True Blood

About True Blood

True Blood is an American television drama series created and produced by Alan Ball. The show premiered on HBO on September 7, 2008, and concluded on August 24, 2014, after seven seasons comprising 80 episodes. The series revolves around Sookie Stackhouse (played by Anna Paquin), a telepathic waitress living in the rural town of Bon Temps, Louisiana. Set in an alternate reality where vampires, shapeshifters, and other supernatural beings coexist with humans, True Blood episodically explores themes of love, identity, discrimination, and the struggle for cohabitation.

Making / Production

True Blood, based on "The Southern Vampire Mysteries" novels by Charlaine Harris, was developed for television by Six Feet Under creator Alan Ball. The series was filmed at various locations in Louisiana, maintaining authenticity and offering a gothic ambiance that reinforces the narrative's supernatural themes.

Actors

• Anna Paquin as Sookie Stackhouse: Sookie is a telepathic waitress who falls in love with vampire Bilil. Paquin’s portrayal is sincere and emotional, often being the moral compass of the series.
• Stephen Moyer as Bill Compton: Moyer plays a Civil War veteran turned vampire who romances Sookie. His complex character goes through major transformations throughout the series.
• Alexander Skarsgård as Eric Northman: Skarsgård’s portrayal of the vampire Sheriff of Area 5 in Louisiana is charismatic and commanding, and his character's relationship with Sookie is a central plot point.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The series is based on Charlaine Harris's book series, "The Southern Vampire Mysteries".
• Rutina Wesley, who played Tara Thornton, originally auditioned for the role of Sookie.
• The iconic opening credits were created by Digital Kitchen, the same company that made the title sequence for Six Feet Under.

Awards

True Blood has been nominated for numerous awards over the course of its run, including the Primetime Emmy Awards and the Golden Globes. Anna Paquin won a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama in 2009.

Quotes

• "I can smell the sunlight on your skin." - Bill Compton
• "Oh great, now I have to deal with witches?" - Sookie Stackhouse
• "You are vampire royalty now. Act like it." - Eric Northman

Music, Soundtrack

• "Bad Things" - Jace Everett (Opening Theme)
• "Take Me Home" - Sophie Ellis Bextor
• "I Don't Wanna Know" - Mario
• "Seasons Change" - Corinne Bailey Rae