[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:07.84,0:00:10.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Vampires! Vampires! Vampires!
Dialogue: 0,0:00:10.08,0:00:13.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They're everywhere and they want equal rights too dammit.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:13.28,0:00:17.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Yes I'm talking about True Blood. The problem I have with True Blood is
Dialogue: 0,0:00:17.55,0:00:22.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I feel like it's structurally flawed. The writers are equating vampire rights with the struggle
Dialogue: 0,0:00:22.32,0:00:29.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of civil rights and queer rights. Let's be clear, vampires are evil, manipulative,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:29.43,0:00:33.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,blood-sucking, monsterous, undead beings.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:33.91,0:00:40.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now to equate these evil beings with Black folks and Queer folks is not a far cry from the
Dialogue: 0,0:00:40.57,0:00:46.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,actual accusations against Black folks and Queer folks both historically and currently.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:46.15,0:00:55.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,To make this show that's this sort of serious drama but fun commentary is offensive, at best.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:55.32,0:01:00.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Good old Sookie Stackhouse who the story is actually based on.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:00.09,0:01:09.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,She's so boring, really... okay I take that back, there are some things that are
Dialogue: 0,0:01:09.67,0:01:14.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,interesting about her like the psychic ability is kind of interesting, but ultimately
Dialogue: 0,0:01:14.24,0:01:21.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,she is the white, female, blonde, cute, virginal protaganist.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:21.92,0:01:26.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Which is very typical, there's not anything super special about that representation.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:26.65,0:01:31.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I do appreciate that she stands up to Bill occasionally, even though she always go back to him
Dialogue: 0,0:01:31.56,0:01:36.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and even though he's this 'I have to save you' creepy guy just having those little
Dialogue: 0,0:01:36.60,0:01:43.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,lines, you know, makes me happier in general and I think it's also a good representation
Dialogue: 0,0:01:43.40,0:01:49.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for women to see that resistance, it just falls short, constantly,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:49.28,0:01:53.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because she still goes back to his ridiculous patriarchal behaviour.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:53.21,0:01:56.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In season two there is a really great example of the backlash against women if they
Dialogue: 0,0:01:56.08,0:01:58.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,want to defend themselves against their patriarchal boyfriends.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:58.72,0:02:02.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"That does not give you license to behave like an irresponsible child!"
Dialogue: 0,0:02:02.91,0:02:08.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"She is a loaded gun Sookie, not a doll for you to dress up and play with."
Dialogue: 0,0:02:08.16,0:02:09.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"What are you doing?"
Dialogue: 0,0:02:09.43,0:02:11.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Walking!"
Dialogue: 0,0:02:11.46,0:02:14.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Don't be ridiculous, Bon Temps is nearly twenty miles away."
Dialogue: 0,0:02:14.43,0:02:19.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"I'd rather walk all night then spend another second in that car with you!"
Dialogue: 0,0:02:24.59,0:02:26.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"What the--"
Dialogue: 0,0:02:41.83,0:02:47.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So now look what happens, Sookie's getting punished by a near death experience
Dialogue: 0,0:02:47.37,0:02:52.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because she decided to stick up for herself. Now that's not cool, the writers are writing
Dialogue: 0,0:02:52.71,0:02:56.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this, they could have written it in any other way, but instead they are going with the very
Dialogue: 0,0:02:56.91,0:03:01.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,archaic storyline of women as fragile and need to be protected, 'and don't you dare
Dialogue: 0,0:03:01.38,0:03:04.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,stick up for yourself or be strong willed.'
Dialogue: 0,0:03:04.39,0:03:10.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now Bill the other main characters is also incredibly boring and annoying and you
Dialogue: 0,0:03:10.09,0:03:13.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,would think that if you've been alive for a hundred and some odd years
Dialogue: 0,0:03:13.63,0:03:19.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you would adjust to the way of life now just like every other vampire on the show has,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:19.60,0:03:22.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but no, you don't.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:22.87,0:03:28.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Bill is positioned as this sort of romantic old school, 'I'm gonna take care of you and
Dialogue: 0,0:03:28.21,0:03:34.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,respect you' but it's just so contrived and really messed up. I mean do we really want
Dialogue: 0,0:03:34.68,0:03:40.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to celebrate these old sort of victorian ways of engaging in relationships?
Dialogue: 0,0:03:40.82,0:03:45.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I mean, almost every other word out of his mouth is something about having to
Dialogue: 0,0:03:45.09,0:03:46.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,protect Sookie.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:47.18,0:03:51.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"The more people know what you do the harder it is for me to protect you."
Dialogue: 0,0:03:51.90,0:03:54.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Sookie must be protected."
Dialogue: 0,0:03:54.40,0:03:57.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"And I need you to watch over Sookie, protect her while I'm gone."
Dialogue: 0,0:03:57.54,0:03:59.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"My only desire is to keep you safe."
Dialogue: 0,0:03:59.81,0:04:03.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And now Sookie will demonstrate the appropriate response to these comments.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:03.28,0:04:06.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Shut the fuck up"
Dialogue: 0,0:04:06.10,0:04:13.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Tara is Sookie's best friend and I really like Tara. I think that she is really kind of
Dialogue: 0,0:04:13.34,0:04:19.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,dynamic and interesting. I really believe her character. I believe that she has had a really
Dialogue: 0,0:04:19.86,0:04:24.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,messed up childhood and her mom's an alcoholic and she's lashed out and
Dialogue: 0,0:04:24.22,0:04:29.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,been promiscuous and hasn't had the emotional support and doesn't really know
Dialogue: 0,0:04:29.77,0:04:33.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,how to, you know, love herself because nobody's really ever loved her.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:33.57,0:04:39.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So that when this evil god like creature masked as a beautiful woman, who eats
Dialogue: 0,0:04:39.91,0:04:44.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a lot of organic food, comes in and gives her that emotional love and support
Dialogue: 0,0:04:44.62,0:04:46.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,she's going to fall for that, I buy that.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:46.65,0:04:51.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What I don't buy is that unfortunately, even though I think Tara is really interesting
Dialogue: 0,0:04:51.52,0:04:56.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,she's still the Black sidekick, she's still the loud, pompous, aggressive, hypersexualized
Dialogue: 0,0:04:56.93,0:05:03.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Black woman. Lafayette, oh, you know we all love him. He's really dynamic and really
Dialogue: 0,0:05:03.90,0:05:07.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,interesting and funny as some definitely some choice lines.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:07.17,0:05:14.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But he is every stereotype about Black queer men all rolled into one little pretty package and
Dialogue: 0,0:05:14.25,0:05:20.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it constantly infuriates me because we don't want to reinforce these stereotypes
Dialogue: 0,0:05:20.19,0:05:24.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we want to dispel them and break them down and make very interesting complicated,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:24.32,0:05:29.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,textured characters that are beyond stereotypes but NO, True Blood can't do that.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:29.06,0:05:33.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We see Layfayette working in the kitchen of Merlotte's but on the side he's also a
Dialogue: 0,0:05:33.67,0:05:37.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,prostitute, and he runs his own porn website and he's a drug dealer.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:37.72,0:05:42.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I mean, really? Could there be any other stereotypes thrown in here?
Dialogue: 0,0:05:42.24,0:05:46.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Putting Lafayette's character into the greater context of the True Blood universe
Dialogue: 0,0:05:46.61,0:05:50.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there's no other Black men and no other Queer men on the main cast so he's
Dialogue: 0,0:05:50.52,0:05:59.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,really all we get in terms of alternative sexuality and as far as Black male masculinity.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:59.39,0:06:03.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Eric's character has developed a lot more in season two and I'm kind of disturbed by the
Dialogue: 0,0:06:03.30,0:06:07.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,direction it's going. So in season one we establish that he's this pompous arrogant
Dialogue: 0,0:06:07.64,0:06:13.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,sort of quiet but very powerful asshole. He doesn't really care about humans very
Dialogue: 0,0:06:13.14,0:06:17.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,much they are just kind of toys to him and he can get whatever he wants because he
Dialogue: 0,0:06:17.54,0:06:22.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is the most powerful vampire in the area. So in season two we start to see a bit of his
Dialogue: 0,0:06:22.73,0:06:28.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,emotion as far as being concerned about his maker and he even cries, which I think it's
Dialogue: 0,0:06:28.56,0:06:32.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,totally acceptable and great that men are crying on television but I don't think
Dialogue: 0,0:06:32.93,0:06:38.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this gives us license to feel sympathy or attraction towards Eric. I think that he is
Dialogue: 0,0:06:38.93,0:06:47.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,still continuing to be a perpetrator really. The scene in which he tricks Sookie into drinking
Dialogue: 0,0:06:47.04,0:06:51.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,his blood is really reminiscent of sexual assault and unfortunately that sexual
Dialogue: 0,0:06:51.04,0:06:57.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,assault hasn't been dealt with in a respectful way. So he thinks that it's totally okay and funny that
Dialogue: 0,0:06:57.08,0:07:01.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,he did that, Sookie's pissed but what is she gonna do? And he gets to emotionally
Dialogue: 0,0:07:01.09,0:07:05.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,stalk her. I think it's characters like Eric in the scene that I described that really
Dialogue: 0,0:07:05.49,0:07:09.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,reminds me that there are people behind the scenes who are purposely writing things
Dialogue: 0,0:07:09.76,0:07:14.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and get to choose which directions these stories and characters go and more often
Dialogue: 0,0:07:14.10,0:07:19.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then not, they are not in the direction in which fans want to see them.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:19.17,0:07:25.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Especially female fans because we live with the constant fear of violence towards
Dialogue: 0,0:07:25.71,0:07:29.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,us on a daily basis we don't need that to be dealt with on TV
Dialogue: 0,0:07:29.68,0:07:33.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in a very negative, dismissive sort of way.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:33.19,0:07:36.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I could probably go on for hours about the specifics of how messed up True Blood is
Dialogue: 0,0:07:36.92,0:07:41.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but I will leave you just with those gems and I'm also going to provide some links to some really
Dialogue: 0,0:07:41.70,0:07:46.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,awesome articles that talk more in depthly about race and gender in True Blood.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:47.23,0:07:54.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"I don't know who you think you are but before the night is through
Dialogue: 0,0:07:54.14,0:07:57.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I wanna do bad things with you."