"True Blood"

Alan Ball, who created "Six Feet Under," returns to HBO with another show about dead people, or, rather, undead people, as in vampires. With the invention of synthetic blood by the Japanese, vampires begin to live among us, no longer needing to feast on human blood to survive. The series stars Anna Paquin as Sookie Stackhouse, a telepathic waitress in a small Louisiana town, who falls for the town's first vampire, a handsome and mysterious 173-year-old named Bill Compton (played by Stephen Moyer), and the only person in town whose mind she can't read. Though the first few episodes move slowly, "True Blood" is a Southern gothic romance cum ethnic parable, with vampires serving as a metaphor for modern day race relations. As Sookie and Bill become entangled, half the town is enthralled by their newest resident, the other half appalled. Good but not great in its first few episodes, the show has promise, and an intriguing premise -- oh, and plenty of steamy vampire sex -- but only time will tell whether the show has actual bite. (Premieres Sept. 7 at 9 p.m. on HBO) - DL

(HBO)