The Blood Ties television show did an excellent job of capturing the spirit of the books and the three principal characters, Vicki, Henry and Mike. Like the books, the television series focused on the romantic triangle between the three characters and the supernatural cases which Vicki solves. However, there are several interesting differences between the television series and the books:
Henry’s Profession
In the books, Henry is a romance novelist and not a graphic novelist as shown in the television series. Presumably the change in Henry’s career for the television show is to make him cooler or hipper. This change really works as it allows a number of charming self-referential moments with sci fi fans when they encounter Henry. Fans of Henry’s graphic novels treat him like royalty. Visually, this career change means that Henry’s apartment is papered with his drawings. There are also enjoyable scenes where Henry uses Vicki as a model for his drawings of a warrior princess character in his graphic novel.
On the other hand, the books are able to reap a lot of comic mileage out of Celluci’s disdain for Henry’s romance writing career. The contrast between Henry, vampire, and Henry, romance author, is also pretty funny.
Sexuality
In the books, Vicki has a sexual relationship with both Celluci and Henry. It would appear that television is not ready for a sexually liberated woman. In the television series, Vicki is almost celibate. The most action she gets is a few steamy kisses with Celluci and a lot of smoldering looks exchanged with Henry. This deliberate choice to make Vicki chaste strikes a discordant note in an otherwise well-rounded portrait of a strong, self-confident and independent woman. Despite the fact that Vicki has consummated her relationships with both Henry and Celluci, the books still contain a great deal of sexual tension as Vicki struggles with her feelings for both men.
Henry is bisexual in the books. If television isn't ready for an sexually independent woman, it also doesn't seem to be ready for a comfortably bisexual vampire. In the television show, Henry is clearly developed as a sexual being, however, his partners of choice (other than Vicki) seem to be exclusively young female bimbos. This is one of the few jarring notes in the series as nothing about Henry’s character really suggests that he is so shallow. One of the strengths of the books is the way in which Henry’s tenderness to his young lover Tony is portrayed.
Vision
Vicki’s vision problem is much more serious in the books. In the television series, Vicki’s deteriorating vision is a mild embarrassment, especially at night. However, in the books, it is clear that she has no night vision whatsoever and she is progressively losing her peripheral vision. Thus, at night Vicki is virtually blind and must depend on Henry to be her eyes.
More About Henry
Books are almost always superior to television and movies in revealing the interior world of a character. Not surprisingly the “Blood” books provide a better window into Henry’s interior world. In the books, it is clear that Henry longs to share his true self with a human being. Part of Vicki’s appeal to him is that he can be himself with her, that is as much as it is possible for any vampire to be himself with a human.
For fans of the television series, the books are well worth reading. They provide additional background and depth to characters introduced in the short-lived but very much missed Blood Ties television series.
For more about the "Blood" Books, see the article, ““Blood” Ties the Books Behind the TV Series”.
For more about the Blood Ties television series, see the article, “Blood Ties: TV’s Other Vampire Series”.
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