print
Does HBO know something we don't know? Despite mixed reviews and a small viewer base so far, the network has already picked up True Blood for a second season, sticking with the hard-knuckled publicity campaign it has already orchestrated for the series.
The network has struggled since The Sopranos to find a new tentpole drama to lead its lineup, and based on preliminary impressions, that show isn’t True Blood. The brainchild of Alan Ball (Six Feet Under), the fledgling vampire series has earned soft ratings in its first few weeks on the air (though there are certainly some fans out there). Just 1.4 million viewers tuned into the premiere, and though that number rose in the show’s second week to 1.8 million, that is still relatively few by HBO standards.
But according HBO exec Michael Lombardo, the network was all but set to give the show time to develop no matter its reception. “There was no way creatively we didn't want this show on the air for another year," he told Variety.
He said the show was never intended to be a fall premiere anyway, suggesting that HBO’s early renewal would allow the series to premiere next year in the summer, the original target for the inaugural season. Given the subject matter, an eventual cult base for the show seems inevitable, but the ability to find a broader audience as the series heads into its second season will likely determine its fate.
Related links:
High Gravity - TV Detail: True Blood review
Catching Up With... Anna Paquin
High Gravity - 6 new fall TV shows that might actually be good
Got news tips for Paste? E-mail news@pastemagazine.com.
The Oprah Winfrey Show to End in…
Roland Emmerich Unveils Independence Day Sequels
What Will James Franco's General Hospital Experiment,…
Pixies Play Fallon, Fans Pick Second Song…
Top 10 Best Debut Novels of the…
The 17 Best Romantic Comedies This Decade
The 50 Best Movies of the Decade…
The 25 Best Movie Performances of the…
Blind Pilot - The Story I Heard
Frightened Rabbit - Good Arms Vs. Bad…
B.O.B. - Put Me On
Punch Brothers - Punch Brothers at CMJ
I think True Blood is great! I love the romance between Bill and Sookie, and the show is well written and acted...Don't know why the reviews have been mixed, it gets better with each episode.
i fully agree with laura. 'true blood'is so great and addictive! i went on line to check on the reviews for it and found a dozen critics who called it one of the best new series of the year. i see why hbo picked up so fast. alan ball is a genius. and hbo is once again getting us hooked on a series.
I love "True Blood" my whole family loves "True Blood and I agree with Erica, it is addictive. I wish it could be turned into a movie as I count the days to each Sunday when it will air again. I even go to HBO on demand just to watch the re-runs. I must admit I am getting sad that is has only 3 more episodes left to see. I just don't want "True Blood to end.
insanely crazy show....finally a show that can live up to the vampire name...i agree with everyone above..addicting..the acting is superb and i love the underlying stories behind Sookie and Bill...i hope season 2 is as good as season 1
I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE True Blood. My boyfriend does too! The best new show in a long, long time, finally something worth watching weekly. I knew Alan Ball could give me somthing great to watch. I haven't felt this good about a show since Six Feet Under. I have several friends who are hooked on True Blood too. This show is definitely addicting...
True Blood is the best show I've seen in years. I am usually not an addictive person but I agree with the previous writer...I watch re-runs and count the days until Sunday! I hope there's not too long of a wait for season 2!!! Love it!!!
True Blood season one was great!!! Everyone in my house and all my close friends were hooked through the entire season... Each episode made us talk about it the next day talking about who did what and laughen.. It is by far one of the best tv shows ive ever been addicted too... I watched the first 2 eposides at the same time when it first came on i thought it was a movie and was hooked had to get online and research it found out it was a new series and soon had my husband watch it.. He came hooked and had to watch the first 2 eposides.. Just watched the last eposide of season 1 tonight and cant wait for season 2!!! I dont know what imma do with my sunday evenings now :|
I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE TRUE BLOOD!!! I SWEAR IF THEY EVER CANCEL THE SHOW I THINK ID GO SO CRAZYYYYYYY IM LIKE ADDICTED AND IM IN LOVE WITH BILL COMPTON HES SUCHA SWEETHEART MANN I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A VAMPIRE BOYFRIEND LIKE HIM
My husband and I found True Blood on HBO on demand. We ended up watching the entire First Season within 3-4 days. We are feening for Season 2. I love the plot line. And hope this show becomes a long running show. I would definetly devote myself to it. Be a loyal fan of it. Just like Friends.
I love True Blood so much I hope it never ends. But It will be really good to see it turn into a movie.I really hope Bill and Sookie get married or Sookie becomes a vampire I hope they never break up Your Loyal Fan Always.
I think this one of the worst shows I have ever seen. It feels like I am watching a bad school play with horrible acting and multiple story lines going in all different direction. I can't stop laughing while watching this show while feeling bad for all the people involved in creating this series.
If true blood does not continue to get picked up.....i will die.
i LOVE sookie and bill!!!!!!!
This show is awesome!! I cant wait for a 2nd season. I think Sookie and Sam should end up together! Bill is a vampire and they cant spend too much time together, and he still loves his long gone wife! Sam is sweeter anyway!
i understand with everyone here, i am in australia and have gotten hold of true blood and so has a few friends of mine and we are all addicted to it and can not wait until the second season comes out. as we dont think we will end up seeing on our telly screens here in aus.
LOVE TRUE BLOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When is session 2 going to start????? I can't wait any longer and I still haven't seen any premiers on HBO for it or online...
CAN SOMEONE PLEASE FILL ME IN IF THEY KNOW......
If hbo wants to keep this show alive they will remove sookie from the face of the earth. Sookie has to be the most annoying character ever conceived in the history of literature. She's a twenty-five year old brat. She is ignorant, naive, whiney and fucking needy. For instance, she whines and bitches about Sam not telling her that he is a shapeshifter. She also says something along the lines of "if vampire politics are more important to Bill than I am then this won't work out." Bill killed another vampire to save her sorry ass and now he has to face the consequences and she complains about him? FUCKING REMOVE THAT CHARACTER SHE'S A CUNT.
Me and my household loves TRUE BLOOD!!! We cant wait to see season 2....they better not even think about dropping it...I know so many ppl that loves the show and will drop HBO so fast that their heads will spin and their pockets will hurt if they do... ;)
If HBO cancels this show without giving it the longevity to match Sex and the City/ Sopranos they will be making a huge mistake. The plot line is hella good and addictive. Sookie should be with Bill and not Sam...Yes Bill is a vampire....but Sam turns into a dog (you wanna kiss someone who licks themself) Bill should turn sookie into a vamp and get it over with. The one thing that mad me mad with the ending is the death of Lafayette. He was one of my fav characters. Maybe he will come back in season two as a vamp *hint hint! I love this show and my husband and myself watched it faithfully every Sunday and then the re-runs via on demand during the week! HBO execs....if this show is canceled I will hunt you down...I may not be a vamp but I can drain your blood!!!
True Blood is, in my opinion, the best show on TV by far. It would be a huge mistake not to continue, and I can't wait for the new season!
If True Blood is not back soon, I'll turn into a blood thirsty mean vampire!
i'm from portugal and we're desperatly waiting for season 2.. amasing show, very VERY VERY adictive.
I really LOVE this show. Please bring it back. I love all od the characters. But I am too upset about the death of Lafayette he and tara really made the show funny. Please bring him back. And man I love rene accent. I also love that he was the killer because we all thought it was either sam or bill. And you guy really had me fooled I thought Ms. Jeanette and Lafayette was the same person with make up on till I looked on the website and seen that it was actress Aisha Hinds who played Ms. Jeanette. But please bring it back and make it as good as the first season.
This is a wonderfully entertaining show who's time has come... in light of the reception of Twilight. This romantic, paranormal fantasy with vampires, shape shifter, and witch makes for a fresh, engaging, action-packed show that doesn't telegraph its plot. I really enjoyed Bill's and Sookie's southern drawl. I think some of the older Twilight enthusiasts will turn to this show once they finish all of books in the Twilight series. It would be positive if HBO could work with the Twilight folks to promote this series. I sure wish there were more good shows in this genre. I also wish HBO would follow the books more closely as they are fantastic.
I am commenting from South Africa.An amazing hypnotic show and story line.Characters are wonderful,each one different,unique,and portrayed so eloquently. Love the Southern expose'on life,intermingled with fact and fiction.
Please dont kill off Lafayette,he is/was one of the best.
Bill and Sookie, great chemistry.Tara love her to bits.
Thanks for letting the show develop,as lots of great TV gets canned for poor reasons such as Moonlight and Eli Stone. Escapism is the key to entertainment,hail to the South and Alan Ball.
I love true blood... I read all the sookie stackhouse books and was a fan before I found out about the making of true blood. The show is awesome and I love Eric.....In the books he plays a big part hope to see more of him as in the books. Hats off to Alan he changed some things from the book but it is a show worth watching.... I loved now to be able to put faces to the books. I hope next season which starts June 14th is as good as the first one. Loyal fan of Alan Ball and Charlaine Harris.