HBO’s “True Blood” ended its third season Sunday with 5.4 million tuning in, a 5% increase over the previous season finale. A later repeat telecast drew another 1.1 million. Including all showings — linear, DVR and on demand — the vampire drama has been averaging 12.7 million per week. Sunday’s numbers were impressive considering the stout competition the pay cabler went up against. NBC drew 25.3 million for the NFL game between the Cowboys and Redskins, while MTV offered the “Video Music Awards,” which scored 11.4 million. Created by Alan Ball, the series follows Sookie Stackhouse, a barmaid living in Louisiana who can read people’s minds, and how her life is turned upside down when the Vampire Bill, walks into her place of employment two years after vampires ‘came out of the coffin’ on national television.
