The show premise is introduced via a television show that a synthetic blood, Tru Blood, has been introduced that will allow Vampires to live amongst the living in society. Sookie Stackhouse, a waitress at a local bar, Merlotte’s, in Louisiana, has the ability to read minds and meets a vampire, Bill, who comes in as a customer.

Sookie ends up saving the vampire’s life from a couple of locals, that end up jumping her at the end of the episode. Meanwhile, Sookie’s brother, Jason, ends up sleeping with a woman with a weird vampire fetish that turns up dead that night and is suspected by the town and cops. Sookie’s best friend, Tara, quits her job and ends up working at Merlotte’s.