Demons (TV series)

Plot

Luke Rutherford, a London teenager, learns he is the last descendant of the Van Helsing line when his American godfather Rupert Galvin arrives. Charged with smiting dark forces, Luke tries to balance his destiny with exams and parties. Rupert trains him with help from Mina Harker, a blind vampiric concert pianist. Luke's best friend Ruby also joins the fight.

Cast and characters

Philip Glenister plays Rupert Galvin, an American demon hunter and Luke's godfather, whose fanatical hatred of demons stems from his wife's murder. He drinks heavily but cares deeply for Luke. Christian Cooke portrays Luke Rutherford, a student with enhanced speed, strength, and martial arts skills due to his Van Helsing bloodline; he reluctantly fights demons while preferring social activities. Holliday Grainger plays Ruby, Luke's childhood best friend who is secretly in love with him and often proves resourceful despite being overlooked. Zoë Tapper is Mina Harker, a blind woman who has lived over a century due to vampire blood and possesses psychometric abilities; she treats Ruby dismissively. Saskia Wickham appears as Jenny Rutherford, Luke's mother who fears he is becoming like his father.

Reception

The debut episode drew 6.27 million viewers and received mixed reviews. Andrew Billen in The Times gave it four stars, praising the producers' ability to steal with panache. Sarah Dempster of The Guardian found the action snappy but called it thin soup compared to Doctor Who and Buffy. Charlie Brooker described the premiere as a string of cutscenes from a gothic videogame.

Kim Newman wrote that the show needed to develop its own personality beyond borrowed templates. Kevin O'Sullivan gave a positive review, calling it diabolically daft and wonderfully watchable. Ratings fell steadily, with the second episode at 5.58 million, the fourth at 4.22 million, and the fifth at 4.04 million. Philip Glenister's American accent sparked speculation that he used it to distance himself from his Gene Hunt character; Glenister stated the role was originally written as Texan and he chose the accent as a challenge. ITV confirmed on 19 June 2009 that no second series would be made.