I want those shoes betch!

Creeber describes the growth in popularity of 'Webisodes', an online form of serialised drama that was made easier to view due to the development of flash technology used by 'Youtube'. He contrasts this phenomenon with the increasing cinematic aspects of big budget Television shows. Creeber argues that the intimacy of earlier Television drama is dissipated in slick, digitally manipulated images of new shows such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS 2000). Shows like The Sopranos (HBO 1999-2007)have a cinematic visual style due to increased funding from subscriptions. Creeber proposes that the webisode's raw images from webcams and close-up confessional style presentation by actors is appealing to audiences who may be tired of visual spectacle and crave intimacy.

Liam Kyle Sullivan started creating videos for Youtube in 2006 and has had quite a few of his videos become viral (millions of views in a short amount of time). He created a character named Kelly and his audience followed the videos featuring her. This led to Sullivan playing Kelly in an off Broadway play as well as touring the U.S.A in a comedy show. The crossover from the internet into live performance is one that ties into the audience's craving for intimacy with the star of these comedic webisode's, Kelly. Liam's website has a variety of content and enables viewers to connect with his shows across a range of social media, thereby encouraging fan interaction with the narratives. He also continues to upload his amateur videos regularly, ensuring audience loyalty.

Creeber, Glen, It's not TV, it's online drama: The return of the intimate screen. International Journal of Cultural Studies, 2011, 14: 591. DOI: 10.1177/1367877911402589

http://www.liamshow.com/

True Blood

Last night I watched episode four in season two of True Blood. 'True Blood' is a contemporary gothic series created by Alan Ball. Its a comedic, murder - mystery genre set in Bon Temps, Louisiana. The two central characters are a waitress named Sookie Stackhouse played by Anna Paquin and a vampire named Bill Compton played by Stephen Moyer.

John Ellis argues in "Broadcast TV as Cultural Form" (1992) that a TV series consists of connected segments (episodes) that can be viewed with ease at any part of the season. Any newcomer to 'True Blood' would not find it hard to pick up the narrative at any episode. The characters make lots of statements about their shared history. They also display extremely strong personality traits which helps the viewer to follow plot development. The narrative develops very slowly with not much change between consecutive episodes. Frequent locations are Merlotte's Diner, Sookie's Grandmother's house, Bill's house and Lafayette's house. So each episode is mostly contained within itself.

The only nuclear family theme is heterosexual romance (although the central one is between a human and a vampire). There are hardly ever any children except for extras (background actors). Most of the women have jobs while some of the men don't have jobs, especially the vampires.

There is a juxtaposition of characters in that some of them are human and others are mythological creatures (Vampires, Demons, Shapeshifters). Good and evil characters come from both groups. Analogies can be made between the Fellowship of the Sun and evangelist Christian groups. The interesting aspect to this show is that it takes basic icons for good and evil - religion and vampires and inverts them. Some vampires and shapeshifters are shown displaying acts of mercy, kindness and love while the leader of Fellowship of the Sun is a power-hungry warmonger.

John Ellis, "Broadcast TV as Cultural Form." Visible Fictions: Cinema, Television, Video.Revised ed. London and New York: Routledge, 1992.

Website: Trueblood.tv Information archive for the HBO tv series. Available at:

http://true-blood.tv/