While Steven Moffat’s Sherlock has followed a turbulent path, from the highs of its initial hype to fans’ disenchantment with recent episodes, the soon-to-be-released Dracula shows promise to be exactly what Moffat needs to restore his reputation as an esteemed show runner.
When the first season of Sherlock hit the small screen in 2010, it was met with instant acclaim. In the early 2010s, “Moffat-run” was a qualification generally met with approval; it was an assurance of excellence. At the time, the writer was also in charge of Doctor Who, creating award-winning episodes and beloved by fans. However, as time passed, this positivity waned, both for Doctor Who and Sherlock. Sherlock fell in esteem for viewers and critics alike, with its seasonal Rotten Tomato score plummeting from the low 90s to the mid 50s.
By 2016, a time when Moffat announced he would be stepping down from show-running Doctor Who, fans of Sherlock agreed that, at best, the detective show was misguided. However, negative reviews didn’t scare Moffat off television adaptations of classic literature. In 2018, BBC One and Netflix commissioned Dracula to Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, the team behind Sherlock. Based on Bram Stoker’s novel, the show is set to hit screens in early January and has, so far, shown promise for the discredited show runner.
Netflix’s Dracula Looks Amazing (For Those Who Like Being Disturbed)
The aesthetics of Sherlock have always been a strong point for the show. From its snappy portrayal of Sherlock’s (Benedict Cumberbatch) thought process to the lavish, period-appropriate costumes of “The Abominable Bride” Christmas episode, it is a show with strong visual appeal. Dracula looks to live up that legacy. From its teaser trailer alone, the vampire horror promises grotesquely stunning imagery: flies crawling into moving eyes, rotting fingernails ripped out of their roots, oozing blood and cracking bone.
The Change From Mystery To Horror In Dracula Might Be Moffat’s Saving Grace
One of the primary issues fans had with the BBC’s Sherlock by the end of its run was a lack of delivery. From the first episode of the series,“A Study In Pink”, the show teased questions and greater mysteries to be uncovered. But as the show developed, it seemed it only knew how to do that: tease, but never quite answer. From a genre standpoint, as a piece of crime fiction, Sherlock demands that questions be answered. The change in genre in Moffat’s new show could avoid this dissatisfaction altogether. The trailers for the 2020 Dracula confirm the show will follow the novel’s legacy and stay deeply rooted in horror. As a genre, horror doesn’t seek to answer questions so much as instil fear. It is less about who, what, or how the villain operates, but that the monster portrayed on screen raises the hair on the back of viewers’ necks.
Moffat has verified experience producing successful horror beloved by fans. He wrote season 3, episode 10,“Blink”, which is considered one of the best Doctor Who episodes in the modern era. Part of a one-shot about antagonists that only move when not looked at, his Angels live on in Doctor Who canon as some of the most terrifying monsters in the show. The episode is measured, but chilling, balancing a crawling “corner of your eye” horror with adrenaline-driven shocks. While Sherlock fans might be apprehensive, Moffat has shown he knows how to deliver on horror, which is exactly what the upcoming Dracula needs.
Next: 10 Best Versions Of Dracula, Ranked
Dracula premieres New Year’s Day on BBC One and January 5th on Netflix.
