Ten reasons The Vampire Diaries is better than True Blood
We’re trying something new here at Pop Culture Curmudgeon – a joint post between our two regular contributors, Jen and Katie. As we’re sure you’ve realized by now, we’re fans of genre fare of all kinds. We’ve put together a post that you may find surprising if you’re a newcomer: 10 reasons The Vampire Diaries is better than True Blood.
“WHAT?!?” you ask. HBO’s True Blood is one of the most popular, talked about shows in pop culture today and it has in an impeccable pedigree. How can The Vampire Diaries, a show on the barely there CW network, compare? We’ll show you how.
In no particular order – we had too hard a time choosing! – here are our 10 reasons why The Vampire Diaries is better than True Blood. Oh, and just for kicks, see if you can pick out who authored which reason.
* Nina Dobrev. At first she seemed adequate as Elena. Then I saw her as Katherine and was wowed. She has created two completely different, fully realized characters. You can tell them apart just by expressions and mannerisms. It really is amazing.
* Unlike a certain other vampire show, the plot lines actually seem to connect the dots. (And, there aren’t any terrible Southern accents.)
* Chemistry between actors. Check out this dance sequence with Elena and Damon. They practically have sex just by looking at each other while dancing at a Cotillion-like event. It’s not just that pair either – the cast is filled with actors that have great chemistry together, as a large group and in pairs.
* Someone on the writing staff has an amazing ability to take (sometimes) borderline unlikeable characters and make them sympathetic. Witness Tyler’s transformation from jerky high school jock to semi-tragic, sometimes charming werewolf and Caroline’s change from bossy queen bee to funny, charming, amazingly supportive friend (but still bossy) queen bee.
* Ian Somerhalder. His portrayal of Damon has made him into an extremely interesting character, a sensitive bad boy with a sly sense of humor and an unpredictable dark side. And he has that eye thing… someone’s gone to the trouble of cutting them together, so enjoy.
* Pacing. Each episode of TVD seems to move forward, rather than rehashing everything ad nauseum until it all wraps up neatly in the last two episodes of the season. Filler is acceptable in a 24-episode season, but if you can’t keep a 13-episode season tight and well paced, well, I can’t help you.
* No unnecessary nudity. Now I am fine with the boobs and blood genre that is so prevalent on pay TV, but sometimes TB seems to put in plot points simply because we can see Anna Paquin’s boobs or Ryan Kwanten’s butt. (As a nod to my co-author, Joe Manganiello may remain shirtless forever.)
* A serious take on the genre. TVD is a drama; TB is camp. Enough said.
* A sense of realism. Yes, there is a certain necessary suspension of disbelief involved in both shows, unless you believe vampires and werewolves are real. Which is fine; I’m not here to judge. But TVD balances the unbelievable with a slate of characters who act in ways that are completely believable.
* Strong women. Many of the women on True Blood are capable and have supernatural powers. In fact, TB had one of my favorite characters, Nan Flanagan, a no-nonsense PR flack whose entire goal was to promote the pro-vampire agenda. But our main ladies are constantly needing rescue from the gentlemen of the show. Elena does stupid things (really, Elena, you want to go alone into the woods full of werewolf-vampire hybrids?), but she also takes care of herself when she has to.
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Tags: hbo, Ian Somerhalder, Nina Dobrev, television, the cw, The Vampire Diaries, true blood
television, Uncategorized | katie71483 | 
October 8, 2011 11:25 am | 
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