Unless you’ve been living under a pop culture rock, you’ve probably heard of the ultra popular HBO series “True Blood”.  It basically tells the story of a small town in Louisiana, Bon Temps, and a telepathic waitress named Sookie Stackhouse.  This fictionalized town is filled with crazy characters, a shape shifter, and most importantly, vampires.  Vampires have come out of the coffin, and are trying to live life out in the open.  Basically, the show is amazing and if you aren’t already fan, than here are five reasons why you should start watching True Blood immediately.

5.  Lafayette.  Lafayette is Bon Temps’ most fabulous, flamboyant resident.  He is played to perfection by Nelsan Ellis, and provides some much needed comic relief to a show that is full of murder, mayhem, blood sucking, and raunchy love scenes.  Lafayette has definitely come into his own during the second season.  He began the show as True Blood’s token stereotype, but is now finishing the second season as one of Bon Temps’ most intriguing residents.

4.  The mystery that is Maryann.  Maryann Forrester, and her big pig, burst onto the scene during the end of the first season.  She rescued Tara, Sookie’s best friend, and has placed a spell over all of Bon Temps.  It was revealed that Maryann is Maenad, which is a mythological being who is in the service goddess Dionysius.  Maryann must offer a sacrifice to appease her God, and her mark is the town’s shape shifting pub owner Sam Merloette.  True Blood fans are waiting with baited breath to discover if  Maryann will succeed is murdering one of the show’s most popular characters.

3.  Fellowship of the Sun vs. American Vampire League.  This battle could be seen as the classic struggle of good versus evil, it just really depends on your point of view.  The Fellowship of the Sun is a religious organization whose sole purpose is to rid the world of the vampire scourge.  On the other end, the American Vampire League is fighting tirelessly for vampire rights.  These two groups are in engaged in a media battle that is eventually going to spill a little blood.  Whether this blood will be human or vampire remains to be seen.

2.  Alexander Skarsgard.  Alexander Skarsgard, the son of famous Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgard, portrays vampire Eric Northman.  His character is not the nicest guy in the world.  He is narcisstic, manipulative, and a compulsive liar.  You may think these are all reason to dislike this character, but that is not giving Mr. Skargard’s performance enough credit.  He is just so unbelievably charismatic, and you cannot help but be captivated by his Nordic good looks, and that little twinkle in his eye. 

1.  Bill/Sookie/Eric love triangle.   Sookie loves Bill.  Bill loves Sookie. Eric wants Sookie for a companion, but the feeling is not mutual. This may seem like the most uninspired love triangle in television history, but there is a catch.  You see, Sookie drank Eric’s blood, and in the world of True Blood, this gives the two an unbreakable bond for the rest of Sookie’s life.  According to the show’s creator Alan Ball, the drama between these three only intensifies in season 3, and I for one, can’t wait.