If you haven't watched the fourth season premiere of 'True Blood' (Sun., 9PM ET on HBO), you certainly don't want to be reading this article. After a crazy, and some would say uneven, third season, season four picks events up right where we left them. Sookie is in fairy-land, but can all this beauty be for real, and who's that guy over there? He sure looks familiar.

!!SPOILER ALERT!!

We told you to stop reading, so if you're still here it's your own fault you know now that it's Sookie's grandfather, only he doesn't look nearly old enough. In fact, he looks like Gary Cole. With an appearance by the spirit of Stephen Root's dead vamp later in the episode it was almost a supernatural 'Office Space' reunion.

Remember when TV Squad mentioned the 'True Blood' minisodes that will be shown with the encore presentations of season two on HBO in anticipation of season three in June? Someone at HBO got impatient and posted one of the minisodes online (or, more likely, recognized the marketing potential of letting people watch it in advance).

In the clip, Eric and Pam are auditioning new dancers for Fangtasia and there are more than a few comic relief moments. There is even a male dancer that is reminiscent of an old 'Saturday Night Live' Chippendale's sketch with Chris Farley. It's a self-contained story so the viewer doesn't have to worry if he or she has never watched 'True Blood' before.

The video is available after the jump. It is a bit racy, so be careful if you're watching it from a work or school or otherwise NSFW location. Let us know what you think of it in the comments.

Can't wait until the June premiere of 'True Blood' season 3? Well, HBO's got you covered.

Starting May 2, HBO will begin airing six weekly 'True Blood' minisodes (3-5 minute episodes), according to True-Blood.net. The minisodes, which will be written by creator Alan Ball, will air following the conclusion of the season 2 encore.

Will we see the identities of whoever kidnapped Bill? Will Sookie make an appearance? At this point it is unknown.

The only familiar character that will make an appearance so far is the teen vampire Jessica Hamby (played by Deborah Ann Woll). She was turned by Bill at the end of the season 1, and then had a teen romance during season 2 that didn't end well.

After that, she decided to embrace her vampire ways and was seen feeding on a truck driver during the last episode. Perhaps during the minisodes we'll be treated to one of her predatory slaughters.

This is exciting. Is it May yet?

Everybody sharpen your fangs. The best vampire series on television today, 'True Blood,' returns to HBO for a new season on June 13th.

When last we left Sookie and Bill, he was ready to propose before suddenly vanishing while Sookie was in the little girl's room. Of course, those that follow 'The Southern Vampire Mysteries' by Charlaine Harris know what's going to happen next. Or do they? Perhaps Alan Ball will decide to take the franchise in a different direction.

Seriously, 'Twilight' fans can keep their sparkly Robert Pattinson and their Team Edward or Team Jacob. 'The Vampire Diaries' is barely palatable. 'True Blood' is the best vampire series on the air since 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' and for those that don't agree I will roshambo you for it.

What aspect of the new season are you most looking forward to? Which characters do you want to see more? Are you on Team Bill or Team Eric?

Friday the 13th seems like the perfect time to offer our condolences to some of TV's unluckiest characters. Oh, they try their best to lead happy, healthy lives, but their karma will have none of it.

Instead, these poor souls are destined to sweat, strain and struggle their way through life as best they can, whether it's cleaning up the blood of loved ones or looking into a dismal future.

Read on for our sympathy notes to a few unfortunate souls on the tube...

Some True Blood spoilers have surfaced online in the form of a casting list for next season. Not having read the books, I cannot comment as to whether or not season three of the show is loyally following the third Sookie Stackhouse mystery novel "Club Dead". Historically, the show has remained true to the spirit but has gone in its own directions.

I talked with someone who has read the novels, and it turns out that some of the characters in the casting list don't appear in the books. This includes Sam Merlotte's lost-long brother.

It does give something of a hint as to how next season is going to progress. We know Bill Compton was kidnapped (and since the character is still in the cast list for next season, it's unlikely to have been anything else) and we know that at least three female characters are trying to seduce Jason Stackhouse. Tara is going to start hanging out with some vampires herself and probably still be at odds with her mother (who is befriended by a Reverend Daniels).

Next season is starting to look good; I'm looking forward to it. How about you folks?

(S02E12) "You may be the strongest, oldest vampire in my queendom, but if I wanted, I could own your fangs as earrings." - The Vampire Queen to Eric

We've come to the end of season two of True Blood, and I'm glad to see the Maryann storyline end (this is no spoiler; Alan Ball talked about it in my interview with him; and yes, Michelle Forbes is a fantastic actress). On the other hand, I'm sad to see True Blood ending and will wait impatiently for season three to start.

But this finale brought an end to a few storylines and set things up nicely for new ones in season three. After the jump, the episode review and your comments. Don't click through if you haven't watched the episode yet!

One of the most talked about shows of the summer is True Blood, HBO's supernatural series about vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, and all those eerie things we find both fascinating and horrifying.

With the season two finale right around the corner -- "Beyond Here Lies Nothin'" airs Sunday at 9 PM ET on HBO -- it's a great time to catch up with series creator Alan Ball (pictured, with Michelle Forbes, Rutina Wesley, and Deborah Ann Woll at the TCA awards in August). Read on for his thoughts on the future of Maryann, a Sookie/Bill pairing, and even a few spoilers on season three.

If you want to look at the full transcript of the wide-ranging interview, click here. The edited version starts after the jump. Oh, and read AOL TV's coverage of the show, as well.

(S02E11) "I am gonna kick that bitch's evil ass out of my gran's house, and then you are gonna shoot her." Sookie to Lafayette, about Maryann

Well, they didn't make us wait, and picked up with True Blood right where we left off last week, with Bill walking in on the vampire queen, played deliciously by Evan Rachel Wood. And ... is the vampire queen a lesbian? There were certainly some sexual overtones with her sucking blood out of the girl's leg, and then later saying, "I haven't enjoyed sex with men since the Eisenhower administration." Then again, she did ask Bill if he wanted to have sex, and he politely declined. He also declined her suggestion that he feed on the girl.

"What gives you the right to say no to the femoral blood of a good woman?" she asks. "You know what your problem is, William? You're a snob. Tiny, tiny souls. Or penises. Or both."

(S02E10) "Jesus and I agreed to see other people, but that doesn't mean we don't still talk from time to time." - Lafayette to Tara's mom, praying over a spellbound Tara

I'm as hooked on Eric as the next girl, but I must admit, I felt a little protective of Bill during that opening scene. Sookie comforting Eric and kissing his blood-tear-stained face over the loss of Godric was sweet, but emotional. If and when that day comes, I'm not sure who I'll be rooting for: Eric or Bill. It would definitely be a tough choice for Sookie.

(S02E09) "I don't know what you is, but I'm feelin' you, and you a soulless bitch." - Lafayette to Maryann

After so many slam-dunk episodes of True Blood in a row, this one kind of leveled off a little. Still a great episode, just not super-great. But ... there were a few super-great scenes. We'll talk about those after the jump, so those who wish to remain spoiler-free don't yell at me ...

(S02E08) "It grew back." - Jessica to Hoyt

You know, I never really thought about it, but Jessica is in a really interesting situation. She was a virgin when she was turned, so of course, each new time she makes love, it's going to "heal up," and she'll have to start from scratch, so to speak. What an awful predicament!

It's not so bad for Hoyt, who seems happy that "every time will be like our first time." Not so for Jessica, who says, "But it'll hurt like hell. I'm a fucking deformity of nature. I'm gonna be a virgin forever."

Usually I don't write about relationships between cast members of a show (it seems more like gossip than actual television news), but since I'm a fan of True Blood and I found this little twist interesting, here we go. Co-stars Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer are engaged to be married.

What's even more interesting is (spoilers follow, but they're only spoilers if you haven't read the original Southern Vampire Mysteries books): if the television series is true to the spirit of Charlaine Harris' book series, then Bill and Sookie won't be a couple forever. In fact, it would likely end next season. Hopefully the actual relationship between Moyer and Paquin will last longer.

Of course, this isn't the first time a couple on a television show have actually had a relationship in real life. The classic I can think of off the cuff is Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz (and they were married before they even had a show). Who else has had a relationship from reel to real?

(S02E07) "Feeling sorry for things is just an excuse not to celebrate your own happiness." - Maryann

Ok, I take back my earlier comment about trying to reconcile the fact that Maryann isn't a villain. She IS a villain, and just because SHE doesn't think she's a villain doesn't make it all ok. So there. Her actions are causing other people to forget what's transpired, do bad things, and break peoples' arms. That's just not right, Maryann. Just not right.