10 Best TV Shows About Vampires, Ranked

Centuries of myths, legends, and gothic literature brought the vampire where it was always meant to be: television. Campfire ghost stories and classic horror flicks are all well and good for the specters, monsters, and boogeymen, but vampires are particularly predisposed to thrive in the world of serialized drama, where their immortal longings and heightened emotional lives can be fully explored.

That's not to say that vampire movies can't be similarly outstanding. From the elegant horror reimagining of "Nosferatu" to the award-winning "Sinners," there are plenty of great ones. But when it comes to the vampire as a character study, TV has often given us the most complete picture.

Over the past few decades, there have been a bevy of popular vampire series, from the critically acclaimed to the pulpy. Today, our goal is selecting the best of the best, taking into account overall cultural impact, cinematic quality, critical reception, and of course, the role of the vampire itself and its importance to the overall story. These are the 10 best vampire TV shows, ranked.

• Cast: Sarah Catherine Hook, Imani Lewis, Elizabeth Mitchell
• Showrunner: Victoria Schwab
• Years: 2022
• Episode Count: 8
• Where to Watch: Netflix

What's better than a juicy vampire teen romance? A gay one, of course. "First Kill" ran on Netflix for just one season back in 2022 before being canceled, and that's a shame, because those eight episodes were great. It's the classic setup: A teenage vampire must make a kill to enter adulthood, and a teenage monster hunter must do the same. Of course, they wind up falling in love. The fan fiction writes itself.

There's a delicious "Romeo and Juliet" aspect to the story here that creates the sort of rich dramatic irony vampire drama feeds on. And the twist of letting that love story be between two women for once is a welcome change. While there isn't a ton here outside the sapphic relationship that sets "First Kill" notably apart from other similar shows, it's a well-executed, thoroughly compelling vampire romp with two strong lead performances from Sarah Catherine Hook and Imani Lewis.

With some extra runway, this show really could have been something special. Even as it is, though, it distinguishes itself enough to earn the number 10 spot on our list.

• Cast: Teresa Palmer, Matthew Goode, Edward Bluemel
• Showrunner: Kate Brooke
• Years: 2018-2022
• Episode Count: 25
• Where to Watch: Netflix

You'd think that "A Discovery of Witches" would be about, well, witches. And it is. But it's also about demons and vampires, with the central romance of the show being between witch Diana Bishop (Teresa Palmer) and vampire Matthew Clairmont (Matthew Goode). Admittedly, this series isn't as strictly focused on vampires as some others on this list, which is part of why it doesn't place higher. But there's plenty of vampire drama, family history, and forbidden love specifically for the blood-suckers.

Originally a Sky One series in the U.K., "A Discovery of Witches" has many of the same soapy, melodramatic touches that make American vampire shows so much fun, but with the more reserved, classical TV sentiment common to British television. Matthew is dark and charming, but always in a very proper way. It's the sort of vampire show where Inspector Morse could show up at any moment, and where the Radcliffe Camera is as much of a landmark as any ancient crypt.

There is action here, and plenty of supernatural lore, but again, it's of a quieter sort — not Jane Austen, but not "Outlander" either (though there's definitely some influence from the latter). If you find other vampire shows a bit too graphic or emotionally extreme, this might be just the one for you. And regardless, Goode's performance is compelling enough to make it enjoyable watching for basically anyone.

• Cast: Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Alexander Skarsgard
• Showrunner: Alan Ball
• Years: 2008-2014
• Episode Count: 80
• Where to Watch: HBO Max

When "True Blood" premiered on HBO back in 2008, vampire TV was still mostly seen on scrappier networks like The CW. The pitch from the jump seemed to be taking the emotional drama that made those shows so compelling, and elevating it to the HBO standard. Whether or not "True Blood" is actually any more "elevated" than its lower-budget contemporaries is a matter of debate, but it's definitely a good time if you're a fan of the genre, and it's absolutely one of the most influential vampire series of all time.

Star Anna Paquin is a big part of the draw here, and she gives the story some immediate gravity as lead protagonist Sookie Stackhouse. The show also has a rather unique angle on the classic vampire tale, mostly focusing on the ancient beings becoming public knowledge after the invention of a synthetic blood alternative allows them to live peacefully without hunting humans.

"True Blood" gained strong reviews through its early seasons, offering a compelling genre offering on HBO before the "Game of Thrones" era fully kicked off. Today, it's a fun time capsule of the moment "prestige" TV was beginning to become the de facto pop culture medium in America — high-concept enough to separate itself from other network fantasy shows, but still anchored by a level of nonchalant strangeness that often works to its benefit.

• Cast: Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, Ian Somerholder
• Showrunners: Kevin Williamson, Julie Plec
• Years: 2009-2017
• Episode Count: 171
• Where to Watch: Peacock

Choosing which of "True Blood" and "The Vampire Diaries" would rank higher on this list was a tough call. They overlapped for years, defining a whole era of vampire fiction on TV while "Twilight" was running the show in books and on the big screen. Ultimately, though, we had to give the edge to the CW drama, both because of its platonic embodiment of the genre, and because of its longevity. The spin-off series "The Originals" is arguably even better and nearly earned its own separate spot on this list, but it seemed more fitting to count both as one here.

The full "Vampire Diaries" saga is a massive undertaking to watch at this point, with multiple follow-ups on top of the original show's whopping eight seasons. But that's a big part of the appeal. There's a "cinematic universe" quality here that actually works quite well with the show's layers of vampire lore and relationship drama — a sort of "Gilmore Girls" for demons, if you will. While the melodrama is everything you'd expect, there's also something cozy about just how specifically the show sticks to the formula.

That formula, naturally, revolves around a love triangle — vampire brothers Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon (Ian Somerhalder), and human high-schooler Elena (Nina Dobrev). What is there to say that hasn't been said before? The formula just works for vampire fiction. Is it a bit cheesy and pulpy at times? Sure. Is the budget the biggest? It is absolutely not. But you're not here for some sort of refined saga, anyway. You're here for the juice, and "The Vampire Diaries" has it.

• Cast: Corey Stoll, David Bradley, Mia Maestro
• Showrunner: Carlton Cuse
• Years: 2014-2017
• Episode Count: 46
• Where to Watch: Hulu

Rounding out the bottom half of our top 10 is "The Strain," an FX series that ran for four seasons from 2014 to 2017. With as big a name in horror as Guillermo del Toro attached as one of the two creators (alongside Chuck Hogan), you'd think the show would have gotten more attention. But FX had not yet built its modern reputation as a top-level TV hub that shows like "Fargo," Atlanta," and "The Bear" solidified.

Nonetheless, this is an underrated vampire classic, and one well worth revisiting as an early example of FX's dedication to artistically complex genre programming. The show begins with a plane crash that releases a vampiric virus into the wild, which a core cast led by Dr. Ephraim Goodweather (Corey Stoll) must fight to control. There's a pretty good blend of modern-day disaster show troping and classic, mythical vampire lore. You can tell that the show was made in the wake of "The Walking Dead" becoming the hottest thing on television, but where that series completely eschewed the more classical horror elements of its subject matter, "The Strain" embraces them in the ways you'd expect from a del Toro production.

"The Strain" earned critical praise and gained a dedicated following during its run, but it's not a show that gets talked about much these days, and that should change. With that said, it's not quite on the level of our top five.

• Cast: Hamish Linklater, Samantha Sloyan, Rahul Kohli
• Showrunner: Mike Flanagan
• Years: 2021
• Episode Count: 7
• Where to Watch: Netflix

Mike Flanagan has yet to make a bad show, but "Midnight Mass" might be his best. It's certainly the most unique of the bunch, both because its an original concept, rather than one of his many adaptations, and because the whole framing of the show often feels more like a stage drama than it does a Netflix horror series. The basic story centers on the dwindling community of a small island town, where ecological disaster has ruined the local fishing industry. When a new priest comes to take over responsibilities at the island's Catholic church, a series of supernatural events begin occurring, leading to a truly horrifying conclusion.

That is, it leads to a horrifying conclusion eventually. "Midnight Mass" takes its time on the way there, with plenty of monologues and slow-burn character relationships to chew on. That's not everyone's cup of tea, but if you go in knowing the kind of show you're in for, it's hard not to be impressed. As spoiled by the title of this article, yes, it's a vampire show, but it's also a story about obsession, penance, faith, mob mentality, and forgiveness. The vampirism is more of a background force for much of the series, but at the same time, it's the foundation for everything the show does.

The acting is outstanding throughout the show's seven episodes, with particular praise due to Hamish Linklater as Father Paul Hill, Samantha Sloyan as a particularly zealous parishioner, and Rahul Kohli as the town's Muslim sheriff. The only thing keeping "Midnight Mass" lower on this list is that it just isn't as vampire-centric as the shows above it.

• Cast: Kavyan Novak, Matt Berry, Natasia Demetriou
• Showrunner: Jemaine Clement
• Years: 2019-2024
• Episode Count: 61
• Where to Watch: Hulu

"What We Do in the Shadows" is one of the funniest comedy series of the last decade, and it also happens to be one of the best vampire shows ever made. If the high drama and blood-curdling, well, blood of the typical vamp show is less your thing, you might even put this series at the top spot. With 35 Emmy nominations over the course of its run, its reputation at this point is unimpeachable — even overshadowing the similarly fantastic 2014 film of the same name, from which the FX series was spun off.

If clips of the show somehow haven't invaded your vertical video feeds by this point, and you haven't tuned in on Hulu, the premise is a pretty standard sitcom pitch — with a vampire twist. The main cast consists of vampires Nandor (Kayvan Novak), Laszlo (Matt Berry), Nadja (Natasia Demetriou), and Colin (Mark Proksch), along with human familiar and servant Guillermo (Harvey Guillén). As the show goes forward, storylines oscillate between goofy send-ups of classic vampire tales and mythos, and the sort of mundane daily life comedy that you'd expect from a non-vampire show.

It's that juxtaposition, combined with some immortally funny performances and an all-around love of vampire genre tropes, that makes "What We Do in the Shadows" so special. Even if you aren't typically a fan of vampire fiction, this one is absolutely worth the watch.

• Cast: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Alyson Hannigan, David Boreanaz
• Showrunner: Joss Whedon
• Years: 1997-2003
• Episode Count: 144
• Where to Watch: Hulu

Put down your torches and pitchforks. Yes, there is a powerful case to be made that "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" is not only the greatest vampire show ever made, but the most definitive — the originator of the modern genre in all of the ways that matter. From ancient vampire villains to broody vampire boyfriends, it covers the entire spectrum, while simultaneously being one of the single most influential TV shows of the last 30 years.

It's a podium show on any list. So why does it only rate at the bronze medal spot here? Well, there are two reasons. First, while the best seasons of the show are nothing short of legendary, there's a good half of its total run that's significantly weaker. Second, Buffy is less a true vampire show through-and-through than it is a general supernatural teen/adult drama. The first two "Buffy" seasons center squarely on vampiric villains, that's true. But after that, and after Angel (David Boreanaz) leaves the show ahead of Season 4, the actual vampire aspect of the story takes kind of a backseat. Fan-favorite character Spike (James Marsters) is, of course, a steady presence, but Seasons 3 and 5, arguably the two best of the whole show, don't really have that much to do with vampires at all. And neither does much of the show's later material.

For that reason, it's tough to rank "Buffy" ahead of the top two shows on this list when we're specifically talking about vampirism. But all that said, yeah, it's outstanding. While the show takes a season to get its feet under itself, and it falters a bit toward the end in Seasons 6 and 7, the core of the show from Season 2 to Season 5 is some of the best genre TV you can watch, even now. Sarah Michelle Gellar grows into the part of Buffy as Buffy herself grows into her role as the slayer, delivering one of the most compelling lead performances on any series, bar none. Yes, some of the Joss Whedon humor of the late '90s can be a little grating now, but the show is still surprisingly funny, and the big dramatic moments in "Buffy" hit every bit as hard as they did when they first aired.

• Cast: Graham McTavish, Richard Armitage, Theo James
• Showrunner: Warren Ellis
• Years: 2017-2021
• Episode Count: 32
• Where to Watch: Netflix

"Castlevania" has no right being as good as it is. An American-made, anime-styled video game adaptation sounds like something with a million pitfalls waiting to swallow it up. And yet, somehow, the show is just brilliant. If you've played any of the old games on which the series is based, certain moments will definitely hit extra hard, but this is also not a show that expects any level of familiarity with the source material. A basic understanding of Dracula (voiced spectacularly here by Graham McTavish) is all that you really need.

The series begins in 1455 in the Eastern European region of Wallachia, where a daring doctor from a local village ventures into Dracula's castle in search of his ancient scientific knowledge. The vampire, who's locked himself away from the mortal world, is shocked by her lack of fear, and they eventually fall in love and marry, with Dracula helping her develop more productive medical treatments for her patients. When the church discovers her affiliation with "the devil," however, they burn her at the stake, prompting Dracula to declare war on the human race with an army of monsters and other vampires.

The series follows a group of heroes fighting against that threat, but the show begins by establishing Dracula first and foremost as a sympathetic character. While the later seasons bring new storylines, and eventually a massive time jump in sequel series "Castlevania: Nocturne," the show stays laser-focused on the experience of being a vampire. Themes of religion, morality, and fighting your inner nature run throughout both shows, all anchored by incredible animation from Powerhouse Studios and some of the most electric action you'll ever see on screen. But while "Castlevania" and "Nocturne" are both outstanding, they can't compete with the latest, and greatest, vampire show on this list.

• Cast: Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid, Eric Bogosian
• Showrunner: Rolin Jones
• Years: 2022-present
• Episode Count: 15 (and counting)
• Where to Watch: Netflix

It should be illegal for a show to be this good. "Interview with the Vampire" is more than an Anne Rice adaptation. It's one of the best TV dramas of the modern era, criminally underrated, helmed by a pair of titanic performances from co-stars Jacob Anderson as Louis de Pointe du Lac and Sam Reid as Lestat de Lioncourt. The AMC series makes some changes to Rice's "Interview with the Vampire," placing the story in New Orleans near the start of the 20th century. And unlike the film adaptation of the same book, the show is willing to actually show the love story between the two main characters for what it is.

And oh boy, what it is. This is vampire fiction in its purest form. Every emotion is ramped up to 11, every relationship fraught with hunger, lust, hatred, pain, and trauma. Calling it a melodrama would be a disservice. Rather, it is high drama — a forum where the vampiric thrawl is palpable because the people you're watching on screen are so deeply compelling. As Louis and Lestat's relationship quickly grows more complicated and violent, the show continues to one-up itself. The second season in particular is an all-gas, no-breaks saga of betrayal and vengeance, with every episode leaving your jaw on the floor.

The most astonishing thing about this show is that it's built an immutable reputation, with unbelievably high critical scores, in just two seasons. The third season, based on the second novel in Rice's series, is set to premiere later in 2026, so now's the time to get on board, if you haven't already.