Based on the “Blood” books by Tanya Huff, the television show Blood Ties centers on private investigator Vicki Nelson. Vicki, a former Toronto homicide detective, has left the police force due to failing eyesight.
Series Opener
The series opens with Vicki witnessing a murder while walking home. She’s not sure exactly what she saw, but she thinks she saw an unnaturally strong man wearing a long black coat kill another man and then vanish. Coreen Fennel, the girlfriend of the murder victim, is convinced that her boyfriend was killed by a vampire and hires Vicki to solve the case. During the course of her investigation, Vicki meets Henry Fitzroy, a graphic novelist with an interest in the murder. Vicki also re-teams with her former homicide partner and ex-boyfriend, Mike Celluci, to help work the case.
By the end of the two-part series opener, the hallmarks of the series – a dark sense of humor, supernatural crimes, unresolved sexual tension and sharp banter between the characters - are all in place. During the case, Henry had revealed himself to be a 480-year old vampire. After solving the crime which involved occult elements, Coreen convinced Vicki to hire her as an assistant in her office.
Season 1
Other episodes in Season 1 feature zombies, telekinetic kids, demons, ghosts and other supernatural forces. But the show is about more than the ghoul of the week. The heart of the show is the love triangle between Mike, Henry and Vicki.
Dynamic Actors Bring Characters To Life
The chemistry between the three principals is crucial to the success of the series. Vicki is still drawn to her ex-lover, Mike. But she is also attracted to charismatic vampire Henry. The jealousy between Henry and Mike, and Vicki’s attraction to both men keeps the tension percolating.
- Christina Cox brings a wonderful mix of toughness, humor and sexiness to the role of Vicki. Cox’s background in boxing and martial arts is evident in the action sequences. Vicki’s prickly shell could be off-putting, but Cox’s mobile face lets us know that despite her outer toughness, Vicki’s prickly shell guards a warm heart.
- Henry is beautifully portrayed by Kyle Schmid, who brings a playfulness to Henry that makes him irresistible. Vampires – at least the good ones – are typically portrayed as deeply conflicted characters. Buffy’s Angel, Twilight’s Edward, Moonlight’s Mick St. John and True Blood’s Bill Compton are all tormented characters, torn between their desire to be human and the dark side of vampirism. Henry is refreshingly un-tormented. As the son of Henry VIII, he has a hedonistic view of life. He does not kill in order to feed preferring to seduce women and enjoy a little snack at the same time. Despite his lighter moments, Shcmid makes it clear that Henry is in no way “tame”.
- In some ways Dylan Neal has the hardest role as Mike Celluci. Mike is the “by the book” cop who is still carrying a torch for Vicki. Naturally, he becomes jealous of Vicki’s relationship with Henry, especially after he discovers that Henry is a vampire. Given Henry’s romantic appeal, his foil has an uphill task as a viable romantic interest for Vicki. However, in Neal’s capable hands, Mike remains appealing because of his understated sexiness and his clear love for Vicki.
Enjoyable Secondary Characters
Like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel (the gold standard in vampire television), Blood Ties is leavened with enjoyable secondary characters. Dr. Rajani Mohadevin, played with sly wit by Nimet Kanji, is the coroner. Mohadevin combines science with an open mind to the supernatural. Kanji steals every scene she’s in. Mike’s current partner, Dave Graham played by Keith Dallas, is a three-time loser in the marriage stakes which he feels gives him an edge in the relationship advice department. He frequently offers tips to Mike on how to win Vicki back.
Season 1 on DVD
Blood Ties began airing on Lifetime in March 2007 and quickly gained a cult following. Season 1 is available on DVD. Disc 4 of the Season 1 DVD set contains a series of “behind the scenes” vignettes featuring interviews with Cox, Neal, Schmid, author Tanya Huff as well as executive producer, Peter Mohan. Season 2 is scheduled to be released on DVD in October 2009. Complete episodes of Season 1 and Season 2 can be viewed at Lifetime.com.
Unlike True Blood, Blood Ties is strictly PG. While there are scenes of sex and violence, they are discreetly filmed. Like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the heart of Blood Ties is romance. The unresolved sexual tension between Vicki, Mike and Henry keeps viewers coming back for more. And the ghouls of the week are fun too.
Fans of the series might be interested to learn more about the "Blood" books on which the series is based, see the article " Blood Ties the Books Behind the TV Series ".
Jo Ann Woodsum - I am an attorney specializing in commercial real estate leasing transactions. I write romance novels under the pen name Joie Sonrisa (as ...
