10 Horror TV Shows That Wasted Incredible Premises
9. Van Helsing
Van Helsing possesses one of the most expansive premises in horror television history. The show follows the tale of Vanessa Van Helsing, who awakens from a coma to find the world she knew gone, replaced with a hellish landscape which is ruled by malevolent vampires. Van Helsing's importance to the storyline is soon revealed; she alone possesses the power to return humans to their original form after they have been turned into vampires.
After Hugh Jackman's cartoonish 2004 adaptation - which featured some of the worst CGI in cinematic history - hopes were high for this new spinoff centered around one of Van Helsing's descendants. In addition to a female lead, the role of iconic antagonist Dracula has also been swapped, providing what appeared to be yet another indicator of a uniquely original premise that would hopefully mark a new beginning for the flagging IP.
Sadly for viewers, the fact that Van Helsing aired for five successful seasons is baffling rather than celebrated. While unquestionably a marked improvement on the disastrous blockbuster in terms of critical reception, the show is a notably unremarkable outing in terms of quality, particularly when one considers the wildly exciting premise upon which it is based. Reflecting this regrettable fact, audience ratings fell off drastically with each passing season; the fifth and final dreary installment concluded the show in 2021.