Vampires settled on television long ago: series about them can be school dramas, detective stories, comedies, animation and classic gothic. We picked ten series that are already out, from Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997) to Interview with the Vampire, based on Anne Rice’s novels. There are teen stories, series for adults, a British Dracula for three evenings and a comedy in mockumentary format. Each entry gives the years, the channel or service, the number of seasons and episodes and a reason to watch, without spoilers. This is not a ranking: we do not invent our own ratings or viewing figures. We take English titles from English Wikipedia, and the data was checked on October 23, 2026.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is an American series by Joss Whedon, conceived from the 1992 film of the same name but made as a separate story. High school student Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) is the latest “Chosen One”, destined to fight vampires and demons. She dreams of a normal life, but her town of Sunnydale sits right on top of a “Hellmouth”, so evil creatures are drawn there from everywhere. Unlike the Slayers before her, Buffy relies not only on her mentor but also on a group of loyal friends. The first five seasons aired on The WB and the last two on UPN. According to Wikipedia, the series is often named among the greatest in television history. Why watch: a classic that brought together school drama, horror and humor.
True Blood
Official trailer · “True Blood” (2008)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the HBO UK YouTube channel
True Blood is an HBO fantasy horror drama that Alan Ball created based on Charlaine Harris’s series of novels. Japanese scientists have invented synthetic blood, and vampires have come out of the shadows: they now live alongside humans and fight for equal rights. In the fictional town of Bon Temps, Louisiana, telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) falls in love with the vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer). The series won a Golden Globe and an Emmy. Why watch: vampires as part of the ordinary American South, with all its conflicts.
The Vampire Diaries
Official trailer · “The Vampire Diaries” (2009)The Vampire Diaries is a teen supernatural drama by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec based on the books by L. J. Smith. It is set in the fictional town of Mystic Falls, Virginia. High school student Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev), who has just lost her parents in a car accident, falls in love with Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley), not knowing that he is 162 years old. Soon his older brother Damon (Ian Somerhalder) returns to town, and the characters’ relationships become much more complicated. According to Wikipedia, the first season became the network’s most popular series, and the show won 30 Teen Choice Awards. Why watch: romance and small-town secrets across eight seasons.
The Originals
Official trailer · “The Originals” (2013)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Nordic YouTube channel
The Originals is a spin-off of The Vampire Diaries created by Julie Plec. At its center is Klaus Mikaelson (Joseph Morgan), a vampire-werewolf hybrid, and his family: in this universe the Mikaelsons are called the Originals because they were the first vampires. They return to New Orleans, where they once helped build the French Quarter, and get drawn into a power struggle between vampires, witches and werewolves. The series ended with its fifth season in August 2018. Why watch: a family saga about the oldest vampires for those who enjoyed The Vampire Diaries.
The Strain
Official trailer · “The Strain” (2014)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the FX Networks YouTube channel
The Strain is an FX horror series that Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan created from their own trilogy of novels; del Toro directed the pilot himself. A plane lands in New York with everyone on board dead. Dr. Ephraim Goodweather, head of the New York-based Canary team of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), sets out to find the cause, and his team discovers a virus that closely resembles an ancient strain of vampirism. As the infection spreads through the city, Goodweather, his team and a few local residents try to stop it. Four seasons came out from 2014 to 2017. Why watch: vampires as an epidemic investigated by scientists.
Penny Dreadful
Official trailer · “Penny Dreadful” (2014)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the Penny Dreadful YouTube channel
Penny Dreadful is a gothic horror drama by John Logan, with Sam Mendes among its producers. London, 1891: the explorer Malcolm Murray (Timothy Dalton) and the mysterious Vanessa Ives hire the American gunslinger Ethan Chandler to rescue Murray’s daughter from a mysterious creature. The cast also includes Eva Green and Josh Hartnett. The series features characters from classic Victorian literature: Dracula and Van Helsing, Victor Frankenstein, Dorian Gray. The title comes from the cheap horror booklets of the 19th century. The story was wrapped up with the third season. Why watch: a gothic London where vampires are just one of the threats.
Castlevania
Official trailer · “Castlevania” (2017)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the Netflix YouTube channel
Castlevania is an adult animated Netflix series that Warren Ellis wrote based on the Konami video game series. Trevor Belmont, the last of a family of monster hunters, the magician Sypha Belnades and Dracula’s son, the half-vampire Alucard, defend Wallachia against Dracula and his army. The first two seasons retell the 1989 game, and the animation style, according to Wikipedia, is noticeably inspired by Japanese anime. Critics praised the visuals, voice acting and fight scenes; a follow-up, Castlevania: Nocturne, came out in 2023. Why watch: a dark medieval tale in which Dracula is the main enemy.
What We Do in the Shadows
Official trailer · “What We Do in the Shadows” (2019)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the FX Networks YouTube channel
What We Do in the Shadows is an American mockumentary comedy that Jemaine Clement created based on the 2014 New Zealand film he made with Taika Waititi. Four vampire roommates share a house on Staten Island, while a film crew follows their everyday lives. The cast includes Kayvan Novak, Matt Berry and Natasia Demetriou. Episodes run 22–30 minutes. According to Wikipedia, the series received 35 Emmy nominations, including four for Outstanding Comedy Series. Why watch: the only pure comedy in the selection: vampires in the everyday life of Staten Island.
Dracula
Official trailer · “Dracula” (2020)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the BBC YouTube channel
Dracula is a British miniseries by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat based on Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel. The story follows the count from his origins in Eastern Europe to his confrontation with Van Helsing’s descendants. Dracula is played by Claes Bang. The three episodes, an hour and a half each, aired on BBC One on three consecutive evenings, from January 1 to 3, 2020, after which the series came out on Netflix. Why watch: a free modern take on the most famous vampire story, for three evenings.
Interview with the Vampire
Official trailer · “Interview with the Vampire” (2022)Still: © the series’ rights holders, source — the official trailer on the amc+ YouTube channel
Interview with the Vampire is a gothic series by Rolin Jones for AMC based on Anne Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles. The vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson) tells the story of his past, above all his turbulent relationship with the vampire Lestat (Sam Reid). The first two seasons cover the plot of the first novel in the series. The third season, The Vampire Lestat, based on the second novel, began airing on June 7, 2026. The series has received nominations for the Critics’ Choice Television Awards. Why watch: a new, more detailed adaptation of the novel that became a film of the same name in 1994.
How we chose
One vampire movie isn’t enough? There are shows here that run for several seasons and ones you can finish in a few evenings: the high-school Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the romantic The Vampire Diaries, the dark animated Castlevania, the British three-episode Dracula and the comedy What We Do in the Shadows. Every series made it here based on viewer reviews, critics’ scores and our own viewing experience. There’s plenty to choose from for teens and adults alike.
What to choose by mood
| What you want | What to pick |
|---|---|
| A good laugh | What We Do in the Shadows, Buffy the Vampire Slayer |
| Romance and secrets | The Vampire Diaries, The Originals, True Blood |
| Classic gothic | Dracula, Penny Dreadful, Interview with the Vampire |
| An epidemic thriller | The Strain |
| Animation | Castlevania |
| Short, for a few evenings | Dracula (3 episodes), Penny Dreadful (27 episodes) |
If you want a film rather than a series, see our selection of vampire movies: it includes the film What We Do in the Shadows, on which the series of the same name is based. And if zombies are more your thing, try zombie TV shows.
Tip. For a first taste of the genre, pick the British Dracula: three episodes of 88 to 91 minutes. If you prefer short episodes, put on What We Do in the Shadows, where each one runs 22 to 30 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
What should teenagers watch?
Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Vampire Diaries: both series are about high school students who have to deal with the supernatural. Check the age rating on the page of the service where you will be watching.
Do you need to watch The Vampire Diaries before The Originals?
The Originals is a spin-off, and Klaus and his family first appear in The Vampire Diaries. The new series can be followed on its own, but knowing the characters will make it feel more complete.
Which of these series have already ended?
All except Interview with the Vampire: as of October 23, 2026, it has three seasons. Dracula is a three-episode miniseries.
Are there spoilers here?
No. We only describe the starting situation and general information about the series from Wikipedia pages.
Sources
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Wikipedia)
- True Blood (Wikipedia)
- The Vampire Diaries (Wikipedia)
- What We Do in the Shadows (TV series) (Wikipedia)
- Interview with the Vampire (TV series) (Wikipedia)
Data was checked against Wikipedia on October 23, 2026.
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