It’s time to start saying goodbye to your favorite vampires. HBO has officially announced that True Blood will be ending its run in 2014 after seven seasons.

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True Blood has been nothing short of a defining show for HBO,” Michael Lombardo, president of HBO programming, said in a press release. “Alan Ball took the books by Charlaine Harris, assembled a brilliant cast led by the magnificent Anna Paquin in the role of Sookie Stackhouse, and crafted a show that has taken its many devoted fans on an unforgettable journey.”

He went on to say, “Alan passed the baton to Brian Bucker, who led our fantastic writers and crew in crafting a spectacular sixth season, and he will lead us through the seventh and final season of this amazing show. Together with its legions of fans, it will be hard to say goodbye to the residents of Bon Temps, but I look forward to what promises to be a fantastic final chapter of this incredible show.”

Former showrunner Alan Ball said of the announcement, “From the moment I read Charlain’s books, I thought there was potential for something really special. Then our amazing writers, cast and crew brought her world to life in a way that exceeded my wildest expectations. I’m deeply grateful to HBO for being true partners and collaborators, and, of course, to the viewers who chose to spend Sunday nights in Bon Temps with us.”

Executive producer Brian Buckner also made sure to share his thoughts: “I feel extremely proud to have been a part of the True Blood family since the very beginning. I guarantee that there’s not a more talented or harder-working cast and crew out there, and I’d like to extend a personal heartfelt thanks to them for their dedication and tenacity over the years, especially this past year, as I stepped into a larger role. Thank you also to HBO for their unwavering support and of course to Alan Ball, whose genius enabled all of us to share in this incredible journey. Finally, a huge thank you to the most passionate fans in television. As we take a final walk through Bon Temps together, we will do our very best to bring Sookie’s story to a close with heart, imagination and, of course, fun.”

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In August, Buckner said a discussion was starting to begin over whether to continue the show or to end it next year. “That conversation is happening, but we don’t have an answer yet,” he told TVLine. “I’m being told that I will know, which doesn’t mean that I will tell everybody. But I will know when the writers resume in the room [next month] whether or not we’re wrapping it up or not.”

Season 7, set to air in the summer of 2014, will consist of 10 episodes for its final year; this is in line with season 6, which also had 10 episodes, but down from the usual 12 in previous seasons.

True Blood drew in 4.5 million viewers for its most recent season premiere and 4.1 million for the finale, and has averaged a gross audience of 10.6 million for each episode, according to Deadline.

Are you sad that True Blood is coming to an end? Or do you feel it’s the right time to say goodbye?

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(Image courtesy of HBO)

Jeff Dodge

Staff Writer, BuddyTV

Jeff Dodge, a graduate of Western Washington University, has been a TV news editor for many years and has had the chance to interview multiple reality show stars, including Randy Jackson, Nick Cannon, Heidi Klum, Mel B and John Cena.