Blood Ties (TV series)

Blood Ties
Genre	Police procedural Comedy-drama Horror
Created by	Series: Peter Mohan Books: Tanya Huff
Directed by	David Winning
Starring	Christina Cox Kyle Schmid Dylan Neal Gina Holden
Opening theme	"Live Forever" by Tamara Rhodes
Country of origin	Canada
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	22 (list of episodes)
Production
Producer(s)	Peter Mohan
Location(s)	Toronto, Ontario; Vancouver, British Columbia
Running time	43 minutes
Release
Original network	City (Canada) Space (Canada) Lifetime Television (United States)
Picture format	SDTV
Original release	March 11, 2007 – December 7, 2007

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, Ontario 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 City and Space in Canada. In May 2008, Lifetime declined to renew the series.

Cast

• Christina Cox as Victoria "Vicki" Nelson
• Kyle Schmid as Henry Fitzroy
• Dylan Neal as Mike Celluci
• Gina Holden as Coreen Fennel

Recurring guest stars

• Françoise Yip as Kate Lam
• Nimet Kanji as Dr. Rajani Mohadevan
• Keith Dallas as Dave Graham
• Eileen Pedde as Allison Crowley
• Linda Sorensen as Dr. Betty Sagara

Minor characters

• Norman Bridewell (Michael Eklund)
• Greg the doorman (Jody Racicot)
• Astaroth (John Mann)
• Ian Reddick (Juan Riedinger)
• Demon (Mark Oliver)
• Goth Bartender (Nickolas Baric)
• Salonera (Patricia Isaac)
• Magaera (Monique Ganderton)
• Javier Mendoza (Julian Sands)
• Paul 'Dirty' Deeds (Steve Bacic)
• Chuntao Fang (Kira Clavell)
• Christina (Laura Mennell)
• Lexia (Jody Thompson)
• Wynter (Olivia Sonya Cheng)

Plot

Blood Ties, set in Toronto, Ontario, centres on Christina Cox as Vicki Nelson, a former Toronto Police Service 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 470-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.

Main characters

Victoria "Vicki" Nelson

Former police officer, turned private investigator. After being diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, 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-again. 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

(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 470 years of existence, he is living in Toronto as a graphic novelist (a.k.a. comic book artist)- "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

No.	Title	Original air date	Prod. code
1	"Blood Price, Part 1"	March 11, 2007	100
PI Vicki Nelson witnesses a gruesome murder – except because of her failing eyesight, she’s not really sure what she saw. Her old police colleague, detective Mike Cellucci, warns her against getting involved. But when a young, heartbroken Goth begs Vicki to investigate her boyfriend's death, Vicki can't help but open up the strangest case of her life. Meanwhile, Henry Fitzroy, a concerned citizen of Toronto, also decides to look into the murders lest they be blamed on a vampire – himself for example.
2	"Blood Price, Part 2"	March 11, 2007	101
After forming an uneasy alliance with the toothsome Fitzroy, it's up to Vicki to track down who is raising the Ripper demon... before they put the entire world in peril.
3	"Bad JuJu"	March 18, 2007	102
When her client is being hunted by zombies, Vicki turns to Henry for help, but Henry proves surprisingly reluctant to get involved. Rival Voudoun practitioners catch Henry and Vicki in a battle over the resurrection of a dead sorcerer, while Mike investigates the suspicious man in Vicki's life - Henry Fitzroy.
4	"Gifted"	March 25, 2007	103
Vicki looks into the brutal death of a single mother, who appears to have been savaged by a terrifying beast. But does the victim's daughter know more than she's letting on... and is her school ready to let go of their star pupil?
5	"Deadly Departed"	April 1, 2007	104
A defence lawyer in a high-profile murder case is brutally murdered, but the killer has left his fingerprints... on the dead man's heart. As the unseen killer picks off those who put him away one by one, Mike discovers that one of his colleagues has a guilty secret...
6	"Love Hurts"	April 8, 2007	105
A man hires Vicki to figure out if his wife is cheating on him. After she is found dead, the husband is the prime suspect. But in Vicki's world, things are never quite that simple, and a side trip into the steamier side of suburbia takes a terrifying twist as she discovers just what jealousy can do...
7	"Heart of Ice"	April 15, 2007	106
Homeless people have gone missing, and Vicki gets more than she bargained for when she tries to solve the case. Mike is on yet another case where a prostitute's blood has been drained, and Henry is number one on his list of suspects. But when he agrees to help the mysterious Father Mendoza, has Mike struck a blow for justice or made a deal with the Devil?
8	"Heart of Fire"	April 22, 2007	107
Near breaking point under torture, Henry struggles to retain his strength and sanity as Vicki and Mike race to save him, as well as seek answers to the mystery of how Father Mendoza could have encountered Henry over three centuries ago and still be alive in the present.
9	"Stone Cold"	April 29, 2007	108
While looking for a missing male model, our heroes encounter a beautiful club owner with a horrific past. Mike may be falling under her spell, but is she an angry victim or a stone cold killer?
10	"Necrodrome"	May 6, 2007	109
A funeral director hires Vicki to track down one of his clients... one of the dead ones. For boxer Diesel Swanson, the day's not getting any better either, despite the fact that he started off dead... but the mystery is that what happens if he isn't?
11	"Post Partum"	May 13, 2007	110
A man hires Vicki to check on his wife, who is isolated in a fertility clinic that guarantees results. Vicki has to pretend to be a frustrated would-be mother to get in. Dr. Hobman's strict regime does seem to help infertile women get pregnant, but is there a sinister side to his success?
12	"Norman"	May 20, 2007	111
Vicki's first case comes back to haunt her as evil nerd Norman escapes from the abyss, now with a whole array of demonic powers and revenge on his mind.
13	"DOA"	October 12, 2007	112
One of Vicki's old police colleagues stops by with a case of murder; specifically, his own. However, when Mike witnesses his body still walking and talking, they must determine whether the 'ghost' or the body is telling the truth.
14	"Wild Blood"	October 19, 2007	113
Mike and Vicki attempt to uncover the only suspect's secret in a murder case where the victim appears to have been torn apart by an intelligent beast, but the only suspect is proving distinctly uncooperative.
15	"5:55"	October 26, 2007	114
On the trail of a mysterious antique, Vicki repeatedly relives the day in which she investigates its disappearance, each day culminating in the antique- a mysterious box- being opened and the forces of darkness within it being unleashed.
16	"Bugged"	November 2, 2007	115
A friend of Coreen's hires Vicki to investigate the sudden death of one of her Goth club's patrons. Meanwhile, Henry suspects that another vampire is moving in on his territory.
17	"The Devil You Know"	November 9, 2007	116
Henry's former lover shows up in town, seeking his protection from a stalker determined to kill her, but various events- such as her claiming that he was turned over a year ago when his sister possesses a photograph of him in the sun six months ago- prove that she isn't being totally honest.
18	"Drawn and Quartered"	November 16, 2007	117
A painter friend of Henry becomes a suspect when others in the art community start turning up dead, and Coreen's attempts to investigate result in her becoming too attached to the prime suspect
19	"Wrapped"	November 23, 2007	118
A motley crew of truckjackers get more than they bargained for when they steal an ancient Incan mummy, leading to a nightmare for Fitzroy as he believes he is seeing his own death when he begins to dream about the mummy.
20	"The Good, the Bad and the Ugly"	November 30, 2007	119
A self-confessed murderer that Vicki and Mike put away suddenly protests his innocence, claiming that he only saw visions of the real killer's handywork, and that more deaths are imminent. Whether it's a copycat, a stooge, or a psychic psycho, Vicki and Mike are forced to investigate once more, resulting in the discovery of a twisted experiment.
21	"We'll Meet Again"	November 30, 2007	120
Vicki's client claims he has been reincarnated for centuries and needs her help to find his long lost lover, but in a cruel twist of fate- apparently caused when his last life was kept in a coma after the accident that automatically killed his wife-, this time she's ten years older... and already married. Meanwhile, Fitzroy begins pondering whether he needs a change of scenery, and Celluci's career is increasingly close to the edge...
22	"Deep Dark"	December 7, 2007	121
Though their friendships are at breaking point, Vicki needs Fitzroy and Celluci more than ever when she discovers Coreen has been possessed by a demon. Tough decisions are made when questions of loyalty and love come to the forefront... especially when it is revealed that Coreen will die if the demon is exorcised.

Home 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	January 12, 2011	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 FOX8 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). It is also broadcast in 2012 on French channel NRJ 12.

Smoke and Mirrors

In April 2010, it was 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.^[1]

See also

• Vampire film

References

1. Vlessing, Etan (AP) (April 8, 2010). "'Smoke and Mirrors' for 'Fremantle Corp.'". HollywoodReporter.com

External links

• Blood Ties at AllMovie
• Blood Ties at the Internet Movie Database
• Blood Ties at TV.com