Beneath the craziness and violence are some great character studies, meditations on the nature of humanity, clever social commentary, fun flashbacks to vampire lives in past centuries and, as always, cable-ready hard bodies.
While politics come into play later, it is human emotions such as grief, regret and loss that fans can look forward to sinking their teeth into at the start of the season.
It's with much appreciation that I report that Season 5 of True Blood is not about the introduction of any new magical creatures (though the fairies are up to some B-story shenanigans), but the long-discussed Authority, the seven-member governing body of all vampires everywhere.