HBO is so pleased with its new vampire series “True Blood,” even after just two episodes, that it has already renewed the Alan Ball series, according to the latest from The Hollywood Reporter.
The series, starring Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer, debuted September 7 with modest numbers but in the second episode those numbers rose from 1.4 million pay viewers to a whopping 4 million — a 24% increase in one week.
“We’re in a business where we have to believe in the show — and the show is fantastic,” said Michael Lombardo, president of HBO’s programming group and West Coast operations. “It gets better in every episode. The show deserves a second year whatever the ratings.”
Lombardo said that such an early renewal gives a good sign to viewers that they can afford to become invested in the show’s characters and story-arc.
“It says, ‘It’s OK to get hooked on the show,” added Lombardo. “It’s coming back.”‘
With HBO’s return to Sunday night new year-round programming in 2009, the second season of “True Blood” will premiere in Summer 2009.
Good news for the show, but how is an increase from 1.4m to 4m only %24? It seems like %186 to me.
That’s good news…the show is good so far. No clue how it holds up against the novels, but its enjoyable on its own. And Anna Paquin is so damn CUTE you just want to stick her in your pocket.
I think HBO is saying that when the difference between the demographics are taken into account it comes to around 24%…at least I hope that is what they were saying because I too looked at that math and said….huh? Although, statistically, it’s more like a 35% difference.
I would also suggest that some of the viewers may have illegally downloaded the first episode before it was aired and waited for episode 2 before watching the show.David4