The second-season premiere of HBO's "True Blood" airs on Sunday, June 14, 2009 @ 9 PM ET.

Reviews upcoming.

Vampires strike back: "True Blood" boils anew in Season 2
by Bill Keveney, USA TODAY

These are sanguine times for vampires.

The "Twilight" novels and movie are huge hits with young women, "The Vampire Diaries" is coming to CW, and the return of HBO's "True Blood" (Sunday, 9 p.m. ET/PT) is eagerly awaited by rabid fans.

Buzz has been building for "Blood." The show is based on Charlaine Harris' nine-book series about vampires gingerly entering society after the discovery of synthetic blood eliminates the need — if not always the desire — to feed on humans. Season 2 roughly follows Harris' second Sookie Stackhouse novel, "Living Dead in Dallas."

In tune with the "popcorn for smart people" label that creator Alan Ball once assigned the show, he promises a second season of "just more — sexier, hotter, funnier, scarier, more violent."

"Nakeder," too, says Anna Paquin, who plays Stackhouse.

As the 12-episode second season opens, telepathic Sookie (Paquin) and the vampire Bill (Stephen Moyer) are a happy couple (Paquin and Moyer are in real life, too) in Bon Temps, a rural Louisiana town surrounded by wild nature, where shape-shifters and otherworldly creatures also live.

"Their initial growing-pains moments are over for the time being, but because it's Bill and Sookie and 'True Blood,' as soon as things get even vaguely comfortable, something always comes along to disrupt it, be that a vampire teenager or (vampire) Eric or odd creatures," says Paquin, an Oscar winner for "The Piano."

The Bon Temps serial killings were solved in Season 1, and Season 2 expands quickly to three story lines: Bill and Sookie, with teen vamp Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll) in tow, off to find a missing vampire; Tara (Rutina Wesley) and Sam (Sam Trammell) thrown off kilter by the mysterious Maryann (Michelle Forbes); and Sookie's suggestible brother, Jason (Ryan Kwanten), attending a conference of the anti-vampire Fellowship of the Sun.

"It's like three different shows, but they all eventually converge," Ball says.

And the stories move, Paquin says. "We all know our characters better, and we're not starting from a place of having to introduce them to the audience."

HBO, which has seen Showtime become the talked-about pay-cable network, could use a big hit. "Blood," HBO's top show, nearly doubled viewership from premiere (1.6 million) to Season 1 finale (2.9 million).

The first-season DVD ranked fourth in sales when it was released last month, and a Web survey by TV.com says "Blood" trails only "Burn Notice" as the summer show that viewers are happiest to see return.

Harris says she loved the first season. She had to adjust to the different physical appearances of some of the characters, such as Paquin's Sookie, but she praises Ball for excellent casting.

Readers have plenty to say about the series, Harris says. "A certain percentage believe the show is pornographic. A huger percentage love it and are very anxious for their favorite scenes from the books to be re-created in the show."

And sales of the Sookie novels have skyrocketed since "Blood"'s premiere, with more than 8 million in print. The most recent, "Dead and Gone," published in May, made its debut at No. 2 on USA TODAY's Best-Selling Books list.

Ageless attraction

Vampires, rarely out of vogue, are enjoying a resurgence. Besides "Blood," "Twilight," and "Vampire Diaries," there are more films (Sweden's "Let the Right One In"), more books (MaryJanice Davidson's "Undead" series), and even a vampire convention (Vampire-Con, Aug. 14-16, Los Angeles).

If anything, "I was nervous the culture might be at a saturation point," HBO entertainment chief Sue Naegle says.

That vampire wave could keep "Blood" from becoming the kind of pop phenomenon "The Sopranos" was, says David Scardino, entertainment specialist at ad agency RPA. " 'True Blood' has been a winner for them. It has gotten them back some buzz," he says. "But people probably perceive it as being in a group of projects about vampires, and 'The Sopranos' was such a unique twist."

Why all the passion for vampires? They're "a powerful metaphor for sexuality," says Ball, also an Oscar winner (for writing "American Beauty"). "They're immortal. They have powers. They don't live by the same rules most of us have to live by. They're kind of the ultimate sexy rock star/bad boy/ bad girl."

Harris says the fantasy world of vampires — which in "True Blood" also pays homage to "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and Greek tragedy — offers "a vacation from reality," which can be welcome in difficult times. And these bloodsuckers are a lot more attractive than the Nosferatus of the past.

"The idea of beings who are always at peak condition, never age, never have to get their teeth capped, never have to get their knees replaced, never have to die — or diet — and yet they're always looking great, that probably has a lot to do with" their appeal, Harris says.

Moyer, whose Bill is 173 years old, says ageless vampires connect viewers to an earlier, more genteel era. "Vampires come from a very Gothic place, (and) there is a courtly manner they tend to have. I think that's attractive."

The mix of humor, horror, mystery, and romance broadens the appeal, says Moyer, who needs heavy makeup to white out evidence of being in the sun. "I have 70-year-old men come up to me with their wives, and the men are the fans. Then you've got the housewife thing going on. And I'll be in the gym and two 28-year-old dudes will come up and go, 'Wow! We love your show!' It's really struck a nerve."

Ball credits his cast — both those playing vampires and those playing humans — for much of "Blood"'s popularity. "Anna sells someone who has been hearing other people's thoughts her entire life and how that sort of stuff makes one neurotic. She sells the strength of Sookie and her determination. What Stephen sells to me is this guy from another time who is uncomfortable being a vampire."

Into the light of day

The series appeals to John Folden, who runs the true-blood.tv fan website, partly because it doesn't overemphasize the vampires' differences. "Its vampire characters don't hate who they are, they're living openly among society," Folden says. "The show doesn't really turn them into heroes or demonize them. They're just like everyone else, and some of the most horrific events are actually acted out by the mortal characters."

Elizabeth Henderson, co-owner of true-blood.net, got hooked on Harris' books, which are told from Sookie's perspective, largely for the humor, especially the notion of vampires "coming out of the coffin" and into the real world.

"What I like about the show is how Alan Ball has taken us out of Sookie's head and put the focus on characters we didn't know as well in the books," she says.

Henderson and true-blood.net co-owner Melissa Lowery had to move their website to a dedicated server as visits increased by 50% in the last month, and daily traffic doubled this week alone. Lori Riggs, owner of "Blood" fan site fangbangers.com, says that her visitors tripled this spring to 6,000 a month.

"Blood"'s premiere episodes averaged 2.3 million viewers, a solid if not particularly high number. But they more than tripled in total audience (7.8 million) counting on-demand and DVR viewing, HBO's best series showing since the final seasons of "The Sopranos" (about 13 million) and "Sex and the City" (about 10 million).

But "Blood"'s buzz — crucial for a subscription-based network — falls short of those hits, says John Rash of Minneapolis advertising agency Campbell Mithun. "It hasn't cut through the cultural clutter to the degree their biggest hits have, but it's certainly one of many shows that have worked for the network. It's rare for any show, let alone one on pay cable, to seize the news."

Naegle says she's thrilled with "Blood"'s ratings and sees strong iTunes and DVD sales as a sign of interest going into the season. "We're bullish and excited about a big opening."

So is Ball, who didn't have a strong interest in vampires before reading the Sookie novels and starting "Blood." "As much as I've enjoyed all the work I've done, this is the most fun. I'm sure it has a lot to do with the supernatural, fantastic nature of the show," he says. "I guess you could say I've embraced vampires."

EW's review:
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True Blood (2009)
by Ken Tucker

Just when I think I can't bear to hear the word vampire used in any pop culture context other than to describe Spencer Pratt, "True Blood" comes along with a second season of cable-TV fanging. The saga of Sookie Stackhouse (the tremulous but sturdy Anna Paquin) and her lovah Bill (slit-eyed Stephen Moyer) gets off to a great, fast start, picking up where last season left off: with Bill taking care of the mortal teenager he ''turned'' vampire, Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll).

Exec producer Alan Ball has built his show (derived from Charlaine Harris' best-sellers) 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. Subplots? "Blood" boils over with them. The totally transfixing vamp Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) is imposing his blond badness all the more harshly on poor, beleaguered Bill. And Michelle Forbes ("Battlestar Galactica," "In Treatment") is doing a fabulous job as Maryann, a mysterious benefactor for Sookie's pal Tara (Rutina Wesley). Upcoming episodes will make Maryann's powers clear.

Meanwhile, Sookie's brother, Jason (six-packed Ryan Kwanten), is getting in way over his head with a born-again-Christian, anti-vampire church group. Ball and his writers are doing a fine job of avoiding Hollywood clichés about evangelicals; the scenes of Jason at the Light of Day Institute camp, captivated by Reverend Steve (Michael McMillian) and his comely wife (Anna Camp), capture a certain kind of conversion experience well.

I was slow to catch on to "Blood"'s allure: My review of the debut season, based on seeing its first few episodes, was chilly-to-negative. But I'm glad I watched the whole first season before settling down to these new episodes. "Blood" is telling terrific Southern gothic tales with a potent mixture of freaky scariness and great country music (hats off to whoever picked Faron Young’s version of ''Hello Walls'' to use in the season premiere). Yee-haw and chomp-chomp.

Grade: B+

Variety's review:
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TRUE BLOOD
(Series; HBO, Sun. June 14, 9 p.m.)
by BRIAN LOWRY

Filmed in Louisiana by Your Face Goes Here Entertainment. Executive producers, Alan Ball, Gregg Fienberg; co-executive producers, Brian Buckner, Nancy Oliver; supervising producer, Alexandra Woo; producers, Mark McNair, Raelle Tucker; director, Daniel Minahan; writer, Woo;

Sookie Stackhouse - Anna Paquin
Bill Compton - Stephen Moyer
Jason Stackhouse - Ryan Kwanten
Tara Thornton - Rutina Wesley
Sam Merlotte - Sam Trammell
Arlene Fowler - Carrie Preston
Bud Dearborne - William Sanderson
Andy Bellefleur - Chris Bauer
Terry Bellefleur - Todd Lowe
Maryann Forrester - Michelle Forbes
Eric - Alexander Skarsgard
Jessica - Deborah Ann Woll
Eggs "Benedict" Talley - Mehcad Brooks
Rev. Steve Newlin - Michael McMillian

The second season of "True Blood" goes down smooth, representing a perfect summer concoction -- long on soapy romance, macabre intrigue, and graphic bursts of sex and violence. HBO's stab at playing to a cult audience has turned out to be perfectly timed for the pay channel, offering a lighter counterweight to the emotionally darker dramas airing elsewhere. And while the vampires-as-downtrodden-minority gay metaphor continues to resonate throughout these early episodes, exec producer Alan Ball and company have firmly established their alternate universe as its own engrossing (and occasionally gross) little world.

Cast additions that came onboard as season one progressed have also shot adrenaline through "Blood's" veins, though the central story remains the same: The different-worlds romance between Sookie (Anna Paquin), who has the psychic ability to hear people's thoughts; and Bill (Stephen Moyer), the vampire born during the Civil War era for whom she has madly fallen, and vice versa.

Their relationship is complicated, however -- and that qualifies as an enormous understatement -- by sundry outside forces, including the regional vampire leader Eric (Alexander Skarsgard), who covets Sookie's powers; and the teenage Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll), who Bill was compelled to transform into a vampire. The latter yields darkly comic results, inasmuch as petulant youth and a thirst for blood are a potentially combustible mix.

Meanwhile (and there are a lot of meanwhiles), Sookie's friend Tara (Rutina Wesley) continues to fall under the spell of the mysterious Maryann (Michelle Forbes), adding a spooky "Rosemary's Baby"-type undercurrent to the proceedings; and Sookie's dimwitted brother Jason (Ryan Kwanten) experiences a religious awakening, enlisting in the vampire-hating Light of Day Institute.

In short, there's a helluva lot going on, and the assorted subplots feel more compelling this season, including the constant sense of menace surrounding both Eric and Maryann. Moreover, the religious overtones of the Jason storyline should irritate the religious right (just to drive home the parallel, a sign in the credits says "God Hates Fangs"), whose intolerance toward gays has been superimposed onto the undead. "They live forever, but we were here first!" the group's acolytes cheerfully sing on the bus to their religious retreat.

Without spoiling anything, there is also a scene in the second hour (four were made available) that might be as grotesque as anything ever produced for television. In fact, I'm feeling a little nauseous now just thinking about it, which I realize, for some, will in and of itself provide a strong inducement to watch.

Fortunately, "True Blood" boasts several less-grisly enticements, as well as the whole women/teenagers-love-vampires fantasy that, frankly, strikes me as vaguely pathetic. Then again, there's something to be said for a series that connects with audiences on various levels --with characters both above ground and below.

LA Times review:
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"True Blood"
by ROBERT LLOYD, Television Critic
June 13, 2009

HBO's vampire dramedy “ True Blood” returns Sunday night for a second season of gore and guts and breasts and buttocks. The action may take place in the South, but the show itself is truly set in a place called Premium Cable.

Creator Alan Ball ("Six Feet Under") continues his more or less faithful, though highly elaborated and extended, adaptations of Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse novels’, which tell the story of a telepathic waitress, her undead beau, and various other libidinous friends and monsters in the Louisiana swamp town of Bon Temps. (Cajun French for "Sunnydale," in a way.) The special conceit here, which is a good one, is that the recent invention of synthetic blood -- marketed as a kind of nonalcoholic beer for the blood-addicted, in one of the many metaphors that flit around this tale -- has allowed vampires to "come out of the coffin" and join mainstream society.

Just as the first season covered the territory of the first Sookie book, "Dead by Dark," the second follows the lines of its sequel, "Living Dead in Dallas," though with even more additions and alterations. Whereas Harris' novels are all written from Sookie's point of view, the series spreads its attention among several characters, and the material has been twisted and inflated to feature them. There are a lot of characters, and they need things to do.

These changes are controversial among Harris fans -- as is Anna Paquin's wide-eyed performance as Sookie -- but they are, as television, generally for the better. Indeed, the fleshed-out secondary characters have better material than do Sookie and her vampire Bill (Stephen Moyer), who labor under the burden of replaying for the umpteenth time the forbidden love between the living and the dead, the light and the dark. Beneath it all, he is just another one of those good-bad-but-not-evil boys whom good girls have been bringing home since even before the leather jacket was invented, or the Shangri-Las formed, or Buffy met Angel.

I was not particularly a fan of the first season, which seemed to me unfocused and ponderous, and not so much frightening as graphically unpleasant. And though there was textual authority for the copious nudity and the heavy breathing, there is something tiresomely inevitable about the way HBO sells sex.

But the first four episodes of Season 2 strike me as an improvement. Some of it is just a matter of tone. Ball had dressed Harris' talky genre novels -- a mix of horror, mystery, and Harlequin romance -- in some worn old threads, the country folk being a shade too gooberish and the vampires subscribing to a whole goth-metal-S&M-biker thing that made it seem as if they were taking their style cues from humans who take their style cues from vampire movies.

Still, many series take themselves too seriously out of the box. I took it as a good sign that scary senior vampire Eric (Alexander Skarsgård) first appears this season in the middle of having his hair cellophaned. And I accept as a welcome bit of irony that Bill himself says at one point (I paraphrase possibly), "I'm a vampire, I'm supposed to be tortured."

Ball's most notable addition to Harris' cast is Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll), the teenage girl Bill turned into a vampire under duress at the end of last season, and who, having come to live with him, has brought out his inner Brian Keith, much to the good. (At the same time, she's the only vampire whose pain you feel.)

Jessica also gives Paquin a new playmate and new attitudes to play, her best friend (the excellent Rutina Wesley) and her lovelorn, shape-shifting boss (Sam Trammell) being occupied elsewhere with mysterious strangers played by Michelle Forbes and Ashley Jones.

Meanwhile, Sookie's lunkheaded hunk-of-beefcake brother Jason (Ryan Kwanten), who last year was getting high on vampire blood, is off in another sector altogether, having been seduced into the anti-vampire Fellowship of the Sun, a rather too obvious riff on the Christian right. (Survivors of the '60s know, however, that it is indeed a short step from acidhead to Jesus freak.) Kwanten seems to be playing his reformed character as a young George W. Bush.

And drug-dealing, sex-selling gay cook Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) is chained up in Eric's basement, but at least he isn't dead, as he is from Page 5 of "Living Dead in Dallas" -- a smart move too, as Ellis is one of the best things about this often frustrating but not unlikable show.

Episode Title: "Nothing but the Blood"

Synopsis; In the season two premiere, a shocking murder outside Merlotte's has Bon Temps reeling; Sookie's relationship with Bill is tested when she learns of his siring of Jessica and of his involvement in her uncle's death; Sam recalls a shape-shifting encounter he had with Maryann as a 17-year-old; Jason gets a sudden windfall that allows him to pay for a leadership retreat with the Fellowship of the Sun; two adversaries find themselves sharing a mysterious dungeon and, possibly, the same fate.

Discuss.

"NOBODY WANTED TOWELS!" LMFAO that was such a Mommie Dearest moment! Michelle Forbes is so fierce on this show. Overall a solid opener. It wasn't very exciting, to be honest but I like where things are going with this new Marianne mystery.

Great opener to what is sure to be a terrif new season. I like the stuff with Sookie and Jason having trouble moving on from the deaths of Gran and Amy respectively. I also like Jessica, she is annoying like a small baby and I believe sooner or later that leash Bill has her on will snap. Maryann is quite mysterious and that scene where she was having sex with Sam was unexpected and I wonder how that whole encounter has brought her back into Sam's life. When she mentioned that she didn't come for Sam it got my mind working on wondering who she really wants. Jason getting involved with the vamp hating group was somewhat entertaining but I like Jason when he's naked and has a dead body to deal with. Also this episode should hoepfully give Nelsan Ellis fans some minor hope.

Oh my lord, that last scene with Eric was hilarious and scary and nasty! Did he bite that guy in the crotch area? Cause that's what it looked like...and with his hair foiled! LOL

I agree though, Maryann is something fierce...I'm dying to know her story.

Mary Ann is amazing!! the nobody needed towels was very mommie dearest it was so funny!!!!

I am glad this show is back and am hooked already love where the new mystery is going.

It was actually a good tape for Paquin IMO, she is fierce and strong she deals with packing up her grandma's things and the death of the man who raped her, her face said a lot and she was great in this episode.

Um ok Jason needs to get over this born again thing because I need to see him in some sex scenes LOL.

Overall B+/B

Michelle Forbes was great tonight. I don't know what's going on with Maryann or why she's latched onto Tara, but I can't wait to find out more about her past with Sam, what her vibrating powers are all about, and the haunting "you think this is all about you?" line. They've set up some strong storylines this season with Sookie and Bill having to deal with Jessica, another whodunit with Mrs. Jeanette's death (now I'm really hoping that Lettie Mae relapses -- loved that standoff between Michelle Forbes and Adina Porter), Jason off with the vampire-hating church nuts, and Lafayette locked up in Eric's dungeon. I'm so glad that Lafayette's still around, at least for now. Nelsan Ellis was too great on this show to be let go like that. I can't imagine him as a vampire though, but those storyline possibilities are endless. I hope that Tara can find out what's going on with Maryann and Mehcad Brooks' character before it's too late, b/c he seems like he's bad news too. It was pretty gross when Sookie had to drink her own blood after Bill bit her in bed. And that's only on the mild side of things for this show. LoL. Nice start-off to the season.

Grade for "Nothing but the Blood": B

While I appreciated all of the continuity from the first season, this episode fell flat for me. It might be well made, well written and well acted but it was also boring tonight. While it dutifully served its purpose as a set up for the season, this episode was simply dull. The Bill-Sookie relationship generated mostly yawns from me tonight. The Mary Anne\Tara\Sam story seems to be the most interesting one of the bunch so hopefully it will live up to its initial promise.

Episode Grade: B-

I thought this was a pretty good start to Season 2. I'm so happy to see that Nelson Ellis returned!!! When he wasn't listed on IMDB I was worried. Maryann is definitely the most interesting thing about Season 2, especially with her line: "You think this is all about you?" followed by evil laughter, haha. I love Tara and noticed that she didn't lose her cool in this episode (maybe Mrs. Jeanette actually cured her of her demons?). Speaking of Mrs. Jeanette...why would anyone want to kill her and what killed her??? Could it have been Maryann? Anywho, despite some people being disappointed by the lack of a naked Jason Stackhouse, I actually really like his storyline this season with the church. It should definitely make for some nice little political moments this season. Sookie is still the heart of the show and her chemistry with Bill is still RED HOTT!!! I love the fact that they pretty much have adopted a teenage girl to take care of, haha. Also, did anyone notice how many names were listed in the opening credits??? I was like damn! They are really adding to the cast list this season, but I wonder how many of these people are going to die soon? Lastly, it was pretty cool to see Eric being the one who had captured Lafayete and others, especially while getting his hair did! haha. Alexander Skarsgard is a terrific actor and I'd really like to see his role expand this season!

Great, fun start to Season 2! Can't wait for next week's episode!!!

Season 2 Premiere Grade: B+

If this episode wasn't a submission for Michelle Forbes, I don't know what is.

Ads help auds bite into "True Blood"
Vamp series nabs record ratings for HBO
by STUART LEVINE

An elaborate marketing campaign paid off for "True Blood," which opened its second season on Sunday as the most-watched program on HBO since the finale of "The Sopranos."

The vampire drama drew 3.7 million viewers for the 9 p.m. airing and another 1.4 million for the 11 p.m. telecast, making it the largest Sunday audience for the series.

The first showing was up 157% compared to the series premiere Sept. 7 and up 51% in comparison to the Nov. 23 finale.

Alan Ball and Gregg Fienberg are exec producers.

Somebody get Michelle Forbes her own show like now or at least a more substantial supporting role. She has been brilliant in all her recent television endeavors (this, "In Treatment", "Battlestar Galactica"). She was the bright spot in a rather limp premiere.

Those strong ratings are exciting.

Count me among those who felt the season-opener was more of a set-up than anything else. But it had some great moments: Maryann's "Nobody needed TOWELS!" moment, the faceoff between Maryann and Lettie Mae (god, Adina Porter is fantastic), Eric ripping whatisname to shreds with color foil in his hair (!!).

Best bit, of course: Lafayette lives!

Disappointed as I am by Ryan Kwanten's lack of borderline pornographic sex scenes, he's not getting enough credit as a performer for really selling Jason's dimbulb, if goodhearted, tendencies. It takes a smart actor to play a dumb person.

And, yeah, I've been a Michelle Forbes devotee ever since her barn-burning days as good/evil twins Sonni/Solita Carrera on "Guiding Light"! She earned a Daytime Emmy nod for that. Dang, that was about 20 years ago now.

And she was Ensign Ro on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" in the early '90s.

Episode Title: "Keep This Party Going"

Synopsis: Sookie is forced to cope with Bill's obligations to Jessica, as well as the romantic inconveniences the teen vampire's presence creates; at the Light of Day leadership conference, Jason makes a favorable impression on its ambitious leaders, Steve and Sarah Newlin, though not on his jealous roommate, Luke; Maryann casts her spell on the Merlotte's patrons, and Sam proves helpless to stop the revelry.

Discuss.

There was a lot going on with the various threads, and I think I like the splintering off for now at the setup stage. Jason's scenes at the Fellowship of the Sun Institute were fun, especially the re-enactment that reminded him of Amy and Eddie, and his jealous jock roommate. They made Jessica a bit more relatable in her scenes with Sookie, but that scene at the parents' house when Bill glamoured the sister. Wow. That was crazy good. Their cliffhangers are some of the best I've seen from a series in a long time. Maryann turning Merlotte's into a dancing orgy was great, and the mystery with her and Sam looks like it'll be one of the most interesting plotlines of the season. Michelle Forbes is incredible in this already. Alexander Skarsgård plays Eric's vanity out hilariously well, and I'm still laughing over the highlights bit from last episode. I'd rather see Tara with Sam again than Eggs, though Mehcad Brooks is playing him with a bit of mystery, and his tie-in with Maryann seems like it's more than he's letting on. Lafayette wanting to be turned into a vampire was the eye-raiser of the episode, and the purists will probably hate that, but Lafayette as a vampire could be pretty awesome, especially with Eric as his maker. This was a nice step up from the season premiere.

Grade for "Keep This Party Going": B+

The last few minutes were insane!