Best TV Vampires

Every horror fan, young or old, have their own perception of vampires. For me, if they’re not ‘bumpy’ in the forehead region with yellowing eyes, they just ain’t cutting it as a vampire. This is coming from a die-hard Buffy fan, unsurprisingly. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of TV vampires that still get me riled up…so, in an attempt to break away from my Buffster obsession, I have generously compiled a list of my favourite (and the best!) TV vampires.

Bill Compton and Eric Northman of True Blood


Worthy of being considered one of the best current TV shows, vampire-based or otherwise, True Blood has blessed audiences with a heap of sexy young vamps, a spoonful of mystery monsters and a mountain of nudity. Need I say more? Set in the Deep South, Bon Temps, Louisiana, the show provides you with the very Southern, and very proper, Bill Compton. Joining the vampire clan sometime in the 1800s, primary love-interest Bill is currently living off 'Tru Blood', a synthetic blood substitute, and staying on the wagon in bloodsucking terms. His gentlemanly vampire ways are charming and debonair, breaking him apart from your average blood-hungry creature of the night.

Not to be missed from the True Blood line-up is brooding yet cheeky vamp, Eric Northman. Oozing sex appeal and some mighty good fangs, the ladies can’t help but succumb to his vampiric allure. Of course it’s not just all about the men, there are plenty of lady vampires in the programme, who are often severely underestimated and in some ways more deadly than Eric and Bill. The show itself doesn’t shy away from blood and gore either and is more than willing to portray vampires in their true form, ripping out throats and spilling blood all over the shop. I give the True Blood vamps 9/10 fangs.

Damon and Stefan Salvatore of The Vampire Diaries


The Salvatore brothers from The Vampire Diaries offer a strong depiction of vampires and how different they can be. From the outset, older brother Damon proves to be the angry, surly and strong personification of your typical vampire, spilling blood and causing havoc at every opportunity. At the other end of the spectrum, younger brother Stefan remains kind and brooding, trying to feed off animals rather than embracing his killer instincts and trying to find some stability in his immortal life. The two vampire brothers perpetually fight each other and argue about what it means to be a vampire, but are both madly in love with the same woman. Their childish arguments and struggles with being a vampire in love make them both great TV vampires. This demonic duo get 7/10 fangs from me.

John Mitchell of Being Human


A BBC3 phenomenon, Being Human not only conjures up a British take on ghosts and werewolves, but also gives its audience Mitchell, a young, Irish vampire who is trying to be as normal as possible in a modern society. Sultry yet funny, Mitchell is the perfect TV vampire, struggling with the inner turmoil of his blood lust and trying to seek out companions on the way, so that he doesn’t have to spend eternity alone. Being Human’s portrayal of the vampire is also different to that of other shows, as the vampires appear to have a conscience and maintain a lot of their personality from their days as a human. Not only that, but they are able to walk in sunlight unaffected. Being a Brit and a fan of all things remotely British, I can’t help but love Mitchell and the general Being Human take on the supernatural lifestyle. Definitely one of the best TV vampires - 8/10 fangs.

Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer


Completely ignoring my opportunity to diversify, I must give a brief mention to my ultimate TV vamp, British bad-boy Spike a.k.a. William the Bloody, from Buffy The Vampire Slayer of course. Not only is he the brutal embodiment of all things vampire, he also has heart and falls head over heels for our heroine, regaining his soul and staying off human blood to win her affections. (He does get a bit rapey at some points, he's not exactly Casanova. Although… – Kirsty). Plus, that boy can really belt out a tune. A vampire that can sing has got to be one of the best TV vampires around…right?! On my vamp scale, Spike gets a whopping and well-deserved 10/10 fangs. Oh yeah.