The stakes have been raised: a ranking of the top 25 vampire television series

The popularity of vampires may have skyrocketed in the middle of the 2000s, but the truth is that they've always been there. From the campy, vampire-filled soap opera of the '60s Shades of Doubt of brand-new shows like ...With a Vampire: An Interview and Academy for Buffy-like Vampires in spite of all efforts, the genre persists Also, everyone can find what they're looking for: whether it's a passionate love story, True Blood backing you up Need some mayhem, bloodshed, and debauchery in your life? Try Preacher Longing for some completely absurd, irreverent comedy How We Operate In The Shadows is for you Vampires have been around for as long as there have been television shows about them, and they won't go away until someone drives a stake through their hearts.

Aspen Park; the Hemlocks of is based on Brian McGreevy's 2012 novel of the same name; Eli Roth created and executive produced the Netflix series. The show follows Romani teenager Peter Rumancek (Landon Liboiron), who is wrongly accused of being a werewolf in the fictional Pennsylvania steel town of Hemlock Grove. The Godfrey Institute for Biomedical Technologies, run by vampire mother Olivia Godfrey (Famke Janssen) and son Roman Godfrey (future Pennywise clown Bill Skarsgard), is the largest employer in town. The first season is the best because it follows the book more closely and shows the unlikely friendship/rivalry between poor Peter and rich-boy Roman. There was a departure from the source material in the subsequent two seasons, and they were largely forgettable. On October 22, 2022, Netflix will permanently remove all three seasons, so if you're curious, now is the time to binge the series (or at least the first season) before it's staked. The [Robert DeSalvo]

Defining Blade: The TV Show had the action and gore that fans of the Blade series have come to expect, but without Wesley Snipes, the film would have been a failure. Sticky Fingaz takes over the role made famous by Wesley Snipes in the films, but the series doesn't feature him. Though Fingaz does a fine job in the title role, it's impossible for anyone to truly replace Snipes as the half-vampire vampire hunter. Having Snipes absent was a dealbreaker for fans, and Blade: The Series was canceled after only one season. The show would have fared better if it had begun a new continuity, separate from the films. John Lennon

The Vampire Academy being relatively new, we have it ranked lower than some others, but we think this freshman YA drama is off to a good start Follow Vasilisa "Lissa" Dragomir (Daniela Nieves) and Rosemarie "Rose" Hathaway (Sisi Stringer) as they navigate life at a supernatural boarding school (think Hogwarts for vampires). Rose has taken an oath to safeguard Lissa, who is a member of the vampire royal family. Enjoy the perfectly cheesy plot, but stick around for the surprisingly in-depth world-building and vampire history. This is [John Lennon]

Moonlight is centered on the self-loathing vampire Mick St. In the pilot episode, John (Alex O'Loughlin) admits to the viewers that "being a vampire sucks," so he spends his (very) long life trying to redeem himself from his monstrous nature. Mick's method of self-punishment consists of accepting private investigation cases that only he can handle. In the series, Mick (Shannyn Sossamon) investigates the disappearance of a woman who looks remarkably like his ex-wife Coraline (Jason Dohring of Veronica Mars), a vampire who teaches new vamps how to deal with the inconvenient parts of their existence. who Mick thinks is dead The series' cheesy dialogue was widely panned, but its original world was intriguing enough to warrant watching. Unfortunately, the show was canceled after just one season after being severely hampered by the 2008 writers' strike. To paraphrase: [John Lennon]

British horror-comedy series starring Lenora Crichlow as the ghost Annie, Aidan Turner as the vampire Mitchell, and George Basil as the werewolf all share the same house. Russell Tovey's character and another supernatural character (both living in Bristol) try to blend in while keeping their identities a secret. While fighting his addiction to blood, Mitchell meets and falls in love with Annie. However, after season three, Turner left the show to play the dwarf Kli in The Hobbit films, so their relationship was never fully developed. To be Human was broadcast for five years on BBC Three and inspired a four-year run of the same name on Syfy in the United States. (Robert DeSalvo)

Nick Knight (Geraint Wyn Davies), a centuries-old vampire who works as a nighttime homicide detective, is on a mission to find redemption through the killing of evildoers and find a cure for his vampire status. Parallel storylines from his past are interwoven with his present, where he is partnered with a wisecracking daytime partner and romantically drawn to a witty pathologist who knows his secret. A Truly Eternal Knight appealingly combines genuine philosophical ponderings, macabre and goofy humor, and Davies' lively performances to great effect. The third season's "Jane Doe" is pivotal because it shows how Lucien LaCroix (the brooding Nigel Bennett) tried to convert a human whose inner evil frightened even him into a vampire. (Bryan Reesman)

The miniseries directed by Poltergeist's Tobe Hooper and up for an Emmy is: The Town of Salem strong acting, great special effects, and a visceral set design (the dilapidated Marsten House) make this one of the scariest movies ever made. The iconic photo of a vampire kid floating outside (and later through) a bedroom window in the upper story (no CGI, creepy AF) disturbed many children of Generation X. Even now, it has the same unsettling effect. While not every early Stephen King adaptation has stood the test of time, this one is still plenty sassy. Midnight Mass, directed by Mike Flanagan, was heavily influenced by King's short story. This is [Bryan Reesman]

Robert Rodriguez, who directed From Dusk 'Til Dawn in 1996, created this show that was once the El Rey Network's flagship. In the show, brothers Seth (played by D.B. Weiss) and Richie (played by D.J. J After a botched bank robbery results in the deaths of several people, two men (Cotrona and Zane Holtz, respectively) steal an RV from a family and drive it to the Mexican border. The ragtag group meets a cult of serpentine vampires at a border strip club, led by the alluring Santanico Pandemonium (Eiza González). For three steamy, action-packed seasons, the Gecko brothers fought against the snake-like vampires. Although The TV Series From Midnight Until Morning though it was never officially canceled, the actors' contracts ran out in 2016, and the El Rey Network went out of business in 2020, making a fourth season unlikely. The entire series is still available for Netflix binge-watching. Mr. [Robert DeSalvo]

Full of life, mystery, and a certain seductiveness, Exposure To Witchcraft "Twilight" for adults (based on Deborah Harkness' All Souls trilogy) is "True Blood" for the South, "Twilight" for the UK. In this story, however, it is a witch rather than a human who falls in love with the immortal vampire; a union that is, unsurprisingly, forbidden in the supernatural realm. Our story revolves around the gorgeous and hypnotic couple played by Matthew Goode and Teresa Palmer, which veers from modern supernatural fantasy to twisty historical mystery while remaining painfully romantic throughout. If you enjoy novels set in the shadowy world of academia, you will appreciate how this one captures Oxford's beautiful setting while also delivering a plot that will have you swooning and on the edge of your seat. M. K. Carr, Mary K.

It's not unreasonable to visit AMC Theaters. In-Vampire Interview Adaptation Hoping for Nothing More Than Gothic Junk Food Though Anne Rice's classic horror novel was published in 1976, Rolin Jones's adaptation brings it back from the dead (er, the undead) to address social issues that were not yet mainstream in 1994. Narrator and vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac is a gay Creole Black man whose relationship with white lover/maker Lestat is as sensual as it is complicated. Interview, in contrast to many other dull adaptations, has no problem being as pulpy and entertaining as its original. When you factor in the mesmerizing turns from its main cast, you have the season's most gory must-see. The [Jenna Scherer]

The best way to get a handle on Guillermo del Toro’s The Strain —based on novels by Del Toro and Chuck Hogan, who overcame Hollywood's resistance to the project in the mid-2000s—need only look as far as the film's main protagonists, who include two CDC agents, a Holocaust survivor, and a New York City exterminator. They were the ideal protagonists for a show that portrayed vampirism as both a physical and social contagion, corrupting bodies and souls equally through the introduction of worms (many worms, so many worms, many of them crawling into and out of people's eyes) or through the results of teamwork. Those words were written by [William Hughes]

Unfortunately, the vampires have triumphed. So goes the premise of the critically acclaimed Syfy post-apocalyptic series (which, no, has nothing to do with the Hugh Jackman film of the same name). The film stars Kelly Overton as the hunter who, upon emerging from a coma, discovers a world where the sun has been obscured by volcanic ash, turning the world into a vampires' playground. However, the ruling bloodsuckers don't want the vampires to turn back into humans with Vanessa Van Helsing's blood. The Great Van Helsing went for laughs or deep themes across its four seasons as the mood struck, exploring what it might be like to have your humanity imposed on you after years of monstrosity. and had Dracula pose as the President so she could move into the White House Contrasts abound in Vampire America. It's [William Hughes]

It's unusual for a television show to have a blood-drinking, immortal vampire as a main character, and then treat them as a minor plot point. However, due to its boundless scope and profanity, Preacher , where Joseph Gilgun's vampire Cassidy occasionally appeared to be undead for no other reason than to provide the show with an unkillable punching bag to really hammer on (or torture, or chop into tiny little pieces). Even though the show's rapid-fire pacing never had the time to dive into the slow-burn reveal of how awful a person an unkillable, charming vampire is (a la Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon's original comics), TV Cassidy does eventually get his own set of cult-y vampire frenemies to contend with during the third season. inviting a hedonist who is unconcerned with the consequences of their actions into your life. As stated by [William Hughes]

Game: Hellsing Ultimate is the sequel to the first Hellsing anime, but it sets the standard much higher The protagonist of the show is Sir Integra Hellsing, the newly appointed leader of the Hellsing organization, which works covertly with the British government to combat supernatural threats. Hellsing Ultimate's unique selling point is the speed with which it raises the stakes and tension. A vampiric Nazi army has amassed in episode 2 with the intention of starting World War III. Hellsing Ultimate is one of the few vampire animes worth watching because it is bloody, violent, and over-the-top ridiculous. John Lennon

Taking cues from the seminal video game franchise of the same name, Castlevania storyline kicks off with the execution of Count Dracula's wife for witchcraft. The lord of the dead is naturally enraged by this wrongdoing, and so he calls forth legions of demons to wreak havoc on the people of Wallachia out of a desire for vengeance. At that point, monster hunter Trevor Belmont arrives to battle Dracula and his evil minions, and he isn't alone. Many other characters from the game's mythology, such as Dracula's half-human son Alucard and the elemental priestess Sypha Belnades, join him. Do not assume that because this animated series is based on a video game that it is suitable for children. It veers dangerously close to R-rated territory and is full of adult themes, sex, geysers of blood, and unflinching violence.

Castlevania is a thrilling tale of revenge with an explosive final season that will leave you bloodthirsty for more; it was written by acclaimed comic book writer Warren Ellis and beautifully animated by Powerhouse Animation Studios (the same talented folks behind Netflix's Blood Of Zeus and Masters Of The Universe: Revelation). "[Gil Macias]"

It's hard to believe, but there was once a gothic soap opera that aired on a network every single weekday and attracted an average of seven to nine million viewers. Spanning the years 1966–1971, Shades of Doubt delivered over 1,200 episodes of supernatural melodrama centered on the town of Collinsport, Maine. Jonathan Frid starred as Barnabas Collins, a vampire and a member of the wealthy Collins family in the town. While following clues to find his lost love Josette, he undergoes a gradual metamorphosis from villain to hero. Do yourself a favor and watch the actual episodes of the TV series instead of just the Johnny Depp movie based on them. There are some absolutely insane ones that you can watch right now for free on streaming services like Tubi and Pluto TV. White, Cindy]

Admittedly, Legacies disappoints in comparison to The Vampire Diaries and The Originals. Despite being the third installment in the series, it succeeds in establishing its own identity and can be enjoyed independently. Hope (Danielle Rose Russell) is one of the most powerful vampires in the world and the "tribrid" daughter of Klaus and Hayley. Alaric Saltzman (Matt Davis) of TVD's Salvatore School is her principal, and she is a student there. In contrast to TVD and TO, Legacies features a "monster-of-the-week" format, which gives the show a more modern feel. Hope and her fellow students spend most of the longer arcs discovering their abilities and fighting off both external and internal enemies. Legacies, the shortest of the three series, is an unanticipated pleasure. Said person: [Saloni Gajjar]

The Vampire Diaries' best season naturally resulted in True Believers, the OGs No one would object to seeing more of the Mikaelsons if they were given the chance. The very first vampires are shown in the third season of the flagship show. Even after thousands of years together, Klaus (Joseph Morgan), Elijah (Daniel Gillies), Rebekah (Claire Holt), and two more of their siblings still can't get along. It's true that nothing can stand in the way of a good family drama to take down even the most powerful person. After hooking up one night in Mystic Falls, vampire Klaus and werewolf Hayley (Phoebe Tonkin) move the Mikaleson family back to their New Orleans home in The Originals. The Originals' premise is ridiculous, but the show, like TVD, is anchored by strong family dynamics and features attractive actors having a good time playing with supernatural elements. The show's setting in eerie New Orleans provides the necessary vampiric atmosphere, making The Originals a satisfying watch. A. (Saloni Gajjar)

Penny dreadfuls were cheap serial publications featuring lurid material that were popular in 19th-century Britain; the title of this Showtime horror-drama alludes to them. On Zero Cent Horror Story , Eva Green portrays the enigmatic and formidable medium Vanessa Ives, whose life intersects with several well-known figures from Gothic literature, such as Dorian Gray, Mina Harker, Abraham Van Helsing, Victor Frankenstein, Henry Jekyll, and, yes, Dracula. The latter, portrayed by Christian Camargo, is introduced in Season 3 as the first vampire and Lucifer's brother. He pretends to be a nice zoologist in order to woo Vanessa. Everything builds to an unexpected and well-thought-out climax that shocked audiences when it was first shown because no one expected Vanessa's story to end there. Penny Dreadful, the original series that ran for three seasons, had nothing to do with the excellent spin-off series Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, which premiered in 2020. To paraphrase [Robert DeSalvo]

Listen up: The show ran for a whopping eight seasons. An Introduction to the Vampire Diaries has established itself as a top-tier supernatural drama that fans can't get enough of binge-watching Like, its success spawned a whole CW vampire series because of how popular it was. In L, adapted by Julie Plec, J Smith's novels were published a year after the film adaptation of Twilight, and they also involve a love triangle, so it's possible that they gave some readers the impression of being a watered-down version of the former. Nonetheless, TVD began by introducing surprisingly realistic family elements into its mythological lore, such as Elena Gilbert's (Nina Dobrev) struggle to come to terms with the death of her parents. or Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley), two vampire brothers separated for a century who reunite and fall in love with the same girl... again.

As the show progressed, new words for things like doppelgangers, witches, werewolves, hybrids, tribrids, travelers, and sirens were added to the lexicon. And despite a few tedious seasons in the middle (primarily after Elena became a vampire herself), TVD generally had a great time throughout. The show's early seasons found success by filling a void in the market for comedic and romantic high school dramas. Don't forget the thrilling cliffhangers at the end of each season! Never before has a show had so much fun playing with vampire folklore. Certainly not on the level of Buffy, but the aughts saw TVD make a great contribution to the horror genre. Salan Gajjar]

HBO's True Blood, adapted from Charlaine Harris' The Southern Vampire Mysteries novels, debuted in 2008 and was clearly aimed at more mature audiences than fans of the sparkly, PG-13 vampires in Twilight, which had also debuted that year. Protagonists live in the made-up town of Bon Temps, Louisiana. True Blood portrays a future where a synthetic blood substitute called Tru Blood has allowed vampires to "come out of the coffin." Sookie Stackhouse, played by Anna Paquin, is a fairy waitress whose magical blood is irresistible to vampires like Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) and Fangtasia bar operator Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgrd). The central love triangle involving Sookie, Bill, and Eric remained consistent throughout the series' run, despite the show's gradual drift from seriousness to camp as the seasons progressed and supernatural beings like witches, werewolves, and werepanthers were introduced. and Eric, and the rest of the amazing cast, kept viewers glued to this Southern gothic decadence for several summers. The popular TV show is getting a makeover in the form of a reboot. By [Robert DeSalvo]

The argument could be made by some that Angel surpasses its parent series, Buffy, in quality And that's true, to a degree Undoubtedly, it has a more mature tone, allowing it to explore deeper, more nuanced themes. It ran for five years without ever having to deal with the angst of a main character leaving high school. The vampire with a heart, Angel, may be the least intriguing character. The karaoke bar Caritas, owned by demons, was where the supporting cast really made the story come alive. Wesley (Alexis Denisof) and Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter, who, it should be noted, went through a significant character arc in Buffy) were among them. distressing events at the helm, and some promising new faces, such as vampire hunter Charles Gunn (J. (August Richards) and Amy Acker's Winifred "Fred" Burkle (a shy nerd who becomes possessed by an ancient demon). And unlike Buffy, it ended on a high note. "[Cindy White]

Evening Prayer Mike Flanagan's terrifying Netflix miniseries never once refers to its central monster as a vampire; instead, the bewitching priest who makes it manifest refers to the creature as an "angel" that wreaks havoc on isolated Crockett Island. The vampire's presence on the island is immediately felt, bringing plague-like problems; however, it is not until the second half that the true insidious nature of the monster is revealed. The creature is terrifyingly realized, and the adoration it receives is a subtle reference to Hollywood's fixation on alluring bloodsuckers. Supposed baseball prowess Whether it's an angel or a demon, this thing is going to burrow into your flesh and never leave. (Hattie Lindert)

In 2019, a documentary crew filmed a vampire household in Staten Island, and the resulting film is one of the most hilarious depictions of the undead. Our Secret Lives respects and builds upon previous media depictions of vampires, making them hornier, gayer, and more oblivious to 21st century norms. Never relying solely on their charms, each character brings something unique and interesting to the show. What We Do In The Shadows has maintained its acuity throughout its four seasons, with each new episode feeling like its own little treat. "[Gabrielle Sanchez]"

No matter how you feel about the author now, you can't deny the lasting effect on culture. Specifically, the television series Buffy, the Vampire Slayer. had in the past, and still does to this day Based on a lackluster film that bombed at the box office, this series was unexpectedly successful after being buried on The WB's Monday night schedule after Seventh Heaven. The central idea of high school as a literal hell is one that everyone can relate to. It pioneered the now-common hybrid format, which combines shorter "monster of the week" episodes with longer "big bad" story arcs interspersed throughout the season and culminating in a showdown at the end. And in Sarah Michelle Gellar's Buffy, it gave us a flawed but ultimately likable protagonist to root for.

The success of the show altered the course of an entire television network, and its impact was felt in other areas as well, including the arts, popular culture, and the language itself. Thanks to its official message board The Bronze, where the show's cast and creators regularly interacted with a community of fans, it was also one of the first TV shows to have a vibrant online fandom. Aside from establishing newcomers like David Boreanaz, Alyson Hannigan, and Seth Green as household names, it also catapulted the careers of established actors like Sarah Michelle Gellar and Anthony Stewart Head. For all of these reasons—far more than can be attributed to any one person—this groundbreaking series deserves to be recognized as the best vampire show ever. The [Cindy White]