The Reluctant Vampire arrives on BBC One tonight, Sunday 4 October, at 6.40pm, with Lenny Rush starring in the new family comedy based on Eric Morecambe’s beloved story. The series has six episodes in total, each running for around 30 minutes, with episodes airing on BBC One and all six already available to stream on BBC iPlayer for anyone who cannot wait to watch ahead.
The comedy follows 15-year-old Valentine, or Val, played by Rush, who has spent his life believing he is simply a terrible vampire. As heir to the vampire throne, he is expected to follow in the footsteps of his father, but there is one fairly major problem: Val has never had much of an appetite for the usual bloodthirsty side of vampire life. His mother then reveals the reason why. Val is actually human.
That leaves him trying to keep the truth from his father, the vampire king, and work out where he belongs as he finds himself caught between his vampire family and the human world.
Episode 2 sees Val’s curiosity about human life getting the better of him as he explores the village, before later episodes follow him trying to balance both sides of his life. Things become even more complicated when vampire hunters arrive, his family venture into the village and Val eventually has to decide whether he can continue living a double life.
Rush is joined by Sian Clifford as Val’s mother and Tom Davis as his vampire father. The adaptation comes from Neil and Rob Gibbons, the writers behind Alan Partridge, bringing Eric Morecambe’s 1982 story to television more than four decades after it was first published.
For CultureCues, the idea of a vampire who discovers he is actually human is already a very fun way into a family comedy, and Lenny Rush is a great choice to lead it. Six half-hour episodes also makes this an easy one to get through, especially with Halloween not too far away. No bloodlust required.
The Reluctant Vampire begins tonight at 6.40pm on BBC One.
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Nikki Murray is a UK-based writer, screenwriter and founder & editor of CultureCues, covering film, television, music and pop culture. Her work focuses on storytelling and the moments shaping modern entertainment.