DRACULA – Who Do You Love?
Episode 105 “The Devil’s Waltz”
[Photos by David Lukacs/NBC]
Previously on Dracula, Grayson is hosting Jonathan and Mina’s engagement party, Davenport has Renfield kidnapped by Mrs. Kleiberson and Harker finds Vera Markham. Now, let’s dive in.
We begin in Mina’s bedroom where she sleeps while Grayson watches. It’s kinda creepy. Then he tells her to dump that zero and get with a hero. It’s an awkward sex dream! This time, it’s Mina dreaming about Grayson. Suddenly, Lucy awakens her from her reverie and they must prepare for the engagement party.
Dracula wants to know where Renfield is. Well, he’s with Kleiberson and her men. They beat him up too. Now he’s being full-on tortured. He pleads to be freed. “There will be repercussions,” he says. Kleiberson asks who Grayson loves and when he doesn’t give Mina up, he is tortured even more. It’s all very sad.
Mina tells Lucy about the sex dream and when Mina implies that it wasn’t about Jonathan, Lucy seems to think it might’ve been about her. Because she is horrible at reading people. Oh, Lucy. You idiot girl.
Back to Grayson who knows something is up with Renfield. He talks to Harker about his worries. Harker goes to where Renfield had his last appointment and finds his notebook.
Time for a flashback. Twelve years ago. Dracula is Grayson. He’s on a train and he’s trying to buy Mr. Havishim’s mine and his Sweetwater operation. He throws a bag of gold in the man’s face and the men on the train threaten him leading to the introduction of Renfield, who tells Grayson now is not the time to buy a mine. He offers him whiskey and an alliance is formed.
When we return to present day, where there’s a rabid vampire on the table in the electrical room. Van Helsing and Dracula use her as a guinea pig to see how much voltage will work on her to get her heart beating. Then, the serum. They open the window to let the sun in. And voila. No burns for a good 10 seconds until she burns. No luck for Dracula. He’s sad about it.
So we know Dracula is going to save Renfeld and he does. Boy, does he. He literally sniffs a trail to his broken assistant.
First, we see him save Renfield on the train in the flashback. When Renfield warns him that the men plan on killing him, Mr. Havishim and his men kick the living crap out of him. Then, Dracula/Grayson kills them all and even decapitates Mr. Havishim, bringing his head past Renfield’s frightened body. “You’re safe now,” he says.
He destroys Kleiberson’s men in the present, ripping of one of their arms off in the process. Kleiberson screams as we cut to break.
That’s a lot of blood, NBC. This episode had more blood than sex which I’m sure some people enjoyed but NOT ME. When it comes to blood or sex, I pick sex everytime.
When we get back from break, we catch up with Lady Jayne. I was wondering when she would show up. She arrives to the party with her Brethren. Grayson sees Mina and congratulates her on the engagement. It’s kind of awkward what with Mina watching with new eyes for Grayson. Even more awkward is Lucy’s infatuation with Mina which Lady Jayne finds hilarious.
On to my favorite doomed couple, Dracula/Grayson and Lady Jayne. So they meet up and he calls her “ravishing” and tells her of Renfield’s disappearance. He clearly thinks she was involved. She knows what Davenport is up to and they go to Harker who introduces them to Mr. Browning, Lord Davenport, Lord Rothcroft, and Lord Godalming. Just when Lady Jayne says how she can’t wait to get alone with Grayson, who shows up but Mina. She wants to introduce him to Van Helsing which is not necessary as we know.
Dracula uses his excellent sense of smell to deduce that one of the men he met is the one who hired Kleiberson to torture Renfield. When Van Helsing sees the members of The Order of the Dragon, we learn via flashback that Browning was the one responsible for the loss of his family.
On to my least favorite doomed couple, Dracula/Grayson and Mina/Llona. After a toast to Jonathan and Mina from Mina’s doctor dad, Jonathan toasts Grayson and decides to LET MINA DANCE WITH HIM. WTF? What kind of fiancé lets his fiancée dance with another man? Come on, Jonathan. Are you that daft? I guess he is because he just watches as the sparks fly between the old lovebirds. All sorts of feelings emerge from Mina and Dracula sees his past love again and this isn’t going to end well for anyone. Meanwhile, poor Lucy is still looking at Mina like a lost puppy. Come on, Lucy. She’s just not that into you. Move on, girl.
After the dance, Jonathan cuts in and so does Dracula who slashes his throat, but don’t worry. It’s just a sick fantasy. Jonathan actually tries to cut in but Mina decides to go get some air. She’s all hot and bothered.
Lady Jayne speaks to Mr. Browning about the vampire they’ve been after and he implies that Grayson is the real old one they seek. She scoffs and he mentions her feelings for Grayson prompting her to really consider it.
Cue sad montage of all the characters looking lovelorn, first Lucy crying on the staircase. Nobody loves Lucy. Then, to Lady Jayne looking in a mirror wondering about Grayson’s motives. Cut to Harker, realizing what an idiot he is, then to Mina longing for Grayson in her bed and we end on Dracula tending to Renfield.
One more flashback as we see Renfield being taken in by Dracula/Grayson. Renfield is a lawyer who has been through hell and back because of his skin color. He has no friends or money. Dracula empathizes with his role as an outcast and decides to change his life forever. This leads Renfield to state that he needs to fully trust him and Dracula tells him he will know all his secrets. And thus, the bromance begins.
Next time on “Of Monsters and Men”, we’ll see if Dracula steps into the light and Lady Jayne will figure out who he is. And Lucy will still pine for Mina. And Jonathan will still be the dumbest person in the world.
Until then, BITE ME…
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[Show Web Site at NBC] [Previous Recap: “From Darkness to Light”]
