TV's most memorable vampires

TV vampires through the years

1967: Daytime soap "Dark Shadows" was struggling in the ratings until Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid) swooped in to save the day. Johnny Depp's portrayal of the same character in Tim Burton's 2012 version didn't scare up much interest.

1972: Count von Count joined "Sesame Street" four years into its run, appealing to both kids who were learning their numbers and parents who were savvy enough to know the Muppet was a tribute to Bela Lugosi.

1974: Dracula may be the most famous vampire, but he's never been a major draw on the small screen. The most intriguing interpretation may be Jack Palance's take in the TV movie "Bram Stoker's Dracula," directed by "Dark Shadows" creator Dan Curtis.

1997: The TV version of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" was much more successful than the 1992 film of the same name, thanks largely to the title character's lust for eternally cursed Angel (David Boreanaz), who would eventually earn a show of his own.

2008: Young lust has rarely been as sultry — or dangerous — as it was when telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse fell for vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) in "True Blood," Alan Ball's follow-up to "Six Feet Under."

2016: The award for most underappreciated bloodsucker goes to Proinsias Cassidy (Joseph Gulgin), the sidekick in "Preacher" who craves drugs just as much as he needs blood. If only he — and the quick-witted series — had gotten more love.

2019: Mark Proksch, the breakout star of "What We Do In the Shadows," based his performance as hilarious energy vampire Colin Robinson on work associates he endured while doing temp jobs in Minneapolis.