NBC's Dracula Series - Alec Newman ('04 Barnabas) Guest Stars - See Reply #19

[Gothick]

The promo for tonight's episode has Dracula speaking of wanting to "be free to walk in the sunlight" and to be a mortal again... sound familiar?

As far as I'm concerned, the show earns its keep everytime one of those haughty minxes flounces her heavy crinoline through one of those sets... or, on the other hand, the camera lingers lovingly on JRM's nude body (only the upper portion of course, since it is NBC, but we'll take what we can get).

G.

[Gothick]

Just to let anyone who's looking for it know... episode 2 of Dracula, "A Whiff of Sulfur," is available for streaming on nbc dot com's page for the series.

There was a scene in this new installment that seemed to potentially carry reference both to a familiar storyline in the original series, and a twist from the Depp Shadows incarnation.

There's also a highly entertaining (to this viewer, at least) sequence set in a gay bordello.

G.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I'm really enjoying the show.

And after the fencing match I wondered what was going on between those two characters. What it really was never entered my mind. But uncovering it will no doubt work out very well for our "Alexander". 

And whoa, that was quite the vampire bite in the final sequence. Certainly more graphic than anything I've seen on network TV before. Maybe even more than most bites even on a show like True Blood. But then, the show has promised to push the standards of blood/gore on network TV, and apparently it's following through. What's better, though, is that character is front and center on the show. If only the same could have been said of hoDS. 

And I also must say that some of the dialogue out of 'Alexander's' mouth when he was speaking about Mina with Renfield could have easily come out of Barnabas' mouth. But then, the situations are very much the same...

[Gothick]

I just commented to a friend that "Alexander Grayson" seems more like an updated or expanded version of Barnabas Collins than any other recent vampire I've seen.  Of course I haven't been watching True Blood or the Vampire Diaries or any of the others...

"Grayson" has the Barnabas thing going on (particularly reminiscent of the 1897 Barnabas, and the date of the Dracula series is supposed to be 1897, even though an automobile that appeared in the new installment dates I think to around 1904) of having big plans but also issues of impulse, moodiness, and difficulties with rage management... and on top of it all... bloodlust.

I loved how the new show was filmed, particularly the scene where Dracula was seducing/luring Sinead.

G.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Oh my - I just finished watching tonight's ep, and lo and behold who should I spot in the previews for next week's ep but Alec Newman. It looks like he's going to play one of Dracula's minion - possibly even a vampire minion. But regardless of what type of minion he will be, it will be great to see him!

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Thanks to a bit of Google searching, I see that two photos of Alec Newman from Dracula were posted a few days ago:

Photo Alec Newman, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Thomas Kretschmann

Photo Alec Newman, Jonathan Rhys Meyers


And this synopsis (from a British Web site) confirms my suspicion about Newman's character"

Episode 4:
Although neck-deep in dangerous enemies, Dracula also has powerful allies to call upon. Josef Cervenka (Alec Newman, Waterloo Road) – who was vamped by the man himself – travels to Carfax Manor to help his plan to destroy The Order.

[Josette]

I remember the description in the novel Dracula of Renfield looking out the window and seeing Dracula crawling down the walls of the castle.  In tonight's episode, when he was crawling on the bed towards his partner, it was a very animalistic way of moving and reminded me of that description from the book.

[Gothick]

Wow.  Really can't wait to catch up with this show. 

Hopefully fans who are curious can find the Youtube clip I had posted earlier with an excerpt from Alec Newman's performance as Barnabas.  As I've stated repeatedly, he is the only actor other than Jonathan Frid who I thought actually achieved the impossible and gave us a new approach to the character to enjoy.

G.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

This is sad - but it's good that he's back getting treatment:

Jonathan Rhys Meyers' 'Dracula' salary delayed over addiction concerns

[Gothick]

There are some cool images on this site including a four panel shirtless gif of one of JRM's boudoir scenes from the last episode:

http://nbcdracula.tumblr.com/

A friend has told me that this series is not performing very well in the ratings game, so it seems unlikely that it will be renewed.  (The series only lasts 10 episodes.)

G.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Actually, Dracula is another one of those shows whose numbers go up once the DVR Live+7 numbers are factored in. Those Fast Overnight ratings, which are the ones that get widely reported and publicized, are just a part of the ratings story, and they often give an inaccurate picture because some shows actually have more viewers who watch on a DVR delayed basis then viewers who watch live.

Another thing that's interesting is that apparently the show is a passion project for NBC Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt (shades of the '91 DS and Brandon Tartikoff). Greenblatt personally courted JRM to play Dracula. But then, he was quite familiar with JRM because previous to joining NBC, Greenblatt was president of entertainment at Showtime, and he oversaw The Tudors. So, it will definitely be interesting to see how Dracula's fate plays out. 

[Gothick]

Wow.  That's exciting to know, Mysterioso Dahling!  I would hope that Dracula can be a prestige project for the network and we can get ten more episodes even if we have to wait till the Autumn of 2014.  I'm getting quite a kick out of this Dracula, particularly the scenes between JRM and Vicki Smurfit (I think the actors may be friends in real life).

G.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I just noticed that tonight's ep is one of today's three Editors' Picks on tvguide.com

[Gothick]

I thought Alec Newman was awesome as a vampire warrior on DRACULA.  It makes me regret all over again that we didn't get to see more of him as Barnabas.

The character seems to have been written out, but as on DS, he could always come back...

G.

[Gothick]

I may be the only fan posting here who has been watching this series.  I get an indecent amount of fun out of it.

The plot arc keeps throwing in stuff that is reminiscent of DS, especially hoDS, but with its own twists and turns.  It's all very character driven but has enough spectacular violence to keep horror fans tuning in.

The actress who plays Mina Murray has a quality to her that I find very reminiscent of Joanna Going. 

G.