“True Blood” has apparently successfully weathered its first season without Alan Ball and will be back for Season 7.
HBO announced on Monday (July 15) that it has renewed “True Blood,” which will return for its seventh season in the summer of 2014.
Brian Buckner will remain as “True Blood” showrunner for the new episodes. Buckner, a longtime writer and producer on “True Blood,” was a midseason replacement for Mark Hudis, who initially took over as showrunner after Alan Ball decided to leave that gig after five seasons.
“‘True Blood’ remains a signature show for HBO, and a true phenomenon with our viewers,” blurbs HBO Programming President Michael Lombardo. “Thanks to Brian Buckner and his talented team, the show continues to be a thrill ride like nothing else on TV.”
Citing “early data,” HBO says that “True Blood” is exceeding 10 million viewers per episode, which includes on-network airings, encores, OnDemand, HBOGo and every other way in which one might legally catch episodes. That puts “True Blood” in line to rank right behind “Game of Thrones” among HBO’s most-watched shows.