Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This: Dracula “Come to Die” Review

The angst was strong with everyone in Dracula’s “Come to Die.” 

Grayson spends the episode more obsessed than usual with Mina, and later makes a dramatic confession. Jane is overcome by the the knowledge that Dracula is among us, while Johnathan flings himself into Lucy’s trap. Mina can’t win for losing and The Order gets a taste of its own medicine.

For Grayson it starts with the longing stares at her window as he sits outside in his carriage. Reinfeld suggests for the first but not last time that he stop stalking and make a choice: either take her or abandon the idea of being with her. He can’t make the choice he says, but he need not worry as Mina makes it for him right after her fiancee pays her a concerned visit.

Bringing the truth about Grayson’s nature (no, not the vampire one), Harker tells her to stay away from the morally compromised man. She takes what she’s gotten from Harker and presents it to the vampire. He of course denies it until he denies it no more and that is apparently all Mina needed to be done with him. She will be used by Grayson no longer, despite that cosmic pull between them.

This enrages Grayson and he must be subdued by Renfield before he does damage to himself. Again, Renfield states take her or leave her. Grayson doesn’t want to take her as it might put Mina in danger, but he just can’t let her go. Daniel Knauf is usually pretty good with the dark angst, but this borderlines on Twilight indecision. The love triangle gets even more dramatic after Jonathan finds out from a scheming Lucy that his fiancee has been visiting his boss. Harker lashes out at Mina, leaving her heartbroken.

Mina has very little time to deal with her heart though as soon after she is captured by Davenport’s men. While in a drugged haze, and moments before her face is to be doused with sulfuric acid, Mina sees a man taking down the hired crew life and limb. She is then taken to the hospital where Jonathan and Grayson both puff up their chests to protect her after she reveals a clue about who came for her.

Grayson suggests its too dangerous to confront Davenport as he is a connected man. Harker isn’t hearing it though and he goes after him, ultimately taking is life. After the “altercation” he sees the painting Grayson has kept of Mina and it sends him into even more of a jealous rage, landing him right in Lucy’s arms. While Harker is taking care of business, the vampire is by Mina’s sleeping side confessing his love for her.

Meanwhile, Lady Jane breaks things off with Grayson and goes on the hunt for information about the existence of the ages old vampire. She pulls out all the stops, too, after swearing to The Order that she’ll bring Dracula down. It looks like she’ll be able to keep her word as she pried information out of several vampires about who Dracula is and what he is capable of. Mina might find out what Grayson is before Lady Jane, but Jane currently has the edge. She’s been in much closer proximity to Grayson’s nightowl habits, and is aware of his attraction to Mina, a love that has seemingly pushed Harker into the arms of the Lady’s spy.

Several handfuls of confessions came out of this episode in almost every way imaginable, reminding us that the season finale is approaching. It’s definitely info dump time on Dracula. Nonetheless, it was engaging and quite cohesive unlike a few of it predecessors. This show has struggled with a balance between pacing, reveal and relationship building, taking a bit longer than necessary to find its groove. It found it though and it was on full display during “Come to Die.”

What was perhaps the strongest part of the episode was its effective use of the ensemble. The writing addressed nearly every running storyline fluidly, doling screen time almost equally among the supporting cast. The motivational reveals for several characters were well executed if not entirely surprising, making it quite an exciting hour coupled with the extensive action. Between Grayson and Lady Jane, the episode’s body count was hard to keep track of.

The love triangle seems to be reaching a head, but at times can feel like a clogged artery. The excessive dramatics between the triangle’s men in regards to Mina, on top of their dubious behavior, has left her as the only redeeming character involved. Harker’s nerdy charm has long worn off as his unsavory sexist nature doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. It should be interesting to see where the affair with Lucy takes the engaged couple, however. Could this be the move that forces Mina to give in to her feelings for Dracula?

Dracula on the other hand has far surpassed stalker mode and with Jane on his tail, being with him could spell serious danger for her. One does wonder though after Mina’s conversation with her father if she could find the man inside the monster.

Dracula airs Fridays at 10:00 – 11:00 PM ET/PT on NBC.