When HBO's True Blood premiered, it was an instant hit. Along the likes of Twilight, The Vampire Diaries and a multitude of vampire films, people crave that type of television. True Blood is a dark and intimate show that was adapted from a novel series called "The Southern Vampire Mysteries" and at that point, it was everything HBO needed.
It's been a while since the last episode aired, but we still re-watch episodes and wish for more. As if fans thought they knew everything they could about this show, there are lingering, surprising facts that people may be surprised they didn't know about. The 15 facts below may make audiences think of different outcomes, but we're still glad things worked out the way they did!
15 True Blood Broke HBO's Viewing Record In A Single Episode
HBO has seen some pretty great television shows come across their table, but at one point, it was unclear who would take the place of a powerhouse television show like The Sopranos. When True Blood came to light, it broke HBO's viewing record for a single episode quickly and later on, Game of Thrones took this spot.
14 Maryann Forrester's Meat Statue In Season 2 Was Actually Real
In Season two, Maryann Forrester came into the picture as a supernatural creature that wanted to take over the town and give herself to Dionysus. After she transformed the townsfolk into black-eyed zombies, she had her minions make a food statue, which was as real as it looked. Each day, the crew spent hundreds of dollars on food and security to protect it from wildlife.
13 The Food And Cocktails In The Show Inspired A Cookbook
There's some pretty cool cooking shows out there, but we'd never pair True Blood in that category. Apparently, people wanted to know what was cooking over at Merlotte's and what inspired the True Blood drink, so producers banked on it and came up with a cookbook based on the show.
12 Lafayette Reynolds (Played By Nelson Ellis) Wasn't Supposed To Be A Regular On The Show
A fan favorite that might've not come to light was Lafayette Reynolds. In the book series, his character wasn't as prominent as his presence in the show, but after his standout performance, he earned his spot on the show and appeared in every single episode of True Blood.
11 Each Episode Was Named After A Pop Or Christian Song
There was a lot of thought behind the music in the show, but there was also just as much thought in the titles of each episode. Every episode was actually named after the a pop or christian song. Then, the song was incorporated into the episode to give it a little extra meaning.
10 Sam Trammell, Who Played Sam Merlotte, Is The Only Cast Member Actually From The South
For the most part, each actor played their character well as Southerners; but believe it or not, only one cast member is actually from the South. Sam Trammell, who plays Sam Merlotte, is actually from Louisiana and most likely did not need coaching lessons to craft his accent in the show.
9 Stephen Moyer, Who Played Bill Compton, Had Three Sets Of Fangs Insured
People like David Beckham insure their legs and some people insure...their fangs. Stephen Moyer wanted to make sure his set of fangs were available at all times, so he had three pairs made. Also, in case they went missing, he had insurance covered on them as a Plan B. We're not calling him extra, but this is kind of extra.
8 Ian Somerhalder Auditioned For The Part Of Jason Stackhouse
We can't possibly imagine anyone other than Ryan Kwanten playing heartthrob Jason Stackhouse, but apparently actor Ian Somerhalder thought he had acting chops to play the (at times dense) character. Somerhalder was slightly bummed he didn't get the part, but went on to play Damon Salvatore in The Vampire Diaries.
7 Alexander Skarsgård Auditioned For The Part Of Bill Compton
Now that we're on the topic of what could've been, we also want to point out that Alexander Skarsgård initially auditioned for the part of Bill Compton. We're glad he ended up playing Eric Northman, because we can't possibly see him playing the part of a moody and aloof vampire.
6 Blood Drives Were Encouraged At Comic Cons During True Blood's Run On HBO
Celebrities are all about a good cause and when it came to Comic Cons, the True Blood crew wanted to get everything they could out of the experience. Whenever the cast and crew is a part of Comic-Con, they make sure to sponsor blood drives whenever they can.
5 Bon Temps Isn't An Actual Town In Louisiana, But It Has An Official Website Pretending To Be
The producers did a great job of portraying Bon Temps, Louisiana as being an actual town fans can visit, but in reality, it doesn't exist. The show even made it the "Catfish Capital of the South" and played around with the ever-changing population. To push the idea even further, there's a website dedicated to the town, complete with testimonials.
4 Snoop Dogg Was Such A Huge Fan Of True Blood, That He Made A Song About Sookie
It isn't surprising that celebrities got in on the fandom of True Blood as well. It was such a popular show that rapper, Snoop Dogg became a super fan. Like any musician, the best form of flattery is to write songs about a certain topic they're interested in. In this case, Snoop wrote a song called "Oh Sookie" to show his love for her.
3 There Was Actually a True Blood Drink People Could Buy For A Limited Time
We're already aware that a cookbook exists for fans to devour, but for a limited time, there was also a faux "Tru Blood" drink fans could purchase. HBO took this opportunity to sell merchandise on their website with an orange soda drink that replicated the synthetic drink in the show. Who wouldn't want to pretend they're a vampire?
2 The Role Of Tara Thornton Was Originally Played By Actress Brook Kerr, Not Rutina Wesley
Rutina Wesley played a huge part in the True Blood series and we'd miss her sassiness terribly; but before Wesley was even a thought, there was another actress lined up to play Tara. Actress Brook Kerr played in the show's pilot, but was replaced by Wesley after "creative differences".
1 No One Was Happy With The Ending Of The Books Or The TV Show
Viewers have been let down with final seasons of TV shows, so it's not a surprise that a lot of people weren't thrilled with the ending of True Blood. Not only were fans disappointed in the ending of the book series, they were also bummed about the television series; one of the reasons being that we don't find out who Sookie's husband was.