True Blood

Relax people, it's NOT more Twilight.

In fact, you couldn't get further from a soppy angst-ridden emo-vamp fest without heading into 30 Days of Night territory.

Vampires have had a hard time of it really. Instead of being harsh, narcissistic, haemophilic blood-suckers, they have been toned down into broody, troubled, angst-ridden romantics who mope around in the daylight and stalk depressed lonely girls.

If you really want that kind of vampire, go and watch the Vampire Diaries. It's like Twilight meets One Tree Hill (yes, it IS a real show and not a horrible, horrible nightmare I created). However, if you want a vampire show that fucks rednecks, is cruder than your gran on a bottle of gin and is actually funny, then True Blood is for you.

In True Blood, vampires exist and everyone knows, they 'came out of the coffin' and have their own bars, hotels, political agendas, law enforcement agencies and micro societies. They also have a synthetic blood alternative called 'Tru Blood' (available in a variety of blood-types) to save all those innocent girls who sleep in long night gowns with their windows open from getting bitten. However, it turns out that a lot of people WANT to get bitten and there ain't no sex like sex with a vamp, as we find out repeatedly and with much gusto.

The show revolves around a small podunk town in Louisiana where folks eat gators and life is slow. Until the town's first vampire moves in and a series of grisly deaths start to happen. Coincidence? duhn duhn duuuhhhnnn.....

Sookie Stackhouse is the central character, played by Anna Paquin and yes, Marvel Fanboys (she was Rogue in X-Men), she DOES get naked; see Mr Skin for more details. She's a simple, small-town girl who lives with her Grandmother and Brother. I should mention that her brother, Jason, steals the show in many episodes thanks to his random sexploits and deadpan delivery, played excellently by former Home and Away actor Ryan Kwanten. Seriously, he gets laid in pretty much every episode of the first season but is as dumb as a post.

It is written/created by Alan Ball who gave us Six Feet Under so he has established credentials and experience of producing quality "black comedy". I strongly recommend you take a look at it.

Plus, in this one, they don't all automatically know Kung Fu as soon as they die.