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I know, I know, friends. We started out loving True Blood together, embracing its blend of soap opera, cheese, and some truly impressive shirtless actors. We liked vampires! We liked the gore! We liked the barely-clothed allegories to the struggle for gay and civil rights! We really liked Pam and Eric!
Now, 6 seasons in, the show has lost some of its luster. Sure, everyone in this world still looks like an underwear model and Pam and Eric remain The Bombs, but the magic has slowly leached out of the world. The glimmer of promising storylines in the past couple weeks isn’t enough to convince me we’re getting a show back on its track. The time may have come where I just have to admit it – I might be over True Blood.
So how can we fill the True Blood-shaped hole in our hearts (aside from googling Eric gifs)? Let’s look at some of our options (all conveniently available via Netflix instant streaming).
You could be watching The Vampire Diaries, if you like hot creatures of the night. Three seasons of the show are available on Instant, which should kill a couple of hours for you. The cast of TVD skews a bit younger than the twenty-somethings of True Blood, but you’ve got your vampires, your love triangles, some witches – well, basically, everything you need. Check out our recap of the series here.
Teen Wolf (for those of you who still think Alcide’s hotness overshadows his incredible douchiness) has two seasons streaming right now, and while I can’t personally vouch for the show, TW gets shockingly good reviews for an MTV produced series.
You can check out either the BBC version of Being Human (for the snotty purist in you) or the American remake –werewolves, ghosts, and vampires! While you’re watching, you can read along with our retro recap series of the UK show.
The Netflix original series Hemlock Grove was released in its entirety earlier this year. The show cranks up the cheese factor, doesn’t skimp on the naked asses, has some really great werewolf transformation scenes, and Lili Fucking Taylor in a starring role. As a whole, the series suffers from some of the problems True Blood wrestles with – namely with its tone, as it can’t really seem to commit to the B-movie vibe of the show and wants to mean more than it ultimately does, but it is only 13 episodes long, so even if it’s not your cup of tea, you haven’t invested a couple of years into the show.
Of course, there’s always Dark Shadows (the television show, not that abomination of a movie) if you want to get back to the roots of our fascination with supernatural soap operas. Barnabas Collins influenced a generation of television writers – you’re gonna recognize him immediately.
I’ve cited this one before, but for my money, one of the best vampire movies to come out in recent years is the Swedish Let the Right One In. It’s rare that a vampire film introduces something truly new to the genre, which is what we get in Oskar and Eli. Turn off the Internet, turn down the lights, and give this one your full attention. You won’t regret it.
Similarly, the Russian trilogy of Night Watch, Day Watch, and Twilight Watch (in production) are fresh twists on the old good versus evil, fate of the world hangs in balance, supernatural creatures walk among us tales. You may not always know what’s going on, and yes, you will have to read the subtitles, but the ride is with the confusion. The movies are adaptations of a popular book series that is available in English translation, if you’re looking for a little more “read” and a little less “watch.”
Alyson said:
or you could watch buffy and angel. 🙂
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Esprit-follet said:
Yes to Teen Wolf and Vampire Diaries! I mean, VD has lost some of its appeal, it’s not great in terms of race but it does manage to hook you. Teen Wolf really picks up in the second season, it catches you by surprise. Being Human BBC is really good for the first two seasons, I’d say. I’m yet to watch The Gates, though. It’s Revenge meets Vampire diaries, or something?
You want to go old school 😉 other than Buffy, obviously, there’s Vampire High.
In Anime, there’s Blood+, Clannad, Vampire Knight (I guess).
Not vampires, but Orphan Black is good. Supernatural and Charmed, of course, cover some of the same territory. Secret Circle.
And then of course, there are books. So many books! A teen favourite will always be Christopher Pike’s Last Vampire series. I’ve read a ton of adult urban fantasy, but I always remember the Last Vampire Series.
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[M] QoB said:
Secret Circle was cancelled, though, wasn’t it? Which is a pity. Apart from Cassie I was really starting to enjoy it.
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[M] freckle said:
Teen Wolf is about level with True Blood of bad acting and huge plot holes, but everyone’s enthusiasm and sometimes nineties feel (like ..Buffy’s worst episodes) is what keeps me around.
I support Allison in Buffy + Angel, of course. I read that Gina Torres played a baddie in Angel so the time has come that I need to (re)watch all of the series.
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[E] pileofmonkeys said:
Let the Right One In is probably in my top ten movies of all time. See the original Swedish version, and then catch the American one two, because, for an American adaptation, it’s actually not bad at all.
Speaking of Swedes, Hemlock Grove also has a Skarsgard (Alexander’s younger brother Bill). However, if the Skarsgards were Baldwins, Bill would totally be the Stephen. For hot shirtless Skarsgard action, True Blood is really the only way to go.
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[M] QoB said:
The book is incredible as well. Amazing piece of work.
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[E] pileofmonkeys said:
Yes! My last re-read of the book was probably my seventh or eighth.
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[M] QoB said:
I read it on a train, in broad daylight, in summer, and I still have never been so deliciously unnerved by a book.
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[M] QoB said:
Yay Vampire Diaries! I was also quite fond of Being Human (also Aidan Turner, proving Irishmen can be hot since Colin Farrell).
ETA: this is a better tag for the Vampire Diaries recaps – the other one misses some episodes. http://persephonemagazine.com/tag/the-vampire-diaries/ /author faffing.
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Stephens said:
Vampire Diaries for it’s first two seasons was really good as far as pacing and action goes. It’s lost a few steps the last couple of years, but it’s gotten better.
I co-sign that Teen Wolf gets better its second season and I have an unabashed love of Supernatural so there’s that.
Also, Orphan Black, holy mother of God it’s so good.
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Renee said:
I was just telling my boyfriend how disappointing this week’s episode was. Whoever is writing this season is just not doing it for me anymore.
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[E]queSarahSarah said:
Both versions of Let the Right One in were excellent. I was surprised by the US version b/c remakes tend to suck.
I also remember watching Dark Shadows on PBS when I was a kid and I was so very psyched to see the house from the opening sequence when my family visited Maine.
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LittleOrangeElephant said:
I love me some Vampire Diaries for sure! Keep hearing good things about Teen Wolf but I’m not ready. True Blood has treated me so wrong!
Second the Orphan Black rec! SO GOOD. Watched the first season in a weekend – I don’t binge-watch often. Last time was Downton Abbey.
For movies I haven’t seen Day Watch and didn’t realize Twilight Watch was coming out (finally!) but I remember seeing Night Watch back in the day and being impressed.
Also – no love for Byzantium? I am really excited about that one.
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