Blood Ties

Date: April 9, 2007
      I have to say a few words here about a TV show that caught my eye.
BLOOD TIES

Dylan Neal - Character: Mike Celluci
Christina Cox - Character: Vicki Nelson
 Kyle Schmid - Character: Henry Fitzroy   

      I am fond of Romantic vampires - not the horror kind - but the sexual figures that parade across the pages of today's romance fiction.
      Guilty as charged, I have even written a few that I am getting ready to try to sell.
      The Italian Vampire is one of these. One.
      Today's romantic lead is a blood-sucker whose sexual prowess knows no bounds (a la Christine Feehan, a quiet unassuming mother of 11 I believe).
      Wouldn't we all want to meet THAT hero.
      We may be older women - we are not dead.
     
      Enter Tanya Huff, who wrote a 5-book series and a few short stories called loosely the "Blood Books". The five Blood book: BLOOD PRICE, BLOOD TRAIL, BLOOD LINES, BLOOD PACT, and BLOOD DEBT.
      I never heard of them.
      They were below my radar!
      So when they advertised that a new TV show, Blood Ties, was coming to Lifetime ---- well - I had to have a look.
      Holy Moly Batman!
      First, this is no typical Hollywood tv land crap show. This is stylish, well-filmed, with some decent writing.
      Holy Cow!
      And this is a 3-way. Take that censures!
      The Ex-cop - Vicki - a woman going slowly blind, is no shrinking violet - even if she isn't allowed to carry a gun anymore. Played nicely without overplaying,
      The cop - Mike - is a gorgeous hunk - equipped with all the raging hormonal jealousy you could desire and a quick wit. ("Who is this? Casper the friendly Vampire?")
      The vampire - Henry - is a 23-yr old with a list of credentials and is strikingly exotic while making you want to go hug him. (Sorry - at 40+ years his senior - I shouldn't have other thoughts! Well, I do but then - he's playing a 450 yr old vampire.)
      He's adorable when just being a flirtatious hunk - he's something else again with the black contacts and fangs.
      Not cutsy - not over the top - just - Oh my God - he's real! (And he's not trying to become human again - he's quite comfortable being what he is. Oh Good!)
     
      Yesterday's show featured an incubus - a sex addict from another world.
      And while the sex demon wasn't responsible for the murders - the ending scene where the vampire and the demon are discussing the change in sexual mores of the last century and their preferences for willing partners has you going along, nodding, ----- until you realize WHAT you are watching - bends your mind.
     
      Favourite scene (from Tanya's Blog): Although there was so much I loved in this episode, favorite scene hands down has to be the discussion between Henry and the incubus at the end. Two immortal men who love women, talking about how women and their approach to them has changed over the centuries. They just have this surreal bonding moment that I adore.
     
      Sometimes the dialog pokes fun at the subject ("I don't believe I just said that") and takes you right along.
     
      I ran out (to my computer screen) after seeing the first show and ordered (from Amazon.com of course) the Blood Books. Read one (loved it). Am in the second.
      If you haven't tuned in - you must. If you haven't read - you must!
     
      If they aren't already prepping the DVD - they are insane.
      Of course - I loved the Tarzan show they tried a couple years back - and cancelled just as it was finding its feet.
      It wasn't anywhere near as good as Blood ties. (The model playing Tarzan WAS good. He was also fun to watch.)
      But we the fans know there were 6 more episodes in the can unaired and are anxiously awaiting the DVD.
     
      In this case, here's a show so good, I DVR it, I watch it twice in one night (Lifetime repeats). I may watch it on the weekends (take that sports nuts!)
      It's up there with The Closer.
     
      Interesting that those shows are NOT on any network. (By which I mean NBC, CBS and ABC. OR FOX, UBN, WB or whatever the alphabet soup is. Shows how much I care.)
      I normally watch PBS, BBCA, A&E, and HIST, Discovery and the odd pickup when a subject catches my eye.
     
      I now add Lifetime to my list.
     
      Oh yes.
     
      This kid's career will be interesting to watch.
      The cop isn't shabby either.

      Notice I am focused on the guys. I'm not dead yet either!

 
     
      Christina Cox - Character: Vicki Nelson
      Cop turned private investigator Vicki Nelson has the not-so-easy task of solving supernatural cases with the help of her sexy preternatural partner, Henry, and her assistant, Coreen.
      Best known for her lead role in "F/X: The Series" as well as her performance opposite Vin Diesel in "The Chronicles of Riddick," actress Christina Cox's credits also include "CSI: Miami," "Cold Case" and "Numb3rs." Recently, Cox cocreated a pilot called "The Trackers," and soon she'll be seen opposite Ving Rhames in the upcoming film "Ascension Day."

Vampire Bats???? CSI??? How did I miss him???
Maturing nicely - must keep an eye out

   
      Dylan Neal - Character: Mike Celluci
      Vicki's ex-partner and sometime lover Mike Celluci is often simultaneously trying to tackle the same unexplainable cases as Vicki, and he's far from thrilled about Vicki and her new partner's palpable chemistry.
      Dylan Neal is a well-recognized face on television, having had lead roles in shows such as "The Bold and the Beautiful," "Pacific Palisades" and "Hyperion Bay." Along with dozens of guest-starring roles, Dylan has had recurring roles on the hit television series "Dawson's Creek," "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" and "JAG." He appeared on the big screen alongside Josh Hartnett in the film "40 Days and 40 Nights."

The Vampire -----

Being "normal"

Being - well --- a Vampire

See the black eyes ----- quirky smile - Born Flirt - Does it very well -----
Hell to pay as he ages if he's this good now!

   
      Kyle Schmid - Character: Henry Fitzroy
      Henry Fitzroy, a 450-year-old vampire and the son of Henry VIII, lives among humans as a graphic novelist but as a sideline teams up with Vicki to investigate the unexplainable.
      Kyle Schmid's recent work includes his recurring role in "Beautiful People" as well as an appearance in the Disney Channel's "The Cheetah Girls." The actor also starred in Lifetime's "Cyber Seduction: His Secret Life" and "Sex & the Single Mom." Schmid's feature-film credits include "The Covenant," "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants," "A History of Violence" and "The Pacifier."

      I have seen the Pacifier --- must go watch it again and find him.  

      (Reminds me of the New James Bond --- Daniel Craig --- He was in Tomb Raider - I missed him too! (Of course - I had seen him many times on BBC productions so I was prepared for some damn good acting --- and he delivered! Got that DVD as soon as it was out. He was in the Ice House - Wow! )

      I am waiting for the DVD for Blood Ties -----