SALON

Friday, Jun 8, 2012 12:15 PM UTC

“True Blood” bites back

Sex, cursing, fangs: Scenery isn't the only thing chomped in "True Blood's" deliriously over-the-top fifth season

By

Topics: TV, True Blood,

Stephen Moyer, Alexander Skarsgard and Lucy Griffith in "True Blood"

You can tell a lot about an HBO show from the way that it curses. The grandiose linguistic embellishments of “Deadwood,” the anthropologically accurate cussing of “The Wire,” the brutal thugishness and sudden verbal grace of “The Sopranos” are all emblematic of each show’s larger aesthetic (and a signifier to audiences that they’re getting their premium cable money’s worth). The bawdy language on “True Blood” is also indicative of the series’ artistic vision, and since nine times out of 10 the curses uttered on the steamy supernatural soap are some variation on the f-word, take that to be a bedrock faith in the following: Fucks are always interesting.

“True Blood,” the ultimate summer series, begins its fifth season on HBO this Sunday night, and the cursing and the fornicating are present and accounted for. (Though through the first four episodes, the cursing far out-performs the fornicating — there is only one shot of Alexander Skarsgard’s bare buttocks, for goodness sake! — but that does leave eight episodes for copulating to try and close the gap.) In the meantime, the f-bombings remain, as ever, exorbitantly done, each swear delivered by an actor biting off its every syllable, delighting in it, relishing it and slamming it down, like its very own punch line. As with everything about “True Blood,” the language is not particularly inventive or clever, but it’s delivered with a wink, a smile and maybe a flash of fang or unclothed hip bone, and that’s — really — entertainment.

When “True Blood” began, vampires were just coming out of the coffin, hoping to forge a peaceful coexistence beside human beings, thanks to a synthetic blood substitute. Vampirism on “True Blood” has since been used as a metaphor for nearly every thorny issue we’ve got — racism, homophobia, drug addiction, sex addiction, evangelicalism, xenophobia — and part of the fun has been tracking these metaphors, mixed up and convoluted as they have become. Less fun has been the seemingly endless hit parade of mystical beings introduced season after season, drawing focus away from those vampires, their many meanings and insatiable sex drives. Nothing against maenads, shape-shifters, werewolves, fairies and witches, but there is a reason none of you are movie stars (Jacob Black excepted).

So it’s with much appreciation that I report that Season 5 of “True Blood” is not about the introduction of any new magical creatures (though the fairies are up to some B-story shenanigans), but the long-discussed Authority, the seven-member governing body of all vampires everywhere. The Authority consists of, among others, that evil child vampire Spike seemed to have killed in the second season of “Buffy,” Salome — yes, that Salome — Roman, the HMFIC, played by the wonderfully commanding, handsomely dressed Chris Meloni; and some traitors. See, the Authority has dedicated itself to the success of the “mainstreaming” movement, the peaceful coexistence of vampires and humans, but its agenda is being undermined by the Sanguinistas (that name! Are you not smiling?), a vampire faction that believes, thanks to a literal interpretation of the vampire bible, that humans are no more than food. “True Blood,” in other words, has a whole new -ism to deal with: fundamentalism. Needless to say, an allegory about Islamist tensions has never been rendered so sacrilegiously.

Among the other things to be appreciative of this season: The endless Sookie-Bill-Eric love triangle has been put on hold following Sookie’s last season decision to pull a Kelly Taylor and choose herself and not either of her dashing vampire suitors, leaving Bill and Eric to bromance each other instead. And then there’s all time lovable ditz Jason Stackhouse finally running up against the limits of what his dick can accomplish; the scene-stealing, sassy vampire Pam making jokes about Walmart sweat suits; and Lafayette still being burdened with that absurdist brujo makeup. If regular guy Terry Bellefleur appears to be off in some dull Iraq war movie/PTSD story line of his very own, well, you can always go to the bathroom when he’s on-screen. When you come back, someone will probably be doing something, uh, interesting.

Willa Paskin

Willa Paskin is Salon's staff TV writer. More Willa Paskin.

You Might Also Like

More Related Stories

Featured Slide Shows

7 motorist-friendly camping sites

close X
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Thumbnails
  • Fullscreen
  • 1 of 9

Sponsored Post

  • White River National Forest via Lower Crystal Lake, Colorado
    For those OK with the mainstream, White River Forest welcomes more than 10 million visitors a year, making it the most-visited recreation forest in the nation. But don’t hate it for being beautiful; it’s got substance, too. The forest boasts 8 wilderness areas, 2,500 miles of trail, 1,900 miles of winding service system roads, and 12 ski resorts (should your snow shredders fit the trunk space). If ice isn’t your thing: take the tire-friendly Flat Tops Trail Scenic Byway — 82 miles connecting the towns of Meeker and Yampa, half of which is unpaved for you road rebels.
    fs.usda.gov/whiteriveryou


    Image credit: Getty

  • Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest via Noontootla Creek, Georgia
    Boasting 10 wildernesses, 430 miles of trail and 1,367 miles of trout-filled stream, this Georgia forest is hailed as a camper’s paradise. Try driving the Ridge and Valley Scenic Byway, which saw Civil War battles fought. If the tall peaks make your engine tremble, opt for the relatively flat Oconee National Forest, which offers smaller hills and an easy trail to the ghost town of Scull Shoals. Scaredy-cats can opt for John’s Mountain Overlook, which leads to twin waterfalls for the sensitive sightseer in you.
    fs.usda.gov/conf


    Image credit: flickr/chattoconeenf

  • Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area via Green Road, Michigan
    The only national forest in Lower Michigan, the Huron-Mainstee spans nearly 1 million acres of public land. Outside the requisite lush habitat for fish and wildlife on display, the Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area is among the biggest hooks for visitors: offering beach camping with shores pounded by big, cerulean surf. Splash in some rum and you just might think you were in the Caribbean.
    fs.usda.gov/hmnf


    Image credit: umich.edu

  • Canaan Mountain via Backcountry Canaan Loop Road, West Virginia
    A favorite hailed by outdoorsman and author Johnny Molloy as some of the best high-country car camping sites anywhere in the country, you don’t have to go far to get away. Travel 20 miles west of Dolly Sods (among the busiest in the East) to find the Canaan Backcountry (for more quiet and peace). Those willing to leave the car for a bit and foot it would be remiss to neglect day-hiking the White Rim Rocks, Table Rock Overlook, or the rim at Blackwater River Gorge.
    fs.usda.gov/mnf


    Image credit: Getty

  • Mt. Rogers NRA via Hurricane Creek Road, North Carolina
    Most know it as the highest country they’ll see from North Carolina to New Hampshire. What they may not know? Car campers can get the same grand experience for less hassle. Drop the 50-pound backpacks and take the highway to the high country by stopping anywhere on the twisting (hence the name) Hurricane Road for access to a 15-mile loop that boasts the best of the grassy balds. It’s the road less travelled, and the high one, at that.
    fs.usda.gov/gwj


    Image credit: wikipedia.org

  • Long Key State Park via the Overseas Highway, Florida
    Hiking can get old; sometimes you’d rather paddle. For a weekend getaway of the coastal variety and quieter version of the Florida Keys that’s no less luxe, stick your head in the sand (and ocean, if snorkeling’s your thing) at any of Long Key’s 60 sites. Canoes and kayaks are aplenty, as are the hot showers and electric power source amenities. Think of it as the getaway from the typical getaway.
    floridastateparks.org/longkey/default.cfm


    Image credit: floridastateparks.org

  • Grand Canyon National Park via Crazy Jug Point, Arizona
    You didn’t think we’d neglect one of the world’s most famous national parks, did you? Nor would we dare lead you astray with one of the busiest parts of the park. With the Colorado River still within view of this cliff-edge site, Crazy Jug is a carside camper’s refuge from the troops of tourists. Find easy access to the Bill Hall Trail less than a mile from camp, and descend to get a peek at the volcanic Mt. Trumbull. (Fear not: It’s about as active as your typical lazy Sunday in front of the tube, if not more peaceful.)
    fs.usda.gov/kaibab


    Image credit: flickr/Irish Typepad

  • As the go-to (weekend) getaway car for fiscally conscious field trips with friends, the 2013 MINI Convertible is your campground racer of choice, allowing you and up to three of your co-pilots to take in all the beauty of nature high and low. And with a fuel efficiency that won’t leave you in the latter, you won’t have to worry about being left stranded (or awkwardly asking to go halfsies on gas expenses).


    Image credit: miniusa.com

  • Recent Slide Shows

  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Thumbnails
  • Fullscreen
  • 1 of 9

Related Videos

Comments

 4 Comments

Comment Preview

Your name will appear as username ( settings | log out )

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href=""> <b> <em> <strong> <i> <blockquote>

follow salon

Most Read

Popular on Reddit

links from salon.com

From Around the Web

Presented by Scribol
listener_new_rect The Listener: "The Joker": Laughing at life's deepest sorrows