Vampirina
Vampirina is an animated children's television series created by Chris Nee. Based on the Vampirina Ballerina series of books written by Anne Marie Pace and published by Disney-Hyperion, the series premiered on Disney Junior and Disney Channel on October 1, 2017. It features much of the staff that has worked on another program created by Nee, Doc McStuffins. Vampirina received generally positive reviews from critics.
The series ended on June 28, 2021, after 3 seasons and 75 episodes.
Premise
Vampirina follows the story of Vampirina "Vee" Hauntley who becomes the new kid on the block after she and her family move from Transylvania to Pennsylvania to open a local bed and breakfast called the Scare B&B for visiting ghouls and goblins. The Hauntley family have to learn to do things the "Pennsylvania way", especially when Vee is at school, all while keeping their monster lives a secret from humans so they don't scare them.Characters
Main
- Vampirina "Vee" Hauntley is a physically 10-year-old, but chronologically near-200-years-old vampire. Unlike in the books, in the TV adaptation she and her family have blue skin and super-speed. She is the lead singer and spookylele player of her band, the Ghoul Girls.
- Oxana Hauntley and Boris Hauntley are Vee's parents who are the proprietors of the Scare B&B. Both speak with a Transylvanian accent.
- Demi Hauntley is a blue ghost who lives with the Hauntleys.
- Gregoria is a 473-year-old gargoyle who lives with the Hauntleys.
- Poppy Peepleson is Edgar's sister and Edna's daughter who is Vee's best friend and neighbor. She is the first human who discovers Vee's true identity, but promises not to tell anyone. She's the drummer and the youngest of the Ghoul Girls. She is 8 years old. In "Double Double Halloween Trouble", she and her family are revealed to be Hispanic. Her first name is probably chosen as a reference to Gothic author Billy Martin's pen name Poppy Z. Brite.
- Bridget is a very shy and nervous girl who is one of Vee's best friends. She also soon discovers Vee's identity, and like Poppy, promises to keep it secret. She has a pet Sphynx cat named Miss Cuddlecakes. She's the bassist and the smartest of the Ghoul Girls. She is also 9 years old. She is revealed to be partly Jewish in "Double Double Halloween Trouble".
- Edgar Peepleson is Poppy's younger twin brother and Edna's son who is Vee's friend. He is a monster enthusiast and runs a vlog called "Weekly Weirdness". In the Season 2 finale episode "Ghoul Guides Save the Day!", he finally learns Vee's secret of her family being vampires, and the fact that monsters are actually real when he visits Vee's home town, Transylvania for the first time. However, just like Poppy and Bridget, he promises not to tell anyone. He is the percussionist and twin member of the Ghoul Girls. He is 8 years old. Similarly to his sister, Edgar's first name is probably chosen as a reference to a Gothic author - namely Edgar Allan Poe.
Supporting
- Wolfie Hauntley is a purple dog who is the Hauntley's house pet. He can assume a werewolf-like form during a full moon or by drinking milk.
- Penelope is a plant monster who is the Hauntley's house pet.
- Chef Remy Bones is a skeleton who is the head chef of the Scare B&B. He speaks with a French accent.
- Edna Peepleson is Poppy and Edgar's mom and the next door neighbor of the Hauntleys. She is very excitable, motherly, and supportive, but often gets creeped out by the spooky stuffs in Vampirina‘s home.
Recurring
- Nanpire and Grandpop are Vee's paternal grandparents. Both speak with a Transylvanian accent.
- Mr. Gore is Vee's human school teacher. His surname is inspired by the horror genre of the same name.
Guests
- Cosmina and Narcissa are two 800-year old internet-using vampire sisters who were guests at the Scare B&B.
- King Pepi is a mummy from Egypt.
- Uncle Dieter is the ancestor who left the house to Vampirina's family.
- Nosferatu "Nosy" is Olga's baby daughter and Vampirina's baby cousin.
- Aunt Olga is Vampirina's aunt, Nosy's mother, Oxana's sister and Boris' sister-in-law.
- Matilda is a cuddly Snugglot monster.
- Mr. Froufington is a human foodie who visits the Scare B&B to try Oxana's food.
- Phoebe is a little witch who first appears in "The Little Witch".
- The Scream Girls are Vee's favorite ghoulish rock band.
- * FrankenStacey is a Frankenstein monster who is the lead singer and guitarist of The Scream Girls.
- * Creepy Caroline is a Gorgon minus the petrifying gaze and guitarist of The Scream Girls
- * Ghastly Gayle is an unspecified humanoid monster and drummer of The Scream Girls
- Buttons is a blue Cuddle Monster.
- Hornadette and Shriekia are a two-headed monster whose two heads are sisters.
- Rusty Topsail is a ghost pirate.
- Bob Bigfoot is an old friend of Boris who is often called "Uncle Bob" by Vee.
- Poltergeist Pat is an arrogant entertainer who cheats in order to win a talent show.
- Frankenstein is an old friend of Boris who tends to forget things.
- Bride of Frankenstein is the girlfriend of Frankenstein who gets engaged to him.
- Esmeralda is a human psychic.
- Hugo is a gragoyle and Gregoria's brother.
- Ichabod Crane is a ghost who starts off disliking the Horseman before becoming friends.
- Headless Horseman is a ghost who starts off disliking Ichabod before becoming friends.
- Franken Bolt is a Frankenstein monster and a reporter for Transylvania News Network.
- Frankie Bolt is a teenage Frankenstein monster and the daughter of Franken Bolt who is one of Vee's oldest friends and an aspiring reporter.
- Swampy is a swamp monster who is Vampirina's friend from Transylvania, she appears in "Making a Splash".
Episodes
Release
Broadcast
Vampirina premiered on Sunday, October 1, 2017 in the United States with two back-to-back episodes simulcast on Disney Channel and Disney Junior. Of the first season's 15 episodes, 10 premiered within the month of October to tie into Halloween and were also placed on Disney Junior's streaming and video on demand venues. In Canada, the show premiered on Disney Junior on October 7 the same year. The second season premiered on December 7, 2018, while the third season premiered on October 5, 2020. Vampirina is broadcast in 115 countries and translated into 15 languages. The series ended with its series finale on June 28, 2021 after 3 seasons and 75 episodes.Home media
The series was also included to stream on Disney+.Reception
Critical response
Emily Ashby of Common Sense Media gave Vampirina a grade of four out of five stars, praised the presence of positive messages and role models, citing friendship and honesty, writing that "vivacious vampire girl's adventures promote tolerance". Dave Trumbore of Collider included Vampirina in their "Best Animated Series Debuts of 2017" list, saying that the show is "a super-cute take on The Munsters or The Addams Family with a bit of the "new kid in school" thrown in for good measure".Charles Curtis of USA Today ranked Vampirina 5th in their "20 Best Shows For Kids Right Now " list, calling it a "delight with some great celebrity voices". Ryan Britt of Fatherly ranked Vampirina 87th in their "100 Best Kids TV Shows Of All Time" list: "For kids who are having a hard time feeling seen at school, or for anyone feeling left out, Vampirina is both sweet and smarter than its saccharine appearance".