Pop Culture Curmudgeon

The Trouble with True Blood

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You know I love me some vampires. And, despite all of its flaws, I still love True Blood. The camp. The gore. The Chris Isaak-impersonating theme song singer. And the decidedly David Lynch-esque opening sequence. (See Lynch’s book Images if you don’t immediately see the similarities.)

But, while I was watching another of my favorite summer shows, My Boys, I realized why True Blood can be challenging to watch: too much drama. Mr. PCC and I ticked off the list of storylines this season, and we gave up trying to count them all at 10. And all of the sometimes intersecting storylines are at full blast all of the time. There is no set of characters who are allowed to be happy for longer than 20 minutes.

The show would be easier to watch if the sheer volume of storylines were cut to even five and if the drama were balanced with a little more happiness. I think the only person so far this season who is happy is Terry, and we’re just waiting for him to find out that the baby probably isn’t his.

What do you think? Is the volume of drama the source of all of True Blood’s problems? Or is it something else?

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Baby Update

baby pictures 037 The new addition to the Pop Culture Curmudgeon arrived July 9, a little boy named Jasper. He was 6 lbs., 13 oz. and 19.5 inches long. We’re enjoying our time off as a new family. I’ll keep you up-to-date about when I will be resuming regular posts.

The photo shows the little guy with his older four-legged brother, Moses.

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Maternity Leave

I know I didn’t give you much notice, but I will be taking the summer off from posting the pop culture roundups. I’ll still have a post every other Tuesday, so I won’t be completely gone from view.

The baby hasn’t arrived yet, but he could come any day now. I’m beginning my leave now so I can focus on getting the last-minute details ready for him and so I can get a little rest.

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Book Review: My Soul to Keep by Rachel Vincent

I just finished My Soul to Keep, the third installment in Rachel Vincent’s Soul Screamers series, and I loved it.

You may remember that I was not as in love with the second book, My Soul to Save, but I am glad for the developments in that book now. Everything that happened in the netherworld and with the annoying tween superstars had a profound effect on the events that transpire in this book.

The review is spoilery, so stop reading if you don’t want to know.

We open after Kaylee is released from the grounding she got at the end of book 2. She and Nash find out that their classmates are starting to experiment with a hip new drug called frost. But frost is a little more nefarious than the average drug: it is actually demon breath sent out of the underworld in balloons.

What seems to be a pretty standard tale of Kaylee and Nash fighting the netherworld’s influence in the human realm becomes a tragic exploration of their relationship in light of Nash’s addiction to demon breath. Vincent does a good job of handling the problems substance abuse causes in a relationship while staying true to the young adult characters and audience. Nash takes tremendous advantage of Kaylee, valuing his addiction higher than her, and when she finds out she is horrified and hurt. Nash’s addiction places a huge strain on their relationship, and I am looking forward to the next book to see if and how they can work through it.

Emma’s character was underused and underdeveloped in this installment in the series. I’d like to see her develop a little more as Soul Screamers progresses.

I enjoyed the level of Tod’s involvement in the storyline–in book 2, there was a little too much Tod for my taste, but he is growing on me. He was integral without being too much in the way this time.

I liked the introduction of the lampades, who exist simultaneously in the netherworld and the human world. As the worlds commingle more, it is interesting to see new and different types of supernatural creatures.

I’d like to see future books tackle the effects of Kaylee’s uneducated trips into the netherworld more. The things she did in book 2 had huge ramifications for book 3, and I can’t help but think that book 4 will show even greater ill effects.

I also would like to see a little more development of the idea that Kaylee may have special powers for crossing into the netherworld, as evidenced by her unwitting crossovers during her sleep. Were they really just because of the possessions, or is she special even among bean sidhes?

Have you read the book yet? If so, what did you think?

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How Could the Real Housewives of New Jersey All Get in Such Financial Trouble?

Yet again, we are confronted with a slew of rich people who have lost more money than a lot of people will see in their entire lives. And, all of us with meager means think, “How could they waste all of that money?”

The truth is that they probably made some unwise financial choices, which non of us are immune to. And they spent as if the money would always be there.

Last yeat, not too long after Michael Jackson’s death and the release that his estate was nearly bankrupt, I talked to some financial professionals who work with high-wealth individuals to find out why they ran into such financial trouble. Read the post here to get some more insight and to get some financial management tips that will work for you, no matter how much you earn: Celebrities and Money.

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Pop Culture Roundup, June 24

Want to skip directly to the Supernatural stuff? Here you go.

The Golden Age of Hipper Than Thou CD Fetishization Begins Now
Remember when our parent all claimed records were way better than CDs? Now, we can tell our kids that CDs are way better than these silly digital files.

An Industry Split in the Comcast/NBC Universal Deal
The Director’s Guild of America and the Writer’s Guild of America have diverging viewpoints on whether the Comcast/NBC Universal merger is a good idea. Both sides have valid points, but I can’t help but think too much consolidation is a bad thing. I mean, I still can’t get Comcast Sports NW in the northwest unless I subscribe to Comcast cable, so I can’t help but think that putting Comcast in charge of NBC will eventually mean less access to NBC on other cable/satellite providers.

Your Ex-Boyfriend, Pop Culture, and You
This blogger started watching True Blood with her ex, and kept the show after she dumped him. What about you: what new tastes did you pick up from your exes, and which things can you never watch or listen to again?

Television Review: Memphis Beat
It was nice to see Earl back on the screen, even though Earl looked weird in a sport coat. And, yes, I am implying that Jason Lee’s new character needs a little work before it is distinct from Earl, other than the different look. Did you watch Memphis Beat? If so, did you like it? I’m not sold yet, but I’m also finding myself much more discriminating about my television shows these days.

Sage Professor Blends Pop Culture and Academia
Why did they not have classes like this when I was in college? I mean, I took some great classes, such as Media Theory and Criticisim and Women, Minorities, and the Media. And my State and Local Politics class somehow got co-opted into All Malcom X, All the Time (the movie came out that term). But, I never got to take a class where I could discuss current popular literature, let alone anything with sci fi, fantasy, or supernatural elements.

TV Review: The Gates
I finally caught an episode of Pretty Little Liars, but I missed The Gates this week. I am going to have to get more comfortable watching my TV shows online, because nothing seems to work with my schedule, and I know it’s just going to get worse after the baby is born. Anyway, I know our loyal reader Katie was not blown away by the gates, but I’d love to know what the rest of you thought of it. Or if you even bothered to watch yet another vamp show.

Amanda Bynes: Is Her Retirement Real?
So, this is the weirdest story of this week. Who retires on Twitter?

True Blood Stars Maintain Their Sexy Reputations
Ryan Kwanten is releasing a sex guide, and Alexander Skarsgard will star in Battleship. When I first heard about Battleship, I decided that Hollywood was much too desperate for new ideas. But, if Eric Northman is there, so am I.

Supernatural News

The Winchester Brothers Get Animated in Alleged Supernatural Concept Art
I like the Sam concepts, but Dean doesn’t quite work for me. But, I’m not really the target, as I’m not a big anime fan.

Supernatural Lead Actors Voicing Two Episodes of Anime Adaptation
More on the anime show. Everything is so up in the air with these details that it is hard to know what it true. But, I think it would be great of the boys provided their voice talent–good for the anime series, and good for the boys’ earning power.

Early Look: Supernatural Season 5 Blu Ray and DVD
Looks like there will be some fun special features on the disc set. Are you going to replace your older DVD sets with the new Blu-ray editions as they are released? Or will you just keep them and switch to Blu-ray with this season?

Also, there are some spoilers coming out, so visit the spoilers page if you want to know.

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Book Review: The Darkest Passion by Gena Showalter

Gena Showalter’s name always make me think of Michael Showalter and The State. I just had to get that out of the way before launching into my review. Also, I am avoiding spoilers, but those of you who don’t want to know anything at all about the story should probably read the book before this review. I’d love for you to come back and let me know if you agree with my reaction!

I loved the first three books in the Lords of the Underworld series, devouring each in one evening. The Darkest Passion took me a bit longer, mainly because I had a hard time reorienting myself in the story and developing a rapport with the characters. Once I got into it, though, it was hard to put it down.

The series follows the immortal keepers of the demons released when Pandora’s box was opened. The lords, as they are called, are fighting against a group of hunters set on destroying them and returning their demons to the box. Each lord stars in his own book, and it is in that book where he finds his true love. As is typical in a romance, the hero and heroine must fight amazing odds to come together and get their happy ending.

This book focuses on Aeron, keeper of the demon Wrath. His lady love is a fallen angel named Olivia. Fans of Supernatural might see a little resemblance between Anna and Dean’s tryst, especially early in Aeron and Olivia’s relationship. Aeron and Olivia are separated by Aeron’s demon companion Legion, who we find out thinks of Aeron not as the father figure he fancies himself to be, but as a potential lover. Showalter handles this triangle in an interesting fashion, and I was happy with the outcome for all parties. (Well, maybe not the outcome in this book, but definitely the potential outcome Showalter set up for the next books.)

Showalter brought back some characters we had met briefly or only heard discussed, which helped this book not seem like a rehash of the previous stories. In addition, the happy ending was handled in a different fashion, with a twist I did not see coming.

I see a lot of similarities between this series and Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunter series, but I think Showalter is avoiding the issue of becoming formulaic that, I think, ultimately led to that series’ destruction. Kenyon had to change the game dramatically to continue the series (and she did it when she released Acheron’s book), but I think that change destroyed the integrity of the books. The Dark Hunter series would have been better if it had ended.

But, back to the book at hand. If you are a fan of the series, it might be worth skimming the previous books before you tackle this one. Or, give the glossary at the end of the book a look to help jog your memory about who the characters are and how they relate to one another.

The Darkest Passion was released May 26, and you can purchase your copy at Amazon, Powell’s, or your favorite bookseller. (Affiliate links)

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Pop Culture Roundup, June 17

Want to skip directly to the Supernatural stuff? Here you go.

Superfan Lindsay Lohan Not Wanted on True Blood
Schadenfreude? Yes.

Sam Raimi Circles Wizard of Oz Prequel
Well, it’s probably not the worst idea. (A remake of Arthur is the worst idea.)

Game Changer? Paramount & Red Box Enter Pact to Release Day and Date in the Sell-Through Market After 10-Month Test
Well, that title, possibly the longest ever, sums it up. The execs at Paramount realized that Red Box is not the reason for poor DVD sales. People who would buy won’t be affected by the availability of rentals. Hopefully, the other studioes will follow suit and will craft the same agreements with Netflix.

Pretty Little Liars Bucks the Trend, Retains 100% of Its Premiere Audience
I admit it: I haven’t watched Pretty Little Liars yet. And I don’t know why. It looks like I will love it.

Feminism and Pop Culture
This looks like a book I will enjoy. I’ll have to check to see if we have it at our library.

Supernatural News

Could Jensen Ackles or Nina Dobrev Win an Emmy?
Well, I don’t think any of us expect such a thing to happen, but it is nice to see the network get behind its popular shows and campaign for them to get an Emmy nod.

Teen Choice Awards 2010: Supernatural Nominated as Best Fantasy/Sci Fi TV Show
This is an award that is a little bit more likely. Visit the post for a link to the voting–you can vote once per day.

Supernatural: Confirmation that Jensen Ackles Is Directing an Episode
It’s always fun to see the results when a star moves behind the camera.

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We Have a Winner!

Our friends at Random.org selected one lucky Twitter follower to receive a copy of One Bloody Thing After Another by Joey Comeau:

Jess Gove, aka @Jess_Actually

Jess, send your mailing address to me at jennifercrodland@gmail.com, and I’ll mail your book to you.

Disappointed you didn’t win? Pick up a copy of the book at Amazon or Powell’s.

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Pop Culture Roundup, June 13

The good thing about being late posting this is all of the weekend stories I can include.

Want to skip directly to the Supernatural stuff? Here you go.

Karate Kids Double-Kicks A-Team’s Butt
I did not see this one coming. I didn’t think The A-Team movie would do so well–I mean, no movies have done that well so far this summer season–but I had no idea that Karate Kid would be such a winner. Good for the Smiths and everyone else involved.

The most interesting part of the Deadline.com story, though is the section in which Nikki Finke discusses Hollywood’s continued reliance on tired remakes (I hate the term re-imaginings). If you have to do a remake, pick one where you really can make it better (not just different), it continues to have some level of cultural relevance, and it was successful in the first place. Otherwise, we’ll be seeing Uncle Buck and Harry & the Henderson’s remakes soon.

True Blood Ready to Flow Again
This is the show I’m most excited about this summer. I absolutely love True Blood, and I am eagerly awaiting my weekly Lafayette fix. How about you? Is True Blood your go-to summer show? Or are you a fan of something else?

The Twilight Body: Keeping Up with Supernatural Fitness
Well, there is one thing we fans of paranormal romance know: The dudes are always super-fit. Here’s a look at one of the Twilight actor’s does to fit that role.

Teen Soap Pretty Little Liars Stretches the Truth
What? Everything on TV is not an exact representation of real life? Actually, I would argue that the perspectives of teen shows (absent/unimportant parents, focus on sex and other vices) are actually quite true, from the teen perspective. I firmly believed that my parents had nothing to do with my life. And I cared about only superficial things. How about you?

How 3D Movies and Television Can Impact Our Eyesight
Curious about the effects of technology on your peepers? Watch this video for the scoop.

TV Gal Signs Off
Perhaps my sadness over this is the reason I put off my roundup this week. I have been a long-time fan of Amy’s column, and I will miss it. I wish her and her family all the best, though!

Special Focus on Sports
So, the sports world has been abuzz this week with talk of the college sports re-alignment. I don’t know how I feel about Oklahoma and the like being considered “Pacific” teams, but it doesn’t look like I have much choice in the matter.

Supernatural News

Supernatural Becomes a Japanese Anime from the Creators of Death Note
Again with the big surprises. I never even thought about SPN’s anime crossover potential. But that is why Kripke is the creator: he did.

Summer for Supernatural: News, Rumors and Speculation
Some ideas of what might be coming to our show next year.

Glee’s Cory Monteith” Supernatural Monster’s Midnight Snack
Desperate link bait or not, I thought this was interesting enough to make me watch Wendigo again. And, yeah, that toally was Finn. Sadly, it was not one of those cases where I could say, “No wonder he looked familiar!” Monteith didn’t make enough of an impression on me. However, when hubby watch Four Brothers this weekend, I was able to say that about Ed O’Neill’s wife on Modern Family. She had quite a large role in that film, and she really did look familiar to me on the Modenr Family pilot.

Review: Supernatural Novel, The Unholy Cause
Another SPN tie-in novel. Would anyone be interested in a contest for these types of books here?

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway for a copy of One Bloody Thing After Another by Joey Comeau. The winner will be announced Tuesday.

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