I admit, I very nearly bounced off the first couple episodes of season 1. I’m now a few episodes into season 2, and the show has improved. But has it improved enough?

I have big hopes, hopes that I think are likely to remain unrealized, for the continued development of Lisa Tepes despite her (spoilers) death in the first episode. It’s her rapid death that first made me almost stop watching the show. I understand that Dracula is a big deal, the show’s focus, and I can see that Lisa Tepes’ death at the hands of the Church is perfect fuel for Dracula’s bloody and vengeful return, but…

I’m tired of fridging, okay? And that’s precisely what this is. Worse, it’s fridging without giving much meaning to Doctor Lisa Tepes—scientist, healer, and human bride of Dracula—beyond her death. Scalzi’s Redshirts was a heartfelt satirical send-up of this sort of writing, published in 2012, and I wish I were more shocked that this lazy writing is still getting a pass.

It doesn’t help that the show’s writer Warren Ellis has an alleged history of sexual manipulation and coercion. He has acknowledged and apologized for it, but it’s not clear that he’s made the changes requested of him by those who’ve alleged his bad conduct. You can read the Wikipedia entry and do further research for yourself if you like.

I don’t know—based on what else I’ve read of Warren Ellis’ work—whether I should be surprised to see this writing coming from him or not. Anyway.

How could killing Lisa Tepes off immediately be redeemed?

“Redeemed” might be too big an ask. But one step would be for the show to continue exploring Lisa Tepes’ character with flashbacks. The show has done a little bit of that so far, which I appreciate. The more depth and history and agency they can give her in her past life, the better. Given that the show’s erstwhile heroes include Alucard, Lisa & Dracula’s son, there’s a clear route available for the show to build far more depth for both Alucard and Lisa Tepes in a way that might make Lisa’s death at the very beginning of the show feel… not good, but less awful. Less like it’s cheating us and itself at the same time.

It wasn’t just the fridging of Lisa Tepes that turned me off this show at the start. I also didn’t care for the ostensible first protagonist, Trevor Belmont. In those first two episodes, he didn’t interest me as a hero. I’m glad to say that he seems to show a little more depth by the end of season 1 (which is only four episodes), and he continues to be developed through early season 2. But between him and the immediate death of Lisa Tepes I nearly stopped watching the show.

Why, then, would I continue with it?

It’s pretty. It’s pretty, and the fight scenes looked pretty, and I’d heard that the show was a good one. That’s why I stuck with it.

I was also curious about seeing Dracula’s character, and I thought maybe there would be something more interesting coming down the pipe. I’m no longer sure of that early in season 2—not because I don’t see things developing, but because I think I can see where the plot is going and I’m not as excited about it as I’d like to be. On the plus side, I’m now enjoying the interplay between Sypha, Trevor, and Alucard. They’re a curious trio.

I do feel a little like Sypha’s character development has slowed or stopped since Alucard joined the group at the end of season 1. I see more attention being paid to Trevor and Alucard for the moment. At present, I’m okay with that. Running constant larger scale character development for everyone at once is exhausting, and frankly can tire me out as a viewer—I appreciate having consistent small scale progress with the focus moving from character to character. But if this becomes a pattern, as I fear it might, then… I don’t know. I might just skip to watching Castlevania: Nocturne, which I’ve heard is also good and has not-Warren Ellis as a writer.

Honestly, I started watching Castlevania first because I figured it would be background to whatever happened in Nocturne. I didn’t look that up, I just assumed it. I’m still ready to watch more at this point, I haven’t yet given up hope… but as much fun as this show is right now I’m not utterly wowed by it.

If you want to watch an anime-inspired vampire show, this one’s pretty and has some fun bits. I’m still working through it. I can’t yet give you any big conclusions about season 2. Season 1 felt fun enough for me to finish it, short as it was, but it also nearly convinced me to give up in episode 1. With that in mind… if you want vampire drama, try it! At least the show has a not-shitty take on Roma-inspired people.

And if you bounce off this one, go try Nocturne and report back. Hopefully I’ll get to that one soon.