There’s likely no movie monster that’s received as much interpretation (and reinterpretation) as Dracula, which is an illustrator of how much the character resonates with audiences.

Which is also a double-edged sword in that when you reach a certain point in terms of being a part of the cultural zeitgeist, there’s little else you can do to make a character appear new and fresh.

So the makers of Dracula, produced by Netflix and BBC, adding writing that’s sharp and witty, strong characterization and an approach to the material that gave women and people of color a role (literally and figuratively) to play.

And it works. Dracula somehow feels new-ish, despite the essentials of the story being the same as they were in countless adaptations and Bram Stokers’ original story.