Gothica features Frankenstein and Dracula melodrama.
The serialized drama is studded with classic literary monsters, but is set in our own time. Grace Van Helsing has inherited a newspaper company from her famous family, and when she begins to run the paper, she finds that it grants her access to a secret world of supernatural creatures including Dracula, The Werewolf, The Mummy, Mr. Hyde, Dorian Grey, etc.
Further plot details are sketchy. Are these the decendants of the classic monsters from the stories, or are these the classic monsters themselves simply set in a new time? Is the Van Helsing family famous for hunting these monsters or just dogging them in the press? We’re not sure.
The news we do have is about casting for the pilot, which has picked up recently. First the lead role of Grace will be played by Janet Montgomery (Ames in Human Target). The primary support character is Fiona Hunter played by Melissa George (Bag of Bones). Raza Jaffrey (MI-5) will play Detective Harker and Tracie Thoms (Looper) will play Mina – both from the Dracula story.
As for the ‘monsters’, Victor Frankenstien will be played by Tom Ellis (The Fades), Chris Egan (Kings) has been cast as Dorian Grey, Roderick Usher – from the Poe story – will be played by Seth Gabel (Lincoln from Fringe), and Emma Booth (a relative unknown) will play his sister – and Frankenstein’s wife apparently? – Madeline.
That’s a lot of characters and confusing potential relationships, and casting isn’t finished yet. Whatever is going on here, I can definetly see the potential for lots of melodrama, though considering the showrunners are Tara Butters and Michele Fazekas, who co-created the hilarious Reaper a few years back, I’m guessing that it won’t all be serious.
Currently Gothica is set only for a pilot, which will be evaluated by ABC likely during pilot week next year for a possible Fall 2014 premiere.
