Ultimate Trubies: Nashville's Fangtastic Event

I remember logging into Facebook and waiting for Nashville's six-minute, guaranteed winner time for the True Blood event.  I'd seen each episode many times, read all 10 books and couldn't wait to go.  

After driving a half hour with my future husband, JR, GG, and Hills, I was sitting in the theater in Green Hills with my fangs and my popcorn, tweeting my heart out. (As was @darkhorsemama, our sheriff, so check her tweets!)

For those who were unable to attend, for whatever reason, you may be wondering how the event was . . . It was pretty damn fangtastic.

Between 10 and 10:30 p.m., the VIPs were checked in and given a free small soda, which was awesome because we all know you almost have to give blood to a theater for a Coke anyway. (The event might seem late for some, but HBO mentioned that it was a good time for vampires to wake up and go out. In addition, it wasn't so late for Alan Ball and cast in L.A. I also figured that it was on a Tuesday, because the Season 2 DVD came out the Tuesday before and Season 3 begins June 13.)

While we waited for the event to begin, the audience watched previews and podcasts about the end of TB Season 2 and previews for Season 3.  Podcasts for the show are available free on iTunes and are pretty interesting. Some are considered 'mini-episodes' that fill in gaps before the finale and Bill's kidnapping. (One example was Sookie and Tara fighting after Bill got her the purple dress).

By 11p.m., we were watching 'Beyond Here Lies Nothin'. I'd seen the finale, named the same as a title on the soundtrack, but it was even better on the big screen.  Well . . .until the satellite feed went all wonky and made everything pixelated and robotic sounding. (SPOILER ALERT) It happened just as Sam shifted into the bull and 86s Mary Anne with a horn to the sternum. People seeing it for the first time could've been confused, but they were eagerly distracted by seeing Sam Trammell naked (he got a few cheers).

 [ Note: I was perplexed by the event crew, however, because they told a friend of mine to put her phone away and phones weren't allowed. I was confused because HBO told us to tweet the whole time?]

But it didn't end there.  After Alan Ball apologized for the techincal difficulties, he told us there was a special, never-before-seen preview of Season 3 for us.  The two-minute preview shows some of the upcoming weres and shifters who I assume from the books will be Alcide Herveaux, Crystal Norris, Franklin Mott and king of Mississippi, Russell Edgington. Two of my favorite moments in the trailer (other than the music from Season 2's soundtrack):

1. Eric walks in through Sookie's window (way sexier that Dawson could ever do it) and says, "How goes the search?" (I assume he means the search for Bill.) Sookie touches him, which surprises Eric, and says, "Turns out, he's not who I was lookin' for." And then there's a shot where the sheriff's jacket is being removed and they careen in for a kiss! 

2. Sookie later whips off her robe, climbs onto him and asks if he wants more. I know I do. Team Eric!

3. Jason is smitten over a blonde cutie who's the epitome of the girl next door. I assume she'll be Crystal.  Jason approaches her truck, his sunglasses down so she can see his eyes and he asks, "Are you resisting me?"

4. Sookie gets a call from Bill. He tells her to stop looking for him. That he doesn't want to be found. And the trailer ends with him saying, "We were doomed from the start." That dropped my jaw as much as the steamy scene between Sook and Eric!

If your computer hates HBO like mine does (it never plays videos without skipping, here's a YouTube version:

Then, Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello did Q&A with creator Alan Ball, Anna Paquin (Sookie), Alexander Skarsgård (Eric), Stephen Moyer (Bill), Sam Trammell (Sam), Ryan Kwanten (Jason), Deborah Ann Woll (Jessica) and Rutina Wesley (Tara). 

Nelsan Ellis (Lafayette) was sick and didn't appear.  

MTV has a good, but brief recap of the Q&A until HBO posts it, but some of the questions included information on why Ball deviates from Charlaine Harris's novels (she's an extra in Season 2), what Eric's thing for Sookie is and a hint at Sam's family being bad. Really bad.

Finally, on the way out, fans got goodie bags and an assortment of inserts such as postcard versions of the Season 3 posters (you can download free at HBO's site), a large poster, a bottle of TruBlood, one of Harris's first three novels (seasons kind of follow the events of one novel). Some people even received the Season 2 soundtrack, with great songs such as the Eels "Fresh Blood".  

I own all the books, so I am giving you guys something special.  One True Blood bag and the first novel and one True Blood bag and the second novel will become one of the monthly Vampified Giveaways!  

[Note: Tried to do more for you guys, but it's hard when there's a crew and security, but no order. Some  couples grabbed up several  bags of goodies and all the extra TruBloods, so I did what I could.]

Overall, it was an amazing experience and people were very interactive. HBO didn't have to do this for us, but they showed us we mattered as fans! They even set up a "red carpet" for us so we could take photographs with our phones with a TB background. 

Still don't have your fill?  

The season starts June 13, but rumor has it that HBO will begin early with some minisodes or Season 2 recaps.  Also, the Season 2 DVD and soundtrack are available on iTunes (along with the free mini-episodes and previews) and a True Blood comic will debut in July! Check it out at http://www.idwpublishing.com/trueblood and you can already see inside the comic! 

You should also follow True Blood at @TrueBloodHBO on Twitter.

I heard an online rumor that the $5,000 wasn't awarded last night, but we could see who gets the cash and the Truebie accessories for a Season 3 finale party on or around June 26.  Maybe if I'm lucky and I win, it'll come with a cardboard cutout of Alexander Skarsgård/Eric Northman . . .

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