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thethirdromana · 1 year

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My dream Dracula TV series

Got bored at work today, started daydreaming about my ideal mostly book-faithful Dracula TV series.

I know nothing about writing for TV, but that’s not going to stop me!

Episode one: Jonathan travels to the castle, Lucy gets marriage proposals

At this point Jonathan is in a slightly sinister travelogue, and Lucy is in a charming romantic comedy. It’s springtime and there’s a sense of new opportunity - Jonathan making new strides for work, Lucy contemplating her future as a married woman, Mina thinking about her (recent?) engagement to Jonathan. I would be tempted to open with Jonathan proposing to Mina at the station, just before he leaves for the continent. I am keen to really feel the changing of the seasons in this.

I would not change much from the book here, most importantly bringing forward the marriage proposals so they’re happening at the same time as Jonathan is first travelling to Castle Dracula. I’d tone down some of the Dr Medical Malpractice aspects of Seward’s character, and make him the sympathetic up-to-the-minute scientist that was probably more what Stoker had in mind. He can do some borderline-anachronistic talk therapy with Renfield.

I think I’d also include my headcanon that the suitors met up before the Day of Three Proposals to agree that they’d all propose to Lucy on the same day, and may the best man win. But in a deeply affectionate best friends kind of way, not a competitive way.

Episode two: Creepiness in the castle, fun in Whitby

This is mostly The Jonathan Harker Story but juxtaposed with Mina and Lucy just enjoying hanging out in Victorian Whitby, plus a quick scene of the Suitors celebrating/commiserating so we don't forget about them. Dracula breaks Jonathan’s mirror/Mina and Lucy look into mirrors while dress shopping. Mina and Lucy discuss their upcoming marriages/Jonathan is menaced by Dracula’s brides. Also Jonathan definitely gets nibbled on a bit in this.

This episode ends with Mina saying how much she would like a letter from Jonathan. Cut to Jonathan writing his post-dated letters while Dracula stands over him.

Episode three: Renfield, Mr Swales and Jonathan's great escape

This one is action-packed! We have:

Renfield graduating from flies to spiders (I’m imagining much less Renfield by time spent than in the novel, but equally I think we should get to know him properly)

Dracula sending wolves to attack the mother in the courtyard

Mina and Lucy chat to Mr Swales about the empty graves

Some kind of check in with Arthur, Quincey and Jack so we don’t forget who they are

SHOVEL ATTACK

Lucy sleepwalking

And we end with a cliffhanger of Jonathan leaping from an unknown height from the castle wall, to goodness knows what fate…

Episode four: The Demeter

People new to the story might think that they would get a resolution to what happens to Jonathan in this episode. They would be wrong.

I would dedicate this one solely to events aboard the Demeter: really give some time to learning about the characters of the captain, the first mate and the crew. If you’ve ever seen the Doctor Who episode Midnight, then you’ve got a flavour for how this might feel: claustrophobic and relentless.

We end with the captain tying his hands to the wheel with the crucifix, Whitby harbour just about visible through the gathering storm.

Episode five: DOGGO

Ahem. The Demeter arrives in Whitby - let’s cut the correspondent (sorry) and see its arrival, dog and all, through Mina and Lucy’s eyes.

Then we have Lucy’s big night-time sleepwalking adventure, and the beginnings of her being fed on by Dracula. Dracula’s boxes arrive in London; Renfield makes an attempt at escape.

And only at the very end of the episode does Mina finally hear from Jonathan.

Episode six: Trains, boats and more trains.

Another episode with a bunch of juxtapositions - this time, Mina travelling to Budapest and reuniting with Jonathan, and Van Helsing travelling to London to attend Lucy. Things get better and better for Mina and Jonathan as they get worse and worse for Lucy. We get the blood transfusions and the garlic flowers.

Jonathan and Mina travel back to England, hear the news from Mr Hawkins, and, in the safety of their own home, finally manage to consummate their marriage - in a very gentle, soft-focus sort of way - as Lucy shivers in bed, alone, as a bat flies towards the window.

Episode seven: The funerals

First the wolf kills off Lucy’s mum. Then old age and plot convenience kills off Mr Hawkins. Then Lucy’s death. I would structure this episode around the series of funerals, including Arthur’s father’s funeral - and make a change to the novel in having Mina and Jonathan attend Lucy’s funeral, to get them into the Van Helsing + Suitors narrative a bit sooner.

Lucy bloofs, Mina types up the journal and Seward’s phonographs, and at the very end of the episode, Lucy gets staked.

Episode eight: We are vampire-hunters now

This one opens with Van Helsing laying it all on the table for the whole crew and Quincey nearly shooting them when aiming for the bat.

Then we have a whole bunch of action: travelling round London, tracking down the boxes, Renfield’s death and Mina getting drinked while the boys leave her out.

Another slight tweak to the order so that all the boxes are dealt with, and Mina gets her forehead scar, and then we can end the episode with Jonathan’s voiceover: To one thing I have made up my mind…

Episode nine: Hypnosis and travel adventures

This one takes us through a whole chunk of time as our heroes travel towards Transylvania - first of all racing the Czarina Catherine, then the train to Galatz.

I think I would move the funeral service to take place aboard a train in the middle of the night, so we can get them under way a bit sooner. Mina lays out the plan, and they split forces. The chase begins, and Mina is becoming more and more vampiric.

I think we get the problems with the launch in this episode, and the sense that Dracula might well make it back to his castle before our heroes can get there.

Episode ten: Dracula is defeated

Mina and Van Helsing manage a burst of speed, despite Mina clearly having a nibble on Van Helsing. All the boys are exhausted. Van Helsing deals with Dracula’s wives, then he and Mina see Dracula’s coffin being brought nearly back to the castle - and the sun is setting. Van Helsing knows he and Mina aren’t able to deal with this alone.

All hope seems lost, until Jonathan, Quincey, Arthur and Jack appear. Dracula is defeated, Quincey dies, and we cut to them all in the same places, at the height of summer, seven years on, with Quincey Harker laughing as he drags Van Helsing over to get a better look at the castle. Jonathan smiles fondly at Mina, Arthur gives Jack a hug as they look at the place where Quincey died, the end.

#dracula daily #tried to keep to the vibe and pacing of Dracula Daily where possible here #and avoiding Coppola weirdnesses #long post

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