Buffy the Vampire Slayer

On-Screen Vampire Characters: Best to Worst

With Halloween less than a week away, vampires play a major role during this haunting season. Over the past 8 years, the concept of vampires has blow up uncontrollably all over the on-screen platform in television and movies. But which vampire characters were/are the best and worst?

Here is a scale of our top 5 vampire tv series, from best to worst: 

• Angel and Spike, Buffy the Vampire Slayer --> Although Buffy’s number one mission as the Slayer is to kill vampires, Buffy usually finds herself attracted to vampires. This presents an interested moral dilemma for Buffy; she involves herself personally with her work while attempting to compartmentalize her job of slaying vampires from the vamps that she falls for. The character Angel presents the unique quality, obtaining a soul; which is unusual for vampires in this show. Yet, the fact that his soul is a curse that could be broken, leaving him soul-less, exhibits an uneasy balance; this see-saw effect could sway at any moment and change Angel, as well as his relationship with Buffy. Spike, on the other hand, calls for a different situation. While Spike’s refrain from killing people is controlled, his involuntary actions start to effect his emotions in relation to others; namely those relationships closely surrounded by Buffy. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a prime example of how well depicted these characters are; from the protagonist at the very beginning to the to the arch nemesis who gradually becomes a main character with a finely detailed character arc. 
• Lily and her Father (known as Grandpa), The Munsters --> Back in the 1960s, fantasy-type series were on the rise in television. Shows like Bewitched and The Munsters presented a desire for these characters to fit in, and to be “normal.” In The Munsters, Lily and her father are vampires. Their attempts to be “good” and to fit into society with other human beings shows their yearning for assimilation. This concept of trying to be “normal” strengthens with every generation: from grandpa, to Lily, to Lily’s werewolf son Eddie. This program's idea of humanization and wanting to be accepted in society is a interesting, unique take from a monster's perspective. The desire for members of the Munster family to have some humanness to them also ventures out of the glorified view of vampires; a view that is overly used in television today. 
• The Salvator Brothers, The Vampire Diaries--> This story presents a unique character contrast between vampire brothers Stefan and Damon Salvator. Stefan, the bad gone good vampire forces himself to move according to his moral compass; while Damon straddles the line between good and bad. However, this show follows the same repetitive vampire story formats of attempting to be good and meeting the “love of his life,” along the way. It is this general concept that makes the show simply average in its overall beginning plot. However, it is the actions, unlikely bonds, deaths, and plot twists over the course of the story line that make it above average during the series life span. 

• The Countess, American Horror Story Season 5 --> The concept of American Horror Story’s season 5 alters from the typical vampire man who tries to be good and meets the love of his life. In AHS Hotel, a powerful vampire countess essentially runs a haunted hotel. The Countess’s needs come as first priority and highlight her strength over others. However, her overall mission or goal appears hindered by these primal needs, weakening the overall strength of the character. The character needs to set a goal and aim towards achieving that goal throughout the coarse of the story. This half-attempt is why the portrayal of vampires in the show, namely the Countess, is mediocre at best. It is the Countess’s ex-lover, the vampire Donovan, creates a clear mission throughout the series and persistently tries to fulfill that goal. That is what strengthens the series and further enhances it by creating a unique, unexpected plot twist. 
• Bill Compton, True Blood: Bill portrays this overly done concept of vampires in television during the 21st century, and their. Usually, the series or movie open up when they meet an “interesting girl” who becomes the love of their life. However, this theme is over done time and time again over the past 10 years. Bill Compton lacks and in depth character arc. It seems that his only goals are to refrain from killing humans and to protect his newfound love; in this case, Bill wants to protect Sookie. But an "unexpected" change of events causes this “protagonist” vamp to give into his nature of being a vampire. 
• Edward Cullen, Twilight: Although the awful portrayal of Edward Cullen are in four of the Twilight Saga films rather than a tv series, this movie collection is definitely worth mentioning as one of the worst vampire on-screen stories. As explain previously, Twilight follows the repetitive pattern of vampire stories that focus on a “protagonist” vampire and his desire to be good while meeting the love of his life at the shown or movie’s start. But what drives this movie over the edge in comparison to other vampires stories with similar plot lines is the terrible acting of the two lead roles. There is a dependence on flashbacks to create the characters and their stories. This film franchise completely lacked character arcs and developments, showing limited quirks, real time experiences, actions and dialogue to establish these character. Additionally, the over-dramatized events, make these scenes seem as if the world was ending; instead of using them as opportunities to highlight climactic scenes. Yet, even with the highly dramatic occurrences, there was almost always one tone/expression that almost every character portrayed: solemnity. 

What do you think of our list? Do you agree with our ratings of on-screen vampires? Let us know in the comment section below. 

by Lauren Peterson