True Blood

True Blood is one of the best television series currently running in the US. Based loosely on the Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris, True Blood has been adapted for TV by Alan Ball (Six Feet Under). It is set in a world where vampires are gradually becoming more and more accepted, living side by side with humans.

Audience opinion is on the whole very positive about the three series released so far. Comments have been made about the sexual nature of some of the scenes, however, vampires have always had a bit of the sexy and sensual about them and it is all for the plot.

True Blood details the co-existence of vampires and humans in Bon Temps, a fictional small Louisiana town. The series centres on Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), a telepathic waitress at a bar, who falls in love with vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer). Following the creation of synthetic blood, vampires have progressed from legendary monsters to fellow citizens overnight.

The struggle for vampire equality in True Blood has been seen as an allegory for the gay rights movement. Charlaine Harris, the author of the 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." However, the television series creator Alan Ball rebukes critics, stating that such a comparison is "lazy."

First aired on US TV 2008

Certificate 18

Available on DVD and Blue Ray