Rated R for RIGHTEOUS

We here at Gores Truly have varied tastes and interests.  It’s one of the things we believe set us apart from most other horror-related sites, and we’re proud of it.  Yet one thing we all do have in common is a fondness for the supernatural elements of the horror world.  It gets us and we get it.  So each of us were pretty darn interested in the new Netflix series Hemlock Grove – it has something for each of us.  Werewolves and vampires and demons, oh my! Sure, werewolves may be “Vargulfs” and vampires may be “Upirs” but wtfever that’s our jam.

Let’s be real tho.  Hemlock Grove is one of those experiences – you’re gonna love it, hate it, or not give two shits about it – just like us.  Hopefully between a few of us, you’ll be able to tell whether or not your personality is one that’ll dig this series or not.  Either way – do us a favor and give the show a chance regardless.  An episode or two?  C’mon you can do that for us, can’t you?  Regardless of how you ultimately feel about Hemlock Grove – you’ll encourage more independent, made-for-adults entertainment and there’s never anything wrong with that.

Absolutely fucking perfect.

De7en:  There’s very little that I’m going to write here which isn’t going to read like OMGWTFBBQBESTSHOWEVAR.  I desire greatly to wax poetic about the visual design and artistic aesthetic. . . but all I’m able to muster really is this, “Hot damn, this is what I’ve been missing in my life.”  Exaggeration?  Only slightly.  But Hemlock Grove has my number like no show has had my number since Lost.  I do not say this lightly.

Let me be blunt – I didn’t expect to like it because shows about high schoolers have never appealed to me.   I gave Hemlock Grove a shot for two reasons – a) Eli Roth and b) the wicked Red Band trailer.  Even worse – my hair wasn’t blown back by the first two episodes.  That is until. . . the vargulf transformation.  I just. . . I. . . holy crap, that scene.  It has been forever since I’ve seen anything that exciting as far as lycanthropy goes in movies/TV.  It EATS its human form after transforming.  WTFBBQ *flail*!!!!

Please have De7en’s babies.

*ahem*  Then Hemlock Grove built on that spectacular scene.  The atmosphere started to permeate and unexpected relationships started to form.  Mythology ham-handedly introduced in the first episodes gave way to strong story arcs and emotional responses.  THE FEELS MAN, THE FEELS!!!!  It’s safe to say that I fell in love with a few of these characters and am now emotionally invested in them – Roman (*swoon* Bill Skarsgård *swoon*), Shelley, Peter, Destiny, even is-she-doing-that-with-her-accent-on-purpose Olivia.  I want more.  I want it now.  I’m ready to throw money at Netflix for Season 2.  (See what I mean? You were warned.)

Ash:  Our beloved Ash is somewhere on the West Coast basking in a glorious Goonies vacation.  What did she think of Hemlock Grove?  Well. . . she couldn’t get past Episode #1.  ’Nuff said.

We love Shelley. We love her so damn much.

Natazia: I heard all this buzz about this show, so the one weekend I was actually home, I watched all of it in 2 days. It started off a little slow for my taste. Then it became a full-on horror skin-a-max. Some of the plot. . . sex. . . some more sex. . . people going down on each other. I mean, I love me some sexy scenes but it kinda dumbed it down for me. Its like, hey, we don’t have any really content for the next 4 episodes, let’s just have everyone have sex.

All of our beloved outcasts are tormented…

Now that I got that out of the way, I’ll tell you what I did like very much, Shelley, I loved her! I loved that she was the “Frankenstein” of the show. She was the glue that kept her crazy family together. She has a relationship where she constantly battles her mother’s over-powering ways. All she wants is to grow up and be independent. She also has a sweet relationship with her brother, Roman. Roman needs her as much, if not more, than she needs him. To me, she grounds him.

All together, if you can get pass all the sex episodes and onto the last 4 episodes it becomes an amazing show. All the twists and turns, WOW! It’s worth it! I hope they do come back with a season 2. I would like to see what happens. They left it with a semi-cliffhanger.

Starring: Nicole Beharie, Richard Cetrone, John Cho

Plot: Ichabod Crane wakes up from the throes of death 250 years in the future to find the world on the brink of destruction and learn he is humanity’s only hope.

Thoughts: With FOX’s Success with Grimm, they are taken another legend and giving it a twist! An old world Ichabod in today’s world. The only one who can take down the headless horseman. If the show is a good as the trailer, this show will be a hit! Stay tuned for more information!

Well. . . sort of. 

Don’t go in to this series expecting a reproduction of Bram Stoker’s 1897 classic. Dracula (2013) takes place in Victorian London with an American Dracula whose lust is simply not just for blood – but to bring modern science to the small Victorian city. Oh and it has a side plot of revenge, because what good is a monster that doesn’t have a vendetta to sink his teeth into?

I, for one, look forward to giving this series a shot. Here’s to hoping it reignites my faith in the monstrosity of vampirism and doesn’t veer down the ever ridiculous Twilight path.

Starring: Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Dracula/Alexander Grayson), Jessica De Gouw (Mina), Katie McGrath (Lucy), Nonso Anozie (R.M. Renfield), and Thomas Kretschman (Abraham Van Helsing)

Ahh. . . fine dining.

You should be watching Hannibal.

Look, I will get to the details – but let’s get to the meat and potatoes first because it’s likely to be cancelled soon if more people don’t start getting a taste of it:   Hannibal is USDA Prime, 5-Star horror television.  We’re not talking mostly-reliable casual dining (see: The Following); or once-a-year, freaky fondue fun (American Horror Story).  We’re talking about horror television with such blue blood that you feel the need to feast on it wearing your Sunday Brunch best.

Okay okay okay, enough with the food puns.  You get the point – this is one of the classiest, sincerest, and most perfect television shows.  And it’s a horror series on network tv.

Hugh Dancy as FBI’s troubled Will Graham

Hannibal (NBC) is an expanded version of the origin story of famed film & book villain/anti-hero Hannibal Lecter.  Please don’t stop reading – I realize how crazy this sounds, that there could be a serious, solemn, gory, dark, genius, and bewitching take on the Hannibal – Will Graham – Jack Crawford serial killer tale.  As a lifelong fan of the books, I too was skeptical.  How would they drag out the various connections over the course of years?  How would Mads Mikkelsen be as the iconic character?  And how could they truly pull off the grotesquely gorgeous serial murders on network television!?!

Fishburne and wife, Gina Torres

Oh, but they have pulled it off.  The cast (including Hugh Dancy and Laurence Fishburne as Lecter’s FBI stalwarts Will Graham and Jack Crawford) deftly handle dialog drowning in so much subtext and sub-subtext.  Never has so much been said silently while so much is being said aloud – giving previous episodes instant re-watch value whenever a major plot point occurs.  Hannibal as a series explores and expands Dr. Lecter’s original connection to Crawford and Graham – helping the FBI find serial killers.  Bryan Fuller and his crack writing team weave many known elements of the Lecter story – Will Graham’s descent, slimy Dr. Chilton, Lecter’s patients, Freddie Lounds (now a hot, devious red-head to add some female characters to a decidedly male-heavy tale), and much more.

Was the gore mentioned? Because GORE.

Including the gore.   If you’re already a fan, then you know that the murders in the Thomas Harris novels are intense.  No film has really done them service, yet all have certainly tried.  Hannibal the series. . . does.  And it does with disgusting gusto – shocking murders, grisly scenarios, and a permeating, eerie art design.  Grossing your audience out is impressive on any network, but doing so in such a magnificent way that they can’t pull their eyes away is truly impressive.  Mushrooms.  *shudder*

Which brings us back to the heart of the matter – Hannibal is thrilling, shocking, beautiful, disgusting, macabre, and an altogether classy 8-course meal.  This is the most actually-horrific horror television series in a long, long time.  Watchable on that merit alone, it outdoes all competitors by taking itself, its viewers, and its origins seriously.  This Hannibal has teeth.

Director: Paul Middleditch

Writer: Chris Matheson

Starring: Anna Kendrick, Ken Jeong, John Francis Daley

Thoughts: Ever wonder how the rapture will play out if you don’t well… get raptured? Rapture Palooza has it covered. Ben and Lindsey end up getting left behind to duke it out with plagues, bloody rain, demons, and all the wonders of the apocalypse. But even better? They find out the Antichrist has set up shop in their town and has a huge thing for Lindsey. So what else is Ben supposed to do but kick his ass?

After seeing this trailer Rapture Palooza is a MUST see for me. I was pretty much sold the moment the birds started to curse. Pretty much.