QUICK TAKES - June 17, 2009

An estimated 3.7 million viewers tuned into the second season premiere of HBO’s “True Blood” Sunday, and an additional 1.4 million watched the 11 p.m. encore.

That makes the episode HBO’s most-watched program since the finale of “The Sopranos” in 2007, which drew 11.9 million and still ranks as the pay channel’s most-watched series.

The vampire drama is also on track to become the network’s next big cash cow. In addition to the opener’s audience being up what HBO said was 157% from last year’s series premiere, DVD sales for the first season of “True Blood” have exploded. In its first two weeks of release, almost 725,000 units were sold, which translates to $26 million, according to TV by the Numbers.

The show has also become one of the most popular downloads on iTunes. Because HBO produces and owns “True Blood,” most of that money will flow back to cable network.

-- Denise Martin and Joe Flint