True Blood:

Latest Info: Season 3 begins June 13, 2010.

Main Site: HBO

Character Profiles:

Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) – is a telepathic waitress in a small-town restaurant and the main protagonist of the series.

Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) – a vampire with whom Sookie falls in love, and is a main protagonist in the series. Turned during the Civil War against his will, Bill shows a remarkable and unusual compassion for human life. He is also outwardly expressive of his emotions and holds on to memories of his past human life; behaviors that are unique amongst his vampire peers. Many times, Bill risks his life and standing in vampire society to protect Sookie from the dangers their relationship has brought on.

Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgard) – is the Sheriff of Area 5, a vampire district in Louisiana. A Swedish Viking warrior in life, he is over 1,000 years old and is a powerful member of the vampire community. He runs the vampire bar, Fangtasia, in Shreveport, and develops an interest in Sookie Stackhouse after discovering her unique ability to read minds.

Sam Merlotte (Sam Trammell) – the owner of Merlotte’s, where Sookie works.

Jason Stackhouse (Ryan Kwanten) – is Sookie’s slow-witted brother and a road crew supervisor, known for bedding the women of Bon Temps.

Tara Thornton (Rutina Wesley) – is Sookie Stackhouse’s best friend and a bartender at Merlotte’s. As a result of being raised in an abusive home, Tara has difficulty trusting others.

Lafayette Reynolds (Nelsan Ellis) – is Tara Thornton’s cousin, a short order cook at Merlotte’s, drug dealer, member of Jason’s road crew, and gay prostitute. His flamboyant personality leads to numerous confrontations.

Series Overview: The series follows Sookie Stackhouse, a barmaid living in Louisiana who can read people’s minds, and how her life is turned upside down when the Vampire Bill, walks into her place of employment two years after vampires ‘came out of the coffin’ on national television.

Season 1:

Ep. 1 – In a society where humans and vampires co-exist, set in the small town of Bon Temps, Louisiana, Sookie Stackhouse is a young woman who may have found a perfect boyfriend. Sookie is clairvoyant and constantly hears people’s thoughts so it makes dating a bit difficult since she tries to keep her ability a secret. When 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton walks into the Merlotte’s Bar & Grill where she works as a waitress, she realizes that she can’t “hear” what he’s thinking, thus giving away his origins since she can’t hear the thoughts of those whom are technically dead. Vampires “came out of the coffin” two years ago when the Japanese invented Tru Blood, a synthetic blood substitute. Sookie rescues Bill when a couple of lowlife rednecks, the Rattrays, try to steal his blood to sell on the black market, but she may have a price to pay for interfering. Meanwhile, Sookie’s younger brother, Jason, is a smooth-talking hustler and Lothario who works part-time with a construction crew, and who gets arrested after a local woman that he had a one-night stand with is found strangled. Tara Thornton is Sookie’s ill-tempered best friend whom finds her bad-boy brother irresistible. Sam Merlotte is the owner of Merlotte’s Bar, who keeps his romantic feelings for Sookie to himself. Lafayette Reynolds is Tara’s flamboyant gay cousin and the short-order cook at Merlotte’s as well as Jason’s co-worker at his construction day job who has more to offer than his gourmet foods. Arlene Fowler is a middle-aged divorcée and another of Sookie’s friends and co-workers at Merlotte’s looking for a new husband to help raise her two children. Andy Bellefleur is the local police detective working with the collaboration of the town sheriff, Bud Dearborn, whom thinks the town may have a killer in their mists as they investigate the strangulation case.

Ep. 2 – Mack and Denise Rattray get their revenge on Sookie but Bill steps in to save her. Subsequently, Sookie’s senses begin to undergo a transformation. She later learns that the Rattrays are dead and the police immediately suspect Bill. She also begins to wonder just how far vampires will go when a leading opponent of the Vampire Rights Act is killed in an accident. Bill agrees to visit Sookie and her grandmother and Tara and Jason invite themselves for the evening. Jason Stackhouse gets to see the video of his evening with Maudette Pickens. The police release him but his experience doesn’t dissuade him from sleeping with every woman who will have him.

Ep. 3 – Bill Compton’s allure is diminished somewhat when Sookie visits him in his home and finds that several other rather nasty vampires has also dropped in for a visit. Bill protects her from his one-time friends but she sees a nasty side of vampire life. Dawn Green spends the night with Sookie’s brother Jason but she kicks him out after an argument. She is found strangled later that day. Tara walks out on her alcoholic mother and spends the night with her employer, bar owner Sam Merlotte.

Ep. 4 – With the town’s second murder in a week, Jason is again the number one suspect, but Tara provides him with an alibi. Knowing that both Maudette and Dawn had frequented the Fangtasia vampire club, Sookie asks Bill to take her there as she tries to find evidence that will clear her brother. Both of the dead girls were well known at the club and Sookie meets Eric, the vampire elder. Sam Merlotte seems to have a few eccentricities of his own. Jason buys vampire blood – an aphrodisiac – from Tara’s cousin Lafayette and despite clear instructions to never take more than one or two drop at any one time, downs the entire vial with somewhat painful results.

Ep. 5 – After their encounter with the racist policeman, Sookie tells Bill that she won’t be seeing him anymore. The next day, Bill keeps his promise to Sookie’s grandmother, Adele ‘Gran’ Stackhouse, to speak at the monthly meeting of the Descendents of the Glorious Dead. Bill becomes very popular when he reminiscences about the Civil War and the Mayor gives him an old photo he found in the archives. Bill also recalls the circumstances of how he became a vampire. Meanwhile, Sam asks Sookie out on a date, but things don’t go as he planned for she tells him that she is not ready to commit. A little later, Sookie is shocked by what she finds when she gets home. Elsewhere, Jason gets more vampire blood from Lafayette, and he also takes an interest in Tara after he hears she has a thing for him. But Jason instead sets his sights on a local woman, named Randi Sue, as his latest sexual conquest.

Ep. 6 – With her grandmother as the latest victim of the mysterious serial killer, Sookie has to deal with her emotions. She can’t block out the thoughts of others and she knows many of the townspeople blame her association with a vampire as the main reason her grandmother is now dead. She has a very clear message for them at the woman’s funeral. Despite Sam and Bill’s pleading, Sookie insists on staying in the house. She does however decide to spend the night with Bill to lose her virginity once and for all. Meanwhile, Jason wrestles with withdrawal symptoms from his ‘V Juice’ habit which leads him to lash out at Sookie when he hears about Gram Adele’s murder, and he also punches Detective Andy. Also, Tara has a run in with her drunk of a mother, Lettie Mae, at Adele’s funeral whom tells Tara some unsettling facts about herself. Tara then asks Sam to have sex with her at her motel room to look for “something right” between them, while Jason has his night with Randi Sue, and Sookie finally gives into her carnal desires with Bill.

Ep. 7 – After spending the night with Bill, Sookie is convinced that she has found the man of her dreams as the person who took her virginity. But Sookie’s fellow workers and the customers at the bar don’t quite agree as rumors spread of her relationship with a vampire. Sookie’s painful childhood revelation about her Uncle Bartlett spurs Bill into action. Meanwhile, Tara’s alcoholic mother, Lettie Mae, is convinced that she needs an exorcism and when Tara refuses to pay, she tries to get a loan from the bank. Jason is desperate to get more vampire blood and visits Fangtasia where he meets a young woman, named Amy, who introduces himself to something altogether different. Sam Merlotte is seen by Andy and a few others running across the bayou… naked. The patrons at the bar are not too pleased when a group of Bill’s one-time vampire friends, Malcolm, Liam, and Diane, show up. When they mention that they’ve bought a house locally, three of the redneck good old boys decide to do something about it.

Ep. 8 – Sookie is thrilled to learn that Bill wasn’t in the fire that killed four people, which included his three vamp friends. Her enthusiasm doesn’t sit well with either the customers or her co-workers at Merlotte’s Bar. Meanwhile, Jason and his new girlfriend, Amy Burley, are desperate to get more vampire blood for the rush of it. They decide to follow Lafayette to his source, but Amy’s actions reveal that she has clearly done this before. Following her exorcism, Lettie Mae is a new person – sober and hard working, she has also become an active member of her church. Tara is pleased with the transformation, but is not happy with her own lot in life and considers an exorcism of her own for her angry and belligerent behavior after lashing out at Sookie and Sam for no reason. Elsewhere, Arlene Fowler asks Sookie to baby sit for her children while she and her fiancée Rene, go out. But Arlene is taken aback when she realizes that Bill will also be spending the evening. Later, Sookie is not pleased when Bill agrees to let Eric, the head of the vampire clan, borrow her for an evening at Fangtasia to use her mind-reading powers to root out a thief.

Ep. 9 – After Sookie identifies the vampire bartender Longshadow responsible for stealing from Fangtasia, Bill steps in to protect her. In doing so however, he breaks a vampire taboo and must now face the consequences from Eric and his clan for killing one of their own. Knowing he will be away, he asks Sam Merlotte to keep an eye on Sookie. Meanwhile, Jason and Amy take their vampire captive, Eddie, to Jason’s house and confine him to the basement. They draw his blood and Jason undergoes an odd transformation. With Amy now working at Merlotte’s, Jason spends his spare time just talking to Eddie and they develop a rapport. Elsewhere, Tara visits her mother’s exorcist, but decides she can’t afford the $800 cost for her own exorcism. Sam agrees to lend Tara the money needed, while he also deals with Detective Andy Bellefleur who becomes suspicious about his past. With Bill away, Sookie chooses to spend the night at Bill’s house but wakes up the next morning with a naked man on her bed…

Ep. 10 – When Sookie finds Sam asleep without clothes at her bed, he reveals his own secret to her that he happens to be a shape shifter, plus his pet dog seen around the bar is really him in disguise. Sam also recalls important events in his life. Arlene and Rene have their engagement party at Sam’s bar and Sookie, already freaked out by Sam’s revelation, is attacked by an unseen person in the darkened kitchen. Meanwhile, Tara decides to undergo the exorcism, but later discovers something about the exorcist Miss Jeanette. Jason decides it’s time to do something about the captive Eddie, while Amy thinks differently. Elsewhere, Bill has to face the music and appears before a vampire tribunal over his self-defense killing of Longshadow. The normal sentence would to spend five years is a silver-wrapped coffin but the Magister has a better idea… to make Bill turn a human into a vampire.

Ep. 11 – Jason and Amy have to clean up after Eddie’s demise but it pushes Jason to the edge and he isn’t sure if he wants to continue his relationship with her. Meanwhile, Sookie caught a glimpse of something during her encounter with the serial killer and she and Sam travel to a diner in an adjoining county to see if they can get more information. What they learn is that the killer may once have struck there as well. Elsewhere, Bill completes the tribune’s sentence by turning Jessica into a vampire, but when he tells her what has happened, he doesn’t quite get the reaction he was expecting. Tara is arrested for drunk driving and her mother refuses to bail her out. A stranger, named Maryann Forrester, comes to her rescue. Also, the unseen serial killer strikes again by killing Amy and the police arrest Jason after the killer frames him.

Ep. 12 – With Jason in jail for Amy’s murder, he tries to prove his innocence, while Sookie thinks that the killer is someone that they are close with. Meanwhile, Marryann bails Tara out of jail and lets her stay at her posh mansion. Tara is wary about trusting Maryann, but enjoys living in her luxurious home. Tara likes it even more when she meets a temporary resident, Benedict Talley, whom is nicknamed Eggs. But it is secretly revealed that Maryann and Sam Merlotte have a connection. The identity of the serial killer is finally revealed as Arlene’s fiancée Rene, who now sets his sights on Sookie to kill her for her association with Bill. The charming Rene, formerly known as Drew Marshall, is actually a psychopath bigot whom kills women whom have ever associated themselves with vampires and he ends up chasing Sookie to the local graveyard near Bill’s house. After hearing her screams, Bill risks his life by going out into the sunlight to rescue her, while Sam turns into his dog form to help. While in jail, Jason is approached by a representative of the Fellowship of the Sun, the anti-vampire church, and he gets a new view on life.

Season 2:

Ep. 1 – Two weeks later. Sookie and the staff at Merlotte’s Bar & Grill are on edge when they find the dead body of a woman, who turns out to be Tara’s fake exorcist Miss Jeanette, in a parked car with her heart torn out. Detective Andy and the sheriff investigate and apparently the town of Bon Temps has a new serial killer in their mists. Now that Bill has turned the not-so-innocent Jessica Hamby into a vampire, she is living with him at his mansion and he is trying to teach her their own unique code of ethics. Sookie isn’t too sure she likes the fact that Bill has this young, attractive woman living him, but their own relationship and emotions are too strong to set aside. Meanwhile, Tara is still living in Maryann’s luxurious home and she continues flirting with Eggs who is also living there. Maryann has a few choice words for Tara’s mother, Lettie Mae, when they meet. It also turns out that Sam Merlotte and Maryann have quite a history together and Sam tries to make amends, but Maryann has her own ideas. Also, Jason Stackhouse, who found religion while temporarily in jail, now considers going off to Texas for a Church-run leadership seminar for the Fellowship of the Sun. Elsewhere, after Lafayette threatens to go public with the news about him and Eric Northman’s romance in order to expose the hypocrite that Eric is, the crooked politician has Lafayette taken to his house where he imprisons him in his basement to keep him quiet.

Ep. 2 – Having kissed and made up, Sookie and Bill’s relationship seems stronger than ever. Bill still has the problem of Jessica, who is proving to be just a bit of a wild child. Clan leader Eric Northman again wants to use Sookie’s services. Feeling guilty about her role in having Jessica made into a vampire, Sookie agrees to take her to her home where she promises she just want to see her parents and sister one more time. Things get out of hand when she jumps out of the car and she and Sookie are soon paying a visit. It’s left to an outraged Bill to resolve everything. Jason attends the leadership seminar run by the Church of the Sun and makes quite a first impression. Maryann visits Sam Merlotte’s bar with interesting effects. She also reminds Sam of just who is the most powerful between them. Lafayette manages to escape from Eric’s dungeon but, unable to get away completely, suggests an alternate way out to his captors.

Ep. 3 – During the drive back to Bon Temps, an outraged Bill tells Sookie, in no uncertain terms, that she committed a grave error in letting Jessica visit her family which nearly resulted in Jessica killing her stern and brutal father. Hurt and upset, Sookie decides to walk the 20 miles home but doesn’t get very far when she is attacked by a half-bull, half-man beast leaving huge gashes on her back. When his blood is unable to revive her, Bill turns to Eric for assistance and it’s determined she has somehow been poisoned. Both of them are puzzled however by the beast that attacked her and have no idea what they may be up against. Once recovered, Sookie makes a deal for Lafayette’s release. Meanwhile, Maryann throws a big party at her house, but it’s all a little too wild for Tara. Sam Merlotte wants to pack it in for a while and leave town. Wild child Jessica goes to Merlotte’s bar where she meets Hoyt Fortenberry and they immediately hit it off. New waitress Daphne decides to go for a midnight swim in the nude with Sam and she reveals something quite interesting.

Ep. 4 – As per her deal with Eric, Sookie and Bill travel to Dallas to help find the missing head of the local vampire community. They take Jessica along but on arrival, the driver meeting them attempts to abduct Sookie. Maryann throws a party for Tara who has now moved into Sookie’s house. A lot of people show up and once again she weaves her magic, revealing something interesting about herself in the process. Sam Merlotte isn’t sure starting a relationship with Daphne is a good idea but she tells him she knows his secret. Lafayette is still recovering from his wounds when Eric makes him a proposition. Jason is still making an impression at Church camp and is asked to move in with Sarah and Steve Newlin.

Ep. 5 – Still in Dallas with Bill and Jessica, Sookie is intent on keeping her part of the bargain and try to find the missing Godric despite the strange behavior of his cohorts. Eric tells Bill his true reason for wanting to find Godric. Sookie tries to learn more from the bellhop who has telepathic powers. Back in Bon Temps, most are still recovering from the effects of Tara’s birthday party. Sam learns that he and Daphne have more in common that he could ever have imagined. Maryann announces that she is moving into Sookie’s house and when told that she can’t, casts a spell on Tara to get her to change her mind. Over at the Light of Day Institute, Jason continues to impress with his leadership skills. Fed up with husband Steve’s lack of attention and respect however, Sarah Newlin decides to spend a little private time with Jason.

Ep. 6 – Tara and Eggs are driving down the highway when he suddenly realizes he has memories of having been there before. As he explores the nearby woods, he realizes it is an evil place. Sam and Daphne are having a good time and go frolicking in the woods. She has a surprise for him that is not welcome. Eric is out to take possession of Sookie and has Bill’s old girlfriend, who has not seen him for 70 years, come to town. We learn that Bill was not always the gentle, mild-mannered vampire he is today. In Dallas, Sookie is partnered with Hugo – another human who is dating a vampire – for their visit to the Light of Day Institute. Posing as an engaged couple looking for a church to wed, they meet the Newlins and have a tour of the church – but Steve also has a surprise for them. Jason is asked to build a scaffold for a sunrise ceremony where a vampire will be exposed to the dawn sun before the entire congregation. Jason is having serious doubts about whether he wants to be part of this group.

Ep. 7 – Still being held in the basement at the Church, it becomes obvious to Sookie that Steve knew they were coming, but is not sure why. That tells her there is a spy among them. She tries to get a message to Bill, but he is being held prisoner by his maker, who refuses to let him go after the woman he loves. In flashbacks, Bill’s conversion to a less violent lifestyle is revealed. When Steve learns Sookie’s true identity, he makes the connection with Jason and assumes he’s a spy. As they begin to wreak their vengeance, Sookie is saved by someone she has yet to meet. Back at the hotel Jessica and Hoyt decide to sleep together. In Bon Temps, Sam manages to escape, courtesy of a drunken Andy Bellefleur. Any plans he may have had for getting even with Daphne are overtaken by Maryann who has her own plans for her acolyte. The rest of the revelers have no memory of what happened the night before.

Ep. 8 – Having saved Sookie, Godric orders Eric to leave the premises with her – and to do so peacefully. Unfortunately, Steve Newlin and his followers are waiting for them in the Church and he isn’t too choosy as to which vampire they use for their sunrise ceremony. Godric tries a different approach and hopes to make peace with Steve, who adamantly opposes any such possibility. Safely returned to their lair, Godric’s peaceful approach and lack of desire for revenge doesn’t sit well with some of his followers. Steve also has a surprise for him. In Bon Temps, Eggs tells Tara that he’s blacked out again and they try to piece together where he’s been. Maryann prepares a special dish for them. Sam Merlotte finds himself under arrest when Daphne’s body is found in the restaurant freezer. Having finally slept together, Jessica and Hoyt discover a disadvantage to Jessica being a vampire.

Ep. 9 – Vampires and humans clean up in the aftermath of the explosion. Eric tricks Sookie into drinking some of his blood, much to Bill’s dismay. As a result of the lapse in security, Godric’s leadership falls under review but his response surprises everyone, especially Eric, who begs him not to go through with his plan. In Bon Temps, Maryann is out to find Sam Merlotte and complete the ritual sacrifice. She casts a spell on everyone in Sam’s bar to get them to look for him. Lafayette and Tara’s mother forcibly remove her from Sookie’s house. Hoyt and Jessica get used to their situation and Hoyt decides it’s time to introduce his true love to his vampire-hating mother.

Ep. 10 – Sookie, Jason and Bill return to Bon Temps only to find the town looking like a disaster area. Everyone is under Maryann’s spell and looking for Sam Merlotte who has been shape shifting to avoid capture. At Bill’s house, they find that Hoyt Fortenberry’s mother Maxine is in residence, also under the spell and driving Jessica to the breaking point. At Sookie’s house they find Maryann in firm control. Bill has a nasty experience with her but Sookie seems to have a strange power that hasn’t been seen before. At Lafayette’s house, they find Tara who is in a deep trance. No one, even Bill, has seen anything quite like this but he knows someone who may be able to explain everything.

Ep. 11 – Bill visits the vampire Queen of Louisiana to see what he can learn about Maryann and how they might be able to defeat her. The Queen isn’t too preoccupied with Bill’s requirements but does eventually tell him what has to be done. Back in Bon Temps, those who are not under Maryann’s control plan their next moves. Sam Merlotte decides they need help and visits Eric who reluctantly agrees to see what he can do. Sookie and Lafayette have to try and rescue Tara yet again after she escapes and returns to Sookie’s house in an attempt to save Eggs. Hoyt storms out of Bill’s house after he and Jessica have a big fight over his mother. His mother reveals a few truths about his father.

Ep. 12 – The mayhem in Bon Temps reaches a fever pitch as Maryann prepares for her ultimate bestial sacrifice, conscripting Sookie to be Maid of Honor at the bloody nuptials. Meanwhile, Sophie-Anne warns Eric to keep the lid on Bill’s inquisitiveness; Jason leads Andy into the heroic abyss; and Hoyt has a hard time swallowing Maxine’s endless stream of insults. Deliberating on what may be his final move to save Sookie and the town, Sam is forced to put his trust, and his life, in a most unlikely ally.

Season 3:

Ep. 1 – Sookie turns to Eric for help finding Bill; Andy urges Jason to stay the course; Sam reconnects with his past; Tara seeks refuge from her grief.

Ep. 2 – Russell Edgington, the Vampire King of Mississippi, concocts a plan to consolidate his power. Eric remembers his past; Sam tests the strength of his family bonds; Tara finds an ally in a shady vampire named Franklin Mott.

Ep. 3 – In search of Bill, Sookie heads to Jackson, Mississippi in the company of Alcide, a werewolf bodyguard assigned by Eric to protect her. Jason is distracted from his police exams; Bud reaches the end of his rope; Arlene copes with unexpected news; Franklin charms Tara, and gets Jessica out of a jam; Eric bequeaths a gift to Lafayette. Haunted by visions from his past, Bill makes a surprising pledge of allegiance.

Ep. 4 – Sookie joins Alcide at a raucous engagement party for his former fiancée, Debbie Pelt; Eric is given a deadline to locate Bill; Andy gets a promotion and draws Jason’s attention; Franklin takes Tara on a road trip; Arlene is irked by Jessica’s arrival at Merlotte’s; Sam brokers a deal with Tommy and his parents; Bill “procures” dinner for Russell and Lorena.

Ep. 5 – Alcide and Sookie turn to an alpha-wolf “packmaster” for advice on how to deal with Russell’s minions. Tara considers a proposal from Franklin, who’s completed his mission for Russell; Joe Lee breaks his promise to Sam and Tommy; Lafayette learns the meaning of patience from Jesus, his mother’s orderly; Jason meets his match in a mysterious girl named Crystal. An heirloom reminds Eric of his past and his ongoing thirst for vengeance.

Ep. 6 – Spurned by Eric, Sookie fears the worst for Bill, whose fate now lies in Lorena’s hands. Fueled by a night of bloody passion, Tara executes a desperate plan to stave off Franklin’s advances. In Bon Temps, Tommy finds it difficult to leave the family nest; Jessica gets her fix from a Merlotte’s customer; and Jason’s romance with Crystal hits a snag, as does Lafayette’s with Jesus. After revealing his master plan to Eric, Russell pays a visit to Louisiana in order to start executing it.

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