TRUE BLOOD

Lady and the Vamp

HBO has managed to make a funeral home and a therapist seem M sexy, so why not the undead? More grown-up than Buffy and less sweeping than the works of Anne Rice, True Blood tells the story of the virtuous and virginal Sookie Stackhouse, played by Anna Paquin, a telepathic cocktail waitress in backwater Louisiana, who falls for one of the world's modern-day vampires, a group that has recently "come out of the casket." Americans aren't sure what to make of their new, nocturnal neighbors; the vampires are striving for assimilation, and while they're sometimes desired for their magical powers (including their otherworldly bedroom prowess), they still do occasionally bite humans. The resulting conflict produces a drama that is equal parts coming-of-age story, gothic romance, and culture clash. The series, based on the novels of Charlaine Harris, marks the return of Six Feet Under creator Alan Ball. "The characters were so specific, so flawed and human and funny," says Ball. "The world was very romantic and sexy and terrifying. I thought, Wow, it's all here."

JOHN ORTVED