Blood Ties (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Blood Ties is a Canadian television series based on the Blood Books by Tanya Huff
; the show was created by Peter Mohan. It is set in Toronto, Canada and has a similar premise to an earlier series also set in Toronto, Forever Knight
, in which a Vampire assists Police in dealing with crime. It premiered in the United States on March 11, 2007 on Lifetime Television
, and during fall of 2007 on Citytv
and Space in Canada. In May 2008, Lifetime declined to renew the series.
As of November 2008, the Canadian production company, Kaleidoscope Entertainment Inc., was still seeking production partners to bring the show back; however, it is unlikely that the show will return to the air given the length of time since it was originally filmed. It is currently airing in syndication in many other countries. It has since released season two.
who left the force to become a private investigator after beginning to lose her eyesight, due to a beginning Retinopathia Pigmentosa
. Through her work she teams up with the 480-year-old vampire Henry Fitzroy, who happens to be the illegitimate son
of Henry VIII
. The mutual attraction between them is complicated by Vicki's relationship with former partner and lover, Mike Celluci. In the beginning, he doesn't believe in the supernatural and thinks that Vicki is losing her mind along with her eyesight. Also in the picture is Vicki's assistant Coreen, who was hired because of her knowledge of the occult and to keep her quiet about Henry. Coreen is thoroughly enamored with both the occult and Henry, which can get her into trouble.
, Vicki faced the hard choice of leaving Homicide Division in the police department and working a desk job or leaving the police force all together. Despite strong protests from her partner and lover, Detective Mike Celluci, she decided to leave the force and open a private investigation firm.
Henry Fitzroy
: (b. June 15, 1519 d. June 18, 1536 reborn June 19, 1536) Based on the historical character Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset
- the illegitimate son of Henry VIII of England
, Henry Fitzroy chose love over familial duty and sacrificed his mortal life to remain forever with the woman he loved; Christina. Vampiric circumstances, however, prevented him from remaining with her and now, after 450 years of existence, he is living in Toronto as a graphic novelist - "Art and literature have always been my passions. I finally found a medium where I could fully realize the both of them." His quiet, hidden life takes on a new twist when he collides with Vicki Nelson in an attempt to stop a man from bringing the demon Asteroth into the mortal world. As they work to solve this case, and subsequently other supernatural problems, Henry grows deeply attracted to Vicki's willful nature and exuberance for life, eventually falling for her. Though she seems to resist his advances, he continues to pursue her and, mostly due to his centuries of experience and knowledge of both sides of the supernatural, he becomes Vicki's partner and bodyguard.
Detective Mike Celluci: Vicki's former partner, as well as on/off lover, he was very much against her decision to leave the force. He and Vicki share many personality traits, which often results in arguments between the two. Yet despite (or perhaps because of) this they are firm friends, both going so far as to discuss their current cases. As straight as they come, and a "see it to believe it" kind of guy to boot, Mike often exhibits concern over the kind of cases Vicki seems willing to take on in her new career. He has trouble accepting Vicki's friendship and trust in Henry, even more so once he finds out what Henry is, often coming across as jealous. However, they have been known to work together on occasion - especially when it is Vicki who needs help.
Coreen Fennel: Coreen becomes known to Vicki during her first "unusual" case, hiring her to find out who killed her boyfriend. Once the case was over, she managed to insinuate herself into the position of Vicki's office assistant. Coreen appears to have extensive knowledge about the occult, and is certainly far more curious and accepting of it than any of the other characters. Because of this, she seems to have struck up a friendship with Dr. Sagara, a professor of the occult known to Henry, and the two can occasionally be seen working together on a case for Vicki. Coreen can at times serve as an emissary between Vicki and Mike, usually trying to get Vicki talking with him again. It was shown various times that she may have a crush on Henry, most prominently when first meeting him. However when the two rarely work together, Coreen's lingering looks may suggest that she has a crush on him or it may be the way Henry naturally attracts women. This character does not appear in the books beyond the "client" role she originated in the first episode, and it has been suggested that she "replaced" the character of Tony. Several sources cite the omission of Tony as being due to copyright reasons in that the rights to the series of books that feature Tony are owned by another network. Fan sites claim that there were aspects of Tony's free-spirited, reformed street hustler character that might have proved offensive or unsettling to the general viewing public.
channel. In Spain, it is broadcast by Calle 13 and started on November 22, 2007. In Latin America the series has started to run on AXN
, but later changed to Animax
the anime and SciFi Channel part of Sony Entertainment (as AXN).
Kaleidoscope in 2007 turned Huff's "Blood" book series into the Lifetime Television series "Blood Ties," which also aired in Canada on Citytv and Space.
Fremantle and Kaleidoscope are now shopping "Smoke & Mirrors," starting at MIPTV, as a possible Canadian-European co-production. The urban fantasy series will see the return of Henry Fitzroy, the 474 year-old vampire, in a series of paranormal misadventures experienced on a fictional TV series shoot.
The "Smoke" book series is a sequel to Huff's "Blood" book, in which the characters are Tony Foster (character replaced by Coreen in Blood Ties) and Henry Fitzroy, dedicated to solving mysteries and combating supernatural threats.
Tanya Huff
Tanya Sue Huff is a Canadian fantasy author. Her stories have been published since the late 1980s, including five fantasy series and one science-fiction series. One of these, her Blood Books series, featuring detective Vicki Nelson, was adapted for television under the title Blood...
; the show was created by Peter Mohan. It is set in Toronto, Canada and has a similar premise to an earlier series also set in Toronto, Forever Knight
Forever Knight
Forever Knight was a Canadian television series about Nick Knight, an 800-year-old vampire working as a police detective in modern day Toronto. Wracked with guilt for centuries of killing others, he seeks redemption by working as a homicide detective on the night shift while struggling to find a...
, in which a Vampire assists Police in dealing with crime. It premiered in the United States on March 11, 2007 on Lifetime Television
Lifetime Television
Lifetime Television, often referred to as Lifetime TV, or most commonly, Lifetime, is an American cable television specialty channel devoted to movies, sitcoms and dramas, all of which are either geared toward women or feature women in lead roles. The cable network is owned by A&E Television Networks...
, and during fall of 2007 on Citytv
Citytv
Citytv is a Canadian English language television system owned and operated by Rogers Communications under its Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. division...
and Space in Canada. In May 2008, Lifetime declined to renew the series.
As of November 2008, the Canadian production company, Kaleidoscope Entertainment Inc., was still seeking production partners to bring the show back; however, it is unlikely that the show will return to the air given the length of time since it was originally filmed. It is currently airing in syndication in many other countries. It has since released season two.
Cast
- Christina CoxChristina CoxChristina Cox is a Canadian movie and television actress and stuntwoman.-Biography:Christina Cox was born just outside of Toronto, the youngest of three daughters. Her two sisters are named Tracey and Melissa...
as Victoria "Vicki" Nelson - Kyle SchmidKyle SchmidKyle Schmid is a Canadian actor who starred as Henry Fitzroy in Lifetime's series Blood Ties. He has also guest starred in a number of television series including Degrassi: The Next Generation, Odyssey 5, The Zack Files and CSI: Miami.In addition he has also appeared in a number of films like The...
as Henry FitzroyHenry Fitzroy (TV and book character)Henry Fitzroy is a character in the Blood novels: and the Smoke novels: by Tanya Huff.... - Dylan NealDylan NealDylan J. Neal is a Canadian actor who has appeared in a large number of television shows and in feature films. He is best known for role as Dylan Shaw on The Bold and The Beautiful from 1994 to 1997 and his supporting role as Pacey Witter's older brother, Doug on the American television drama...
as Mike Celluci - Gina HoldenGina Holden- Early life :Holden was born in the small town of Smithers, British Columbia, Canada, and moved often while growing up. With every move, Holden would join whatever community group she could so she could follow her passion for acting. At fifteen, she was signed to a modeling contract and moved to...
as Coreen Fennel
Recurring guest stars
- Françoise YipFrançoise YipFrançoise Fong-Wa Yip is a Canadian actress.Yip was born in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and was raised in Toronto. Her father is Chinese, and her mother is Québécoise. At an early age Yip began studying both piano and dance, but it was piano that she would excel at...
as Kate Lam - Nimet Kanji as Dr. Rajani Mohadevan
- Keith Dallas as Dave Graham
- Eileen PeddeEileen PeddeEileen Pedde is an American actress.Pedde made her debut in the TV series The Little Kidnappers in 1990. She has appeared in numerous major American television series including The X Files and Smallville but is perhaps best known for her role as Sergeant Erin Mathias in Battlestar Galactica...
as Allison Crowley - Linda Sorensen as Dr. Betty Sagara
Minor chracters
- Norman Bridewell (Michael EklundMichael EklundMichael Eklund is a Canadian actor, who has made numerous appearances in both television and film roles.-Acting career:Since 2006, Eklund has appeared as Vancouver Narcotics detective, Rene Dejardins, in CBC's drama, Intelligence....
) - Greg the doorman (Jody Racicot)
- Astaroth (John MannJohn MannJohn Mann may refer to:* John Mann , British actor* John Mann * John Mann , farmer and author from New Brunswick, Canada* John Mann , English cricketer...
) - Ian Reddick (Juan Riedinger)
- Demon (Mark OliverMark OliverMark Oliver is a voice actor who works for Ocean Studios in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He has played several roles in anime, most notably Rau Le Creuset in Gundam SEED...
) - Goth Bartender (Nickolas Baric)
- Salonera (Patricia Isaac)
- Magaera (Monique GandertonMonique GandertonMonique Ganderton is a Canadian stunt woman and actress who works in television and film.Ganderton was born in Edmonton, Alberta. She started out in modeling before moving to stunt work. She has doubled Tricia Helfer, Leelee Sobieski, Bridget Moynahan, Daryl Hannah, Rebecca Romijn, Famke Janssen...
) - Javier Mendoza (Julian SandsJulian SandsJulian M. Sands is an English actor, known for his roles in the Best Picture nominee The Killing Fields, the cult film Warlock, A Room with a View, Arachnophobia, Vatel, the television series 24 and as Jor-El in the television series Smallville.-Career:Sands began his film career appearing in...
) - Paul 'Dirty' Deeds (Steve BacicSteve BacicSteve Bacic is a Canadian actor of Croatian origin. He is known for playing the character Telemachus Rhade on the Sci-Fi series Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda. After being a guest star in season 1-3, he joined the cast early in season four...
) - Chuntao Fang (Kira ClavellKira ClavellKira Clavell is a Canadian actress based out of Vancouver, British Columbia and Toronto, Ontario. She attended the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada....
) - Christina (Laura MennellLaura MennellLaura Mennell is a Canadian actress. She is perhaps best known for her roles in Watchmen, Montana Sky, and the Emmy nominated Flight 93. Mennell currently co-stars on the Syfy television series Alphas...
) - Lexia (Jody ThompsonJody ThompsonJody Rae Thompson is a Canadian actress working in film and television.-Personal life:Thompson was born in Vancouver, British Columbia to an English father, Ray Thompson, the lead singer of the garage rock band The Wiggy Symphony, and a German mother...
) - Wynter (Olivia Sonya Cheng)
Plot
Blood Ties, set in Toronto, Ontario, centres around Christina Cox as Vicki Nelson, a former Toronto Police ServiceToronto Police Service
The Toronto Police Service , formerly the Metropolitan Toronto Police, is the police service for the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest municipal police service in Canada and second largest police force in Canada after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police...
who left the force to become a private investigator after beginning to lose her eyesight, due to a beginning Retinopathia Pigmentosa
Retinal Degeneration (Rhodopsin Mutation)
Retinal degeneration is the deterioration of the retina caused by the progressive and eventual death of the cells of the retina. There are several reasons for retinal degeneration, including artery or vein occlusion, diabetic retinopathy, R.L.F./R.O.P...
. Through her work she teams up with the 480-year-old vampire Henry Fitzroy, who happens to be the illegitimate son
Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset
Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset was the son of King Henry VIII of England and his teenage mistress, Elizabeth Blount, the only illegitimate offspring whom Henry acknowledged.-Childhood:...
of Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
. The mutual attraction between them is complicated by Vicki's relationship with former partner and lover, Mike Celluci. In the beginning, he doesn't believe in the supernatural and thinks that Vicki is losing her mind along with her eyesight. Also in the picture is Vicki's assistant Coreen, who was hired because of her knowledge of the occult and to keep her quiet about Henry. Coreen is thoroughly enamored with both the occult and Henry, which can get her into trouble.
Main characters
Victoria "Vicki" Nelson: Former police officer, turned private investigator. After being diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosaRetinitis pigmentosa
Retinitis pigmentosa is a group of genetic eye conditions that leads to incurable blindness. In the progression of symptoms for RP, night blindness generally precedes tunnel vision by years or even decades. Many people with RP do not become legally blind until their 40s or 50s and retain some...
, Vicki faced the hard choice of leaving Homicide Division in the police department and working a desk job or leaving the police force all together. Despite strong protests from her partner and lover, Detective Mike Celluci, she decided to leave the force and open a private investigation firm.
- Though her vision does prove to be a problem at times, Vicki refuses to let anyone treat her like she is disabled and continues to take risks with her life throughout the course of her investigations. As a result of leaving the force, her relationship with Celluci has become on-again/off-againOn-again, off-again relationshipAn on-again, off-again relationship is a form of casual relationship, usually sexual, between two people. It is where the couple concerned do not see their discontinuous affair as an ongoing or formal relationship...
. Meanwhile, her growing attraction to Henry only fuels the complications in her love life, putting her in the center of a supernatural love triangle.
Henry Fitzroy
Henry Fitzroy (TV and book character)
Henry Fitzroy is a character in the Blood novels: and the Smoke novels: by Tanya Huff....
: (b. June 15, 1519 d. June 18, 1536 reborn June 19, 1536) Based on the historical character Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset
Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset
Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset was the son of King Henry VIII of England and his teenage mistress, Elizabeth Blount, the only illegitimate offspring whom Henry acknowledged.-Childhood:...
- the illegitimate son of Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
, Henry Fitzroy chose love over familial duty and sacrificed his mortal life to remain forever with the woman he loved; Christina. Vampiric circumstances, however, prevented him from remaining with her and now, after 450 years of existence, he is living in Toronto as a graphic novelist - "Art and literature have always been my passions. I finally found a medium where I could fully realize the both of them." His quiet, hidden life takes on a new twist when he collides with Vicki Nelson in an attempt to stop a man from bringing the demon Asteroth into the mortal world. As they work to solve this case, and subsequently other supernatural problems, Henry grows deeply attracted to Vicki's willful nature and exuberance for life, eventually falling for her. Though she seems to resist his advances, he continues to pursue her and, mostly due to his centuries of experience and knowledge of both sides of the supernatural, he becomes Vicki's partner and bodyguard.
Detective Mike Celluci: Vicki's former partner, as well as on/off lover, he was very much against her decision to leave the force. He and Vicki share many personality traits, which often results in arguments between the two. Yet despite (or perhaps because of) this they are firm friends, both going so far as to discuss their current cases. As straight as they come, and a "see it to believe it" kind of guy to boot, Mike often exhibits concern over the kind of cases Vicki seems willing to take on in her new career. He has trouble accepting Vicki's friendship and trust in Henry, even more so once he finds out what Henry is, often coming across as jealous. However, they have been known to work together on occasion - especially when it is Vicki who needs help.
Coreen Fennel: Coreen becomes known to Vicki during her first "unusual" case, hiring her to find out who killed her boyfriend. Once the case was over, she managed to insinuate herself into the position of Vicki's office assistant. Coreen appears to have extensive knowledge about the occult, and is certainly far more curious and accepting of it than any of the other characters. Because of this, she seems to have struck up a friendship with Dr. Sagara, a professor of the occult known to Henry, and the two can occasionally be seen working together on a case for Vicki. Coreen can at times serve as an emissary between Vicki and Mike, usually trying to get Vicki talking with him again. It was shown various times that she may have a crush on Henry, most prominently when first meeting him. However when the two rarely work together, Coreen's lingering looks may suggest that she has a crush on him or it may be the way Henry naturally attracts women. This character does not appear in the books beyond the "client" role she originated in the first episode, and it has been suggested that she "replaced" the character of Tony. Several sources cite the omission of Tony as being due to copyright reasons in that the rights to the series of books that feature Tony are owned by another network. Fan sites claim that there were aspects of Tony's free-spirited, reformed street hustler character that might have proved offensive or unsettling to the general viewing public.
Episodes
| Season | Ep # | First Airdate | Last Airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 12 | March 11, 2007 | May 20, 2007 |
| Season 2 | 10 | October 12, 2007 | December 7, 2007 |
DVD releases
| Title | Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | Discs | Extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blood Ties: The Complete First Season | June 2, 2009 | 2008 | TBA | 4 | Behind the Scenes Featurette |
| Blood Ties: The Complete Second Season | October 6, 2009 | TBA | TBA | 3 | Photo Gallery, Season 1 Trailer |
| Blood Ties: The Complete Series | April 6, 2010 | January 28, 2008 | TBA | 7 | Behind the Scenes Featurette Photo Gallery Trailers |
| Blu Ray: The Complete Series | April 6, 2010 | TBA | TBA | 4 | Behind the Scenes Featurette Photo Gallery (in high def) Trailers |
International airings
The series has been bought by UK channel Living and started airing there on August 16, 2007. In 2008 the show commenced screening in Australia on the FOX8FOX8
Fox8 is an Australian cable and satellite channel available on Foxtel, Austar and Optus Television's subscription platforms...
channel. In Spain, it is broadcast by Calle 13 and started on November 22, 2007. In Latin America the series has started to run on AXN
AXN
AXN is a Pay television, cable and satellite television channel owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, which was first launched on May 22, 1997. The network is now spread across several regions in the world, including Japan, Europe, other parts of Asia and Latin America...
, but later changed to Animax
Animax
is a Japanese anime satellite television network, dedicated to broadcasting anime programming. A subsidiary of Japanese media conglomerate Sony, it is headquartered in in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, with its co-founders and shareholders including Sony Pictures Entertainment and the noted anime studios...
the anime and SciFi Channel part of Sony Entertainment (as AXN).
Smoke and Mirrors
In April 2010 a new announced that, The Fremantle Corporation and Kaleidoscope Entertainment are developing a new vampire series, "Smoke & Mirrors," based on the "Smoke" book series by Canadian fantasy author Tanya Huff.Kaleidoscope in 2007 turned Huff's "Blood" book series into the Lifetime Television series "Blood Ties," which also aired in Canada on Citytv and Space.
Fremantle and Kaleidoscope are now shopping "Smoke & Mirrors," starting at MIPTV, as a possible Canadian-European co-production. The urban fantasy series will see the return of Henry Fitzroy, the 474 year-old vampire, in a series of paranormal misadventures experienced on a fictional TV series shoot.
The "Smoke" book series is a sequel to Huff's "Blood" book, in which the characters are Tony Foster (character replaced by Coreen in Blood Ties) and Henry Fitzroy, dedicated to solving mysteries and combating supernatural threats.
External links
- Blood Ties episodes online on Lifetime's website
- Blood Ties at SPACESPACEThe term SPACE can refer to:* SPACE, a Canadian science-fiction channel* The Society for Promotion of Alternative Computing and Employment* DSPACE, a term in computational complexity theory...