TVGuide.com got themselves a nice little interview with James Frain, the actor who plays Franlin Mott this season. Most of the questions are a bit spoilery so you can read them after the jump if you so desire.
TVGuide.com: Had you read any of the novels before taking the role?
Frain: No, I didn’t know about the novels, I just know about the show. I got a broad sense of how it compares, but I think it’s different. They expanded Franklin’s storyline out for sure.
TVGuide.com: Will Tara get in the way of the job Franklin needs to get done?
Frain: That’s what’s on the line. No one likes Tara as much as Franklin.
TVGuide.com: Who else will Franklin interact with in Bon Temps?
Frain: He has some pretty good interaction with Jason [Ryan Kwanten] down the line. Oh yeah.
TVGuide.com: Franklin Mott is a bit of a mystery man. What can you tell us about him?
Frain: Franklin Mott is a private eye. We learn later in the season that he works for Russell [Denis O'Hare], who is the King. He’s been sent on a mission to dig up information on Bill. His attention is completely distracted by the charms of Tara [Rutina Wesley].
TVGuide.com: Do you think he really likes Tara or is he just using her?
Frain: It’s kind of a spoiler. That’s the question of the first few episodes on whether he likes her. I think he really likes her, but I don’t know that guys like Franklin have the same idea of what like means like the rest of us do. I think the better word is obsessed. That’s what we start to discover.
TVGuide.com: In the same vein of obsession, why is Bill (Stephen Moyer) so important to everyone this season?
Frain: For Franklin, Bill is just a job, so he’s no more interested in Bill than any of his other assignments, but there are lots of unanswered questions about Bill, so Franklin will focus on getting the information on why he’s there, what he’s doing, and whether he doesn’t have ulterior motives.
TVGuide.com: Where is the season heading?
Frain: It’s heading toward some kind of confrontation between those who claim to represent the vampires. There are two different camps that emerge between who the vampires are, who they can be and whether it really is sustainable to live alongside human beings. That’s the arc of the season.
Love this! Thanks for posting. Will AB change this story so Jason saves Tara from Franklin Mott? Hope so, that would be very fitting considering how guilty Jason feels about Eggs, how much he really cares about Tara, and also in-line with the “new” Jason who will emerge later this season.
If Franklin Mott is investigating Bill, and discovers the reason he came to Bon Temps, I wonder if he will share this with Tara who will be the one to share it with Sookie, as a bit of revenge for what she sees as Sookie’s poor treatment of Eggs.
Fooled: with you 100%. I just adore James Frain as an actor and the very short previews we have seen of him make me salivate for this story line. He makes one scary, psychotic looking vampire. Bring it on.
Franklin Mott’s storyline is the one I look forward to the most besides Bills.
Very interesting this. I’ve sort of forgotten what Franklin’s thing was. I think I have to go back and read them crazy books again just so I can be conscious (not conscience) of the change-ups for Franklin.
Oh Liv, you know what we told you to do with those books and it wasn’t read them. : )
I hear they make good outhouse paper.
You all are cracking me up….Yes, Lividity, listen to your friends. I’m sure someone here would be happy to fill you in so you wouldn’t have to put yourself through that. :-)
A Bonefirer… a bonefire is what we gotta do with those books!!!
Liv, Franklin was Tara’s vamp sugar daddy, which she enjoyed. But Franklin was old school and when he was done, he passed Tara to Mickey, a nasty vamp that took pleasure in controlling Tara and abusing her in every way. Sook called on eric for help and he, after setting a price for his help which was info on his lost memories, called Mickeys maker to tell her Mickey wasnt following the current rules. Mickeys maker called him vamp style for punishment and Tara was freed from him.
Sounds like Franklin and mickey have been combined.
Huh, ok KF – thanks. And you know what? In my mind I totally merged Mickey & Franklin together as well – so I guess the show and my head are just trying to save some storylines that are probably unnecessary. I still don’t remember why Franklin was in town to begin with…
We ‘met’ Franklin at Club Dead but there was something about him poaching in Erics area. I dont think it was ever explored.
Thanks for the summary Konfettii, I too had merged Franklin and Mickey from the book together as one in my memory. From Frain’s comments, it seems that AB may continue to change this story line so that Tara is saved by Jason instead instead of Eric.
Oh, now that would be brilliant, to have Jason save Tara! She’s always loved him from afar and he’s so guilty about Eggs, plus the ‘calling in the maker’ thing has already been done.
And I’d just love to see Jason take down a vampire!
To research Franklin, you have to go to book 3, for Mickey it’s 5. Peripheral storylines, both of them. Not that it probably matters since it will all be switched up anyway.
Can’t freaking wait for the Tara & Franklin storyline to kick off!
OMG Franklin has a interesting interaction with Jason – My guess would be Jason was trying to cheer up Tara and Franklin gets a little jealous – That would be juicy!
Yeah, my guess is Franklin will sense rivalry whether or not a triangle in fact develops. One thing is for sure tho, Jason has a helluva lot of maturing to do before any conceivable romantic relationship with Tara could work.
Is anyone else hoping/rooting for Tara and Sam to get back together?
I’m very interested in seeing Tara hook up with a obsessive vampire. I can’t even image how intense and sexy some of “those” scenes are going to be.
Anyways, I thought Sam and Tara were cute together. But their personalities completely clashed. No offense to Sam ( I love Him) but Tara needs someone a little more aggressive and able to handle her. Tara is quite a handful. lol
TVGuide.com: Where is the season heading?
Frain: It’s heading toward some kind of confrontation between those who claim to represent the vampires. There are two different camps that emerge between who the vampires are, who they can be and whether it really is sustainable to live alongside human beings. That’s the arc of the season.
Oh Goody! The AVL versus the Kings/Queens/Sheriffs/Magistar?
Those who wish to mainstream…and those whose power base is firmly wedded to the past.
Hmmm….sounds oddly reminiscent of American politics…. :-)
I try not to “know” to much about American politics..it only depresses me.
ooh can’t wait for some Tara/Franklin scences hot and steamy. If Jason comes to Tara’s rescus i wonder if she will accept it especially if they drop the bombshell that Jason killed Eggs.
But still episode 2 needs to hurry up already!!!
Oooh….I hope Tara & Franklin have kinky sex!