A new vampire show called True Blood is premiering this Sunday at 9 on HBO. It's based off of the book series Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris. I think it looks really interesting and I definitely plan on watching. When I saw the preview, it reminded me a little of the Anita Blake series. I haven't read the books yet, but I already have them on reserve at the library so I can start. Here's the show's official site if anyone is interested:

http://www.hbo.com/trueblood/

I hope it's good. I really want a new vamp series to obsess over :-D

Thanks for the link.  What I've seen in previews make me want to give this a shot. 

Kathleen

I plan to watch as well - can't complain if genre TV  does not get much play or fails if we don't support it.  There is an introduction program tonight - my area starts at 8:00 pm -
  
Here is the link for an article an article and a small excerpt:

I burned through the first five episodes of the season, which
premieres Sept. 7, with serious fervor. (I’ll be reviewing the show
next week, so check back.) The show is not without its faults, but
it’s a head-spinning combination of small-town Louisiana atmosphere,
the blackest of comedy, crazily quirky characters, vampires and
murder. There’s something incredibly gripping about it that should
make it a natural for a loyal cult following.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IreUK_BAFans/message/10072

had a chance to watch the intro programs - looks like True Blood has a change to be a very good new vampire series -

Thanks for the link - the previews look better than the books.  The books are pleasant and lame and the main character is pretty much a Marysue.  Like Anita Blake - all the males are in love with the girl.  It gets tiresome.

Haven't read the books, but I read one short story from the series and it was pretty much what I expected.  I thought the show was pretty good, though.  I'll definitely watch it again.

That's weird, because I woke up with this on television recently... I thought it was a film.  I fell asleep again because it was some ridiculous hour of the night.

I set the DVR to record it and will check it out.

I read up until the fourth book...they were really quirky, fun reads, but I only now realized how very much Mary Sue they are. Also, there are several parallels to BtVS (though I might have imagined them when I read it). But Eric is a badass vamp with platinum blond hair and a snarky, cocky attitude. He was likewise my favorite character.

Having watched the show every night it's aired, it differs radically from the books insofar as tone. This series is much darker, and much more X-Rated than I remember. But it is entertaining (and full of pretty vamps), so I'd encourage everyone to at least give it a chance.

I only saw the one episode and didn't care for it.

I have seen all the episodes and have enjoyed them -  filled with so many stereotyped characters - it will be interesting to see if the writer can make it all work - for me it has the feel of a realm world.    Right now my favorite character is Lafeyette, like this actor best and  I have always liked the Anna Paquin.  The one character that for me is already tiresome is brother, Jason.  If a few of the  characters can develop more depth and strong story lines, it could be an interesting series.  I will continue to watch, pretty much watch any vamp series and scifi to help support this type of programing.   

There is a story here, sorry that I cannot remember the title, about Buffy returning from that portal and finding the society changed drastically - vampires have become accepted into the social structure.  I think this story has such a good foundation for a excellent TV drama-vamp series.  Wish that this story would have been turned into a series instead - bravo FF Buffyverse. 

That story's "Brave New World" by JamesM Fan, and yeah, I definitely thought of it when I heard about the premise of True Blood.

Well I'm completely sold on True Blood. I will admit though, I ahve never heard of the books or the author who did them. But I ran across TB by accident on Demand watced teh previews and been hooked ever since the first ep. I love teh darker nature of the show, though I could do without all the graphic sex,lol. I just didn't want to get attached to another vamp show (moonlight) and then ahve it cancled after I fell in love with it.

I've become a fan - I love Lafayette, the actor is like JM and Spike - take over the scenes.  Don't much care for the extra-long fangs and I miss having the huge transformation of faces which was always spectacular in Buffyverse vamps.  The story lines are starting to connect on a more emotional level -

I love Lafayette too. He's a great character and the actor who plays him is doing a wonderful job. I also adore Tara. She is my fav. so far on the show. I would like more screen time with her. I miss the shifting face also, but I guess we can't get everything that we want,lol. And did you watch last nights ep. Why couldn't Bill move while the sun was still up? In this verse can't vamps move doring day light hours? Strange. For me with each episode the show is getting better and better. Sad about Gran though. :(

I am going to miss Gran very much - she was one of my favorite characters - it was really great having a older person being one of the major characters.  Thought Tara was wonderful in this episode.  I think you are correct, vampires are supposed to be able to go out in daylight in this verse - I guess that they can only do so within a narrow sphere - maybe like Spike being able to be out in sunlight as long as there is strong shadow.  I have to say though, that his being able to be in the alley with Buffy really felt like a huge stretch.

I sure hope that this series will pick up more viewers - I will be checking out My Own Worst Enemy tonight - see how this one goes - I like Christian Slater very much after Interview With A Vampire - and I always like to support Scifi and horror genre shows.

I forgot about that show with Christian. Darn! Was it any good? I guess I'll have to wait until tomorrow for them to put it up on the NBC site to watch.

Yeah, the alley scene was a bit of a stretch, but it was sorta shady, lol. From what I've seen and read HBO has picked TB up for another season, which is a plus. I was really scared to like this show after CBS crushed my dreams with Moonlight. Looking forward to next weeks ep. too. Might doa  TB rewatch of all teh eps tomorrow night.

Sorry, that was me. Forgot to log in.

I liked it very much and plan on watching again - think that it can be a good series if they have good writers - more and more the programs that I watch depend on how good a story is being presented.  Especially with so many things online now and DVDs, I don't really watch much TV unless I am really connecting with the characters or the story.

I've become addicted to the series. Even tho Bill is.... well his char is supposed to be insanely handsome and in the show he does in fact look like the walking corpse he is, lol. Tara annoys me to no end but was still disappointed when I asked about her to a friend that has read the books...

And omg, last night's ep... I'm gonna be temporarily turned off bitey during sex as much as I love it from the heinous visual they had of blood squirting... lol And I love Ryan Kwanten, but did not need to see his dick moving in that one ep, lmao... I'm scarred for life ;)

*sigh* We need an Anita Blake series or movie now, not this stupid Twilight teeny garbage... there endeth that rant, even if I was worried that was what True Blood was gonna be

It's good to know that the show started off with a bang. I will try and watch it online today or tomorrow, I still have to watch Heroes. I have no idea what I was doing but I missed it. I was most likely online watchign something, lol. And you're right. With so many things available online now and DVD and not to mention even onDemand, I don't watch TV as much as I used to. The main shows that I do watch are Terminator ('cause everyone loves a machine designed to kill you, not to mention Brian Austin Green) Heroes, True Blood, Bones, and all teh CSI's eventhough they killed off Warrick! *ggggrrrrrrrr*

Yeah, Bill does look like a walking corpse, but I guess thats not a problem for me. Though, I saw a pic of him in RL and he is a very handsome man, on teh show he does nothign for me. But I don't have to like the vampire to enjoy the movie/show. OMG, how could you not liek Tara? lol I

know she does come off a bit harsh. But I had a friend like her years ago, and I guess she reminds me of her. She was loud, spoke her mind, etc., but when you got to the core of her she was a really great person.

You know other than the blood squirting all out of Sookie's neck I liked teh bitty. Not how I pitured it though, lol. But I guess each show has to set itself apart when it comes to that. I get it that he's a vamp. but wasn't there a "tamer" way for him to bite her during sex? And there was dick movage? Where the hell was I????? rofl I have to watch that again to see if I can spot it. If I can spot Robert Pactrick's goods in Terminator 2 before digital enhancement I should be able to spot peen on HBO.

I never even heard of Twilight until I was searching forums for TB last week. It looks stupid as all hell. If I were a teen still and someone tried to feed me that lame vamp. crap I'd be pissed. I've always loved teh more "darker" vap flicks not the watered down ones.

*cough I like Twilight cough*  Anyway, True Blood is still weird to me, but I kind of like it.  Tara can get annoying, but she has her moments.  I'm still not sure about Sam, he seems a bit fishy to me.  I didn't notice any dickage, either, but I'm still scarred from seeing Jason Segal's dick in Forgetting Sarah Marshall when I watched it the other day.  Is it just me, or was that last scene in TB really cheesy?  With that music playing and her running out to meet him in that white gown, it was too laughable.  Bill is British in real life, why must they make him hide that accent with a really bad hick one?  I would like him better if he was British in the show.

Okay penis fans - it was like 2 episodes ago I believe where he took the whole vial of vamp blood like an idiot to keep the police from finding it. Then when they're discussing Dawn's murder it goes to under the table and show his "pants expanding" along the leg of his jeans.......

Huh, yeah, I didn't notice that.

that running  to Bill could be thought of as "cheesy," but there is so much "stereotypes" treatment in this series that it works - you have to remember that she looks into that mirror (which I got the impression belong to her grandmother, but not sure) and, IMO, was following the advice from her grandmother and parental figure.  Follow your heart and go after her relationship with Bill, who is so different from the world view she has always known.  Rite of passage like Buffy.

What I found very interesting is that grave she finds with Bill's name - who the heck is buried there?

"V" taken in big doses is a very bad thing on the "dick" -  that had to have been the fastest and largest growth ever.

Ok, I remember that scene, but there was no actual peen seeage, lol. I knew somethig bad was going to happen when he downed that whole vile, and now he's on "V". I feel so bad for Jason. *sigh* Hope he gets better. And I kinda fell bad for Tara too, since she has to deal with her mom, who I think is pulling her leg. Like she has a demon in her. *roll eyes* And now she has to deal with Jason on "V".

Sam, I don't know about him either. I mean I like him with Tara. They could work if she could learn to drop her defenses and her "love" for Jason. But Sam does come a bit stronge when it come to Sookie. I know he loves her but she wants Bill. Plus, I think Sam is the killer. I don't think he killed Sookies gran, but I think he killed the othet two girls. And was anyone else wigged out when he went to the dead girls house and rolled arounded in her bed sheets?

God, that was cheesey, but it worked. I was sitting on the edge of my couch waiting for it to happen, lol. Granted, I could never see that between Buffy an Spike. Maybe if they were roll playing ROFL, but for Sookie's first time ever and with Bill it worked. And then we got bitty goodness too. *sigh* Can't get any better. I also loved when Sookie told Tara that Bill makes her feel almost normal. And I'm glad unlike some other blonde who will remain nameless, Sookie is going after what she wants, what makes her happy, regardless of what others think.

Just think. If Buffy was more like Sookie Suffy would have been awesome, and who knows, Spike might not have burned up ont eh Hell mouth. *Hmmm, do I smell a plot bunny*? lol

Do you think we'll find out who is in the grave? I'm thinking it could possibly be one of the other bodies from his Sire's house? It would be nice to know. Or maybe since the Civil War was a long and drawn out one, they could have assumed him body was eaten by animals, and his family just placed a tomb marker for his rememberance. Hopefully we'll find out.

Can't wait for next weeks. They'll pick up with Bill and Sookie. I hope she doesn't regreat what she did with him.

Sam is the dog.... a weredog or something... lol - I haven't read the books but even I knew that from the first episode, haha. They beat the viewer over the head with the hints and thought having the other dog show up at Sam's place would throw us off...

I love Jason, a brilliant character and i alsow have a thing for Paquins acting (only in this show btw) she does this thing with her whole face and head and you just want to lean in and see if therse something in her facial expressions that ure missing. (and no, im as hetero as they get)

I really did love that sex scene where Jason sort of looses it in the end (funeral ep)
I dont know i think mr destructive is growing on me. Im just a bit sad i dont have anyone to pant over in the show.

The Swedish vamp (lord whatever he is, alexander skarsgård) is totally ruining  things for me a bit, prolly only because im Swedish and hes a crud actor. Nothing at all like his dad Stellan.