Imagine a world where vampires exist and walk among humanity; a world of terror, murder, and mayhem. But as everyone knows, there are loads of rules a vampire must follow. But who enforces those rules? Who investigates crimes of a vampiric nature? Why, the Office of the Night, of course. Welcome to the world of Big Finish Productions’ VAM PD. Created by James Goss, VAM PD dives straight into the vampire underworld with a trilogy of stories that run the gamut of vampiric crimes. Imagine Law and Order or The X-Files but replace the human detectives with vampires and you’ve got VAM PD. The rules are muddier, the stakes are higher, and the cases are deadlier. VAM PD may seem like just another entry in a long line of police procedurals—but you’d be hard-pressed to find one as campy, fun, or nuanced as this one.
A Vampiric Procedural…
Meet vampires Magnus (Alimi Ballard) and Catrin (Juliet Landau), the heads of the Office of the Night—a clandestine group that investigates crimes of a vampiric nature. Alongside their human liaison, Jane (Mara Wilson), they work to enforce order on the seemingly lawless vampire underworld. But policing the actions of a bunch of blood-thirsty vampires isn’t as easy as it looks. The trio’s cases run the gamut of vampire crimes—from deadly vampire parties to a blood market with tainted products to a cult that grants vampires the ability to survive in sunlight. If it breaches the rules that govern vampire society, then expect the Office of the Night to be on the case. Each episode follows the crew further into the criminal underground of vampiric society. It’s Law & Order meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer—a combination that’s exactly as entertaining as it sounds.
We’ve had magic cops and vaguely supernatural cops (hi Grimm!), but it’s unbelievable that we’ve never really had vampire cops—until now! And VAM PD proves there’s a lot of excitement and genuine pathos to mine out of such a concept. Sure, these first three episodes offer an immensely playful and campy trek into the world of vampire lore. At first glance, there’s little more than tongue-in-cheek hijinx at play throughout these stories. But look underneath the surface, and it’s easy to see the grander world Goss is beginning to set up. A world that examines both the horrors and heartbreak of eternal life—and one that’s eager to explore how humanity at large might react to such a discovery. There’s an exciting new world just waiting to unravel, and this first volume of VAM PD offers a tantalizing first glimpse at it.
…With a Surprisingly Emotional Edge
What makes VAM PD so special, however, is how captivating its trio of main characters are. There’s Mara Wilson’s Jane—Human Liaison to the Office of the Night, and the audience’s point-of-view character. At first glance, she’s the naive newcomer. But underneath the surface lurks a strength and fortitude that gives her an edge in this deadly world. Wilson gives Jane a real down-to-earth vibe; a mixture of tenacity and vulnerability. You want to root for her, to see her succeed in ways her predecessors haven’t. But there’s an edge to Jane; a darkness that simultaneously separates her from her vampiric colleagues while also bringing her ever closer to them.
Then there’s Alimi Ballard’s Magnus—the younger of the Office of the Night’s vampires. He’s the tech wiz, the member of the team most eager to connect the dots of any given case—and to connect with the people involved. Much of his time is shared with Jane, and the two form quite a dynamic duo of sorts. Ballard balances eccentricity with a shocking amount of melancholy. Though Magnus may at first appear an eccentric, joyous vampire, there’s a darkness that haunts him—one that’s only glimpsed briefly here.
And lastly, there’s Juliet Landau’s Catrin—the ageless vampire. A relic of another era, trying her best to find a place in this new world. Catrin is the hardened veteran, the old-school detective set in her ways. And the way she clashes with Jane makes for a deliciously thorny relationship. One-part villain, one-part misunderstood antihero, wholly captivating in every way.
At its heart, VAM PD is far more interested in its characters than in the cases it follows. Though these first three stories appear relatively stand-alone, Goss masterfully lays the pieces for future, far more explosive stories to come. And it’s all rooted in the relationships between these three nuanced, captivating characters.
Final Thoughts
VAM PD is unlike anything Big Finish Productions has put out in quite some time. In some ways, it’s reminiscent of the TV shows of yesteryear—a dash of Law & Order here, a sprinkling of Buffy the Vampire Slayer there. But at its heart, it’s something far more unique. It’s both a love letter to the beloved history of vampires while also subverting those long-held tropes. A campy romp into the criminal underworld of a vampiric society that’s kept grounded by its nuanced, fully-rounded characters and surprisingly emotional edge. The mysteries themselves are inventive and well-realized, but VAM PD‘s real success lies in the expansive world it builds throughout these first three stories and the engaging characters that populate it. There’s something really special happening here, and the future looks bright for the Office of the Night.
VAM PD: Volume 1 is available now from Big Finish Productions.
Big Finish Productions' "VAM PD" offers a fresh take on both vampires and police procedurals. Led by immensely charismatic and nuanced performances from Ballard, Landau, and Wilson, VAM PD delivers a trio of rip-roaringy fun and campy tales that both revere and subvert long-held vampiric tropes. It's a promising beginning to what's hopefully a long-running horror procedural.
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GVN Rating 8.5
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Similar to my book Her First Time.