True Blood-HBO series

The main mystery of the first season concerns the murders of women connected to Sookie's brother, Jason (Ryan Kwanten). Maudette Pickens, Dawn Green and Amy Burley are all strangled shortly after having been alone with Jason. Though Detective Bellefleur has little doubt that Jason is the killer, the town sheriff does not suspect him. Jason and Sookie's grandmother is murdered shortly afterward. At the end of the season it is revealed that Arlene Fowler's fiancé, Rene Lenier, is actually a guy named Drew Marshall who created a fake identity, Cajun accent and all. He has been killing women he considers "fang-bangers."

The first season also focuses on Sookie's relationship with Bill and Sam's relationship with Sookie's friend Tara. Bill explains the rules of being a vampire to Sookie and, after he finds himself killing a vampire to defend Sookie, he is forced to turn a young girl, Jessica, as punishment. In the last episode of the season, this new vampire is left with Bill under his care. After Maudette and Dawn's murders Jason becomes addicted to vampire blood and has a short relationship with another addict, Amy, which ends when she is murdered by Drew. At the end of season one, Jason joins the anti-vampire movement Fellowship of the Sun and seems to be clean.

The second season has several overlapping plots. Lafayette is imprisoned and later released by Eric for dealing Vampire blood, Jason joins the Fellowship of the Sun and quickly becomes an asset to its leaders, and Jessica begins to embrace life as a vampire after Sookie convinces Bill to train her. A mysterious new creature appears on the scene whose motives are unknown and attacks Sookie, nearly killing her. It appears that this creature is also responsible for Daphne's injury and the death of Miss Jeannette.

Tara begins a relationship with Eggs, the ex-criminal living at Maryann's home. She also becomes increasingly suspicious of Maryann after attending an unusually wild party. Tara decides to take Sookie up on her offer and moves in to her house. Maryann throws Tara a birthday party and during the celebration appears to transform into the same creature that attacked Sookie, Miss Jeannette and Daphne. Jason starts having doubts about his involvement with the Fellowship of the Sun until the leader and his wife explain how important he is to their goals. Daphne, a new waitress at Merlotte's, begins a romantic relationship with Sam.

Sookie, Bill, and Jessica travel to Dallas, Texas, to search for missing vampire sheriff Godric. Upon arrival, Sookie is ambushed by an agent of the Fellowship of the Sun who has been sent to kidnap her and bring her back to the Church. Sookie meets Barry, a fellow telepath who is an employee at the hotel where they are staying.

Set in the small fictional town of Bon Temps, Louisiana, the main thrust of the show revolves around Anna Paquin as Sookie Stackhouse, a telepathic waitress. Her ability makes it difficult for her to form lasting human relationships. She is attracted to Bill Compton played by Stephen Moyer because she cannot hear his thoughts. He is a vampire recently returned home to Bon Temps after 150 years. Throughout the first season they grow close, with Bill becoming protective of Sookie.

Sam Trammell stars as Sam Merlotte, the owner of Merlotte's, where Sookie works. He is a shapeshifter, often watching over Sookie in the form of a dog. Rutina Wesley plays Tara Thornton, Sookie's best friend and a bartender at Merlotte's. Tara grew up in an abusive home, and has difficulty trusting others as a result. She has a brief relationship with Sam. Sookie's brother, Jason, played by Ryan Kwanten, is a road crew supervisor for Bon Temps. After losing the girl he loves, he turns himself in for a string of murders which he did not commit and, while in jail, is recruited by the anti-vampire church the "Fellowship of the Sun".

Tara's cousin, Lafayette Reynolds, played by Nelsan Ellis, is the short order cook at Merlotte's; he is also a drug dealer and gay prostitute. He sells Vampire Blood to Jason, but refuses to sell him any more after Jason takes too much at once. After his Vampire supplier goes missing, he is kidnapped by Eric and locked in a dungeon as a punishment for dealing and being implicated in the supplier's disappearance.

Jim Parrack stars as Hoyt Fortenberry, a friend of Jason and Rene who works on the road crew. Sweet and good-hearted, he is the only person whose thoughts are consistently kind when Sookie eavesdrops. For the majority of the first season he is bossed around by his mother, but stands up to her after Jason leaves his comfort zone to be with Amy. Hoyt meets Jessica in the second season, and expresses deep interest in her, even after finding out she's a vampire. Carrie Preston stars as Arlene Fowler, a waitress working with Sookie. She has been married four times, and is supporting two children from one of them. Towards the end of the first season she becomes engaged to her boyfriend Rene, but her happiness is short-lived after she discovers evidence implicating him in the murders.

Chris Bauer plays Detective Andy Bellefleur, a detective in Bon Temps who is regularly disrespected by the town's citizens. He is assigned the investigation of the murders that occur during the first season, and is set on arresting Jason Stackhouse for the crime. While he is initially praised for his actions, once the true killer's identity is revealed, he begins drinking heavily. During one of his binges at Merlotte's, the body of Miss Jeanette is left in his car, making him a suspect in her death. William Sanderson plays Sheriff Bud Dearborne, the town sheriff, and an old friend of Sookie's parents. He doesn't believe Jason is the killer, and regularly scolds Andy for not being fair and unbiased to suspects. He is currently investigating the murder of Miss Jeanette.

Sookie was the youngest of two children. Sookie's mind-reading ability was apparent from birth, though most people refused to acknowledge that she was able to literally read minds. Her telepathic powers manifested as a child, and it is indicated in the books that her parents thought she may have been subject to a mental illness, and was treated as such. However, Sookie does tell of one point when her father asked her to "listen" in on a business meeting to discern the true intentions of another person. She told her father the man was intending to take his money and run. Her parents died when she was 7 years old, leaving her and her older brother Jason to be raised by her grandmother.

Sookie was sexually molested as a child by her great uncle. Her parents never believed her accusations against him, but, after their death, Sookie's grandmother realized his threat to Sookie and prevented further contact between him and Sookie.

Bill Compton is a 174 year old vampire who lives in Bon Temps, LA. He is very gentle, mysterious, serious and possessive. His supernatural charms are his glamor, tissue regeneration, super-human strength and speed, healed Sookie with his blood, his voice- dark, cold and smooth,like spring water flowing over cool stones.

"He has this moral dilemma within him -he doesn't want to be the vampire that he once was. He wants to live with the humans as opposed to against them." - Making True Blood

"Bill is such a complex character and he's so unlike any other vampire because he's got morals. He's a very ethical man and he wants to be a decent undead being. I think that's a fantastic thing, and so, I didn't feel like I needed to do research. I wanted to make him precise, still, slow and different from how you would ordinarily perceive a vampire." - MediaBlvd Magazine

Sam lives in the town of Bon Temps, Louisiana, and is the owner of a bar named Merlotte's. Sam has strawberry blond hair with blue eyes. He is both a close friend of and the employer of mind-reading barmaid Sookie Stackhouse. Sam is a shapeshifter and likes to spend some of his time as a collie. His preferred shape is that of a collie, although he can essentially change into any animal he sees. On nights when the moon is full, Sam -like all shapeshifters- feels a strong urge to change, the rest of the time he can do it at will.

Sam has expressed his interest in Sookie and has kissed her on more than one occasion, but the two have never actually dated. He remains her good friend and supporter. He is very protective of Sookie, and is both jealous and concerned when Sookie involves herself first with the vampire Bill Compton, and then his employer Eric Northman. Under the guise of platonic friendship, he often advises Sookie to get away from the vampires while she still can. Despite this, Sam is dragged into the drama that surrounds Sookie and other supernatural creatures on an irregular basis.

Tara has been Sookies loyal best friend since childhood. She's built up a tough exterior taking care of her alcoholic mother at home, but the stress can make her quick to anger and hard to employ. She may have found her perfect job, after talking her way into a bartending job at Merlottes Bar. Where she can turn her temper, to keep unruly customers in line. Still, she has a soft spot in her heart for Sookie and her brother, Jason.

Jason is introduced as Sookie's brother and a known ladies man in the town of Bon Temps. Things start turning upside down for him when every woman that he gets involved with ends up getting murdered, including his loving Grandmother, Adele Hale "Gran" Stackhouse.

Brandy Taylor