True Blood News at The Nest

who were they kidding?

New Year’s Eve has traditionally been the time to reflect over the past year; today we’re taking the time to go through the True Blood events of 2009… 

We started the year eagerly awaiting the Golden Globes ceremony. True Blood was up for best TV show and Anna was nominated for a GG for best TV drama actress. We couldn’t wait to see Anna and Stephen in public, since their relationship was one of the best kept secrets (to them maybe ;). And, let me tell you, we were not disappointed.

Anna won the Golden Globe, and we saw for the first time (outside of tabloids), a simple kiss between the two (a shy one, but enough to ensure that they were together). The photos that came later just confirmed what everyone knew. True Blood didn’t win for Best TV show but somehow we all felt that Anna’s Golden Globe was an award for the entire cast and crew… and also for the fans that were following the event; because make no mistake, us fans feel we were part of this thing.

Later that month, our insane curiosity was satiated, as the first photos of Anna & Stephen as a couple were released – the Vanity Fair Party photos. We spent whole weeks talking about how awesome they looked together and sharing our happiness that our favourite couple in fiction and real life, were having a solid relationship.

Then in April, we had the Paley festival, where we could see the main cast together after 4 months of anxiety. There we got some insight about what was to come in season 2; we knew it was going to be good. At the same time, the first promos for season 2 came out and we started to satisfy our lust accompanied by the broken deep voice of Bob Dylan’s “Beyond Here Lies Nothing.”

Next, on June 9^th, cast and crew reunited for the season 2 premiere party at the Paramount Theater in Hollywood. Amazing photos and video interviews flooded the internet for the next week until the following Sunday.

Some dirty dancing hurt us so good

TB team at Season 2 premiere Kevin Winter/getty images

And then, the main event. June 14^th was our big day as True Blood’s new season premiered on HBO. We all talked about the first episode en masse discussing what we liked, what was different, but we soon fell for the whole season. I was really happy to see that season 2 was so different from season 1, but for sentimental reasons, I believe season 1 will always be my favourite. I found what Alan and the other writers designed to be really brave – this insane orgy of absurdity. It’s the first show where I can forgive anything, no matter how stupid it appears on the surface, because you always see coherency in the plot eventually.

In short, if we had to sum up TB season 2 in a few words, we would say it was magic, excessive, funny, silly, & sexy (even with the too white make-up on our boy).

EJ and Deb at Comic-Con

After the weekend of July 4^th, that long weekend without True Blood, we decided it was time to channel that energy we used to spend chatting with friends on the Red Wiki and started the True Blood News site and the Bill’s Wiki’d Women board just to keep feeding our main obsession, True Blood, and especially Stephen Moyer, aka Bill Compton. We wanted to build friendly websites, where the fans could gather with an ambience free from bitterness. Very soon we were overwhelmed by the response and watched how the site visits grew very quickly from week to week, overcoming all our expectations.

We started asking for interviews from the cast and lo and behold, they responded with kindness to our requests, resulting in eight exclusive interviews in less than five month’s time.

We also learnt about Choroideremia, a disease that affects the eyes and eventually steals the sight from its victims. EJ, Deborah Ann Woll’s boyfriend, suffers from this disease. We sponsored his campaign of losing weight and helped raise funds for his cause. We met the awesome Cory MacDonald who has become one of our very best friends. Bill’s Wiki’d Women and True Blood News have helped to raise about 2.000$ so far.

Cast at COMIC-CON / Michael Muller

Before long, we had the chance to see the cast again at COMIC-CON, where HBO officially released the True Blood drink. We also learned of more spoilers about the future… and then, the great incongruity surfaced. Were we going to see the love triangle as it is in the books? Just a mysterious “YES” left half of the fans singing in joy and the rest with a dark cloud over their heads.

We all agree in Alan’s world all is possible – but damn…

The summer passed by quickly, accompanied by our favourite show, and just one thing caught our attention in the real world: Stephen and Anna were engaged. We happily devoured each photo and interview that came across the internet and saw how the media’s interest rose, getting its not-so-nice camera focused on the happy couple; the paparazzi madness had begun.

But still, Anna may have her man, but we were left with the fact that Bill had been kidnapped during the season finale after his proposal to Sookie (we hope Anna was faster giving him her YES). One thing we realized though, it wasn’t just us crazy people who wondered who took Bill; for the whole world was then speaking of True Blood.

Anna showing her ring to the Papz

Beyond here lies nothing

Come September, we were robbed of a nomination for True Blood. But at least we could enjoy Stephen presenting an Emmy followed by a vaseline commercial (shut down those drrty drrty minds!). Busy as he was, after the ceremony, wonderful Stephen picked the lucky winner of our True Blood vial raffle; the proceeds were given to the Brentwood Theatre to help build the facilities in Stephen’s hometown.

Sometime in October (chill with us, there’s a lot of dates here) Aemac attended the CRF Fundraiser & Beer Party at Springfield, MA to help raise funds for Choroideremia. She had a wonderful time with a bunch of True Blood fans who made a difference for Choroideremia. I think it was Cory that named the first dinner they shared as “Blindies & Bloodlusters.” There was a special surprise call-in guest from Deborah Ann Woll and we believe that event raised about $7,400 for the cause.

The cast was honored by three Scream Awards at the end of October. Alexander Skarsgard received the award for the best Villain, Stephen and Anna got The Best Horror Actor and Actress awards and True Blood won The Best TV Show awards. Alexander and Stephen were responsible for the wettest dreams around the world, lots of them involving a cane…are we that insane? (Note to ZZ, sadly I think we are)

TB Team celebrating the Award to best TV Show -AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

From Paley’s Writers Room, we learned from Alan Ball‘s own mouth that season 3 would be about Identity, and that Eric’s fans would get to see Alexander as he came into the world. We would also be invaded by werewolves, and we would come to know that Charlaine Harris toyed with the idea of killing Bill in her last book. Wait, WHAT??? In her defense, CH was fast to defend herself about Alan’s comments and denied that fact. But when the river sounds… water brings. Alan didn’t reply back, at least publicly.

In November, we attended Eyecon, an autograph festival attended by Sam Trammell, Todd Lowe, Ashley Simpson, Alan Hyde and Nelsan Ellis. Lividity, Aemac and Tincar got to meet the cast and hung out with our friend Todd, the first cast member that was so wonderful to give us our first interview for this site.

Nelsan, Sam, Cory, Todd, Greyson, Daphne and Allan @EYECON

We spent a lovely time with Cory MacDonald helping the Choroideremia booth and with Greyson Wolf (the guy who designed fangs for first year TB). We were delighted to meet some interesting people, our longtime BWW, Konfetti (Eric fan!), one of the winners of our ticket giveaway contest, Jenna from Alexskarsgard.net, Crystal, Morganna and more…so many more.

And just this month, True Blood started pre-production, giving us a bunch of casting news. Especially exciting has been the hunt for Alcide Herveaux, who we now know will be played by Joe Manganiello. We know so far that Sam Merlotte will meet his biological parents, Sookie will have a friend , Lafayette will have to deal with his mum, Tara will have a vampire crush (that will be played by awesome James Frain, Cromwell in The Tudors) and we’ll get to see Bill Compton’s wife. Oh and a bunch of new vampires and werewolves. What else can we ask? (Can Sam Merlotte please have sexy dreams of Bill Compton? Please?).

Oh yeah, Alan, take good care of our beloved Bill Compton, s’il vous plait.

Happy New Year 2010!!!

Your team at TrueBlood-News: ZZ, Aemac, Tincar, CitizenErased & Lividity

Posted in Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer, Comic-Con 2009, Eyecon 2009, Golden Globes, Scream Awards 2009, Season 2