Image by Getty Images via @daylife
06/29/2011
Leave it to Alan Ball’s True Blood to up the ante when it comes to LGBT story lines, even though the HBO show was recently singled out by GLAAD for having the most gay characters; this season has Ball bringing a new spin to one of the shows most well-known presumed heterosexual Bon Temps characters.
Yes, you heard it. One of the premiere characters has decided to take a walk on the rainbow side and is apparently enjoying every last minute of it. Of course, with the show releasing that rumor setting the blogger mill ablaze, many sites weighed in on their picks for the new “gay” character on the show.
With the sexual fluidity of most of the vampires on the show, along with a couple of the “straighter” male characters having some type of sexual fantasy (usually after consuming a vampire’s blood) bordering on the gay – it wouldn’t be that much of a shock. Unfortunately for those who wanted to see another gay men added to the flock, it was revealed on Sunday that Tara Thornton (yes, Sookie’s best friend) was the one that decided to indulge in her Sapphic tendencies.
Even though, some were not really entertaining Tara as a potential for a gay storyline – looking back at her history on the show, it wasn’t really that surprising that she would decide to try something different. After all, she had to go through dealing with Sam Merlotte (who, at the time, was in love with Sookie), unrequited love from Jason Stackhouse (who also ended up killing Tara’s boyfriend, Eggs) and then there was last season when Tara seemed to embody Toni Morrison’s Beloved as she ran away from a one-sided relationship with crazed vampire, Franklin Mott.
So, even though it is not surprising that she would dally in lesbian land – it does ring as slightly cliché. Granted, it does help that Tara is now a cage fighter and her girlfriend is also one as well. Also, Rutina Wesley and her co-star make the intimate scenes between them quite believable.
Another interesting character story arc in True Blood, since this season appears to be off to a slow start.