Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		2.5

Blood Ties: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie Review

A laugh track would make this paranormal hodgepodge far more entertaining...

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown April 6, 2010

Never heard of Blood Ties? Wondering if it's worth a spin? Curious if the canceled Canadian series will appeal to your Supernatural sensibilities? Dying to know what it's all about? If so, I'd suggest a quick look at its official trailer, a telling, wince-inducing preview if there ever was one. Bask in the poorly penned narration of its smarmy host, revel in the cumbersome '80s-jazz-pop riffs that pepper the proceedings, and shake your head at the hilarity that ensues. "She's an ex-cop turned private investigator, with a cop who's still on the force and still in love. She also has an unnatural desire for a 470-year old vampire. But first, there's a battle between good and evil to be won. They are the most unusual crime-fighting love triangle in town. It's a supernatural new crime series that pits demons against lovers with a little help from the undead. When the going gets weird, the tough get going." Still here? Well then, Blood Ties might just be for you.

You can almost hear Barry White singing, "can't get enough of your love, babe."

Meet Vicki Nelson (Christina Cox), the "ex-cop turned private investigator" in question. Having left the police force after being diagnosed with a degenerative vision disorder, Vicki eeks out a living taking cases that allow her to continue doing the one thing she truly loves: solving crimes and bringing deviants to justice. Naturally, her former partner and lover, Detective Mike Celluci (Dylan Neal), disapproves of her new profession, despite the fact that he's eager to rekindle their rather rocky relationship. Enter Henry Fitzroy (Kyle Schmid), the illegitimate son of randomly selected historical figure Henry VIII, graphic novel artist, amateur crime fighter and, of course, the series' resident "470-year old vampire." As Vicki is forced to choose between the handsome, roguish night-stalker and her hot-tempered human flame, the newly formed trio have to face off against a vindictive, demon-summoning lackey and his otherworldly hellspawn, a voodoo mastermind, a group of zombies, a man-hunting gorgon, a rival vamp, a murderous Wendigo, an immortal priest, a ghostly killer, and other denizens of the dark, all in twenty-two mind-numbing episodes sure to stir up unintentional laughter, groans, and sighs aplenty.

Cox, Neal, and Schmid certainly invest their all, delivering series creator Peter Mohan's cheesiest dialogue without batting an eye. "Well if that doesn't put the pepper in the gumbo, I don't know what would" doesn't exactly roll off the tongue -- or off the screen for that matter -- but the cast seems perfectly happy to tackle the worst one-liners, dated pop culture references, and flaccid puns the writers conjure up. It's clear from the outset that Mohan and his team are desperate to channel Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Supernatural, Angel and other witty cult classic series, to the point that they liberally lift character types, subplots, and even entire episodes from Joss Whedon and Eric Kripke's playbooks. I'll admit I'd be quick to overlook such pilfering if the results were genuinely funny (or remotely engaging). However, supposedly clever quips and sight gags continually fall flat, Vicki's conflicting sexual tensions are contrived and transparent, compounding plot holes become increasingly infuriating as the show barrels along, and the characters' cheeky innuendo and erratic skepticism grows tiresome long before the episodes gain any serious momentum. Worse, the series' special effects would have invited criticism in 1992, the villains are Saturday morning cartoon baddies at best, and the supporting cast overacts and over-reaches at every opportunity; traits that make the various creature-feature holdouts comically delicious, but counteracts any sense of drama or urgency the writers attempt to squeeze in. And the music? Don't get me started.

Even so, Blood Ties may appeal to some who are patiently awaiting the return of True Blood (a far more inventive, frightening, and satisfying bump-in-the-night romantic dramedy), particularly those who approach it as if it were a droll, self-referential, low-budget comedy or a tongue-in-cheek genre satire. Don't get me wrong, it isn't smart enough to be either -- "it’s like the more I lose my vision, the more clearly I see the world" and "I'd make you some lemon tea, but I don't like you" are just two of many quotes sure to leave most TV junkies rolling their eyes -- but that doesn't mean there aren't moments of legitimate levity primed to entertain anyone willing to give the show a third, fourteenth, and twenty-seventh chance. (Although any writers' room that dropped thirty or forty one-liners into their every episode would inevitably crank out a few noteworthy jabs.) That being said, even the most enamored converts will be left dangling on the edge of their seats when the credits roll on the last episode. While Mohan and company have been working to find a new home for Blood Ties since its cancellation, the chances of another season being green-lit are slim. Cox, Neal, and Schmid have moved on (popping up in Dexter, Smallville, and a number of small films), as has Mohan (to a Canadian police drama called The Bridge). Ah well. It isn't every day that a horror-tinted show lasts twenty-two episodes, especially one that feels more like a bloated direct-to-video flick than a captivating television series. If you absolutely can't resist your guilty-pleasure curiosities, add Blood Ties to your Netflix queue.

Blood Ties: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

It's tough to get a lock on Blood Ties' decidedly decent 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer. While the presentation appears to be a faithful representation of its source, several issues emerge as persistent distractions. Fine detail, though surprisingly refined at times, is notably inconsistent from shot to shot; black levels are exceedingly deep, but crush hinders everything swallowed by the series' shadows; fleshtones, warm and lifelike as they prove to be at times, are often oversaturated, chalky, or flushed; and the image, though fairly clean, is periodically undermined by minor banding and faint noise (despite some rather unforgiving DNR). Even so, I suspect many of the complaints newcomers will have trace back to creator Peter Mohan and director David Winning's gaudy, hyperstylized intentions. The whole of the episodes look better than the show's meager budget might suggest, and fans will be pleased with the treatment Eagle Vision has afforded a canceled Canadian series. Colors are rich and robust (sometimes bordering on absurd), edge definition is sharp and clean, and irksome anomalies like artifacting, aliasing, and ringing have been kept to a reasonable minimum. All in all, the studio's transfer is a solid one, as well as the unequivocal high point of Blood Ties' Blu-ray release.

Blood Ties: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Blood Ties: The Complete Series also features a competent DTS-HD Master Audio stereo track. Flat and underwhelming? Sure. A hearty 5.1 remix would have presumably lent some much-needed LFE weight and rear speaker aggression to the experience. However, considering the nature and scope of the production, Mohan and Winning's limited budget, and the subsequent caliber of the show's original sound design, Eagle Vision's modest two-channel offering deserves some measured praise. For the most part, dialogue is clear and intelligible, effects are well-prioritized (albeit a bit artificial), and Natasha Duprey's '80s-inspired, synth-infused soundtrack and score punctuate the soundscape nicely. Yes, Cox and Schmid's sweet nothings are swept aside anytime action beats and musical cues simultaneously erupt on-screen, but it rarely becomes a distraction. Likewise, low-end tones are dull and muffled, but I hope no one is expecting anything more from a two-channel mix. Keep in mind that Eagle Vision could have easily repurposed the DVD version's standard Dolby Digital dud. Thankfully, they chose a higher road. The result may not be a lumbering 5.1 monstrosity, but it is a proficient lossless track; one that presents each episode as it was meant to be heard.

Blood Ties: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Unfortunately, the 4-disc Blu-ray release of Blood Ties: The Complete Series doesn't have a lot of supplemental meat on its bones. A lengthy "Behind the Scenes" EPK (SD, 24 minutes) provides the most value, but the cast and crew spend far too much time recapping plot points, introducing characters, and patting each other on the backs to discuss the intricacies of the production. From there, a "Photo Gallery" (HD, 5 minutes), a "Season One DVD Trailer" (SD, 1 minute), and an original "Trailer" (SD, 3 minutes) round out the package.

Blood Ties: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Blood Ties wouldn't survive two weeks on one of the Big Four (NBC, CBS, ABC, and FOX) -- I doubt it could even survive two months on a lesser cable network like the CW -- but that doesn't mean it isn't without its charms (scarce as they may be). Alas, dead-end dialogue, mediocre storylines, copious plot holes, chintzy special effects, and poorly defined and developed characters spoil whatever Schmid and his castmates manage to bring to the table. It amounts to little more than yet another misguided supernatural series, and its cancellation shouldn't have come as a surprise to anyone. Eagle Vision's Blu-ray release is better, even if it's continually hampered by the show's bottom-rung production values. Its video transfer is decent but problematic, its DTS-HD Master Audio stereo track is faithful but underwhelming, and its supplemental package will leave Blood Ties zealots wanting. Fans clamoring for its resurrection will cheer. Everyone else will simply shrug their shoulders.