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{{Short description|American fantasy drama television series}}
{{Redirect|TrueBlood|the surname|Trueblood}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox television
| image                = True Blood 2008 logo.svg
| caption              =
| genre                = {{plainlist|
* [[Fantasy]]
* [[Horror fiction|Horror]]
* [[Drama (film and television)|Drama]]
}}
| creator              = [[Alan Ball (screenwriter)|Alan Ball]]
| showrunner              = Alan Ball (seasons 1-5) <br /> [[Brian Buckner]] (seasons 6-7)
| based_on             = {{Based on|''[[The Southern Vampire Mysteries]]''|[[Charlaine Harris]]}}
| theme_music_composer = [[Jace Everett]]
| opentheme            = "[[Bad Things (Jace Everett song)|Bad Things]]" by [[Jace Everett]]
| endtheme             = 
| composer             = [[Nathan Barr]]
| country              = United States
| language             = English
| num_seasons          = 7
| num_episodes         = 80
| list_episodes        = List of True Blood episodes
| starring             = {{plainlist|
* [[Anna Paquin]]
* [[Stephen Moyer]]
* [[Alexander Skarsgård]]
* [[Sam Trammell]]
* [[Ryan Kwanten]]
* [[Rutina Wesley]]
* [[Chris Bauer]]
* [[Nelsan Ellis]]
* [[Jim Parrack]]
* [[Carrie Preston]]
* [[Michael Raymond-James]]
* [[William Sanderson]]
* [[Lynn Collins]]
* [[Lois Smith]]
* [[Adina Porter]]
* [[Lizzy Caplan]]
* [[Stephen Root]]
* [[Mehcad Brooks]]
* [[Anna Camp]]
* [[Michelle Forbes]]
* [[Todd Lowe]]
* [[Michael McMillian]]
* [[Deborah Ann Woll]]
* [[Mariana Klaveno]]
* [[Marshall Allman]]
* [[Kristin Bauer van Straten]]
* [[Kevin Alejandro]]
* [[Denis O'Hare]]
* [[Lindsay Pulsipher]]
* [[Lauren Bowles]]
* [[Janina Gavankar]]
* [[Fiona Shaw]]
* [[Jessica Tuck]]
* [[Joe Manganiello]]
* [[Scott Foley]]
* [[Lucy Griffiths (actress, born 1986)|Lucy Griffiths]]
* [[Christopher Meloni]]
* [[Valentina Cervi]]
* [[Rutger Hauer]]
* [[Arliss Howard]]
* [[Kelly Overton]]
* [[Robert Patrick]]
* [[Rob Kazinsky]]
* [[Jurnee Smollett-Bell]]
* [[Amelia Rose Blaire]]
* [[Gregg Daniel]]
* [[Aaron Christian Howles]]
* Noah Matthews
* [[Bailey Noble]]
* [[Nathan Parsons]]
* [[Karolina Wydra]]
* [[Tara Buck]]
}}
| executive_producer   = {{Plain list|
* [[Alan Ball (screenwriter)|Alan Ball]]
* [[Gregg Fienberg]]
* [[Brian Buckner]]
* [[Raelle Tucker]]
* [[Alexander Woo]]
* [[Nancy Oliver]]
* [[Mark Hudis]]
* [[Angela Robinson (director)|Angela Robinson]]
}}
| producer             = {{Plain list|
* Bruce Dunn
* W. Mark McNair
* Carol Dunn Tussell
}}
| company              = {{Plain list|
* Your Face Goes Here Entertainment
* [[HBO|HBO Entertainment]]
}}
| runtime              = 45–64 minutes
| channel              = [[HBO]]
| first_aired          = {{start date|2008|9|7}}
| last_aired           = {{end date|2014|8|24}}
| related              =  
}}

'''''True Blood''''' is an American [[fantasy]] [[Horror fiction|horror]] [[Drama (film and television)|drama]] television series produced and created by [[Alan Ball (screenwriter)|Alan Ball]]. It is based on ''[[The Southern Vampire Mysteries]]'', a series of novels by [[Charlaine Harris]].

The series revolves around [[Sookie Stackhouse]] ([[Anna Paquin]]), a [[telepathic]] waitress living in the fictional rural town of Bon Temps, Louisiana. It is set two years after the invention of a synthetic blood product branded "Tru Blood" that has allowed vampires to "come out of the coffin" and let their presence be known to mankind. It chronicles the vampires' struggle for equal rights and assimilation while anti-vampire organizations begin to gain power. Sookie's world is turned upside down when she falls in love with 174-year-old vampire [[Bill Compton (The Southern Vampire Mysteries)|Bill Compton]] ([[Stephen Moyer]]), and for the first time, she must navigate the trials and terrors of intimacy and relationships.<ref name="HBO roles with" /><ref name="Ball bringing">{{cite news |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ball-bringing-new-blood-hbo-147455 |title=Ball bringing new 'Blood' to HBO |access-date=May 10, 2020 |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=August 10, 2007 |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070920200045/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3i0181f5a5ab18b1585b313d1d7524c51a <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = September 20, 2007 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The show was broadcast on the premium cable network [[HBO]], in the United States, and was produced by HBO in association with Ball's production company, Your Face Goes Here Entertainment.<ref name="HBO roles with">{{cite news |url=https://variety.com/2007/scene/markets-festivals/hbo-rolls-with-ball-s-true-blood-1117969971/ |title=HBO rolls with Ball's 'True Blood' |access-date=May 10, 2020 |last=Schneider |first=Michael |date=August 9, 2007 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115021923/https://variety.com/2007/scene/markets-festivals/hbo-rolls-with-ball-s-true-blood-1117969971/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The series premiered on September 7, 2008, and concluded on August 24, 2014, comprising seven seasons and 80 episodes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2013/07/true-blood-renewed-season-7-hbo-541238/ |title='True Blood' Renewed For Season 7 |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |date=July 15, 2013 |access-date=May 10, 2020 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115021924/https://deadline.com/2013/07/true-blood-renewed-season-7-hbo-541238/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |url = http://www.screenspy.com/industrynews/true-blood-to-end-its-run-in-2014/ |title = True Blood to End its Run in 2014 |author = The Screen Spy Team |date = September 3, 2013 |website = ScreenSpy |access-date = September 3, 2013 |archive-date = November 15, 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201115021927/https://www.screenspy.com/articles/tv/industrynews/true-blood-to-end-its-run-in-2014/ |url-status = live }}</ref> The first five seasons received highly positive reviews, and both nominations and wins for several awards, including a [[Golden Globe]] and an [[Emmy]].

==Series overview==
{{Main|List of True Blood episodes{{!}}List of ''True Blood'' episodes}}
{{:List of True Blood episodes}}
The series is set in a [[fictional universe]] where [[vampire|vampires]] have always existed, unbeknownst to the majority of humans until two years before the series premiere, when the creation of synthetic blood ("Tru Blood") by Japanese scientists, which eliminated vampires' need for human blood to survive, allowed vampires to "come out of the coffin" and reveal their existence to the world.{{ref|Strange Love|E-1}} This so-called "Great Revelation" has split vampires into two camps: those who wish to integrate into human society (i.e., "mainstream") by campaigning for citizenship and equal rights,{{ref|Strange Love|E-1}} and those who think human-vampire co-existence is impossible, because it conflicts with the inherently predatory and violent nature of vampires. It has also caused similar divisions amongst non-vampires; some believe that vampires should be accepted and granted rights, while others view them as monsters to be destroyed. Throughout the series, other [[supernatural]] creatures are introduced, among them [[shapeshifters]], [[skinwalkers]], [[werewolves]], [[werecats|werepanthers]], [[demons]], [[zombies]], [[faeries]], [[witches]], and a [[maenad]].

The series revolves around Sookie Stackhouse ([[Anna Paquin]]), a [[telepathic]] human-faerie hybrid known as a halfling (not to be confused with similarly named, but unrelated [[halfling|creatures]] found in other fantasy works). Sookie is a waitress at Merlotte's Bar and Grill, owned by [[Sam Merlotte]] ([[Sam Trammell]]) in the small [[Louisiana]] town of Bon Temps. Sam is a shapeshifter, though this secret is kept hidden from most of the town. Other characters include [[Bill Compton (The Southern Vampire Mysteries)|Bill Compton]] ([[Stephen Moyer]]), a 173-year-old vampire who has returned to Bon Temps to take up residence in his former home following the death of his last remaining relative; [[Tara Thornton]] ([[Rutina Wesley]]), Sookie's tough-talking but insecure best friend; [[Jason Stackhouse|Jason]] ([[Ryan Kwanten]]), Sookie's womanizing brother; [[Eric Northman]] ([[Alexander Skarsgård]]), a 1,000-year-old vampire and Sheriff of Area 5; and [[Lafayette Reynolds]] ([[Nelsan Ellis]]), a [[short order cook]], drug dealer, road crew member, and [[medium (spirituality)|medium]].

The show explores several contemporary issues such as the struggle for equal rights, discrimination, and violence against minorities and homosexuals, the problems of drug addiction, the power of faith and religion, the control/influence of the media, the quest for identity, and the importance of family.

==Season synopses==

===Season 1 (2008)===
{{Main|True Blood season 1{{!}}''True Blood'' season 1}}
The main mystery of the first season concerns the murders of women connected to Sookie's brother, Jason. Maudette Pickens and Dawn Green are both strangled shortly after having been alone with him. Though Detective Bellefleur has little doubt that Jason is the killer, the town sheriff does not suspect him. Sookie's grandmother is murdered shortly afterward. After the murders, Jason becomes addicted to vampire blood and has a short relationship with another addict, Amy Burley, which ends when she is murdered as well. The season also focuses on Sookie's relationship with Bill and Sam's relationship with Sookie's friend Tara. Bill explains the rules of being a vampire to Sookie and, after killing a vampire to defend her, is forced to "turn" a young girl named Jessica into a vampire as punishment. The immature Jessica is left under Bill's care and starts to grow up both as a vampire and as a person. In the end, it is revealed that Arlene Fowler's fiancé, Rene Lenier, has been killing women who associate with vampires. Further, he is actually a man named Drew Marshall who created a false identity, complete with a fake Cajun accent. The season ends with the discovery of a body in Detective Andy Bellefleur's car in Merlotte's parking lot.

===Season 2 (2009)===
{{Main|True Blood season 2{{!}}''True Blood'' season 2}}
The second season loosely follows the plot of the second novel of ''[[The Southern Vampire Mysteries]]'', ''[[Living Dead in Dallas]]''. In addition, the character of [[Sophie-Anne Leclerq]], initially introduced in the sixth novel ''[[Definitely Dead]]'', was introduced as a major supporting character. The main theme of the season involves the disappearance of [[Characters of True Blood#Godric|Godric]], the 2,000-year-old vampire Sheriff of Area 9. [[Eric Northman|Eric]] enlists Sookie and Bill's aid in finding the ancient vampire in Dallas. Their paths cross Jason's as he seeks to discover meaning in his life with the Fellowship of the Sun, a church dedicated to anti-vampire activities. A second theme concerns a [[maenad]] named [[Characters of True Blood#Maryann Forrester|Maryann]] who visits Bon Temps after [[Characters of True Blood#Tara Thornton|Tara]] attracts her attention at the end of the first season. Maryann is a figure from [[Characters of True Blood#Sam Merlotte|Sam]]'s past and knows his true identity as a shapeshifter. Her influence on the town and its residents results in mayhem that grows more destructive as the season progresses. At the end of the season, Bill proposes to Sookie but is kidnapped by unknown assailants when Sookie retreats to the bathroom to consider his proposal.

===Season 3 (2010)===
{{Main|True Blood season 3{{!}}''True Blood'' season 3}}
Season 3 loosely follows the plot of the third novel of The Southern Vampire Mysteries, ''[[Club Dead]]'', and introduces [[werewolves]] to the show's mythology through Alcide, a werewolf hired by Eric to help Sookie find Bill. It also introduces the characters of [[Russell Edgington]], the Vampire King of Mississippi, who wishes to overturn the Vampire Authority. In addition, some characters from the fourth novel ''[[Dead to the World (novel)|Dead to the World]]'' are introduced: [[List of The Southern Vampire Mysteries characters#Stackhouse|Crystal Norris]] as Jason's love interest, her family of [[werecat|werepanthers]] from Hotshot, and Sookie's "faerie godmother", Claudine. Sookie's heritage as part [[faerie]] is also revealed later in the season, a major plot element from the eighth and ninth novels ''[[From Dead to Worse]]'' and ''[[Dead and Gone (novel)|Dead and Gone]]''. This season ends with Jason left to take care of the werepanthers of Hotshot, Tara leaving Bon Temps after a traumatic experience with a vampire, Sookie discovering that Bill was first sent to Bon Temps by the Vampire Queen of Louisiana, Sam shooting his brother, Tommy, and Hoyt and Jessica moving in together. The final cliffhanger involves Claudine taking Sookie away to the land of Faerie.

===Season 4 (2011)===
{{Main|True Blood season 4{{!}}''True Blood'' season 4}}
A coven of witches, led by Marnie, poses a threat to vampires when they discover the witches are working on necromancy. Sookie returns to Bon Temps after a year (even though for her she was away for only a few minutes in Faerie) to find Bill as the new King of Louisiana and that her brother and friends had given up hope of finding her. As the series progresses, a powerful necromancer from the 16th century, Antonia, possesses the body of Marnie in order to exact revenge on all vampires. Sookie starts a romance with Eric who has amnesia due to a spell cast by Antonia/Marnie. The witch Antonia eventually realizes the wrongdoing she's caused to innocent people and decides to stop. Yet Marnie, addicted to Antonia's power, binds her against her will to acquire her powers. Subplots include Lafayette's introduction to the world of magic and his abilities as a medium, Sam's family troubles, Alcide and Debbie's troubled relationship, and Jason, Hoyt and Jessica's love triangle. The finale is a series of cliffhangers, including a warning from the ghost of Rene that Terry will cause Arlene trouble, the escape of Russell Edgington, the reappearance of Steve Newlin as a vampire, and the shooting of Tara.

===Season 5 (2012)===
{{Main|True Blood season 5{{!}}''True Blood'' season 5}}
The season starts with Sookie and Lafayette asking for Pam to turn Tara into a vampire. Bill and Eric are captured by the Vampire Authority for killing Nan Flanagan. The two are almost sentenced to death by the Guardian, Roman, before revealing that Russell Edgington is alive and free after being released by a mysterious vampire. With the help of Sookie, the team discovers his hiding place and brings him in. Russell and his new vampire-companion, Steve Newlin, along with Salome, and Eric's vampire sister, Nora, redefine the values of the Authority and view humans as nothing more than food: just as Lilith of the Vampire bible wanted. Meanwhile, Alcide deals with his troubled rise to pack-master, Terry learns he is death-cursed after committing a terrible crime during the war in [[Iraq]], while Tara learns how to deal with her newly given life as Pam's progeny. Jason and Sookie discover that their parents were murdered by a vampire named Warlow. Hoyt gets involved with a hate group, then decides to leave for Alaska, just as Andy heads towards life as a family man, and Lafayette tries to deal with the powers given to him by Jesus. The season ends with the Authority leadership being wiped out during the True Blood crisis, and Bill drinking the entirety of the sacred vial of Lilith in front of Sookie and Eric. He soon meets the "true death", but shortly after, he "rises from the blood", as an even more powerful vampire reincarnation of Lilith ("Billith").

===Season 6 (2013)===
{{Main|True Blood season 6{{!}}''True Blood'' season 6}}
The sixth season of ''True Blood'' premiered on June 16, 2013. After Alan Ball's departure from the series at the end of season 5, [[Brian Buckner]] replaced Ball as the show's showrunner. Season six focuses on Bill's abilities after he had drunk Lilith's blood. Sookie and Jason try to find Warlow, the vampire who killed their parents, with a fairy grandfather named Niall who arrives in Bon Temps while Louisiana governor Burrell leads a platform to eradicate the entire vampire race with Sarah Newlin. Sam and Alcide fight for Emma's safety; Terry struggles to live with himself after having killed Patrick; Andy raises his fairy daughters. Eric decides to turn the governor's daughter Willa into a vampire to convince him to stop his campaign, but she is put into a vampire camp by her father along with Eric, Pam, Jessica, and Tara, where they are all supposed to meet the sun according to Bill’s prophecy. Bill asks Sookie for help, who is considering becoming Warlow's vampire-fairy bride after discovering her parents tried to kill her when she was young. Eric has discovered that Sarah Newlin created a virus that kills vampires, later witnessing Dr. Overlark and Governor Burrell infect Nora in front of him. When the vampires are about to meet the sun, Bill offers his blood to them, allowing them to walk in the daylight. The season finishes six months later where Sookie is dating Alcide, Bill has released a book about the effects of drinking Lilith's blood, and Sam being the mayor of Bon Temps and selling his bar to Arlene, and a group of infected vampires heading toward the bar during a human/vampire outdoor night barbecue mixer.<ref>{{cite magazine |first=Sarene |last=Leeds |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-news/qa-true-blood-showrunner-brian-buckner-spills-on-season-six-125065/ |title=QA: 'True Blood' Showrunner on Season Six |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=June 10, 2013 |access-date=May 10, 2020 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022026/https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-news/qa-true-blood-showrunner-brian-buckner-spills-on-season-six-125065/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Season 7 (2014)===
{{Main|True Blood season 7{{!}}''True Blood'' season 7}}
The final season premiered on June 22, 2014, with the last episode airing on August 24. In this season, Bon Temps is terrorized by a group of vampires infected with the virus created in the previous season. They kill Tara and kidnap Arlene, Holly, Jane Bodehouse, Kevin and Nicole. Pam travels the world in search of Eric, who is found in France infected by the virus. They return to Bon Temps and help Sookie, Bill, and Jessica rescue the people who were kidnapped, after Sookie and Bill’s first attempt results in Alcide's death and Sookie being infected by the virus which she later transmits to Bill. Eric and Pam search for Sarah Newlin, who supposedly has an antidote for the virus. Several characters encounter closure like Lettie Mae making peace with Tara through visions caused by vampire blood, Jessica and Hoyt getting married after reuniting during the season, Lafayette entering a relationship with Jessica's ex-boyfriend James, and Sam leaving Bon Temps with Nicole. At the end of the series, Bill refuses to take the antidote to heal himself from the virus and asks Sookie to give him the "ultimate kindness". Sookie eventually agrees and strikes Bill's heart with a wooden stick in his grave at Bon Temps cemetery. Pam and Eric successfully sell the new Tru Blood with the antidote. The last scene of the series shows a pregnant Sookie sitting outside at a table full of people on Thanksgiving beside an unknown man. They kiss and drink, and everyone around them appears to be happy.

==Cast==
[[File:True Blood - 2011 International Comic-Con.jpg|thumb|Some of the cast of ''True Blood'' at the 2011 Comic-Con.]]
{{Main|List of True Blood characters|l1=List of ''True Blood'' characters}}
''True Blood'' employs a broad ensemble cast composed of regular, central characters and a rotating group of impermanent supporting characters. Though the series is based in the fictional town of Bon Temps, Louisiana, a noticeable number of the actors are originally from outside the United States. In an interview, Ball explained that he didn't intentionally seek out "non-American" actors, but was willing to go anywhere he needed to in order "to find the actor who makes the character breathe". Ball went on to explain that, in casting, there was more of a focus on who would portray the character in a compelling way rather than who would physically resemble the characters from the book. Noting that there's a definite difference between the characters and storylines portrayed in ''True Blood'' and the ones depicted in ''The Southern Vampire Mysteries'', he described Harris as being very understanding in terms of how her work was being reinterpreted.<ref name="Futon1">{{cite news| last = Halterman| first = Jim| title = True Blood's Alan Ball talks sex, violence & vampires| newspaper = The Futon Critic| date = September 5, 2008| url = http://www.thefutoncritic.com/rant.aspx?id=20080905_trueblood| access-date = September 1, 2009| archive-date = May 26, 2012| archive-url = https://archive.today/20120526101416/http://www.thefutoncritic.com/interviews.aspx?id=20080905_trueblood| url-status = live}}</ref>

===Main characters===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" <!-- style="text-align:center; font-size:90%; width:99%" -->
|-
! rowspan="2"| Actor
! rowspan="2"| Character
! colspan="7"| Seasons
|-
! style="width:9%;"| [[True Blood (season 1)|1]]
! style="width:9%;"| [[True Blood (season 2)|2]]
! style="width:9%;"| [[True Blood (season 3)|3]]
! style="width:9%;"| [[True Blood (season 4)|4]]
! style="width:9%;"| [[True Blood (season 5)|5]]
! style="width:9%;"| [[True Blood (season 6)|6]]
! style="width:9%;"| [[True Blood (season 7)|7]]
|-
| [[Anna Paquin]]
| [[Sookie Stackhouse]]
| colspan="7" {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| [[Stephen Moyer]]
| [[Bill Compton (The Southern Vampire Mysteries)|Bill Compton]]
| colspan="7" {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| [[Sam Trammell]]
| [[Sam Merlotte]]
| colspan="7" {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| [[Ryan Kwanten]]
| [[Jason Stackhouse]]
| colspan="7" {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| [[Rutina Wesley]]
| [[Tara Thornton]]
| colspan="7" {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| [[Chris Bauer]]
| [[Andy Bellefleur]]
| colspan="7" {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| [[Nelsan Ellis]]
| [[Lafayette Reynolds]]
| colspan="7" {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| [[Jim Parrack]]
| [[Hoyt Fortenberry]]
| colspan="5" {{cMain|Main}}
| {{n/a|}}
| {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| [[Carrie Preston]]
| [[Arlene Fowler|Arlene Fowler Bellefleur]]
| colspan="7" {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| [[Michael Raymond-James]]
| [[Rene Lenier|Rene Lenier / Drew Marshall]]
| {{cMain|Main}}
| {{n/a|}}
| colspan="2" {{cGuest|Special Guest}}
| colspan="3" {{n/a|}}
|-
| [[William Sanderson]]
| [[Bud Dearborne]]
| colspan="3" {{cMain|Main}}
| {{n/a|}}
| {{cGuest|Special Guest}}
| colspan="2" {{n/a|}}
|-
| [[Lynn Collins]]
| [[Dawn Green]]
| {{cMain|Main}}
| colspan="6" {{n/a|}}
|-
| [[Lois Smith]]
| [[Adele Stackhouse]]
| {{cMain|Main}}
| colspan="2" {{n/a|}}
| {{cGuest|Special Guest}}
| colspan="2" {{n/a|}}
| {{cGuest|Special Guest}}
|-
| [[Adina Porter]]
| [[Lettie Mae Thornton|Lettie Mae Daniels]]
| {{cMain|Main}}
| colspan="2" {{cRecurring|Recurring}}
| colspan="3" {{cGuest|Special Guest}}
| {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| [[Alexander Skarsgård]]
| [[Eric Northman]]
| colspan="7" {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| [[Lizzy Caplan]]
| [[Amy Burley]]
| {{cMain|Main}}
| colspan="6" {{n/a|}}
|-
| [[Stephen Root]]
| [[Eddie Gauthier|Eddie Fournier]]
| {{cMain|Main}}
| {{cGuest|Special Guest}}
| colspan="5" {{n/a|}}
|-
| [[Mehcad Brooks]]
| [[List of True Blood characters|"Eggs" Benedict Talley]]
| {{cGuest|Guest}}
| {{cMain|Main}}
| colspan="5" {{n/a|}}
|-
| [[Anna Camp]]
| [[List of True Blood characters|Sarah Newlin]]
| {{n/a|}}
| {{cMain|Main}}
| colspan="3" {{n/a|}}
| colspan="2" {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| [[Michelle Forbes]]
| [[List of True Blood characters|Maryann Forrester]]
| {{cRecurring|Recurring}}
| {{cMain|Main}}
| colspan="5" {{n/a|}}
|-
| [[Todd Lowe]]
| [[List of True Blood characters|Terry Bellefleur]]
| {{cRecurring|Recurring}}
| colspan="5" {{cMain|Main}}
| {{cGuest|Special Guest}}
|-
| [[Michael McMillian]]
| [[List of True Blood characters|Reverend Steve Newlin]]
| {{cRecurring|Recurring}}
| {{cMain|Main}}
| colspan="2" {{cGuest|Special Guest}}
| colspan="2" {{cMain|Main}}
| {{cGuest|Special Guest}}
|-
| [[Deborah Ann Woll]]
| [[Jessica Hamby]]
| {{cRecurring|Recurring}}
| colspan="6" {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| [[Mariana Klaveno]]
| [[Lorena Krasiki]]
| {{cGuest|Guest}}
| colspan="2" {{cMain|Main}}
| {{n/a|}}
| {{cGuest|Guest}}
| colspan="2" {{n/a|}}
|-
| [[Marshall Allman]]
| [[Tommy Mickens]]
| colspan="2" {{n/a|}}
| colspan="2" {{cMain|Main}}
| colspan="3" {{n/a|}}
|-
| [[Kristin Bauer van Straten]]
| [[Pamela Swynford De Beaufort|Pam Swynford de Beaufort]]
| colspan="2" {{cRecurring|Recurring}}
| colspan="5" {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| [[Kevin Alejandro]]
| [[Jesus Velasquez]]
| colspan="2" {{n/a|}}
| colspan="2" {{cMain|Main}}
| {{cRecurring|Recurring}}
| colspan="2" {{n/a|}}
|-
| [[Denis O'Hare]]
| [[Russell Edgington]]
| colspan="2" {{n/a|}}
| {{cMain|Main}}
| {{n/a|}}
| {{cMain|Main}}
| colspan="2" {{n/a|}}
|-
| [[Lindsay Pulsipher]]
| [[List of True Blood characters|Crystal Norris]]
| colspan="2" {{n/a|}}
| {{cMain|Main}}
| {{cRecurring|Recurring}}
| colspan="3" {{n/a|}}
|-
| [[Lauren Bowles]]
| [[List of True Blood characters|Holly Cleary]]
| colspan="2" {{n/a|}}
| {{cRecurring|Recurring}}
| colspan="4" {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| [[Janina Gavankar]]
| [[List of True Blood characters#Luna Garza|Luna Garza]]
| colspan="3" {{n/a|}}
| colspan="2" {{cMain|Main}}
| {{cGuest|Special Guest}}
| {{n/a|}}
|-
| [[Fiona Shaw]]
| [[List of True Blood characters|Marnie Stonebrook]]
| colspan="3" {{n/a|}}
| {{cMain|Main}}
| colspan="3" {{n/a|}}
|-
| [[Jessica Tuck]]
| [[List of True Blood characters|Nan Flanagan]]
| {{cRecurring|Recurring}}
| {{cGuest|Guest}}
| {{cRecurring|Recurring}}
| {{cMain|Main}}
| colspan="2" {{n/a|}}
| {{cGuest|Special Guest}}
|-
| [[Joe Manganiello]]
| [[Alcide Herveaux]]
| colspan="2" {{n/a|}}
| {{cRecurring|Recurring}}
| colspan="4" {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| [[Scott Foley]]
| [[List of True Blood characters|Patrick Devins]]
| colspan="3" {{n/a|}}
| {{cGuest|Special Guest}}
| {{cMain|Main}}
| colspan="2" {{n/a|}}
|-
| [[Lucy Griffiths (actress, born 1986)|Lucy Griffiths]]
| [[Nora Gainesborough]]
| colspan="4" {{n/a|}}
| colspan="2" {{cMain|Main}}
| {{n/a|}}
|-
| [[Christopher Meloni]]
| [[List of True Blood characters|Roman Zimojic]]
| colspan="4" {{n/a|}}
| {{cMain|Main}}
| colspan="2" {{n/a|}}
|-
| [[Valentina Cervi]]
| [[Salome Agrippa]]
| colspan="4" {{n/a|}}
| {{cMain|Main}}
| colspan="2" {{n/a|}}
|-
| [[Rutger Hauer]]
| [[Niall Brigant]]
| colspan="5" {{n/a|}}
| {{cMain|Main}}
| {{cGuest|Special Guest}}
|-
| [[Arliss Howard]]
| Truman Burrell
| colspan="5" {{n/a|}}
| {{cMain|Main}}
| {{n/a|}}
|-
| [[Kelly Overton]]
| Rikki Naylor
| colspan="4" {{n/a|}}
| {{cRecurring|Recurring}}
| {{cMain|Main}}
| {{n/a|}}
|-
| [[Robert Patrick]]
| Jackson Herveaux
| colspan="4" {{n/a|}}
| {{cRecurring|Recurring}}
| {{cMain|Main}}
| {{cGuest|Special Guest}}
|-
| [[Rob Kazinsky]]
| Macklyn Warlow
| colspan="5" {{n/a|}}
| {{cMain|Main}}
| {{n/a|}}
|-
| [[Jurnee Smollett-Bell]]
| Nicole Wright
| colspan="5" {{n/a|}}
| colspan="2" {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| [[Amelia Rose Blaire]]
| Willa Burrell
| colspan="5" {{n/a|}}
| {{cRecurring|Recurring}}
| {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| [[Gregg Daniel]]
| Reverend Daniels
| colspan="2" {{n/a|}}
| colspan="2" {{cGuest|Guest}}
| {{n/a|}}
| {{cGuest|Guest}}
| {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| [[Aaron Christian Howles]]
| Rocky Cleary
| colspan="4" {{n/a|}}
| {{cGuest|Guest}}
| {{cRecurring|Recurring}}
| {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| Noah Matthews
| Wade Cleary
| colspan="4" {{n/a|}}
| {{cGuest|Guest}}
| {{cRecurring|Recurring}}
| {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| [[Bailey Noble]]
| Adilyn Bellefleur
| colspan="5" {{n/a|}}
| {{cRecurring|Recurring}}
| {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| [[Luke Grimes]]
| rowspan="2"| James Kent
| colspan="5" {{n/a|}}
| {{cRecurring|Recurring}}
| {{n/a|}}
|-
| [[Nathan Parsons]]
| colspan="6" {{n/a|}}
| {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| [[Karolina Wydra]]
| Violet Mazurski
| colspan="5" {{n/a|}}
| {{cRecurring|Recurring}}
| {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| [[Tara Buck]]
| Ginger
| {{cGuest|Guest}}
| colspan="3" {{cRecurring|Recurring}}
| {{cGuest|Guest}}
| {{cRecurring|Recurring}}
| {{cMain|Main}}
|-
|}
;Cast notes
The major characters of the [[True Blood (season 1)|first season of ''True Blood'']] are introduced among various intertwining plot lines that surround the Bon Temps bar "Merlotte's". The show's main protagonist, [[Sookie Stackhouse]] ([[Anna Paquin]]), is a telepath and waitress at Merlotte's.{{ref|Strange Love|E-1}} In the opening episode she saves Merlotte's first vampire customer, [[William "Bill" Comptom|Bill Compton]] ([[Stephen Moyer]]), when a local couple attempts to drain him of his blood (vampire blood is known on the show as a human narcotic: "V" or "V Juice").{{ref|Strange Love|E-1}} Through the relationship that develops between Sookie and Bill, the viewer progressively learns more about vampire culture and the limitations of vampire physiology (e.g. susceptibility to silver and the sun).

The major plot of the first season revolves around the murder of several women connected to Sookie's older brother, [[Jason Stackhouse|Jason]] ([[Ryan Kwanten]]).{{ref|Strange Love|E-1}} The women murdered include sexual partner Maudette Pickens (Danielle Sapia),{{ref|Strange Love|E-1}} on-and-off romantic interest and Merlotte's waitress Dawn Green ([[Lynn Collins]]),{{ref|Mine|E-3}} grandmother [[Adele Stackhouse|Adele]] ([[Lois Smith]]) or simply "Gran",{{ref|Sparks|E-5}} and girlfriend [[Characters of True Blood#Amy Burley|Amy Burley]] ([[Lizzy Caplan]]).{{ref|Love Bury|E-11}} Though the viewer is always aware of Jason's innocence in their deaths, Detective [[Characters of True Blood#Andy Bellefleur|Andy Bellefleur]] ([[Chris Bauer]]) targets him as the prime suspect in the investigation he conducts with [[Characters of True Blood#Sheriff Bud Dearborne|Sheriff Bud Dearborne]] ([[William Sanderson]]) to identify their killer.{{ref|Strange Love|E-1}} Jason's best friends and co-workers, [[Characters of True Blood#Hoyt Fortenberry|Hoyt Fortenberry]] ([[Jim Parrack]]) and [[Rene Lenier]] ([[Michael Raymond-James]]) provide him with support despite the turmoil he encounters.{{ref|Strange Love|E-1}} Rene, who becomes engaged to Merlotte's waitress [[Arlene Fowler]] ([[Carrie Preston]]),{{ref|Fourth|E-8}} is eventually exposed as the Bon Temps murderer and is killed in a final confrontation with Sookie.{{ref|You'll Be|E-12}}

A secondary plot in the first season (that later develops as the primary storyline in the second) revolves around Sookie's best friend [[Tara Thornton]] ([[Rutina Wesley]]).{{ref|Strange Love|E-1}} In the first episode, Tara is hired as a bartender at Merlotte's by bar owner, shapeshifter,{{ref|Don't Wanna|E-11}} and admirer of Sookie, [[Sam Merlotte]] ([[Sam Trammell]]),{{ref|Strange Love|E-1}} with whom Tara later has a brief relationship.{{ref|Mine|E-3}} Tara's cousin [[Lafayette Reynolds]] ([[Nelsan Ellis]]) already works as a cook at Merlotte's{{ref|Strange Love|E-1}} (in addition to several other jobs that include road crew, prostitute, and drug dealer){{ref|Mine|E-3}} with Andy's cousin and [[Iraq War]] [[veteran]], [[List of True Blood characters#Terry Bellefleur|Terry]] ([[Todd Lowe]]).{{ref|First Taste|E-2}} Tara's story is characterized by her relationship with her [[alcoholic]] and abusive mother [[List of True Blood characters#Lettie Mae Thornton|Lettie Mae]] ([[Adina Porter]]){{ref|First Taste|E-2}} and her own inner "demons".{{ref|Wanna Know|E-10}} During the season, Lettie Mae achieves sobriety{{ref|Fourth|E-8}} but Tara's life begins to spin out of control. Kicked out of her home and totaling her car in a drunk driving crash,{{ref|Wanna Know|E-10}} she's taken in by "social worker" [[Characters of True Blood#Maryann Forrester|Maryann Forrester]] ([[Michelle Forbes]]).{{ref|Love Bury|E-11}} While staying with Maryann, Tara is introduced to [[List of True Blood characters#Benedict Talley|"Eggs" Benedict Talley]] ([[Mehcad Brooks]]), to whom she becomes attracted.{{ref|Love Bury|E-11}}

The final major plotline of the first season revolves around the elements of vampire society that Sookie and Bill's relationship introduce. While trying to prove her brother's innocence in relation to Maudette and Dawn's murders, Bill takes Sookie to the vampire bar "Fangtasia" to investigate. There, Sookie is introduced to Fangtasia's owner and the vampire sheriff of "Area 5" in Louisiana: [[Eric Northman]] ([[Alexander Skarsgård]]).{{ref|Dragon House|E-4}} Eric is immediately interested in Sookie and her strange abilities, but his progeny and assistant [[Pamela Swynford De Beaufort|Pam]] ([[Kristin Bauer]]) is less impressed.{{ref|Dragon House|E-4}} Eric employs Sookie to find a thief in his bar, but the perpetrator (a vampire named Longshadow) attempts to kill Sookie when she reveals his identity. Bill stakes and kills the thief to save her, but has committed a serious crime in killing another vampire.{{ref|Fourth|E-8}} When Bill is tried for his crime, his punishment is to transform seventeen-year-old [[Jessica Hamby]] ([[Deborah Ann Woll]]) into a vampire to replace the one he destroyed.{{ref|Wanna Know|E-10}}

A secondary plotline introduced in the first season (which later becomes a main plotline in Season 2) is that although many humans are attracted to vampires (referred to as "fang bangers") and flock to establishments like Fangtasia, not all people are accepting of the idea that vampires should be given rights equal to those afforded the mortals of the ''True Blood'' universe. During the first season, one of the ways in which anti-vampire sentiment is expressed is through regular televised appearances by the "Fellowship of the Sun",{{ref|First Taste|E-2}} a Dallas-based church that in Season 2 becomes headed by the [[Characters of True Blood#Steve Newlin|Reverend Steve Newlin]] ([[Michael McMillian]]){{ref|Mine|E-3}} after his father and family are killed in a strange "accident".{{ref|First Taste|E-2}}

During the [[True Blood (season 2)|second season of ''True Blood'']], the influence of Maryann Forrester and the conflict between vampires and humans is expanded. Most of the cast from the first season returns and several new main characters are introduced. The same style of interconnected storytelling used in the first season is repeated, with the foremost plot focusing on Maryann Forrester being revealed as a [[maenad]]{{ref|Release|E-19}} with the power to influence humans.{{ref|Scratches|E-15}} She begins by manipulating Tara and Eggs to achieve her goal of summoning her god to earth,{{ref|Timebomb|E-20}} and eventually takes control of almost the entire population of Bon Temps.{{ref|New World|E-22}}

While Maryann begins establishing her hold on Bon Temps, Sookie is recruited by Eric{{ref|Scratches|E-15}} to investigate the disappearance of his two-thousand-year-old maker and the Sheriff of Area 9 in Texas: [[List of True Blood Characters#Godric|Godric]] ([[Allan Hyde]]).{{ref|Never Let|E-17}} While Sookie is absent from Bon Temps, Sam hires [[Characters of True Blood#Daphne Landry|Daphne Landry]] ([[Ashley Jones]]) to join Merlotte's staff.{{ref|Nothing but|E-13}} Daphne (who is revealed to also be a shapeshifter{{ref|Never Let|E-17}}) begins a romance with Sam,{{ref|Fingerpop|E-16}} but is later exposed as working for Maryann.{{ref|Hannah|E-18}} Jason also leaves Bon Temps for Dallas to join the Fellowship of the Sun,{{ref|Party Going|E-14}} which Reverend Newlin has steered in a new militant direction despite the protestations of his wife [[Characters of True Blood#Sarah Newlin|Sarah]] ([[Anna Camp]]).{{ref|Nothing but|E-13}} Godric is discovered in the custody of the Fellowship,{{ref|Never Let|E-17}} and one of Godric's lieutenants, [[List of True Blood characters#Isabel Beaumont|Isabel Beaumont]] ([[Valerie Cruz]]),{{ref|Never Let|E-17}} sends her human boyfriend Hugo ([[Christopher Gartin]]){{ref|Hannah|E-18}} to assist Sookie in infiltrating the church. Though Eric's primary interest in Dallas is finding Godric, he also attempts to place himself between Sookie and Bill. To accomplish this, he enlists the aid of Bill's maker [[Characters of True Blood#Lorena|Lorena]] ([[Mariana Klaveno]]);{{ref|Never Let|E-17}}, who thus becomes a more prominent contribution to the cast after a brief introduction in the first season.{{ref|Sparks|E-5}} In the penultimate episode of the second season, once the conflict in Texas is concluded, the vampire queen of Louisiana [[Sophie-Anne Leclerq]] ([[Evan Rachel Wood]]) is introduced.{{ref|Frenzy|E-23}} Both Bill and Eric visit her in an attempt to find out how to defeat Maryann.{{ref|Frenzy|E-23}} Bill uses the information provided by Sophie-Anne to devise a plan involving Sam and Sookie, and the three manage to kill Maryann in the season two finale. Subsequently, Bill takes Sookie out to an exclusive French restaurant to propose to her. However, before she can give her answer, Bill is kidnapped.

Season three picks up straight after the events of season two with Sookie on the hunt to track down Bill and his kidnappers. She turns to Eric for help, who is not interested (seeing this turn of events as a chance to get Sookie for himself), but he ends up sending werewolf [[Alcide Herveaux]] ([[Joe Manganiello]]) for assistance after it is revealed that Bill was taken by V-addicted werewolves in the employ of the 3000-year-old vampire king of Mississippi, [[List of True Blood characters#Seasonal antagonists|Russell Edgington]] ([[Denis O'Hare]]). Meanwhile, back in Bon Temps, Lafayette embarks on a relationship with his mother's care nurse and [[Brujería|brujo]] [[List of True Blood characters|Jesús Velasquez]] ([[Kevin Alejandro]]) and learns about his own special powers as a medium, while Sam hires a new waitress at Merlotte's, Wiccan Holly Cleary ([[Lauren Bowles]]).

In season 4, [[Jessica Tuck]] ([[List of True Blood characters#Nan Flanagan|Nan Flanagan]]) and [[Janina Gavankar]] (Luna) became season regulars. [[Alexandra Breckenridge]] (Kate) and [[Vedette Lim]] (Naomi) became recurring actresses.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tvguide.com/news/true-blood-tuck-1026065/ |title=True Blood Promotes Jessica Tuck; Adds Three New Actresses |first=Kate |last=Stanhope |work=[[TV Guide]] |access-date=May 10, 2020 |archive-date=January 12, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150112181540/http://www.tvguide.com/news/true-blood-tuck-1026065.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>

Joining the cast for season five was [[Christopher Meloni]], who previously starred on another of [[HBO]]'s own original series ''[[Oz (TV series)|Oz]]'' as well as ''[[Law & Order: Special Victims Unit]]'' for 12 years.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/article/2011/12/13/chris-meloni-joins-true-blood/ |title=True Blood casts Chris Meloni as vampire |first=Lynette |last=Rice |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |access-date=May 10, 2020 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115021944/https://ew.com/article/2011/12/13/chris-meloni-joins-true-blood/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Also joining the cast is [[Scott Foley]] as Patrick, Terry's old war buddy,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://true-blood.net/2011/06/21/true-blood-season-5-casting-news-spoilers/ |title=True Blood Season 5 Casting News (SPOILERS!) |work=True-Blood.net |date=June 21, 2011 |author=Mel |access-date=May 10, 2020 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022229/http://true-blood.net/2011/06/21/true-blood-season-5-casting-news-spoilers/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Louis Herthum as JD, [[Kelly Overton]] as Rikki, a new werewolf curious how Marcus died,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://truebloodnet.com/spoiler-new-weres-cast-for-true-blood-season-5/ |first=Jill |last=Foley |title=Spoiler: New Weres Cast for True Blood Season 5 |work=True Blood Net |date=December 4, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120707085251/http://truebloodnet.com/spoiler-new-weres-cast-for-true-blood-season-5/ |archive-date=July 7, 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Carolyn Hennesy]] is expected to be Rosalyn Harris, a Texas vampire with twang,<ref>{{cite web |first=Kelly |last=Woo |url=http://wetpaint.com/carolyn-hennesy-joining-true-blood-season-5-cast-633785/ |title=True Blood Season 5 News: Carolyn Hennesy Cast as 'Vampire With Texas Twang' |work=[[Wetpaint]] |date=December 5, 2011 |access-date=February 10, 2012 }}{{Dead link|date=April 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> and Jacob Hopkins will play child vampire Chancellor Alexander Drew.<ref>{{cite web |first=Jerrica |last=Tisdale |url=http://gossipandgab.com/5673/true-blood-season-5-exclusive-interview-with-jacob-hopkins |title=True Blood 2012: Season 5 Exclusive Interview with Jacob Hopkins |work=Gossip & Gab |date=July 13, 2012 |access-date=July 14, 2012 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022010/http://gossipandgab.com/5673/true-blood-season-5-exclusive-interview-with-jacob-hopkins |url-status=live }}</ref>

For season six, it was announced that [[Robert Kazinsky]] would join the principal cast as Ben, a faerie and a potential love interest for Sookie. He will also help Sookie and Jason discover the truth about their parents' murders.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/13/the-good-wife-kyle-maclachlan_n_2125865.html |title='The Good Wife' Nabs Kyle MacLachlan And More Casting News |work=[[HuffPost]] |date=November 13, 2012 |access-date=June 23, 2013 |first=Jaimie |last=Etkin |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022246/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-good-wife-kyle-maclachlan_n_2125865 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Robert Patrick]], who guest starred in season five as Jackson Herveaux, was promoted to series regular for season six.<ref name="ign.com">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/12/10/robert-patrick-becomes-true-blood-regular?abthid=50c636e213459c776e000004 |title=Robert Patrick Becomes True Blood Regular |first=Matt |last=Fowler |website=[[IGN]] |date=December 10, 2012 |access-date=June 23, 2013 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022022/https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/12/10/robert-patrick-becomes-true-blood-regular?abthid=50c636e213459c776e000004 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Rutger Hauer]], who starred in ''[[Blade Runner]]'' and ''[[Batman Begins]]'', was announced as a series regular playing Macklyn, a character with "strong ties to Sookie and Jason."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://screencrush.com/true-blood-season-6-rutger-hauer/ |title='True Blood' Season 6: Rutger Hauer Added As Series Regular |first=Kevin |last=Fitzpatrick |work=[[ScreenCrush]] |date=October 4, 2012 |access-date=June 23, 2013 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022201/https://screencrush.com/true-blood-season-6-rutger-hauer/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

As reported by ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'', [[Adina Porter]] would be returning for the seventh season as a series regular after being credited as a Special Guest Star since season two. Also upgraded to regulars are season six guest stars [[Amelia Rose Blaire]] as Willa Burrell, [[Bailey Noble]] as Adilyn Bellefleur, [[Luke Grimes]] as James and [[Karolina Wydra]] as Violet Mazurski.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/true-blood-promotes-adina-porter-651066 |title='True Blood' Promotes Adina Porter to Series Regular |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=October 25, 2013 |first=Lesley |last=Goldberg |access-date=November 2, 2013 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022025/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/true-blood-promotes-adina-porter-651066 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Production==

===Development history===
Series creator [[Alan Ball (screenwriter)|Alan Ball]] had previously worked with the cable channel HBO on ''[[Six Feet Under (TV series)|Six Feet Under]]'', which ran for five seasons. In October 2005, after ''Six Feet Under'' wrapped, Ball signed a two-year agreement with HBO to develop and produce original programming for the network. ''True Blood'' became the first project under the deal after Ball became acquainted with [[Charlaine Harris]]'s Southern Vampire Mystery books.<ref name="press release">{{cite press release |title= HBO Concludes Exclusive Two-Year Television Deal with 'Six Feet Under' Creator Alan Ball |publisher= [[Time Warner]], of which HBO is a subsidiary |date= October 31, 2005 |url= https://www.warnermediagroup.com/newsroom/press-releases/2005/10/31/hbo-concludes-exclusive-two-year-television-deal-with-six-feet |access-date= May 10, 2020 |archive-date= November 15, 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022229/https://pressroom.warnermedia.com/us |url-status= live }}</ref> One day, while early for a dental appointment, Ball was browsing through a [[Barnes & Noble]] bookshop and came across ''[[Dead Until Dark]]'' (2001), the first installment in Harris' series. He read the entries that followed and became interested in "bringing [Harris'] vision to television".<ref name="press release"/><ref name="IGN paley fest">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/04/14/bloody-bites-from-true-blood-season-2 |first=Matt |last=Fowler |title=Bloody Bites from True Blood Season 2 |date=June 12, 2001 |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=May 10, 2020 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115021929/https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/04/14/bloody-bites-from-true-blood-season-2 |url-status=live }}</ref> Having already had two other adaptation options for the books, Harris said she chose to work with him, though, because "[Ball] really 'got' me. That's how he convinced me to go with him. I just felt that he understood what I was doing with the books."{{citation needed|date=July 2019}}

The project's hour-long [[Pilot (TV)|pilot]] was ordered concurrently with the completion of the development deal. It was written, directed, and produced by Ball.<ref name="HBO roles with" /><ref name="press release" /> Cast members Paquin, Kwanten, and Trammell were announced in February 2007, and Moyer later in April.<ref name="Paquin finds">{{cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/paquin-finds-true-calling-ball-130821 |title=Paquin finds 'True' calling for Ball, HBO |access-date=May 10, 2020 |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=February 26, 2007 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100323060042/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3i72ff675fda9c3c4bb99995e58e86eb35 |archive-date=March 23, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url = https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/moyer-hbo-make-blood-pact-133609 |title = Moyer, HBO make 'Blood' pact |last = Andreeva |first = Nellie |website = [[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date = April 9, 2007 |access-date = February 23, 2016 |archive-date = November 15, 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201115021936/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/moyer-hbo-make-blood-pact-133609 |url-status = live }}</ref> The pilot was shot in the early summer of 2007 and was officially ordered to series in August, at which point Ball had already written more episodes.<ref name="HBO roles with" /> Production on the series began later that fall,<ref>{{cite news |last= Mitovitch |first= Matt |title= True Blood Vampire Saga Tests Positive at HBO |work= [[TV Guide]] |url= https://www.tvguide.com/news/true-blood-vampire-16079/ |date= August 10, 2007 |access-date= May 10, 2020 |archive-date= November 15, 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201115021932/https://www.tvguide.com/news/true-blood-vampire-16079/ |url-status= live }}</ref> with [[Brook Kerr]], who portrayed Tara Thornton in the original pilot, replaced by [[Rutina Wesley]].<ref name='Futon review'>{{cite web |url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/reviews/2008/06/05/the-futons-first-look-true-blood-hbo-27770/20080605_trueblood/ |title=The Futon Critic's First Look: "True Blood" (HBO) |access-date=June 16, 2014 |last=Ford Sullivan |first=Brian |author-link=Brian Ford Sullivan |date=June 5, 2008 |website=[[The Futon Critic]] |archive-date=May 26, 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120526004707/http://www.thefutoncritic.com/reviews/2008/06/05/the-futons-first-look-true-blood-hbo-27770/20080605_trueblood/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Two more episodes of the series had been filmed before the [[2007-08 Writers Guild of America strike]] shut down production of the 12-episode first season until February 2008.<ref>{{cite news |title =The TV Grid: Is your show coming back? |url =https://www.latimes.com/business/la-striketvgrid-html-htmlstory.html |work =[[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date =May 10, 2020 |date =December 20, 2007 |archive-date =November 15, 2020 |archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20201115021933/https://www.latimes.com/business/la-striketvgrid-html-htmlstory.html |url-status =live }}</ref> That September, after only the first two episodes of the series had aired, HBO placed an order for a second season of 12 episodes, with production scheduled to commence in January 2009 for a summer premiere.<ref>{{cite news |title=HBO renews 'True Blood' |date=September 17, 2008 |url=http://www.thrfeed.com/2008/09/hbo-renews-true.html |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090815061204/http://www.thrfeed.com/2008/09/hbo-renews-true.html |archive-date=August 15, 2009 |url-status=dead |access-date=May 2, 2009 }}</ref>

===Title sequence===
''True Blood'''s Emmy-nominated title sequence is composed of portrayals of the show's [[Deep South]] setting, and runs to "[[Bad Things (Jace Everett song)|Bad Things]]" by [[Jace Everett]]. The original featurette was created around the [[Jennifer Herrema]] ([[Royal Trux]]) song "RadTimesXpress".<ref name='Doing baptisms'>{{cite news |title=Doing Baptisms, Bars, and Bloodlust |date=September 10, 2008 |work=[[Business Wire]] |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20080910005257/en/Baptisms-Bars-Bloodlust |access-date=May 10, 2020 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115021934/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20080910005257/en/Baptisms-Bars-Bloodlust |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:True Blood Opening Sequence.jpg|thumb|The makers of the title sequence wanted to explore themes of redemption and forgiveness.]]

Conceptually, the sequence was constructed around the idea of "the whore in the house of prayer"<ref name='DK feature'>{{cite web |url=http://news.creativeleague.com/feature-dks-true-blood-the-making-of/ |title=Feature: DK's True Blood – The Making Of |access-date=May 2, 2009 |work=Creative League News |publisher=Creative League |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131204135231/http://news.creativeleague.com/feature-dks-true-blood-the-making-of |archive-date=December 4, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> by intermingling contradictory images of sex, violence, and religion and displaying them from the point of view of "a [[supernatural]], predatory creature observing human beings from the shadows ..."<ref name='Doing baptisms'/> Ideas of redemption and forgiveness are also explored, and thus the sequence progresses from morning to night and culminates in a [[baptism]].<ref name='DK feature'/>

The title sequence was created by the independent film company Digital Kitchen. The sequence also features images and themes of death and rebirth; the circle of life. A [[Venus fly-trap]] can be seen engulfing a frog, while the rotting of a fox's head is sped up to reveal maggots feeding off the corpse. Rebirth is represented by an image of a woman being "washed clean" from her sins in a lake, and a preacher blessing and possibly performing an exorcism on a member of his congregation.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.artofthetitle.com/2008/11/21/true-blood/ |title=True Blood opening title sequence |first=Alexander |last=Ulloa |work=[[Art of the Title]] |date=November 21, 2008 |access-date=November 3, 2011 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115021954/https://www.artofthetitle.com/title/true-blood/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Some of the footage used in the sequence was filmed on location. Digital Kitchen took a four-day trip to [[Louisiana]] to film; it also shot scenes at a [[Chicago]] church, and on a stage and in a bar in [[Seattle]].<ref name= 'DK feature'/> The opening sequence of TRUE BLOOD contains shots that are composed of original documentaries, tabletop photography, studio and found footage which are completely handmade. Creative director Matt Mulder explains that they wanted the 
edit to “rumble through the swamps, wilderness and the cultures of the South to eventually reach into the hearts and minds of its inhabitants.”<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.watchthetitles.com/articles/00131-True_Blood |last=Vlaanderen |first=Remco |title=True Blood |website=Watch the Titles! |date=March 25, 2009 |access-date=April 29, 2020 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115021938/https://www.watchthetitles.com/titlesequence/true-blood |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Williams |first=Raymond |title=Television: Technology and Cultural Form |url=https://archive.org/details/television00will |url-access=registration |location=New York |publisher=Schocken Books |year=1974|isbn=9780805205015 }}</ref>

During editing, individual frames were splattered with drops of blood.<ref name= 'DK feature'/> The sequence's transitions were constructed differently; they were made with a [[Instant film|Polaroid]] transfer technique. The last frame of one shot and the first frame of another were taken as a single Polaroid photo, which was divided between [[emulsion]] and backing. The emulsion was filmed being further separated by chemicals, and those shots of this separation were placed back into the final edit.<ref name= 'Doing baptisms'/> Eight different typefaces, inspired by Southern road signs, were created manually for cast and crew credits, as well as the show's title card.<ref name= 'DK feature'/>

In a 2010 issue of ''[[TV Guide]]'', the show's opening title sequence ranked #5 on a list of TV's top 10 credits sequences, as selected by readers.<ref>{{cite news |last=Tomashoff |first=Craig |title=Credits Check |work=[[TV Guide]] |date= October 18, 2010 |pages =16–17}}</ref>

===Music===
[[Gary Calamar]], who supervises the series' music, said his goal for the show's soundtrack is to create something "swampy, bluesy and spooky" and to feature local Louisiana musicians.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1046944/five-tv-shows-to-enrich-the-ears-in-08 |title=Five TV Shows To Enrich The Ears In '08 |first=Chuck |last=Crisafulli |magazine=[[Billboard.com]] |date=January 2, 2008 |access-date=June 23, 2013 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022221/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1046944/five-tv-shows-to-enrich-the-ears-in-08 |url-status=live }}</ref> ''True Blood'' soundtrack albums have twice earned [[Grammy Award]] nominations.

Composer [[Nathan Barr]] writes the original score for the series, which features the cello, guitar, [[prepared piano]], and glass harmonica among other instruments, all of which he performs himself.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0056550/bio |title=Nathan Barr – Biography |access-date=November 6, 2009 |work=[[Internet Movie Database]] |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115021950/https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0056550/bio |url-status=live }}</ref> The main theme song is "Bad Things" by [[country music]] artist [[Jace Everett]], from his 2005 self-titled debut.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20222109,00.html |title=True Blood – TV Review |access-date=October 22, 2008 |date=September 7, 2008 |last=Tucker |first=Ken |author-link=Ken Tucker |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115021937/https://ew.com/article/2008/09/07/true-blood-2/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Both [[Nathan Barr]] and [[Jace Everett]] won 2009 awards from [[Broadcast Music Incorporated]] in the BMI Cable Awards category for, respectively, ''True Blood's'' original score and theme song.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bmi.com/news/entry/538576 |title=BMI Film & Television Awards Tout Composers of Year's Top Film, Television, & Cable Music |work=[[Broadcast Music, Inc.|BMI]] |date=May 21, 2009 |access-date=June 5, 2012 |archive-date=September 15, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180915165312/https://www.bmi.com/news/entry/538576 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The show's individual episode titles are named after songs featured in the episodes, usually heard during the closing credits. The title usually indicates something about the events that will unfold throughout the given episode. For example, episode ten of season four is titled "[[Burning Down the House]]", and the end credits feature a cover version of the classic [[Talking Heads]] song performed by [[The Used]].

==== Soundtrack albums ====
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+List of albums, with selected chart positions
! rowspan="2" scope="col" |Title
! rowspan="2" scope="col" |Album details
! colspan="2" scope="col" |Peak chart positions
|-
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;" | [[Billboard 200|US]]<br /><ref>{{cite magazine |date=June 6, 2009 |title=''Billboard'' 200: Week of June 6, 2009 |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/2009-06-06/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160126152034/https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/2009-06-06/ |archive-date=January 26, 2016 |access-date=May 22, 2024 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref>
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;" | [[UK Albums Downloads Chart|UK<br />DL]]<br /><ref>{{cite web |date=August 23, 2009 |title=Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100 – 23 to 29 August |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-downloads-chart/20090823/7003/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230917215947/https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-downloads-chart/20090823/7003/ |archive-date=September 17, 2023 |access-date=May 22, 2024 |website=[[Official Charts Company]]}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |''[[True Blood: Music from the HBO Original Series]]''
|
* Released: May 19, 2009
* Label: [[Elektra Records]]
* Formats: Digital download, CD and vinyl
|105
|90
|-
! scope="row" |''[[True Blood: Music from the HBO Original Series, Vol. 2]]''
|
* Released: May 25, 2010
* Label: Elektra Records
* Formats: Digital download, CD and vinyl
|84
|—
|-
! scope="row" |''[[True Blood: Music from the HBO Original Series, Vol. 3]]''
|
* Released: September 6, 2011
* Label: [[WaterTower Music]]
* Formats: Digital download, CD and vinyl
|191
|—
|-
! scope="row" |''[[True Blood: Music from the HBO Original Series, Vol. 4]]''
|
* Released: May 28, 2013
* Label: Ato Records
* Formats: Digital download, CD and vinyl
|—
|—
|}

===Marketing===
[[File:Truebloodopticalillusion.jpg|thumb|right|Promotional poster for second season]]
The premiere of ''True Blood'' was prefaced with a [[viral marketing]]/[[alternate reality game]] (ARG) campaign, based at BloodCopy.com, throughout the summer.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://yokedesign.com.au/blog/online-marketing-done-right-the-case-of-hbo-true-blood/ |title=Online Marketing Done Right – the Case of HBO's True Blood |author=Yoke |work=Yoke |date=June 17, 2014 |access-date=May 10, 2020 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022207/https://yoke.com.au/blog/online-marketing-done-right-the-case-of-hbo-true-blood/ |url-status=live }}</ref> This included setting up multiple websites,<ref name="bloodcopy">{{cite web
| title = BloodCopy
| access-date=June 19, 2008
| url = http://bloodcopy.com/
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080728131110/http://bloodcopy.com/
| archive-date=July 28, 2008
}}</ref><ref name="rev">{{cite web
| title = RevenantOnes
| access-date=June 19, 2008
| url = http://www.revenantones.com/
| url-status = usurped
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080612140731/http://www.revenantones.com/green/
|archive-date=June 12, 2008
}}</ref><ref name="chishio.jp">{{cite web
| title = Chishio.jp
| access-date = June 19, 2008
| url = http://www.chishio.jp/
| archive-date = August 27, 2011
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110827140025/http://chishio.jp/
| url-status = live
}}</ref> encoding web address into unmarked envelopes mailed to high-profile blog writers and others, and even performances by a "vampire" who attempted to reach out to others of their kind, to discuss the recent creation of "TrueBlood", a fictional beverage featured in the show.
A [[MySpace]] account with the username "Blood"<ref name="myspace-account">{{cite web
| title = MySpace.com – Blood – 28 – Male – Shreveport, Louisiana
| access-date=May 10, 2020
| url = http://www.myspace.com/389839563
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130512224922/http://www.myspace.com/389839563
| url-status = dead
| archive-date = May 12, 2013
}}</ref> had, as of June 19, uploaded two videos;<ref name="blood-videos">{{cite web
| title = MySpaceTV Videos: Blood Video Channel
| access-date = June 19, 2008
| url = http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.channel&ChannelID=389839563
| archive-date = November 15, 2020
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022003/https://myspace.com/
| url-status = live
}}</ref> one entitled "Vampire Taste Test – True Blood vs Human",<ref name="myspacevid1">{{cite video
| title = MySpaceTV Videos: Vampire Taste Test – Tru Blood vs Human by Blood
| access-date=June 19, 2008
| time = 1:29
| url = http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=36335810
}}</ref> and one called "BloodCopy Exclusive INTERVIEW WITH SAMSON THE VAMPIRE".
A [[prequel]] [[comic]] was handed out to attendees of the 2008 [[Comic-Con International|Comic-Con]]. The comic centers around an old vampire named Lamar, who tells the reader about how TruBlood surfaced and was discussed between many vampires before going public. At one point, Lamar wonders if TruBlood is making the world safe for vampires or from them. Several commercials featured on HBO and [[Facebook]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/watch/TruBlood-23768668081/ |title=American TruBlood Commercial |website=[[Facebook]] |date=July 15, 2008 |access-date=May 10, 2020 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115021942/https://www.facebook.com/watch/TruBlood-23768668081/ |url-status=live }}</ref> aired prior to the series premiere, placing vampires in ads similar to those of beer and wine.

HBO produced and broadcast two documentaries to promote ''True Blood'', entitled "True Bloodlines".<ref>{{cite web|last=Turek |first=Ryan |url=http://www.shocktillyoudrop.com/news/topnews.php?id=7555 |title=A Pair of True Blood Docs on the Way |website=ShockTillYouDrop.com |date=September 1, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509063154/http://www.shocktillyoudrop.com/news/topnews.php?id=7555 |archive-date=May 9, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The first, ''Vampire Legends'', explored the earliest portrayals of vampires in legend, literature, and cinema. The second, ''A New Type'', discusses vampire culture from Nosferatu to today's sensual, sexual creatures. To that end, the show also covered the modern vampire subculture and real-life vampire clubs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tlcoto.salemsloft.com/index.php?topic=1060.0 | title=HBO Documentaries: True Bloodlines- Vamp Legends & A New Type (Sept 7, 2008) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425231221/http://tlcoto.salemsloft.com/index.php?topic=1060.0 |archive-date=April 25, 2012 |url-status=usurped |work=The Lost Children}}</ref> Actors and writers from ''True Blood'' appeared in the documentaries. The shows first aired on September 6, 2008, on HBO.

Thousands of DVDs of the first episode were handed out to attendees of Midnight Madness, a special film festival. [[Blockbuster Video]] provided free rental of the first episode of ''True Blood'' several days before it was broadcast on HBO.

On April 16, 2009, HBO released the first teaser poster for season 2. The image uses a perspective technique that shows observers one of two images.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://reporter.blogs.com/live_feed/2009/04/new-teaser-poster-for-true-blood-season-two.html |first=James |last=Hibberd |author-link=James Hibberd (writer) |title=Wicked new teaser poster for 'True Blood' season two |work=The Live Feed |publisher=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=April 17, 2009 |access-date=May 10, 2020 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022221/https://reporter.blogs.com/live_feed/2009/04/new-teaser-poster-for-true-blood-season-two.html |url-status=live }}</ref> A minute-long promotional video advertising season two, which featured [[Bob Dylan]]'s "[[Beyond Here Lies Nothin']]", was released via ''[[Entertainment Tonight]]'' in early May.<ref>{{cite web |title= Watch the new ''True Blood'' promo here |publisher=[[Sci-Fi Wire]] |date= May 2, 2009 |url= http://scifiwire.com/2009/05/watch-the-new-true-blood.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100213144821/http://scifiwire.com/2009/05/watch-the-new-true-blood.php |archive-date=February 13, 2010}}</ref> There was also a website for The Fellowship of the Sun,<ref>{{cite web|author=HBO |url=http://fellowshipofthesun.org/ |title=Fellowship of the Sun |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140209195540/http://fellowshipofthesun.org/ |archive-date=February 9, 2014}}</ref> antagonists from the book series, featuring videos about hot-button issues such as becoming a vampire.

In September 2009, HBO filed a trademark registration with the [[United States Patent and Trademark Office]] for a possible future electronic game based on ''True Blood''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Bailey |first=Kat |url=http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3176040 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120719021321/http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3176040 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 19, 2012 |title=HBO Files Trademark For 'True Blood' Game |work=[[1Up.com]]}}</ref> The network then launched a ''True Blood'' jewelry line in collaboration with New York-based designer Udi Behr. Inspired by the series, the jewelry has a Gothic look and features sterling silver, polished steel, and rubies.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/hbo-bites-fashion-true-blood-jewelry-106419/ |title=HBO Bites Into Fashion With 'True Blood' Jewelry |first=Stacy |last=Straczynski |work=[[Brandweek]] |date=September 18, 2009 |access-date=May 10, 2020 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115021942/https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/hbo-bites-fashion-true-blood-jewelry-106419/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In the same month, HBO.com began selling Tru:Blood, a beverage branded to resemble the fictional synthetic blood that appears in the show. The beverage is a carbonated blood orange-flavored drink, developed and manufactured by [[Omni Consumer Products (company)|Omni Consumer Products]], a company that specializes in defictionalizing brands from television and movies, and FMCG Manufacturing Company, a specialist manufacturer of licensed entertainment products.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.trubeverage.com/ |title=Tru:Blood |publisher= Omni Consumer Products |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140719162439/http://trubeverage.com/ |archive-date=July 19, 2014}}</ref>

[[File:Universitatea București 2012-09-23 02-31-44.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The fountain in [[Bucharest]]'s [[University Square, Bucharest|University Square]] being colored in red for the premiere of 4th season]]
In June 2010, HBO held a special event at a number of movie theaters around the U.S.,<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/network-press-releases/hbo-hosting-nationwide-true-blood-screening-events-on-june-1/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308050449/https://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/network-press-releases/hbo-hosting-nationwide-true-blood-screening-events-on-june-1/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 8, 2021 |title=HBO Hosting Nationwide Screenings |work=[[TV by the Numbers]] |date=May 21, 2010 |access-date=May 10, 2020}}</ref> complete with red carpet, searchlights, and swag bags. Contest winners were invited to watch a live special, the Season 2 finale, a preview of Season 3, and a live interview on the set of ''True Blood'' with the cast and Alan Ball. HBO also began selling ''True Blood'' figural [[Bust (sculpture)|busts]] featuring Bill, Sookie, and Eric. Busts of other characters became available later.

HBO and IDW Publishing announced at the 2010 WonderCon that they would be publishing a comic book based on the series.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tvshowzonline.com/true-blood-season-7-major-character-gonna-die-in-the-first-episode/ |title=True Blood Season 7: Major Character Gonna Die in the First Episode |first=Thompson |last=Martinez |date=June 10, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170708220108/http://www.tvshowzonline.com/true-blood-season-7-major-character-gonna-die-in-the-first-episode/ |archive-date=July 8, 2017}}</ref> [[Alan Ball (screenwriter)|Alan Ball]] developed and wrote the comic. The first booklet, with a print run of 53,000, was released in July 2010<ref>{{cite web |url=http://store.hbo.com/detail.php?p=261204&v=hbo_shows_true-blood |title=True Blood #1 Comic Book |publisher=[[HBO]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100407055613/http://store.hbo.com/detail.php?p=261204&v=hbo_shows_true-blood |archive-date=April 7, 2010}}</ref> and soon sold out. The second issue went on sale August 18, 2010, with a second printing of the first issue going on sale August 25.<ref>{{cite web|last=Elfman |first=Mali |url=http://screencrave.com/2010-08-18/true-blood-comic-book-sold-out/ |title=True Blood Comic Book Sold Out! |work=ScreenCrave |date=August 18, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012082407/http://screencrave.com/2010-08-18/true-blood-comic-book-sold-out/ |archive-date=October 12, 2016}}</ref> Six comics were issued in the series, and they were compiled as the graphic novel ''All Together Now'' on February 15, 2011. This was the first in a series of four graphic novels released by [[HBO]] under the ''True Blood'' franchise and sold in major bookstores.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://truebloodguide.com/2011/02/13/true-blood-graphic-novel/ |title=True Blood Graphic Novel |author=Jamey |work=True Blood Guide |date=February 13, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150112152359/http://truebloodguide.com/2011/02/13/true-blood-graphic-novel/ |archive-date=January 12, 2015}}</ref> Ensuing titles include ''Tainted Love'', ''The French Quarter'', and ''Ongoing''.

==Home media==

The ''True Blood'' DVDs have been consistent best-sellers in the US. By the end of 2009, the first season DVD had sold over 1.6 million units and taken in over $57 million. It was the only TV show in the 50 top-selling DVDs of 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/dvd/charts/annual/2009.php |title=Top Selling DVDs of 2009 |publisher=The-numbers.com |access-date=June 23, 2013 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022310/https://www.the-numbers.com/home-market/dvd-sales/2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> The second season DVD sold a total of 1,159,509 units in 2010, earning over $41 million.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/dvd/charts/annual/2010.php |title=Top Selling DVDs of 2010 |publisher=The-numbers.com |access-date=June 23, 2013 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022247/https://www.the-numbers.com/home-market/dvd-sales/2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> The third season DVD was the 61st best-selling DVD of 2011, selling almost 1 million copies and earning over $30 million. It was the best selling TV box set of 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/dvd/charts/annual/2011.php |title=Top Selling DVDs of 2011 |publisher=The-numbers.com |access-date=June 23, 2013 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022041/https://www.the-numbers.com/home-market/dvd-sales/2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> In its first week of release—the week ending June 2, 2012—season four debuted at number one on the UK "TV on Video" chart.<ref>[http://www.officialcharts.com/video-archive-chart/_/30/2012-06-02/ "2012-06-02 Top 40 TV On Video Archive"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022032/https://www.officialcharts.com/archive/ |date=November 15, 2020 }}. Retrieved June 12, 2012.</ref> However, it reached only number six in the combined DVD chart.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.officialcharts.com/video-archive-chart/_/24/2012-06-02/ |title=2012-06-02 Top 40 Combined Video Archive |publisher=Officialcharts.com |date=June 2, 2012 |access-date=June 23, 2013 |archive-date=2013-12-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202223729/http://www.officialcharts.com/video-archive-chart/_/24/2012-06-02/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In its first week of release in North America, it sold over 660,000 units, earning nearly $20 million.<ref>[https://www.the-numbers.com/dvd/charts/weekly/thisweek.php "DVD Sales Chart = Week Ending June 3, 2012"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015062300/http://www.the-numbers.com/dvd/charts/weekly/thisweek.php |date=October 15, 2013 }}. Retrieved June 13, 2012.</ref> In its second week of release in North America, it sold a further 120,000 units (making a combined total of 784,000 units sold), earning another $4 million.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/dvd/charts/weekly/thisweek.php |title=DVD Sales Chart – Week Ending June 10, 2012 |publisher=The-numbers.com |access-date=June 23, 2013 |archive-date=August 6, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130806083952/http://www.the-numbers.com/dvd/charts/weekly/thisweek.php |url-status=live }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
|colspan="6" |'''True Blood: The Complete First Season'''
|- style="text-align:center;"
| style="width:300px;" colspan="2"|'''Set details'''
| style="width:400px;" colspan="3"|'''Special features'''
| style="width:400px;" colspan="3"|'''Exclusive items'''
|- valign="top"
| colspan="2" style="text-align:left; width:300px;"|
* 12 episodes
* 5 disc set
* 1.78:1 aspect ratio
* Subtitles: English
* English
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left; width:400px;"|
* In Focus: Vampires in Americas
* Tru Blood Beverage Ads
* Vampire PSAs
* Episode trailers
* Audio commentaries on:
** "Strange Love" by writer/director Alan Ball
** "The First Taste" by director Scott Winant and star Anna Paquin
** "Escape from Dragon House" by director Michael Lehmann and writer Brian Buckner
** "Sparks Fly Out" by director Daniel Minahan and star Stephen Moyer
** "Burning House of Love" by director Marcos Siega
** "To Love Is to Bury" by writer/director Nancy Oliver
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left; width:400px;"|
* No known exclusives
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
|colspan="6" |'''True Blood: The Complete Second Season'''
|- style="text-align:center;"
| style="width:300px;" colspan="2"|'''Set details'''
| style="width:400px;" colspan="3"|'''Special features'''
| style="width:400px;" colspan="3"|'''Exclusive items'''
|- valign="top"
| colspan="2" style="text-align:left; width:300px;"|
* 12 episodes
* 5 disc set
* 1.78:1 aspect ratio
* Subtitles: English
* English
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left; width:400px;"|
* The Vampire Report: Special Edition
* Fellowship of the Sun: Reflections of Light
* Episode trailers
* Audio commentaries on:
** "Keep This Party Going" by Nelsan Ellis (Lafayette) and Michael Lehmann (Director)
** "Release Me" by Raelle Tucker (Writer) and Michael Ruscio (Director)
** "Timebomb" by Stephen Moyer (Bill), Alexander Skarsgård (Eric) and John Dahl (Director)
** "New World in My View" by Ryan Kwanten (Jason) and Sam Trammell (Sam)
** "Frenzy" by Rutina Wesley (Tara), Alan Ball (Writer) and Daniel Minahan (Director)
** "Beyond Here Lies Nothin'" by Anna Paquin (Sookie) and Michelle Forbes (Maryann)
** "Beyond Here Lies Nothin'"' by Alexander Woo (Writer) and Michael Cuesta (Director)
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left; width:400px;"|
* USA Target stores
** Cast and crew panel DVD
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
|colspan="6" |'''True Blood: The Complete Third Season'''
|- style="text-align:center;"
| style="width:300px;" colspan="2"|'''Set details'''
| style="width:400px;" colspan="3"|'''Special features'''
| style="width:400px;" colspan="3"|'''Exclusive items'''
|- valign="top"
| colspan="2" style="text-align:left; width:300px;"|
* 12 episodes
* 5 disc set
* 1.78:1 aspect ratio
* Subtitles: English
* English
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left; width:400px;"|
* Anatomy of a Scene
* ''True Blood'' Minisodes
* ''True Blood'' Postmortems
* [[Snoop Dogg]] "Oh Sookie" video
* Episode trailers
* Audio commentaries on:
** "Beautifully Broken" by Alexander Skarsgård (Eric) and Scott Winant (Director)
** "It Hurts Me Too" by Alexander Woo (Writer) and Michael Lehmann (Director)
** "9 Crimes" by Kristin Bauer Van Straten (Pam) and David Petrarca (Director)
** "I Got a Right to Sing the Blues" by Denis O'Hare (Russell) and Alan Ball (Executive Producer and Creator)
** "Hitting the Ground" by Anna Paquin (Sookie), Joe Manganiello (Alcide) and Brian Buckner (Writer)
** "Evil Is Going On" by Stephen Moyer (Bill) and Anthony Hemingway (Director)
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left; width:400px;"|
* USA Target stores
** One of 3 cardboard overlays of the 3 main cast members
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
|colspan="6" |'''True Blood: The Complete Fourth Season'''
|- style="text-align:center;"
| style="width:300px; " colspan="2"|'''Set details'''
| style="width:400px; " colspan="3"|'''Special features'''
| style="width:400px; " colspan="3"|'''Exclusive items'''
|- valign="top"
| colspan="2" style="text-align:left; width:300px;"|
* 12 episodes
* 5 disc set
* 1.78:1 aspect ratio
* Subtitles: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish
* English
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left; width:400px;"|
* Inside the Episodes (12 clips)
* Backstories on each of the episodes – interviews with the show writers
* ''True Blood'': The Final Touches – Behind the scenes tour of the post production process of ''True Blood''
* 6 audio commentaries with the cast and crew including Alan Ball, Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Alexander Skarsgård, Deborah Ann Woll, Sam Trammell and Fiona Shaw
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left; width:400px;"|
* USA Target stores
** Bonus DVD – 80-minute Paley Center panel with Alan Bell and cast
|-
|colspan="6" |'''True Blood: The Complete Fifth Season'''
|- style="text-align:center;"
| style="width:300px; " colspan="2"|'''Set details'''
| style="width:400px; " colspan="3"|'''Special features'''
| style="width:400px; " colspan="3"|'''Exclusive items'''
|- valign="top"
| colspan="2" style="text-align:left; width:300px;"|
* 12 episodes
* 5 disc set
* 1.78:1 aspect ratio
* Subtitles: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish
* English
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left; width:400px;"|
*Inside the Episodes: Get the back-stories on each episode with revealing interviews from the show writers.
*5 audio commentaries with the Cast and Crew including Alan Ball, Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Denis O'Hare, Carrie Preston, and many more!
*Previews & Recaps
*Enhanced Viewing: Character Bios, Vampire Histories, Hints, FYI's, Flashbacks, and Flash Forwards.
*Authority Confessionals: Learn more about the mysterious institution known as The Authority, from Nora, Kibwe, Rosalyn, Salome, Steve, and Russell.
*''True Blood'' Episode Six: Autopsy: Join the cast and crew as they dissect the major events of episode six and provide an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at how ''True Blood'' is made.
*''True Blood'' Lines: Uncover secrets from relationships past and present in this engaging, fully interactive ""re-Vamped"" guide and archive.
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left; width:400px;"|
* No known exclusives
|-
|colspan="6" |'''True Blood: The Complete Sixth Season'''
|- style="text-align:center;"
| style="width:300px; " colspan="2"|'''Set details'''
| style="width:400px; " colspan="3"|'''Special features'''
| style="width:400px; " colspan="3"|'''Exclusive items'''
|- valign="top"
| colspan="2" style="text-align:left; width:300px;"|
* 10 episodes
* 4 disc set
* 1.78:1 aspect ratio
* Subtitles: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish
* English
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left; width:400px;"|
* Inside the Episodes (10 clips)
* Backstories on each of the episodes – interviews with the show writers
* 5 audio commentaries with cast and crew including executive producer Brian Buckner, Stephen Moyer, Carrie Preston, Amelia Rose Blaire and more!
*Vamp Camp Files – get an inside look at the secret trove of documents detailing the effort to eradicate vampires via the institution known as "Vamp Camp". (Blu-ray only)
* ''True Blood'' Lines – uncover secrets from relationships past and present in this engaging fully interactive guide and archive (Blu-ray only)
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left; width:400px;"|
* No known exclusives
|-
|colspan="6" |'''True Blood: The Complete Seventh Season'''
|- style="text-align:center;"
| style="width:300px; " colspan="2"|'''Set details'''
| style="width:400px; " colspan="3"|'''Special features'''
| style="width:400px; " colspan="3"|'''Exclusive items'''
|- valign="top"
| colspan="2" style="text-align:left; width:300px;"|
* 10 episodes
* 4 disc set
* 1.78:1 aspect ratio
* Subtitles: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish
* English
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left; width:400px;"|
* True Death: The Final Days on Set – Witness the final days of True Blood through the eyes of your favorite cast members as they document their experiences on their last times on set. See cast and crew as you have never seen them before, with this exclusive access. Be there as we say goodbye to the town of Bon Temps forever.
* True Blood Lines – Uncover secrets from relationships past and present in this engaging fully interactive guide and archive.
* True Blood: A Farewell to Bon Temps: Say goodbye to True Blood with this behind-the-scenes special of the series as it enters its seventh and final season.
* Five audio commentaries with cast and crew.
| colspan="3" style="text-align:left; width:400px;"|
* No known exclusives
|}

==Reception==

===Critical reception===
{| class="wikitable" style="float: right; text-align:center; margin:10px"
|+ [[Metacritic]] ratings per season
|-
|{{Graph:Chart
| width = 230
| height = 150
| xType = string
| xAxisTitle = Season
| x = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
| yAxisMax = 100 | yAxisMin = 0 | showSymbols = | yGrid = 
| yAxisTitle = Rating
| y = 63, 74, 79, 74, 74, 58, 54
}}
|-
|<!-- begin inner table -->
{| style="text-align:center;"
|-
! scope=row | Season
| scope=col | [[True Blood (season 1)|1]]
| scope=col | [[True Blood (season 2)|2]]
| scope=col | [[True Blood (season 3)|3]]
| scope=col | [[True Blood (season 4)|4]]
| scope=col | [[True Blood (season 5)|5]]
| scope=col | [[True Blood (season 6)|6]]
| scope=col | [[True Blood (season 7)|7]]
|-
! scope=row | Rating
| {{formatnum:63}}<ref name=MetacriticS1>{{cite web |title=True Blood: Season 1 |website=Metacritic |access-date=November 27, 2015 |url=https://www.metacritic.com/tv/true-blood/ |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022252/https://www.metacritic.com/tv/true-blood |url-status=live }}</ref>
| {{formatnum:74}}<ref name=MetacriticS2>{{cite web |title=True Blood: Season 2 |website=Metacritic |access-date=November 27, 2015 |url=https://www.metacritic.com/tv/true-blood/season-2 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022331/https://www.metacritic.com/tv/true-blood/season-2 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| {{formatnum:79}}<ref name=MetacriticS3>{{cite web |title=True Blood: Season 3 |website=Metacritic |access-date=November 27, 2015 |url=https://www.metacritic.com/tv/true-blood/season-3 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022302/https://www.metacritic.com/tv/true-blood/season-3 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| {{formatnum:74}}<ref name=MetacriticS4>{{cite web |title=True Blood: Season 4 |website=Metacritic |access-date=November 27, 2015 |url=https://www.metacritic.com/tv/true-blood/season-4 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022010/https://www.metacritic.com/tv/true-blood/season-4 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| {{formatnum:74}}<ref name=MetacriticS5>{{cite web |title=True Blood: Season 5 |website=Metacritic |access-date=November 27, 2015 |url=https://www.metacritic.com/tv/true-blood/season-5 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022241/https://www.metacritic.com/tv/true-blood/season-5 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| {{formatnum:58}}<ref name=MetacriticS6>{{cite web |title=True Blood: Season 6 |website=Metacritic |access-date=November 27, 2015 |url=https://www.metacritic.com/tv/true-blood/season-6 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022021/https://www.metacritic.com/tv/true-blood/season-6 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| {{formatnum:54}}<ref name=MetacriticS7>{{cite web |title=True Blood: Season 7 |website=Metacritic |access-date=November 27, 2015 |url=https://www.metacritic.com/tv/true-blood/season-7 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022011/https://www.metacritic.com/tv/true-blood/season-7 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|}

|}

The series has an approval rating of 70% on the [[review aggregator]] website Rotten Tomatoes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/true_blood|title=True Blood|via=www.rottentomatoes.com|access-date=August 5, 2019|archive-date=November 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022257/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/true_blood|url-status=live}}</ref>

The first season of ''True Blood'' received positive reviews, despite initial impressions being mixed. Linda Stasi of the ''[[New York Post]]'' wrote of the opening episodes:

<blockquote>If HBO's new vampire show is any indication, there would still be countless deaths – especially among vampire hunters and the viewers who love them – because everyone would be dying of boredom. And so it is with HBO's new series from death-obsessed Alan Ball, creator of the legendary ''[[Six Feet Under (TV series)|Six Feet Under]]'', whose new show ''True Blood'', won't so much make your blood run cold as it will leave you cold.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nypost.com/2008/09/05/bloody-murder/ |title=Bloody Murder: It's the normal people who really suck |last=Stasi |first=Linda |date=September 5, 2008 |access-date=June 13, 2009 |newspaper=[[New York Post]] |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022212/https://nypost.com/2008/09/05/bloody-murder/ |url-status=live }}</ref></blockquote>

Robert Bianco of ''[[USA Today]]'' concluded:

<blockquote>Sexy, witty and unabashedly peculiar, ''True Blood'' is a blood-drenched [[Southern Gothic]] romantic parable set in a world where vampires are out and about and campaigning for equal rights. Part mystery, part fantasy, part comedy, and all wildly imaginative exaggeration, ''[True] Blood'' proves that there's still vibrant life — or death — left in the '[[star-crossed]] cute lovers' paradigm. You just have to know where to stake your romantic claim.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/television/reviews/2008-09-04-true-blood_N.htm |title = HBO gets an infusion of Oh-positive 'Blood' |last = Bianco |first = Robert |date = September 9, 2008 |access-date = June 13, 2009 |newspaper = [[USA Today]] |archive-date = January 8, 2011 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110108000425/http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/reviews/2008-09-04-true-blood_N.htm?csp=34 |url-status = live }}</ref></blockquote>

The series achieved its highest [[Rotten Tomatoes]] rating of 95%, with an average rating of 8.25/10 based on 22 reviews, during its third season. The critical consensus of the season reads, "''True Blood'' seems to fully understand its appeal, and its third season provides plenty of graphic thrills, steamy romance, and biting satire for its fans."<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/true_blood/s03 |title=True Blood: Season 3 |work=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |access-date=August 5, 2019 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022013/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/true_blood/s03 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Metacritic]], another aggregator of critical responses, found "generally favorable reviews" for the first five seasons, with ratings of 63, 74, 79, 74 and 74, respectively.<ref name=MetacriticS1/><ref name=MetacriticS2/><ref name=MetacriticS3/><ref name=MetacriticS4/><ref name=MetacriticS5/>

The sixth season, notable for being the first of the series not to have [[Alan Ball (screenwriter)|Alan Ball]] as showrunner, was met with mixed reviews in contrast to the acclaim of the previous five seasons. Many critics noted the decreasing quality of the scripts and production values. In his review, Brian Lowry of ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' remarked:
<blockquote>People can debate when “''True Blood''’s” creative rigor mortis officially set in — somewhere during that stretch when the show began piling one supernatural creature upon another (werewolves and witches and faeries, oh my!) — but suffice it to say this once-significant and hugely lucrative HBO series limps into its seventh and final season looking pretty anemic.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://variety.com/2014/tv/reviews/tv-review-true-blood-1201218816/ |title=TV Review: 'True Blood' |first=Brian |last=Lowry |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=June 18, 2014 |access-date=August 5, 2019 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022259/https://variety.com/2014/tv/reviews/tv-review-true-blood-1201218816/ |url-status=live }}</ref></blockquote>

The sixth and seventh seasons each received an approval rating of 44% on Rotten Tomatoes, with the critical consensus of season six reading: "A major letdown coming off the end of season five, ''True Blood'' seems to be running out of steam and isn't aging as elegantly as its eternal vampires."<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/true_blood/s06 |title=True Blood: Season 6 |work=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |access-date=August 5, 2019 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022024/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/true_blood/s06 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/true_blood/s07 |title=True Blood: Season 7 |work=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |access-date=August 5, 2019 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022019/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/true_blood/s07 |url-status=live }}</ref> On Metacritic, the sixth season rated 58, while the seventh 54, both indicating "mixed or average reviews".<ref name=MetacriticS6/><ref name=MetacriticS7/>

The cast received positive reviews for their performances, with praise going to the performances of [[Anna Paquin]] and [[Nelsan Ellis]]. For the first season, [[Anna Paquin]] won the Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama [[Golden Globe]] at the [[66th Golden Globe Awards]]; she was also nominated the next year and won the [[Saturn Award]] for Best Actress in a Series, Drama at the [[13th Satellite Awards]], a ceremony in which [[Nelsan Ellis]] also won Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film. [[Stephen Moyer]] won the award for Best Actor on Television at the 2010 ceremony.

===Cultural influence===
''True Blood'' was the subject of a ''[[Sesame Street]]'' sketch parody titled "True Mud" (2010), featuring puppet versions of Sookie, Bill, Lafayette, Sam, Tara, and Sheriff Dearborne. In the skit, Muppet Sookie struggles to fulfill Muppet Bill's pleas for a pint of "True Mud", as the other characters speculate whether or not he is a "grouch".<ref>{{cite news |first=Emily |last=Gagne |title=Sesame Street parodies True Blood |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news2/arts/things-that-go-pop-blog/2010/09/sesame-street-parodies-true-blood.html |work=CBC News |date=September 27, 2010 |access-date=May 15, 2020 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022025/https://www.cbc.ca/news2/arts/things-that-go-pop-blog/2010/09/sesame-street-parodies-true-blood.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Anna Paquin (Sookie), Stephen Moyer (Bill), and Alexander Skarsgård (Eric) appeared on the September 2010 cover of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' covered in blood and completely naked. This cover drew criticism<ref name="aoltv1">{{cite web |url=http://www.aoltv.com/2010/08/18/true-blood-stars-naked-on-the-cover-of-rolling-stone/ |title='True Blood' Rolling Stone Cover: Bloody Hot or Too Gruesome? |first=Ryan |last=McKee |work=[[AOL TV]] |date=August 18, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150112152315/http://www.aoltv.com/2010/08/18/true-blood-stars-naked-on-the-cover-of-rolling-stone/ |archive-date=January 12, 2015}}</ref> due to the image's supposed promotion of sexuality and violence. The show's creator, Alan Ball, stated in the magazine, "To me, vampires are sex... I don't get a vampire story about [[abstinence]]", referring to the [[Twilight (novel series)|''Twilight'' books]] and [[The Twilight Saga (film series)|films]] which were also highly popular at the time but had a more conservative approach to vampires and sexuality. "I'm 53. I don't care about high school students. I find them irritating and uninformed."<ref name="aoltv1"/>

Professional wrestler [[Matt Hardy]] credits the show as the inspiration for his "Broken" Matt Hardy character.<ref>{{cite web |date=29 January 2022 |title=Matt Hardy Shares How 'True Blood' & 'Salad Fingers' Inspired 'Broken Matt' |url=https://www.wrestlezone.com/news/1276972-matt-hardy-true-blood-inspired-his-broken-gimmick |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221023112850/https://www.wrestlezone.com/news/1276972-matt-hardy-true-blood-inspired-his-broken-gimmick |archive-date=23 October 2022 |access-date=23 October 2022 |website=Wrestle Zone}}</ref>

===Comparisons to LGBT rights===
The struggle for vampire equality in ''True Blood'' has been interpreted as an allegory for the [[LGBT rights movement]].<ref name="entertainment weekly">{{cite magazine |last=Tucker |first=Ken |author-link=Ken Tucker |url=https://ew.com/article/2009/06/10/true-blood-3/ |title=True Blood Reviewed |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=June 10, 2009 |access-date=June 5, 2012 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022302/https://ew.com/article/2009/06/10/true-blood-3/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Charlaine Harris]], the author of the [[The Southern Vampire Mysteries|book series]] on which the show is based, stated that her initial characterization for the vampires were as "...a minority that was trying to get equal rights".<ref name="gayrights1">{{cite news |url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/06232009/tv/flesh__blood_175586.htm |title=Flesh & 'Blood': How HBO series has turned hot vampires into gay rights analogy |first=Maxine |last=Shen |work=[[New York Post]] |date=June 23, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090626003421/http://www.nypost.com/seven/06232009/tv/flesh__blood_175586.htm |archive-date=June 26, 2009}}</ref><ref name="NPR review">{{cite episode |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94320825 |title='True Blood,' Tasty New TV From Alan Ball And HBO |series=[[Fresh Air]] |network=[[National Public Radio]] |date=September 5, 2008 |first=David |last=Bianculli |author-link=David Bianculli |access-date=May 5, 2010 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022034/https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94320825 |url-status=live }}</ref> Several phrases in the series are borrowed and adapted from expressions used against and about [[LGBT]] people, such as "God Hates Fangs" ([[Westboro Baptist Church#Views on homosexuality|God Hates Fags]]) and "Coming out of the coffin" ([[coming out of the closet]]).<ref name="NPR review"/>

''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''{{'}}s [[Ken Tucker]] wrote that the show is built "around a series of metaphors: Vampire rights stand in for gay rights, and now the clever laughs elicited from this bratty-vampire girl represent an extreme of adolescent rebelliousness".<ref name="entertainment weekly"/> David Bianculli of [[NPR]] wrote, "''True Blood'' is big on allegory, and the tension about accepting vampires into society is an obvious play on [[civil rights]] in general, and gay rights in particular".<ref name="NPR review"/> However, the series' creator, [[Alan Ball (screenwriter)|Alan Ball]], who is gay, has stated that such a comparison is lazy and possibly [[homophobic]]; and Lauren Gutterman of the [[Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies]] has expressed concerns that the show might perpetuate negative [[stereotype]]s of homosexuals as deviants.<ref name="gayrights1" />

==Ratings==
[[File:Viewers of True Blood.png|thumb|400px|right|Graph of the US viewing figures of the first three seasons of ''True Blood''.]]
The first episode of ''True Blood'' debuted at a very modest 1.44 million viewers compared to the network's past drama premieres such as ''[[Big Love]]'' which premiered at 4.56 million, and ''[[John from Cincinnati]]'' which debuted at 3.4 million.<ref>{{cite news |title=HBO's 'True Blood': Audiences don't bite |first=Denise |last=Martin |work=Show Tracker |publisher=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=September 9, 2008 |url=https://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2008/09/hbo-premiere-tr.html |access-date=January 10, 2009 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022247/https://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2008/09/hbo-premiere-tr.html |url-status=live }}</ref> However, by late November 2008, 6.8 million a week were watching: this figure included repeat and on-demand viewings.<ref>{{cite news |work=TV Decoder |url=https://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com//2008/11/23/true-blood-shows-ratings-growth-for-hbo |title='True Blood' Shows Ratings Growth for HBO |publisher=[[New York Times]] |date=November 23, 2008 |access-date=January 10, 2009 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022028/https://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com//2008/11/23/true-blood-shows-ratings-growth-for-hbo |url-status=live }}</ref> The season finale's viewership was 2.4 million.

The second-season premiere of the series (June 14, 2009) was viewed by 3.7 million, making it the most watched program on HBO since the series finale of ''[[The Sopranos]]''. The total number of viewers for the season premiere, including the late night replay, was 5.1 million.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ads help auds bite into 'True Blood' |last=Levine |first=Stuart |url=https://variety.com/2009/scene/ratings/ads-help-auds-bite-into-true-blood-1118005012/ |date=June 16, 2009 |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |access-date=June 16, 2009 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022220/https://variety.com/2009/scene/ratings/ads-help-auds-bite-into-true-blood-1118005012/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
The tenth episode of the second season (August 23, 2009) was seen by 5.3 million viewers, a new record for the series.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/cable/true-bloody-momentum-for-true-blood-5-3-million-and-another-record/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308123341/https://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/cable/true-bloody-momentum-for-true-blood-5-3-million-and-another-record/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 8, 2021 |title=Updated: True bloody momentum for True Blood: 5.3 million and another record! |work=Tvbythenumbers.com |date=August 25, 2009 |access-date=June 23, 2013}}</ref> The second season's finale (September 13, 2009) was seen by 5.1 million viewers. An average of 12.4 million a week watched the second season.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tvbythenumbers.com/2009/09/19/true-blood-averages-12-4-million-per-episode-across-platforms-in-second-season/27753 |title=True Blood averages 12.4 million per episode across platforms in second season |work=[[TV by the Numbers]] |date=September 19, 2009 |access-date=May 10, 2020 |archive-date=September 24, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090924164040/http://tvbythenumbers.com/2009/09/19/true-blood-averages-12-4-million-per-episode-across-platforms-in-second-season/27753 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The ninth episode of the fourth season (August 21, 2011) set a new record with 5.53 million viewers, making it the most viewed episode to date.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/08/23/sunday-cable-true-blood-kardashians-entourage-lead-breaking-bad-glee-project-much-more/101035/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110911185227/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/08/23/sunday-cable-true-blood-kardashians-entourage-lead-breaking-bad-glee-project-much-more/101035/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 11, 2011 |title=True Blood,' 'Kardashians,' 'Entourage' Lead + 'Breaking Bad,' 'Glee Project' & Much More |work=[[TV by the Numbers]] |date=August 23, 2011 |access-date=May 10, 2020}}</ref>

''True Blood'' is HBO's most watched series since ''[[The Sopranos]]''.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/arts/television/16arts-VICTORIESFOR_BRF.html |title=Victories for NBC, MTV and 'True Blood' |first=Benjamin |last=Toff |date=September 15, 2009 |work=[[New York Times]] |access-date=March 15, 2017 |archive-date=July 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707112835/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/arts/television/16arts-VICTORIESFOR_BRF.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

===U.S. Nielsen ratings===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! style="width:10%;" rowspan="2"| Season
! style="width:20%;" rowspan="2"| Timeslot ([[Eastern Time Zone (North America)|ET]]/[[Pacific Time Zone|PT]])
! style="width:7%;" rowspan="2"| # Ep.
! colspan=2| Premiere
! colspan=2| Finale
! style="width:7%;" rowspan="2"| Aired
! style="width:10%; background:#ffdead;" rowspan="2"| Viewers<br />(in millions)
|-
! Date
! span style="width:11%; font-size:smaller; line-height:100%;"| Premiere<br />Viewers<br />(in millions)
! Date
! span style="width:11%; font-size:smaller; line-height:100%;"| Finale<br />Viewers<br />(in millions)
|-
! [[True Blood (season 1)|Season 1]]
| rowspan="7" style="text-align:center;" |Sundays 9:00pm
! 12
| style="font-size:11px;line-height:110%"|{{center|September 7, 2008}}
! 1.44<ref>{{cite magazine |url= https://variety.com/2008/scene/markets-festivals/1-4-million-tune-into-true-blood-1117991937/ |title= 1.4 million tune into 'True Blood' |last= Frankel |first= Daniel |magazine= [[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date= September 9, 2008 |access-date= May 10, 2020 |archive-date= November 15, 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022303/https://variety.com/2008/scene/markets-festivals/1-4-million-tune-into-true-blood-1117991937/ |url-status= live }}</ref>
| style="font-size:11px;line-height:110%"|{{center|November 23, 2008}}
! 2.45<ref>{{cite news |last=Kissell |first=Rick |url=http://variety.com/2008/scene/markets-festivals/cbs-stays-hot-in-november-1117996475/ |title=CBS stays hot in November |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=November 25, 2008 |access-date=May 10, 2020 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115022025/https://variety.com/2008/scene/markets-festivals/cbs-stays-hot-in-november-1117996475/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="font-size:smaller"| 2008
! style="background:#fc9;"|2.00
|-
! [[True Blood (season 2)|Season 2]]
! 12
| style="font-size:11px;line-height:110%"|{{center|June 14, 2009}}
! 3.70<ref>{{cite magazine |url= http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/294649-Cable_Ratings_True_Blood_Delivers_For_HBO.php?rssid=20065 |title= 'True Blood' delivers for HBO |magazine= [[Broadcasting & Cable]] |first= Alex |last= Weprin |date= June 16, 2009 |access-date= May 10, 2020 |archive-date= September 29, 2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100929051109/http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/294649-Cable_Ratings_True_Blood_Delivers_For_HBO.php?rssid=20065 |url-status= live }}</ref>
| style="font-size:11px;line-height:110%"|{{center|September 13, 2009}}
! 5.11<ref>{{cite news |url=https://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/sdsdskdh279882992z1/cable-ratings-usc-vmas-icarly-and-true-bloodfinale/27176/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161022085905/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/sdsdskdh279882992z1/cable-ratings-usc-vmas-icarly-and-true-bloodfinale/27176/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 22, 2016 |title=Cable ratings: USC, VMAs, iCarly and True Blood finale… |work=[[TV by the Numbers]] |date=September 15, 2009 |access-date=May 10, 2020}}</ref>
! style="font-size:smaller"| 2009
! style="background:#fc9;"|4.28
|-
! [[True Blood (season 3)|Season 3]]
! 12
| style="font-size:11px;line-height:110%"|{{center|June 13, 2010}}
! 5.10<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/06/15/hbos-true-blood-premiere-ratings-up-38/54173 |title=HBO's 'True Blood' Premiere Ratings Up 38% – TV Ratings, Nielsen Ratings, Television Show Ratings |publisher=TVbytheNumbers.com |date=June 15, 2010 |access-date=June 29, 2010 |archive-date=June 19, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100619124507/http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/06/15/hbos-true-blood-premiere-ratings-up-38/54173 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| style="font-size:11px;line-height:110%"|{{center|September 12, 2010}}
! 5.38<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101103220518/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 3, 2010|title=TV By The Numbers by zap2it.com|access-date=March 15, 2017}}</ref>
! style="font-size:smaller"| 2010
! style="background:#fc9;"|4.97
|-
! [[True Blood (season 4)|Season 4]]
! 12
| style="font-size:11px;line-height:110%"|{{center|June 26, 2011}}
! 5.42
| style="font-size:11px;line-height:110%"|{{center|September 11, 2011}}
! 5.05
! style="font-size:smaller"| 2011
! style="background:#fc9;"|4.97
|-
! [[True Blood (season 5)|Season 5]]
! 12
| style="font-size:11px;line-height:110%"|{{center|June 10, 2012}}
! 5.20<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/06/12/sunday-cable-ratings-true-blood-wins-night-mad-men-longmire-the-client-list-the-glades-drop-dead-diva-more/137638/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120615172243/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/06/12/sunday-cable-ratings-true-blood-wins-night-mad-men-longmire-the-client-list-the-glades-drop-dead-diva-more/137638/|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 15, 2012|title=Sunday Cable Ratings: 'True Blood' Wins Night, 'Mad Men', 'Longmire', 'The Client List', 'The Glades', 'Drop Dead Diva' & More|work=TV by the Numbers|last=Bibel|first=Sara|date=June 12, 2012|access-date=June 12, 2012}}</ref>
| style="font-size:11px;line-height:110%"|{{center|August 26, 2012}}
! 5.05
! style="font-size:smaller"| 2012
! style="background:#fc9;"|4.67
|-
! [[True Blood (season 6)|Season 6]]
! 10
| style="font-size:11px;line-height:110%"|{{center|June 16, 2013}}
! 4.52<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/06/18/sunday-cable-ratings-true-blood-wins-night-sprint-cup-racing-keeping-up-with-the-kardashians-falling-skies-real-housewives-of-nj-more/187814/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130621174719/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/06/18/sunday-cable-ratings-true-blood-wins-night-sprint-cup-racing-keeping-up-with-the-kardashians-falling-skies-real-housewives-of-nj-more/187814/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 21, 2013 |date=June 18, 2012 |title=Sunday Cable Ratings: 'True Blood' Wins Night + Sprint Cup Racing, 'Keeping Up With the Kardashians', 'Falling Skies', 'Real Housewives of NJ' & More |access-date=August 18, 2014}}</ref>
| style="font-size:11px;line-height:110%"|{{center|August 18, 2013}}
! 4.12<ref>{{cite web|last=Kondolojy |first=Amanda |title=Sunday Cable Ratings: 'Breaking Bad' Wins Night + 'True Blood', 'Keeping Up With the Kardashians', NASCAR, 'Real Housewives of New Jersey' & More |url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/08/20/sunday-cable-ratings-breaking-bad-wins-night-true-blood-keeping-up-with-the-kardashians-nascar-real-housewives-of-new-jersey-more/198367/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130822005021/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/08/20/sunday-cable-ratings-breaking-bad-wins-night-true-blood-keeping-up-with-the-kardashians-nascar-real-housewives-of-new-jersey-more/198367/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 22, 2013 |work=TV by the Numbers|date=August 20, 2013|access-date=August 20, 2013}}</ref>
! style="font-size:smaller"| 2013
! style="background:#fc9;"|4.24
|-
! [[True Blood (season 7)|Season 7]]
! 10
| style="font-size:11px;line-height:110%"|{{center|June 22, 2014}}
! 4.03
| style="font-size:11px;line-height:110%"|{{center|August 24, 2014}}
! 4.04
! style="font-size:smaller"| 2014
! style="background:#fc9;"| 3.48<ref>{{Cite web|date=2014-08-26|title=True Blood: Season Seven Ratings|url=https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/true-blood-season-seven-ratings-33035/|access-date=2021-10-07|website=canceled + renewed TV shows - TV Series Finale|language=en-US|archive-date=April 3, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240403025933/https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/true-blood-season-seven-ratings-33035/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|}

==Awards and nominations==
{{main|List of awards and nominations received by True Blood|l1=List of awards and nominations received by ''True Blood''}}
The show won an [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series|Outstanding Casting for a Drama]] at the [[61st Primetime Emmy Awards]]; the two lead actors have both been recognized for their performances:
* [[Anna Paquin]] as [[Sookie Stackhouse]], for [[Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama|Best Actress in a Drama]] at the [[13th Satellite Awards]]
* [[Stephen Moyer]] as [[Bill Compton (The Southern Vampire Mysteries)|Bill Compton]] for [[Saturn Award for Best Actor on Television|Best Actor]] at the [[37th Saturn Awards]]

The show received an [[American Film Institute Awards 2009|American Film Institute Award in 2009]] as "One of the 10 Best TV Programs" and was chosen as "Favorite TV Obsession" at the [[36th People's Choice Awards]]. Its [[stunt performers]] have been recognized for [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series|Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble]] at the [[17th Screen Actors Guild Awards]].

==Canceled reboot==
In December 2020, it was announced that [[HBO]] was developing a reboot of ''True Blood''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/12/true-blood-reboot-hbo-alan-ball-1234653050/|title='True Blood' Reboot In Works At HBO|work=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|first=Denise|last=Petski|date=December 9, 2020|access-date=December 9, 2020|archive-date=December 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201209183934/https://deadline.com/2020/12/true-blood-reboot-hbo-alan-ball-1234653050/|url-status=live}}</ref> The original series' creator and original showrunner, Alan Ball, was set to executive produce the reboot.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Otterson|first1=Joe|url=https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/true-blood-reboot-hbo-1234849501/|title='True Blood' Reboot in Early Development at HBO|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=December 9, 2020|access-date=December 18, 2020|archive-date=December 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201216102347/https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/true-blood-reboot-hbo-1234849501/|url-status=live}}</ref> In February 2023, HBO CEO Casey Bloys confirmed HBO had developed a few scripts but stated, "nothing that felt like it got there".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/house-of-the-dragon-season-2-summer-2024-return-1235531050/|title='House of the Dragon' Likely to Return Summer 2024 — Plus, HBO Boss on 'Succession' Spin-Off Odds and Killing 'True Blood' Reboot|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|last=Schneider|first=Michael|date=February 22, 2023|access-date=February 22, 2023|archive-date=February 22, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230222163640/https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/house-of-the-dragon-season-2-summer-2024-return-1235531050/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==See also==
* ''[[The Southern Vampire Mysteries]]''
* [[List of vampire television series]]
* [[Vampire film]]
* [[Vampire literature]]

==Notes==
{{Refbegin|20em}}
:{{note|Strange Love|E-1}}{{cite episode |title=Strange Love 
|series=True Blood |series-link=True Blood 
|network=HBO |airdate=September 7, 2008 |season=1 |number=1}}
:{{note|First Taste|E-2}}{{cite episode |title=The First Taste 
|series=True Blood |series-link=True Blood 
|network=HBO |airdate=September 14, 2008 |season=1 |number=2}}
:{{note|Mine|E-3}}{{cite episode |title=Mine 
|series=True Blood |series-link=True Blood 
|network=HBO |airdate=September 21, 2008 |season=1 |number=3}}
:{{note|Dragon House|E-4}}{{cite episode |title=Escape from Dragon House 
|series=True Blood |series-link=True Blood 
|network=HBO |airdate=September 29, 2008 |season=1 |number=4}}
:{{note|Sparks|E-5}}{{cite episode |title=Sparks Fly Out 
|series=True Blood |series-link=True Blood 
|network=HBO |airdate=October 5, 2008 |season=1 |number=5}}
:{{note|Fourth|E-8}}{{cite episode |title=The Fourth Man in the Fire 
|series=True Blood |series-link=True Blood 
|network=HBO |airdate=October 26, 2008 |season=1 |number=8}}
:{{note|Wanna Know|E-10}}{{cite episode |title=I Don't Wanna Know
|series=True Blood |series-link=True Blood 
|network=HBO |airdate=November 9, 2008 |season=1 |number=10}}
:{{note|Love Bury|E-11}}{{cite episode |title=To Love is to Bury 
|series=True Blood |series-link=True Blood 
|network=HBO |airdate=November 16, 2008 |season=1 |number=11}}
:{{note|You'll Be|E-12}}{{cite episode |title=You'll Be the Death of Me
|series=True Blood |series-link=True Blood 
|network=HBO |airdate=November 23, 2008 |season=1 |number=12}}
:{{note|Nothing but|E-13}}{{cite episode |title=Nothing but the Blood
|series=True Blood |series-link=True Blood 
|network=HBO |airdate=June 14, 2009 |season=2 |number=13}}
:{{note|Party Going|E-14}}{{cite episode |title=Keep This Party Going
|series=True Blood |series-link=True Blood 
|network=HBO |airdate=June 21, 2009 |season=2 |number=14}}
:{{note|Scratches|E-15}}{{cite episode |title=Scratches
|series=True Blood |series-link=True Blood 
|network=HBO |airdate=June 28, 2009 |season=2 |number=15}}
:{{note|Fingerpop|E-16}}{{cite episode |title=Shake and Fingerpop
|series=True Blood |series-link=True Blood 
|network=HBO |airdate=July 12, 2009 |season=2 |number=16}}
:{{note|Never Let|E-17}}{{cite episode |title=Never Let Me Go
|series=True Blood |series-link=True Blood 
|network=HBO |airdate=July 19, 2009 |season=2 |number=17}}
:{{note|Hannah|E-18}}{{cite episode |title=Hard-Hearted Hannah
|series=True Blood |series-link=True Blood 
|network=HBO |airdate=July 26, 2009 |season=2 |number=18}}
:{{note|Release|E-19}}{{cite episode |title=Release Me
|series=True Blood |series-link=True Blood 
|network=HBO |airdate=August 2, 2009 |season=2 |number=19}}
:{{note|Timebomb|E-20}}{{cite episode |title=Timebomb
|series=True Blood |series-link=True Blood 
|network=HBO |airdate=August 9, 2009 |season=2 |number=20}}
:{{note|I Will Rise Up|E-21}}{{cite episode |title=I Will Rise Up
|series=True Blood |series-link=True Blood 
|network=HBO |airdate=August 16, 2009 |season=2 |number=21}}
:{{note|New World|E-22}}{{cite episode |title=New World in My View
|series=True Blood |series-link=True Blood 
|network=HBO |airdate=August 23, 2009 |season=2 |number=22}}
:{{note|Frenzy|E-23}}{{cite episode |title=Frenzy
|series=True Blood |series-link=True Blood 
|network=HBO |airdate=August 30, 2009 |season=2 |number=23}}
:{{note|Beyond Here Lies Nothing|E-24}}{{cite episode |title=Beyond here Lies Nothing
|series=True Blood |series-link=True Blood 
|network=HBO |airdate=September 6, 2009 |season=2 |number=24}}
{{Refend}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{wikiquote}}
* {{Official website}}
* {{IMDb title}}

{{The Southern Vampire Mysteries}}
{{True Blood}}
{{Navboxes 
| title = [[List of awards and nominations received by True Blood|Awards for ''True Blood'']]
| list =
{{GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Drama Series}}
{{Satellite Award for Best Cast – Television Series}}
{{ScreenActorsGuildAward StuntEnsembleTelevision}}
{{TCA Award for Outstanding New Program}}
}}
{{Alan Ball}}
{{HBONetwork Shows}}
{{Authority control}}

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