Blade TV series cancelled…as expected.
As I predicted after watching the pilot episode Spike TV’s Blade television series, which brought Marvel Comics’ badass vampire hunter from the silver to the small screen, has been cancelled after its first season.
Which, though the series didn’t do much for me initially, is sort of a shame. It did get better - and the level of sex, drugs and gore on basic cable was a little staggering. While I prefer blood-thirsty monster vampires to Anne Rice-style new romantic vampires, the series’ take on vampire clans as ancient mafia-style families with a little spooky religion mixed in was handled well by famed comics scribe Geoff Johns.
In the end the TV series was better than the last Blade movie (though I’d watch that one again just for Parker Posey as an evil female vampire) and certainly better than anything Marvel’s done with the character in print in a long time. However, as the TV series dies Howard Chaykin, one of my favorite writers/artists, is giving the Blade comic property a shake over at Marvel.
Chaykin was doing graphic sex and violence and biting social commentary in comics when Brian Azzarello was in short pants, so I’m on board.
There’s going to be a DVD of the TV series’ full run with extras. You can put it on your bookshelf next to that lone season of Joss Whedon’s Firefly.
15 Responses to “Blade TV series cancelled…as expected.”
By Nick M on Oct 3, 2006 | Reply
While I only watched the first 3 or 4 episodes, I think I can safely assert that equating this incarnation of Blade with the genius of Firefly is just nutty. Nutty I say!
By Joe Killian on Oct 3, 2006 | Reply
In quality, I’d agree.
Their fates, however, make them brothers…
By Rick on Oct 5, 2006 | Reply
Good bye and good riddance! This show was, hands down, the trite-est piece of garbage I’ve seen in a long time. Hey, and that’s saying a lot with all the new Fall-time debuts starting up!
The show should not have been called “Blade”. The show should have been called “Some no-name girl doing her best impersonation of Deep Cover and Blade”.
And Chaykin’s a madman, but vampires suck. Literally and figuratively. So boring…so over-done…you can’t expect much from Howie when you give the man dookie to work with.
By Joe Killian on Oct 5, 2006 | Reply
I agree it’s really, really hard to do vampires well.
I was not a fan of Vertigo’s “Bite Club” which a lot of people loved.
Cassidy from “Preacher,” some of the solo Morbius The Living Vampire stuff - that’s a comic book vampire that’s worth reading.
By stephenomenal on Oct 8, 2006 | Reply
I was just glad Blade stopped going to Nino Brown’s barber.
By John Thompson on Oct 16, 2006 | Reply
I found the series to be mildly entertaining as it went on and tried to flesh out some of it’s characters. The problem is that the show lacked a soul. It didn’t feel anything for it’s characters and that translates into hollow characterization and with a show that delves into the subject of vampires and anything supernatural you need characterization to ground it. Kirk “Sticky Fingaz” Jones was a great physical choice but his acting left much to be desired and the rest of the cast was almost as lackluster. Emotions were alternately underplayed and overplayed and seldom hit the right chord. That can easily be a product of direction as in “Bloodrayne” (which I suggest should be banned from being sold in any form anywhere) and writing. Overall it is the best live action series brought to life from a Marvel comic yet, but that doesn’t make it good.
By Max on Nov 13, 2006 | Reply
They should have at least finished the story before being canceled.
Although it could have been better, I stuck with it ti the end. Now I’ll never know what happens after the last season cliffhanger.
By Mike M on Dec 18, 2006 | Reply
I was wondering exactly what had happened to this series, since I never saw anything official about its fate. I was kind of assuming that it was close to being cancelled after the last episode, because it wasn’t even being rerun, but it would still have been nice to hear directly from the network one way or the other.
I enjoyed the show, but then I had no particular expectations about it one way or the other. There were a few characters that didn’t add very much to the story lines, but all in all it was about as good an action series as you’re going to find on television these days. The acting, while not necessarily stellar, still suited the material. It was good fun without being too campy and just violent enough to take some people out of their comfort zone. Not the best vampire series ever attempted, but hardly the worst either. Sorry to see it go.
By Bob R on Apr 6, 2007 | Reply
Sure most of the acting sucked,But look at the choices we have to pick from.Thier should have been 12 weeks and prayed it got better.
Just look at the junk that is on TV now.I have 180 with HD and I have to watch cops reruns.I like Girls Gone Wild info..I sick of TV.Back to music and I am 59 yrs young
By Deric on Apr 12, 2007 | Reply
I thought that the series was pretty good. It started off kind of rocky but it eventually smoothed out. Kirk ‘Sticky’ Jones did a good job for someone not trained in any type of martial arts.
By Oni on Jul 4, 2007 | Reply
I am a big vampire slaying movie fan.I thought that the series was great,ina sense that this is the closest you can get to bloody action. It dindn’t have enough scenes where Blade gets furious,and slaughters all, anyway; better then all the shit in T.V. hope it returns with more horror and gore
By E on Jul 5, 2007 | Reply
Love films wher vamps get killed by humans, just cus they got stronger doesn’t mean their better. Cool pic of Spiderman and Blade, but no challenge, Spidermans at least x10 stronger then blade now.
Working on a Slayer comic in my spare time, any1 got any ideas, it’ll b much apprechiated:)
By Kelly on Jul 12, 2007 | Reply
omg!! they can’t cancel blade! that was my favorite show! i LOVE it
By L Woods on Aug 17, 2007 | Reply
THIS SUCKS! I thought it was a great show and so did all my friends. Why did Spike cancel it and why hasn’t anyone else picked it up! I’ve been waiting almost a year to find out what happens to all these characters and now they just leave me hangin’. SPIKE SUCKS!
By My name is not required :D on Oct 19, 2007 | Reply
This sucks!!
Why did it get canceled in the first place??