With less than one week to go before the US premiere of Dracula on NBC, critics and fans have been weighing in on what’s arguably the most exciting and innovative adaptation of Bram Stoker’s classic novel to date. Never before given the kind of range and time that series television provides, it should be understood that adapting Dracula for the small-screen requires its writers to open the range of possibilities to a point that figuratively has no end. Spearheaded by creator Cole Haddon, who sold this groundbreaking series to NBC over two years ago, Dracula’s potential is indeed as endless as the mythology of “the count” himself.
Dracula News special correspondant Gina was invited to attend a screening of the pilot by Sky Living in the UK. As a long-time fan of actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers, she was ready not only to evaluate the show itself, but the work of its leading man within the broader context of his career. Noting those who may take issue with a flexible adaptation of the work, Gina said the show is “a brave and ingenious way of taking the story in a different direction”.
Many longtime fans of Rhys Meyers have “thought him suited to this role”, she continued, “and it was one we often hoped he would get a chance to take on. He has a very ethereal, “other-worldly”, quality to him – and this fits in so well for the series. He has always had the ability to draw empathy from his audience for even the most horrendous characters; what touches you is an ability to show heart and vulnerability underneath that hard exterior.”
For the NBC/Sky version she said she believed “the writers wished people to see human qualities in Dracula, and not for him to be just a monster,” for which Rhys Meyers was more than well-suited for. “If anyone can get this across, Jonathan can. He’s master of it.”
“His portrayal of the most famous vampire in literature is both controlled and alluring, dark with underlying menace, sophisticated and sexy,” she reported, “In the pilot we see how it presents the characters and the beginnings of the story; the sets are lavish and beautiful, and the costumes are colorful.” A mixture of period design, with a modern-twist. The seductive lure of a vampire, without a “sparkle” in sight.
What does she recommend to future viewers? “My opinion after just seeing one episode is that it’s decadent, stunningly beautiful, and if you watch with an open mind – and just go with the flow of the story – it will take you on one hell of a different journey.”
Dracula premieres on NBC October 25th at 10/9c and on Sky Living October 31st. Please follow Gina on Twitter at @JRM_Appr_Group and like the Jonathan Rhys Meyers Fan Appreciation Page on Facebook.
And for all the lastest on the show via social media, be sure to follow Dracula News on Twitter @draculanews and like us on Facebook as we continue to countdown to the premiere.