Everyone (and I mean everyone) has heard of the massively popular “Twilight” franchise. These books, along with their movie adaptations, revolutionized the way in which vampires were viewed by modern media. But have you ever heard of the lesser-known movie-to-television series, “My Babysitter’s a Vampire,” which pokes fun at its much larger vampire-centric counterpart? Nearly 15 years after its release, we are looking back at “My Babysitter’s a Vampire” to see what made it special!
On Oct. 9, 2010, the film titled “My Babysitter’s a Vampire” premiered on Teletoon, a Canadian-based television network. Less than a year later in June 2011, a Disney Channel release allowed American children the chance to enjoy the movie that had captured Canadian audiences.
“My Babysitter’s a Vampire” follows Ethan and Benny, nerdy high school freshmen who find themselves embroiled in a world of magic and vampires hidden within their sleepy Canadian town of Whitechapel, Ontario. The boys soon meet Sarah, a newly minted fledgling vampire who refuses to drink human blood, even at the insistence of her sketchy vampire ex-boyfriend, Jesse. After Sarah unwittingly becomes the babysitter to Ethan’s little sister, the trio stumble upon a plan to resurrect the vampires of Whitechapel’s past, and it is up to Sarah, Ethan and Benny to stop them.
After the success of the movie, “My Babysitter’s a Vampire” returned to Teletoon in early 2011 with a television series of the same name. The series would go on to produce two seasons, each equipped with a respective 13 episodes, for a total of 26 episodes.
The television series features many of the same cast of characters as the movie, giving the audience time to get to know them better. Aside from the previously established Ethan, now grappling with his propensity for supernatural visions, Benny, now a spellmaster and Sarah, there were quite a few returning characters. Others from the main cast consist of Erica, Sarah’s best friend-turned-vampire, and Rory, the nerdy friend of Ethan and Benny, who also became a vampire near the end of the original film.
“My Babysitter’s a Vampire” follows a more traditional “monster of the week” format, with the cast encountering a multitude of creatures ranging from zombies and demons to Frankenstein’s monster. A larger overarching story, picking up speed primarily in the second season, is present throughout the television series, making for an entertaining watch among younger audiences.
Sadly, in 2013, the series announced that it had not been picked up for a third season, ending the show on a MASSIVE cliffhanger. A little glimmer of hope for viewers came when showrunners began talking of a possible continuation to “My Babysitter’s a Vampire” in the form of a second movie. This idea was ultimately scrapped due to issues with broadcasters and failed attempts at keeping the cast together. Fans of the show in the years since its abrupt cancellation have made attempts to revitalize the franchise by bringing forth online petitions, with one racking up over 1,000 signatures.
From battles with vampires and monsters all the way to its turbulent cancellation, “My Babysitter’s a Vampire” has surely captured the hearts of viewers across the globe. Even 15 years later, the series consistently returns to the public eye during the fall months, making for a legacy that is long-lasting even though its original core audience has grown up. The series, while goofy and lighthearted, is a must-watch for fans of silly shows about vampires and the unexplained.
