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SPOILER ALERT: BURN NOTICE FINALE MON 30 JUNE AT 9PM ON FOX TV UK

27/6/2014

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Burn Notice © 2013 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved. Photographs © 2013 NBC Universal Entertainment Cable Group. All rights reserved.
The time has come to say goodbye to Michael Westen and his hectic life as a burnt CIA agent. This season we’ve seen Michael embroiled in a deep undercover operation for the CIA that has tested his morals and his sanity. As Michael succeeded with his cover, his attachment to his former self became much weaker. Now he reaches a critical juncture, he must decide once and for all which side he’s on. His decision has definitive consequences and soon Michael and the team find themselves hunted by two equally dangerous adversaries as the series reaches its explosive conclusion. It’s big, it’s bold and trust us there won’t be a dry eye in the house as one beloved character sacrifices themselves. This is not one to miss.

Warning this clip contains spoilers- Burn Notice the final ever episode this Monday at 9pm on FOX.

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True Blood Season 5; a look back

26/6/2014

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With the final season of True Blood just around the corner we decided to look back at the wonderful if slightly dangerous town of Bon Temps and its eclectic band of residents. Based on the Sookie Stackhouse series from Charlaine Harris and adapted for television by Alan Ball, True Blood was an instant hit thanks to its mix of mythical creatures, mystery with a touch of original sin thrown in for a touch of flavour.
We will as always try not to spoil major story points but you may find small spoilers for Season 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Politics and religion are two institutions that should stay separate in many people’s minds and if you ever wondered why Season 5 of True Blood is probably one of the best visual examples of why this is the case. This series is known for its sex and violence and at first glance it fulfils both of these quotas with all the passion of a vamp at feeding time, at its core though the themes that have run through the seasons are so much more. We have seen a look at bigotry and racism, questions raised about the death penalty and revenge as well as forgiveness and many other themes as well. There may have been points where the story went a little off the wall but again it’s the central themes that help bring viewers back to the show. 
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The Politics and Religion in question come from a variety of sources we have the Vampire Authority, the Werewolves and the Hate groups that are beginning to form to name but three. Each of these factions has a role to play in the plot of this season but the Vampire Authority is the dominant force for the majority of key cast members. We have heard of the Authority on many occasions but thanks to Bill and Eric they are really brought to the forefront of the season’s narrative.   Firstly as they are on the run after killing Nan Flannigan at the end of season 4, it was a fool hardy thing to do to say the least and in vampire law killing a fellow vamp is punishable in the most extreme of ways. The less than dynamic duo are also smarting from a complete rejection from Sookie and so there demeanour is less than jovial to say the least. What transpires next is a transformation worthy of legend as not only do the boys keep their lives they also manage to talk themselves into a seat on the ruling cancel. From there though things go from bad to downright f’ing awful as what some see as the true essence of Vampirism comes to the fore,  this sets up a high stakes finale that seemingly sees enough blood spilt to fill up an Olympic sized swimming pool.

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The vampires however are not the only species causing problems or those around them, in Bon Temps there is a hate group that are taking out all manner of Supes and posting videos of their deaths to the internet. It forms an interesting look at what people are driven to believe and forms a major section of the investigative side of the plot. It is actually amazing that the crazies in this instance actually do have a point that some Vampires are out to hurt them but their methods of hurting anyone and everyone are so far removed from decency that they come off as crazy fruitloops. 


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At the end of the last season Sookie had lost her best friend Tara to a gunshot wound to the head and this led to her being turned into a vampire to save her life. Of course Tara’s hatred for vampires goes back to her time spent with Franklin in a previous season, so how does she cope with her transformation? In truth not well. As the episodes wear on she does seem to come around with the help of two unlikely “friends” Jessica and Pam (her maker). Tara as a vampire is an interesting proposition as she was always firey, but now she has to deal with the trappings of being a young vamp as well. Some of her escapades are funny to say the least and her interactions with Pam are priceless.
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As for Sookie she is a large piece in the game that manages to get Bill and Eric exonerated, the troubling fact for her is the return of Russell Edgington. The crazed 3,000 year old Vampire however is the least of her worries as it turns out she is the payoff in a very old blood contract that makes her the property of the vampire that killed her parents. It’s a convoluted story but it sets up the story for future seasons and gives us some of the best CGI this series has seen. The Stackhouse’s do not have the best of seasons as the husband of one of Jason’s conquests comes back to put a little more trouble in his life.

As always the convoluted plotlines have a way of interacting with each other and we are left with a cliff-hanger and a half with the words “Run” ringing in our ears. This sets up the opening to season in a big way and the year wait to the next to the next was almost intolerable. Thankfully DVD’S and Now TV mean the Season 6 round up is just around the corner.

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By Paul Fiander
Pictures Courtesy of Fox
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COLD IN JULY Opening in Cinemas this Friday 27/06/14

25/6/2014

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Copyright; Icon Film Distribution
IN CINEMAS ON 27 JUNE 2014
 
Starring:
Michael C. Hall, Don Johnson, Sam Shepard, Vinessa Shaw
 
Directed by:
Jim Mickle
Set in Texas in the late 1980s, Jim Mickle’s gripping noir thriller COLD IN JULY features a distinguished cast including Don Johnson, Sam Shepard, and Michael C. Hall in his breakout film role. COLD IN JULY is set for release across the UK on 27th June through Icon Film Distribution.  

How can a split-second decision change your life? While investigating noises in his house one balmy Texas night in 1989, Richard Dane puts a bullet in the brain of low-life burglar Freddy Russell. Although he’s hailed as a small-town hero, Dane soon finds himself fearing for his family’s safety when Freddy’s ex-con father, Ben, rolls into town, hell-bent on revenge.
 
Michael C. Hall brings a shell-shocked vulnerability to his portrayal of Dane that contrasts perfectly with the grizzled badasses portrayed by Sam Shepard and Don Johnson. Directed with an excellent eye for the visual poetry of noir, this pulpy, southern-fried mystery is a throwback to an older breed of action film, one where every punch and shotgun blast opens up both physical and spiritual wounds. Twists and turns accelerate as the film reaches its inevitable destination: a gore-soaked dead end. COLD IN JULY is as muggy, oppressive, and hard to shake as an east Texas summer.
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Copyright; Icon Film Distribution
COLD IN JULY will be released nationwide on 27th June 2014
Running Time: 109mins             Certificate: 15
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True Blood Season 4; a look back

20/6/2014

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With the final season of True Blood just around the corner we decided to look back at the wonderful if slightly dangerous town of Bon Temps and its eclectic band of residents. Based on the Sookie Stackhouse series from Charlaine Harris and adapted for television by Alan Ball, True Blood was an instant hit thanks to its mix of mythical creatures, mystery with a touch of original sin thrown in for a touch of flavour.
We will as always try not to spoil major story points but you may find small spoilers for Season 1, 2, 3 and 4

Now we have some idea of Sookie's heritage it's time to see what being a fairy is really like and for this the opening sees us in the land of the fairies where Ms Stackhouse has been transported. 
Her guide on her journey of discovery is Claudine who tunrs out to be Sookie's fairy God mother. The surreality does not stop there as the land of the fairies is filled with happiness apples that are something of a narcotic to the inhabitants and Earl Stackhouse. The grandfather of our main star has been in the land for over 20 years although he feels its only a few days. This kind of thing begins to get our heroines back up and if there is one thing Sookie can do it's sniff out trouble.
Just because Sookie is a fairy does not mean she wants to fully become one, there past is full of troubling occurrences but the loss of time is the most worrying thought. The deadlier side of the race is shown and it is far from pretty. Although this section of the show feels a little random it does go some way to explain why Ms Stackhouse is so special. The telepathy is one thing but the magical light is something vastly different, the best thing is it seems that Sookie now is beginning to learn to control her powers and this can make her a formidable force in a supernatural world.
The time in fairy land is brief but still pretty effective in giving the story some manner of background.
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Although to Sookie her time was fleeting in the real world she actually lost twelve and a half months. It sounds odd as time works differently between the planes but again it builds on the idea of the supernatural nature of the world.
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Sookie though is not the only one who is beginning to learn about their true nature. With the help of Jesus (the man/nurse/witch) LaFayette is finding out what his gifts really our. The king of sass is not just a kick ass chef but he is now learning to accept that he is not just a conjurer in the kitchen.
His voyage of discovery takes him to all manner of places with this world and some places not of this world. However the way of the witch is vastly more complex then you could imagine.
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While LaFayette is on a voyage of discovery his cousin Tara seems to be on a path of destruction. Our first glimpse of her is in a cage fight, its a brutal fight but Tara seems to get through it with little trouble. Her quest for changes has also seen her start to explore other avenues to find love. I'm not totally sure if I like the new Tara to begin with but with what she has been through it makes sense that she would changes.
The Vampires in Sookie's life have an odd run in the fourth season. After the craziness that was Russell Edgington the need for vampires to be more main streamed is now greater than ever and Bill seems to be taking this integration to heart. He is ever the politician and has a flair for politics. He is now the King of Louisiana and so Eric has to now answer to him. This puts our Viking at something of a weakened position but ever the resourceful vampire he is not really the subjective type.
Even though they both have new agendas there is still the issue of everyone's favourite telepath and who will be able to win her heart.
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Of course Sookie has more than just an appeal to vampires, Alcide is also hot for Ms Stackhouse and he is nothing if not persistent. He has the ability to offer her something the undead are unable to do, a normal life. Well semi normal considering when the full moon comes around he becomes a wolf.
The wolves are still prominent in this series but they are ably outdone in the crazy stakes by the Panthers. Jason has been looking after Krystal's kin for the past year and when he is the smartest tool in the box you know there is something wrong. As the season goes on though the shifters will also begin to grow into the world headed by Sam.
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As the series gets into the full swing we get to see another side of Eric but it is hardly of his doing. He is by far the best character on show in the series and shows that he can be more than just a creature of the night. However his persona is one that oozes power and when he loses as charisma as you can see from the picture above he becomes something a little different.

The Season finale shows an escalation in the action stakes, it's based around the Witches coven we see earlier in the series. Their entanglement with the Vampires is nicely woven into the lives of the inhabitants of Bon Temps but it does feel that the series is getting away from made it strong in the first few seasons. It's not that it's bad it's just a new pathway for the show. The question is can the show producers keep the quality of the programme up going into the fifth season, check back to find out.
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By Paul Fiander
Pictures Courtesy of Fox
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Guardians of the Galaxy unleashes its second Trailer; prepare for action and a spot of Fake Laughter.

18/6/2014

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Although the Guardians may not be that well known in the general conciousness, the marketing people at Marvel are doing a great job at grabbing potential fans attention.

The trailer below shows more of the team in action and outlines a section of the plot that is sure to peak your interest. 

The Question is can a rag tag mix of deviants really Guard the Galaxy? Well on the first of August it looks like we are going to find out.
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Has Aquaman been cast in Batman V Superman?

14/6/2014

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Reports are in from Hitfix’s Drew McWeeney That Game Of Thrones Jason Momoa (Pictured Right) will play the King of Atlantis himself, Arthur Curry in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. McWeeney notes that while Warner Bros haven't officially confirmed this, Hitfix "can confirm that he will be playing the part, and that Zack Snyder has already finalized his designs for the character so shooting can take place soon.”

Rumors began last year that Momoa would play the role of Aquaman, but denied them. During an interview in January with IGN’s Roth Cornet, Momoa said "It's just rumors. I want to say something amazing, but I can't comment on rumors. It's flattering.”

Its possible while at the time of this interview Momoa was still in the negotiation stage and not surprisingly would have been told to keep his lips sealed. However McWeeney who is a trusted source, now says Momoa’s involvement with the film is now a done deal.

Hitfix goes on to say they also know what Aquaman’s role will be in the film. Noting it will be linked to the mass destruction that happened in Man of Steel. If you want to know how then click here to find out.

Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice is currently slated for May 6th 2016 release.
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© HBO
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Aquaman in all his Glory in the recent Injustice; Gods among us game from Warner Bros.
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TAKE HOME THE (MUPPETS)  MOST WANTED RELEASE OF THE SUMMER

13/6/2014

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©2013 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

MUPPETS MOST WANTED ARRIVES ON DISNEY DVD, BLU-RAY™ ON 11TH AUGUST, 2014
 DIGITAL DOWNLOAD AVAILABLE FROM 4TH AUGUST,2014

The Muppets are back as Disney celebrates the home entertainment premiere of MUPPETS MOST WANTEDon Blu-ray™ and DVD from 11thAugust 2014. Join Miss Piggy, Kermit the Frog and the gang as they take on the world in an exciting and hilarious new spy thriller that will take you on a whirlwind adventure of mistaken identity, dastardly sidekicks and double dealing doppelgangers. Featuring a larger than life-sized dose of all new, never before bonus material on the Blu-ray, it’s the must-own family film of the Summer!MUPPETS MOST WANTED will also be available for digital download from 4th August 2014.
Muppet fans, of all ages, will cheer as the entire gang reunite on a global tour, selling out grand theatres in some of Europe’s most exciting destinations, including Berlin, Madrid, Dublin and London. But mayhem follows the Muppets overseas, as they find themselves unwittingly entangled in an international crime caper headed by Constantine—the World’s Number One Criminal and a dead ringer for Kermit—and his dastardly sidekick
 
Dominic, aka Number Two, portrayed by Ricky Gervais (The Office, The Invention of Lying). The film is packed with celebrity cameos but also sees star turns by Tina Fey (30 Rock, Mean Girls) as Nadya, a feisty prison guard and Ty Burrell (Modern Family, Mr Peabody & Sherman) as Interpol agent Jean Pierre Napoleon.
Featuring all new and exclusive bonus features including Rizzo’s Biggest Fan, On Set With Walter, Inside The Gulag, The Longer, Longest Blooper Reel In Muppets History as well as the amazing “I’ll Get You What You Want” music video performed by Brett McKenzie. It would be Muppets madness to miss out!
Disney’s Muppets Most Wanted is directed by James Bobin and produced by David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman. Bobin co-wrote the screenplay with Nicholas Stoller, who is also executive producer with John G. Scotti. Featuring music from Academy Award®-winning songwriter Bret McKenzie, Muppets Most Wanted is released on Blu-ray™, and DVD on the 11th August.
For more information, please visit Disney.com/Muppets, like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/Muppets, and follow us on Twitter: Twitter.com/MuppetsStudio.

 
DVD
     ·  Mickey short “No Service"
 
Blu-ray Bonus Features
 
     ·  The Longer, Longest Blooper Reel In Muppets History
     ·  “I’ll Get You What You Want” Music Video Performed by Bret McKenzie
     ·  Rizzo’s Biggest Fan
     ·  Mickey Short “No Service”
     ·  On Set with Walter
     ·  Inside The Gulag
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©2013 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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SKY ATLANTIC COMMISSIONS SECOND SERIES OF CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED HIT DRAMA PENNY DREADFUL

12/6/2014

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Extended second series featuring 10 episodes, will premiere in 2015

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Josh Hartnett as Ethan Chandler, Billie Piper as Brona Croft, Harry Treadaway as Dr. Victor Frankenstein, Eva Green as Vanessa Ives, Reeve Carney as Dorian Gray, Timothy Dalton as Sir Malcolm and Danny Sapani as Sembene in Penny Dreadful. - SHOWTIME 2014
Sky Atlantic last week announced a second season with two additional episodes of its critically acclaimed drama series PENNY DREADFUL.  Created, written and executive produced by three-time Oscar® nominee John Logan, PENNY DREADFUL has been embraced by the Sky customers, debuting as the second-highest-rated launch for an original commission ever for Sky Atlantic, and also ranked as the second biggest programme of the week in pay TV homes for episode one.

Starring Josh Hartnett, Timothy Dalton, Eva Green and Billie Piper, PENNY DREADFUL the 10 x 60 series will go into production later this year and will once again shoot on location in Dublin for a 2015 launch.  PENNY DREADFUL continues Sky’s commitment to invest in original entertainment content, exclusively for Sky customers.  PENNY DREADFUL is produced by Neal Street Productions and Desert Wolf Productions for Sky Atlantic and SHOWTIME®.

Pippa Harris, Executive Producer, Neal Street Productions added:

“We're delighted that PENNY DREADFUL is returning for a second series and to be working with our hugely supportive partners at Showtime and Sky Atlantic. It's a testament to John Logan's skill and artistry as a writer and the superbly talented cast and crew that the series has resonated so strongly with fans on both sides of the Atlantic. The success of PENNY DREADFUL proves that British Drama can compete internationally.” 

The first series continues on Sky Atlantic, with episodes premiering Tuesday at 9pm, and previous episodes available for customers to catch up through Sky On Demand.

In PENNY DREADFUL, some of literature’s most famous characters – including Dr. Frankenstein, Dorian Gray and iconic figures from the novel Dracula, all brilliantly reimagined in a whole new light – have become embroiled in Victorian London. The series also stars Reeve Carney (Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark), Rory Kinnear (Skyfall), Harry Treadaway (The Lone Ranger), Danny Sapani (The Bill) and Billie Piper (Doctor Who, Secret Diary of a Call Girl). PENNY DREADFUL is executive produced by John Logan's Desert Wolf Productions, along with Oscar winner Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Skyfall) and Pippa Harris (Revolutionary Road, Call The Midwife), both of Neal Street. Cameron Roach is Executive Producer for Sky. PENNY DREADFUL is a co-production with SHOWTIME®.

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Big Hero Six coming to UK cinemas from January 30th 2015.  #BigHero6

10/6/2014

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With all the heart and humour audiences expect from Walt Disney Animation Studios, "Big Hero 6" is an action-packed comedy-adventure about robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada, who learns to harness his genius—thanks to his brilliant brother Tadashi and their like-minded friends: adrenaline junkie Go Go Tomago, neatnik Wasabi, chemistry whiz Honey Lemon and fanboy Fred. When a devastating turn of events catapults them into the midst of a dangerous plot unfolding in the streets of San Fransokyo, Hiro turns to his closest companion—a robot named Baymax—and transforms the group into a band of high-tech heroes determined to solve the mystery.

Inspired by the Marvel comics of the same name, and featuring comic-book style action, "Big Hero 6" is directed by Don Hall ("Winnie the Pooh") and Chris Williams ("Bolt"), and produced by Roy Conli ("Tangled"). The film will be in UK cinemas from January 30th 2015.
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True Blood Season 3; a look back

8/6/2014

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With the final season of True Blood just around the corner we decided to look back at the wonderful if slightly dangerous town of Bon Temps and its eclectic band of residents. Based on the Sookie Stackhouse series from Charlaine Harris and adapted for television by Alan Ball, True Blood was an instant hit thanks to its mix of mythical creatures, mystery with a touch of original sin thrown in for a touch of flavour.
We will as always try not to spoil major story points but you may find small spoilers for Season 1, 2 and 3

After previous hints this is the season for Were’s to make their appearance, I use that word as Wolves are not the only Full Moon dwellers out there. The way the Wolf variety is introduced into the story sets up the potential resolution of a confrontation that has brewing for around a thousand years. The basis for this battle of the eons is of course Vampires, due to the longevity of their lives it seems obvious that their paths would cross from time to time. 
(The Wolves are an odd race quite primitive in their feelings but overly loyal to their pack. It makes them prime for mass control by Edgington).
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The players in the battle are the Sheriff Eric Norseman and the 300 year old Russell Edgington. This whole premise shines a rather bright light on the enigmatic Norseman that is Eric, we have already seen his softer side where his maker Godric was concerned but this is something different. This concerns his life before he was made into a Vampire, it’s a great insight and helps give Eric some semblance of humanity. Russell on the other hand is just a touch of the eccentric and he helps to add a menace and a huge dose of humour all in one person. As you can see from the attached photo he is something of an old school gent on the surface but underneath is the (non) beating heart of an agent for change. His agenda has quite frankly the worst possible outcome for humanity but it makes complete sense from a Vampire’s point of view.

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Russell is a King, in the Vampire world that gives him power over all the others of his kind within a set area. His domain is Mississippi (spelt right on the first attempt) and due to his desires he is looking for a way to grow his dominion and sees Queen Sophie Ann of Louisiana as the ideal candidate. We have met the Queen before she is another larger than life character but one who believes in her own value a little too much. The inter-relationships we see between many of the Vampires is all due to her but in many ways she is just the igniter for the real Key of Sookie.

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There is something quite amazing about Miss Stackhouse and this is the season where we get to find out what this really means. We all now she is supernatural due to her ability to hear thoughts and the light that shoots out of her hands at the sign of trouble but the revelation of her heritage is a little odd to say the least. It sets up quite a bit for the future but what it really does is emphasise that we really have no idea exactly where this series can go and that is a large part of the charm of this series.
On the more normal side of thing we get to see Jason Stackhouse move into the world of Law enforcement. Jason has had more than his fair share of adventures from being part of a right wing Christian paramilitary organisation to having a relationship with a V addict. His role is to be the lovable rogue and it suits him down to the ground, the way Ryan Kwanten plays him is pretty much pitch perfect. This season though things go a little different as he falls in love with a meth dealer’s daughter, who is from an inbred clan from a crap hole of a town. This list of issues however as you may expect is not the most telling part of Krystal, as she is a Were-Panther. I did mention that Wolves were not the only Were’s out there but this was another hinted out reveal that paid off.

The conclusion of the third season is something of a game changer in the life of Sookie as she swears away all vampires and goes into a land that will start to seemingly define her for the rest of her life. Going onto the the fourth season the main question that was on every bodies minds was what exactly is a Fae.
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True Blood: The Final Season premieres Monday 7th July 9pm on FOX

By Paul Fiander
Pictures Courtesy of Fox
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