What A Tangled Web. Review: Dracula – “Come to Die”

Season 1, Episode 9

Air Date: Friday, January 10, 2014, 10PM E/P on NBC.

Rating: ★★★★★

“I will never lie to you; you have my word.” — Alexander Grayson

What is obsession? Loving something to the point it controls every facet of your life? Searching for what seems to remain just out of reach? “Come to Die” delves into the obsession of quite a few characters, showing us just what comes of the things you can’t let lie. Who knew murder would be an outcome of obsession? I sure didn’t see it coming.

Observations and thoughts:

Leading Man

Dracula pushes all of its actors to their best. I can’t think of a single person who doesn’t embody their character, sometimes taking their portrayal that extra step. Case in point, Jonathan Rhys Meyers goes above and beyond. He explores the duplicity of a man with one laser sharp focus—getting what he wants. As Alexander, he strives for revenge; as Dracula, he craves revenge. Alexander pines after a lover he can’t have; Dracula sees his wife in a reincarnated woman who is just beyond his reach. Meyers doesn’t skimp on the dramatics. He digs deep to pull out all the stops when Alexander flies into a rage. Watching him go up against Nonso Anozie’s Renfield creates a few tense moments. I couldn’t tell if the two are acting or really pushing each other. I appreciate this attention to detail, making the action on screen as realistic as possible. There has to be an award or two in Dracula’s future.

Leading Lady

Mina’s (Jessica De Gouw) fallen prey to her heart, although she feels it leads her to the one man she has loved all her life. “But Alexander, he exerts a kind of magnetic force…” Ah yes, we cannot forget that pull she has to him; the undying connection between the two star-crossed lovers. I love watching De Gouw as Mina fights to keep her true feelings hidden. She does an excellent job of portraying the young and confused woman, clinging to her lifelong love, while battling the feelings brought out by Alexander—a battle we know she cannot win.

Sloppy Seconds

Lady Jayne (Victoria Smurfit) is a fearsome vampire hunter. I think I respect her most when she’s on the job even though she can come across as an aggressive hosebeast. Not so much when she’s seducing a young girl trying to decipher her feelings for her best friend. I think Lady Jayne should stick to the vampire killing and leave love and all that comes with it to Lucy (Katie McGrath) to figure out. I’m still reeling over their conversation from last week’s episode. I saw it coming, yet don’t want Jayne to manipulate Lucy into pushing Mina and Jonathan (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) apart. She’s much better than that.

Doctor Secretive

When will Van Helsing (Thomas Kretschmann) tell Alexander the truth about who Browning (Ben Miles) is? I think he’s missing a huge opportunity there. Granted, Alexander is ready to make heads roll, but I think it would be beneficial for them both to learn of Browning’s true motivations and just how evil he is. I get that Van Helsing wants to keep Browning all to himself. He wants to exact his revenge very carefully. He has to know Alexander will find out and I don’t think it will bode well for the man. That may be the breaking point for unleashing their rivalry. Because you know it has to be coming. These two won’t remain friends for too long.

Random Thoughts:

It has to be said: Renfield is the man. He’s a scene stealer, a great friend, and a hell of a tackler.

I may be hearing things but does Alexander switch accents when he isn’t playing the part of the billionaire American? I’m sure it has something to do with the way he lowers his voice and fills it with malice.

Alexander does a great job of getting between two lovers without even trying too hard. I love how subtle he works into the subconscious, invading one’s thoughts and planting seeds. Add a little water (aka doubt) and watch them grow.

Funny lines:

Alexander to Renfield: “I allowed a question; that does not mean I wish to answer it.”

Alexander: “Who do I have to kill?”

Renfield: “May I suggest no one, sir; at least this once.”

“Come to Die” is another great episode, leaving me guessing what will happen next. I love how the writers introduce comedy into each episode. Alexander and Renfield have such great camaraderie, you’d think they were brothers. I can’t get enough of their bantering because their faces remain so serious, you have to be a master at getting their sarcasm. In other news, we’ve got serious plot arcs developing for future episodes of the series: Jonathan has really stepped in it; Lucy is going to find herself utterly alone; Alexander may uncover more than he hopes to when Van Helsing finally comes clean. I can’t wait! Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below or drop me a line on Twitter @ellemoe. I’d love to hear from you.

Tune in to Dracula Fridays at 10PM E/P, only on NBC. For more on the show, visit the official site.

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Elle

Writer, mother, realist, cloud lover, daydreamer, dessert enthusiast, sweet tea addict, perfectionist, and lover of life and Christ, but not in that order. http://www.fanfiction.net/~vikingloverelle