Young Dracula: Difference between revisions

[[File:young_dracula.jpg|frame]]

 

 

All 12-year-old Vlad wants is an ordinary life, and he's hoping that his family's move to Wales might be just the thing to provide it. Regrettably, the family is moving from Transylvania, where they've been chased out by an angry mob, and the family name is Dracula, so the chances of a normal adolescence in the Welsh 'burbs are slim.

Down the road in the village, young Robin Branagh dreams of becoming a vampire and avoiding his family's camping holidays. Teaching at the local school is woodwork teacher and would-be vampire hunter Eric van Helsing, whose son Jonathan ("Jono") is just as embarrassed by his father as Vlad is by his.

 

 

As of Season Three, the setting has changed somewhat. Clan Dracula has been forced to hide from the slayers in a school while Vlad learns how to master his powers from a private tutor, Bertrand. They are soon joined by their half-brother Wolfie and Erin, a young half-fang<ref> [[First Episode Spoiler|really a human with slayer training]]</ref> who Vlad soon develops [[Interspecies Romance|a crush on]].

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* [[Abusive Parents]]: Arguably the Count. He shows blatant favoritism for Vlad over Ingrid, even though Ingrid is the one who acts the way he keeps pressuring Vlad to act. It could be argued that he's also abusive to Vlad based on his inability to accept that Vlad isn't a younger copy of himself, but it's much less blatant than his abuse of Ingrid.

** Renfield's father is another example. It's made quite clear that he hates his son, and he was even willing to let the Draculas drink his blood so that Renfield Sr. could become immortal.

* [[All Girls Want Bad Boys]]: Erin's 'friend' Becky is attracted to evil Vlad, eagerly accepting his invitation for [[Exact Words|a quick bite for lunch.]]

* [[Annoying Younger Sibling]]: Vlad fits the trope for Ingrid, just as she, though older, covers the "annoying" bit for him: he doesn't want to be a vampire but is still favoured by his father and she does want to be one but is ignored. Olga, although she is a cousin rather than a sibling of theirs, likewise fits the trope for Ingrid because of her competitive streak.

*** Wolfie, on the other hand, seems to get along fine with his older half-siblings, preferring to annoy Renfield.

* [[Anti-Anti-Christ]]: In the season/series 2 episode, Insomnia, Vlad is said to be this in a dreamworld (he's supposed to bring vampires back to their former glory-i.e. make vampires the rulers once more and knowing most vampires' preference of draining tens of peasants dry a day

* [[Bathroom Break Out]]: Van Helsing does it in "Halloscream"; leaving behind a tape of himself whistling to convince Jono that he is still in there.

* [[Because You Were Nice to Me]]: Ingrid saves the lives of the Branagh family in the series 1 finale for this reason, although {{spoiler|she accomplishes this by insulting them and refusing their kindness}}.

* [[Butt Monkey]]: Renfield, Eric van Helsing.

* [[The Caligula]]: Ingrid, at least in the series 2 finale

* [[Changeling Fantasy]]: One episode revolves around Robin theorizing that he and Vlad could have been [[Switched At Birth]] (during a rather unlikely Branagh family holiday in Transylvania). Matters aren't helped when Ingrid then fakes a diary of her mother's to prove that this is the case.

* [[The Chosen One]]: Vlad

** Episode 9 of series 3 is a mild form of this, focusing on Ingrid. Does help her to get out of her [[Villainous BSOD]]. And it's the nearest we'll get to seeing Will back in the series.

** School isn't compulsory in the UK, anyway.

*** No, but education is. If you don't inform the local council of your home-schooling plans in detail, you can be arrested, which leads us back to the issue in the beginning.

* [[Disguised in Drag]]: Eric van Helsing on several occasions (see [[Paper-Thin Disguise]]), and Jonno just once.

* [[Does This Remind You of Anything?]]: In ''The Yanks Are Coming'', learning to stop drinking blood is treated exactly like quitting smoking.

* [[Dracula]]

* {{spoiler|[[Electra Complex]]: See [[Cain and Abel]].}}

* [[Enemy Mine]]: {{spoiler|Sethius is such an [[Ax Crazy]] [[Complete Monster]] that ''everyone'' realises the need to put aside their differences and team up with Vlad to stop him.}}

* [[Evil Costume Switch]]: an interesting example in episode 3x01 has Vlad change from his school uniform into a black leather jumpsuit and black cape to go rescue Ingrid from the slayers. He's not actually turning evil but he is embracing the vampire side of himself.

* [[Evil Gloating]]: Borris does this after his transformation into a vampire, "I'M THE KING OF THE WORLD!" included.

* [[A Fete Worse Than Death]]: What the Branaghs would suffer had hunt of the Hunt Ball went to plan.

* [[Fille Fatale]]: Ingrid. And she's well aware of it.

* [[Getting Crap Past the Radar]]: In episode 3x03 when Vlad's tired of telepathy training, he's given a walky talky for practise and sarcastically says "Whisky Tango Foxtrot" (WTF). For a children's show on the BBC, fairly risky.

** When the Count tries to get Vlad to practise his telepathy:

'''Count''': ...Actually, I can. And in answer: I seriously doubt it would fit. }}

** When the Count tells Renfield his plan to be Miss Mc Cauley secret admire.

'''Renfield''': Is that legal? }}

* [[Hollywood Nerd]]: Borris, a solid Type 1. (Until his 16th birthday, that is...)

* [[Horrible Judge of Character]]: In the series two episode ''Bad Reflection'', Vlad's cousin Boris grows into a full vampire and undergoes a [[Face Heel Turn]] that causes Count Dracula to say [[Even Evil Has Standards]]. Vlad is completely oblivious to this, even after an [[Evil Monologue]] or two. Of course, he has his reasons, since he's very worried about turning evil when he becomes a full vampire, and desperately wanted to believe that his friend had gone through the transformation without any personality change, so it could have been more of a [[Willing Suspension of Disbelief]] on his part.

* [[I Hate You, Vampire Dad]]: Vlad has touches of this at times, as he doesn't want to become a vampire as family tradition dictates. To be fair, most of his anger does seem to be more directed at his mum. Ingrid also suffers this, though it is mostly because the Count largely ignores her.

* [[I Just Want to Be Normal]]: Vlad ''and'' Jonathan.

* [[Ignored Confession]]: Ingrid's therapist assumes that her references to 'sucking the life out of her friends', 'seeing nothing when she looks at herself in the mirror' and others being interesting metaphors, perhaps related to some kind of extended vampire fantasy.

* [[Interspecies Romance]]: Between Vlad and {{spoiler|Erin}} in Series Three. {{spoiler|A strange example in that Vlad had [[Everyone Can See It|a strong crush on her]] before he discovered she was actually human.}}

** Though not really. To be clear, while the twins do fit the stereotype of 'jerk jock', they do seem to hold their young siblings in varying degrees of affection.

* [[Laser-Guided Amnesia]]: Renfield, at least in the opening in series 3,is still affected by the mind-wipe performed by Vlad in the last episode of series 2.

* [[Late Arrival Spoiler]]: Vlad's status as the Chosen One. Revealed halfway through series 2, it wasn't really mentioned much. Come series 3, it's been mentioned every single episode, and was used in the ''advertisements'' for the new series as well. At this point, it's clear it's not considered a spoiler any more.

* [[Line-of-Sight Name]]: When Robin pretending to be a vampire and being questioned by the Westenras, he is asked the name of his parents. Glancing around, his eye falls upon a certain kitchen implement and he says his father is "Count Spatula".

'''Count Dracula''': They never ''want'' to donate, you fool. That's we have ''fangs''. }}

* [[Missing Mom]]: Vlad and Ingrid's mother ran off with a werewolf, and Jonathan's mother left because of van Helsing's vampire obsession. Magda shows up from time to time. {{spoiler|Mina Van Helsing shows up in the latter half of series 2}}

** the Carpathian Feast is this too. If you're the vampire intended to be thrown into the flames.

* [[Noodle Incident]]:

'''Renfield''': [[Crowning Moment of Funny|You did say that about the porcupine, master.]] }}

* [[Not His Sled]]: In the books the kids were [[Switched At Birth]]. In the TV series Vlad and Robin look this way at first, each fitting into the other's family better. {{spoiler|They're not, no matter how much Robin wishes they were.}}

* [[Ominous Latin Chanting]]: In the episode ''Insomnia''. It's there to show the serious nature of what Vlad is being told.

** Chloe eventually stops hanging out with them on the basis that strange and dangerous things keep happening when they're around. That's a degree of sense few fictional characters ever demonstrate.

*** Lampshaded again by Chloe in the episode ''Bodyswap''

* [[Our Vampires Are Different]]: Vampires can be born, receiving their full powers after passing Blood Tests, and merging with their reflections from the family Blood Mirror on their sixteenth birthday.

* [[Parent Service]]: Count Dracula for the mums, Magda for the dads.

* [[Pivotal Wakeup]]

* [[Revealing Hug]]: Erin pulls one of these on Vlad after promising him that there weren't any more secrets.

** Then she gets one pulled right in front of her by Ingrid, who deliberately smirks at her to gloat that {{spoiler|Vlad doesn't even trust Erin's warning that Ingrid has a team of half-fangs hunting him.}}

** Also {{spoiler|Sethius, trapped in the Predictum Impava by other vampires for being insane.}}

** Really, a lot of the [[Mythology Gag]] could double as this.

** A shout out to Jaws in episode 1 of series 3

* [[Sliding Scale of Vampire Friendliness]]: Vampires become such by merging with evil mirror-world versions of themselves at age sixteen, and how evil they turn depends on their strength of will. Ingrid, for example, is downright bloodthirsty, manipulating and evil before she changes, but when her mirror-self suggests she kill her boyfriend she flees from it. When she does merge, she does it of her own will and overcomes the urges associated with it. Compare with Boris, who is weaker willed. Boris becomes completely psychotic from the merge. Vampires can subsist on animals, but most would prefer not to.

* [[Switched At Birth]]: Robin's [[Changeling Fantasy]] centres around the idea that he and Vlad were swapped at birth. They weren't, but Ingrid fakes a diary to convince everyone that they were.

** Funnily enough this was the entire plot of the original book the series was based on.

* [[Tempting Fate]]: In "Halloscream", Robin says "It's just an old biscuit tin. What's the worst that could happen?". As it turns out, opening the tin unleashes an ancient curse that will turn the Dracula family human.

* [[Title Drop]]: Executioner Morai in ''When Vampires Go Bad'':

* [[Torches and Pitchforks]]: The Draculas were driven out of Transylvania by an angry peasant mob. When we see the mob in the Count's nightmares and flasbacks, they are wielding the requisite torches and pitchforks.

** The eclipse ended while Ingrid was still in the movies. She probably just hung around in the shadows outside until it got dark before she went home.

* [[The Unfavorite]]: Ingrid

* [[Ungrateful Bastard]]: Ingrid again. She actually acknowledges that Erin saved her life - but only so that Vlad will ''think'' she has a reason to help save her in return. All the while, she's planning to have Erin killed.

* [[Vampires Are Sex Gods]]: The Count is gorgeous, Magda is [[The Vamp]], and even Ivan is pretty handsome. The guests at the Hunt Ball aren't too hard on the eyes either. In fact, the only really unattractive vampires we see are the Westenras.

* [[Vampire Vannabe]]: Robin

* [[Van Helsing Hate Crimes]]

* [[Villainous BSOD]]: Ingrid seems to be practically catatonic after being {{spoiler|almost killed by Vlad.}}

[[Category:CBBC]]

[[Category:Vampire Fiction]]

[[Category:TV Series]]