Being Human (BBC America), True Blood (HBO), BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Season 3, 1996-2003 (©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection); What We Do in the Shadows (FX), THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, (from left): Paul Wesley, Nina Dobrev, Ian Somerhalder, (Season 1), 2009-. (photo: Andrew Eccles / © CW / Courtesy: Everett Collection)

(Photo by BBC America; HBO; ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection; FX; Andrew Eccles / © CW / Courtesy: Everett Collection)

TV Vampires By Tomatometer

Even before the fall 2008 premieres of True Blood on HBO and Twilight in theaters ushered in the vampire craze of the late 2000s, television had immortalized the mythological creatures in series dating back to the early days of the medium.

Off-kilter 1960s sitcom The Munsters included bloodsuckers in its cast of spooky characters, and supernatural soap opera Dark Shadows, which debuted in 1966, introduced a number of nightwalkers over its six-year run.

Rotten Tomatoes has compiled a list of TV’s best and worst vampire series. While the shows don’t all have to be solely about vampires, each of the series on this list must have significant characters with the urge to suck blood. That’s why even though General Hospital spin-off Port Charles didn’t start off as a supernatural series, it made this list anyway because of the series’ vampire-related story lines.

True Blood and The Vampire Diaries, of course, feature prominently, but there are also many that debuted before Edward Cullen sparkled in the sunlight — the grand dame of teen supernatural soap operas, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, for one. We’ve also added newcomers, including the based-on-the-film FX comedy What We Do in the Shadows and Dracula, a Netflix-BBC co-production from Sherlock creators Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat.

Check out our list of the best vampire TV shows ranked by Tomatometer. Shows that don’t have series-level scores are listed alphabetically after the numbered entries.

Young Dracula (2006)

#38

Synopsis: Vlad and Ingrid move to Britain from Transylvania with their father, Count Dracula.... [More]

Starring: Gerran Howell, Keith-Lee Castle, Simon Ludders, Craig Roberts

Van Helsing (2016)

#37

Synopsis: In this reimagining of the classic Dracula story, the world is dominated by vampires, requiring humans to work together to... [More]

Starring: Kelly Overton, Jonathan Scarfe, Christopher Heyerdahl, Paul Johansson

Directed By: Neil LaBute, Chad Oakes, Mike Frislev, Simon Barry

Valemont (2010)

#36

Synopsis: A young woman investigates the mysterious death of her brother at an elite university.... [More]

Starring: Kristen Hager, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Eric Balfour, Nikki Blonsky

Ultraviolet (2018)

#35

Synopsis: An online community of amateur sleuths uses technology to solve crimes -- and make quirky friends -- in a quest... [More]

Starring: Marta Nieradkiewicz, Sebastian Fabijanski, Agata Kulesza

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#34

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#33

Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1974)
100%

#32

Synopsis: Newspaper reporter uncovers supernatural causes in his investigations.... [More]

Starring: Darren McGavin, Simon Oakland, Jack Grinnage, Ruth McDevitt

From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series (2014)

#31

Synopsis: Bank robber Seth Gecko and his violent brother, Richie, are on the run -- a robbery gone bad left several... [More]

Starring: D.J. Cotrona, Zane Holtz, Eiza GonzÃ¡lez, Jesse Garcia

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#30

Dark Shadows (1966)

#29

Synopsis: A vampire returns to his family mansion in Collinsport, Maine.... [More]

Starring: Jonathan Frid, Grayson Hall, Alexandra Isles, Louis Edmonds

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#28

Blood Ties (2007)

#27

Synopsis: While trying to solve a complicated murder case, Toronto private investigator Vicki Nelson encounters dashing Henry Fitzroy, who looks to... [More]

Starring: Christina Cox, Dylan Neal, Kyle Schmid, Gina Holden

Moonlight (2007)
22%

#26

Synopsis: In this eerie mystery series, private investigator Mick St. John is charismatic, resourceful and undead. Alex has been a vampire... [More]

Starring: Alex O'Loughlin, Sophia Myles, Jason Dohring, Shannyn Sossamon

Hemlock Grove (2013)
38%

#25

Synopsis: Based on the book by Brian McGreevy and executive produced by acclaimed horror master Eli Roth ("Hostel"), this Netflix original... [More]

Starring: Famke Janssen, Bill SkarsgÃ¥rd, Landon Liboiron, Dougray Scott

Directed By: Eli Roth, Brian McGreevy, Lee Shipman, Mark Verheiden

Dark Shadows (1991)
50%

#24

Synopsis: When a modern-day groundskeeper opens the Collins family crypt during a treasure hunt, Barnabas Collins, the 200-year-old family vampire, emerges... [More]

Starring: Ben Cross, Jean Simmons, Roy Thinnes, Joanna Going

Directed By: Dan Curtis

Blade: The Series ()
50%

#23

Synopsis: ... [More]

Starring:

Dracula (2013)
53%

#22

Synopsis: In an update of Bram Stoker's iconic novel, Dracula travels to London, pretending to be an American entrepreneur with an... [More]

Starring: Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Jessica De Gouw, Thomas Kretschmann

Directed By: Dan Knauf, Tony Krantz, Colin Callender, Gareth Neame

Midnight, Texas (2017)
61%

#21

Synopsis: Based on Charlaine Harris' book series by the same name, "Midnight, Texas" follows the lives of the strange inhabitants of... [More]

Starring: FranÃ§ois Arnaud, Dylan Bruce, Parisa Fitz-Henley, Arielle Kebbel

Directed By: Eric Charmelo, Nicole Snyder, David Janollari

The Passage (2019)
62%

#20

Synopsis: Based on author Justin Cronin's trilogy of the same name, "The Passage" is a character-driven action drama that focuses on... [More]

Starring: Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Saniyya Sidney, Jamie McShane, Caroline Chikezie

Directed By: Matt Reeves, Adam Kassan, Ridley Scott, David W. Zucker

American Horror Story: Hotel (2015)
64%

#19

Adjusted Score: -1%

Critics Consensus: Favoring garish style over effective storytelling, the fifth American Horror Story strands a talented cast at Ryan Murphy's Hotel.

Starring: Kathy Bates, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Wes Bentley

Directed By: Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Tim Minear, Brad Buecker

True Blood (2008)
70%

#18

Synopsis: Small-town Louisiana waitress Sookie Stackhouse already is viewed as an oddball by her friends and neighbors, since she can read... [More]

Starring: Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Sam Trammell, Ryan Kwanten

Directed By: Alan Ball

Death Valley (2011)

#17

Synopsis: Maintaining law and order is the mandate of the UTF, but this isn't exactly Benson and Stabler working the streets... [More]

Starring: Texas Battle, Bryce Johnson, Tania Raymonde, Charlie Sanders

Directed By: Austin Reading, Julie Kellman Reading, Drew Daywalt, Austin Reading

Shadowhunters (2016)
76%

#16

Synopsis: On her birthday, Clary Fray discovers a surprise concerning her life. The teenager is not who she thinks she is... [More]

Starring: Katherine McNamara, Dominic Sherwood, Alberto Rosende, Emeraude Toubia

Directed By: McG, Todd Slavkin, Darren Swimmer, Michael Reisz

Being Human (US) ()
77%

#15

Synopsis: ... [More]

Starring:

Dracula (2020)
71%

#14

Synopsis: The Count Dracula legend transforms with new tales that flesh out the vampire's gory crimes -- and bring his vulnerability... [More]

Starring: Claes Bang, Dolly Wells, John Heffernan, Joanna Scanlan

Directed By: Sue Vertue

The Strain (2014)
79%

#13

Synopsis: Dr. Ephraim Goodweather, the head of the CDC's New York-based Canary Project, is called upon to investigate when an airplane... [More]

Starring: David Bradley, Corey Stoll, Kevin Durand, Richard Sammel

Directed By: Guillermo del Toro, Chuck Hogan, Carlton Cuse, Gary Ungar

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997)
83%

#12

Synopsis: Sarah Michelle Gellar takes on the role of Buffy Summers in this TV version of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," based... [More]

Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, James Marsters

Directed By: Joss Whedon, Marti Noxon, David Fury

The Munsters (1964)
83%

#11

Synopsis: The family at 1313 Mockingbird Lane is a little... different. Dad Herman looks like Frankenstein's monster; mom Lily and her... [More]

Starring: Fred Gwynne, Yvonne De Carlo, Al Lewis, Butch Patrick

The Originals (2013)
84%

#10

Synopsis: Klaus, the original vampire/werewolf hybrid, returns to New Orleans -- which his family helped build -- to investigate rumors of... [More]

Starring: Joseph Morgan, Daniel Gillies, Phoebe Tonkin, Charles Michael Davis

Directed By: Julie Plec, Leslie Morgenstein

The Vampire Diaries (2009)
86%

Synopsis: This supernatural drama, based on the series of novels by L.J. Smith, details the lives of two brothers, Damon and... [More]

Starring: Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, Kat Graham, Candice King

Directed By: Kevin Williamson, Julie Plec, Leslie Morganstein, Caroline Dries

Preacher (2016)
87%

Synopsis: Fulfilling a promise to his deceased father, one-time outlaw Jesse Custer returns home to West Texas to take over his... [More]

Starring: Dominic Cooper, Ruth Negga, Joseph Gilgun, Ian Colletti

Directed By: Sam Catlin, Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg

Angel (1999)

Synopsis: Leaving his true love, Buffy, behind in Sunnydale, the vampire Angel tries to get a fresh start in Los Angeles.... [More]

Starring: David Boreanaz, Alexis Denisof, J. August Richards, Amy Acker

Directed By: Joss Whedon, Gail Berman, Fran Rubel Kuzui, Kaz Kuzui

Supernatural (2005)
93%

Synopsis: This haunting series follows the thrilling yet terrifying journeys of Sam and Dean Winchester, two brothers who face an increasingly... [More]

Starring: Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles, Misha Collins, Alexander Calvert

Directed By: Jeremy Carver, Robert Singer, Phil Sgriccia, Adam Glass

Castlevania (2017)
94%

Synopsis: Inspired by the popular video game series, this anime series is a dark medieval fantasy. It follows the last surviving... [More]

Starring: Richard Armitage, James Callis, Alejandra Reynoso, Jessica Brown Findlay

Directed By: Warren Ellis, Kevin Kolde, Fred Seibert, Adi Shankar

Penny Dreadful (2014)
91%

Synopsis: Many people are familiar with classic literary characters like Dr. Frankenstein and Dorian Gray. "Penny Dreadful" brings those and other... [More]

Starring: Timothy Dalton, Eva Green, Josh Hartnett, Reeve Carney

Directed By: John Logan, Sam Mendes