Van Helsing Season 1

If you want science fiction that respects its own premise, Van Helsing Season 1 is available on and right now. The 1-season run is exactly the right length for what it is doing. 936 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Kelly Overton sets the tone, and the world-building does the rest. Put it on tonight and see for yourself.

There is a reason Van Helsing Season 1 keeps coming up in conversation. Van Helsing Season 1 uses its genre premise as cover for asking bigger questions. After a catastrophic volcano eruption, the last remaining underground vampires rise up through a dark, ash-filled sky to overtake America. Vanessa Van Helsing, a descendant of the legendary line of vampire hunters, awakens from a three-year coma to discover that she’s not only immune to the bloodthirsty predators – but also has the ability to make them human again. Kelly Overton and Paul Johansson lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was aired in 2016. The rules of Van Helsing Season 1's world are consistent enough that the big swings never feel like cheating. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Viewers burned by ambitious sci-fi that could not sustain its premise should give Van Helsing Season 1 a chance. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single week. Kelly Overton anchors it with a performance that makes the more abstract moments feel personal. If you have been burned by ambitious sci-fi before, this is the exception.