Fall TV preview

True Blood

Anna Paquin stars as mindreadin', vampire-lovin' Sookie Stackhouse in this frisky new HBO series about creatures that go bump and grind in the night. Parallels between vampires and gay America abound; vampires are said to be "coming out of the coffin," the more conservative Southerners won't embrace their alternative lifestyle—heck, they've even got a thing for leather bars. The plus side: There's a decent amount of vampire sex in every episode (just imagine the sex you normally have, but in fast forward—and with another person. Zing!). Anna nails it (no pun intended) as Sookie, Stephen Moyer is bloody good (no pun intended) as her mysterious vampire beau and Ryan Kwanten doesn't suck (no pun intended) as Sookie's brother Jason. Okay, okay... puns intended.

Import, update or adaptation: Adapted from the "Southern Vampire Mysteries" series of books.

"True Blood" premieres Sunday, September 7, at 9pm on HBO.