Like vampires themselves, fans of “bloodsucker” stories have always had something to sip. Many vampire-related productions get made each year (especially in the horror genre), and in 2025, we’ve already seen one of the best: Sinners. But even though something good comes to cinemas annually, television tends to have quantity and (arguably) quality. From Buffy the Vampire Slayer to The Vampire Slayer, there is never a shortage of amazing shows.
Unfortunately, some incredible shows from the past have also sunk into the realm of the forgotten. These small-screen projects are just as entertaining as the popular ones, but few people ever reminisce about them or talk about them as some of the greatest television offerings of all time. That’s all due to a variety of factors, but what’s important for them now is to be given another chance at glory. If you are eager to see more past shows about immortal creatures with fangs, here is what to watch.
10
‘Forever Knight’ (1992 – 1996)
Nick Knight (Geraint Wyn Davies) from Forever Knight is an 800-year-old vampire working as a homicide detective in Toronto. He is trying to make up for his violent past by helping the innocent, but does he deserve atonement? And will he really resist his nature, especially when fellow vampire Lucien LaCroix (Nigel Bennett) is working so hard to tempt him back to his old ways?
Trying To Do the Right Thing
Forever Knight is not just a great vampire show but one of the most interesting international procedurals. It has plenty of bittersweet subject matter, which is delicately handled through unfussy direction and a darkly amusing script. The odd pairing of Geraint Wyn Davies and Nigel Bennett is lightning in a bottle. Davies makes his character both annoyingly carefree and oddly astute, resulting in a protagonist you can wholly root for. And as a good protagonist should, Nick has plenty of interesting peculiarities, notably the fact that he prefers to feed on animal blood, despite being disgusted by it.
9
‘Kindred: The Embraced’ (1996)
Kindred: The Embraced finds Julian Luna (Mark Frankel) and his secret society of vampires known as the Kindred enjoying a streak of impunity in San Francisco’s dark streets. Soon, they are forced to wake up and smell the coffee when a persistent human reporter threatens to expose their secret dealings.
Vampires in the Underworld
Loosely based on the role-playing game, Vampire: The Masquerade, Kindred: The Embraced is a layered, suspenseful examination of panic after the free rein that one has been used to is interfered with. The script parses investigations and weird cult-like moments while using several scenes as allegories to everyday problems. Be prepared to root for the villain, since Julian is a magnificently written character.
8
‘Vampire High’ (2001 – 2002)
- Release Date
-
2001 – 2001
- Network
-
YTV
- Directors
-
Adam Weissman, Carl Goldstein, Jim Kaufman
There is a major plan unfolding in Vampire High. The vampire clan figures that by enrolling the young unruly members of the species into a special school, they’ll soon become cultured members of society whose seemingly highborn elocution will fool humans into trusting them. In this special school, the usual teen drama issues play out, namely bullying, forbidden romances, and mischief.
A Lot for Viewers to Learn in This ‘School’
Can vampires become civilized? That’s the main question in Vampire High, and there are some interesting answers. From mad-cap adventures to silly one-liners, the show delivers on numerous fronts. In each episode, the performances of the young actors hit complex notes as their characters find themselves in difficult situations. Watch out for an episode where two characters find the blood supply is locked up after being left at school by themselves during spring break. As time passes, the urge to feed on each other mounts.
Related
8 Great Vampire Shows Based on Movies
Some of the greatest shows on TV revolve around vampires, and quite a few of them are based on movies.
7
‘I Heart Vampires’ (2009 – 2010)
I Heart Vampires revolves around Corbin (Cherilyn Wilson) and Luci (Erin Way), two best friends who run a fansite for their favorite vampire book series called Confessions of a High School Vampire. Soon, the girls make a shocking discovery: the books may be based on actual vampires. What now?
Flying Too Close to the Sun?
In I Heart Vampires, the writers juggle the bizarre and the witty with delightful results, making this an absolute gem of a show. You’ll love how the two protagonists cruise credibly from wisecracking cynicism to absolute panic and recklessness. Most importantly, the show feels relevant, tapping into the dangers of fansite culture and the risks of digging too deep into something you do not understand.
6
‘Ultraviolet’ (1998)
- Release Date
-
1998 – 1997
- Network
-
Channel 4
- Directors
-
Joe Ahearne
-
Jack Davenport
Michael Colefield
-
Rupert Procter
Uncredited
-
Susannah Harker
Dr. Angela March
-
Detective Sergeant Michael Colefield (Jack Davenport) from Ultraviolet is worried because his best friend Jack (Stephen Moyer) has gone missing the day before his wedding. His investigations guide him into the path of a paramilitary vampire-hunting organization funded by the British government and the Vatican. Bombshell? Jack has become a vampire.
Jack the Biter
Ultraviolet is anything but subtle. It’s sensitive, moving, and profound. The centerpiece of the show, both visually and thematically, is the scene where the vampires reveal their plan for global domination and show how they intend to reward their austere benefactors. And despite this being a vampire show, efforts are made to address serious topics such as terminal cancer and PTSD. Even better, Idris Elba is among the cast members.
5
‘Orange Marmalade’ (2015)
- Release Date
-
2015 – 2014
- Network
-
KBS2
- Directors
-
Lee Hyung-min
-
Yeo Jin-Goo
Baek Seung-hoon
-
Kim Seol-hyun
Jeong Byung-kwon
-
-
Song Jun-hee
Jung Jae-min
Orange Marmalade is set in a world where humans and vampires coexist, and the latter no longer rely on human blood for nutrition. Still, they discriminated against. So what happens when Baek Ma-ri (Kim Seol-hyun), a socially awkward teen trying to hide her vampire identity, falls for the most popular boy in her high school, Jung Jae-min (Yeo Jin-goo)?
Is a Kiss on the Neck Too Dangerous?
Released in the same decade as American hits like The Originals and Being Human and presenting many parallels, it’s kind of mystifying that those shows were either hits or fiascos, and this one is seen as just another little addition to the genre. There is a psychological immediacy to Orange Marmalade that many vampire shows lack. Despite featuring fictional concepts, it has a realistic feel, which may have touched too close to home. Hopefully, we will see it vindicated soon. Definitely, a mindblowing K-drama that deserves to be widely seen.
4
‘Dark Shadows’ (1966 – 1971)
- Release Date
-
1966 – 1970
- Network
-
ABC
- Directors
-
Lela Swift, John Sedwick
-
Grayson Hall
Julia Hoffman
-
Joan Bennett
Elizabeth Collins Stoddard / Naomi Collins
Set in the mysterious Collinswood estate in Collinsport, Maine, Dark Shadows centers around the troubled Collins family, whose lives are often disrupted by weird supernatural forces. Things get even more interesting when Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid), a 175-year-old vampire, shows up.
Vampires and Other Scary Creatures
Series creator Dan Curtis came close to Gothic perfection with Dark Shadows, serving audiences a cocktail of horror and soap opera perfection. Additionally, the series follows the example of other innovative small-screen projects of the ‘60s (notably The Munsters) by constantly teasing physical violence without outwardly delivering it, and breaking with the sedate melodrama-centric shows of the era. Here, you’ll also find witches, ghosts, werewolves, zombies, time travel, and a parallel universe.
3
‘The Lair’ (2007 – 2009)
- Release Date
-
2007 – 2008
- Network
-
Here TV
- Directors
-
Fred Olen Ray
-
Arthur Roberts
Uncredited
-
Barrett Long
Sheriff Trout
-
-
Johnny Gunn
Damian Courtenay
The Lair takes us to a small coastal town, where a secret nightclub (named after the show’s title) provides gay men with a space to mingle. Unknown to new revelers, the place is run by vampires, who only want prey to feed on. Thankfully, investigative journalist Thom Etherton (David Moretti) realizes what’s happening and makes it his mission to end it.
Too Hot To Handle?
You’ll love how The Lair ushers you in slowly. At first, series creator Fred Olen Ray (who famously loaned a 16mm camera to Quentin Tarantino so he could make My Best Friend’s Birthday) constructs a detailed prismatic portrait of a perfect party island scene in mosaic fashion, compiling brief flirtation scenes and melding them with marvelous beach views. Then the horror begins. This coven of vampires is crazier than the Baywatch gang. You have to see it to believe it.
Related
10 Best Vampire Movies on Netflix to Sink Your Teeth Into
Eager for more vampire treats that aren’t named ‘Sinners’ and ‘Nosferatu’? Check out the following flicks on Netflix.
2
‘Blood’ (2015)
- Release Date
-
2015 – 2014
- Network
-
KBS2
- Directors
-
Lee Jae-hoon
- Writers
-
Park Jae-beom
-
Ahn Jae-Hyun
Park Ji-sang
-
-
Koo Hye-sun
Yoo Ri-ta / Yoo Chae-eun
-
Blood follows Park Ji-sang (Ahn Jae-hyun), a skilled and compassionate surgeon who is secretly a vampire. As he tries hard to suppress his thirst for blood, he keeps clashing with Yoo Ri-ta (Koo Hye-sun), a talented young doctor who finds many personality faults in him. Things heat up even more when Ri-ta discovers Ji-sang is a blood sucker.
Ji-sang’s Anatomy
Ever seen a medical drama where the main doc is a vampire? Probably not, yet everyone went on with their lives like Blood didn’t exist. It’s amazing how a beautiful friendship buds with each new episode, though progress is often hampered by ill will, pettiness, and ugly confrontations. But worry not. It works out well in the end, especially because a major villain (within the hospital circles) comes into the picture.
1
‘Moonlight’ (2007)
From the outside, Moonlight’s Mick St. John (Alex O’Loughlin) seems like just another P.I. On the inside, he is a vampire, having been turned by his bride on their wedding night 55 years earlier. He now fights crime while trying to hide his true nature. But how long can he keep the secret, especially now that he is falling for a human reporter he once saved as a child?
Cooler Than Magnum
Moonlight mainly rides on Jason Dohring’s incredible performance (he plays a 410-year-old vampire who is Mick’s mentor). It’s also guaranteed to impress subgenre fans with the unique ways in which it handles mythology. For example, in the show, the sire must educate humans about how to live as vampires after turning them. Otherwise, like an unwatered flower, they will wither and die. The human must also drink some of the vampire’s blood to ‘turn’ properly. Weird? There’s more. Tune into this incredible show.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
