The Most Important Episodes Of 'True Blood'
Photo: HBO

The Most Important Episodes Of 'True Blood'

Over 100 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Most Important Episodes Of 'True Blood'
Voting Rules
Vote up the episodes that mattered the most to the series overall.

When it comes to True Blood episodes you can't miss, there a number of dramatic, grisly, raunchy, table-turning moments that are hard to forget. True Blood is one of the most beloved vampire TV shows inspired by a book series, likely because its story includes everything from love triangles to antiheroes to magic, gore, and a lot of betrayal. The best episodes of True Blood often showcase Sookie, Bill, and Eric having it out while other notable series regulars wrestle with their own dramatic plot twists. 

Since True Blood is seven seasons long and plays like a made-for-adults vampire drama, it is one of the best TV shows to binge. The most important episodes of True Blood stuck with fans years after the series ended in 2014. Whether we are talking about the introduction of Jessica Hamby, or Sookie discovering her surprising ancestry, these moments in the show offer valuable plot information. From "Strange Love" to "Thank You," these are the most significant episodes of True Blood. After you've watched these essential episodes, make sure to check out these other shows like True Blood.


  • 1
    63 VOTES

    Me and the Devil (Season 4, Episode 5)

    Me and the Devil (Season 4, Episode 5)
    Photo: HBO

    In this episode, both the audience and Sookie get to see the softer side of Eric. After he loses his memory, Sookie agrees to take care of him and finds his new vulnerability really adorable. Since his ego disappeared with his memory, the two bond and Sookie finally admits that she really likes him.

    Bill agrees to help Pam track down a witch who cast a spell that deformed Pam's face and only finds out toward the end of the episode that Eric is shacked up with Sookie. By this time, it's too late and even Bill can't get between the two. 

    63 votes
  • Strange Love (Season 1, Episode 1)
    Photo: HBO

    True Blood's pilot episode welcomes viewers to Bon Temps, Louisiana, and a world in which vampires have recently decided to admit they've been living among the general population. Alan Ball, the show's creator, tackled the maiden episode of the series himself as both its writer and director.

    We are introduced to 25-year-old Sookie Stackhouse, a lowly waitress who also happens to be an accidental mindreader. The episode also introduces a number of series regulars, including Sookie's brother Jason, her best friend Tara, and her shape-shifter boss Sam, who may or may not be wildly in love with her.

    Of course, what really steals the show is the steamy chemistry between Sookie and a mysterious vampire named Bill Compton. Once Sookie and her future vampire beau meet, fans of the book can rest assured that the story is in good hands. 

    60 votes
  • 3
    45 VOTES

    I Will Rise Up (Season 2, Episode 9)

    I Will Rise Up (Season 2, Episode 9)
    Photo: HBO

    After getting hurt while protecting Sookie, Viking vampire Eric convinces her that he really needs her to take one for the team and suck some silver shrapnel out of his wounds. Sookie complies, only to find out it was a ploy to get her to drink from him. Having done so, Sookie now experiences an incredible bond with Eric that manifests itself in the form of desire. 

    When Eric's maker, a 2,000-year-old vampire named Godric, resigns his post over a security breach and ends his life, Eric experiences a profound emotional breakdown that causes him to weep in a way in we've never seen him do before. 

    45 votes
  • 4
    35 VOTES

    Cold Ground (Season 1, Episode 6)

    Cold Ground (Season 1, Episode 6)
    Photo: HBO

    "Cold Ground" is one of the harder episodes to watch, but it's important nonetheless. Gran bites the dust, and after Sookie discovers her grandmother in a pool of her own blood, her life gets really rough, really fast. As if she doesn't have enough to deal with, her pesky telepathic abilities force her to listen as everyone in town silently blames her for Gran's demise.

    Things only go further downhill when her brother Jason also blames her, and after Gran's funeral ends in disaster, Sookie takes comfort in the arms of her new Vampire beau Bill. The couple finally sleeps together, and Sookie lets Bill get a taste of her blood for the first time. 

    35 votes
  • 5
    31 VOTES

    Escape From Dragon House (Season 1, Episode 4) 

    Escape From Dragon House (Season 1, Episode 4) 
    Photo: HBO

    In this episode, Sookie and Bill pay a visit to a the vampire bar Fangtasia for the very first time. They decide to visit the bar after a local woman loses her life and the law begins eyeing Sookie's brother Jason as a suspect. Sookie is encouraged by her grandmother, who is aptly known as Gran, to use her telepathic abilities to root out the actual culprit and clear Jason's name.

    In an attempt to help Sookie solve the case, Bill introduces her to some of his old friends, and the two run into Bill's older, and therefore more powerful, fellow vampire, Eric Northman. They also meet Bill's Fangtasia co-owner and fellow vampire Pam, and the love triangles, suggestive comments, and kinky vampire hijinks begin.

    31 votes
  • 6
    29 VOTES

    I Smell A Rat (Season 3, Episode 10)

    I Smell A Rat (Season 3, Episode 10)
    Photo: HBO

    Fans of Sookie and Eric's relationship, collectively known as "Sooric," will remember this episode as the one in which the pair shared their first kiss. It's also the one where Bill finally explains Sookie's powers to her, revealing that she is part faerie. Apparently, this explains why she is so intoxicating to vampires, and also explains why Bill can withstand sunlight after drinking from her.

    Towards the end of the episode, Pam urges Eric to turn Sookie over to Russell Edgington in order to save himself. The episode ends with Eric taking Sookie for a trip down to the basement, where he places her in a neck shackle. 

    29 votes