Season 1, episodes 1-3
I had never even heard of Blood Ties until I posted the poll about your all-time favorite TV vampire. The amount of comments about Kyle Schmid‘s Henry Fitzroy were astounding. I couldn’t believe a show I’d never heard of had so many fans.
Now that I’ve started watching it, I realize the main reason I never heard of it is because it aired on Lifetime. Since Keith controls the remote in the house, it doesn’t click over to Lifetime all too often … OK, never. I’m glad I found it, though, because so far I’m enjoying this slightly cheesy formulaic procedural.
“Blood Price, Part 1 & 2″
Moonlight definitely took its inspiration from this series. Mick St. John is not an original, folks. Henry Fitzroy started it — the brooding, the using his vampirism to keep women at arm’s reach, the investigation (OK, Angel started that one). Not saying Moonlight wasn’t good, just that if you watched Blood Ties, you would have seen Mick before. And then there was that moment when Henry sucked Vicki’s blood and I couldn’t help but think of when Mick slurped on Beth, though Vicki gave it up much sooner in the series.
I was also reminded slightly of Buffy’s first season — the lame special effects and the black arts and other supernatural elements mixed in with the vampire stuff.
Vicki’s degenerative eye disease could be interesting, or it could give her license to whine — time will tell. Is the disease the reason, or her strong personality, why Henry couldn’t glamour her?
I like the chemistry between Vicki and Mike. Even though it’s slightly 2D and cheesy, threesomes are always good TV.
“Bad JuJu”
“I’ll have a beer. Him? (pointing to Fitzroy) You don’t want to know.” – Vicki
Three episodes in and I get the feeling that I’m definitely looking at a B show … but that doesn’t mean I’m not enjoying it. Heck, it’s got that Silk Stalkings feel to it and you all know how much I loved Silk Stalkings in all of its B glory. But you’ve got to admit, the tomb thing was pretty hokey, with the corpse arm grabbing the bitchy voodoo chick at the end….
Anyone else reminded of The Dark Knight whenever Henry talks in his vampy voice?
I’m not sure I love the casting of Vicki, though I have nothing against Christina Cox. Or maybe it’s just her character that I don’t love … yet. She’s a little too hard, a little too stubborn, a little too stupid. Is she really going to go out before sunset and get herself into trouble in every episode? And the cheek kiss with Henry? Ouch. Bitchy. But Buffy was pretty bitchy too.
Help me out with a question here — that soul in the green necklace — where have I seen that before? Buffy? Supernatural? The Vampire Diaries? Do I watch too many supernatural series? I can’t for the life of me place it, but I know I’ve seen something (necklace, bottle) broken to release a soul before. Now I’m thinking Angel….
Clacked by Debbie McDuffee
on Jul 08, 2010 @ 12:00 EST5EDT
I could never get past the first few episodes of this series. I liked the characters individually but for some reason, for me anyways, they did not gel as a group.
I really liked it, it’s an excellent adaptation of the original books, and the changes they made really work well. Plus, Henry and Vicki (and Mike) are fun watching. Glad to see this post!
LOL, nice to see these, yes is a little bit campy, but in the end is fun, plus Henry is a very sexy vamp!
Nice to see that the fans inspired your curiosity. True, the reason you didn’t know much about the series was because it was on lifetime. They did well at publicizing it during the first season and then when they brought the second season around they treated it like a red-headed stepchild. Considering the economics involved with the show the cast and crew did pretty darn well with what they had to work with. It wasn’t on a major network and they (the production companies)had to put together financing from grants and other sources. I loved the show because it was campy, dramatic and funny when it had to be. It never took itself seriously and some of the lines that we got from that show will live forever with us:
Vicki Nelson: [has interrupted Henry’s “date”] You don’t rest do you? I mean I thought you were the Prince of Darkness but it’s really more like the Lord of Lechery or something.
Henry Fitzroy: [unapologetically] A man has to eat.
Vicki Nelson: You don’t have to play with your food.
Henry Fitzroy: Love is always worth the risk. Eternity’s a long time to live with regret.
Vicki Nelson: You ever consider writing greeting cards?
Henry Fitzroy: My smile’s my best feature.
Vicki Nelson: I’ve never met a vain serial killer.
(Coming up behind Henry)
Vicki: You busy?
Henry: Not anymore.
Misery: What ever happened to beauty before age?
Vicki: Age stomped beauty’s ass.
The chemistry between the four lead actors was magic. Mike Celluci and Henry Fitzroy would have been friends in another time, another place, had it not been for Vicki as I think they actually grew to admire each other.
And the fact that Kyle Schmid was only 22 when he played Henry Fitzroy (a 450 year-old vampire) and did it so convincingly still blows me away to this day. His fans still believe that he’s destined for bigger and better things.
I totally agree, maggiemay. Kyle played the part so well he convinced me he was the 450 year old vampire son of Henry VIII. He covered the Prince of Darkness and the Prince of Man. He also managed to convey Henry’s struggle to maintain his humanity. I enjoyed the chemistry among the three lead actors as well as the tongue-in-cheek humor. I miss seeing new shows, but look forward to seeing Kyle in many new projects.
Seems you’ve learned why there are so many fans of Blood Ties, esp. Kyle Schmid bringing the character of Henry Fitzroy to life in his very own, unique way! ;-) maggiemay is right, the four main characters were all fun to watch – I’ll never get tired of Blood Ties and still regret there was only one season of the series. Thanks for the article, Debbie! :-)
*POST AUTHOR*
Well keep reading, everyone, and spread the word! I’ll be posting a new Blood Ties virgin diary every week or so until I finish the series!
Hello Debbie,
Nice to see a new BT fan. :)
In conjunction with the above poster, I’d like to add one quote (one of my faves):
Vicki: “Didn’t you notice the marks on your neck?”
Henry: “My neck wasn’t the only place she put her mouth”
I tell ya, we fans loved (and still do love) that show. Hell, I even started a blog because of it, so taken was I with BT, esp. the witty dialogue and chemistry between the main cast.
And btw, if you’ve become a fan of the devilish, delish Kyle Schmid who played vampire Henry, you can find him with a official page on FaceBook, re: https://facebook.com/KyleSchmidFan
The same people who did Blood Ties have optioned Tanya Huff’s Smoke and Mirror books that we would love to see come to life on tv (preferably NOT lifetime, for a myriad of reasons, most of which is the way they lied to the fans, but I digress). But at this point its a long way off because they are trying to garner financing (know any high rollers who want to finance a tv show?). Several of us have already told the producers of Blood Ties that we WON’T watch it unless Kyle Schmid is brought back as Henry Fitzroy. So here’s hoping it comes around soon.
Glad to catch another person in the Blood Ties net, :) Kyle if wonderful as Henry Fitzroy and we are just SO hoping they will have him back to play the part in Smoke and Mirrors if/when it gets off the drawing board.
I think one of my fav scenes is when Henry’s vampire mommy comes causing trouble. Henry and Mike are in Henry’s condo discussing ways to kill a vampire. Henry leaves, leaving Mike holding a short sword and making a face that holy water doesn’t work, or crosses. Henry sticks his head back round the door and ask, “Coming, Renfield?” Always cracks me up.
Blood Ties Friends – many of them.
After seeing Kyle Schmid play Henry Fitzroy, all other vamps pale in comparison. It’s possible that Kyle will have a chance to reprise the role of Henry in Smoke and Mirrors, based on Tanya Huff’s Smoke series. Fans have their fingers crossed hoping that show will get off the ground.