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If HBO’s hit vampire drama True Blood goes to a sixth season, it will be without its mastermind Alan Ball at the helm. HBO and Ball just confirmed ongoing speculation that Ball would leave the series full-time after the upcoming fifth season. He is under an overall deal with HBO and, in addition to True Blood, also executive produces new series Banshee for sibling Cinemax. Here are statements from HBO and Ball:
HBO: “When we extended our multi-year overall deal with Alan Ball in July 2011, we always intended that if we proceeded to True Blood’s sixth season that Alan would take a supervisory role on the series and not be the day-to-day showrunner. If we proceed to season six, the show will remain in the very capable hands of the talented team of writers and producers who have been with the show for a number of years. This is the best possible world for both HBO and Alan Ball. Alan will remain available as executive producer to consult and advise on True Blood and he will be free to develop new shows for both HBO and Cinemax. Banshee, on which Alan serves as executive producer, is the first in house series for Cinemax and is expected to begin production this spring.”
Alan Ball: “True Blood has been, and will continue to be, a highlight of not only my career but my life. Because of the fantastic cast, writers, producers and crew, with whom I have been lucky enough to work these past five years, I know I could step back and the show will continue to thrive as I look forward to new and exciting ventures.”
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This could be a good thing. Six Feet Under was great but True Blood is -at best- a good guilty pleasure show. It is far from being as smart and as epic as Buffy The Vampire Slayer and it not even as addicting as The CW’s much cheaper The Vampire Diaries.
I totally agree. 6FU was a masterpiece, but True Blood has essentially become the program depicted in Family Guy’s epic takedown: “I’m a nude vampire. I’m a nude werewolf. And that’s the show!”
Yes, I’ll still watch.
“True Blood… is far from being as smart and as epic as Buffy The Vampire Slayer”
LMFAO!!
Ball is one-of-a-kind, an epic talent; HBO and viewers everywhere have much to look forward to. Would there were more Balls and fewer…well, naming names is kinda gauche, right?
Last season was terrible, so perhaps this will be a good thing…It is a guilty pleasure and fun as hell at times, but the show has gotten out of control with the amount of storylines and characters.
I’ll still watch, too. True Blood is not what it once was. I REALLY miss Treme. Now that’s a great show.
Yeah, any word on when Treme is coming back? Last year I thought season 2 premiered in the spring.
“Being Human” is much better than True Blood which, I think, has run out of steam.
The Vampire Diaries is terrible. I could barely get through the angst and dullness of season 1.
Neither are as good as Buffy in it’s prime, but at least True Blood has………..well, blood.
Good to hear, because the last two seasons truly sucked ba… eh, nevermind. Too easy.
Man! When you think of SFU and the immense satisfaction that show provided it kind of hurts, doesn’t it? Like a friend that went away too soon. Ouch.
I agree: such a masterpiece!
Good hopefully he can go back to making good shows
I’m so happy he’s leaving. I’m only sad he didn’t leave sooner.
So sad that he’s leaving! True blood is ridiculously addictive and I hope it stays that way
What this article forgot to mention was that he states IF true blood comes back for another season. There have been rumors that this coming season will be the last and that they r killing off A Skars(Eric).
My bad the IF was the first sentence. Guess I’m having a blonde moment:)
If Alan Ball had stayed closer to the books, the show would not be so ridiculous. The writing and the plots in the books were smart and funny. They were mysteries. Not orgies.
Please tell whoever is in charge that they will have a terrific hit if they bring someone in who will capture the essence of the books. It does not have to be literally the same as the books, of course, but put the emphasis on the books’ early vibe: FUNNY mysteries with an element of romance, but with that being a minor side note – a spice. The paranormal bit is all part of the humor and spice also.
When I first started reading the Sookie series, it felt like early Stephanie Plum. I described it as Janet Evanovich’s series with vampires and werewolves. Of course, that series – Janet’s – is now suffering series fatigue as is the Sookie series. I think the TV series may have influenced Charlaine Harris in a bad way, but who knows? I will still read every Sookie book and watch every True Blood show if they get back to the basics underlying whatever plot lines.