James Parks

Across the country, vampires have come 'out of the coffin' after the invention of mass-produced synthetic blood. In Louisiana, Sookie Stackhouse, a waitress with telepathic abilities, falls under the spell of a sexy, 173-year-old vampire named Bill Compton--whose thoughts she can't read. After saving Bill from the Rattrays, a pair of ruthless 'vampire drainers,' Sookie tests the limits of Bill's gratitude when the two are left alone in the dark. Meanwhile, Sookie's best friend Tara quits one job to work for Sam Merlotte at his bar and grill, and Sookie's roguish brother Jason finds himself in hot water when a 'fangbanger,' whom he's been intimate with meets a tragic end.

Bill returns Sookie's favor by rescuing her from the Rattrays' revenge, healing the wounded waitress with his own blood and leaving her, temporarily, with heightened senses. After being invited into Gran's house for a 'get-to-know-you' gathering with Jason and her family, Bill joins Sookie for a nocturnal sojourn. They end up at Bill's dilapidated antebellum estate, where Bill fights off his primal vampire urges for the acquiescent Sookie. Later, Sookie's desires get the better of her as she returns to Bill's--and is greeted by a gaggle of his bloodthirsty vampire friends.

While on vacation in the desert, Angela contacts Brennan to ask for her help in identifying a skull - she's afraid it's her boyfriend, Kirk, who left on a photo shoot and has been missing for several days. The skull is sent to the lab, where Zack and Hodgins confirm that the victim died of a gunshot wound, had traces of peyote in his hair, and, sadly, is Kirk. Booth thinks the murder is drug-related, but the investigation leads them to a counterfeiting ring in the middle of the desert.

Sookie makes a deal with Eric, and reconnects with Alcide; Bill punishes an errant vampire and counsels a guilt-ridden Jessica; Jason is cast as a reluctant savior; Tommy eyes a scam and alienates Sam; Marnie flexes her newfound powers; Pam delivers an ultimatum to Lafayette, Tara and Jesus; Eric spoils Sookie's faerie reunion.

In the series premiere, Montana marshal Seth Bullock executes a last act of justice and relocates to a gold-mining camp known as Deadwood, where he and partner Sol Star look to start a hardware business. Bullock soon crosses paths with another new arrival--legendary gunfighter Wild Bill Hickok--and clashes with the formidable boss of the Gem Saloon, Al Swearengen. For his part, Swearengen must handle the deadly result of a run-in between one of his whores and a trick, while brokering the sale of a gold claim to wealthy New York socialite Brom Garret. When reports come of the massacre of a frontier family by Indians, a suspicious Bullock and Hickok ride out in search of survivors; for Swearengen, the results are bad for business.