Dracula: Servant to Two Masters and The Fruits of Vengance!

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It seems to be a natural part of being human to want revenge on those people we feel have wronged us. A thirst for vengeance is nothing if not timeless. It is as classic as Homer and Hamlet, and as contemporary as Don Corleone of The Godfather, and Quentin Tarantino; as old as the eyes and teeth traded in the Bible, and as fresh as the raid that took the life of Osama bin Laden.

But while the idea of revenge is no doubt delectable — the very phrase “just desserts” promises a treat — much of its sugar is confined to the coating. The actual execution of revenge carries a bitter cost of time, emotional and physical energy, and even lives. In the words of Francis Bacon: “A man that studieth revenge, keeps his own wounds green, which otherwise would heal, and do well.”

The premise of Dracula is that Grayson and Van Helsing both want revenge on the Order of The Dragon, and the men running it, for past wrongs. As Lord Davenport (Robert Bathurst) stated, “he thrusts, we parry. Grayson keeps us on the defensive”. One thing is for certain, Dracula’s premise proves that seeking revenge just causes more problems.

Written most ably by Rebecca Kirsch, this episode was also produced by Irene Burns and Robert Rhys Meyers.

Servant to Two Masters:

After some fine tuning of his equipment, Grayson (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) runs another test to make sure his wireless electricity works. Of course, it does. He has much to celebrate. That is, until Harker (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) discovers that he was used to ruin the reputation of an innocent man, General Shaw (Peter Woodward).

What is more, Harker realizes that Grayson set the whole thing up. He used Harker to do a nasty on the The Order. Grayson is no more ethical than the people he sets to destroy. Naturally, Harker is not very happy about it. Grayson ignores Harker’s dissatisfaction giving him a new task – to invite the press to the grand display of Grayson’s Resonator.

Meanwhile, the Order meets and determines that it is time to bring in Harker to make him an offer that he cannot refuse. Grayson also sends Renfield (Nonso Anozie) to Budapest to bring back a painting that is very important to the vampire.

Grayson is so determined to lose the need to feed on human blood and to be able to walk in sunlight, that he willingly undergoes what looks like torture at the hands of Van Helsing (Thomas Kretschmann). Even with enduring what must be very painful, he only gains 4 hours in the sun. Humanity seems to all be under the delusion that, if we suffer enough, it gives us a right to get what we want. We can blame novels, movies and television, the media that encourages such an attitude. Grayson appears to be no different.

In fact, Grayson arrogance knows no bounds. He happily boasts to Van Helsing that he is servant to no man. To prove it, he takes a stroll in the sunlight so that he can manage an arranged accidental meeting with Mina Murray (Jessica De Gouw ). He also solves her most recent problem by recommending that the patients at the asylum engage in dance to alleviate their dreary lives. He definitely knows how to coil himself around Mina.

I guess that being with Mina got Grayson all excited, because his next stop is his sex toy, Lady Jayne (Victoria Smurfit). Since he is out and about in the daylight, shenanigans with her in the middle of the afternoon are quite exciting for her. I suspect he is also using the opportunity to hammer home that he is not the vampire that the Order is looking for.

Now, it would seem, that his fight with them is purely financial in that they are pushing for the use of oil as the new power generator and not Grayson’s electricity. What a pity. For in actuality, Nicholas Tesla was working on a wireless energy source, which, had it been chosen, would likely have avoided the dependence on oil that we now find ourselves caught up in.

Back to our story. Spending a decadent afternoon with Grayson, it would seem that Lady Jayne is quite willing to engage in activities she finds exciting. She has discovered that she can influence Lucy (Katie McGrath). She does so quite happily to continue encouraging poor, slighted Lucy, to find ways to get even with Mina. The desire for revenge rears its ugly head once again.

This episode spends an inordinate amount of time showing us Grayson’s struggles with his need to feed. He seems to believe that he can use sheer force of will to overcome that need. Naturally, in the end, he fails.

Slighted by the media, who see him as a charlatan pedaling snake oil, like P.T. Barnum, Grayson decides to give them the circus they seem to want. He uses the advertising media of the time to invite the common folk to see his new machine. This looks like what would happen to anyone with a new idea whom the rich and powerful wish to shut down. If they do not want the world to know about it, they will make sure the world does not know. Many of us can identify with this, can we not?

Renfield, in Hungary, bids one million coronas on the badly desired painting from Grayson’s family. As he wins the painting, back in London, Grayson drops a book. Is this a significant foreshadowing of what is to come?

We learn that Chief Inspector Morrow is working for The Order. Although he is not wearing a “red shirt” under his police uniform, he should be. Since he is not a regular on this series, he will not last long. After getting his order from The Order, specifically Browning (Ben Miles), his next few hours show us that he is not an innocent person caught between two powerful enemies.Morrow adds a powder into milk at Grayson’s demonstration, causing people, including children and young babies to become ill. He gets what he deserves. Since Morrow does what he can to destroy Grayson’s demonstration, we, the viewers, meet his demise with satisfaction. Vengeance from Grayson, in this case, is sweet.

While Lucy takes advantage of the lessons taught to her by Lady Jane, Renfield does not yet know it, but the painting he just paid a huge amount of money for, is no longer in his possession.

In fact, it is now in the hands of Davenport. As he looks at the image, he realizes that Mina Murray is the object of Grayson’s affections. We are left to wonder what he will now do with that information.

Two important events occur in this episode; Mina is drawn closer to Grayson due to his attentions and the lack, thereof, from Harker. Harker is brought into the fold of The Order after he realizes that he has been used by Grayson. Lucy, who really was not that supportive of the Harker/Murray wedding, now focuses her attention on revenge.

One other event of interest is Dr. Murray’s (Anthony Calf) reaction to Mina and Grayson dancing together. He does not interfere. Instead, he gives them their privacy. Does he do this because he would prefer that Mina have a relationship with Grayson, because he knows his place in the class structure, or for some other reason that we are not aware of – yet?

Harker finally arrives, late, to the now ended dance. He apologizes to Mina, but, his lateness may also mean that it is too late for their relationship. She embraces him without anger. Perhaps she has no feelings left for him at all; not even anger. Hopefully we find out if their love can survive these newest threats, in the next episode, “Come To Die”.

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ArcticGoddess1 (Patricia)