It's no big secret. People love their movies and TV shows based on vampire book series -- romantic vampire book series, to be exact. Proof of that will be crowding your local multiplex this weekend thanks to the release of Twilight, the teen vampire flick based on Stephenie Meyer's inescapable best-seller. (I'll guess I'll wait another week to catch Role Models. Navigating through a sea of rabid teenage "Twilighters" isn't worth it. Sorry, Paul Rudd.)Want more proof of the popularity of blood suckers? HBO execs are saying their freshman vampire series True Blood, also based on a series of novels, is developing an audience faster than The Sopranos, aka one of the most financially successful cable series in the history of TV. Michael Lombardo, HBO's chief of West Coast operations, says that The Sopranos' viewership numbers grew slowly. The big ratings jump didn't come until season two. But True Blood has fared better, with a 66 percent jump in Sunday night viewership since its premiere in September.
Does True Blood have Twilight to thank for its ratings success? Maybe. I'm sure it doesn't hurt the show to be associated with one of the most popular franchises since Harry Potter, but True Blood is obviously aimed at a much more mature audience that its teen-centric counterpart. I think those rabid Alan Ball fans might also have something to do with the ratings spike. This is the writer-producer's first series after viewer and critical darling Six Feet Under. With True Blood, it seems like Ball has been able to tap into a whole new audience without completely alienating fans of his previous work. Now he's got the biggest hit of his career.
So, will True Blood prove to be a bigger success in the long run than The Sopranos? HBO has already green-lit a second season, and Ball seems confident that he'll have stories to tell even after he burns through Charlaine Harris' source material. Or will its momentum fade when the vampire craze calms? I think the show can continue to succeed after the trend dies down, but I don't think it will be as successful as The Sopranos. It's hard to call, but something tells me the mobsters might win this turf war. They pack sliver bullets, right?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
11-20-2008 @ 12:27PM
Daniella said...
About time people started catching on to True Blood!! Its a great show...Now i'm waiting for tvsquad to blog it!
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11-20-2008 @ 12:28PM
Pasha said...
I love The Sporanos!
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11-20-2008 @ 12:33PM
Adrian said...
Its not just vampires that is being tackled as we have learned so the supernatural element can grow from here on out. Im going to keep watching.
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11-20-2008 @ 12:35PM
Li said...
Too bad. I find this show so unoriginal and boring it makes me sick. I'm a huge fan of the vampire genre, but I got through three or four episodes of this and quit. Guess it proves that cheap gimmicks and bland psuedo-drama get people's attention more than real characters and story development. It doesn't even have camp appeal to make up for the lack of substance (as Buffy did). I hope it blows over.
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11-20-2008 @ 3:47PM
0megapart!cle said...
Your opinion is null and void if you say something as monumentally stupid as "Buffy's camp appeal made up for its lack of substance". You need to go in a corner and think of what you've done. If Buffy had any problems (and it had a few, especially later on), it certainly was not a lack of substance.
Personally, I think True Blood is pretty disappointing, coming from Ball. But to say it is unoriginal, doesn't even make any sense. Do you know what the word, "unoriginal" means?
What are you going to say next, that "Pushing Daisies" is just another formulaic procedural, and "Life on Mars" is a BBC show about the possibilities of life on other planets?
11-20-2008 @ 1:10PM
Vito said...
This is a great show and I like it for itself but even if it doesn't last, I'll be happy that it introduced me to Charlaine Harris's terrific books.
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11-20-2008 @ 3:52PM
SassylilB said...
I have to agree, I like the show and watch it, it not my favorite show on TV, it it is on my top 5 list. Since I started watching the show I started reading the books, which I love!!
11-20-2008 @ 1:12PM
Tony said...
Unoriginal and boring? Are we watching the same show? I'd love to know what you find interesting. haha
True Blood is the best new show of the season and i'm thrilled it is doing well. HBO has to be thrilled that True Blood can lead off some of the new programming that it has on tap over the next year or so. True Blood and Big Love give the network two strong shows but it's going to need another big hit in the next year to keep viewers away from Showtime.
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11-20-2008 @ 3:47PM
Katie said...
True Blood isn't a bad show. It's just one of those shows that if I remember to watch it, I do and if I forget, it's not a big deal.
And I am so sick with all of this Twilight mania and the movie hasn't even opened yet. It wouldn't bother me half as much if the fangirls weren't saying that it is the best book ever written. It was an okay book; enjoyable. But come on.
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11-20-2008 @ 3:47PM
ProgGrrl said...
This is the only show I've seen on HBO that can possibly pack in as much sex, violence, and evil-doers-you-can-sympathize-with, as THE SOPRANOS did. They have a great opportunity here. I love TRUE BLOOD and hope for its continued success!
Vampire/monster stories have always been as popular a genre as mobster/crime tales. Don't see why this show can't be as big...if it can hit the zeitgeist in the same way THE SOPRANOS did in its day.
I just hope they don't feel the need to add any THERAPISTS on this show. That'd be...overkill?
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11-20-2008 @ 3:47PM
Jason said...
I guess since it's popular now, you're going to have to review it. Nice.
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11-20-2008 @ 4:13PM
Joel Keller said...
Jason, we'd love to review it. I put the show up for grabs a few weeks ago, but no one on our staff bit (pun intended). Now maybe someone will step up.
11-23-2008 @ 11:50PM
Justin said...
I happen to know someone who has extensive experience in writing music and film reviews that wouldn't mind writing reviews for TVSquad. "Why there isn't coverage of Life?" he asks.
11-20-2008 @ 2:08PM
dennis phillips said...
Next season...WEREWOLFS!
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11-20-2008 @ 3:48PM
borgetas said...
I realy like this show, altough I never liked vampire shows, and I really hope it will last a long time.
Not only talks it about Vampires, but also about racism and all the words that end with 'ism', in a very interesting way.
Keep on the great work!
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11-20-2008 @ 4:33PM
greatone said...
I watch several of the esposide and tried to like it but I am having a hard time watching this show. The only character I like is Tara and that about it. I don't know if it is the actor/actress playing the characters or the writing but I don't like the Sookie and Bill character. Too me Sookie get herself caught into stupid situation and then get angry about the thoughts she hear in people head about her. Like Tara said, everything is all about Sookie and this aspect of her character is becoming annoying. The writer try to make Bill a sympathic character but then he threaten or kill anybody who mess with Sookie. This doesn't make any sense.
I have been watching esposides on OnDemand but the way this series is going I will probably stop soon because I find myself fast-fowarding past alot of the scenes.
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11-25-2008 @ 8:52PM
karen said...
That's one of the things I like about the show, greatone - the characters aren't perfect and they aren't one-dimensional. I love Sookie one week and am angry with her the next. And the vampires are not all evil or all good - they're complex and interesting, as are the more human characters. That's what keeps me coming back for more - I want to know what's going to happen to them.
11-21-2008 @ 11:38AM
csttar63 said...
to the person who feels this show is boring. Lafayette is the BOMB. Tara keeps me screaming at the TV with her bitchiness. Jason is a dimwit. also, i live in louisiana and some of the language and places ring true. not the vampire sh*t, but you know.
i think the lead vampire played by Zeljko Ivanek should have a more prominent role next season. what a great character actor.
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11-21-2008 @ 1:11AM
monsoon315 said...
Goths are not Vampires..hehe
11-21-2008 @ 9:45AM
dreamer said...
i love true blood to a trillion miniscule pieces. the first few episodes weren't great but the curve hasn't dipped since then. the characters just get more complex and the plots more original. definitely my favourite new show since veronica mars.
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