Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) and Pam (Kristen Bauer van Straten) are the best maker-progeny duo. (HBO/courtesy)

The Sookie Stackhouse books are over (mostly, a companion other character wrap-up is due out in the fall from Charlaine Harris), but that doesn’t mean I’ll be without my favorite vampire — Pam.

HBO’s “True Blood” returns tonight at 8.

So instead of giving you a typical preview of what might happen in Season 6, I’d rather go with what I love about the show and what or who I hope meets the final death in the coming episodes.

I’m sure I’ll spoil something for someone, so spoiler alert.

Reasons to watch

1. Pam: Seriously, no one is as fierce, fashionable and funny as she is. Pam is no nonsense, but she’ll take prisoners if she needs to. She gets the best lines, the best outfits — well, maybe not that Wal-Mart sweatsuit — and she clearly has the best maker on the show. Pam is probably the best vampire ever made. One of her best lines: “Blah, blah … vampire emergency. Blah.”

2. Andy: Once the lowly detective for the Renard Parish Sheriff’s Department, he’s now the top law enforcement official in the area, well, top human one anyway. He’s probably the most average, normal person on a show full of supernatural creatures, and after Pam and Lafayette, he gives great line. He’s lovable in his fault. This season, watching him wrangle his new half-faerie quadruplets is sure to be comic gold. Favorite line: “I know that pig.”

3. The villains: Each season gets its own special kind of foe: serial killer, ancient hypnotizing maenads, the Fellowship of the Sun, Russell Edgington, witches, the Authority. This season, it seems that anti-vampires humans will be the biggest thing facing the main characters. I just hope that means Sarah Newlin comes back and gives hater-turned-vampire Steve a piece of her mind.

4. Lafayette: In the books, we hardly knew him. But the show would be nothing without his guiding force. He’s so often the voice of reason even amid his questionable employment opportunities (the most legit thing he’s got is cooking at Merlotte’s, just don’t forget to tip your waitress.)

5. Eric and Alcide: These alpha males lead their respective species, but often butt heads with each other when it comes time to problem solve. The human problem should provide plenty of time for posturing. (And if either one of them are the rumored main character death, I’ll be unhappy.)

Final death wish list

1. Bill Compton (also known as Billith after his resurrection as who knows what in the Season 5 finale): Really, I hate Bill, not as much as I hate Book Bill, but only because Bill’s mistreatment of Sookie on TV didn’t go nearly as far as it did in the books. I cheered then jeered in final moments last season. I know it won’t happen because show creator Alan Ball loves him (and I think the end of the series will reflect that, not Harris’ final book.)

2. Sookie Stackhouse: This also won’t happen because she’s the reason we have “True Blood” and it’s wonderful secondary characters. Really, this show’s “lead” characters aren’t what give it that pop.

3. Tara: Please, please actually kill her this season. I am so over her perpetual victim status, even though we seemed to be rounding a corner with that at the end of last season.

4. Third-string supporting characters with too much screen time: I love Terry and his PTSD ways, but seriously, he’s the color, not the plot. Same goes for Arlene and her redneck woman act and the weird Hotshot storyline that seemed to just disappear.

5. Godric: He met the sun in Season 2. Please stop trying to make Eric a vampire with a mental illness. The vampire is gone, stop bringing him back as a ghost, in substance-induced visions or in dreams.