I finished watching the first season of HBO’s True Blood last weekend. It was really nice and brought a different perspective to the whole vampire hype. I discovered a lot of parallels between True Blood and Twilight as well as some differences. Let’s get down to it point by point.
The Leading Men – Edward Cullen vs. Bill Compton
- I thought Edward was broody, but Bill made Edward’s broodiness look like a little boy sulking. Bill was intense. Very, very intense. Hohoho. Me likey 
- They both have become “vegetarian vampires” which means they do not feed on humans. While Edward hunts for animal blood, Bill goes to bars and order up a bottle of O- True Blood, a blood-like beverage that is manufactured by the Japanese.
- Edward doesn’t ever have to sleep, because vampires do not ever get tired. Bill hides in his underground lair in the daytime, taking his beauty nap.
- Bill sheds blood when he cries. In Twilight, vampires cannot shed any tears even when they feel really, really sad. Edward doesn’t cry, hehe.
- Both Edward and Bill fall for human girls – Bella Swan and Sookie Stackhouse respectively (both with powers of their own – more on this later)
- Bill has blood running through his veins. And this blood is useful in healing any kind of injures fast. In fact, vampire blood or V has become a very sought after drug in the series. Edward doesn’t have blood running through him.
- Even though Edward and Bill came from roughly the same time period, Bill speaks more like someone from an ancient past than Edward. I love how Bill speaks exactly like someone in the 18th century. So Mr Darcy! 
- Bill was made vampire when he was 30. Edward is forever 17.
- Both Bill and Edward are governed by a higher ranking of vampires at some point. Eric (the oldest vampire) ruling over Bill and the Volturi ruling over Edward.
- Edward waits till marriage to make love with Bella. Bill doesn’t wait, ever
The Mortal Girls – Bella Swan vs. Sookie Stackhouse
- Bella is immune to any vampire powers that deal with her mind. Sookie can read the thoughts of other people (which can be very upsetting at times).
- Edward can read all minds but Bella’s. Sookie can read everybody’s mind but Bill’s. Though this might apply to all vampires, but it wasn’t proven in the show. So let’s just assume. Once again, it got so unnerving having this sudden role reversal. When Edward reads minds, it seems really cool and helpful. But for Sookie, she was traumatized more often than not.
- Both Bella and Sookie have more than one guy loving them. For Bella, it’s Jacob and he’s a werewolf (later on relabeled as a shapeshifter). As for Sookie, it’s Sam and he can shapeshift to a dog. Werewolf and dog = one big canine family. Familiar, much?
- Both Bella and Sookie were in apparent danger of being hunted and killed. Edward entrusted Bella to Jacob because he was the one other person who is capable to looking out for Bella while he was away even though he knows how Jacob feels. On the other hand, Bill trusts Sookie to Sam while he had to be taken away despite how Sam feels for Sookie for the same reason.
- Bella is clumsy. It wasn’t shown if Sookie is clumsy or not.
- Bella kissed Jacob. Sookie kissed Sam.
- Both Bella and Sookie are magnets for danger.
Vampires in General
- Apparently in True Blood, vampires will grow weaker and eventually burst into flames and die if exposed to the sun. Twilight trumps True blood for this because vampires are even more beautiful in the sun (in Twilight). They sparkle and glitter. Oh lovely It took me sometime to get used to this concept of vampires not being able to be in the sunlight.
- In Twilight when you get turned into a vampire, you will suddenly become a million times better looking than when you were mortal plus heightened senses plus speed. In True Blood, you look the same when you become a vampire except for fangs, speed and a thirst for blood.
- In Twilight, the existence of vampires has to be kept a secret against all odds. In Trueblood, vampires seem to co-exist with humans, appearing on talk shows, going to bars and having rendezvous with humans 
- In True Blood, vampires can be killed quite easily – unlike in Twilight.
- It takes 3 days in Twilight for you to be completely transformed to a vampire. In Trueblood, it takes one night and involve being buried in the ground.
