As if my TV wasn't already bombarded with anough vampire shows, now NBC is jumping on the bandwagon. The network has greenlit 10 episodes of a new series called Dracula, and Jonathan Rhys Meyers is set to play the popular vampire.
The concept sounds like it won't last beyond it's 10 episode order: Rhys Meyers stars as the count, who travels to London in the 1890s. He poses as an American entrepreneur seeking to introduce modern technology to Victorian society, but in reality he's seeking revenge on the people who ruined his life centuries before. Of course, he falls for a girl who might or might not be the reincarnation of his lost love.
I understand NBC President Robert Greenblatt is trying to compete with basic cable and broaden it's audience, but this concept sounds horrible. The network already has a reboot of The Munsters called Mockingbird Lane in the works, and I'm a bit skeptical on that one. I will check out both shows when they air, but this Dracula concept seriously needs to go back to the drawing board. As for JRM, I loved him in Velvet Goldmine and the bit part he had in Mission Impossible 3, but I hated The Tudors and I don't know if he can pull a show like this off (although I bet he can make creepy vampire look sexy). The network also has to take into consideration that JRM has a reputation for being a mess. I'm sure some of you remember his multiple stints in rehab and the alleged suicide attempt. So if he does sign to play, there needs to be a strict clause that he shows up on time and knows his lines. Failure to comply and he will be fined.
As for a show like Dracula, genre shows like this do not do well on network TV (yes Grimm was given another season, but the ratings aren't the powerhouse numbers that these networks always expect). If you're going to do a show about vampires or other creatures of the night, you go to smaller networks like The CW (The Vampire Diaries) or HBO (True Blood).
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