10 Vampire TV Shows That Could Be Considered Masterpieces (#1 Changed Television)

In the fantasy world, a subgenre that is widely popular is vampire TV shows, and some are so good that they could be considered masterpieces. If there’s one trend in the fantasy genre that will always be popular is vampire stories. While there have definitely been eras where vampires have been more popular, these characters always find their audience.

There are many great vampire movies, but they have also found great success on TV. Vampire TV shows have a bit of everything – from teen romance to vampires coexisting with other fantasy creatures to more grounded approaches to these characters. Not all vampire shows were well-received by critics, but there are some that can definitely be considered masterpieces.

Being Human

Five Seasons (UK), Four Seasons (US)

Being Human follows vampire John Mitchell (Aidan Turner) and werewolf George Sands (Russell Tovey), friends and coworkers who move into a new house. They share their home with Annie Sawyer (Lenora Crichlow), who died there and is now a ghost. Being Human explores their struggles as they attempt to live their lives in the most human way possible while dealing with the problems of their individual conditions.

Being Human is surprisingly relatable and deep for a show with characters like vampires and werewolves, without leaving aside the horror elements that come with these characters. Being Human got a North American remake, with the same premise, which was also great.

The Strain

Four Seasons

The Strain is a horror drama TV series based on Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan’s novel trilogy of the same name. The events of The Strain begin after an airplane lands with everyone aboard dead. Dr. Ephraim Goodweather (Corey Stoll) and his team are called to investigate, and they find a viral outbreak with similarities to an ancient strain of vampirism.

The Strain is a different, more modern, and gorier take on vampires, with a generous dose of body horror. These aren’t good-looking, charming, breathtaking vampires, instead being monstrous and thus absolutely terrifying.

Interview with the Vampire

On Its Third Season

Interview with the Vampire is based on Anne Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles novel series, and it follows Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson), who is turned into a vampire by the charismatic but dangerous Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid). The show follows Louis’ struggles to accept his immortality while holding on to his mortality as much as possible, and his relationship with young vampire Claudia.

Interview with the Vampire embraces the queer elements from Rice’s novel, offering an adaptation that delves deeper into its characters’ inner struggles and complex emotions. Interview with the Vampire explores themes like trauma, humanity, memory, racism, and violence through well-written characters, strong performances, and outstanding production value.

Preacher

Four Seasons

Preacher is a supernatural adventure TV series based on Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon’s comic book series of the same name. Preacher follows Jesse Custer (Dominic Cooper), a preacher with a criminal past and unhealthy habits who discovers the superpower of commanding others to do as he says.

This sends him on a quest to better understand this gift and find God, with the help of his ex-girlfriend and Cassidy (Joseph Gilgun), an Irish vampire. Preacher subverts vampire tropes, with Cassidy being quite chaotic and embodying the darkest sides of immortality, while also exploring the complexities of immortality.

Castlevania

Four Seasons

Castlevania is an animated dark fantasy TV series for an adult audience, and it now ranks among the best animated TV shows of all time. Based on Konami’s video game series of the same name, Castlevania follows Trevor Belmont (voiced by Richard Armitage), the last surviving member of a family of monster hunters, who goes against Dracula’s forces.

Belmont counts on the help of magician Sypha Belnades and Dracula’s dhampir son, Alucard, who wants to protect humanity from his vengeful father. Castlevania’s stunning animation, character development, and complex characters and stories make it one of the best vampire TV shows and one of the best TV shows of all time.

Midnight Mass

One Season

Midnight Mass is one of Mike Flanagan’s Netflix TV shows, so of course, it’s a horror show. Midnight Mass is Flanagan’s take on vampires, and it takes the audience to Crockett Island, as Riley (Zach Gilford) returns to town after serving four years in prison. At the same time, the charismatic but mysterious Father Paul (Hamish Linklater) arrives.

Midnight Mass has a slower pace than the rest of Flanagan’s horror shows, but that’s key to building suspense and allowing the audience to put all the pieces together. Midnight Mass mixes vampires with a claustrophobic atmosphere in such a small town, along with themes like faith, death, and morality.

True Blood

Seven Seasons

True Blood is based on Charlaine Harris’ novel series The Southern Vampire Mysteries, and it’s the story of Sookie (Anna Paquin), a waitress in Bon Temps, Louisiana. In the world of True Blood, a synthetic blood product has been invented, allowing vampires to live freely among mortals. This allows Sookie to meet vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer), with whom she falls in love.

Unlike similar vampire stories like Twilight and The Vampire Diaries, True Blood is fantasy romance for adults, and as such, it has more complex characters and stories, a darker tone, and explores themes like discrimination.

What We Do In The Shadows

Six Seasons

What We Do In The Shadows is a comedy horror mockumentary based on Taika Waititi’s 2014 movie of the same name. What We Do In The Shadows follows vampires Nandor, Laszlo, and Nadja, along with energy vampire Colin Robinson, who live together and try to adapt to the modern world.

What We Do In The Shadows is comedy horror at its finest, with brilliant performances from its main cast, and a different and more personal look into the struggles of being a vampire (especially in the modern world). What We Do In The Shadows expands on the world introduced in the movie and is consistently good from beginning to end.

Angel

Five Seasons

Angel is a supernatural drama TV show and a Buffy the Vampire Slayer spinoff. It follows Angel (David Boreanaz), the vampire with a soul, who leaves Sunnydale and moves to Los Angeles. There, Angel begins to work as a private detective, battling demons, vampires, and other forces of evil while also continuing to battle his own demonic nature.

Angel is darker than Buffy the Vampire Slayer and gave the character a crime mystery twist by turning him into a detective. Thanks to this, Angel explores themes like morality, redemption, corruption, and death, without forgetting about vampires and other supernatural elements.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Seven Seasons

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a supernatural horror drama show and not only one of the best fantasy TV shows of all time, but one of the best TV shows in general. Buffy the Vampire Slayer follows Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar), the current “Vampire Slayer” chosen by fate to battle against vampires, demons, and other forces of darkness.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a perfect blend of horror, comedy, drama, and action, with complex and relatable characters, emotional depth, engaging storylines, and a variety of monsters and creatures, along with one of the most iconic female characters in TV history.