SyFy bringing 'Being Human' to US viewers in January...Not sure I'm "picking up what they're putting down".

To quote the delicious snark of Pam from True Blood (and take liberty to change it a little), "I'm not picking up what they're putting down".  I love the UK version.  I love Mitchell, Annie and George.  I love Aidan Turner's charming, haunted portrayal of Mitchell.  Tonight while passing out Halloween candy to the kids and watching Ghost Hunters Live (hey, I'm a talented multi-tasker), I saw the commercial for the show.  Here's the skinny:

Being Human – The series follows three paranormal, 20-something roommates living in Boston – vampire “Aidan” (Witwer)

 werewolf “Josh” (Huntington)

 and ghost “Sally” (Rath)

 – as they struggle to hide their dark secrets from the world, while helping each other navigate the complexities of living double lives and trying to be human. Mark Pellegrino plays Aidan’s charismatic but menacing vampire mentor “Bishop” (Pelligrino).

Adam Kane (The Mentalist, Heroes) is Director and Co-Executive Producer with Executive Producer Michael Prupas (The Kennedys, Pillars of the Earth) and husband and wife Executive Producers/Writers Jeremy Carver (Supernatural) and Anna Fricke (Men in Trees, Everwood).

Muse Entertainment is producing 13 1-hour episodes for Syfy.

Where do I begin? First, it irrationally irritates me that they changed all of the character names.  It just bugs me.  Second, the vampire (which is always my favorite character in any show) looks way too polished and boy band for my taste. And I love the sweetness of Annie (portrayed by Lenora Crichlow).  I will watch, try to withhold judgement and then see how I feel.  I did see the trailer for the show tonight, and I'm still on the fence.

In the meantime, I have season 1 and 2 on DVD to watch my UK version.  Ahh, I like this version better:

The Obsession of True Blood

Do you remember the moment you realized you were obsessed with True Blood?  It starts off slow, like an innocent romance.  It begins with feeling the urge to re-watch the episodes to get just one more taste.  Maybe you missed something the first two times you watched the episode.  You find yourself talking about all things True Blood, and the many  twists and turns that have pulled you into to its sweet embrace. You're heading out to the bookstore to find all of the Southern Vampire Mysteries books, just to compare the two. Before you know it you are Googling 'True Blood', 'Eric Northman' and Alexander Skarsgård.  As your obsession progresses, you begin joining Facebook groups to discuss it, Eric Northman and Alexander Skarsgård.  But you still want more...finally, you start your own blog to discuss your obsession.  You will pour your heart and soul into your love of the show and the characters.  

And that proves the power of a great story, talented actors and the sweet seduction they can offer you.  You find yourself being on a Team, rooting for the character you painstakingly have defended, loved and discussed.

You can see where I am in my True Blood obsession.  I am a proud Trubie, Bookie and a proud Viking Girl.  Where are you with your obsession?

There's just something about Eric Northman: The Viking Vampire's Appeal

There's just something about Eric Northman, the 1000 year-old Viking vampire.  He is tall, broad-shouldered, muscular and beautiful with his blue eyes, blond hair and sexy smirk. He reeks of self-confidence and swagger.

He is vengeful, proud and collected.  Does anyone really wonder why

 he is able to leave so many breathless and wanting more?  He is able to enter any room in flip-flops and track pants, managing to not only steal the scene, but makes us want more of the ancient Viking.  And who wouldn't want more of Eric?

Eric is the anti-hero.  He has no issue with being brutal or callous to obtain what he desires.  In season one, Eric needed Sookie to solve an embezzlement issue at Fangtasia.  In Season Two, he savagely killed Royce (one of the 3 men that killed Malcolm, Diane and Liam).  He kept Lafayette trapped in his dungeon for selling V.  He sent Sookie to Dallas to try to save Godric, his maker.  In Season Three, upon finding out that Russell Edgington was responsible for killing his human family, we watched him head down a path of vengeance, brutally killing Russell's consort of 700 years.  But we need to remember that Eric is a Viking Prince-a warrior that has spent 1000 years conquering his enemies.   He was able to survive so long by using his sharp instinct, intellect and charm.  He knows when to speak and when to remain quiet.  He has a biting sense of humor-and he enjoys prodding and provoking to get a rise out of those he considers his rivals.  

What else adds to the appeal of Eric Northman?  He is egotistical and narcissistic. He has no issue in using his good looks and attractiveness to his advantage. In Season Three, he used his charm, looks and sexuality to get his revenge on Russell Edgington by staking Russell's lover, Talbot.  Season Two, he approaches the men during the lock in at the Fellowship of The Sun, acting like a 'good 'ol boy to get himself and Sookie out alive.  

We also know that Eric influences those under him to be loyal and loving.  During the flashback scenes in Season Two (as we watched Eric remember Godric turning him), as Human Eric, he was injured during battle and near death.  His three fellow Viking warriors refused to leave him alone to die-they protected him and attempted to bolster his spirit.  In Season Three, we watched the heartfelt and touching scenes between Eric and his progeny, Pam.  Their love and devotion to each other was apparent, real and profound.  Their affection for each other goes to show that vampires are capable of feeling.  They love.  They hate.  They desire.  Eric doesn't want anyone to believe (or think) he has feelings.  In fact, he tells Sookie in Season Three: "I don't like having feelings."  To Eric, this makes him weak and a target.

Eric is a master strategist.  In Season One, he needed Sookie's help to find out who embezzled $60,000 from Fangtasia.  This thought occurred to me: Why did Eric need Sookie's help?  As a vampire, he was capable of glamouring any human working at his bar to get the information he needed.  I'm even going to be so bold to say that he knew Longshadow was the embezzler.  But Eric wanted to see Sookie again.  He wanted to see with his own eyes her ability, Bill's attachment to her and how he would react to the situation where Sookie would be in danger.  He stood back, letting Bill stake Longshadow and filed all the information he gleaned from this situation away for later use.  In Season Two, he sent Sookie to Dallas, let her infiltrate the Fellowship of the Sun, called Lorena (Bill's maker) to Dallas to hold Bill against his will, letting him step in to save Sookie and Godric.  Finally, in Season Three, upon seeing the crown in Russell's collection, he remembers his human family being slaughtered by Russell and his wolves.  He coolly and methodically plans his revenge on Russell.  Not by killing Russell-by killing the one thing that Russell loves most: his lover, Talbot.  So he romances and seduces Talbot, staking and killing him.

Eric is a survivor.  In Season Three during a flashback scene, we see Godric and Eric dressed as Nazi Schutzstaffel agents in order to infiltrate "Operation Werewolf".  Eric became a chameleon to survive among humans to find the wolves and vampire responsible for killing his human family  It was never revealed to us how Eric fed.  Did he use glamour to seduce and feed?  Or did he live like Bill and Lorena, passing as humans for the purpose of cruelly feeding and killing humans as sport, and for monetary gain?  These are questions I don't have answers for now.

So now, as we wait for Season Four to arrive, I am anxious and excited to see more of Eric Northman.  Because baby, we haven't seen anything yet!

GUEST POST: William T. Compton talks about his loss to Eric Northman at the 2010 Scream Awards

(Please note that this is satirical.  I may continue "guest posting" as Bill occasionally because he is so easy to make fun of.  Make sure to read this with a bad southern accent in mind.)

Greetings and Salutations. *grunt* Muh name is William T. Compton, and ah reside in Bon Temps, LA in muh ancestral home. As you all may know, ah am vampire.  Ah was asked to do some commentary on LoriC's blog since ah am knowledgeable on many subjects.  Unlike Eric Northman.  Ah cannot stand him, with his GQ looks and sexual appeal to the ladies.  But ah digress. Ah am here to discuss my most unfortunate loss to Eric Northman at the 2010 Scream Awards.  As usual with Eric, he was able to use his swagger and influence to railroad muh chances to win.  Ah spent the extra time with muh hairdresser to get muh bangs styled.  Not to mention the extrah money ah spent on new dockers. *grunt* Ah, the insanity.

Ah know that ah won for the 'Holy Shit Scene of the Year" (ah hate how they use such vulgar language these days), but ah have to admit that ah am bitter about my defeat to Eric.  First ah lost muh Sookie to Eric's dashing good looks, and now ah also lost the award.  When ah got home from the ceremony, ah was very upset.  Ah was so filled with angah that ah almost did not recycle muh True Blood bottle.  That is how ah knew ah needed to sit down and write in muh journal.  You see, when ah write in muh journal it helps me control muh angah.   There is always next year to procure the award with muh dashing good looks and southern charm.

For now ah will sign off.  Ah appreciate the invitation to guest blog on Miss LoriC's blog.  Even though she seems to favor Eric.  *grunt* Have ah mentioned that ah do not like Eric???

So, I found another show to obsess over...

And it is 'Being Human' a show from the UK.  It features a vampire (Mitchell-L), a werewolf (George-R), and a ghost (Annie-Center) sharing a house together, trying to hold on to their humanity.  It's no True Blood, Mitchell is no Eric Northman,  George is the scary kind of werewolf, but this show works for me.  I am thinking about posting occasionally my thoughts on the show as I catch up on the episodes.  If you haven't checked it out, I recommend  putting it in your Netflix queue.  

Did I mention that Mitchell (left in the picture) is dreamy?!?  And a vampire?!?

Why I think Viking Girls Rock....

I've given this a lot of thought-and I'm not ashamed to admit it.  Alexander Skarsgård fans are awesome.  We are witty, snarky, cheeky, sarcastic, confident and united in our love (or lust) of one man.  One gorgeous, sexy, Swedish man-god that brought to life one of our favorite book characters, Eric Northman.  Many of us feel he has been robbed of critical scenes from the book, but with the limited story plot he has been given, Alex has gifted us with classic Eric Northman eye brow waggles, lion-like presence, wit, humor, and yes, ladies-performances that could make the panties go poof on the most reserved women out there.  We don't spend our time defending his actions, we accept his flaws and want more!  Alex knows what Eric is all about, and he does his best each week to give us what we want.

As we go through the arduous, long months ahead with no True Blood or Alexander Skarsgård to keep us warm on Sunday nights, keep in mind that he will be back.  And this post is dedicated to the viking girl in each one of us that spends hours replaying True Blood episodes on our DVR or DVD player, re-reads book 4, watches Swedish movies on youtube to catch a glimpse of him, and spends time on the internet Skarsgarding.  

And yes, Viking Girls Rock!