The Best Vampire TV Shows Of All Time, Ranked

Penny Dreadful brings those classic gothic horror literature vibes into a space where atmosphere is everything. In Victorian London, humans and supernatural beings are pulled together. Penny Dreadful is at #10 because it doesn’t revolve purely around vampires but incorporates them into a much larger universe of monsters and dark forces (including our Dracula). The result then, is a show that’s as much about mood as it is about the plot. The tone in the show is consistently heavy, and people who can’t get enough of gothic horror aesthetics or Victorian-era storytelling will enjoy Penny Dreadful. 

The show also weaves in a ton of literary horror references throughout, such as, Dorian Gray from The Picture of Dorian Gray or Henry Jekyll from Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, which adds an extra immersive touch to the whole thing. Just like Interview with the Vampire, Penny Dreadful isn’t a relaxing watch. It’s determined to be haunting from the beginning to the end, which could be overwhelming depending on the viewer; but if that’s your vibe then make haste to watch this one! Fans of movies like Crimson Peak or series like The Haunting of Hill House will find Penny Dreadful to be an equally compelling experience, and once you’re done watching it, head over to watch the 2020 spin-off series, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels. 

Coming in at #9 on this list is Moonlight, a show that feels like it was right on the heels of the vampire boom which would have us all swooning over the creatures of the night. Moonlight is essentially a noir-style detective story, where Mick St. John, a vampire who was turned into one by his bride, is now a PI solving supernatural cases in LA. The surprising thing about Moonlight is that it was definitely of its time and a show not a lot of people in this generation would know off the top of their heads. 

I personally feel 16 episodes isn’t enough to dive deep into St. John’s world and everything that comes with it, like his attraction to a human woman, and his wife who’s presumed dead turns up in his life once again (phew!). Some aspects of the vampire mythology in Moonlight differ from what other series show. For example, where staking can kill vampires in TVD, it only causes paralysis in Moonlight. These differences aren’t necessarily an issue, they just bring a unique perspective on the same mythos to the forefront. While Moonlight wasn’t very well received when it aired, fans of procedurals with an immortal protagonist-human female detective team handling the reins like in Lucifer, will find Moonlight to be an interesting show that’s worth watching at least once. 

Ah, the curse of the one-season-cancel strikes in Netflix’s First Kill. Juliette, a teenage vampire falls in love with Calliope, a vampire hunter, and if that sounds like a terrible idea, it's because it is, especially when you’re a part of families of opposing legacies. It’s all very Romeo and Juliet-esque, only through a supernatural lens, though the world-building isn’t fully explored. If you loved the relationship between ‘the vampire and vampire hunter’ who did it first in Buffy and Angel, and the idea of love crossing enemy lines, then you’ll want to give First Kill a whirl. 

It may feel as though the show moves a bit too fast, you know, like they’re trying to cram three seasons worth of story into one, and I felt the relationship between Juliette and Calliope developed at lightening speed, but considering the fact that the show won’t see a second season anytime soon, maybe that’s for the best. The show covered a few vampire-specific details (like the medication that was slowing Juliette’s vampire traits from emerging) which I thought was a cool touch. All in all, First Kill is a modern show with a sapphic romance at the helm carrying most of the narrative weight, making it a refreshing and welcome change from the other entries in the vampire mythos on TV. A focus on sapphic romance is great in itself, but adding an enemies-to-lovers trope to it is the cherry on top of an intriguing show whose time was cut too short too soon.

In True Blood, a world exists where vampires are publicly known to humanity because of a synthetic blood product, which sounds like a fun premise, but isn’t really. Sure, they don’t need human blood to exist anymore, but that doesn’t make the entire thing any less wild because what we actually get is power struggles and complicated human-vampire relationships (which isn’t new to us because of Buffy and The Vampire Diaries), giving us an adult show with an out-of-the-box premise, perfect for fans of genre-mashup shows like Supernatural. 

Also based on novels written by Charlaine Harris, the show stands out because of the way it manages to be many things at the same time. Sometimes, it brings romance to the forefront, sometimes horror, and sometimes social commentary for how vampires are fighting for equal rights and co-existence with humans, with all of these themes competing for attention. Like Buffy, we are introduced to other supernatural creatures as well, which somehow makes it even more entertaining. What I appreciate most about True Blood is how it manages to explore issues affecting the world like discrimination, drug addiction, and violence against minorities through metaphors, even though the tone is unpredictable in certain episodes. 

Now, let’s talk about a show that portrays vampires as the typical horrific predators that they’re historically shown to be in folklore, The Strain. There’s no seduction or vampires glistening in the sun like diamonds here, there’s only an apocalypse with a parasitic takeover where the infection spreads fast and turns people into vampiric creatures. A small group of survivors must race against time to stop it. The Strain isn’t for young audiences, as there are certain body horror and frightening visuals that you may want to look away from. 

The show is definitely well-done, but as someone who isn’t a huge horror fan, I was watching most of the episodes through my fingers. The Strain doesn’t believe in doing vampire mythology in a subtle way. Guillermo del Toro co-created the concept, and if you want to see more of what made his other work like Frankenstein so popular (hint: it’s the creature design), then definitely check out this show. Unlike What We Do in the Shadows, this one is anti-comedy, so lovers of outbreak-style shows similar to The Walking Dead, where there is panic rather than supernatural romance, will enjoy watching The Strain (hey, sometimes people just need a survival horror show that isn’t gift-wrapped in sunshine and roses!)

Here’s the thing about Vampire Academy—it was youthful and sleek with a lot of potential, but didn’t last long enough to truly thrive. Based on the popular book series by Richelle Mead, Vampire Academy follows Lissa, a Moroi royal (the good, mortal vampires) and her guardian in training Rose, a Dhampir, housed in St. Vladimir’s academy. And, it wouldn’t be a drama without the Strigoi (the bad immortal vampires). The show tries to be a bridge between teen drama and fantasy, and at its best, Vampire Academy leans into political arcs, hierarchies, and forbidden bonds (both romantic and psychic).

But the downside is obvious in the fact that it just didn’t get enough time to flourish. As a show, I was expecting the books to be given their due with an in-depth coverage of the plot, but unfortunately it was canceled after only one season (and, it’s not really a faithful adaptation of the books). There’s also a 2014 film adaptation that approaches the material with a more campy, fast-paced energy that I loved, but alas, the movie also ends on a cliffhanger and it’s a shame we didn’t get more. Nevertheless, fans of fantasy academy based stories like Fate: The Winx Saga will like what Vampire Academy attempts to do; just go into it knowing that it was setting up for a much longer story which never got realized. 

If you’re telling me there are people out there who haven’t even heard the names Elena Gilbert, Stefan Salvatore, and Damon Salvatore, I’d be genuinely surprised. The Vampire Diaries is kind of like a vampire starter pack (second to Twilight) for modern viewers. There’s something here for every viewer—romance galore, (so many) doppelgängers, love triangles, people dying but coming back to life, 1000-year-old families who know how to hold a grudge against their own siblings, and more. 

The Vampire Diaries feels like a polished version of the aforementioned Vampire High with more drama and more stakes (literal and emotional). I also know I can’t mention this show without talking about The Originals, a spin-off of the original Mikaelson family which dials things up a notch, making the vampire politics heavier but just as bingeable. Teen-to-supernatural pipeline enthusiasts and fans of other supernatural shows like Shadowhunters will adore The Vampire Diaries. What I feel is a travesty is that the makers had two spin-offs (the second one being Legacies) to develop Klaus Mikaelson and Caroline Forbes’s relationship, and yet they decided against it. 

If you think all vampires are brooding and hiding away in dark castles, then What We Do in the Shadows begs to differ. Here, the biggest issue isn't curses or outbreaks, but vacuuming and shopping for glitter, while figuring out modern slang and hypnotizing salesmen at Best Buy. I mean, if you’ve been alive for that long, you’re bound to pick up on societal conventions, right? The Office fans will find a lot to love in What We Do in the Shadows, as the mockumentary style that made the former such a success is also employed in the latter where a group of ancient vampires share a flat in Staten Island (now there’s a sentence I never thought I’d say.) 

What We Do in the Shadows thrives in character-driven humor rather than drama, which is what makes it so charming. It’s tonally quite different from almost all entries on its list, as it has a very specific brand of comedy that it confidently and proudly showcases. It refuses to glamorize vampires as these tragic, powerful, and terrifying creatures, but as bickering roommates who also just happen to be immortal. The show finds its similarities and pairs well with Being Human or Vamps, both of which highlight supernatural beings trying to acclimate to ordinary life, and frankly, it’s a genre I’d love to see more of. What We Do in the Shadows was adapted from the 2014 movie of the same name which is also another hilarious, worthwhile watch.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t include the iconic Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel in a list like this. Dubbed the Buffyverse, Buffy follows our titular badass and funny protagonist (she’s literally laugh-out-loud hilarious) as she fights vampires and other monsters in Sunnydale. Buffy pretty much shaped vampire TV by shaping everything that came after it, so if you haven’t had a chance to watch this show yet, now’s the time to rectify it. 

While the show comes off as teen horror (which it is), it also gives ample time to spotlight high school woes, friendships, relationships, and the pain of growing up and being ‘the chosen one’ and everything that comes with it, making it a well-rounded show. Other than the fact that Buffy doesn’t end up with Spike (who, despite his mistakes, changes for her), the show is a seven-season roller coaster that’s impossible to ignore. Angel, Buffy’s vampire ex-boyfriend, gets his time to shine in Angel, a moodier show where he, being cursed with a soul, tries to redeem himself. Both shows balance humor and tragedy, which is what makes them so interesting, it’s never one or the other. They can be watched as companion pieces, but watching them as standalones also works, as it feels like they’re two sides of the same coin.

Anne Rice’s classic book, Interview with the Vampire, has been adapted into six versions across media. Among them, the most popular one is the 1994 movie version. Until, in 2022, it returned yet again as the aptly titled Interview with the Vampire, but with a new cast driving the show where a vampire recounts his centuries-long existence and his intimate, yet toxic and complicated relationship with the vampire who turned him (in my humble opinion, this adaptation is the best one.) The central relationship is the metaphorical engine of the show. It’s tender in some moments, yet destructive in others. 

Tonally, it’s the complete opposite to What We Do in the Shadows, swapping out domestic comedy for intensity. The show fully commits to its storylines and the actors truly perform, demanding attention from its viewer. Interview with the Vampire isn’t really a casual watch you can turn on while doing your chores, which might not appeal to some who are looking for a faster paced show; in this case, action-heavy show enthusiasts might enjoy The Strain instead. However, if you do decide to give it a chance, Interview with the Vampire offers a layered exploration of vampire existence TV has ever seen. The third season is out this year (Lestat becomes a rockstar? I’m seated) and there might not be a better time than now to binge the first two seasons in anticipation that fans of gothic mood will feel right at home with.