Season 6 of HBO’s gory, blood-sucking drama True Blood may be nearly a year away, but departing showrunner Alan Ball recently revealed that next season will cut out two episodes, leaving the total number at 10, instead of the typical 12. Could a shortened season 6 hurt the series, which is already abundant with characters and storylines?
Ball claims that next season will be reduced to 10 episodes partially because of star Anna Paquin (Sookie Stackhouse), who is due to give birth to twins with onscreen love-interest and real life husband Stephen Moyer (Bill Compton) this November. Additionally, Ball also noted that the episode order was cut for “economic” reasons (read: to save money).
Here’s what Ball had to say to TV Guide:
We’re moving production to January to accommodate her. And there will only be 10 shows next season partly because of Anna and partly because of the economics.
The burning question that’s likely on many fan’s minds is what does that mean for their treasured misadventures in Bon Temps next year? While nothing is yet set in stone, this cost-cutting episode reduction could mean that less important subplots could be reduced significantly, if not completely phased out. Finding time for Alcide and his pack, or Andy and his fae babies, might become difficult come next year.
Ultimately, True Blood is a vampire-centric show, so the main focus of next season will likely be on the the rise of the new Bill/Lilith fusion (affectionately dubbed ‘Bilith’), as well as the exploration of the mysterious Warlow (who apparently “owns” Sookie). Though we’ll have to wait and see exactly how producers decide to approach next season, having to fit so many character stories in a shortened episode order could prove to be problematic for the series overall. Because if there’s one thing True Blood is already lacking, it’s time to include so many of its concurrent, over-arching narratives.
Behold ‘Bilith’
Then again, True Blood’s seasons have always feel a bit bloated, often leaving the season finales with a quick wrap-up and cliffhanger. If producers are able to provide a more succinct story, in fewer episodes, there’s a good chance that True Blood season 6 could help perfect the series’ ability to continue on into the future. Having already written off (or killed) more than a few familiar characters, producers have already begun trimming down the series – perhaps in a preemptive move to help the transition into next season easier.
All in all, True Blood season 6 will certainly be something for fans to keep an eye on. Whether this shortened season will be helpful or hurtful still remains to be seen. Either way, it’ll certainly add another level of intrigue to next season’s viewing (as if a god-like vampire and a mysterious vampire hybrid wasn’t enough).
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True Blood season 6 premieres summer 2013 on HBO.
Source: TV Guide.
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One of the top shows on premium cable,and they have the gaul to mention the economical strains,were aware of them,we go to our s***ty little jobs and struggle to make our small amount of money so we can give it to to you(showtime)so we can ESCAPE from that reality.this is bs really,f***ing spoiled celebs and cheap profit obsessed sociopathic producers.i enjoy this show but they care so little about the fans and the show its self that they’re willing to rip us off and alter the story just for a few million bucks.these are the type of ruthless profiteers that would install a suicide net around a iPod sweatshop rather than losing a few bucks by working employees less,except in this case these lazy ass Hollywood types could benefit from forced labor.bottom line,its amateur hour and insulting to us normal people with real money concerns who flush down our hard earned for a product.if this was a drug deal showtime would get shot for skimping
Dunno what you’re talking about. They spent 60 million on Game of Thrones. That’s a lotta dough. Just think, maybe they’re saving their money so they dont risk bankruptcy next season. It’s not about pinching or splurging, its more like “It can be afforded or it cannot be afforded.”
Um, it’s on HBO.
I really don’t understand cutting it down to 10 episodes. It’s like he’s saying that THE ONLY person there to write for is Sookie which isn’t so. Instead of taking time to focus on some other characters while Anna Paquin heals and spends time with the new additions to her family, he just decides to do NOTHING??? There’s so much to do. Lafayette (and maybe “bringing back” Jesus), Jason finding some true solid ground and becoming a less erratic person, Tara finding some sort of balance or peace between her new “life” as a vampire and what she believed in her old one, the Bellefleur fairy children, Eric and his choice to follow Godric/his pursuit of Sookie/his relationship with Pam, and SO much more. You really mean to tell me that Sookie is everything??? You finally have 2 extra episodes worth of time to focus on everybody else and you just DUMP it!!! This is bad.
It’s not just Anna. Stephen is entitled to family leave as well. They have TWO infants to take care of. Actors work 14 hour-days, icluding nights and weekends when needed. They don’t have a M-F, 9-5 schedule like regular folks, so of course Anna and Stephen wanted to spend as much time with the babies as possible before they had to go back to work. And if Anna and Stephen were not in the first 2 episodes, how were they supposed to resolve the cliffhanger at the end of S5? Who was going to play Billith and Sookie? Also Sookie is the lead character on the show. TB doesn’t exist w/o her, so no they can’t make the show w/o Sookie. Each season begins and ends with Sookie. It’s her story.
HBO sets a cap of 10 episodes for True Blood and Game of Thrones, but they’re ordering another Lena Dunham show about rich white women in New York City, as if we need more of those.
Slash funding for Girls and those other crap shows, and use the budget for the shows fans love.
I really don’t understand why you would want to shorten the season to 10. It’s months before a new season starts already and only making it 10 eps would make it even longer of a wait. There’s a lot of things you can throw into 2 so cutting it is redicolous I think
there’s only two thing I look forward to…football season and true blood. shortening the season by 2 episodes really blows (it’s like shortening the football season by 2 games due to injuries) writers block? hire new writers darn it!
Reducing it to 10 episodes could possibly help the series? What a stupid question, what a stupid conclusion.
With that kind of logic, that it could “help the series”, they could make itinto a blockbuster winner by cutting it to 0 episodes!
I just hope that we have more than six seasons i really like the show it has its ups and downs but i find it hard to wait for the next season each year. I think that them making only 10 episodes can be a good thing if they do it right.maybe get rid of stories like terry’s war past that story was horrible. Or arlene fishing flashbacks. Just please keep the show going you have the ratings and fans why stop.
I like that show very very much .
I agree that cutting the season shorter will hurt the show and we use this show to escape our crappy lives but if you think about at least they are going to have episodes! They could have waited until after Anna gave birth and spent sometime with the newborns but instead she chose to work. I mean it sucks they will only have ten episodes but it is better than waiting right? All I know is that we should be happy that there is still something coming on even if it is cut short. Hopefully the plot will not be ruined in the shorting process.
once again lets have 10 episode and wait almost a year to see the next, epic modern tv braodvasting fail, never seen true blood dont care to until the whole series is finished then i can watch the whole thing in a proper timely fashion. sows like this dont have any depth not enough time in 12 hours to give you that, is they only have 12 episode a season already and they have filler episodes, then they must have some horrible writers!!!!
Not the least bit happy with this situation as it is something I wait for and one of few reasons I even carry (HBO). I will have to say if they end True Blood my subscription to HBO will be cancelled because with Internet available and smart TV’s I don’t need them for movies obviously.
I hope they make more True bloods