The Marvel Superhero Series You’ll Never See On Disney+, Stream Right Now
The 2006 superhero show Blade: The Series is available to stream on Tubi. Created by David S. Goyer for Spike TV, the series based on the Marvel Comics character shared continuity with the successful Blade film series produced by New Line Cinema. Although it only aired for one season, the show left a lasting impression on viewers by blending thrilling action sequences with a captivating story.
A Loving Sister Is Transformed
Blade: The Series revolves around soldier named Krista Starr (Jill Wagner) who returns from military service to the mysterious death of her twin brother, Zack (David Kopp). As she investigates, Krista learns that Zack worked as a “familiar” – i.e. human serving vampires in the hopes of gaining eternal life from their masters.
The trail of clues eventually leads her to Marcus Van Sciver (Neil Jackson), the vampire responsible for Zack’s death, and to Blade (Kirk “Sticky” Jones), a seasoned vampire hunter. Marcus, a dangerous vampire and prominent member of the House of Chthon, becomes infatuated with Krista and transforms her into a vampire by injecting her with his own blood
Krista’s Mission
Blade intervenes, offering Krista a chance for retribution by injecting her with a serum that helps control her newfound vampire instincts, setting the stage for Blade: The Series. Together, they plan to bring down Marcus and dismantle the House of Chthon. Blade also discloses that Zack had been helping him in an undercover operation.
As Blade: The Series progresses, Krista struggles to maintain her undercover status within the House of Chthon while battling her escalating predatory nature. Meanwhile, Marcus spearheads the Aurora Project, which aims to develop a vaccine to make vampires immune to their traditional weaknesses such as sunlight, silver, and garlic.
The Show Wasn’t Well Received
The show premiered on June 28, 2006, with a two-hour pilot directed by Peter O’Fallon. Despite initial success, Blade: The Series was met with mixed reviews. While some critics praised the action scenes, others pointed to overuse of genre clichés and the absence of Wesley Snipes in the titular role as the series’ biggest flaws.
Blade: The Series currently holds a 50 percent critics rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, with the site’s overall consensus slamming the film for its focus on gore and techno music over dramatic development. The show didn’t fare too well with viewers, either, as evidenced by the 31 percent audience score from an undisclosed number of reviews. The show was canceled after one season.
Kevin Feige Probably Would Pass On Blade: The Series
Blade: The Series, with its focus on the dark and predatory nature of vampires, would probably never be included in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The MCU has traditionally maintained a more family-friendly, light-hearted approach to its content to appeal to a broad audience. So, a series with morally ambiguous characters might be deemed inconsistent with the MCU’s carefully crafted image.
Still Worth A Watch
While Blade: The Series may have been short-lived, it offered fans a unique and darker perspective on the vampire genre, blending action with character-driven drama. The series delved into the inner workings of the vampire world and introduced new characters, expanding the lore established in the Blade film series.
