Ratings
How Does True Blood Defy An Ancient Ratings Curse on Serialized Shows?
I’m not sure how many innocent shapeshifters Alan Ball had to sacrifice for this, but Sunday’s episode of True Blood earned the series its highest ratings ever — for the fifth week in a row. Just how crazy has True Blood’s ratings path been this season?
Unlike most serialized dramas, which drop off after their season premieres (see: week two of Mad Men), True Blood’s steady rise has been truly remarkable. The series has always been a slow burner — in its first season, it premiered modestly but continued to build — and this year has seen the heat turned up: After True Blood’s June premiere netted it 3.7 million viewers (at the time, HBO’s largest audience since the series finale of The Sopranos), ratings have risen dramatically. The latest tune-in? 5.3 million — a full 20% climb from the previous week’s episode.
At this point, True Blood has even more in common with Buffy the Vampire Slayer than its central blond-and-brunette vampire love triangle: Its ratings are right in line with what Buffy averaged in its heyday. It may be time to buy Anna Paquin’s boobs that Porsche Boxster — they’ve earned it!
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Posted 25 Aug 2009, 11:47 AM
Well True Blood lucked out on Sun night! The previous two episodes were boring pieces of s**t! Luckily this last Sunday's episode was great!
Posted 25 Aug 2009, 11:55 AM
Why such a hater - calm down, relax and enjoy...
Posted 25 Aug 2009, 12:12 PM
Shows promoted exclusively by word-of-mouth always have uphill rating trends. Honestly, have you ever seen any marketing for this, outside of on the HBO network itself?
Posted 25 Aug 2009, 1:43 PM
Yes. I first found out about True Blood when I passed by several posted bills, seemingly created for the American Vampire League, urging me to support the Vampire Rights Amendment.
Posted 25 Aug 2009, 1:56 PM
well, i think we're all tuning in so that we're witness to when the show decides to go full frontal (plus it's really entertaining).
Posted 25 Aug 2009, 6:57 PM
Please let it be Eric going full-frontal. Oh god, PLEASE!!!
Posted 26 Aug 2009, 8:48 AM
I think True Blood's campiness really helps it, because while it's a serial, I imagine you could jump in and appreciate just for the boobies, ass, and hilarity.