What it was: While some might argue that another vampire show was the last thing this industry needed, Dracula broke free of the stereotype and offered a brand of quality that has been sorely lacking from network television. Another single-season casualty, the show was cancelled after its 10 episode run, leaving fans with a cliffhanger ending, which only added insult to injury. Period dramas like Dracula are always a risk, as they leave a bigger margin for error in terms of historical integrity, but the program seemed to pull off the look and feel of Victorian England with ease. It was the perfect blend of ingenuity and traditional lore, choosing to tell the story of Dracula from the view of the vampire himself. Top notch acting, wonderful cinematography, and a well-planned storyline should all have spelled success for the NBC drama, but the network had other plans. Where it went wrong: From unspectacular ratings to issues behind the scenes, Dracula was taking fire on all sides. Though its premiere managed to receive better ratings than both the freshman and sophomore seasons of time slot partner Hannibal, Dracula couldn't draw the solid audience it needed in order to survive NBC's chopping block. We're not 100% sure why viewers weren't flocking to this diamond in the rough; perhaps it was the deviation from its source material, or maybe fans were growing weary of Jonathan Rhys Meyers' dodgy American accent (which seems more likely). Whatever the reason, Dracula certainly had much more to offer than NBC seemed to give it credit for.
