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{{Short description|British teenage horror drama television series}}
{{Infobox Television
| show_name = Young Dracula
{{for|the American short film|Young Dracula (film)}}
{{Distinguish|Young Frankenstein}}
| image = [[Image:YoungDracula.png|250px]]
{{More citations needed|date=December 2023}}
| caption = ''Young Dracula'' Title Card
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}
| genre = Children's
{{Use British English|date=August 2014}}
| creator = Danny Robins<br />Dan Tetsell
{{Infobox television
| director =
| image = YoungDracula.png
| starring = [[Keith-Lee Castle]]<br />[[Gerran Howell]]<br />[[Clare Thomas]]
| composer = John Rea
| caption = ''Young Dracula'' series 1–2 title card
| genre = [[Teen drama]]<br/>Supernatural drama<br/>[[Horror fiction|Horror]]<br/>[[Comedy]]<br/>[[Sitcom]] (series 1–2)
| country = {{UK}}
| language = [[English Language|English]]
| creator = [[Danny Robins]]<br/>[[Dan Tetsell]]
| num_series = 1
| director =
| starring = [[Keith-Lee Castle]]<br/>[[Gerran Howell]]<br/>Clare Thomas<br/>[[Simon Ludders]]<br/>Andy Bradshaw
| num_episodes = 14 [[List of Young Dracula Episodes|Number of Episodes]]
| composer = [[John Rea (composer)|John Rea]] (series 1)<br/>Nick Lloyd (series 2–3)<br/>Simon Rogers (series 4)<br />[[Michael J McEvoy]] (series 5)
| executive_producer = Josephine Ward
| producer = Mia Jupp
| country = United Kingdom
| editor = Pedr James<br />Bleddyn Rhys
| language = English
| company = [[BBC Cymru Wales]]
| camera = Benjamin Coles<br />Clive Baldwin<br />Joseph Marsden<br />Lewis Bolwell
| runtime = 28 minutes
| num_series = 5
| network = [[CBBC]]
| num_episodes = 66
| list_episodes = List of Young Dracula episodes
| picture_format =
| executive_producer = Josephine Ward
| audio_format =
| producer = Mia Jupp (series 1–2)<br/> Lis Steele (series 3–4)<br/>Melanie Halsall (series 3)<br />Candida Julian–Jones (series 5)
| first_aired = [[September 21]] [[2006]]
| editor = Christian Blood<br/>Emyr Jenkins<br/>Robert Douglas-Reeves<br/>Nick Holes<br/>Jane Murrell<br/>Pedr James<br/>Angharad Owen<br/>Bleddyn Rhys
| last_aired = [[December 21]] [[2006]]
| camera = [[Videotape]] ([[Filmizing|filmized]]) (series 1–2)<br />[[Red Digital Cinema Camera Company|RED]] (series 3–5)<br />[[Multiple-camera setup|Multi-camera]]
| website = http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/yourlife/youngdracula/
| imdb_id = 0876219
| runtime = 30 minutes
| tv_com_id = 68779
| network = [[CBBC]]
| location = [[Glamorgan]] (series 1–2)<br />[[Liverpool]] (series 3–5)
| first_aired = {{Start date|2006|09|21|df=y}}
| last_aired = {{End date|2014|03|31|df=y}}
}}
}}
'''''Young Dracula''''' is a British children's [[Horror fiction|horror]] [[drama]] [[comedy]] [[television series]] which aired on [[CBBC]], loosely based on ''[[Young Dracula and Young Monsters|Young Dracula]]'', a 2002 [[children's]] book by [[Michael Lawrence (writer)|Michael Lawrence]].<ref>[https://www.fantasticfiction.com/l/michael-lawrence/young-dracula.htm ''Young Dracula''] at Fantastic Fiction: The cover has a still from the show and the legend "The inspiration for the CBBC TV series"</ref> It is also based on the epistolary novel ''[[Dracula]]'', written by Bram Stoker and published in 1897.


The first two series follow the Dracula family, a family of [[vampire]]s: [[Vladimir Dracula|Vladimir]] (Vlad), his father [[Count Dracula]], and sister Ingrid. Having lived in [[Transylvania]], they move to Stokely, a small town in [[Wales]] after various incidents involving angry peasant mobs. It was filmed in various locations around Wales, including [[Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf]], [[Caerphilly Castle]], [[Tretower Court]] and parts of [[Llantrisant]]. Directed by [[Joss Agnew]], the first series was broadcast in 2006 and the second series, which started in late 2007, concluded in early 2008.
'''''Young Dracula''''' is a [[United Kingdom|British]] children's [[television]] series appearing on [[CBBC]], directed by [[Joss Agnew]]. The first series finished in [[2006]] and the second series has been released in [[2007]].


The third series, commissioned three years after the second, sees Vlad and the Count flee both vampires and slayers, while the [[Count]] is determined that Vlad should fulfil his destiny to become "[[The Chosen One (trope)|The Chosen One]]". This series was filmed in [[Liverpool]] during 2011, in various locations including the disused Margaret Bevan School, [[Croxteth Hall]] and [[Stanley Docks]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.how-do.co.uk/north-west-media-news/north-west-broadcasting/waterloo-road-heads-to-scotland-20110823100955217 |title=Waterloo Road heads to Scotland |publisher=How-Do |date=23 August 2011 |access-date=1 November 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b016vvt0 |title=CBBC Programmes - Young Dracula, Series 3, Hide and Seek |publisher=BBC |access-date=1 November 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Behind the scenes at Young Dracula|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/clips/p00lr6wd|publisher=BBC|access-date=24 March 2013}}</ref> It began airing on 31 October 2011. The fourth series follows on from season three's predicament and had a new director, airing on 29 October 2012. ''Young Dracula'' was renewed for a fifth and final series in 2013, with filming beginning in April.<ref>{{cite tweet|user=clarelucythomas|author=Clare Thomas Prosser|number=281743927630000129|date=20 December 2012|title=So we've had some good news. Young Dracula WILL be filming again next summer for a 5th Series. Happy Christmas YD fans!}}</ref> The hour long finale, "The Darkest Hour", aired on 31 March 2014.
== Plot ==
The Dracula family (Vlad, his dad [[Count Dracula]] and his older sister Ingrid) once lived in [[Transylvania]]. Then they all moved to a normal small town in [[United Kingdom|Britain]] because Count Dracula caused a bit of bother involving the village elders, their blood and an angry peasant mob.


''Young Dracula'' was nominated for Best Children's Drama in the 2008 [[BAFTA Awards]] and has been nominated for several other awards. An additional series, the ''Young Dracula Files'', began broadcasting on 24 October 2012, in which the main characters tell their stories of the past. It was primarily hosted by the character Bertrand Du Fortunesa, played by Cesare Taurasi.
The programme is set in the [[UK]] and is filmed in various locations around [[Wales]], including [[Glantaf High School]], [[Caerphilly Castle]], [[Tretower Court]] and in parts of [[Llantrisant]].


== Cast ==
==Characters==
{{main|List of Young Dracula characters}}
*[[Keith-Lee Castle]] - Count Dracula
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
*[[Clare Thomas]] - Ingrid Dracula
! rowspan="2" | Character !! rowspan="2" | Portrayed by !! colspan="5" width="50%" | Series
*[[Gerran Howell]] - Vladimir Dracula
|-
*[[Lucy Borja-Edwards]] - Chloe Branaugh
! scope="col" style="width:6.9%;" | 1
*[[Craig Roberts]] - Robin Branaugh
! scope="col" style="width:6.9%;" | 2
*[[Beth Roberts]] - Mrs. Elizabeth Branaugh
! scope="col" style="width:6.9%;" | 3
*[[Aneirin Hughes]] - Graham Branaugh
! scope="col" style="width:6.9%;" | 4
*[[Terence Maynard]] - Mr. Van Helsing
! scope="col" style="width:6.9%;" | 5
*[[Simon Ludders]] - Renfield
|-
*[[Ben McGregor]] - Ian Branaugh
| Vladimir Dracula || [[Gerran Howell]] || colspan="5" {{cMain|Main}}
*[[Luke Bridgeman]] - Paul Branaugh
|-
*[[Terry Haywood]] - Jonathon Van Helsing
| Count Dracula || [[Keith-Lee Castle]] || colspan="5" {{cMain|Main}}
*[[Phillip Brodie]] - Ivan Dracula
|-
*[[Ciaran Joyce]] - Boris Dracula
| Ingrid Dracula || Clare Thomas || colspan="5" {{cMain|Main}}
*[[Maddie Rakic-Platt]] - Olga Dracula
|-
| Renfield || [[Simon Ludders]] || colspan="5" {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| Zoltan || Andy Bradshaw || colspan="3" {{cMain|Main}} || colspan="2" {{n/a|}}
|-
| Robin Branagh || [[Craig Roberts]] || colspan="2" {{cMain|Main}} || colspan="3" {{n/a|}}
|-
| Chloe Branagh || Lucy Borja-Edwards || colspan="2" {{cMain|Main}} || colspan="3" {{n/a|}}
|-
| Eric Van Helsing || Terence Maynard || colspan="2" {{cMain|Main}} || colspan="3" {{n/a|}}
|-
| Jonathan Van Helsing || Terry Haywood || colspan="4" {{cMain|Main}} || colspan="1" {{n/a|}}
|-
| Mina Van Helsing || [[Jo-Anne Knowles]] || colspan="1" {{n/a|}} || colspan="3" {{cMain|Main}} || colspan="1" {{n/a|}}
|-
| Wolfie Westernra || Lorenzo Rodriguez || colspan="2" {{n/a|}} || colspan="2" {{cMain|Main}} || colspan="1" {{n/a|}}
|-
| Alex McCauley || Letty Butler || colspan="2" {{n/a|}} || colspan="2" {{cMain|Main}} || colspan="1" {{n/a|}}
|-
| Bertrand du Fortunesa || Cesare Taurasi || colspan="2" {{n/a|}} || colspan="2" {{cMain|Main}} || colspan="1" {{n/a|}}
|-
| Erin Noble || [[Sydney Rae White]] || colspan="2" {{n/a|}} || colspan="2" {{cMain|Main}} || colspan="1" {{n/a|}}
|-
| Malik Vaccaria || Richard Southgate || 4 colspan="3" {{n/a|}} || colspan="2" {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| Sally Giles || [[Laura Howard]] || 5 colspan="4" {{n/a|}} || colspan="1" {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| George Giles || Bella Band || 5 colspan="4" {{n/a|}} || colspan="1" {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| Asan Ramanga || Quinton Nyirenda || 5 colspan="4" {{n/a|}} || colspan="1" {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| Talitha || Eleanor Gecks || 5 colspan="4" {{n/a|}} || colspan="1" {{cMain|Main}}
|-
| Piers || [[Mark Rowley (actor)|Mark Rowley]] || 5 colspan="4" {{n/a|}} || colspan="1" {{cMain|Main}}
|}


== Rare casts ==
===Main===
* [[Gerran Howell]] as Vlad Dracula, a reluctant vampire and the son and heir of Count Dracula, who later discovers he is the Chosen One and is a half-human dimidius. He initially resists his destiny, fighting to find any way to become fully human, but ultimately embraces his full power in order to protect his family and friends and bring peace between humans and vampires.
*[[Donna Grant]] - Magda Westenra
* [[Keith-Lee Castle]] as [[Count Dracula]], the infamous 600-year-old vampire known as the 'Prince of Darkness', who often behaves maliciously and has no qualms about drinking blood, killing his enemies, and abusing Ingrid and Renfield. He has a softer side, which grows due to Vlad's influence and his fondness for certain humans, particularly Alex McCauley. Despite his reputation, Dracula displays frequent incompetence and weakened abilities due to his old age, but can prove formidable in battle on occasion.
*[[Hilda Braid]] - Crone
* Clare Thomas as Ingrid Dracula, Dracula's malicious daughter and Vlad's elder sister, who is neglected by her father and underestimated by the vampire community, making her determined to prove herself. She later seizes control of Stokely Castle and tries to kill her family, but is forced to seek refuge with them after being attacked by slayers years later. Ingrid eventually becomes a member of the Vampire High Council and the owner of Garside Grange. She may be a reference to [[Ingrid Pitt]].
*[[Howell Evans]] - Atilla
* [[Craig Roberts]] as Robin Branaugh (series 1-2), Vlad's human best friend and confidante, who is obsessed with vampires and wants to become one himself. When Vlad discovers he is the Chosen One, he mind-wipes Robin, leaving him with no memory of vampires.
*[[Betsan Llywd]] - Mrs Harker
* Terence Maynard as Eric Van Helsing (series 1-2), a woodwork teacher and inept slayer whose relentless pursuit of vampires estranged him from his wife Mina, and frequently embarrasses his son Jonno. Van Helsing has never actually slain a vampire prior to meeting Dracula, against whom he wages a feud. He later slays two vampires in a final conflict with the Dracula family, before Vlad mind-wipes him, leaving him with no memory of vampires. This renders Van Helsing defenceless against a later vampire attack, and he is killed.
*[[Darren Evans]] - Adrianus
* Terry Haywood as Jonno Van Helsing (series 1-2 and 4; guest series 3), Van Helsing's son who initially does not believe in vampires, but later helps his father fight the Draculas. Jonno and his mother Mina take over the Slayers' Guild after Van Helsing is apparently killed by vampires, but Vlad brokers a truce and works with Jonno to try to bring peace.
* [[Simon Ludders]] as Percival Renfield, Dracula's long-suffering servant. He is slow-witted and repulsively unhygienic, but is also a genius scientist and is deeply loyal to the Dracula family, mostly due to his misguided belief that Dracula will one day bite him. He eventually gains the bite through coercion, becoming a particularly incompetent vampire.
* Beth Robert as Elizabeth Branaugh (series 1-2), Robin's perpetually cheerful mother, whom Dracula covets.
* [[Aneirin Hughes]] as Graham Branaugh (series 1-2), Robin's father, a plumber who dislikes Dracula.
* Lucy Borja as Chloe Branaugh (series 1-2), Robin's younger sister, who possesses prodigious intelligence and soon learns that the Draculas are vampires. She is Vlad's friend until her family are almost killed by vampires at Dracula's hunt ball, after which she refuses to go to the castle.
* Ben McGregor as Ian Branaugh (series 1-2), Robin's brother, who bullies him and is besotted with Ingrid, much like his twin Paul.
* Luke Bridgeman as Paul Branaugh (series 1-2), Robin's brother, who bullies him and is besotted with Ingrid, much like his twin Ian.
* Andy Bradshaw as Zoltan (series 1-3), a Hellhound who was stuffed and reanimated by Dracula, and serves as Vlad's pet and confidante during his childhood.
* [[Sydney Rae White]] as Erin Noble (series 3-4), a slayer who disguises herself as a vampire and infiltrates Garside Grange to try to cure her brother Ryan's vampirism. She develops a relationship with Vlad and works with him to bring peace, but after being fatally wounded by Adze, Erin is turned into a vampire by Vlad to save her, for which she hates him. She allies with Elizabeta and Malik to destroy the Draculas, and is later killed by Ramanga's Shadow Warriors in Paris.
* Cesare Taurasi as Bertrand De Fortunessa (series 3-4), a vampire who travels to Garside to tutor Vlad in the use of his powers. Initially dubious of Vlad's plan for peace, Bertrand betrays him to Sethius, but realises Vlad's plan is the only hope for vampires and humans, and becomes devoted to helping him fulfil his goals. However Elizabeta Vaccaria frames Bertrand for further betrayal, for which Vlad kills him.
* Letty Butler as Alex McCauley (series 3-4), Garside Grange's headmistress, with whom Dracula falls in love. She eventually discovers that the Draculas are vampires, but Vlad erases her memories of this and she leaves as Garside is closed.
* Tom Gibbons as Ryan Noble (series 3-4), Erin's brother, a slayer who is bitten by Ingrid. Previously protective of his sister, he becomes a selfish vampire who allies with Ingrid and later Malik. Ryan is murdered by Elizabeta Vaccaria as part of a plan to drive Erin and Vlad apart.
* Lorenzo Rodriguez as Wolfie Westenra (series 3-4), Ingrid's half-brother, a vampire-werewolf hybrid. He lives with Dracula for a few months before returning to his mother, Magda Westenra.
* Richard Southgate as Malik Vaccaria (series 4-5), a vampire who believes Dracula is his father, and works with his mother Elizabeta to become Dracula's new heir and then kill him. Thwarted, Malik later learns Dracula is not his father, and is killed by Ramanga.
* [[Robbie Gee]] as Ramanga (series 4; guest series 3 and 5), a Vampire High Council member who allies with Dracula to undermine the peaceful coexistence. He has Vlad betrothed to his daughter Adze, as part of a scheme to have her gain immense power from Vlad's first bite before assassinating the Chosen One, but the plan is foiled and Dracula rips out Ramanga's fangs to humiliate him. Ramanga later travels to the Shadow Realm and is driven insane, attempting to steal Vlad's power in a dark magic ritual, but he is killed by Dracula.
* Nathasha Stokes as Adze Ramanga (series 4), Ramanga's daughter, who is betrothed to Vlad. She covets Vlad's first bite, believing it will bestow her with immense power, but the plot is thwarted. Replacing her father on the high council, Adze is later slain by Mina Van Helsing.
* [[Laura Howard]] as Sally Giles (series 5), Vlad's human mother, an artist. Vlad tracks her down, revealing himself as a vampire, but is eventually forced to erase her memories of his existence to protect her after he achieves his full power.
* Eleanor Gecks as Talitha Roquelaire (series 5), a peace-loving spiritualist vampire and the daughter of high council security chief Roquelaire. She travels with Vlad as his undercover bodyguard, and they later fall in love and begin a relationship.
* Amron Adams as Shango Ramanga (series 5), Ramanga's older son, who seeks revenge on the Draculas for his father's humiliation and death. After making several attempts to destroy them, Shango forms a truce with the Draculas during the battle against the Blood Seed.
* Quinton Nyirenda as Asan Ramanga (series 5), Ramanga's younger son, who infiltrates the Draculas' home to exact revenge for his father's death. He grows reluctant to betray the Draculas after befriending them.
* Bella Band as George Giles (series 5), Vlad's human half-sister, an aspiring archaeologist. Vlad is later forced to erase her memories of his existence to protect her after he achieves his full power.


'''Series 1'''
== Characters ==
=== The Draculas ===
*'''Count Dracula'''
[[Count Dracula]] is a 600 year old [[vampire]] who has immigrated to Britain to escape his problems with the local villagers in [[Transylvania]]. He sleeps in a [[coffin]], can ignite or put out candles with a wave of his fingers, and has the ability, when he senses a trespasser in his lair, to move from room to room at uncanny speed that borders on [[teleportation]]: this apart from his tendency to glower fiercely and bare his [[fangs]]- which can lengthen at amazing speed when required- when he feels the need to frighten Vlad or (more often) Robin - or simply when he's hungry. He is also extremely [[sexist]] (which may be one reason his wife is currently in a relationship with a [[werewolf]], although it seems that sexism is a trait common to most vampires).


After their father bit too many residents in their own Transylvania, Vladimir and Ingrid Dracula were compelled to move to Britain. For Vlad, it is a realisation of a dream and a step closer to the normal world that he so desperately wants. Keeping his family's secret will be a full-time job though, what with a bloodsucking father, a talking wolf, a servant who smells like mouse droppings, and a vampire sister. Fortunately for Vlad, Robin Branaugh proves to be a reliable friend and ally. Robin wishes he did, but he doesn't reside in a castle. He is not required to wear a cloak, yet he does. 
He favours his young son Vlad and is constantly ignoring or otherwise brushing off his daughter Ingrid, making both their lives a pain in different ways. His thoughtless treatment of Ingrid is surprising, considering she has the characteristics he expects of his "perfect child" (he even tried to [[marry]] her off to a vampire [[kulak]] to get her out from underfoot in one episode). His constant favourism towards Vlad is similarly illogical, considering that Vlad does not want to become a vampire. The Count is often mistaken for a [[rock music|rock star]] because of the somewhat [[Goth subculture|Gothic]] style of clothing he wears on the occasions he leaves the castle- most notably in an episode when he went to parents' evening at Ingrid and Vlad's school, and ended up being chased by screaming fans while trying to protect himself from the sun with an [[umbrella]].


'''Series 2'''
After Vlad refused to eat a live [[rabbit]] the Count decided to remarry, thinking a new mother would be a good influence on Vlad. He held a "hunt ball" to find (or create) a new bride, but both his estranged wife Magda and local vampire slayer Eric Van Helsing (the woodworking instructor at Stokely Grammar) crashed the party. Van Helsing came very close to slaying the Count (albeit accidentally), thereby causing Vlad, who believed his father to be dying, to promise that he would become "a proper vampire".


Count Dracula is aware that slayers exist in Stokely as a result of the events at the Hunt Ball. Vlad must take all necessary measures to thwart his father's search for them. The appearance of Ivan, the Count's American brother, and Boris and Olga, Vlad and Ingrid's relatives, complicates matters further. Boris, his cousin, is set to complete his change.
*'''Vladimir 'Vlad' Dracula'''
Vladimir "Vlad" [[Dracula]] (born [[1994]] in [[Biztriz, Transylvania]]) is the Count's "son and heir" as he calls him obsessively. Unlike his sister Ingrid, Vlad would much prefer to be a normal kid than a spirit of [[darkness]], although he does occasionally show elements of his father's wit and ability to manipulate people. He finds friendship with outcasts Robin and Chloe Branaugh as well as his sarcastic pet wolf, Zoltan. He is very [[emotional]] of his mother's betrayal of his father, as well as exasperated by his father's complete ignorance of [[human]]- or as the vampires call it, "breather"- life.


'''Series 3'''
In order to attain their full powers, teenage vampires have to pass exams called "blood tests." Although Vlad wanted to fail these so he could almost pass for human, the Count told him that if he didn't pass he would not be allowed to see his breather friends again and even threatened to "deny all knowledge of his existence." In one episode, Vlad tried to slip his father a potion to try to make him nicer - and failed miserably. Vlad Dracula does not have an easy life to lead, and it is around him, mainly, that the series revolves.


The third season of the show picks up four years after the conclusion of series 2, when Ingrid gained control of the Dracula castle and vowed retribution on Stokely for killing her boyfriend Will. Since then, the Count and Vlad have escaped, and while Ingrid also makes a comeback, they decide to buy a school to hide from the slayers and vampires that are pursuing them.
*'''Ingrid Dracula'''
Ingrid Dracula (born [[1992]] in [[Biztriz, Transylvania]]), is the elder child and daughter of Count Dracula. She is, after her father and currently absent mother, easily the most self-assured and cruel character in the series. Nevertheless she is very attractive and spends most of her time taunting people or arguing with her sexist father to get her rights in the house, usually to no avail.


As opposed to the first two series, the plot in this one is not entirely focused on Vlad. The Count, Renfield, and Wolfie (the son of Magda and Patrick from an earlier series) are involved in further subplots. The balance of power has also altered; despite the fact that the Count is Vlad's regent and so has authority over him, Vlad is now more inclined to challenge his father.
Despite his ongoing denigration of her because she's only a girl, she is still proud to have Count Dracula as her father. She alternately avoids and encourages the wooing of two schoolboys, Ian and Paul Branaugh (the older brothers of Vlad's best friend Robin), who follow her around all day. She has no problem making them do things, because they are completely infatuated with her. In their case, she does not need to employ her powers of hypnosis, which are nearly as good as the Count's.


Ingrid, on the other hand, is depicted as being more inclined to cooperate with the Count, and the two appear to have reached a tense ceasefire.
Ingrid is not entirely heartless, however. In the final episode of the first series at her father's hunt ball, when Mr and Mrs Branaugh gave her a present, she became quite emotional (never having received much in the way of kindness before). Although the Branaughs did not realize it at the time, she then saved their lives by insulting them to drive them out of the castle when the other vampires came dangerously close to biting them.


For the majority of the series, Bertram disagrees with Vlad because he thinks Vlad should concentrate solely on his duty as the chosen one and is critical of his connection with Erin.
Ingrid got top marks in her "blood tests" and by her own admission plans to become an "all-powerful vampire goddess" when she grows up. This may or may not translate into behaving in the cold and heartless way her mother Magda Westenra does.


*'''Renfield'''
'''Production'''
Dracula's servant and dogsbody, Renfield is a disgusting specimen who likes nothing more than eating [[maggots]] and likes nothing less than 'breathers.' He does all that he can to help the Count, but tends to get things wrong. He seems to enjoy [[cross-dressing]]: he apparently stole a dress from Ingrid, and claims that he looks "absolutely stunning in [[sequin]]s", to the bemusement of all. He once fell in love with Van Helsing while he was dressed as a woman despite the fact that Van Helsing had not shaved his beard before putting on the disguise. This says a great deal about the level of both characters' intelligence.


The television show left Wales and began shooting in and around Liverpool. The week of 9 May 2011, saw the start of the series' rehearsals, and the following week saw the start of its three-month filming schedule. The shooting was completed in August. On 31 October, the recently edited series was made available.
Renfield can be thought of as a ghoulish equivilent of [[Baldrick]], Lord Blackadder's servant in the classic ''[[Blackadder]]'' comedy series, though with worse personal habits and taste in foods.


*'''Zoltan'''
'''Series 4'''
Vlad's pet wolf, Zoltan is annoyingly sarcastic and flippant and is always against Vlad's ridiculous plans to act more like a "breather." He also happens to be stuffed. Although he frequently gives advice to both Robin and Vlad, his advice is not always heeded. Despite his status as a taxidermy victim, Zoltan gets around the castle very well on his wheels. However, he has been forbidden to use the words [[stake]], [[sunlight]] and [[garlic]] by the Count, which prohibition has placed both Robin and the Count in danger more than once.


The fourth season consists of 13 episodes total, with each one lasting roughly 30 minutes. Filming started in mid-April 2012, taking place in Liverpool, and the first episode aired on Monday, 29 October.
*'''Magda Westenra'''
Apparently Dracula's ex-wife (though she may be merely estranged; in Episode 3 she says, "We never got married, I couldn't see what was in it for me"), Magda "ran off with a [[werewolf]]" some time ago, apparently recently enough that the Count still smarts over her betrayal. Upon discovering that the Count was considering remarriage in Episode 14 (the finale of Series One), she travelled to the castle to try and stop him, claiming to love him when she thought he was dying from a crossbow bolt Van Helsing fired at him. However, she later claimed not to have meant it when it was clear the Count was unharmed. Dracula seems to love her precisely because she is so heartless. Their relationship is more than complex.


*'''Crone'''
'''Series 5'''
Vlad and Ingrid's [[grandmother]], the [[mother]] of Magda, and the Prince of Darkness's ex(?)-mother-in-law. Crone appears quite rarely, making only one appearance in the first series. She and the Count dislike each other: indeed, she refers to the Count's family as the "the Dracu-losers;" and keeps threatening to tell the Vampire Council and the Grand High Vampire that they are not living a "true vampire existence".


Two months after the conclusion of series 4, Vlad, who is nearly eighteen, has returned from recent trips. He has learned what his father has been keeping a secret from him for the past 18 years. Ingrid has at last been elected to the High Council, but she is having trouble embracing her new position as Minister of Catering. Although her wicked intentions are yet unknown, it seems that she is attempting to depose Morgan. Ingrid has changed how she uses technology to compete with her rivals. With Asan's assistance, Malik is back to protect his family from the Shadow Warriors.
=== The Branaughs ===


*'''Robin Branaugh'''
'''Main characters'''
Vlad's best friend, and self-confessed "vampire [[geek]]" (he even wears a black [[cape]] to school), Robin is one of the more interesting "breathers" of the series. Though by no means the most intelligent character present, Robin is one of the first humans to discover that the Draculas are in fact vampires.


'''Vladimir "Vlad" Dracula'''
He occasionally comes close to becoming dinner for the Count when the latter feels the need to prompt Vlad into concentrating on his vampiric responsibilities more than he does; but otherwise he is grudgingly accepted into the Dracula household. He is a loyal friend to Vlad if only because he is so obsessed with vampires, even if he wants Vlad to be as much of a vampire as possible despite the fact Vlad has no interest in his preordained fate whatever. In spite of being slightly strange and a bit of a loner without Vlad, he is a respectable artist and a chess [[Grandmaster (chess)|grandmaster]], beating "the greatest [[chess]] player in history" (who happens to be a vampire) repeatedly. However, when he nearly broke off his friendship with Vlad after an argument, he tried to compensate by developing an interest in sports like his older brothers. Robin turned out to be quite a good footballer player, implying that he has hidden talents.


Vladimir "Vlad" Dracula is the son of Count Dracula and Sally Giles, the maternal elder half-brother of Georgina Giles, and the ex-sex partner of Erin. He is Ingrid Dracula's paternal younger half-brother. He is the Dracula throne's Chosen One and the next in line.
*'''Chloe Branaugh'''
A year younger than Robin, Chloe is the voice of reason in the Robin-Vlad-Chloe trio and is the sometime enemy of Ingrid. She is very [[knowledge]]able. In one episode she translated [[Egyptian hieroglyphs]]. She has a crush on Vlad, though she hides it well.


'''Ingrid Dracula'''
She is also the voice of reason within the Branaugh family. At the Count's aforementioned hunt ball, it was Chloe who tried to extricate her family from the almost hypnotic fascination of the vampires in attendance. In her own quiet way, she too has a rather difficult life.


The oldest child of Count Dracula and Magda Westernra is Ingrid Dracula. She consistently exhibits a desire for her father's and brother's abilities throughout the entire series. She joined the Vampire High Council in season four, earning the enormous power she had always desired.
*'''"The Twins" (Ian and Paul)'''
A couple of not over-bright school [[rugby union]]-players, the [[twins]] both have crushes on Ingrid. Though originally annoyed by their presence, Ingrid eventually develops a sort of friendship with them, though she plays them off against each other. As can many a pretty schoolgirl, Ingrid can get the two boys to do anything she want, or nearly. However, both were astute enough to refuse Ingrid's proposal of marriage in one episode. (She wanted one of them, didn't matter which, to marry her in order to escape from her father's sexist rule over her.) The twins sang a song to Ingrid in Episode 9.


'''Count Dracula'''
The Branaugh twins are among the few recurring characters who are unaware of the Draculas' secret. As previously noted, they aren't gifted with brains.


A former lover of Magda Westenra, Sally Giles, and Elizabeta Vaccaria, Count Dracula is the father of Vladimir Dracula and Ingrid Dracula, the guardian of Wolfie, the son of Dracos Dracula and Mrs. Dracula, the brother of Ivan Dracula and Arta Dracula, and the uncle of Boris Dracula and Olga Dracula. He currently holds the throne of Dracula.
*'''Mr and Mrs Branaugh'''
[[Plumber]] and [[housewife]], the annoyingly cheery Mr and Mrs Brannagh are a constant pain in the neck for the Prince of Darkness (who very nearly at the "hunt ball" became exactly the same thing for them, and for their son Robin). Where Dracula does his best to make Vlad a "normal vampire," they constantly do their best to make Robin a "normal boy," finding his fixation with vampires somewhat unhealthy. The Count does develop a friendship with Mrs Branaugh in one episode; and Mr Branaugh gets slightly close to Count Dracula's Madga at the hunt ball, though this may have been due more to Magda's viewing him as dinner than to any actual attraction between them.


'''Percival Renfield'''
=== The Van Helsings ===


Renfield, a repulsive individual who enjoys nothing more than eating maggots and nothing less than "breathers", is the Draculas' servant and dogsbody.
*'''Mr Eric Van Helsing'''
An incompetent vampire slayer, Mr Van Helsing originally believed Robin (due to his unruly dark hair and constant wearing of a black cape) to be one of the Undead, but soon turned his attentions towards Vlad. His daytime or "cover" identity is woodworking teacher at Stokely Grammar School, which the Dracula children attend as 'the Counts.' While not a real threat to the much stronger, smarter and cleverer Count Dracula, he is a constant annoyance to the family who under no circumstances can afford to have their secret revealed to the world.


==Episodes==
Van Helsing has been inside the ruined castle where the Draculas live on numerous occasons. He has inveigled his way in disguised as an itinerant woodworker, as an exterminator, and as a hit man hired by Magda. He has even attempted to get in dressed as a female vampire, and the fact that he forgot to shave away his short beard in advance perhaps makes Reinfield's attraction to him on that occasion all the more worrying.
{{main|List of Young Dracula episodes}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! style="padding:0 8px;" rowspan="2" colspan="2"| Series
! style="padding:0 8px;" rowspan="2"| Episodes
! style="padding:0 80px;" colspan="2"| Originally aired
|-
! [[Season premiere|Series premiere]]
! [[Season finale|Series finale]]
|-
| style="background:#f36; color:#100; text-align:center;"|
| style="text-align:center;"| '''[[List of Young Dracula episodes#Series One (2006)|1]]'''
| style="text-align:center;"| 14
| style="text-align:center;"| {{Start date|df=yes|21 September 2006}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{End date|df=yes|21 December 2006}}
|-
| style="background:#09f; color:#100; text-align:center;"|
| style="text-align:center;"| '''[[List of Young Dracula episodes#Series Two (2007–2008)|2]]'''
| style="text-align:center;"| 13
| style="text-align:center;"| {{Start date|df=yes|2 November 2007}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{End date|df=yes|8 February 2008}}
|-
| style="background:#5c5; color:#100; text-align:center;"|
| style="text-align:center;"| '''[[List of Young Dracula episodes#Series Three (2011)|3]]'''
| style="text-align:center;"| 13
| style="text-align:center;"| {{Start date|df=yes|31 October 2011}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{End date|df=yes|12 December 2011}}
|-
| style="background:#305; color:#100; text-align:center;"|
| style="text-align:center;"| '''[[List of Young Dracula episodes#Series Four (2012)|4]]'''
| style="text-align:center;"| 13
| style="text-align:center;"| {{Start date|df=yes| 29 October 2012}}
| style="text-align:center;"| {{end date|df=yes| 18 December 2012}}
|-
| style="background:#; color:#100; text-align:center;"|
| style="text-align:center;"| '''[[List of Young Dracula episodes#Series Five(2013)|5]]'''
| style="text-align:center;"| 13
| style="text-align:center;"| 13 January 2014
| style="text-align:center;"| 31 March 2014
|}


==Ratings==
He only once has come close to slaying Dracula, at the hunt ball in the finale of Series One. Even that was accidental, when he fired a wooden [[crossbow]] bolt straight into a flask of poisoned blood in the Count's [[waistcoat]] pocket, which he had also been responsible for putting there (while disguised- badly- as the aforesaid female vampire). However, now that he has confirmed the Draculas' status as vampires, he has indicated he'll be back, dressed to kill.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Series !! Episode No. !! Airdate !! Total viewers !! CBBC weekly rank
|-
! rowspan="15"| 1
|-
| 1 || 21 September 2006 || {{N/A}} || {{N/A}}
|-
| 2 || 28 September 2006 || {{N/A}} || {{N/A}}
|-
| 3 || 5 October 2006 || {{N/A}} || {{N/A}}
|-
| 4 || 12 October 2006 || {{N/A}} || {{N/A}}
|-
| 5 || 19 October 2006 || {{N/A}} || {{N/A}}
|-
| 6 || 26 October 2006 || {{N/A}} || {{N/A}}
|-
| 7 || 2 November 2006 || {{N/A}} || {{N/A}}
|-
| 8 || 9 November 2006 || {{N/A}} || {{N/A}}
|-
| 9 || 16 November 2006 || {{N/A}} || {{N/A}}
|-
| 10 || 23 November 2006 || {{N/A}} || {{N/A}}
|-
| 11 || 30 November 2006 || {{N/A}} || {{N/A}}
|-
| 12 || 7 December 2006 || {{N/A}} || {{N/A}}
|-
| 13 || 14 December 2006 || 195,000 || 2
|-
| 14 || 21 December 2006 || 194,000 || 6
|-
! rowspan="14"| 2
|-
| 1 || 2 November 2007 || 313,000 || 2
|-
| 2 || 9 November 2007|| 210,000 || {{N/A}}
|-
| 3 || 16 November 2007 || 269,000 || 6
|-
| 4 || 23 November 2007 || 312,000 || 5
|-
| 5 || 30 November 2007 || 270,000 || 6
|-
| 6 || 7 December 2007 || 274,000 || 3
|-
| 7 || 14 December 2007 || 335,000 || 2
|-
| 8 || 21 December 2007 || 242,000 || 9
|-
| 9 || 11 January 2008 || 307,000 || 4
|-
| 10 || 18 January 2008 || 270,000 || 4
|-
| 11 || 25 January 2008 || 201,000 || {{N/A}}
|-
| 12 || 1 February 2008 || 137,000 || {{N/A}}
|-
| 13 || 8 February 2008 || 291,000 || 8
|-
! rowspan="14"| 3
|-
| 1 || 31 October 2011 || 454,000 || 2
|-
| 2 || 1 November 2011 || 539,000 || 1
|-
| 3 || 7 November 2011 || 524,000 || 1
|-
| 4 || 8 November 2011 || 437,000 || 3
|-
| 5 || 14 November 2011 || 562,000 || 1
|-
| 6 || 15 November 2011 || 508,000 || 2
|-
| 7 || 21 November 2011 || 557,000 || 2
|-
| 8 || 22 November 2011 || 573,000 || 1
|-
| 9 || 28 November 2011 || 587,000 || 1
|-
| 10 || 29 November 2011 || 520,000 || 4
|-
| 11 || 5 December 2011 || 497,000 || 1
|-
| 12 || 6 December 2011 || 389,000 || 5
|-
| 13 || 12 December 2011 || 457,000 || 4
|-
! rowspan="14"| 4
|-
| 1 || 29 October 2012 || 407,000 || 8
|-
| 2 || 5 November 2012 || 306,000 || 10
|-
| 3 || 12 November 2012 || 332,000 || 9
|-
| 4 || 19 November 2012 || 334,000 || {{N/A}}
|-
| 5 || 26 November 2012 || 272,000 || {{N/A}}
|-
| 6 || 27 November 2012 || 253,000 || {{N/A}}
|-
| 7 || 3 December 2012 || 326,000 || {{N/A}}
|-
| 8 || 4 December 2012 || 341,000 || {{N/A}}
|-
| 9 || 10 December 2012 || 269,000 || {{N/A}}
|-
| 10 || 11 December 2012 || 312,000 || {{N/A}}
|-
| 11 || 17 December 2012 || 326,000 || 6
|-
| 12 || 18 December 2012 || 314,000|| 8
|-
| 13 || 18 December 2012 || 328,000|| 5
|}


==Awards==
*'''Jonathan Van Helsing'''
* In 2007, ''Young Dracula'' won the [[Royal Television Society]] Award for Best Children's Drama, and the Welsh BAFTA for Best Children's Drama.
Son of Eric and reluctant heir to the traditional vocation of the Van Helsings, Jonathan is often exasparated by his father's tendency to see vampires everywhere. He himself is rather slow in the uptake, having failed to spot that Vlad, Ingrid (on whom he has a huge crush but by whom he is completely ignored) and Count Dracula are vampires until the final show of the first series. He is frequently hypnotised by Ingrid; once into performing [[ballet]] in his father's classroom, once into acting as a human answering machine used to relay a message to the Branaugh twins, and on another occasion to give himself a mad haircut.
* In 2008, ''Young Dracula'' was nominated for the BAFTA Children's Drama Award.
* In 2012, ''Young Dracula'' was nominated for three awards at the Royal Television Society North West awards including Best Programme and for a Kids Vote BAFTA.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bafta.org/awards/childrens/nominations-childrens-awards-in-2008,593,BA.html |title=2008 Children's Awards - Children's - Awards - The BAFTA site |publisher=Bafta.org |access-date=1 November 2011 |archive-date=1 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120801081430/http://www.bafta.org/awards/childrens/nominations-childrens-awards-in-2008,593,BA.html |url-status=dead}}</ref>


==Release==
His father continuously ignores his needs because of his obsession with vampire-slaying. Jonathan occasionally tries to tell his father that his vampire-hunter obsession is the reason Jonathan's mother left him for an [[estate agent]].
A DVD of the first series of ''Young Dracula'' was released on 15 October 2012.


A DVD of the second and third series of ''Young Dracula'' was released in 2013.
Ironically, no point has ever been made about the fact that the Van Helsing family situation is so strikingly similar to that of the very clan they are trying to kill.


A DVD of the Series Four and Five were released on 9 October and 5 November 2014, respectively.
== Overview ==


==See also==
One of the reasons that the series is as popular as it is, is that not unlike its earlier [[ITV]] counterpart ''[[My Parents are Aliens]]'', aside from its [[fantasy|fantastical]] elements (with the central character being a vampire), its humour lies in the fact that it contains things that its main viewers, as children and teenagers, may be able to relate to.
* [[Vampire film]]

* [[List of vampire television series]]
On the series' own webpage there is information on moving house, which can be stressful for young children. One of Vlad's early concerns is having to adjust to living away from his native country and speaking a new language in order to pass as a "breather" (human), which of course is all he wants to be. There is [[divorce]] and [[adultery]] in both the Dracula and Van Helsing households and in each, the children despair at how out of touch their respective fathers are on realistic, modern-day life- a complaint of many young teenagers. Vlad, Jonathan and Robin feel isolated not only from outsiders but from the rest of their families, where by contrast Ingrid, who really wants to be a vampire, rages at the preferential treatment her brother receives from their father despite her greater skills and better grades, so that she feels even less at home within the culture she should be flourishing in. Above all (which compares the series all the more to ''[[My Parents are Aliens]]'' and ''[[The Story of Tracy Beaker]]''), the feeling of being intensely embarrassed by one's own parents (a trait that Vlad, Robin and Jonathan all share, despite being otherwise quite different characters) is an ongoing theme.

It is possible that the Count's expectation that Ingrid be a "proper" vampire girl (i.e., submissive), and Mr and Mrs Branaugh's expectations of Robin to be a "normal" human boy, is something that the audience relates to as well. Any child who has ever seen their parents arguing with their in-laws would likely see something familiar in the Count's ongoing war with Crone as well. Although perhaps not depicting Van Helsing as the heroic genius or the Count as the all-powerful Prince of Darkness that "vampire geeks" like Robin would doubtless point out from how they were described by [[Bram Stoker]], given ''Young Dracula'''s appearance at a time when moving house, divorce and conformism are very much at the centre of everyday British life, the popularity of the series is perhaps unsurprising.

== Series Two ==

Series Two of Young Dracula started on 2nd [[November]] [[2007]] ,and will be on the [[CBBC Channel]] at twenty five minutes past five. It sees the battle between Dracula and Van Helsing intensify, and Ingrid's new full vampire status.The Count's brother also stars in series 2

== See also ==

*[[CBBC]]
*[[CBBC Channel]]


== References ==
== References ==
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== External links ==
== External links ==
* {{BBC programme}}
* {{IMDb title|id=0876219|title=Young Dracula}}


{{wikiquote}}
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[[Category:Dracula television programs]]


[[Category:2006 British television series debuts]]
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[[Category:2000s British children's television series]]
[[Category:2010s British children's television series]]
[[Category:BBC high definition shows]]
[[Category:BBC children's television shows]]
[[Category:British fantasy drama television series]]
[[Category:British teen drama television series]]
[[Category:Dark fantasy television series]]
[[Category:Dracula television series]]
[[Category:British horror fiction television series]]
[[Category:British English-language television shows]]
[[Category:Vampires in television]]
[[Category:2000s British horror television series]]
[[Category:2010s British horror television series]]
[[Category:2000s British teen sitcoms]]
[[Category:2010s British teen sitcoms]]
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[[Category:Television series set in castles]]
[[Category:Television shows shot in Liverpool]]

Latest revision as of 05:05, 7 January 2025

For the American short film, see Young Dracula (film).
Not to be confused with Young Frankenstein.

Young Dracula
Young Dracula series 1–2 title card
GenreTeen drama
Supernatural drama
Horror
Comedy
Sitcom (series 1–2)
Created byDanny Robins
Dan Tetsell
StarringKeith-Lee Castle
Gerran Howell
Clare Thomas
Simon Ludders
Andy Bradshaw
ComposersJohn Rea (series 1)
Nick Lloyd (series 2–3)
Simon Rogers (series 4)
Michael J McEvoy (series 5)
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series5
No. of episodes66 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producerJosephine Ward
ProducersMia Jupp (series 1–2)
Lis Steele (series 3–4)
Melanie Halsall (series 3)
Candida Julian–Jones (series 5)
Production locationsGlamorgan (series 1–2)
Liverpool (series 3–5)
EditorsChristian Blood
Emyr Jenkins
Robert Douglas-Reeves
Nick Holes
Jane Murrell
Pedr James
Angharad Owen
Bleddyn Rhys
Camera setupVideotape (filmized) (series 1–2)
RED (series 3–5)
Multi-camera
Running time30 minutes
Production companyBBC Cymru Wales
Original release
NetworkCBBC
Release21 September 2006 (2006-09-21) –
31 March 2014 (2014-03-31)

Young Dracula is a British children's horror drama comedy television series which aired on CBBC, loosely based on Young Dracula, a 2002 children's book by Michael Lawrence.[1] It is also based on the epistolary novel Dracula, written by Bram Stoker and published in 1897.

The first two series follow the Dracula family, a family of vampires: Vladimir (Vlad), his father Count Dracula, and sister Ingrid. Having lived in Transylvania, they move to Stokely, a small town in Wales after various incidents involving angry peasant mobs. It was filmed in various locations around Wales, including Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf, Caerphilly Castle, Tretower Court and parts of Llantrisant. Directed by Joss Agnew, the first series was broadcast in 2006 and the second series, which started in late 2007, concluded in early 2008.

The third series, commissioned three years after the second, sees Vlad and the Count flee both vampires and slayers, while the Count is determined that Vlad should fulfil his destiny to become "The Chosen One". This series was filmed in Liverpool during 2011, in various locations including the disused Margaret Bevan School, Croxteth Hall and Stanley Docks.[2][3][4] It began airing on 31 October 2011. The fourth series follows on from season three's predicament and had a new director, airing on 29 October 2012. Young Dracula was renewed for a fifth and final series in 2013, with filming beginning in April.[5] The hour long finale, "The Darkest Hour", aired on 31 March 2014.

Young Dracula was nominated for Best Children's Drama in the 2008 BAFTA Awards and has been nominated for several other awards. An additional series, the Young Dracula Files, began broadcasting on 24 October 2012, in which the main characters tell their stories of the past. It was primarily hosted by the character Bertrand Du Fortunesa, played by Cesare Taurasi.

Characters

[edit]
Main article: List of Young Dracula characters
Character Portrayed by Series
1 2 3 4 5
Vladimir Dracula Gerran Howell Main
Count Dracula Keith-Lee Castle Main
Ingrid Dracula Clare Thomas Main
Renfield Simon Ludders Main
Zoltan Andy Bradshaw Main
Robin Branagh Craig Roberts Main
Chloe Branagh Lucy Borja-Edwards Main
Eric Van Helsing Terence Maynard Main
Jonathan Van Helsing Terry Haywood Main
Mina Van Helsing Jo-Anne Knowles Main
Wolfie Westernra Lorenzo Rodriguez Main
Alex McCauley Letty Butler Main
Bertrand du Fortunesa Cesare Taurasi Main
Erin Noble Sydney Rae White Main
Malik Vaccaria Richard Southgate Main
Sally Giles Laura Howard Main
George Giles Bella Band Main
Asan Ramanga Quinton Nyirenda Main
Talitha Eleanor Gecks Main
Piers Mark Rowley Main

Main

[edit]
  • Gerran Howell as Vlad Dracula, a reluctant vampire and the son and heir of Count Dracula, who later discovers he is the Chosen One and is a half-human dimidius. He initially resists his destiny, fighting to find any way to become fully human, but ultimately embraces his full power in order to protect his family and friends and bring peace between humans and vampires.
  • Keith-Lee Castle as Count Dracula, the infamous 600-year-old vampire known as the 'Prince of Darkness', who often behaves maliciously and has no qualms about drinking blood, killing his enemies, and abusing Ingrid and Renfield. He has a softer side, which grows due to Vlad's influence and his fondness for certain humans, particularly Alex McCauley. Despite his reputation, Dracula displays frequent incompetence and weakened abilities due to his old age, but can prove formidable in battle on occasion.
  • Clare Thomas as Ingrid Dracula, Dracula's malicious daughter and Vlad's elder sister, who is neglected by her father and underestimated by the vampire community, making her determined to prove herself. She later seizes control of Stokely Castle and tries to kill her family, but is forced to seek refuge with them after being attacked by slayers years later. Ingrid eventually becomes a member of the Vampire High Council and the owner of Garside Grange. She may be a reference to Ingrid Pitt.
  • Craig Roberts as Robin Branaugh (series 1-2), Vlad's human best friend and confidante, who is obsessed with vampires and wants to become one himself. When Vlad discovers he is the Chosen One, he mind-wipes Robin, leaving him with no memory of vampires.
  • Terence Maynard as Eric Van Helsing (series 1-2), a woodwork teacher and inept slayer whose relentless pursuit of vampires estranged him from his wife Mina, and frequently embarrasses his son Jonno. Van Helsing has never actually slain a vampire prior to meeting Dracula, against whom he wages a feud. He later slays two vampires in a final conflict with the Dracula family, before Vlad mind-wipes him, leaving him with no memory of vampires. This renders Van Helsing defenceless against a later vampire attack, and he is killed.
  • Terry Haywood as Jonno Van Helsing (series 1-2 and 4; guest series 3), Van Helsing's son who initially does not believe in vampires, but later helps his father fight the Draculas. Jonno and his mother Mina take over the Slayers' Guild after Van Helsing is apparently killed by vampires, but Vlad brokers a truce and works with Jonno to try to bring peace.
  • Simon Ludders as Percival Renfield, Dracula's long-suffering servant. He is slow-witted and repulsively unhygienic, but is also a genius scientist and is deeply loyal to the Dracula family, mostly due to his misguided belief that Dracula will one day bite him. He eventually gains the bite through coercion, becoming a particularly incompetent vampire.
  • Beth Robert as Elizabeth Branaugh (series 1-2), Robin's perpetually cheerful mother, whom Dracula covets.
  • Aneirin Hughes as Graham Branaugh (series 1-2), Robin's father, a plumber who dislikes Dracula.
  • Lucy Borja as Chloe Branaugh (series 1-2), Robin's younger sister, who possesses prodigious intelligence and soon learns that the Draculas are vampires. She is Vlad's friend until her family are almost killed by vampires at Dracula's hunt ball, after which she refuses to go to the castle.
  • Ben McGregor as Ian Branaugh (series 1-2), Robin's brother, who bullies him and is besotted with Ingrid, much like his twin Paul.
  • Luke Bridgeman as Paul Branaugh (series 1-2), Robin's brother, who bullies him and is besotted with Ingrid, much like his twin Ian.
  • Andy Bradshaw as Zoltan (series 1-3), a Hellhound who was stuffed and reanimated by Dracula, and serves as Vlad's pet and confidante during his childhood.
  • Sydney Rae White as Erin Noble (series 3-4), a slayer who disguises herself as a vampire and infiltrates Garside Grange to try to cure her brother Ryan's vampirism. She develops a relationship with Vlad and works with him to bring peace, but after being fatally wounded by Adze, Erin is turned into a vampire by Vlad to save her, for which she hates him. She allies with Elizabeta and Malik to destroy the Draculas, and is later killed by Ramanga's Shadow Warriors in Paris.
  • Cesare Taurasi as Bertrand De Fortunessa (series 3-4), a vampire who travels to Garside to tutor Vlad in the use of his powers. Initially dubious of Vlad's plan for peace, Bertrand betrays him to Sethius, but realises Vlad's plan is the only hope for vampires and humans, and becomes devoted to helping him fulfil his goals. However Elizabeta Vaccaria frames Bertrand for further betrayal, for which Vlad kills him.
  • Letty Butler as Alex McCauley (series 3-4), Garside Grange's headmistress, with whom Dracula falls in love. She eventually discovers that the Draculas are vampires, but Vlad erases her memories of this and she leaves as Garside is closed.
  • Tom Gibbons as Ryan Noble (series 3-4), Erin's brother, a slayer who is bitten by Ingrid. Previously protective of his sister, he becomes a selfish vampire who allies with Ingrid and later Malik. Ryan is murdered by Elizabeta Vaccaria as part of a plan to drive Erin and Vlad apart.
  • Lorenzo Rodriguez as Wolfie Westenra (series 3-4), Ingrid's half-brother, a vampire-werewolf hybrid. He lives with Dracula for a few months before returning to his mother, Magda Westenra.
  • Richard Southgate as Malik Vaccaria (series 4-5), a vampire who believes Dracula is his father, and works with his mother Elizabeta to become Dracula's new heir and then kill him. Thwarted, Malik later learns Dracula is not his father, and is killed by Ramanga.
  • Robbie Gee as Ramanga (series 4; guest series 3 and 5), a Vampire High Council member who allies with Dracula to undermine the peaceful coexistence. He has Vlad betrothed to his daughter Adze, as part of a scheme to have her gain immense power from Vlad's first bite before assassinating the Chosen One, but the plan is foiled and Dracula rips out Ramanga's fangs to humiliate him. Ramanga later travels to the Shadow Realm and is driven insane, attempting to steal Vlad's power in a dark magic ritual, but he is killed by Dracula.
  • Nathasha Stokes as Adze Ramanga (series 4), Ramanga's daughter, who is betrothed to Vlad. She covets Vlad's first bite, believing it will bestow her with immense power, but the plot is thwarted. Replacing her father on the high council, Adze is later slain by Mina Van Helsing.
  • Laura Howard as Sally Giles (series 5), Vlad's human mother, an artist. Vlad tracks her down, revealing himself as a vampire, but is eventually forced to erase her memories of his existence to protect her after he achieves his full power.
  • Eleanor Gecks as Talitha Roquelaire (series 5), a peace-loving spiritualist vampire and the daughter of high council security chief Roquelaire. She travels with Vlad as his undercover bodyguard, and they later fall in love and begin a relationship.
  • Amron Adams as Shango Ramanga (series 5), Ramanga's older son, who seeks revenge on the Draculas for his father's humiliation and death. After making several attempts to destroy them, Shango forms a truce with the Draculas during the battle against the Blood Seed.
  • Quinton Nyirenda as Asan Ramanga (series 5), Ramanga's younger son, who infiltrates the Draculas' home to exact revenge for his father's death. He grows reluctant to betray the Draculas after befriending them.
  • Bella Band as George Giles (series 5), Vlad's human half-sister, an aspiring archaeologist. Vlad is later forced to erase her memories of his existence to protect her after he achieves his full power.

Series 1

After their father bit too many residents in their own Transylvania, Vladimir and Ingrid Dracula were compelled to move to Britain. For Vlad, it is a realisation of a dream and a step closer to the normal world that he so desperately wants. Keeping his family's secret will be a full-time job though, what with a bloodsucking father, a talking wolf, a servant who smells like mouse droppings, and a vampire sister. Fortunately for Vlad, Robin Branaugh proves to be a reliable friend and ally. Robin wishes he did, but he doesn't reside in a castle. He is not required to wear a cloak, yet he does. 

Series 2

Count Dracula is aware that slayers exist in Stokely as a result of the events at the Hunt Ball. Vlad must take all necessary measures to thwart his father's search for them. The appearance of Ivan, the Count's American brother, and Boris and Olga, Vlad and Ingrid's relatives, complicates matters further. Boris, his cousin, is set to complete his change.

Series 3

The third season of the show picks up four years after the conclusion of series 2, when Ingrid gained control of the Dracula castle and vowed retribution on Stokely for killing her boyfriend Will. Since then, the Count and Vlad have escaped, and while Ingrid also makes a comeback, they decide to buy a school to hide from the slayers and vampires that are pursuing them.

As opposed to the first two series, the plot in this one is not entirely focused on Vlad. The Count, Renfield, and Wolfie (the son of Magda and Patrick from an earlier series) are involved in further subplots. The balance of power has also altered; despite the fact that the Count is Vlad's regent and so has authority over him, Vlad is now more inclined to challenge his father.

Ingrid, on the other hand, is depicted as being more inclined to cooperate with the Count, and the two appear to have reached a tense ceasefire.

For the majority of the series, Bertram disagrees with Vlad because he thinks Vlad should concentrate solely on his duty as the chosen one and is critical of his connection with Erin.

Production

The television show left Wales and began shooting in and around Liverpool. The week of 9 May 2011, saw the start of the series' rehearsals, and the following week saw the start of its three-month filming schedule. The shooting was completed in August. On 31 October, the recently edited series was made available.

Series 4

The fourth season consists of 13 episodes total, with each one lasting roughly 30 minutes. Filming started in mid-April 2012, taking place in Liverpool, and the first episode aired on Monday, 29 October.

Series 5

Two months after the conclusion of series 4, Vlad, who is nearly eighteen, has returned from recent trips. He has learned what his father has been keeping a secret from him for the past 18 years. Ingrid has at last been elected to the High Council, but she is having trouble embracing her new position as Minister of Catering. Although her wicked intentions are yet unknown, it seems that she is attempting to depose Morgan. Ingrid has changed how she uses technology to compete with her rivals. With Asan's assistance, Malik is back to protect his family from the Shadow Warriors.

Main characters

Vladimir "Vlad" Dracula

Vladimir "Vlad" Dracula is the son of Count Dracula and Sally Giles, the maternal elder half-brother of Georgina Giles, and the ex-sex partner of Erin. He is Ingrid Dracula's paternal younger half-brother. He is the Dracula throne's Chosen One and the next in line.

Ingrid Dracula

The oldest child of Count Dracula and Magda Westernra is Ingrid Dracula. She consistently exhibits a desire for her father's and brother's abilities throughout the entire series. She joined the Vampire High Council in season four, earning the enormous power she had always desired.

Count Dracula

A former lover of Magda Westenra, Sally Giles, and Elizabeta Vaccaria, Count Dracula is the father of Vladimir Dracula and Ingrid Dracula, the guardian of Wolfie, the son of Dracos Dracula and Mrs. Dracula, the brother of Ivan Dracula and Arta Dracula, and the uncle of Boris Dracula and Olga Dracula. He currently holds the throne of Dracula.

Percival Renfield

Renfield, a repulsive individual who enjoys nothing more than eating maggots and nothing less than "breathers", is the Draculas' servant and dogsbody.

Episodes

[edit]
Main article: List of Young Dracula episodes
Series Episodes Originally aired
Series premiere Series finale
1 14 21 September 2006 (21 September 2006) 21 December 2006 (21 December 2006)
2 13 2 November 2007 (2 November 2007) 8 February 2008 (8 February 2008)
3 13 31 October 2011 (31 October 2011) 12 December 2011 (12 December 2011)
4 13 29 October 2012 (29 October 2012) 18 December 2012 (18 December 2012)
5 13 13 January 2014 31 March 2014

Ratings

[edit]
Series Episode No. Airdate Total viewers CBBC weekly rank
1
1 21 September 2006 — —
2 28 September 2006 — —
3 5 October 2006 — —
4 12 October 2006 — —
5 19 October 2006 — —
6 26 October 2006 — —
7 2 November 2006 — —
8 9 November 2006 — —
9 16 November 2006 — —
10 23 November 2006 — —
11 30 November 2006 — —
12 7 December 2006 — —
13 14 December 2006 195,000 2
14 21 December 2006 194,000 6
2
1 2 November 2007 313,000 2
2 9 November 2007 210,000 —
3 16 November 2007 269,000 6
4 23 November 2007 312,000 5
5 30 November 2007 270,000 6
6 7 December 2007 274,000 3
7 14 December 2007 335,000 2
8 21 December 2007 242,000 9
9 11 January 2008 307,000 4
10 18 January 2008 270,000 4
11 25 January 2008 201,000 —
12 1 February 2008 137,000 —
13 8 February 2008 291,000 8
3
1 31 October 2011 454,000 2
2 1 November 2011 539,000 1
3 7 November 2011 524,000 1
4 8 November 2011 437,000 3
5 14 November 2011 562,000 1
6 15 November 2011 508,000 2
7 21 November 2011 557,000 2
8 22 November 2011 573,000 1
9 28 November 2011 587,000 1
10 29 November 2011 520,000 4
11 5 December 2011 497,000 1
12 6 December 2011 389,000 5
13 12 December 2011 457,000 4
4
1 29 October 2012 407,000 8
2 5 November 2012 306,000 10
3 12 November 2012 332,000 9
4 19 November 2012 334,000 —
5 26 November 2012 272,000 —
6 27 November 2012 253,000 —
7 3 December 2012 326,000 —
8 4 December 2012 341,000 —
9 10 December 2012 269,000 —
10 11 December 2012 312,000 —
11 17 December 2012 326,000 6
12 18 December 2012 314,000 8
13 18 December 2012 328,000 5

Awards

[edit]
  • In 2007, Young Dracula won the Royal Television Society Award for Best Children's Drama, and the Welsh BAFTA for Best Children's Drama.
  • In 2008, Young Dracula was nominated for the BAFTA Children's Drama Award.
  • In 2012, Young Dracula was nominated for three awards at the Royal Television Society North West awards including Best Programme and for a Kids Vote BAFTA.[6]

Release

[edit]

A DVD of the first series of Young Dracula was released on 15 October 2012.

A DVD of the second and third series of Young Dracula was released in 2013.

A DVD of the Series Four and Five were released on 9 October and 5 November 2014, respectively.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Young Dracula at Fantastic Fiction: The cover has a still from the show and the legend "The inspiration for the CBBC TV series"
  2. ^ "Waterloo Road heads to Scotland". How-Do. 23 August 2011. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
  3. ^ "CBBC Programmes - Young Dracula, Series 3, Hide and Seek". BBC. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
  4. ^ "Behind the scenes at Young Dracula". BBC. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  5. ^ Clare Thomas Prosser [@clarelucythomas] (20 December 2012). "So we've had some good news. Young Dracula WILL be filming again next summer for a 5th Series. Happy Christmas YD fans!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  6. ^ "2008 Children's Awards - Children's - Awards - The BAFTA site". Bafta.org. Archived from the original on 1 August 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
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