Dracula writers Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat sneak Sherlock easter egg into first episode
Three-part series launched on New Year's Day on BBC1
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Dracula writers Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat clearly could not resist sneaking a Sherlock Holmes easter egg into their BBC adaptation of the classic horror.
The three-part series, which stars Claes Bang as the legendary vampire, launched on New Year’s Day to rave reviews from both critics and audiences.
Halfway through the first episode, the character Sister Agatha (Dolly Wells) floors Jonathan Harker (John Heffernan) by revealing that the quiet nun sat beside her during his interrogation was actually his fiancée, Mina (Morfydd Clark).
“I apologise for the deception,” she tells him. “It was necessary she [Mina] heard the story from your own lips.”
She adds: “Having established your identity, it was not difficult to trace you back to England and find your worried fiancé. I have a detective acquaintance in London.”
Given that both Dracula and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes books were set and published in the Victorian era (Moffat and Gatiss set their BBC Sherlock series in the present day), it was easy enough for fans to deduce that the writers were making a playful link between the two.
The BBC’s new adaptation of Dracula has gone down very well with viewers, who have described it as “bloody stunning” and “horrifying”, with some going so far as to call it the “best adaptation” of the book to date.
It was awarded four stars by The Independent’s critic Ed Cumming, who said it “adds fresh wit and energy to the vampire legend”.
Dracula continues on Thursday 2 January at 9pm on BBC1.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments