Come on in. The water's warm.

A satyr! A nymph! A nysiad! A succubus! The sorceress Circe! The enchantress Circe from "The Odyssey"! A monster! Greek! Egyptian! Roman! A minotaur! A beast!
"It's starting to get a little hard to keep track of all the creatures showing up!"

See, what if Carl was dishing out the soup and decided to take a break, relax in pig form in his little house. Then Andy comes with his big mouth bringing attention the little house and, uh oh, here comes the boss! "If Maryann smacked me like that for bringing towels, what would she do to me if she sees me slacking on the job?" Better get back to work before she sees me! Then Maryanne looks and says "What pig?" Carl's back on soup duty. Of course, this could only work if he's got powers like that.
Source: HBO Boards

Alan Ball's sexy, gory, sexy, violent, sexy, dark, sexy, scary, sexy, funny, sexy and disturbing expansion of Charlaine Harris' novels about the erotic relationship between psychic waitress Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) and centuries-old vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) has improved markedly in its sophomore season with the addition of the scintillating Michelle Forbes as the enigmatic Maryann Forrester, a supernatural temptress who befriends the locals in the tiny Louisiana town of Bon Temps and brings out the nasty in all of them.
Source: huffingtonpost.com

My new frock is very, very Maryann. Am I getting wardrobe advice from the True Blood gals now? As long as it's not Suckeh, that's cool.
Source: twitter

What I found most interesting in this episode, as I have found all season, is Maryann. Michelle Forbes plays her as the perfect enabler, telling everyone how awful their lives were until she came along, promising that she'll make everything better if they only stick with her. She's a vampire of a different kind—she wants your soul, not your blood.
Source: sfscope.com

* wiscck: Michelle Forbes is absolutely gorgeous in True Blood.
* erickisrael: Michelle Forbes = awesome on true blood
* Yendi: Watching True Blood. So weird, after TNG, BSG, and Homicide, seeing Michelle Forbes playing a character who laughs a lot.
* sleepyval: I want to be Michelle Forbes in my next life.
* Keithikins: I love MaryAnn on True Blood. Fuck yeah weed for breakfast!
Source: twitter

Sex party? Yup... pretty much how I thought it was going to go down, and I knew Tara would come to her senses and feel uncomfortable as soon as things started getting hot and heavy with all these folks around her. I'm not a huge Eggs fan... but man do i LOVE MaryAnn! Michelle Forbes has been rawkin my socks off since she turned up, she just has that perfect mixture of being devious, manipulative and fun all rolled up into one package! :P
Source: buffyforums.net

Maryann, Maryann. How I adore you. You’re a troublemaker, and it’s fan-tas-tic.
Sure, you could be a real problem for Sam, who I actually do love, and that could be an issue for later. And yes, you’re violent, and could possibly be attacking Sookie. (Crazier things have happened.) AND you seem to be setting the entire town of Bon Temps up for some great fall. But before that happens, you’ve kept everyone entertained, and that makes you a woman after my own heart.
Source: Blood-Type Blog

Q: Does Maryann's species get along with vampires?
A: her has no alliance but herself. she goes solo.
Source: IMDb Teddy Bears

I'd watch Michelle Forbes slaughter hogs or read the phone book or do her taxes or just sit there.
Source: freakangels.com

Michelle Forbes is really really beautiful.
Source: Ashitaka's Angels Blog

"Karl knows that if he wants to find fulfillment in life, he needs to be of service," Maryann tells Tara when she says she's not used to having someone wait on her. "So everything he does is really a selfish act." Including getting slapped around by Maryann every now and then?
Why does Sam hate you? Tara asks, as Maryann rolls a gigantic joint. "A little technique I picked up in Ibiza," she says with flawless Castillian pronunciation. Ibiza? Who the hell is this woman?
We already know — courtesy last week's impromptu dance party at Merlotte's — that Maryann knows how to bring the fiesta, but to call this gathering off the hook is an understatement. As everyone partakes of Karl's mystery punch, spirited dancing very quickly devolves into an orgy.
Is Eggs in on Maryann's master plan... or is he, like Tara, just another pawn in her game?
Source: TVGuide.com

* not enough Maryann on True Blood tonight.
* I'm totally trying to go to bed, but I'm watching True Blood. Maryann throws the baddest parties ever! LOL Sam she's not so bad!
* maryann is rollin the hell outta them blunts on True Blood! i love her!
* omg! i want MaryAnn's dress from True Blood!!!
* MaryAnn's like the neighborhood pusher-man, shoving liquor and drugs in everyone's hands in a subtle way (True Blood)
* "True Blood" fans ... Help! What the frak is Maryann?
Source: Twitter

Maryann Is Just Too Much of a Mystery

Why does Sam hate you? -Tara

He's just looking for someone to blame.- Maryann

...and so tonight is another night full of True Blood, and here is the synopsis and preview of tonight's episode - Scratches.

Bill is ticked off with Sookie for bringing Jessica to her parents' house, which results in a fight on the car trip back home. Sookie gets out of the car and walks off into the woods where's she attacked -- scratched down the back -- by a strange creature. Jason starts to doubt being in league with the anti-vampire set, but Steve and Sarah Newlin wine and dine him and recruit him for special role at fellowship camp. Jessica heads out to Merlotte's to pass the time, and runs into Hoyt, who instantly falls in love with her. Tara finally gets a clue that not all is right at Maryann's House-of-Passion-Fruit when the guests get especially friendly at a party Maryann throws.

We are also happy to know that a two-part interview which will be published on tvguide.com tonight (or tomorrow?), and on the Monday (or Sunday?) after the 4th episode. And here you may listen *** to the interviewer speak very graciously of Michelle. He gives away a few pointers about the interview, and reinforces the notion we already got from previous interviews - that for Maryann there is no distinction between good and bad, or tenderness and violence, and that the character is very much beyond the Maenad from Charlaine Harris' novels.

--Randy

*** deleted the link --chris

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Stay The Hell Away From Her!

"All bets are off with Maryann. If the author [of the books] can do any damn thing with mythology that she pleases, then Maryann could spit poison like a cobra or grow butterfly wings or turn Sookie into a hamster or take Sam on a date to Mars."

"[Alan Ball] .. clearly intends to use her identity as a central 'hook' to keep the viewers guessing for the rest of the season as he did with the identity of the killer last season. The more 'weird' he piles onto her character, the more the viewers want to know about her. He uses the tactic because it works with most viewers ..."

Synopsis
When Sookie is attacked by a mysterious creature, Bill must enlist Eric's help to save her. At the Light of Day retreat, Jason has second thoughts about the sect's anti-vampire agenda, but Sarah and Steve counter with flattery and promises. After snapping at Tara and new employee Daphne, Sam decides to cut and run. In order to liberate Lafayette, Sookie strikes a deal with Eric. A bored Jessica heads over to Merlotte's, where a smitten Hoyt falls under her spell. At another Maryann-hosted party, Tara finds her attraction to Eggs mitigated by a persistent, aphrodisiac fog.


What or who is Maryann? Speculations, wishes, projections, superficial knowledge and fantasies:* Some kind of goddess or demi-goddess. Just throw in anything, from over five thousand years of mythology, from all over this beautiful world
* Supernatural creature. Choose the most absurd or the most exciting things you know from movies and TV (e.g. 'black eyes', seen them in the X-Files, or 'The Prophecy'?)
* Witch, bitch, demon, the devil, Bacchante or Maenad (copy the completely misguiding wikipedia article), priestess, acolyte, minotaur, a Pan groupie, Queen Of Weeds, a liberal extremist, a psychotic who opens up the doorway to hell (A. Ball), a freaky pig lady ...
* A tactic of the writers to create suspense, using all kinds of ridiculous and/or weird other-worldly creatures
* A social worker (haven't we already excluded this option?)
* The character Maryann is a tribute to Michelle Forbes - and her sensual and pretty wicked way of saying goodbye to Hollywood. (This stupid idea is my personal theory.)

P.S.: Due to some technical issues that our TB writer faces in Dublin, you are stuck with me and my offbeat approach to the upcoming episode of True Blood.
P.P.S: Randy is back, and we are merging the posts :)

--chris

A Sense of Style

If you're impatient in waiting for the new episode of True Blood, pass some quality time at listening to two conversations with Michelle. While the first chat in April centered on In Treatment, her being too honest in Interviews and her "first gig on a bloody soap opera", in this second installment, Judith Klassen from Movie Entertainment magazine talked to Michelle Forbes about Canada, her intense experience working on the thriller Durham County and with the writer Laurie Finstad Knizhnik, and the fun of making "Vampire Porn".

You can find both podcasts with Michelle at movieentertainment.ca

Durham County Returns for Second Season

"Corus Entertainment's Movie Central (Western Canada) and Astral Media's The Movie Network (Eastern Canada) visit Durham County for a second season. Winner of five Canadian Gemini Awards, two Directors Guild of Canada awards and the CFTPA Indie Award for Best Series, the cinematic, unflinching and darkly sophisticated series is back with more betrayal and terrifying secrets from the bleak landscape of suburban life. The six-part new season premieres Monday, July 13, 2009 at 8 p.m. PT on Movie Central and 9 p.m. ET on The Movie Network.

In Season 2, Detective Mike Sweeney (Hugh Dillon, Flashpoint) is on a career high after capturing serial killer Ray Prager. Unfortunately, his personal life is coming apart at the seams as his wife pleads for a divorce and his daughter struggles to come to terms with the anguish left behind by a killer. While investigating a new murder, Sweeney meets forensic psychiatrist Dr. Pen Verrity (Michelle Forbes, True Blood; In Treatment) who soon infiltrates his life and his family finding himself caught in a game of cat and mouse."

Source: newswire.ca



AIR DATES
The Movie Network (Eastern Canada 9 PM ET) and Movie Central (Western Canada 8 PM PT):

Ep. 1 - Little Lost Children - July 13
Ep. 2 - Ray Loves Sadie True - July 20
Ep. 3 - The Fish In The Ocean - July 27
Ep. 4 - Daddy Hurt Mommy? - August 3
Ep. 5 - Boys Do Things - August 10
Ep. 6 - Surviving The Fall - August 17

* The first episode of the Durham County Season 2 will be available for a free online preview in Western Canada at www.moviecentral.ca starting July 1.
* A DVD of the first season of Durham County is available at amazon.ca and for the Europeans at amazon.fr, a two-language version, French and English.
* A high-quality version of the outstanding opening sequence of the first season can be downloaded at artofthetitle.com

Otis Hates True Blood

Otis, I feel with you. But ... there is something quite intriguing and exciting on True Blood. Her name is Maryann.

Michelle Forbes Juggles Three TV Shows and Entrances

In a recent interview, Michelle Forbes sat down with IESB.net to open up about settling in with the very rewarding cast of True Blood, acting, her work with HBO (on True Blood, and In Treatment), and her intense experience in the role of Penelope Verrity in the upcoming second season of Durham County.

IESB: When and how did you know that you wanted to be an actor?

Michelle: As the story goes, I started off as a ballet dancer. I knew, pretty early on, that I needed another form of expression, and it just seemed that acting, and this idea of playing pretend and telling stories, was really fascinating to me. It was a natural progression, out of the dance world and into the world of theater and cinema.

IESB: For those who might not be familiar with the show yet, who is Maryann and how does she fit into the story?

Michelle: What I’ve been saying about Maryann is that she’s very mysterious and she likes her mischief. She has got quite an agenda, in this town, and she is going to have one hell of a time when it comes to light. She’s a wacky one. It’s been total fun to play.

IESB: What can viewers expect from Season 2, for your character?

Michelle: It’s so difficult to talk about this show without giving anything away. But, what I can say is that Maryann likes to have a lot of parties. She likes for there to be a lot of food around. She has a very strange entourage with her, at all times. She lures Tara into her world, but she’s just fascinated by everyone in Bon Temps and she wants to leave her footprints all over that town.

ESB: What was it about Maryann that you found so appealing? How can you relate to her?

Michelle: I don’t know that I can relate to Maryann, but I’m sure other people will. What I found so fascinating about her is that she’s completely liberated from everything. She has no sorrow, no guilt and no remorse. She doesn’t live with the same rules that we live with. Oddly, that was intimidating, at first. We always say that we want to be happy, free and content, and live with no rules, but when we’re given that, it’s terrifying because we tend to operate better with structure and guidelines. So, initially she was a bit frightening, but I didn’t realize what a gift she was until about half-way through the season. I had just finished doing this series in Canada, called Durham County, that was all about sorrow, remorse, guilt, regret, dead children and all sorts of light, fun things. You think you’re fine, but you don’t realize that you’re not fine until you’re back in the world, and I think if I had to go into another tortured role, I probably would have killed myself. So, playing Maryann, and experiencing her sense of fun, mischief and play, has been a lot of well-needed fun.

IESB: Now that you’ve been doing the show for awhile, do you feel like you have more of an understanding for why people are so intrigued by this genre?

Michelle: My theory is that we’re in a big national depression, with the economy and people being out of work. We have the hope of a new administration, but we don’t know what’s going to happen yet and we’re exhausted from worrying, and I think that it’s just a good bit of fun. It’s escapist, and it’s fun for smart people. Alan still asks questions about family and love, the pack mentality thinking, and how susceptible we are to judgement and having our minds changed about things we don’t understand. And, he’s able to explore these themes, but it never gets too heavy. There’s always a pratfall right behind it, or a really gross sex scene, or something that will shift the tone. There’s something to appeal to everyone, with this show. A lot of men watch this show, and they wouldn’t normally.

IESB: Can you talk about juggling True Blood, Durham County and In Treatment? How do those schedules all work out?

Michelle: I love to work. There’s an adventure that comes with every job, and you can never have too much adventure in your life. I have been busy this last year. I did the last couple of episodes on the first season of True Blood, and then I was on a plane to Montreal to do the Canadian series Durham County, which was very beautiful and I’m so pleased that I got to be a part of it. There was a possibility that I wasn’t going to be able to do it because of HBO. I was in Montreal for three months, and then I was in New York for a fitting for In Treatment, two days after I finished Durham County, and was just running on adrenalin from that job. I did a couple episodes of In Treatment, was in bed sick for the holidays, and then started on True Blood in January.

It’s wonderful. I’ll never complain about having too much work, but all three characters were so different and I’ve been living my own little repertory theater for over a year, jumping in and out of these different characters. It’s been a joy because they’ve all been such wonderful writers. Laurie Finstad-Knizknik, who wrote Durham County, is just such a brilliant woman. To jump from her pad and pencil over to Alan’s pad and pencil has just been a real joy.

IESB: Did it help that the characters were all so different?

Michelle: It really helped that they’re so different because they all helped me to shed the last one. This woman that I played on Durham County, Pen Verrity, held a lot of sadness and sorrow, and I didn’t realize how much I was carrying around with me. Maryann helped me to shed Pen, the more I became immersed in her. I think Pen would have stayed with me a lot longer, had I not been able to jump into Maryann right after.

IESB: Are there types of roles or specific genres that you’re still looking to do, that you haven’t gotten the chance to do yet?

Michelle: I want to do a period piece because I’ve never done one. I’ve always said that I just wanted to do one of everything. I got the Western out of the way. But, I have wanted to do one of every genre. I did the American cop drama, I did the British cop drama, and now, I’ve done the Canadian cop drama. I just always want new and different. I never know what I want, but I usually know what I don’t want, and what I don’t want is what I’ve already done before. I’m always just waiting to see what else is out there, to see what new adventure is going to be had.

The Sensual Dance of True Blood

As expected, there's incredible amount of True Blood flowing all over the net. We are dedicated to give you the full flavour of the very best of it.

You know, Maryann is seven kinds of supernatural creepy, but her stock immediately rises in my book when she proceeds to order four entrees for lunch. I don't know about you, but it's always great when I find a kindred soul.
Source: tvgasm.com

Absolutely loving Maryann/Michelle Forbes - her character is so intriguing and you just want to keep watching to find out what the hell she is up to...
Her fascination with Tara and Benedict hooking up seems like she wants a child.... and her behaviour around people seems ritualistic and animalistic.... definitely up to no good whatever way you look at it....
Source: tvaus.com

Its just my opinion, but I blame Maryanne's vibrations for the excessive heat in the Midwest ... and there is nothing you can say to change my mind. - Vikings rule!
Source: HBO TB Boards

Right now, though, the show’s in that ramping up period where it has me quite curious about the nature of Maryann, in particular, and the episode’s strongest sequences was the slowly devolving dance orgy perpetrated by her particular brand of magic. It was a scene that was legitimately fun to watch (Chris Bauer’s epileptic dancing was a highlight), and yet remained solidly sinister in Michelle Forbes’ freewheeling authority, giving the appearance of having given away control to the power of dance while managing to feel completely in control at the same time. She’s definitely one of the things that could keep me coming back to the show.
Source: Cultural Learnings TV Blog

Did I ever tell you you're my hero, Michelle Forbes? Like, you're the wind beneath my wings, standing out from the sidelines of TV series [...]
Forbes shivers me timbers with her vibratory vixenish certainty. She's the natural center of the storm that's brewing in Bon Temps — convincing because the actress specializes in scarily strong women, bordering on the carnivorous and castrating. I was never a huge fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation, so I never fell for her Ensign Ro Laren. But we've all noticed that even the briefest appearance by the actress gives the most implausible plot turn a heft and force only the formidable Forbes can deliver.
Source: SF Bay Guardian

MaryAnn is a Sacral Vampire. She was born in ancient egypt of the Ancient Bloodkin Race. Powers she has:
- lasers from eyeholes
- seduction of mankind
- flame breath
- ice breath
- +5 ray of charisma
AWESOMEE!!!
Source: IMDb Clowns

* Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About MAENADS but were afraid to ask
* Can a gorilla become a vampire?
Source: More Fun with IMDb

* amamini: Can True Blood please devote a whole episode just to Maryann dancing? Pls & thnks!
* ScaryBilly: Memo to Alan Ball and writers of True Blood: More Michelle Forbes, please!
* GeorgeJobson: Who's the sexiest woman on "True Blood?" Not anna Paquin, but Michelle Forbes. She's the real reason why I watch the series.
Source: Twitter

Maryann’s power over Sam is truly fascinating, and their interactions are some of my favorite scenes. I love Maryann and actress Michelle Forbes, and her brief meeting with Sookie was immensely intriguing – her reaction and tone, but also the deep, whisper-like voice Sookie could hear in her thoughts.
Source: tvwithabe.com

[Maryann] seems to have the ability to control people's minds and manipulate them into doing what she wants them to do. An infuriated Sam takes her to the back and threatens her about the restaurant being his. Maryann does not take kindly and turns Sam into a dog with her mind. Michelle Forbes amazed me again this week as she commands your attention with every move her character makes and keeps viewers guessing. Maryann gets more dangerous on a weekly basis.
Source: entertainmentblender.blogspot.com

If this season has a breakout character, though, it may well be Michelle Forbes' Maryann, a sociable shape-shifter whose affable exterior masks a dark, disturbing inner malevolence. She has the shining, and there are early signs that she will be Sookie's most dangerous adversary to date. There's a knockout scene, midway through tonight's episode, when Maryann and Sookie cross paths for the first time. They're all smiles and giggles, but the tension is so thick you can carve it with a rusty boning knife.
Source: canada.com

* Why does Maryanne eat so much?
* Why was Maryann ordering so much food?
* MaryAnn's eating disorder ~
* MaryAnn Greek(?) thoughtstream transcription
* Maryann is a maenad not a witch
* What The Hell Is Maryann?
* Long shot, but regarding Sookie 'probing' Maryanne (with telepathy)
etc etc etc.
Source: Topics on IMDb TB message boards
(Note by Chris: The people on the imdb board are much weirder than Maryann.)

* therealseanjohn: Ensign Ro, Admiral Cain and now Maryann in True Blood. Michelle Forbes is a nerd goddess. Do people realize?
* therealseanjohn: @52projects Michelle Forbes is the best thing about #true blood this season. Someone give her a lifetime achievment award!
* kidschlocko: When Maryann does her weird vibrating thing on True Blood - it freaks me out. And who or what is she?
Source: Twitter

On the other end of the quality spectrum, Maryann shows more of her true colors this episode as she winds both Sam and Tara (Rutina Wesley) tighter around her finger (with the rest of the town quickly following suit). Director Michael Lehmann plays up Forbes' inscrutable qualities, lending her enigma and menace in equal tones behind that passive-aggressive smile. From a fanboy perspective, speculation continues on exactly what kind of freaky thing she is. The books on which True Blood is based have an answer, but the show takes great delight in slowly trickling out clues.
Source: mania.com

Vampires aside, the major mystery of the season continues to surprise and intrigue viewers. Maryann’s mysterious powers are further illustrated by riling everyone at Merlotte’s into a sexual frenzy. Michelle Forbes’ portrayal of the manipulative maenad (as she is apparently known in Greek mythology) is at once alluring and dangerous. Given the werewolf reference playing during her risqué dance session, Maryann might just be the introduction into a whole other fantasy world.
Source: examiner.com

I worry #trueblood has lost steam but will watch for Michelle Forbes (Maryann).
I hope when I'm in my 40's, I'm as sexy and sex kittenish as Michelle Forbes (from True Blood).
"True Blood 2": So nice to see Michelle Forbes in a part this good. She should be doing classic comedies on stage.
Okay, Michelle Forbes' character is officially Dangerous.
If Pam and Michelle Forbes character are in a scene together I will marry this show.
Think I am in love with Maryann from True Blood.
Maryann's chanting inside her head was creepy...it sounded like Latin.
Source: Twitter

I don’t know what the deal is with this woman, but with her ability to get the entire bar to dance their asses off and force Sam into shifting his shape, she intrigues me.

And, also, she’s hot.
Source: premiumhollywood.com



At Merlotte's, Maryann has eaten her way through the entire menu, and is looking to burn some calories. Detective Andy Bellefleur is drinking and moping in the corner. Maryann wants to dance. Andy doesn't want to dance. Maryann wants to dance with Andy. Andy doesn't want to dance with Maryann. Maryann does the chin-shoulder thing. Andy dances. As does every other patron at Merlottes.
Source: tvfodder.com

Side note: We never have to worry about Maryann being anorexic. That woman has proven that yes, you can eat whatever you want, as long as you know how to vibrate and force shape shifters to, well, shift their shapes.
Source: Blood Type

All this bottled sexual tension at Jesus camp is just begging for a little of Maryann's powers. Honesty!
[...] a hell of a lot is going on at Merlotte's with our biggest supernatural unknown, Maryann, who has turned the bar into a dance-infused Bacchanalian orgy in the making. (Anyone know if that was Greek Sookie heard in Maryann's head?) We're not yet sure exactly what being she's worshiping, but she's well on her way to becoming another example of extreme religious fervor. With some magical powers thrown in.
Source:avclub.com

[Sookie, ] this is the time to pull Tara aside and say, "Girl, get out. Mercedes McCambridge is doing a voiceover for your hostess at the luxury palace."
Source: The Huffington Post



At first, it looked like Tara was going to pull a Tara and end things with Eggs because of her fear of getting close. But then he stepped up -- easier to do when Carl wasn't around to intervene with fresh towels. Is Eggs in on whatever plan Maryann has or is he just another fly caught in her web? Sookie put herself on Maryann's to-do-away-with list after asking Tara to move in with her. Maryann can't have that. And now Sookie has an inkling that something's not quite right with Maryann since her thoughts are mostly a bunch of ancient chanting. Cape Cod, right.

Sam must not really know all that much about Maryann. He knows she has abilities -- and not just the ability to make her head vibrate -- and he's afraid of her and for the people she's interacting with, but he hasn't really thought to seriously warn anyone about it. [...] One of Maryann's other abilities reared its aphrodisiac head in this episode. She can give people -- like the dancing customers at Merlotte's -- warm and fuzzy feelings and get them on their feet, or um, off them. [...] The god of lust? Or excess?
Source: PioneerLocal.com

...the bigger, more important scene later on, when Maryann casts a spell over everyone in the restaurant and they all start wiggling sensuously.

I love True Blood and I am so excited to see that it has so far successfully avoided the sophomore slump. It seems to me that this season is shaping to be the best. With awesome mysteries and shady characters there are many avenues the show can take to secure more mind blowing twists and turns.
Source: ew.com

*

Chris, how did you know Maryann was from Cape Cod? Is there something, you're not saying?

Maryann Keeps the Party Going

Is Maryann perhaps an alien?

Team Maryann, we will get to bite into the next episode of True Blood again, tonight at 9:00pm ET.

The episode will see Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) adjust to Bill Compton's (Stephen Moyer) new vampprentice Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll). It appears to centre around Jason's (Ryan Kwanten) settling in with the happy-go-lucky Fellowship of the Sun, and Sam Merlotte's (Sam Trammell) frustration at Maryann's endeavours with his patrons. Expect lots of dancing, and uncanny vibrations.

Ryan Kwanten had this to say about Maryann: “No one is who they seem. She seems unbelievably sweet…but she ends up turning the whole town into quite bizarre little creatures. It’s all kinds of hush hush, but it gets very…SEXUAL. And I’m not involved in it for once. I got a lot of my sex out of the way in the first season. I can’t word it without giving it away, but she’s not what she seems to be.”

Expect a special post tomorrow with our (and all other) reviews/reactions on tonight's episode.

DIPLOMACY - Screening at Festival Paris Cinéma

The 9min short film Diplomacy (2009) will be screened at the Festival Paris Cinéma (July 2-14, 2009). Michelle plays the U.S. Secretary of State.

Directed by Jon Goldman, the film will take part in the International Short Films Competition. Set against 16 other graceful, creative and promising films, to win awards from the audience, jury and a special 'Prize of Emotion'. I couldn't find a schedule (date and time) **, but the venue is MK2 Bibliothèque, 128-162, avenue de France, Métro: Bibliothèque François Mitterrand / Quai de la Gare :)

You can watch a short video clip on dailymotion.com

According to IMDb original music is provided by Christopher Tin. Head over to his website to listen to samples of his work!





** The website has been updated. Schedule:
Vendredi 10 juillet 2009
13h30 : Diplomacy, Jon Goldman, présenté par le réalisateur
Samedi 11 juillet 2009
13h30 : Diplomacy, Jon Goldman, présenté par le réalisateur
(--chris)

Baby Boy Meets Nathor

Team Durham County is deliriously happy to announce:

* You can now own your own Maryann sculpture. Was about time!!
(Note to truebloodindallas: your website sucks, crashes my browser)

* Rumour has it that we'll soon see a first video mashup on Youtube, mixing MammaMia! and Nothing But the Blood, feat. Pierce Brosnan and Michelle Forbes. Not yet confirmed that they'll be performing Summer Wine. - We're holding our breath.



P.S.: Team DC is desperatly looking for towels with “Baby boy, you’re not the only one who’s special in this world.”
Where, oh where can we order one?

True Blood July Press Release

Here be spoilers. Read on at your own risk:

Episode #16: “Shake and Fingerpop”
Debut: SUNDAY, JULY 12 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
Other HBO playdates: July 12 (11:30 p.m.), 14 (11:30 p.m.), 15 (8:30 p.m.) and 18 (10:00 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: July 13 (8:00 p.m.), 16 (10:00 p.m.), 17 (11:00 p.m.), 19 (4:30 p.m.) and 31 (9:00 p.m.)

With Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll) in tow, Bill (Stephen Moyer) and Sookie (Anna Paquin) head to Dallas to carry out Eric’s (Alexander Skarsgård) vampire-reconnaissance mission – but a surprise awaits them at the airport. At the Light of Day Institute, Jason (Ryan Kwanten) falls victim to a practical joke, but has the last laugh when the Newlins anoint him for a higher calling. Maryann (Michelle Forbes) throws Tara (Rutina Wesley) a birthday party at Sookie’s, attracting much of Bon Temps to its Bacchanalian revelry. Sam (Sam Trammell) postpones his departure from town to attend the bash, connecting with Daphne (Ashley Jones) in the process. Having barely escaped Fangtasia, Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) finds himself reluctantly pulled back into Eric’s orbit.

Written by Alan Ball; directed by Michael Lehmann.

Episode #17: “Never Let Me Go”
Debut: SUNDAY, JULY 19 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
Other HBO playdates: July 19 (11:30 p.m.), 21 (11:30 p.m.), 22 (10:00 p.m.) and 25 (11:30 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: July 20 (8:00 p.m.), 23 (10:00 p.m.), 24 (12:30 a.m.), 26 (4:00 p.m.) and 31 (10:00 p.m.)

In Dallas, Sookie connects with one of her own, then joins Bill and Eric for a strategic summit at the lair of the missing vampire, Godric (Allan Hyde), attended by his lieutenants, Stan (Ed Quinn) and Isabel (Valerie Cruz). Meanwhile, Jason shows his mettle at a Light of Day boot camp, and is rewarded for his hard work with a gift from Sarah (Anna Camp). Rebuffed by Tara in her relocation efforts, Maryann decides to cast her spell on the staff of Merlotte’s, softening Tara up towards her new “family.” Eric shares a little-known secret about his past with Bill, and Sookie makes a decision that might solve the Godric mystery – or get her killed.

Written by Nancy Oliver; directed by John Dahl.

Episode #18: “Hard-Hearted Hannah”
Debut: SUNDAY, JULY 26 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
Other HBO playdates: July 26 (11:30 p.m.), 28 (11:30 p.m.) and 29 (10:00 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: July 27 (8:00 p.m.), 30 (10:00 p.m.) and 31 (11:00 p.m.)

Accompanied by Isabel’s human boyfriend Hugo (Christopher Gartin), Sookie embarks on a dangerous mission to locate Godric. Meanwhile, Bill is shocked when a vampire from his distant, more violent past resurfaces in Dallas. In Bon Temps, Daphne presses Sam to get comfortable in his own skin(s); Hoyt (Jim Parrack) continues his unlikely courtship of Jessica; Andy (Chris Bauer) interrogates Lafayette about his disappearance; and Tara and Eggs (Mehcad Brooks) take a detour while on a road trip. At the Light of Day camp, Jason faces difficult emotional and physical choices.

TB Early Reactions Quotes Reviews

IT'S GOING DOOOWWWN. Get your towels ready!
A fan on the TB facebook site

Well, I've seen the episode, "Keep This Party Going," and I'm here to point you young padawans on the path to understanding.[...] Tara is still shacking up with the ethereal Maryann.[...]I think this season is going to center around two major plot points: Maryann and the nature of her powers and the vampire-hating Fellowship of the Sun.
The mysterious Maryann, ably played by the steely-eyed Michelle Forbes, exudes a powerful energy in every scene she's in. This week, she has a significant sequence in Merlotte's restaurant. Pay close attention - but not to her - to the other patrons of Sam's family joint. The true nature of who (or what) Maryann really is will reveal itself through her influence on others.
Source: tvblog.ugo.com

Lamento comunicarles que el primer capítulo de la segunda temporada de True Blood es malo, malo, malo.[Pero] El personaje de la siempre sugerente Michelle Forbes, la mujer de nuestro terapeuta favorito en In treatment, promete.
I regret to inform you that the first chapter of the second season of True Blood is bad, bad, bad. [But] yes, the character of the always inspiring Michelle Forbes, the wife of our favourite therapist on 'In Treatment', is promising.
Source: ElCineHaMuerto

Maryann è il personaggio più intrigante ovviamente. E Michelle Forbes è una stupenda!!!

Overall, Maryann is the most intriguing character. And Michelle Forbes is marvellous!
Souce: telefilm-central.org

Forbes brings the same caustic, steely energy to her role as a scary, sexy, mysterious benefactor on HBO's bayou vampire saga that she did to her stellar stints on Battlestar Galactica and In Treatment.
Source: winnipegfreepress.com

When you came in, the air went out
And every shadow, filled up with doubt
I don't know who you think you are
But before the night is through
I wanna do bad things with you.

I'm the kind who sit up in his room
Heart-sick and eyes filled up with blue
I don't know what you've done to me
But I know this much is true:
I wanna do bad things with you....

On a side note, I am loving MaryAnn's character, I love Michelle Forbes, I loved her as Lynn in Season 2 of 24 and Admiral Cain in Battlestar Galactica.
Source: digitalspy.co.uk

The interesting thing to me is that Sam's experience is treated as being almost as traumatic as Sookie's. Society usually looks with faint amusement on the idea of a teenaged boy in a sexual liaison with an older woman. From The Summer of '42 to Class to last year's The Reader, the tacit assumption is that this is a dream come true for the teenaged boy. By contrast, Sam's seduction by Maryann at age 17 seems to have left him nearly as traumatized as Sookie. The moment he sees Maryann again he panics, much as Sookie did when Bartlett showed up at Gran's funeral. He brings Maryann every dollar he has, stuffed in a trash bag, in an attempt to appease her. He avoids touching her when she comes to see him. He acts, in fact, as though he were scared spitless. Far from a sexual awakening, Sam's experience with Maryann seems to have put the fear of God(dess) into him in a big way. I didn't think I could feel sorrier for Sam than I did at the end of Season One, but I do. Sam Trammell's superb rendering of this complex and lovelorn man/shapeshifter is one of the highlights of this show.
Source: sfscope.com

NB (Randy): Song playing during the pool scene. It's lovely, I kind of feel like escaping to that kind of culture: Jussara Silveira - Lá Vem a Baiana

NB (Chris): Not Mycenaean, Carl. Egyptian Nathor
NB (Randy): Maryann needs a new servant with reliable classical knowledge.

*tinaamariee: Did anyone else think that Maryann's (True Blood) black dress was to die for?
*Justin_TheBuck just watched #True Blood and it was ok. Really hope it doesn't get shitty this season. Is Maryann a god?
*_juniorr: jesuseffinchrist! True blood premiere granted us the new bitch on the block: Maryann. I love those characters!
* AmandaKlaus: That crazy bitch Maryann from True Blood is seriously the new Mommy Dearest. "NOBODY NEEDED TOWELS!!!" And I love that Bill recycles.
* pirs: Maryann é o melhor personagem atual de True Blood, sem dúvida.
*BethyPie: had a dream that I went to the dentist and found out for sure that I needed braces. MaryAnn from True Blood was there. I knew she was evil.
* extenuate: Oh man. Michelle Forbes as Maryann Forrester, in True Blood. So awesome. Such delicious bitchosity.
*hoosiersuz: @Cudlitz True Blood was good..That Maryann is a little touchy with her towels huh???
*ZuriNayeem: True Blood: ooh, Lafayette! :) Maryann--I don't care if she's "different" or not, she gets POINTS for laying Tara's mommma out! boom! :)
*Watermoon126: Is it just.me or did anyone else yell with joy when Maryann gave her little speech? YEAH! Right on Sister!!!
Source: Twitter

So exciting! Very concerned about Lafayette. I want Michelle Forbes in every frame.
Source: samjmiller.com

What the hell is MaryAnn? And why is she so interested in seeing Eggs and Tara hook up? (Nice to see the "woman/pig" line come back to haunt Tara). Michelle Forbes is the bomb, after Admiral Cain and Kate Weston, this looks to be a like another stand out role for her ("Nobody needed towels!!!") Also, that was such a set up for young Sam/puppy when he found all that food / clothing that was just right for him. Hmmm......
Source: livejournal.com

The script is packed with great one-liners and Michelle Forbes steals every scene she's in. Season 2 is gonna be a good'un!
Michelle Forbes is a true find. She won me over on BSG, she was one scary motherfraker, and I'm glad to report Michelle is bringing the same intensity to this role, although she does get a lot of fun moments, too. Maryann is still a giant, sexy question mark at this stage, but she spells trouble. Oh and will Tara bite the dust? ''There's something evil out there that wanted her soul, you're not careful it'll come for yours, too'' and then Maryann shows up to hand Tara's mom her neglectful ass on a plate. Coincidink? I think not.
Source: tv.com

Q: Why is Michelle Forbes so hot? - Why why why why why
A: Because she can vibrate.
Source: IMDb TB board
Q: The reason MaryAnn was pissed about the towels ...
A: They were really nice Egyptian Cotton towels and she doesn't want guests using them.
Source: IMDb TB board

Tara has been taken in by Maryann Forrester, a woman who [...] has six kinds of crazy lurking behind her eyes. Whenever Maryann's onscreen---whether she's telling off Tara's mother, or seducing a young Sam Merlotte in a flashback-she turns this episode awesomely nasty. Her best moment? Maryann slaps [her servant] to the ground, screaming "Nobody needed more towels!" I guarantee you that right after she did that, drag queens across the land quivered with delight at hearing the latest thing they can holler from a cabaret stage. Maryann's rage is total, surprising, and ludicrous. Why does she want those two together? Why does she hate towels? We'll probably find out in a few weeks, but for now, we can thank her smackdown for giving us the season's first Sucker Punch of the Week. Source: The Huffington Post

Take, for example, Forbes’ MaryAnn, who is really the show’s most interesting lead at the moment. We know that she has some sort of ridiculous magic power, we know [her history with Sam] and that she’s now trying to bring Tara into her flock of sorts through the power of weed, lust and I don’t even know what else. Her motivations are completely unclear: Sam thinks she’s after him but she seems to refuse this notion, while Tara has no idea that she’s even remotely evil. It’s a storyline where we as the audience know more than pretty well any characters, and yet we still know absolutely nothing – however, since I don’t care about either Sam or Tara, and I can’t really foresee a situation where I would care about them, my ability to sit around waiting for a solution is limite.
Generally, Michelle Forbes is pretty damn fun here – slapping around her butler was particular enjoyable, and was one of the elements of the pilot that I truly enjoyed as opposed to being caught pondering how much more interesting the show could be.
Source: memles.wordpress.com

Michelle Forbes is awesome. Like, no words can describe how awesome she is. She has, hands down, the best story line on the show right now.
Source: ashitakas-angels.blogspot.com

How great is it to see Michelle Forbes in a role that really shows her range?
Source: Entertainment Weekly

I said it this morning and I'll say it again tonight... Michelle Forbes on TRUE BLOOD! HOLY SHITBALLS she's amazing.
On Twitter
I decided I am going to watch TRUE BLOOD tonight and only for one reason. Michelle Forbes. I love that woman in anything she does.
On Twitter

Another delightful addition is the wicked Maryann, played to the hilt by Michelle Forbes. This character poses to be the most interesting wildcard of the second season, and again, Ball is masterful at painting strong female villains and heroines, fleshed out and genuinely compelling. Her scenes are riveting.
Source: monstersandcritics.com

How wild is the show this season? Extremely. Mysterious Maryann (Michelle Forbes) gives TV's raciest parties. When she starts shaking, watch out.
Source: OrlandoSentinel.com

But if Bill represents a judicious but secretly bloodthirsty superpower, then Maryann (Michelle Forbes) is a rogue state teeming with terrorists and corrupt generals -- maybe somewhere in the tropics (Indonesia?), given Maryann's penchant for fat joints and fruity drinks. For the barely restrained hedonists among us (I think that's all of us, actually), Forbes is a joy to watch. That woman was born to play the role of smug, sybaritic seductress, sighing happily over her lush spread of fruits and pastries and fresh coffee, then rolling up a gargantuan spliff to share with Tara. Whether she's charming the otherwise surly crowd at Merlotte's into dancing and carousing like a Dionysian trollop or wandering through her lavish grounds in a delighted haze of self-satisfaction, Maryann represents a complete surrender to carnal desire. Of course, without any boundaries or rules or structure to guide the proceedings, Maryann's pleasure dome is sure to devolve into chaos, and there's not much doubt that, given her glowering looks and habit of hanging out with enormous pigs, Maryann represents chaotic evil, and not chaotic good.
source: salon.com

Some TB fans in anticipation
* Michelle Forbes is the Maenad! Outstanding!
* What the Eff Is Up with Maryanne?: You guys, I have no idea, but I cannot wait to find out. The malevolent way she greeted Sam at the end of last season was so intense! And then there was the weird extra-dimensional vibrating! And the giant pig! Michelle Forbes is always one of my favorite things about whatever she's in anyway.
:: Jesse: MICHELLE FORBES IS A GODDESS.
:: Jon: Yes! What is up with Maryann?! What is she? I'm so panicked because the last time I saw that actress she was HELENA CAIN. And Helena Cain scared the hell outta me.
@lowresolution.blogspot.com
* Do you think Michelle Forbes is a Werewolf?
JayTeeDee on Twitter
NB: JayTeeDee, I silently hope that Michelle IS not a werewolf, but you never know ;-)

Forbes remains a hidden treasure for genre fans [...] and the obvious glee she takes in her character's quiet manipulations (as well as the question of exactly what kind of creature she is) constitute one of the show's great pleasures. Pairing her off with the tart-mouthed Tara marks a stroke of near-brilliance: no other character remains quite so vulnerable as she and yet no other character has the ability to strike back at Maryann with such ferocity.
Source: mania.com

Sookie's best friend, Tara (Rutina Wesley), has fallen under the influence of someone, too: Maryann (Michelle Forbes), a mysterious and powerful woman who has the ability to, among other things, project emotions outward like a virus, so that everyone in her vicinity becomes aroused, angry or animalistic.
Michelle Forbes [...] is absolutely unleashed here, portraying a woman who may prove to be the most powerful and destructive force on the entire series.
Source: tvworthwatching.com

I was intensely bored and unamused and not at all entertained by "True Blood" last season, until Michelle Forbes came on the scene. She's and Alexander Skarsgard are the only reasons I will even consider watching the show in its second season. The Bill + Sookie plot is still a complete snooze. Bill's new vampire spawn was kinda fresh last season, but then she turned pretty one-note too: bratty, which is also a bore after awhile. PS - As a devoted of "In Treatment" fan, I find it mildly amusing that Michelle Forbes went from being Dr. Paul Weston's (Gabriel Byrne) ex to some incarnation of the devil (at worst) or some kind of ancient demon (at best)* on "True Blood". Not that she isn't perfectly cast with her dark beauty and slightly menacing smile, but someone in HBO casting has a sense of humor.
Comment @ hitfix.com

The town of Bon Temps is seduced by strange, statuesque Maryann (Michelle Forbes), who looks like a catalog model for clothes designed by Anne Rice. When she throws a party, the revelers turn into mindless orgiasts with solid-black eyes.
Source: people.com

Probably most intriguing is the addition of Michelle Forbes, who is cast playing the mysterious and mercurial “Maryann,” who has come back to town with something evil in mind. Her history with closet “shapeshifter” Sam Merlotte (played by Sam Tramwell) is as interesting as what she has in mind for the future. Clearly not a vampire, Maryann’s origins and intents are as cloudy as the character herself.
Source: buzzine.com

Certainly, the Alan Ball vampire show is watchable and well-acted, and the first four episodes of the new season exhibit no signs of a sophomore slump. However, I couldn’t shake one nagging feeling while watching them: Shouldn’t this be a little bit better?
I don’t mean I’m looking for some stuffy prestige project — quite the contrary. True Blood is best when it fully embraces its camp value, never more than the early Season Two moment when Michelle Forbes (as the mysterious new villain Mary Ann) slaps her fey assistant, channels Joan Crawford, and bellows, “No one. Needed. TOWELS!”
Source: movieline.com

Q: You share a lot of screen time with the mysterious Maryann this season - which no one will give up any information on what she is so I’ll just ask - what’s it been like working with Michelle Forbes, who plays Maryann?
Rutina Wesley: Working with her is like a dream. She’s open, she’s generous, she’s ready to go. She’s so focused and driven. You look at this woman’s eyes and she’s just got you. That’s a scene partner. That’s someone who is on her mark and ready to go.
Source: fancast.com

No one could accuse “True Blood” of being prudish. You may wonder, as I did, if the show is an excuse to see attractive people who are not overburdened with clothing give in to their steamier desires. - Yet the character responsible for some of the steamiest antics—a mysterious woman named Maryann—is played by the magnetic Michelle Forbes, who gives the character a frisson of danger. Forbes’ crackling performance is one of the best things about the show, but the excellent work of several other supporting players—including Rutina Wesley as Sookie’s friend Tara, Alexander Skarsgard as a commanding vampire named Eric and Ryan Kwanten as Sookie’s brother Jason—make “True Blood” worth watching.
Source: The Watcher Chicagotribune

Of the cast, Forbes is a standout, someone whose cheery demeanor belies the words she handles like swords.
Source: bostonherald.com

[...] a prickly goddess of hedonism played by the superb Michelle Forbes [...] this season we see more of Forbes's Maryann, who has taken in Tara (Rutina Wesley) for reasons that remain mysterious and suspicious. Maryann is, like most of the "True Blood" characters, dramatic but with bits of caricature around the edges. She's all about empowering women, and she has a mod "Girl From Ipanema" jauntiness about her. But don't cross her. Forbes, who was stellar as Gabriel's Byrne's ex-wife on "In Treatment," is camp fun in this role, twisting her hands up to the sky to invoke good times. Tara is drawn into Maryann's web, in the way humans are drawn toward a vampire who is "glamouring" them. But Maryann, like Sam the shape-shifter, is not a vampire. The show, with its subtext about human diversity, features diverse monsters, too.
Source: boston.com

"You know, we’re in the middle of an economic depression and I think there is something really wonderful about truly escaping and questioning other worldly aspects and sort of coming out of the rooted uncomfortableness that is happening in this country right now.” – Michelle Forbes, who plays the mysterious Maryann on “True Blood”
Source: Access Hollywood

Michelle Forbes (Battlestar Galactica, In Treatment) is doing a fabulous job as Maryann, a mysterious benefactor for Sookie's pal Tara (Rutina Wesley). Upcoming episodes will make Maryann's powers clear.
Source: ew.com

I’m loving Michelle Forbes (one of my favorite actresses since her days on "Homicide") as Maryann. You’ll learn a lot more about her and about Sam (Sam Trammell) early in the season.
Source: zap2it.com

True Blood Season 2 spoiler: Two eps in & Michelle Forbes is stealing every scene she's in. Ryan Kwanten's abs making off with the rest.
Source: EWAussielloFiles


P.S.: We will be updating this post regularly, as the reviews are coming in. You can either bookmark the article or find on the right sidebar.

Must Have TB Merchandise

I was browsing through the True Blood Merch Store, and realised that it's seriously lacking in substance. The series has experienced a wealth of spoken brilliance that should be immortalised in clothing, of all things. And so, disappointed that the iconic blow by Maryann from episode 1 didn't make it to the top of the best-scenes-of-episode-1 compilation, I went off to Customink (they have got Greek letters) and designed this hoodie, just for fun. :)

Any thoughts? :)

Durham County Season 2 - Trailer

Just in - Muse Entertainment and Back Alley Film Productions presenting the trailer for the upcoming second season of Durham County:



Air dates known so far:
Durham County 2: Ep. 1 - Little Lost Children July 13 - 9:00 pm
Durham County 2: Ep. 2 - Ray Loves Sadie True July 20 - 9:00 pm
Durham County 2: Ep. 3 - The Fish In The Ocean July 27 - 9:00 pm

Visit the awesome Durham County website to discover the story, the characters, the actors and the creative team.

True Blood Keeps Flowing

New True Blood Season 2 stills have just come in:

Maryann with Tara (Rutina Wesley)

...with Sam (Sam Trammell)

...meditating

...and dancing

True Blood may not quite deliver the bouquet of perfect taste, but Michelle Forbes certainly does. Also, there is a set of screencaps from Episode 1, to replenish our senses until next Sunday.

True Blood Season 2 Premiere

Finally, in just a little while, Season 2 of True Blood will premiere on HBO.

Created by Alan Ball, and based on a series of novels by Charlaine Harris, the series depicts the adventures of the human, vampire and other supernatural folk in the fictional town of Bon Temps. It stars Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Sam Trammell, Ryan Kwanten, Rutina Wesley, Chris Bauer, Michelle Forbes, Nelsan Ellis, Deborah Ann Woll, Alexander Skarsgard, and Mehcad Brooks.

The second season has been greeted with generally positive reviews, many of which single out Michelle Forbes's portrayal of Maryann - a Maenad (Greek: Μαινάδες), a divine force of nature - as an exceptional treat this season. Throughout the season, we are set up for the enjoyment of watching the character "get up to no good", the slow unravelling of what a Maenad is, and, more importantly, what is the reason for her being in Bon Temps.

The synopsis of tonight's Episode "Nothing But the Blood":

A shocking murder outside Merlotte’s has Bon Temps reeling. Meanwhile, Sookie’s (Anna Paquin) relationship with Bill (Stephen Moyer) is tested when she learns about Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll), and of his involvement in her uncle’s death. Sam (Sam Trammell) recalls a shape-shifting encounter he had with Maryann (Michelle Forbes) as a 17-year-old. Jason (Ryan Kwanten) gets a sudden windfall that allows him to pay for a leadership retreat with the Fellowship of the Sun. Two adversaries find themselves sharing a mysterious dungeon and, possibly, the same fate.

To celebrate the premiere, I have tried my hand at making up a video, focusing on the characters Maryann, Tara, and Sam. I hope you enjoy it.



Feel free to comment on your reactions, tastes, gasps, give reviews etc. on tonight's episode.

Freedom and Beauty

Michelle Forbes explains about the ambiguous nature of her character Maryann:

There’s also the mysterious, bohemian character of Maryann introduced in the last episodes of season one where she introduced herself as a social worker to the emotionally spent Tara. She quickly swept the damaged woman away to her mansion where she continues to “nurse” her back to health. Played by Michelle Forbes (Star Trek: TNG, Battlestar Galactica: Razor), audiences already know there’s more to Maryann than meets the eye due to her first appearance naked with a pig by the side of a road displaying some weird, vibrating mojo. Forbes assures that Maryann only gets weirder and worse in season two.

"I’ve played a lot of people that do bad things and it’s always an interesting journey as an actor because you can never approach it that way", Forbes explains about the ambiguous nature of her character. “For me with Maryann, I think that she is a character about perception. She does not perceive her quest as bad. She perceives it as being beautiful and she doesn’t understand why people don’t get it and come along for the ride.”

This season that ride will include some confrontations with Sam and some decidedly carnal parties that involve much of Bon Temps.

“She’s not a nefarious person in her mind at all,” the actress continues. “She just wants everyone to be free like she is free. She doesn’t understand why everyone is mucking about in pain and suffering. So she’s not a Hitler-type villain nor a serial killer villain out for control. But she’s after something though.”

Source: newsarama.com

Durham County Season 2 - Same Town. Darker Secrets.

Check out the new Durham County website!!! Turn your speakers ON! (flash-only site):

http://www.durhamcounty.ca

Navigate the site. The Story. The Gallery. The Cast. And The Players - with video clips from season 2.









(Click to enlarge the pictures)

This is AMAZING. It looks awesome. Oh My Goodness, how I love that!!

P.S: I apologize for my lousy English. I need to rush back to work now :(
____________________________

Michelle Makes Television History with True Blood

A fellow fan from Pop Wrap has just been chatting to Michelle on everything True Blood, as well as her sudden disappearance from 24. Not only, did Maryann have the most attention-grabbing introduction in television history, naked on a dark road and accompanied by an oversized pig. She sets the volume up to 11 in the first handful of new "Trues".

Find out how True Blood isn't all about vampires and "honors the intelligence and investment of the audience", the weight of Maryann's agenda in Bon Temps, and about storyline hurricanes that make you feel like it's Christmas!

PopWrap: With all the secrecy surrounding the show, what do you tell people about season two?
Michelle Forbes: Get ready pal! [laughs] Oooh boy, it's insanely out of control. Buckle up and get a helmet!

PW: Maryann had a fabulous introduction on the show. What did you think when you read "discovered naked in the road with giant pig?"
Michelle: You know you're in for one hell of a ride! When that is your entrance, you know it will be anything but boring!

PW: She is still something of a mystery. All we know is that Maryann needs Tara. Is that accurate?
Michelle: Tara is the conduit into the rest of the town for Maryann. The mystery will play out over the season. You don't quite know where it's going or what her agenda is -- but when it gets revealed, it's heavy!

PW: That's the thing about Maryann that's so great, she's so mysterious, I question everything she does and says.
Michelle: Exactly, you don't know what her agenda is. What the writers have come up with -- and how it all comes together in the end -- is very clever.

PW: A lot of people keep going back to that weird vibration thing she did in season one, was that an isolated thing?
Michelle: Oh no. Maryann's vibrations are really integral to who she is. You'll see it happen again.

Read on

Escape to Mysterious New Blood

Access Hollywood interviewed Michelle at the red carpet premiere on Tuesday. According to her, we are in for a wonderful, supsenseful and slow unfolding of the Maryann Mystery. Also, her co-star Mechad Brooks ('Eggs') has got something interesting to say about Michelle's character.

Michelle also took her time to speak candidly on the popularity of the series. Her response deviated from the physical appeal of the vampires. Instead she reflected on the 'rooted uncomfortableness' we reside in today, and from which, an escape is almost mandatory.

You know, we’re in the middle of an economic depression and I think there is something really wonderful about truly escaping and questioning other worldly aspects and sort of coming out of the rooted uncomfortableness that is happening in this country right now.

More True Blood S2 Premiere Photos

Awwww!











Posted by Team Durham County - on behalf of Team Maryann :)

Update - More Beauty







(Shhh Ekström, stop barking)

True Blood Season 2 Premiere - Red Carpet

Michelle at the True Blood Season 2 Premiere in Los Angeles:

Update - More Pictures