With the loss of several paranormal series over the last 5 years, there are always new shows trying to fill that hole. Shadowhunters on Freeform works to fill the hole left by the horror and mystery teen drama demographics from Vampire Diaries and Pretty Little Liars. Meanwhile Supernatural works to get its spinoff Wayward Sisters off the ground to keep the CW from ever falling off the genre TV map. Yet, while it had good times and bad (along with many WTF seasons) on premium television, few shows have succeeded in being True Blood.
Recently however, a new show has put its foot in, based off another book series by Charlaine Harris, hoping to fill that void. Midnight, Texas tells the story of Manfred (Francois Arnaud), a psychic on the run after one client’s spirit chooses to screw him over, preventing him from getting work at home. As recommended by his dead grandmother Xylda (Joanne Camp), who still hangs around his RV, Manfred heads to Midnight, Texas to hide out for a couple days until his next meeting. Unfortunately for him, the body of a missing girl turns up in the river the day after he arrives in town, and more than evil spirits are after him when he attempts to find her killer. It seems Midnight has a lot to hide, and prefers to keep it that way, from the outside world, making this the perfect town for Manfred.
Combining the mystery aspect of many successful serials from the past with supernatural elements many would suspect to be the monster of the week on Supernatural, Midnight takes more from True Blood than just its author. Producing the show as well as being the creator, Harris returns to her earlier spooky television life, leaving behind what would have normally made midnight also the show’s airtime. Premiering on NBC, this is True Blood for a TV-14 audience. Midnight is a town of vampires, witches, spooks and ghouls, as well as a biker gang from (literal?) hell.
Having never read the trilogy for which the show is based, I came into the first 2 episodes with a fresh mind, mainly interested for the Charlaine Harris connection. This introduction proved it can be so much more, and hopefully will be by the end. What I fear, however, being on broadcast television, is that such limitations will prevent the show from either getting a whole season or being renewed for next year. As the series has only just begun with no complaints as of yet, there is hope these characters will be around just as long as Sookie and Bill.