Television series

Carmilla

Name: Carmilla
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy
Released: 2014
Cast: Elise Bauman, Natasha Negovanlis, Annie Briggs, K Alexander, Aaron Chartrand

Urban fantasy

Carmilla is a witty supernatural comedy that reimagines a Gothic novella for the YouTube generation. Laura, a journalism student, discovers her new roommate is a centuries-old vampire, and the two become unlikely friends while unraveling dark secrets on campus. It's charming, funny, queer, and refreshingly low-stakes—proof that the best stories don't need big budgets, just sharp writing and real chemistry.

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you love a slow-burn romance built out of awkward, funny, low-stakes banter between two roommates, and you don't mind a web series whose charm is in its small, scrappy episodes.

Skip it if you want polished production values or a fast plot; at roughly five-minute episodes with a homemade feel and a lot of talky scenes, it can feel thin and sprawling before it gets going.

What it asks of you: Each episode is a short sitting, so you can dip in between other things, but the story accumulates across a long run of about 120 installments and rewards patience over binge momentum.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer1997

The obvious reference point: witty horror-comedy that treats the supernatural as a vehicle for real emotional stakes. Buffy and Willow's friendship is the heart of the show. Seven seasons of inventive storytelling that somehow gets better as it goes.

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Heartstopper2022

A British series about two teen boys falling in love, with genuine warmth, humour, and zero cynicism. It's aesthetically delightful and emotionally honest. A show that loves its characters and wants you to love them too.

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Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Carmilla

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Gravity Falls2012

Both are mysteries where the real story is the relationship between two people learning to trust each other while horror unfolds around them.

An animated series about two kids uncovering supernatural mysteries in a small town. Genre-savvy, genuinely creepy when it needs to be, with a core relationship (between the twins) that mirrors Laura and Carmilla's dynamic of trust and vulnerability. Two perfect seasons.

But Aimed at younger audiences, though the mysteries get quite dark. If you need constant queer representation, the romantic content is subtextual.

Dead Boy Detectives2024

Two ghost teenagers solve supernatural mysteries in modern London. Clever, stylish, packed with character beats that land. It has the same tonal balance as Carmilla—funny without being flippant, dark without being grim.

But Only one season so far. Cancelled after that, though it reaches a satisfying endpoint.

Penny Dreadful2014

Gothic Victorian horror anchored by character work and excellent ensemble acting. It's atmospheric and genuinely unsettling, but funny too—the show knows when to let tension break. Treats its supernatural premise with real seriousness.

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Harley Quinn2019

An adult animated series following Harley's post-Joker life in Gotham. Fast, profane, surprisingly tender, built around a queer relationship. The animation is kinetic and the writing lets itself be weird and anarchic.

But Aggressively crude. Designed for an adult audience. If you found Carmilla's humour subtle, this will feel like being hit with a hammer.

What We Do in the Shadows2019

A vampire mockumentary about four undead flatmates in New Zealand. Absurdist, character-driven, genuinely hilarious. Takes the immortality premise seriously enough to make the jokes land—the humour comes from character, not just concept.

But Seasons decline in quality. The mockumentary format can feel dated. Some episodes are narratively slight.

Supernatural2005

Two brothers hunt monsters across America. Fifteen seasons means genuine character development and world-building. Funny and sad in equal measure, with a devoted ensemble and creature-of-the-week cases that sometimes surprise you.

But Wildly inconsistent in quality. Backend seasons lose the plot badly. The runtime is intimidating—you're committing to hundreds of hours.

The Midnight Gospel2020

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