As someone who’s been seriously craving a re-watch of the True Blood series lately, you would think the revelation of a reboot would be thrilling news.
But when I saw the reports I couldn’t help but grind my teeth in frustration.
The original series only ended six years ago, it’s not even truly cold in its grave yet! Who thought it would be a good idea to bring it back to life so soon?
Well, Riverdale mastermind Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa did and now we are going to witness his attempt to recreate the magic of the hit series on HBO – without the original cast being involved.
A True Blood reboot could be on the way to HBO and this is not OK (Picture: HBO/ Kobal/ REX/ Shutterstock)
I can still remember when the show originally launched in 2008. To quote Miley Cyrus, it came in like a wrecking ball – delivering sexy, ruthless, and delightfully dangerous vampires at a time where PG-13 versions like Twilight and The Vampire Diaries were running the show.
True Blood was like a breath of fresh air, a more adult representation of the popular fantasy creatures compared to the sparkling, vegetarian diet of the bloodsuckers that all the teens were swooning over.
Based on the hugely-popular The Southern Vampire Mysteries novels by Charlaine Harris, the show was a successful adaptation taking inspiration from something that was already a bit hit.
In many ways, I can understand why Roberto wants to stick his fangs into the source material and give it his own twist, too.
However, there are many reasons why this revamp just isn’t the way to go.
For one, the cast was simply too iconic. Starting with the late, great Nelsan Ellis – who played the absolute legend that is Lafayette Reynolds.
Nelsan took a role and brought it to life so wonderfully, so perfectly, it felt like your own close friend had been taken when news of his death was revealed in 2017.
His performance as Lafayette was universally one of the constant highlights on the show. Anyone hired to try and do the same would either end up being an uninspired copycat or just take the role into a direction I can already predict fans would struggle to enjoy.
Anna Paquin led the show as Sookie Stackhouse and her chemistry with everyone else on the set made it so great to watch. I mean, she ended up getting married Stephen Moyer (who played her onscreen undead lover Bill Compton). You can’t guarantee a connection like that again.
Oh, and let’s not forget the gawd that is Alexander Skarsgård as Eric Northman. Long hair, short hair, I don’t care. The man completely embodied the essence of a dangerous, blood-sucking predator that could charm anyone into bed.
Rutina Wesley as Tara, Joe Manganiello as Alcide, Sam Trammell as Sam, Ryan Kwanten as Jason… I couldn’t even begin to try and put together a cast list that might be able to match the original gang.
Thankfully, the show’s original creator Alan Ball has signed on as an executive producer for the reboot, so there’s going to be someone from the OG show helping to make decisions.
Seeing as the show was never the same after he left the project in season four, maybe we can hold on to the hope that he uses this series as a chance to make amends. But I’d rather just stick to the greatness he already delivered the first time around.
Honestly, none of this even matters if they aren’t able to use the same theme song for the show’s intro.
‘When you came in, the air went out’…. the deep vocals of Jace Everett singing Bad Things has been living in my head rent free since 2008.
No other voice will do, no other song will do. Just no.
With every popular TV show and film getting a reboot or a revival these days I have to ask, why it is so hard to just do something new?
Surely it isn’t that hard to find another vampire story to adapt? There has to be a huge amount of books, graphic novels or fan fiction pieces that can help to provide a fresh and original take on the genre.
A bit like True Blood did in 2008. Hence the reason why it developed the level of popularity it did. Just thinking out loud here.
As much as it could be fun to head back to Louisiana and relive the story of Sookie Stackhouse and her supernatural friends, I’d much rather stick with the books and show we already have.
Much like the synthetic True Blood available for the vamps in the show. It might be able to do the job, but it’ll never beat the real thing.
True Blood is available to stream on NOW TV and Sky Atlantic.
Credit: Original article published here.
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