HBO’s True Blood is ramping up for production on its fourth season with two new actors joining the already very-large ensemble cast. Courtney Ford (Dexter), and Fiona Shaw (Harry Potter) are set to join the Southern vampire series, the new season premieres Summer 2011.

Ford, who played Trinity’s daughter on the fourth season of Dexter, will play a new character called Portia Bellefleur. The character is described as “a Southern beauty who runs her own law practice,” as well as being the sister of detective Andy Bellefleur. Shaw is set to play a “self-loathing medium who becomes possessed by a witch.” Sounds like classic True Blood to me, hit the jump for my thoughts.

While I think that Ford was great in Dexter, True Blood’s cast is already too big, as is evident by episodes unable to focus on everyone, especially when they’re all involved in their own story like last season. The show seems to not understand what makes it good, instead inserting new characters and mythological creatures that participate in story arcs that go nowhere. Last season we had witches, werewolves, fairies, hillbilly drug peddlers, and male witches who are also Spanish, yet none of these characters made for a more interesting season.

I’d like to see the show focus on the characters that we’ve invested our time with over the past three seasons, instead of adding new ones to the already crowded show. I want to like True Blood and not be ashamed of watching a show about vampires, but the way they’re going now it doesn’t look like that will happen any time soon.

via Deadline