Blu-ray Alert: True Blood – The Complete Second Season

The season-two Blu-ray of True Blood will boast nearly three hours of extras.

Warner Bros Video today released details of the five-disc set, which will go on sale here on May 19 — a week ahead of the US and for considerably less: $69.95 vs $US79.98.

Season two of the “fang-banging” frightfest with laughs, from Six Feet Under creator Alan Ball, wasn’t as sharp as the first but will be worth revisiting in HD given Prime screened it in SD.

Exclusive to the Blu-ray will be “enhanced viewing” extras on each of the 12 episodes: Character Perspectives (in which Hoyt, Pam, Karl and Steve Newlin reveal more about what’s going on); Flash-Back/Flash-Forward (relive pivotal moments to comprehend the significance of certain scenes); Pro/Anti Vampire Feeds (receive news updates and information from both camps); and Hints/FYI (learn trivia and show clues).

Common to the Blu-ray and DVD will be seven commentaries (with contributions from Ball and Anna Paquin among other cast and crew), The Vampire Report: Special Edition (the year’s biggest stories in vampire news, politics and pop culture), and Fellowship of the Sun: Reflections of Light (rules for cult members to live by).

The censor’s rating has still to be confirmed but Warner Bros Video expects it will be R18, like season one.

The Blu-ray release precedes the June 13 premiere of season three on US TV; expect Prime to launch it soon after, probably in July.

To promote the season three countdown, HBO has started a 12-week viral campaign.