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True Blood: Creator Won’t Be Showrunner for Season Six

Published:February 28, 2012

True Blood season sixIf HBO renews True Blood for a sixth season (which seems likely at this point), creator Alan Ball won’t be the showrunner. He’ll remain an executive producer on the show but won’t be involved in the day-to-day workings. A potential replacement for season six hasn’t been mentioned.

As part of last year’s overall deal, Ball will be working on new projects for HBO and Cinemax, including a new crime drama called Banshee. Cinemax recently ordered 10 episodes. Ball also has a medical drama, Wichita, in development at HBO. It revolves around a Kansas surgeon who becomes the focal point of controversy surrounding late-term abortions.

Ball has hinted about stepping away from True Blood for awhile, siting that he felt tired and that his excitement for the series was running out. Season five is expected to air this summer and will have a dozen episodes.

Here are the official statements from HBO and Ball:

HBO: “When we extended our multi-year overall deal with Alan Ball in July 2011, we always intended that if we proceeded to True Blood’s sixth season that Alan would take a supervisory role on the series and not be the day-to-day showrunner. If we proceed to season six, the show will remain in the very capable hands of the talented team of writers and producers who have been with the show for a number of years. This is the best possible world for both HBO and Alan Ball. Alan will remain available as executive producer to consult and advise on True Blood and he will be free to develop new shows for both HBO and Cinemax. Banshee, on which Alan serves as executive producer, is the first in house series for Cinemax and is expected to begin production this spring.”

Alan Ball: “True Blood has been, and will continue to be, a highlight of not only my career but my life. Because of the fantastic cast, writers, producers and crew, with whom I have been lucky enough to work these past five years, I know I could step back and the show will continue to thrive as I look forward to new and exciting ventures.”

What do you think? Should True Blood be renewed for a sixth season without Ball at the helm? Is it just time for the show to be cancelled or do you think it could get even better?

 

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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

Tonya March 2, 2012 at 3:52 am

Glad to hear this! You can tell he was losing interest in the show. The books are way better! I was saddened about how they represented book 4 and Eric on the show! They need someone new to fix the mess he has made. Don’t believe me read the books!

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Bethany February 29, 2012 at 9:35 am

To Jeremy Rynek: Season 5′s memory situation was the main storyline of Book 4. Each season seems to try and take (with lots of liberty) the main point of each book (book 12 comes out in May) so the readers and fans can be satisfied. If you ever get the time, try reading the books. They are so much better than the show, and the show is one of my all time favorites.

I am actually rather glad that Ball will be stepping down. I have loved pretty much all of his work. 6 Ft. Under was an amazing show. But he seems to be aiming farther and farther away from the books, and that is just sad. It has always been my understanding that Charlaine Harris allowed the show to be made as long as Ball was overseeing it. Must be why he is staying on as EP. I don’t worry that the quality of the shows will suffer with someone else as the helm, as there have been many amazing talents on the show thus far. The only thing I worry about is weather the actors and actresses will want to stick with the show. The whole show would have to come to a close if they lost Alexander Skarsgard, Anna Paquinn, or Stephen Moyer, and to be honest if they lost Kristen Baur Van Stratten (Pam is just as intrugal to the show as the other three, even if the show doesn’t utilize her as much as they should). And just maybe with AB stepping away, Quinn, or some form of Bubba will make an appearance???? (A fan can hope…with all her heart.)

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Jeremy Rynek March 2, 2012 at 12:48 am

I guess I never read the books, not a fan of reading

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Jeremy Rynek February 28, 2012 at 11:58 am

Well every season so far has been better than the last with the exception of wiping out Eric’s memory. They should renew foer for at least 8 seasons. It’s an awsome show and my mom and I love it. If Alan Ball has to step away, then he does. The show won’t go down the tubes because of that. So renew it HBO, earn a few points back after the crap you pulled a couple months ago.

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