have a history," she says. "Details of that history will be revealed in Season 4. If I say anything more than that, I'll get myself in trouble."

"Relationships between the characters get much more complicated and redefined," Tuck also says. "I love this season - I think there is a lot to sink your teeth into. You won't be disappointed."

Good interview with Jessica Tuck (anyone besides me remember her as Vicky's daughter on One Life To Live?) From my old pals at True Blood's Nest, a great site that I have followed since they started. There's lots of goodies in it, in fact maybe Jethro's info is taken from this, so read the whole thing at the link. This is just a tease-

Jessica Tuck: Nan’s Agenda Behind Her “Agenda”

TB-N: Nan is also one of the most mysterious characters in True Blood. We don’t know much about her, though she has been featured since episode 1 (on the TV at the Grabbit Kwik). Will we get to know Nan’s story better? Maybe some flashbacks or more info about her background? Are you allowed to tell us how old Nan is or where was she born?

JT: Nan is mysterious- even to me. I don’t know how old  she is or where she was born. More about Nan is revealed in season 4 but  I can’t go into detail without spoiling things for you.

Major True Blood Casting News: Gary Cole As...

l

HBO sent out a press release yesterday, one that previewed season four of True Blood.

For those of us who follow the show closely, posting all casting notes and spoilers we can, it didn't appear to offer any new intel on what's to come... until we got to the final line. It reads:

New cast members include: Courtney Ford as lawyer Portia Bellefleur, Andy’s sister; Vedette Lim as Tara’s new friend Naomi; Alexandra Breckenridge as Katerina, one of Marnie’s followers; and Gary Cole as Earl Stackhouse.

Earl Stackhouse? Sookie's grandfather?!? It's safe to assume this appearance will take place via flashback, but it's still intriguing to consider.

Cole is a veteran actor who most recently appeared in Entourage and Chuck. To many, though, he'll forever be known as Bill Lumbergh from Office Space. So... yeah... it's safe to say we're excited about his casting.

TV Fanatic

I thought this was already confirmed, but maybe just speculation. I know Melody Picard said it a while ago, so no surprise. I still think Randy Wayne will play Dermot, the fairy relative of Sookie and Jason (that looks like Jason), otherwise they missed a great casting idea, lol.

More photos by John P. Johnson for S4 courtesy of HBO

Whaaaaa? 3D, Really?

from LA Times Blog-

New season of HBO's 'True Blood' adds witches, flirts with 3-D

When "True Blood" returns for its fourth season on HBO June 26, it might have some surprises in store in the future. Like...3-D?

"True Blood's" cast and producers have always kept the series' secrets close to the vest, but show creator Alan Ball did tell our brother blog, Hero Complex, that he's experimented with 3-D. He said he could foresee using the technology in the future, perhaps "for a season premiere or a season finale."

“It was basically a scene that’s in the show anyway, so they just also shot it with 3-D cameras,” Ball said. Read more about the potential to see "True Blood's" werewolves, shape-shifters, were-panthers, witches and other "supes" in three dimensions here.

HBO, known for striking images and memorable marketing around its original series, just released three monochromatic posters of "True Blood" characters. (See red version at left.) Nowhere as bloody and flesh-baring as the now famous Anna Paquin/Stephen Moyer/Alexander Skarsgard Rolling Stone cover, but sexy/creepy all the same.

The show doesn't always follow the soapy Southern vampire novels on which it's based, so viewers had no idea until now that a supernatural coven would be part of the scenery until this trailer for the new season. See Sookie, the telepathic diner waitress, rant about the new additions to the local freak show in the clip here.

The hit series, returning on June 26, will open with an amnesiac (and half-naked!) vampire Eric Northman paying a price for tangling with some powerful witches. He needs help, and who comes to his rescue? Well, Sookie, of course. And, fangbangers, it just heats up from there if the printed page is any guide. (Fingers crossed!)

Charlaine Harris, whose books were bestsellers before the HBO series and have spiked ever higher since, talked Wednesday at the Book Expo America in New York about having the first Sookie Stackhouse novel repeatedly rejected a decade ago. She'd been a conventional mystery writer up to that time, without much success, and decided to throw a paranormal spin on her work.

She crammed "a little bit of everything" into the book, she said. It was not well-received.

"At that time, there was almost no one writing paranormal," she said. "It was a bold move, and I felt like that's what I needed. I thought it was time to shake up my career a little."

She eventually found a publisher that took a chance and must've felt like a Lotto winner when the series took off. It's become a franchise with 20 million copies in print. The current bestseller, "Dead Reckoning," is the 11th in the series.

Harris has promised two more Sookie-centric books and then she's done because, she said, "I feel like I'd be repeating myself if I continued."

All together now: Wah!

This is from the aforementioned Hero Complex

“True Blood,” HBO’s sexy, soapy vampire series based on the bestselling novels from mystery writer Charlaine Harris, returns for its fourth season June 26, and while creator Alan Ball is staying mum on details about the twists and turns the story line will take, he did confirm earlier this week that the hit show is experimenting with the stereoscopic technology that’s all the rage at movie theaters these days.

“We did a scene in 3-D this season just to take a look at it,” Ball said in an interview. “HBO asked us to do one. It was pretty cool. I don’t think it’s going to air. We just did it as an experiment, because I don’t know if they’re going to want to take the show 3-D at some point, maybe like a season premiere or a season finale or something. I would be surprised if — depending on how long the show lasts — that doesn’t happen at some point, especially if 3-D technology gets beyond having to wear the glasses.”

Set in the fictional town of Bon Temps, La., “True Blood,” which stars Anna Paquin as telepathic cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse, seems rife with opportunities for eye-popping spectacle given its sprawling cast of supernatural creatures — vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, faeries, etc. The upcoming season, which is based loosely on Harris’ novel “Dead to the World,” introduces witches into the mix.

From Inside True Blood Blog, shouldnt he have signed it Tommy? Hmmm?

Thursday's Fabulous Fotos

They are all over the web but Seat 42F has them all in one place, how could I forget about them having cool info? All photos courtesy of  HBO, by John P. Johnson 

These are said to be from S4 E1

Now this is why Thursday is all kinds of Fabulousity!

These are E2

What in Ed Grimley hell is going on with Tommy's (Scrappy Doo) hair?

E3

Now this is how you do sexy, note to all actresses everywhere.

 Sadness, anger and a creepy old doll

E4

Jesus buys into this?

Since we have the photos, I'll just post the text from POPWATCH which they posted with pics, not anything we don't already know-

True Blood" season four has been unofficially titled "The Season of the Witch" -- so meet Fiona Shaw, who plays Marnie, Bon Temps big wicca and the woman driving this year's drama.
She's the only new face in a batch of 20 just released season four images that have glaringly omitted two very important characters!

Sookie Stackhouse memorably ended season three by leaving our world and entering Claudine's fairyland -- but how long will she stay? And what will she bring back to Bon Temps when she returns?

Bill, arguably, had the most eventful season finale -- betraying Eric, getting dumped then banished by Sookie and facing off with Vampire Queen Sophie-Anne. So needless to say, he's facing an uphill battle this year.

Thanks to his progeny Pam, a freshly excavated Eric is back behind the bar at Fangtasia when season four starts up -- but with the witches having control over the dead, it would seem that the walking dead (a.k.a vampires) are in for a whole lot of trouble this year.

It's nice to see Pam's flair for fashion hasnt waned in the off season.

The show's most dangerously in love couple -- Hoyt and Jessica -- will continue to find their relationship tested this year, but this is one fanboy who is hoping they find a happily ever after.

Alcide will play a much larger role in season four -- especially now that Bill and Eric are (seemingly) out of Sookie's life. A development that actor Joe Manganiello has been waiting for since he chatted with PopWrap last August.

Since his relationship with Jesus survived those horrifying hallucinations last season, expect Lafayette to take on a much more central role this season also since his witchy boyfriend is part of this year's central coven.

Having reunited with his birth parents last season (big mistake, big, huge!) Sam Merlotte will stop digging into the past and look towards the future this year -- which is how the barkeep finds love with one of his own. New face Luna, played by Janina Gavankar. 

In a move that surprised me, Sam's little brother Tommy is also back for season four -- meaning, we'll have just as many shifters as werewolves, witches and vampires this year.
The finale hinted at a V-addicted Detective Andy Bellefleur this season -- something I would relish because this character deserves a lot more than broken arms, endless dead bodies and yelling "Jason!"


NEW POSTERS!!!!!!! Thank you Matt from TVLINE.COM




Shots from the set are up at the one and only The Vault, looks like more tr-tr-trouble for Sooks! What else is new? Is she seeing Jason almost kidnapped?


Dude even falls sexy.

Withdrawal Wednesday? We Have Your True Blood Fix

HBO's True Blood, aka summer's sexiest series, returns June 26, and we've got your first look at the promo stills of all your favorite characters!

Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) has suited up for a serious new character turn, Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll) and Hoyt (Jim Parrack) are struggling with popular prejudice against their unconventional pairing, Pam (Kristin Bauer von Straten) and Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) look sexier than ever with great new hairstyles, Alcide (Joe Manganiello) has tragically decided to wear a shirt, Sam (Sam Trammell) appears to be a man on a mission, and Sookie (Anna Paquin) is still working out her relationship with the fairy folk (not to mention her relationship with Alexander Skarsgård's always delightful Eric Northman).

Want to see the photos for yourself?

Click through our gallery of cast shots from the upcoming episodes!

John P. Johnson/HBO

Season 4 photos from Eonline's Kristin,
you have to go to the site to see the rest.

Fanpop  has them up too!

The Other Screen Test Promos Are Up Too.

Digging Deeper and Screen Test Tuesday

A video to promote the S3 DVD with a contest, lots (60) of TB tidbits to find. I saw Eric's blue sweater, a tears of blood crying vamp and even an Urn O Talbot! Have fun and go to the contest page where clues are in HD for your tired of waiting eyes. I got a 20% off code for playing and entering FUN!
http://trueblooddigdeeper.com/



Now onto season 4!
Thanks to True Blood Italia for the uploads.





Not bad for a lazy Tuesday, eh?

May 23, 2011

Overheard in the Production Office

 "So we'll have burn prosthetics on them... what about the sizzling chains?"

- Mark Viniello, Make-Up FX Coordinator (Masters FX)

Inside True Blood Blog

Just saw this  @ HBO CONNECT, who knew?

Wolfy Monday

Melodie Picard casting call for his character: [NATE] Caucasian, Male, Late 20s to 30s. He is an imposing wolf, at least 6 feet tall. RECURRING CO-STAR. SOMETIMES HE WILL HAVE NO LINES COULD POSSIBLY RECUR INTO SEASON FIVE. Thanks again to Bookies ♥ True Blood
 IMDB has Brendan McCarthy already listed in a few episodes.






Peek at HBO GO's TB special, Barry in Fairyland, blah. Is he going to be another cousin?



Not a spoiler but it is new from the S3 DVD, Andy just has no clue what poor missing Jason is going through. He thinks he's off getting laid, which usually he would be before he hooked up with a crazy were-panther.