True Blood: Season 5

True Blood is an excellently written series. I have watched it since it began, and recently bought this dvd set for my nephew. It is nothing like the Twilight series, and in my experience, people who really love Twilight usually do not care for this series - again, simply because the two are nothing alike. Some of the main characters here (as well as supporting roles) are vampires, but that's not to say this is a show "about vampires." This series is really best described as being about the people and goings-on of a small, backwoods Louisiana town where some of the people just happen to be vampires.As mentioned above, the writing is excellent. One of the best aspects about this series is that it is definitely NOT predictable! Not in the least. You never know where the writers are going to take you...from one episode to the next, or from one season to the next. The character development, story lines, acting, directing, casting and effects are all first rate. Considering that the series has its fair share of killing (although not overly so, and it's certainly not the focus of the show), the series couldn't be called "dark" or gory by any means. I also would not call this show necessarily "violent" either. (Personally, I don't care for violent shows or movies, and I find this series to be tolerable on the violence scale. It does have killing and blood and bodies and body parts, after all there are vampires in it, but even so, it's done in a way that is not offensive or vulgar.)There is comedy, drama, action and suspense...and very well choreographed cliff-hangers to end each episode. Despite the blood, death and suspense, the series as a whole is well balanced with comedy and other character's story lines which help keep it from being overly dark. There is a quite a bit of nudity - not raunchy, but tasteful and almost artful. So if you're sensitive to nudity, just be forewarned...or simply cover your eyes during those parts, because the story lines and acting make this series well worth watching. I easily give 5-stars to every season.Another refreshing bonus is that the episode commentary for every season is also worth watching. The actors, directors and writers actually contribute thoughtful and interesting tidbits that add to the episodes and the series. It's best to watch the commentary after you've completed the season because sometimes they accidentally reveal things that happen later in that season.This series is well worth purchasing.

Season 5 of the fantastic HBO series True Blood follows quickly on the heels of Season 4; Sookie has to think fast with a dead Tara in her arms while Bill and Eric are off trying to stake Russell Edgington for good.In addition to simply furthering the plot, True Blood also raises the stakes to the highest level we have seen on this show. The majority of the season is spent in the underground lair of The Authority, the vampire governing body, and we are introduced to wonderful new characters like Roman and the dangerous Salome. The Authority initially vows to destroy Russell and the threat he poses to all the progress made in human-vampire relations.As expected, things don't quite turn out the way they are supposed to - and this happens pretty early on. True Blood works best when it is operating within sheer insanity and Season 5 illustrates that beautifully. We get to see the demented fairy nightclub, a fiery Iraqi smoke demon, and an angry vampire goddess throughout the course of 12 episodes that literally fly by.In addition to all the sheer chaos taking place, Season 5 maintains True Blood's status as a genuine horror TV show. This season is full of truly scary moments, especially because we the audience do not know how powerful these creatures are. How much of a threat can they pose to the characters we love? And what do we have to do to kill them?What I like best about the season, however, is that it finally addresses the long-waiting issue of how the vampires should deal with their identity. Is mainstreaming a good idea? Is being accepted by society worth compromising who they are, or should they embrace their inherently brutal animalistic vampire selves?The season finale is a phenomenon on its own, bringing together all the madness without quite wrapping up every loose end. (It'd be too network-television if they did!) The very last cliffhanger in itself is a terrifying moment that undoubtedly dropped jaws across the country. Five seasons strong, True Blood still has plenty of bite.

Well, to be fair I'm only halfway through this season but so far I'm really enjoying it. Again, it is interesting to see what's been taken from the books and what is totally new. In several of the situations, some of it was in the books but not exactly the same circumstance. I'm hoping, in many ways, they keep changing it up like that because a couple things from the books were so annoying.I like to dynamic between Bill and Eric and how they are both just waiting for Sookie to say "on second thought, let's give it a shot" and yet they continue on with their vampire schemes and motivations. This season we learn about 2 different factions of vampires, some want to peacefully coexist, others see humans as a delicious food source and little more. Which side will our local vamps choose, because I'm betting by the end of the season they'll have to pick?I am happy Tara is still around-no thanks to annoy Debbie Pelt, who died way better in the book. And I really look forward to seeing her character grow in new ways now that she's a vampire (definitely not in the books).Who is shooting the local shifters? This is one of the other story arcs this season. I have no idea who to suspect at this point... I'm glad that Andy is taking some help from Sam on this investigation.Is Jason going to meet the future Mrs Jason (and will she be the nice girl who tames the man down)? What's with the fairy bar in the field? Will Jason ever figure out that, like his sister, he has fairy blood? Hello, it's like saying my sister is 1/2 Irish, but it skipped me... Is that going to be in the show?What's up with Andy (fairy flings, really)?

La quinta stagione di True Blood forse non è la più riuscita della serie ma è pur sempre appassionante e intrigante. Tanti nuovi personaggi, i membri dell'authority vampiresca e soprattutto Nora, la "sorella" di Eric, e il ritorno del cattivo per eccellenza in True Blood, Russell Edginton che con le sue battutte ironiche diverte sempre, per non parlare della svolta nel personaggio di Tara e il suo rapporto con Pam. Insomma per chi ama True Blood un dvd imperdibile.

As usual, the season got off to a relatively slow start, it seems to be the pattern that you have to give it a while to warm up.As far as the books go, we're off the edge of the map now, don't assume that the books and the TV series are in any way relatedother than the names of the characters.I felt this was quite a strong series, if only for the fact that there was so much going on that there was no time to be bored,you had to pay attention and keep up, or you were going to miss something (always an excuse for a rewatch). I found the vampire councillaughable (really, you've survived how long with minimal social skills and a tendency to trust a man standing behind you with an axe?),but it gave Russell an excuse to vamp it up to such extremes that he'd make a pantomime dame look like Jane Austen. So the funny bits workedfor me, but I found it hard to take the drama seriously.Bill and Eric did strong, silent plotting although Bill also seems to have taken an unpleasant direction into mumbo jumbo fanaticism, Terry did bewildered, Arelene did gormless, Sam dependable, Sookie psychic, Jessica and Jason gorgeous much as usual. Hoyt breaks my heart in his scenes. Pam got several new dimensions, which I love, because I think she's great. Tara has given up being the emotional punchbag, but this now seems to have become Lafayette's role, which is so wrong because Lafayette exuberant is just irresistible.Not as good a storyline as some other seasons, but everyone got plenty of screentime, which made for an exhilarating ride.

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Nachdem ihr untoter Lover Bill am Ende der 2. Staffel mitten im Heiratsantrag entführt wurde, macht sich Sookie auf nach Mississippi - ins Reich des illustren Vampirkönigs Russell Edgington. Sie schließt Freundschaft mit dem Bodybuilding gestylten Werwolf Alcide Herveaux, macht unliebsame Bekanntschaft mit dessen süchtiger Freundin Debbie und einem ausgeflippten Rudel voller Nazi-Werwölfe. Und das ist nur ein kleiner Teil der Irrungen und Wirrungen in Season 3. Am Ende erfährt die Telepathie begabte Kellnerin aus Bon Temps, wer oder was sie wirklich ist.Auch die Charakterentwicklung der anderen Figuren schreitet in dieser Staffel weiter voran - und das in einem genial-verrückten Tempo. Vampir-Wikinger Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgard) gewinnt einiges an Farbe, ebenso das Blutsaugerküken Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll). Besonders hervorstechend ist aber der bereits eingangs erwähnte Vampirmonarch Russell Edgington (Denis O'Hare): schrill, schräg, kultiviert, grausam - eine wilde Mischung. Meine persönliche Favoritin bleibt aber Anna Paquin als Sookie: einfach wunderbar!Als Extras gibt's das Musikvideo "Oh Sookie" von Snoop Dogg (eher mäßig), ein "Post Mortem" mit Produktionsnotizen der Episodenmacher- und Macherinnen sowie die "Minisoden", kurze Szenen mit bisher nicht veröffentlichtem Material. Vor allem die ersten beiden Sequenzen: Jessica wird in der Bar von einem Prediger angemacht bzw. Bill, der von der einsamen Miss Bushy besucht wird, sind köstlich. Wunderbar witzige Dialoge - wie von "True Blood" gewohnt.Wie ein Vorrezensent schon geschrieben hat: Waiting sucks! ... was aber die Vorfreude auf Staffel 4 umso mehr erhöht.

Ich habe die fünfte Staffel genau wie die ersten 4 "verschlungen". Mir hat die 5te Staffel wirklich super gut gefallen. Kann ich wirklich nur weiterempfehlen. Auch den noch-nicht Fans:-). Und ich freue mich auch schon auf die 6te!!