Jonathan Rhys Meyers is the latest actor to take on one of the most recreated parts of all time, playing Dracula in NBC's all new series, cleverly titled Dracula. The new series differs rather dramatically from the normal Dracula formula though, and this bit of experimentation has so far been praised by a number of criticshead of its debut episode tonight (October 25, 2013).

Jonathan Rhys Meyers
There is plenty of gore on offer in the show

Set in Victorian London, Meyer's Dracula arrives in the industrial capital and goes on to form an unlikely partnership with his traditional foe Van Helsing (played by Thomas Kretschmann). The two unlikely accomplices team up to take on the shady criminal organisation known as the Order of the Dragon. Combining rich visuals, praise-worthy story telling and some thoroughly absorbing acting from our stars, the 10-episode mini-series has been a hit with a number of critics already.

"The gorgeous art direction make this great fun, and Rhys Meyers plays his part with such blood-slurping, mouth-wiping gusto that even a dentist could love him," Melissa Maerz of Entertainment Weekly praised episode one. Her positive reception was matched by New York Magazine's TV critic Matt Zoller Seitz, who praised the show for its "Godfather-style plots and counter­plots," and for the "sixties Hammer-horror violence" that comes together for a stimulating view, both mentally and visually.

Dracula cast
The show heads back to Victorian England for the setting

The high praises of these two critics haven't been matched by everyone watched the debut episode, as certain critics were down right appalled at the standards of the show. Chris Cabin of Slant Magazine was one of those who sat in front of his preview copy bored to tears. He criticised thusly, "Underneath the shallow brooding, everything feels like build-up to a massive climactic event, every maneuver directed, written, and acted as if it were yet another crucial move toward some terribly violent, bad end. The tactic is meant to drum up suspense, which it doesn't do particularly well, and the series loses any sense of humanity, shirking the very pulse of life the titular vampire hungers for."

We are only on episode one, which means the series could really go one two ways from here, and this all depends on which site of the critics circle shouts the loudest. Should Maerz and Seitz pipe up the most for the rest of the nine coming episodes then we may have a hit series on our hand. Of course, their voices will only remain shouts should Dracula keep up with its good start and not dry up too soon.

Dracula
Rhys Meyers stars in the new Dracula tale