Forever A Fangirl

Watch Dexter then Homeland on Showtime Sunday Nights Starting Tonight at 9! @SHO_Kareem @SHO_Homeland #homeland #dexter

Every Fall TV season I get excited for returning shows like my favourite on Showtime, Dexter, as well as a choice couple of others on premium cable.

This year I was over-the-moon to be able to watch the first three episodes of Dexter before they aired and I looked forward to viewing the show that airs immediately after it, "Homeland", starring Claire Danes, Mandy Patinkin and a new discovery for me, the British actor, Damian Lewis.

I'd seen promos for Homeland and it looked really good. I've loved Claire Danes forever and Mandy Patinkin can always be counted onto turn in a solid performance.

I wasn't prepared however, for the amount of emotional clout that the first episode would carry nor the level of anticipation for MORE that it would generate. I feel truly lucky that I can watch the next few episodes of Homeland ahead of time to better talk about it here. In the meantime, trust me, if you want a edge-of-you-seat, wonderfully executed, grounded in reality drama of our times, NOW is the time for you to stay put after viewing Dexter. I promise, you will be glad you did.

Here is a bit of background on Homeland followed by a few critical reactions from near and far from others who have started watching this new, after-Dexter offering from Showtime.

 

 Damian Lewis, Claire Danes & Mandy Patinkin star in Showtime's "Homeland', Sundays at 10 ET/PT

Claire Danes stars as CIA agent Carrie Mathison who is haunted by what she considers her personal failure to recognize clues that might have prevented the Sept. 11 attacks. Even now, Carrie’s failures continue.

When the show opens, she is in Baghdad, rushing to a unauthorized meeting with a condemned Iraqi prisoner. Just before Carrie is discovered in hushed conversation with him, he whispers a spine-chilling secret: An American POW has been"turned' -- converted into a terrorist. Carrie's cover is blown and she's got no proof whatsoever so she is demoted to desk work back at Langley in D.C., under the skeptical eye of a deputy director, David Harewood (David Estes), who doesn’t think Carrie has any business being part of the Agency.

Then comes the news that a U.S. Marine sergeant captured at the beginning of the second Iraq war has been rescued. After a raid, the man is found hidden away in deplorable conditions, disoriented and filthy. It’s Sgt. Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis) who is brought home to a hero’s yellow-ribbon welcome.

Even before his debriefing, Carrie is convinced Brody is the terrorist her source warned her about.

“Homeland” comes to us from Howard Gordon, Alex Gansa and Chip Johansson, all longtime writer-producers on “24.” It stars Claire Danes (“Terminator 3,” “Temple Grandin”), Morena Baccarin (“Firefly,” “V”), Damian Lewis (“Band of Brothers,” “Life”) and Mandy Patinkin (“Chicago Hope,” “Dead Like Me,” “Criminal Minds”).

Official DEXTER Twitter: http://twitter.com/SHO_dexter 
Official DEXTER Series Site: http://www.sho.com/dexter 

Official HOMELAND Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/HomelandOnShowtime

 

After the jump - What the critics are saying:

THE BIG C & WEEDS Premiere on June 27 So... Bring It On! @SHO_Weeds @SHO_TheBigC @SHO_Kareem

 (Why) Mondays are hotter than ever, on SHOWTIME:

BRING IT ON. Mondays are hotter than ever, on SHOWTIME ®.

After explaining why in a recent post that if you enjoy award-winning, edgy comedy television why you should be tuning in to Weeds on Monday, June 27 at 10 E/ 9pm Central on Showtime, I'm going to tell you a bit about The Big C, which is also an edgy half-hour comedy starring another award-winning stage and screen actor, Laura Linney, which is premiering  on Monday night, too.  

The Big C directly follows Weeds on Mondays at 10:30 E/ 9:30 Central on Showtime.

Full disclosure: I started watching The Big C last year as 1. Laura Linney is amazing and 2. It followed Weeds so it was easy to just spend an hour and see two complete shows, plus 3. More and more in recent years I find myself really intrigued by Showtime's off-beat offerings.

(To put it diplomatically, I'm finding most of the television that I enjoy best on the two major premium cable channels.)

I wanted to love The Big C but after nearly half it's run, I quit watching.

I didn't dislike it exactly. There were just aspects of it that sort of struck a weird chord with me. The show after all, is a very dark comedy about a woman in her 40's who is struggling to deal with a diagnosis of Stage 4 breast cancer. That is one heavy topic to take on in any context, never mind a comedic one.

Despite my not following through, Laura Linney struck gold--a Golden Globe to be specific, as best actress in a comedy which further validates that the show had and has huge potential. The people that make the show listened to some of the feedback--both positive & negative and they responded by segueing into season 2 with a bit of a different tone.

For one, and I think it was the primary thing that I wished was different, the character of 'Cathy' who was estranged from her husband last season will help him 'grow up' this season, as Linney puts it. I've embedded cast interviews in a Weeds /Big C mash-up video selection in this post.

Her husband is played by the very likable actor (I want to say 'lug') Oliver Platt. Cathy was just so mean to him last year and though I understood why--because he's a bit thick about certain subjects--I also felt sorry for him and I felt irritated with her.

Also, at times in season 1, Cathy's attitude seemed really over-the-top, with almost a slapstick feel to some scenes. Again, Linney addresses this in the interview that Cathy's 'relationship with her cancer' is now 'evolving'.  I would like to see Kathy retain the fire in her belly but express it in a somewhat less expansive/destructive way and I'm pretty sure season 2 will move more in that direction.

Finally, Cathy's decision to not seek treatment for her cancer left me feeling really unsure about her future (and thus, the future of the show). I didn't know whether to commit to it or not plus I was a bit annoyed with her that she wouldn't even try to help herself medically. This too changes in the upcoming season 2.

It's looking like there are some really strong positives to this season. First, the excellent primary cast returns (sans of course, 'Marlene'). One of the relationships I got the most enjoyment from in The Big C, season 1, was that of Cathy and her brother Sean, a homeless manic-depressive  who now lives on Marlene's front lawn, across the street from Kathy.

Actor Benjamin Hickey who plays Sean, is an especially good acting match-up with Ms. Linney so this is good news.

As I mentioned before, I really enjoy Oliver Platt in his believable denseness. Women have known, and many of us are in relationships with guys like Paul. The bottom line is that he seems like a really decent chap who is hard not to like despite his foibles and it would seem in Season 2 that Cathy comes to the same conclusion.

I stopped watching before I saw much of Cathy and Paul's teenage son, Sean (played by Oliver Basso). Tonight I watched a short fan clip from The Big C with the title 'The saddest scene in The Big C,' in which Basso was the only character. (cont.)

The Big C - YouTube - Lullaby/The Big C "Do You Have Any Questions?"

Song: Lullaby by Sia

(Above is a bit longer version of it which gives it more context).

The scene lived up to it's title as tears were streaming down my face as Cathy's son discovers that she is so sure she's not gong to be there for him in the years to come that she's bought and wrapped a storage room full of birthday, Christmas, and graduation gifts as well as a pretty, red sports car. The kid just loses it--cue audience to do the same.

To sum up, I'm sold on  taking another look at The Big C in season 2 as I like what I'm hearing about it. Also, I'm totally jazzed that guest actors include Alan Alda, Parker Posey, Cynthia Nixon & Hugh Dancy.

What do you think about  watching these two show? Have you been watching them both. One? None? Would you consider giving them a shot?

Showtime describes The Big C thusly:

Laura Linney returns in her Golden Globe® winning role for a new season of The Big C, the hit Showtime Original Series about living… with cancer. After spending most of season one ignoring her illness, Cathy Jamison has decided to fight back. “Bring it on,” says Cathy, as she enters an experimental clinical trial while continuing to live life to the fullest in this heartfelt and surprising comedy.

HEY!:

Weeds/The Big C Poster Art Giveaway:

Of course, I'm giving away posters! Drop me an email: foreverafangirl@gmail.com. Be sure to put 'Weeds' in the subject line and if I pick your name out of a hat on July 13, you win the poster art for both Weeds and The Big C!

Official WEEDS Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Weedsonshowtime

 

 
Official WEEDS Twitter: http://twitter.com/SHO_weeds

 

 
Official WEEDS Series Site: http://www.sho.com/site/weeds/

 

Official THE BIG C Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheBigCshowtime

 

 
Official THE BIG C Twtter: http://twitter.com/SHO_TheBigC

 

 
Official THE BIG C Series Site: http://www.sho.com/site/thebigc/

 

Nurse Jackie - Sneak Peeks & Preview - Episode 3.03 Screencaps - 3.02 Review @SHO_Jackie @SHO_Kareem

Nurse Jackie 3.03: Play Me: 'God' sets up a makeshift piano bar in the ambulance bay:

 Kevin's sister gives Jackie her support. 

Episode 3: Play Me: 'God' sets up a makeshift piano bar in the ambulance bay.

Synopsis:

Kevin's younger sister 'Tunie,' visits after a breakup with her boyfriend; Lenny prepares a surprise romantic picnic for Zoey; two street vendors are brought in after a turf war turns violent; Akalitus fights Catholic bureaucrats over the hospital's chapel.

 

Have you been watching Nurse Jackie?

I thought episode two sort of slowed down and took a needed breath after the 'hit the ground-running' start of eppy 1 picking up exactly where it left off at the end of season 2.

Jackie (Edie Falco) was as close as contrite as we are going to see her towards both husband Kevin and best friend O'Hara. Both were at the receiving end of a fiercely angry Jackie after they attempted an intervention on her behalf. In Kevin's (Dominic Fumusa) case, Jackie turned the (well-founded) accusations he made on their head by muddying the waters with excuses about buying name-brand meds for their children and then mixing in Kevin's insistence that they could not afford to have both their girls go to private school. Jackie played him by guilting him--and successfully took the spotlight off herself. Kevin knows something went wrong but still seems sort of shell-shocked by the whole ordeal. Meantime, Jackie is being super-nice and overtly affectionate, neither of which she was prior to the attempted intervention.

Jackie's best friend Dr. O'Hara (Eve Best) meanwhile, has concluded that she simply cannot be near Jackie at all. After trying to get her shifts changed and Akalitus (Anna Deavere Smith) nixing that as unrealistic, she begins putting out feelers for work elsewhere. Akalitus catches wind of it and informs Jackie, who realizes she has to do something to stop O'Hara.What she does is intrude on O'Hara's lunch and insist that if O'Hara were to go elsewhere, Jackie has trained so many nurses at area hospitals that she'd be able to get a job working where ever O'Hara landed. So essentially, Jackie has begun repairing her friendship with O'Hara with a bit of bullying and mild threats. O'Hara seems somewhat receptive but to her credit, still very wary and not in a hurry to reconcile. Jackie is relieved that she's got at least a toe, if not her foot in the door.

It seems that if not dodging a bullet, Jackie was only grazed by it--this time. There will come a time when she bottoms out but I don't believe season three will be that time based on how adeptly she's handling being caught--seemingly without consequences of any gravity. What do you think? Will this be the season where Jackie truly is called on her drug abuse--where maybe she loses the title 'nurse' for however long it takes for her to clean up her mess?

Official NURSE JACKIE Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NurseJackieonShowtime

 

Official NURSE JACKIE Twitter: http://twitter.com/SHO_Jackie

 

Official NURSE JACKIE Series Site: http://www.sho.com/site/nursejackie/home.do

'Zoey' has a pretty cool blog--with regular updates (!) at Zoey's Nursing it Yo Blog.

Zoey's blog is pretty eclectic.

Sample tidbits of info Zoey has shared on  her blog:

 

'Some people, who you would never expect, have pierced privates (aka genitals).'

'The word oral-gasm.'

...as well as her favourite jump rope chant: 

'Down in the valley where the green grass grows,

There sat Cheryl (my BFF at the time) pretty as a rose.

Up came Tim (the boy she liked) and kissed her on the cheek,

How many kisses did she get this week?'

Nurse Jackie - Season 3 Episode 1 Preview Plus 2 Sneak Peeks - Miss 'Jackie' Ep 1? Watch it Here! @SHO_Jackie @SHO_Kareem

Did you forget to watch the season premiere of Nurse Jackie on Showtime?:

One of the ways you can view the full episode (minus a few mild swear words) is by looking over to the top right column of this blog to the Nurse Jackie videos, find it, and click to watch. If you wish, you can click through (to YouTube) to expand and watch it. It's only available for another week or so, so don't wait to watch!

If you did catch the premiere episode of Nurse Jackie last Monday, what did you think? Were you surprised at how it played out? I must admit there were a few moments that I did not see coming!

It was really great to see the cast in action again. I especially enjoyed the nuanced performance of Eve Best (O'Hara), the gritty realism of Jackie's spouse Kevin's (Dominic Fumusa) reaction to Jackie's (Edie Falco) reaction to his and O'Hara's intervention, and the impeccably subtle comic timing of Anna Deavere Smith (Gloria Akalitus).

Truly, Nurse Jackie is an extremely well-crafted series with such a great ensemble cast and super-sharp, witty writing. It's a gem. And, it goes without saying that the award-winning Edie Falco is as amazing as ever (I guess I just said that. :) ) 

I've had a peek at the rest of the season and I honestly don't know how the writer's come up with the twists and turns that happen along the way. I can tell you this: It is going to be one heckuva ride, possibly the best season of 'Jackie' yet as the cost of Jackie's addiction grows ever-bigger (and I'm not talking her pharmacy bill)!

 

Dr. Cooper apologizes to Sam for sleeping with his girlfriend.

Jackie tries to assist Dr. O'Hara with a patient.

Nurse Jackie Season 3, Episode 2: 'Enough Rope' Synopsis:

Eddie tells Jackie that he now considers Kevin a real friend and can no longer lie to him; Jackie is remorseful when she learns that O'Hara is looking for a new employer; Akalitus announces that All Saints may get a visit from the First Lady.

After the jump: Nurse Jackie: With the Creators: Game On

The Dead Weather 'Sea Of Cowards' Album Review - Dead Weather Prize Package Giveaway

I’m giving away a Dead Weather prize package that includes a copy of the just-released Dead Weather album, ‘Sea of Cowards’, CD PLUS a Dead Weather mask/poster/sticker combo!

 

 
Artist:  The Dead Weather
Release: Sea of Cowards
Label: Third Man Records
Date: OUT NOW
 
http://www.thedeadweather.com/

 

I was fortunate enough a couple of weeks ago to be turned on to The Dead Weather's Sea of Cowards, their second album in as many years, and as is my habit when I love a body of music I've immersed myself in it.

I pretty much expounded upon all the reasons I love this LP in this post but it is easy to add more now that I've dug deeper into their catalog.

Lead singer Alison Mosshart brings Janis Joplin to mind more than any female singer since Janis Joplin. Janis was before my time but there have been enough female blues-rock singers since her premature passing 40 years ago and Mosshart is the very first one who reminds me of Janis.

It's not just the singing--which is pretty damned impressive--it's Mosshart's soaked-in-the blues attitude that she brings to each song. She, like Janis is fearless and that makes what she does exciting, primal, electric and dirty, oh gawd yeah--down and dirty.

Jack White knew exactly what he was doing when her brought Allison on board into his current supergroup because her fearlessness matches his, providing the perfect grungy counterpoint.

Besides the spot on musical match in Mosshart and White, the quality of sound tonally, the production values are just off the charts. The sound is full and visceral and as we've come to expect, Jack White has again brought aboard crack musicians in Jack Lawrence and Dean Fertita. These guys seem to fit like pieces of a puzzle into this mix of alt-blues-indie-garage rock.

Not every single song on Sea of Cowards may be your cup-of-tea but guaranteed, the guys anchoring the sound of this band are amazing.

One night I played Sea of Cowards for my significant and we found that it is perfect for a night of shall we say, enthusiastic romance.

There is a strong blues rock-infused feel to Sea of Cowards and no one has ever tried to get around the fact that the blues and sex are very close companions. The guy-girl dynamic in this band works, period.

I like too the artistry that accompanies this band. I know ultimately that it is about the music but I like my other senses stimulated, too. The Dead Weather's live videos augment the recorded music in that you can appreciate that the sound is raw, straight-from-the-gut and through the heart. I admit too, straight as I am, I cannot take my eyes off Allison in concert.

If I could see one band in concert this summer it would be The Dead Weather. They are the perfect band for the hottest time of the year. 

Scroll down to check out The Dead Weather's Summer Concert schedule as well a another of my favourite tracks off the new LP AND a link to where you can "Die By the Drop" from Sea of Cowards! 

May 07, 2010 — http://thedeadweather.com
The Dead Weather's performance of The Difference Between Us, live from Third Man Records on May 3rd, 2010.

"I'm not the way that you found me I'm never here or there

One day I'm happy and healthy

Next I ain't doing so well..."

SEE The Dead Weather Perform LIVE!

Tour Dates: June 12 Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo July 13 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club 14 Boston, MA - House of Blues 15 Toronto, Ontario - Sound Academy 17 Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre 19 San Diego, CA - House of Blues 21 Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Palladium 22 San Francisco, CA - Warfield Theatre 24 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom 27 Billings, MT - Babcock Theatre 28 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue 29 Milwaukee, WI - The Rave 30 Chicago, IL - The Congress Theater 31 Detroit, MI - The Fillmore August 2 Baltimore, MD - Ram's Head Live! 3 Brooklyn, NY - Prospect Park

Download "Die By the Drop" from Sea of Cowards on RCRD LBL!
http://rcrdlbl.com/artists/The_Dead_Weather/track/Die_By_The_Drop

 

The Dead Weather's Sophomore Album, Sea of Cowards, Out NOW!

iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/sea-of-cowards/id364908824

Lesbian Vampire Killers OST - Debbie Wiseman - Nominated For 'Best Original Score For a Comedy Film'

Soundtrack: Lesbian Vampire Killers
Composer: Debbie Wiseman
Label: Silva Screen Records

LESBIAN VAMPIRE KILLERS is British composer Debbie Wiseman’s gothic romantic soundtrack to Phil Claydon’s horror comedy. Wiseman is well-known in the British film and television composition industry for her lyrical style and penchant for melody and the soundtrack she created for Lesbian Vampire Killers proves this still true. In a similar way to Arsène Lupin (2005), Lesbian Vampire Killers has a bold, Gothic darkness to it, tinged with a large amount of highly thematic orchestral and choral beauty, which belies its clearly comic roots.

The soundtrack features The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, The Crouch End Festival Chorus and popular classical singer, Hayley Westenra.

Released by Silva Screen Records, the musical score for Lesbian Vampire Killers is comprised of nineteen tracks, including Showaddywaddy’s 1976 UK chart-topping “Under The Moon Of Love.”

Even though Wiseman adopts a full-bodied gothic orchestral approach for Lesbian Vampire Killers, she peppers the soundtrack with fun, lighter selections, creating musically an entity that provides listeners with a range of compositions — from the seductive suggestion of tracks like “Centuries Ago…” to the epic grandeur of “Lesbian Vampire Killers”.

Unlike the spine-tingling, terrifying quality often sought in traditional horror scores, Wiseman’s compositions are at times melodic and playful, contributing to the comedic nature of Lesbian Vampire Killers’s storyline. LVK is an interesting, varied soundtrack that embodies each of the various qualities of the film it accompanies and expertly employs both The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and The Crouch End Festival Chorus.

One of the coolest features of the Lesbian Vampire Killers soundtrack is how the track tracks were named, many of them named for quotes from or scenes in the film. In particular, “I Know Something Really Wrong Is Happening Here, But Is There Any Chance We Can Just Ignore It?” and “Have You Been Hanging Out With Vicars?” are two compositions whose names are direct quotes from the film — and some of the film’s funnier quotes, as well.

Track Listing:

1. “Centuries Ago…” (03:13)
2. “Adv_nture” (02:03)
3. “At the Olde Mircalla Cottage” (01:47)
4. “Have You Been Hanging Out with Vicars?” (02:18)
5. “I Know Something Really Wrong Is Happening Here, But Is There Any Chance We Can Just Ignore It?” (02:45)
6. “Vampires? Lesbian Vampires!” (02:56)
7. “Run You Bellends!” (02:49)
8. “You’re a Virgin?” (01:28)
9. “Give Me One Last Kiss” (01:09)
10. “My aXe Girlfriend” (01:07)
11. “Full-On Lesbian Vampire Attack!” (03:43)
12. “The Dawn of the Red Moon” (06:06)
13. “Jimmy, I Love You” (01:27)
14. “All Grown Up” (03:10)
15. “The Crypt of Carmilla” (02:05)
16. “Carmilla, the Vampire Queen” (03:22)
17. “Whores of F***ing Hades, Prepare for F***ing Death!” (02:29)
18. “Lesbian Vampire Killers” (05:34)
19. “Lesbian Vampire Killers It Is… Let’s Ride!” (01:28)
20. Showaddywaddy - “Under the Moon of Love” (03:13)

The International Film Music Critics Association has nominated Debbie Wiseman in the category of "Best Original Score For a Comedy Film" for her score for "Lesbian Vampire Killers".

Debbie Wiseman was awarded the MBE in 2004 for her services to the film industry, recognizing her as one of the UK's leading score writers. Her work includes acclaimed scores for Flood, Wilde, Warriors, Tom's Midnight Garden and Arsène Lupin.

In Chicago at the Metro 3.24.10 - The Temper Trap/ 'Conditions': If You Like Rock Music, You Should Get It

(Concert details below)

You may have heard The Temper Trap's first American hit, Sweet Disposition, on the soundtrack of 500 Days of Summer (it is in the film as well) or heard it pop up in a variety of commercial campaigns. It's extremely catchy, featuring excellent guitar riffs and the truly beautiful falsetto of lead singer Dougie Mandagi.

Just in case you are curious to hear another dimension of The Temper Trap, I've included a recently released second song of theirs, "Fader" that I really love. It is a little less sweet-sounding and a bit more uptempo than Sweet Disposition. "Fader's" unique sound definitely rocks . In other words, The Temper Trap are not sticking to a formula.

According to  frontman Dougy Mandagi , Radiohead, Prince, Massive and U2 influenced the band’s dreamy, atmospheric feel and infectious, arena-rock-size guitar riffs. I agree with his assessment but The Temper Trap has a sound of its own, one that I know a broad audience can embrace.

You should have The Temper Trap on your mp3 player (if you don't already) but I love live shows too so am completely jazzed to hear that they are on their way over to the United States and Canada very soon! The band will be touring cross-country and as my luck would have it they'll be playing in the nearby Windy City, or as one band member explained, they'll tour "in the middle" after gigs on the west coast and before heading east. I've included their tour schedule below, after the jump.

Give 'em a listen. After that, take TTT bassist's Johnny Aherne's advice, "If you like rock music you should get it."

The new video from The Temper Trap for their latest single Fader. Released in the UK 4th January 2010

TheTemperTraptv

You've heard The Temper Trap's single SWEET DISPOSITION on the 500 DAYS OF SUMMER soundtrack, now check out the exclusive interview with the guys at the world famous Roxy on Sunset Strip to get the scoop on their new album Conditions.

tvguide

A representative of the band's music asked if I would give the The Temper Trap's debut album, "Conditions' a listen. I did. It's great. All opinions in this post are 100% mine.

Lalo Schifrin SkyRiders Soundtrack (2009)

Lalo Schifrin, the Argentine pianist and composer of SkyRiders, may be best known for his TV scores like the theme from Mission: Impossible and Mannix but he also composed many  themes for a number of film works including many of Clint Eastwood's, some of Steve MacQueen's, and even a John Wayne film (Coogan's Bluff  in 1968).

Found a small copy of the SkyRider poster at Ain't It Cool. It is pretty awesome-looking.

SkyRiders was created after he recorded Magnum Force and Enter the Dragon and just before Rollercoaster, Telefon, and Return from Witch Mountain, as well as a few years later, The Amityville Horror. I've heard that Amityville Horror really freaked out many people and I would not be surprised to hear that the Lalo Schifrin soundtrack contributed greatly.

Besides the SkyRiders Soundtrack, Lalo Schifrin also scored The Eagle Has Landed and Voyage of the Damned in 1976. 

Schifrin's score for Coogan's Bluff in 1968 was the beginning of a long association with Clint Eastwood. His strong jazz-blues riffs were evident in Dirty Harry and although similar to Bullitt and Coogan's Bluff, the score for Dirty Harry stood out for the sheer fear it generated when released.(Wikipedia) (Somehow I think Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry played a part in the "sheer fear".)

Lalo Schifrin's talent for this kind of music which to my ears is his very own sub-genre, is unmatched. His gift for elation, as it's been called, is descriptive of the mood evoked by the soundtrack to SkyRider with its muscular, brassy, trademark Schifrin sound. It was 1976 when he made SkyRider, which came on the heels of his making the soundtrack for Enter the Dragon and Magnum Force. He was definitely still at the top of his game.

As the Ain't It Cool Pop Culture-Movie Site refers to it, SkyRiders is the "quintessential hang-gliding action flick of the 70s." The soundtrack for it is a perfect match. I think you'll agree when you give it a listen.

Here is the Amazon USA to buy Link: Sky Riders

Track Listing:

1. Flying Circus 2. Climbers 3. Riders, The 4. Gliding 5. Terrorists 6. Last Kite 7. Copters And Gliders 8. End Credits [Original Version]

"Recorded in February of 1976 Sky Riders would prove to be the last, for a time, in that long, innovative line of jazz/funk-dominated scores with which Schifrin made his reputation. This is the complete score, never before released, that has been remixed from the original multi-track masters."

Christopher Young's "Drag Me to Hell Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" Review

Above: Have a listen to the the main title track music to Christopher Young's Drag Me to Hell. 

(Drag Me To Hell is the property of Lakeshore Records.)

The film's premise is a fairly simple one but the chilling and sometimes terrifying score is anything but simple.

In an album full of outstanding orchestral and chill-inducing choral music, the piece that stands out most for me is "Loose Teeth." Running seven minutes in length, it brings together many threads running through the album but in a fashion all of it's own. Christopher Young brings in the spooky choir as well as the familiar nerve-rattling solo violin element, adds in a frantic action "break," and all while the orchestra grows ever louder and ever more dissonant. Injected into this mix is a male vocalist putting forth incredibly scary guttural and yes, demonic lamentations which I cannot even listen to without the lights on. It's that terrifyingly spot on.

This piece showcases composer Young's talent for expression of smart, skillfully-crafted, multi-layered, many-textured, instrumental pieces which can pack all the shock and emotional wallop that this genre demands. Christopher Young has few if any, peers at accomplishing such astonishing feats. Certainly he is an original and fans of any film genre can appreciate his musical skill. I know I can.

Drag Me to Hell :

Christine Brown (Alison Lohman) is an ambitious L.A. loan officer with a charming boyfriend, Professor Clay Dalton (Justin Long). Life is good until the mysterious Mrs. Ganush (Lorna Raver) arrives at the bank to beg for an extension on her home loan. Should Christine follow her instincts and give the old woman a break? Or should she deny the extension to impress her boss, Mr. Jacks (David Paymer), and get a leg-up on a promotion? Christine fatefully chooses the latter, shaming Mrs. Ganush and dispossessing her of her home. In retaliation, the old woman places the powerful curse of the Lamia on Christine, transforming her life into a living hell. Haunted by an evil spirit and misunderstood by a skeptical boyfriend, she seeks the aid of seer Rham Jas (Dileep Rao) to save her soul from eternal damnation. To help the shattered Christine return her life to normal, the psychic sets her on a frantic course to reverse the spell. As evil forces close in, Christine must face the unthinkable: how far will she go to break free of the curse?

Drag Me to Hell ~ Christopher Young

Permalink:

TRACK LISTING

1	Drag Me To Hell
2	Mexican Devil Disaster
3	Tale Of A Haunted Banker
4	Lamia
5	Black Rainbows
6	Ode To Ganush
7	Familiar Familiars
8	Loose Teeth
9	Ordeal By Corpse
10	Bealing Bells With Trumpet
11	Brick Dogs Ala Carte
12	Buddled Brain Strain
13	Auto-Da-Fe
14	Concerto To Hell

Drag me to Hell by Christopher Young was released by Lakeshore Records on August 18th.

True Blood - Video Recap - Episode 11 (23) " Frenzy " Review

This episode of True Blood seemed to have more mixed reviews than any other of Season 2.
Although Eric's leering reference to children as "teacup humans" may have been one of the most memorable lines of the season, in the dozens of comments on a number of sites (like EW, for example) the vast majority of True Blood fans had very strong opinions about Evan Rachel Wood's Sophie-Anne, Vampire Queen of Louisiana.
I'm a fan of Evan's. She's still very young and I think she'll continue to really shine if cast in the right roles. Unfortunately, I don't think Alan Ball, who wrote episode 11 was objective enough about her ability to pull off the task of portraying the Queen in a convincing fashion. It seemed like stunt casting with ERW neither scary, nor amusing, which whether or not you read the Sookie Stackhouse book from whence she sprang, you would still expect an ancient Vampire Queen to be (amusing, because True Blood is tongue-in-cheek). She was just...annoying. It felt to me like they plopped her down in the middle of the story and we had no build-up, no frame of reference for her or to her and disappointingly, it just did not work at all.
The failure of the scenes with Sophie-Anne and Vampire Bill (Stephen Moyer) really dragged down the episode as a whole and without Alexander Skarsgård in a dress and Pam (Kristin Bauer) doing her best deadpan about how thankful she was that she never had kids, we'd be left only with more Sam (Sam Trammell) on the run, more Andy Bellefleur (Chris Bauer) trying to reclaim his rightful place (in his mind, anyway) as a guardian of the law, more crazy, blacked-out-eyed orgiastic Bon Temps residents and Lafayette having another bout of PTSD. Jason (Ryan Kwanten) got off a couple of good lines, though the conversation between him and Andy seemed like it was kind of shoe-horned in just so they could "bond" before going into battle.

It's a tall order for a show that is hyped as much as True Blood is to always measure up. "Frenzy" fell really short of great, landing somewhere in the vicinity of "meh."

I still love the show--I'm not that fickle--but I don't think Alan Ball is the best choice to write the show. His strengths truly lie in guiding it and I hope he continues in that role--and stays out of the writer's room. Ball is a big reason True Blood is worthy of all the hype so as we close out Season 2 let's hope he and his team blow our minds like we know they can!

Torchwood: Children of Earth Soundtrack Review including "I Can Run Forever" (End Scene)

 

Torchwood: Children of Earth OST Cover

The disc includes 40 tracks, 38 tracks divided between the five parts of the miniseries with the other two, the opening and closing themes, being sort of "bonus tracks."

Composer Ben Foster’s soundtrack to Torchwood: Children of Earth can be found in the US on Amazon. (Released August 11).

"I Can Run Forever"
"One of the best tracks from the Torchwood: Children Of Earth Soundtrack. Here is the end scene, with an isolated score. "

Mharkin007

“Children of Earth,” the five-part miniseries that in essence, serves as the Torchwood's third (and perhaps final?) season with the stakes higher than ever for Captain Jack Harkness, Gwen Cooper and Ianto Jones. Veteran “Torchwood” composer Ben Foster (Dr.Who) rises to the occasion, capturing the apocalyptic tone on the Torchwood: Children Of Earth Soundtrack, set from the moment a malevolent force speaks through the "Children of Earth."

The soundtrack is split up according to each of the five parts in the miniseries, opening with  “The First Sacrifice,” a haunting melody which starts out very similar to a soothing lullaby. Given that the miniseries initially centers on the world’s youth, this music is particularly fitting, instantly conveying a perversion of innocence that wends its way through the story.

Performed with energy and verve by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the score features an exquisite instrumental blend, the music often conveying a sense of danger looming with all-too-brief respites of great beauty. As each day passes the soundtrack grows more and more epic and intense with the three-note theme for the alien "4-5-6" used often to punctuate the story as it blows by like a runaway train.

Composer Ben Foster has put forth an inspired volume of work here, not just outstanding in its for its purpose to compliment but not overwhelm Children Of Earth, but in the fact that it stands alone as a complete listening experience.

Music Review: The Music of Star Trek Performed by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra

Having quite literally cut my teeth during the Star Trek, the original series' 1966-69 run, then fallen in love with Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994) and with the best Star Trek Captain ever--Jean-Luc Picard--as a twenty-something, having gone on to embrace Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and it's bold move to have the setting of the show deviate from all others in that it took place on a space station and having been pleased and a bit proud of the franchise's choice of a woman as a Star Trek captain in "Voyager," and finally, trying multiple times to embrace Scott Bakula as captain the Final Star Trek television series, which improbably had a four year-run between 2001-2005, I do feel competent to comment on the score of The Music of Star Trek Performed by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.

The Music of Star Trek is comprised of sixteen tracks, covering all eleven feature films and five television series. The track list is organized chronologically, showcasing first the films and then moving through the television series. The selections are heavily weighted towards closing credits, with seven of eleven feature selections being the close, which makes sense as that is where the main theme and motifs of the film are generally revisited. This means we get to hear the classic theme many times throughout with slight variations as a bridge to the other themes. It is also interesting to fully comprehend the impact that Jerry Goldsmith had on the entire series. In addition to writing the new theme for Star Trek: The Motion Picture--the original film, Jerry Goldsmith composed the score for Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, Star Trek: First Contact  and Star Trek: Nemesis as well as for the television series, Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Voyager.

Though there are a large handful of composing talents here which include James Horner (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek III: The Search For Spock) Leonard Rosenman (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home), Cliff Eidelman (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country) Dennis McCarthy (Star Trek: Generations) and of course, the soundtrack work of this year's "Star Trek" film by Michael Giacchino,  it is the work of Jerry Goldsmith which speaks to me most.

The City of Prague Philharmonic  has done a commendable job demonstrating their ability to make this soundtrack eminently listenable with these stellar renditions of Star Trek's themes.  You may want to think of The Music of Star Trek as both a "greatest hits" and cover album as the music bears a comfortably familiar vibe throughout.

You do not have to be a hard-core Star Trek fan to add this little gem to your collection. It can be appreciated for it's place in pop-culture and well as for it's musicianship, both on the part of the composers and The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.

True Blood - S2xE9 Pt 1 - Hi Def Screen Caps - Sookie A Sucker For Eric - Godric Death Scene

Beautiful scene: Eric & Godric Talk ; Sookie Stays With Godric Till The End (True Blood) (2 x 09 - I Will Rise Up)

True Blood Women's I Heart Eric T-shirt Love hurts and if you are dating a vampire it might just bleed.Wear you heart on your sleeve or in this case on your chest with the True Blood I [Heart Eric] T-shirt. Made from 100% cotton, this shirt features a bleeding heart and the True Blood logo.

All the actors involved, Anna Paquin, Allan Hyde, Alexander Skarsgård--stellar work done by all.
All images property of HBO.

I know this sounds kind of gross but especially after reviewing the scene where Sookie reluctantly (to put it mildly) sucked the silver bullets from Eric's neck and chest and hearing and seeing that she looked as if she would vomit--why didn't she? Especially after she learned that Eric would now have the power to know her feelings and whereabouts at all times. She could have definitely stepped away, taken a good look at say, Luke's severed hand and then quite easily vomited up everything in her stomach--including Eric's blood. No one digests within a couple minutes--it all would have come back. Then a good rinse with salt water and voila!--Sookie gets the last laugh.

I know, I know, then we couldn't go into our Season 3 angsty love triangle between Sookie and Bill and Eric but SPOILER!!! (after the screen caps).

Download this gallery as a zip-archive
There is a time that Sookie is severely injured with no Bill to donate his blood--just Eric and that could have been the jumping off point for Eric's hold on her.

This way, though very amusing in Eric's manipulation of Sookie, she was sort of made to seem like a dummy--which she certainly is not. Anyway, who am I to tell the writers what to write? It was a great episode just the same. The Godric suicide scene is now one of my all-time faves in the series. I've watch the entire episode twice and both times wept as soon as Eric broke down and right straight through Godric's death.

True Blood Men's I Heart Bill T-Shirt A good man is hard to find and if you live in Bon Temps he might be 173 years old. Luckily, though, Bill Compton's charms haven't aged a bit. Made from 100% cotton for a soft hand and comfortable fit, this shirt let's you wear your heart on your proverbial sleeve. ''I [heart] Bill Compton'' as well as the True Blood™ logo adorn the front of the shirt.

500 Days of Summer Soundtrack Review

The (500) Days of Summer soundtrack has been the the perfect antidote to the less-than-perfect summer weather that I and many other folks seem to be  have been experiencing.

I've been listening to the soundtrack on my Blackberry and much of it is danceable, spirit-lifting, and fun.

The film is a post-modern love story of Tom, a greeting card copywriter(!) and hopeless romantic who is blindsided after his girlfriend Summer dumps him. Tom takes us back, reminiscing through various stages of their 500 days together trying to puzzle out how things things went wrong. His reflections ultimately lead him to rediscover his true passions in life.

The  full track listing is below:

1.A Story of Boy Meets Girl - Mychael Danna and Rob Simonsen

2. Us - Regina Spektor

3. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out - The Smiths

4. Bad Kids - Black Lips

5. Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want - The Smiths

6. There Goes The Fear - Doves

7. You Make My Dreams - Hall & Oates

8. Sweet Disposition - The Temper Trap

9. Quelqu'un M'a Dit - Carla Bruni

10. Mushaboom - Feist

11. Hero - Regina Spektor

12. Bookends - Simon & Garfunkel

13. Vagabond - Wolfmother

14. She's Got You High - Mumm-Ra

15. Here Comes Your Man - Meaghan Smith

16. Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want - She & Him

(500) Days of Summer has been described as a "quasi-indie" movie and I suppose that's fair as the soundtrack is a good balance of well-known indie tunes sprinkled with some new(er) "hipster" tracks that I was anxious to hear. There are three songs that are either performed by the Smiths or in the case of Please, Please (Let Me Get What I Want) covered by "She and Him," a band fronted by Zooey Deschanel and M.Ward.

Deschanel sounds much like one would imagine she would--kind of sweet and definitely charming. She does a very credible job of the one tune she contributes to the (500) Days Of Summer Soundtrack.

I'm not really big into labels--I just know what I enjoy listening to and this soundtrack is packed with great tunes. Some of my faves include the old, but aging incredibly well and terrifically suited to this film,“You Make My Dreams” by Hall & Oates’, First Lady of France Carla Bruni's, Quelqu'un M'a Dit, the timeless classic, Bookends, by Simon and Garfunkel, Here Comes Your Man by Meaghan Smith, Mushaboom by Feist and of course, the already-mentioned Smith's tunes.

This is a joyful, bright soundtrack that makes some tasty ear-candy.

"Boy meets girl
Boy falls in love Girl doesn't"

500 Days of Summer Soundtrack Now Available!

Download Now with iTunes
Buy from Amazon.com
Download Now with iTunes
Buy from Amazon.ca

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: SEASON 4 Soundtrack: Bear McCreary Brings The Awesome

I imagine if you are reading this review of the BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: SEASON 4 soundtrack that you are a. A Bear McCreary fan, b. A soundtrack fan, c. A Battlestar Galactica fan, or d. All three. I'm in the "d" category and so am aware of my own and many fan sentiments about the music of the iconic space drama, "Battlestar Galactica."

Even if you didn't quite "get" Battlestar Galactica the music of Bear McCreary is nothing less than epically stellar.

My personal story of how I've come back to enjoying music after a rather protracted stint where modern music didn't grab me  while much of the music of my younger years <sigh> I played only when I was feeling nostalgic.

Bear McCreary is just like any other devoted Battlestar Galactica fan with one crucial difference--he is the"13th Cylon," as Jamie Bamber correctly states in

(left) Limited Ed. Poster - Battlestar Galactica Orchestra

this 2-CD set's 20-Page CD booklet (which contains exclusive liner notes from the show's cast and crew). Bamber's comments about McCreary's music made me tear up. The comments about the music of BSG.

Bear McCreary doesn't just make beautiful, wondrous, soundtrack music, his music is not confined by genre--it stands alone.

It blows my mind every time I hear "Roslin and Adama Reunited" or “The Heart of the Sun.” When the orchestra builds to that last thunderous piece, a statement of the Colonial Anthem, it is simply glorious, and incredibly touching.

It's been mentioned by many listeners of music from Season 4 Battlestar Galactica that a fan favourite highlight is the “Dreilide Thrace Sonata No. 1.″  It is sheer awesome (though awesome is the entire Battlestar Galactica Season 4 2-CD set). This music is Bear McCreary's statement, testament, a love song and a final goodbye by and from Bear, a showcase of the evolution of this still-youthful composer to the universe that was and is Battlestar Galactica.

There are many lovely, stirring, and jamming nuggets on the Season 4 CD including as McCreary discloses on his namesake blog, his personal favourite example of "beautiful dissonance" in BSG  called “Among the Ruins.”  Yes, it is beautiful but so much more than that--stirring, innovative, primal, brilliant.

One of the most compelling characters in Battlestar Galactica was played by the unforgettable James Callis who is one of those rare actors that can convey so much with just a facial gesture. Callis can articulate a lot of truth in one paragraph as well. Of McCreary and his music, Mr. Callis' liner notes statement says:

"It would seem to me that most music on TV you don't end up craving, discussing with all and sundry as to how it affected you. It is very unusual in a drama for the music to be so compelling--compulsive--so signature. And BSG was not just another drama--but a Space Drama to boot!"

So Say We All!

As SciFi Scoop notes, Bear McCreary’s epic score to the fourth season of Battlestar Galactica first printing sold out in pre-orders.

It was released on July 28 and "the album has since rocketed into the top 10 for music sales on Amazon, and already a number of glowing reviews are popping up online."

I agree too with SciFi Scoop that Battlestar Galactica's soundtrack was robbed of its due glory by the Emmy Award folks, however I expect from checking in with the way the set is selling out that the Emmy's have just given us another reason to look elsewhere for guidance in seeking quality material deserving of award(s).

(Read more good sentiments to back up the sales at : SciFiScoop, Soundtrack.net, Den of Geek,

Airlock Alpha, and from a selection of reviewers on Amazon.)

Product Description
La-La Land Records proudly presents its 100th soundtrack release, the 2-CD Set BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: SEASON 4. Acclaimed BATTLESTAR composer Bear McCreary pulls out all the musical stops with his sensational music score to the fourth and final season of the critically lauded Sci-Fi Channel television series starring Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, James Callis, Tricia Helfer and Katee Sackhoff.

McCreary enriches and expands his glorious, one-of-a-kind mix of orchestra, vocals, rock, world-beats and synth. A sonic powerhouse that lives on beyond this beloved television show. Disc One collects Season Four's best musical moments up to DAYBREAK, the series finale, which is presented on Disc Two. A 20-Page CD booklet contains exclusive liner notes from the show's cast and crew.

Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince Soundtrack Aims High and Soars

By Cyn McCrackan

July 16, 2009

The music soundtrack within a film is inextricably tied to the memory of that film. The best soundtrack music can bring a film to soaring heights, impossible to reach otherwise, lifting the viewer out of her seat and into another life enabling escape from everyday existence, if only for a couple of hours.

Now comes the Harry Potter series, moving into it's sixth film, with what would have been the penultimate film in the series if not for the planned rendering of "Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows" into two films to better preserve the very last chapters of the phenomenally successful children's fantasy series by J.K. Rowling.

Unsurprisingly, given his acclaimed efforts in his only previous scoring for Harry Potter, 2007’s “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," composer Nicholas Hooper admirably succeeds in accomplishing this task in his score for “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, one which is as grand in scope as the books themselves. 

Composer Hooper first stepped into "Potterworld" when director David Yates took over the series with the aforementioned "Order of the Phoenix.” Scoring “Half-Blood Prince,” Hooper expands upon the themes that he and previous composers in the series had already established while contributing a slew of fresh new ones suitable to this darker outing.

The soundtrack features reprisals of the menacing “Possession” theme from “Order of the Phoenix” which Hopper notes is used to connect Voldemort/Tom Riddle to both Harry Potter and Prof. Dumbledore. Listen for it's foreboding sound woven into the score, especially in the second half of "Half Blood Prince."

Astute listeners will recognize several touches of John Williams' previous contributions including "Hedwig's Theme" and a snippet of "The Quidditch Match." Williams' impossible-to-miss signature sound can also be heard in "Ron's Victory" and "Of Love and War."

In a film that carries so much emotional weight the magic and wonder of "Ron's Victory" as well as “Inferi in the Firestorm” are crucial to bring balance to the film.

Draco Malfoy, who assumes a critical role in "Half-Blood Prince," has earned his own theme, "Malfoy's Mission," which as composer Hooper notes, is intended to denote "mystery, evil, and sadness." If you've read Half-Blood Prince you'll agree that indeed Malfoy is in a constant emotional flux regarding this rite of passage mission.

Further plumbing emotions is a new composition, “In Noctem” which encompasses much of the emotional weight of the film, while “Ron’s Victory” and “Inferi in the Firestorm” evoke the sense of wonder and magic prominent in the earlier films.

With the “Half-Blood Prince” score, Hooper successfully manages to convey the enigmatic and the fancy juxtaposed against mischievousness and hopelessness. The result is no less than magic. Without being so informed I would have had no clue that Nicholas Hooper has now made the Harry Potter franchise's composer roster a triad and that he was not with the series from the start. Composer Hooper has made the series a part of his repertoire as if it were always so while bringing past Potter themes into the series with seeming effortlessness. It is important I think that viewers keep in mind that the Harry Potter films are now a large body of work which began with 2001’s “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” and as such needs to have an over-arching sense of being "as one" musically.

This gives the audience, be they listeners or viewers a real sense of how these characters have matured since the young trio arrived wide-eyed and innocent at Hogwart's Academy.

"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" contains no less than three love themes, "Ginny" within which is the previously-noted snippet of the signature "Hedwig's Theme," "Harry and Hermione," and "When Ginny Kissed Harry." While keeping the long-running series' music integral to it's characters growth, Hooper also keeps flowing the continuity which carries the viewer along while reminding us just how far we all have come on this journey with Harry and Company.

"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" is in stores now. It is composed by Nicholas Hooper. The film, starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, and and Michael Gambon, is now playing at your local theater.

EDIT to add: A great little video clip from the scoring of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince which takes you behind the scenes to watch conductor/orchestrator Alistair King and orchestrator Jeff Atmajian as they score composer Nicholas Hooper’s opening track to the film.

Update - True Blood - Season 2 - LA Finale Behind The Scenes Set Video! - E2x04 - ' Shake & Fingerpop ' - USA Today Review

HBO's "True Blood" Behind the Scenes in Clinton, Louisiana
Thanks to batonrougetravel!

This video  gives us a good glimpse of Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis), blue eyeshadow and all--and he's looking mighty fine! Also featured is Anna Paquin (Sookie) and Ryan Kwanten (Jason) in their "work  clothes" and makeup.

Added photos:

[gallery]

Photo Credit

True Blood - Episode 2.x04 - Shake and Fingerpop - USA Today Review

"Not that the first three episodes haven't been great, gory, sexy fantasy fun, or that it hasn't been a pleasure to see new characters arrive and new stories begin. But with Sunday's episode, the first this season written by creator Alan Ball, you can just feel the show's main plots kick into another gear.

That is, by the way, par for the True Blood course: It was around this same time last go-round that Gran died, the event that jump-started the first season. Nothing quite that series-shaking happens Sunday, but major answers do arrive, including some important new information about that heart-coveting monster, as major shifts send the characters off and running in new directions.

For Sookie and her beloved blood-sucker, Bill (the perfectly teamed Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer), that means a trip to Dallas to hunt for a kidnapped vampire sheriff, with Bill's vamp ward Jessica (an amusingly petulant Deborah Ann Woll) in tow. No, the show hasn't left the backwoods of Bon Temps. But by taking a big-city sojourn, True Blood can explore a whole new humorous side of its out, loud and proud vampire metaphor, complete with luxury vampire hotels that play vampire porn. (Sample title: Intercourse With a Vampire.)

Happily, the new plot continues to stoke the fire Paquin and Moyer bring to their hot, star-crossed romance while adding a new layer of domestic comedy. Somewhat reluctantly, they're now raising a teenager — and underneath the vamp-vs.-human overlay is a smart exploration of the accommodations two very different people have to come to when parenting.

Other stories perk along, including one that reunites two terrific actors and characters: Alexander Skarsgard's Eric and Nelsan Ellis' Lafayette. Indeed, sparing Lafayette the deadly fate he met in Charlaine Harris' first book was one of the biggest and smartest departures the show has made.

The only story line stumble so far is Jason's (Ryan Kwanten) stint with an anti-vampire cult. It has been entertaining, but too much of the humor plays as an overly familiar attack on fundamentalists. If the plot (like the show itself) hasn't already shot over the top, it's skimming right along the border, and the writers would be wise to resist the urge to soar higher.

That qualm aside, what we're seeing this season is a show that has grown confident and comfortable enough to expand its universe while maintaining its tonal control. Almost every comic scene includes the threat of horror, and almost every horrific scene has some small touch of comic relief.

All in all, True Blood is one of TV's true joys. Drink deep."

Source: USA Today