Dracula: The Series

Released: 1990-09-29

Runtime: 22 minutes

Episode Overview

When the Philadelphia bank Eileen Townsend works for transfers her to Europe, she takes her sons (teen-age Chris and 10-year-old Max) to stay with her uncle Gustav Helsing. Gustav's passions in life are schnitzel, polka music and, we will come to find out, hunting Dracula, who is living nearby as businessman Alexander Lucard. Also living with Gustav is teen-age Sophie Metternich, who impresses Chris. Max is also obsessed with vampires, and not knowing about Gustav's quest, he misreads several signs and becomes convinced that Gustav is a vampire. With his mother away on an assignment, Max goes to the only other adult he knows, the businessman his mother had introduced him to at a reception the previous day, Alexander Lucard. At Lucard's urging, Max lures Chris and Sophie to Lucard's castle. Upon their arrival, Lucard reveals his true nature. Max and Chris get away, but Sophie is left in Dracula's clutches. Unable to reach Gustav, Chris and Max return to the castle to rescue Sophie.

Series Overview

Dracula: The Series is a short-lived syndicated series about Count Dracula and his struggles with Gustav Van Helsing, as well as Gustav's young nephews — Maximilian and Christopher Townsend. They were also aided by a schoolgirl, Sophie Metternich. Romantic tensions developed between Chris and Sophie. The series was filmed in Luxembourg, and produced by Phil Bedard and Larry Lalonde, best known for their work on John Woo's Once a Thief and Kung Fu: The Legend Continues. The series formula was relatively straightforward, with the four heroes learning of some plot by Lucard/Dracula and attempting to foil it, with at least some success. In keeping with the novel, but not most film and television lore, vampires could walk in sunlight but lacked their powers. Anyone bitten just once by a vampire transformed into a zombie-like servant. This process could be stopped by applying holy water to the bite.