A Creepy Vampire Series Based On A Joe Hill Horror Novel Is A Hidden Gem On Netflix

Imagine a world where every day is Christmas Day. Sounds pretty jolly, right? Well, what if it's also the place where Charlie Manx (Zachary Quinto), an ancient vampiric being, feeds on the souls of kids so he can stay young forever? That situation would suck for the children in question. However, it's also the horrifyingly brilliant premise of "NOS4A2," which is currently available to stream on Netflix.

Based on Joe Hill's novel of the same name, creator Jami O'Brien's "NOS4A2" follows Vic McQueen (Ashleigh Cummings), a teenage girl who discovers that she has special abilities that enable her to find things, which she uses to hunt down the aforementioned vamp. But does she have what it takes to go up against Charlie Manx and free the children from their winter wonderland captivity?

Despite its title being a nod to the vampire classic "Nosferatu" (which was recently remade by Robert Eggers), "NOS4A2" is a fresh take on a familiar subgenre. The juxtaposition of Christmas-themed imagery with such a horrifying setup is fun and scary, and Charlie is a great villain. Not only is he a vampire who imprisons children in a festive setting, but he's also a car enthusiast who drives around in a 1938 Rolls-Royce Wraith. He's evil, sure, but you can't fault his style.

What's more, "NOS4A2" has Hill's seal of approval, which goes a long way when it comes to recommending adaptations. In fact, the show captures his vision in more ways than he ever imagined.

Just how impressed was Joe Hill with Jami O'Brien's adaptation of his horror novel? The answer is a lot. While speaking to Collider in 2019, the author (and son of Stephen King) explained that the series is an accurate representation of what the story looks like in his imagination. But it's also more than that, as the show authentically visualizes landmarks from his childhood that he brought into his novel, including a derelict bridge he and his friends used to visit back in the day:

"They tore it down when I was, I think, 13 or 14. But then I visited the set of 'NOS4A2' and godd**n, there it was again. The exact same bridge I used to ride my bike across. I could walk across it again, and that was really jarring. It was like stepping into my own imagination. But it was also like stepping into my own memories."

"NOS4A2" takes some creative liberties with the source material, but the series still captures the general vibe and story of the book. Horror fans won't be disappointed, especially if they enjoy Hill's brand of scare fare.

Sadly, "NOS4A2" was canceled by AMC after two seasons before eventually landing on Netflix. That said, it's still worth checking out, especially since the story concludes on a satisfying note while also leaving the door open to further adventures down the line.