It is undeniable: 2009 has become the new "Year of the Vampire". In the cyclical resurgence of public enthusiasm for the horror genre, the Vampire subgenre is definitely reaching the apex of fanatical zeal. With a flood of such cinematic reenvisionings of the vampire myth as UNDERWORLD, TWILIGHT, LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, 30 DAYS OF NIGHT, MOONLIGHT, BLOOD TIES and, of course, TRUE BLOOD, to name a few, millions of new fans have been cultivated around the world as they have discovered their own intense, previously unexplored passion for the lore. What has been most exciting, as an author of the genre, is to watch the development of these new stories and the public's reaction each one. It has been quite the sociological study for me to observe and scrutinize the response to each new television program or movie that has debuted to see what it was about the different tales that people gravitated to and what made him or her become rabidly enamored with their chosen idol of modern vampiric popular culture. The brilliant creators of TRUE BLOOD have definitely tapped into a deep reservoir of psychological societal identification when it comes to the storyline behind the HBO television series. Not only does it combine the extremities of the genre from blood-thirsty, merciless violence to the highly sexual and sensual romantic aspect, but TRUE BLOOD has chosen to call out certain racial, sexual and political issues which, despite what we might like to believe about the progression and evolution of the human race, are still very much alive, especially in the southern portions of the United States. Dealing with the integration of vampires into mainstream society with the advent of a synthetic blood replacement product called True Blood, the show brazenly approaches racism, segregation, sexual discrimination and the blurred line between separation of Church and State with an unapologetic honesty. And it has apparently been the voice that the world was searching for in a new vampire television show. No loveable, glittering vegetarian vamps or P.I.'s who sleep in a freezer and struggle with a campy, awkward crime noir persona for the fans of TRUE BLOOD!

However, if you had told me after watching the first, or even the second episode of TRUE BLOOD that I would be here today testifying as one of those rabidly devoted fans, I would have spit my martini across the room and died with laughter. In the beginning I was highly skeptical of the potential of the show and voiced as much concern in my initial review (http://www.fatally-yours.com/horror-reviews/true-blood-2008/). The first steps TRUE BLOOD took were awkward and hard to watch, the stereotypes too over-the-top, the humor too obvious and the sex scenes far too graphic, as if they were attempting to distract the viewer from a lack of true substance. Everyone I had spoken to in those first couple of weeks had expressed the same disappointment and concern. However, there was something about the series that made me stick with it, though at the time I could not place my finger exactly on the quality that kept me tuning in for the next episode. Perhaps I was simply craving a new vampire series so terribly bad that I was damned if I was going to give up on yet another one, as I had done with MOONLIGHT earlier that year. I'm truly glad I did not turn my back on the series for as it found its footing in the genre and the actors settled more securely into their roles (and Anna Paquin's southern accent became more tolerable, bless her Kiwi heart!), the traits of the show that had originally come off as forced and contrived, setting my teeth on edge, evolved into purposeful and often humorous tools necessary to carry the intensity of the show's plotlines forward, week after week. It quickly developed into what is now one of the most influential television series contributions to the vampire genre and will no doubt go down, alongside the likes of DARK SHADOWS, DARK KNIGHT, BUFFY and ANGEL as helping to promote and define the culture's voice. Viewers have become so entangled within the show that it has sealed its permanence in the current pop culture consciousness, their emotional commitment to the evolution of the characters and fascination with the growth of the story wholly impervious to outside objections or criticisms. In the eyes of the fans, TRUE BLOOD has left its bite mark and is here to stay.

The new season begins June 14th on HBO. For those of us who have followed the show closely, we are perched now upon pins and needles in anticipation of what happens next. What truly happened to Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) after he was attacked behind Merlotte's? Who's foot is it that dropped out of the back seat of the detective's car in the Merlotte's parking lot? What will be Jason's (Ryan Kwanten) path now that he has converted to the anti-vampire movement of The Fellowship of the Sun? Who exactly is Maryanne (Michelle Forbes), what are her plans for Tara (Rutina Wesley) and what is her connection to Sam (Sam Trammell), the shape-shifting owner of Merlotte's and Sookie's unofficial guardian? Will Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgard) continue to pursue Sookie, against Bill's wishes? Ah, so many questions and still two weeks till all will be revealed! In the meantime...how about a few teaser spoilers to tide you over?

Season 2 Spoilers:

So, what can TRUE BLOOD fans expect for the next season? A few websites have been announcing "spoilers", most of which are based on speculation from rumors being volleyed around the internet via various TRUE BLOOD fan sites, but may very well be based on substantial evidence from tips and leads. One of the many things I loved about the first season, however, is the fact that it truly kept me guessing from one episode to the next and up until the very last show, I still didn't know who the killer hunting down "fangbangers" in Sookie's Parish was. This was truly remarkable to me since it happens so rarely that I don't solve the cinematic riddle at the halfway mark! So, I, personally, am taking any potential spoilers with a grain of salt in hopes that I will be kept in suspense again this year. However, here are a few tidbits I have managed to track down, for those who are dying to fantasize about the upcoming premiere!

The first spoiler report states that Sookie crosses paths with a young Texan named Barry who can read minds just like her. Another spoiler report is based upon the casting calls for two young Vikings, both from the tenth century, the same century Eric Northman was born in. Much like we were shown Bill Compton's history, rumors have it that we will be treated to a flashback to Eric's introduction into the world of vampires. There was an additional casting call for a character by the name of Gabe who is in his 30's to 40's. He is described to be of a military build and a member of the Light Of Day Institute. His role in the show is that of a drill instructor at a Boot Camp for vampire hunters. The role of Gabe will be a reoccurring role, but that is the extent of that lead.

There will apparently be three orgie scenes in the second season, all of which will be fueled by the mysterious new character Maryann (Michelle Forbes) and her "aphrodisiac fairy dust". Also in the topic of sex scenes, it is rumored that Eric Northman will be involved in a rather homoerotic encounter with a character that has yet to be revealed (could this have something to do with his creation into a vampire?). And, because no one new can arrive at Merlotte's without them harbording a serious secret, the mystery behind Merlotte's newest waitress (Ashley Jones) is said to be discovered by clues "on her skin". The last bit of spoiler news I will indulge you in is in regards to a new love triangle that appears to be developing between Bill, Sookie and Eric. After Sookie is mauled by a strange beast early on in the second season, Bill must enlist Eric's help to track down the attacker and, thus, quite a bit of tension blooms between the three characters due to Eric's previous fascination with Sookie.

Now, you must wait, along with all of the other rabid, drooling, pawing frantically at the DVR fans, until June 14th. If you are craving a fix of TRUE BLOOD, the first season has been released on DVD and I must say it is definitely worth the $49 to purchase the boxed set. If that is not in your budget, the series is available through Netflix as well. Either way, you should be able to get your fix of V...I mean, TRUE BLOOD over the next week!