HBO Renews ‘True Blood’ and ‘The Newsroom’

We hope you like sexy vampires and hard-hitting journalism, because HBO is about to give you another helping!  Though they certainly make for strange bedfellows on Sunday nights, The pay-cabler network has officially given renewal orders for a sixth season of 'True Blood,' and a second season of Aaron Sorkin's hotly-debated newsroom drama, titled eloquently enough 'The Newsroom.'  So when might we see new helpings?

Much as it did with fellow renewed comedies 'Girls' and 'Veep,' HBO isn't wasting very much time in offering renewal orders for 'True Blood,' as well as 'The Newsroom after only two episodes.  Barring any major schedule shifts, both will return in 2013.  This will mark the sixth season of the vampire soap 'True Blood,' the first without departing show runner Alan Ball, and a sophomore season for the Aaron Sorkin drama.

'True Blood's renewal comes as a no-brainer considering the season 5 premiere drew a total of 6.3 million viewers, while 'The Newsroom' drew 2.1 million in its premiere.  By the same token, 'Game of Thrones' drew just over that number in its initial season 1 debut.

Set at a fictional cable news network, ‘The Newsroom’ follows Jeff Daniels as acerbic and controversial anchor Will McAvoy, and features Emily Mortimer as his new executive producer, his newsroom staff (Alison Pill, John Gallagher, Jr., Olivia Munn, Dev Patel, Thomas Sadoski) as well as their boss (‘Law and Order’s Sam Waterston).  The first few episodes have been receiving mixed reports from critics, but obviously have people talking regardless.

What say you?  Are you happy to have both 'True Blood' and 'The Newsroom' for an additional year?  What would you like to see from the next round?  Give us your take in the comment below!