True Blood TV Adaptation: Sam Merlotte and Tommy Mickens

In both the books and the TV series, Sam Merlotte is a true shapeshifter that can turn into any animal at will, though he normally shifts into a collie. He is the owner of Merlotte's and cares a lot for Sookie.



Sam Trammell as Sam Merlotte in True Blood.



In True Blood, Sam’s storyline is expanded and adapted for the medium. While the differences from Southern Vampire Mysteries aren’t as drastic as with Lafayette (see previous post), there are significant changes to his family and history, which fuels a subplot and a new character: his brother, Tommy Mickens. In addition to the family storyline, Sam develops relationships with Tara Thorton (in Season 1) and Daphne Landry (in Season 2).



Marshall Allman as Tommy Mickens in True Blood.

In the Southern Vampire Mysteries (SVM), the first person narrative only allows readers to experience the plot through Sookie. We don’t know what is happening with other characters if Sookie doesn’t know, or if she’s not involved. Though this works well for books, television requires multiple characters with interweaving plotlines to maintain audience interest every week (and for True Blood, throughout the year!). Alan Ball adapts the books appropriately for the nature of the television format. He gives the viewers a wider perspective on the events happening in the True Blood universe, and to do that, he enhances characters and gives them thier own subplots.

In SVM, both of Sam’s parents were shifters. After his dad died, his mother remarried a human man. She and Sam keep their true nature hidden from her new husband and his two children. Later in the books, when weres and shifters decide to reveal themselves to the human public (as vampires did), his mother is shot and injured by his stepfather.

In True Blood, his family history is considerably different. He was adopted as a child by the Merlottes, but they abandoned him at 15 when his abilities as a shifter developed. As an adult, he visits his biological family (the Mickens) and discovers that his mother and younger brother (Tommy) are shifters. When Sam realizes his brother is being forced into dogfighting to make money for the family, he takes Tommy to live with him in Bon Temps. Unfortunately, it isn't easy for Sam, and their relationship is under a lot of stress. At the end of Season 3, Tommy steals from Sam and tries to run away, but Sam catches up with him. In the final scene, Tommy is walking away as Sam points a gun at him, then we hear a gunshot.

True Blood Season 3, "Evil is Going On"

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Unlike Tommy Mickens on True Blood, @TommyBonTemps is literate and regularly RPs on Twitter. He’s been RPing for a few years, but “it just goes so fast that it feels like [he’s] had no experience at all.” He RPs because likes being “a part of something bigger […] No matter where you are, someone else, right at this moment, is reading what you typed and suddenly.. you're not so alone anymore.”

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Why did you pick your character, Tommy?

@TommyBonTemps: He reminds me so much of myself. He's like this mirror image of me with a shape shifting ability. He's a wild card, but he has a good heart. He doesn't really know what to do with that because he's been brought up around so much negativity. In the end, he's just a kid who needs love.

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What are your thoughts on the changes to Sam’s family history and storyline?

@TommyBonTemps: I feel that this particular plot change works: it gives viewers a chance to see a different side to several characters. […]I like to think of the books and shows as two separate things, so when something does change I'm not shouting at the TV in anger of adding/leaving an important plot piece in/out.

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How do you think the gunshot scene with Sam and Tommy plays out? How do you think your character will be involved in Season 4?

@TommyBonTemps: Tommy'll be back. […] He just has that essence of fighter around him. […] In Season 4, I'd like to see Sam and Tommy work their differences out because they'd be a bad-ass team! What will actually happen though? I have no idea. Something shiftery, I'm sure.

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Check out the video below featuring two major betrayals of Season 3: Sookie finding out about Queen Sophie-Anne's orders to Bill and Tommy stealing money from Sam (with some still-delish-even-covered-in-cement Eric Northman in between). The Tommy/Sam scene is at 4:16.

Leave comments below with your thoughts on Sam and Tommy

or if you have predictions for Season 4!

 

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