As mentioned previously, HBO has pushed back some of its most anticipated shows to the fall.  As a result of the writers’ strike, the fifth season of Entourage has been delayed while Big Love season 3 and the return of Flight of the Conchords are off until 2009.  Now, the network has set premiere dates for Entourage and for two new series next season, hinting an end to a long fallow period for original series at the channel.

The fifth season of Entourage will kick off on September 7 and will feature a new roster of guest stars, including Gossip Girl‘s Leighton Meester, Giovanni Ribisi, and Kevin Pollak.  Additionally, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, best known for her role on The Sopranos, has also been cast for several episodes of the new season.

But that’s not the only HBO series premiering this fall.  From Alan Ball, creator of the critically acclaimed and award-winning series Six Feet Under, comes a new vampire drama called True Blood, which will make its debut on September 7 as well.  Based on the Southern Vampire Mysteries books by Charlaine Harris, the show details the fictional co-existence of vampires and humans in a small Louisiana town after Japanese-made synthetic blood available for purchase.

Leading True Blood is Anna Paquin, who stars as Sookie Stackhouse (X-Men), a mind-reading southern belle who falls in love with one of the vampires, Bill Compton, portrayed by Stephen Moyer (The Starter Wife). T he series also features Alexander Skarsgard, Ryan Kwanten, Sam Trammell, Rutina Wesley, Jim Parrack, Chris Bauer, Nelsan Ellis and Lynn Collins, just to name a few.

Last but certainly not the least, HBO will also be treating viewers to a new sketch comedy show called Little Britain USA, which will premiere three weeks later on September 28.  The 6-episode program will put the spotlight on Little Britain writer-performers David Walliams and Matt Lucas and their array of characters.

-Kris De Leon, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: zap2it.com
(Image courtesy of HBO)

Kris De Leon

Staff Writer, BuddyTV