From Dusk till Dawn: The Series
American horror television series
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From Dusk till Dawn: The Series is an American horror television series developed by Robert Rodriguez. It forms part of the franchise of film, direct-to-video, and comics of From Dusk till Dawn, expanding on the chronicles of the Gecko Brothers, Seth and Richie, the Fuller family, and Santanico Pandemonium.[1] The series adds to the tone of the film, with new characters and backstories, while expanding the snake creatures' Mesoamerican mythology.[2] The series also references the Popol Vuh, drawing on its rich, mythological history and, in particular, on the legend of the Hero Twins Hunahpú and Xbalanqué to add greater depth to the backstories and to fully flesh out the characters of the show's protagonists.[3]
| From Dusk till Dawn: The Series | |
|---|---|
Season one title card | |
| Genre | |
| Based on | |
| Developed by | Robert Rodriguez |
| Starring | |
| Opening theme | "After Dark" by Chingon |
| Composer | Carl Thiel |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 30 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producer | Mark McNair |
| Production location | Austin, Texas |
| Camera setup | Single-camera |
| Running time | 45 minutes (approx.) |
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | El Rey |
| Release | March 11, 2014 – November 1, 2016 |
The series premiered on March 11, 2014,[4][5] on Rodriguez's newly launched El Rey Network.[2] Outside the United States and Latin America, the series is marketed as a Netflix original but was removed in November 2022.[6][7] It was produced by FactoryMade Ventures in association with Miramax and executive produced by Rodriguez.[8][9]
The third season[10] aired from September 6 to November 1, 2016. While the series was never officially announced as cancelled, Deadline Hollywood reported that the actors were released from their contracts on October 31.[11]
Plot
In this supernatural crime series, Seth Gecko and his violent, unpredictable brother, Richard "Richie" Gecko, are wanted by the FBI and Texas Ranger Freddie Gonzalez after a bank robbery left several people, including policemen and Gonzalez's mentor, Texas Ranger Earl McGraw, dead. Heading for the Mexico border pursued by Gonzalez, the Geckos encounter former minister Jacob Fuller and his family, whom they take hostage by commandeering the Fullers' RV. Drug lord Don Carlos reroutes them to a strip club populated by snakelike people that all must fight for food to survive until dawn.
Cast and characters
Main cast
| Actor | Character | Seasons | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
| D. J. Cotrona | Seth Gecko | Main | ||
| Zane Holtz | Richie Gecko | Main | ||
| Jesse Garcia | Ranger Ferdinand "Freddie" Gonzalez | Main | ||
| Eiza González | Santanico Pandemonium / Kisa | Main | ||
| Madison Davenport | Kate Fuller / Amaru | Main | ||
| Brandon Soo Hoo | Scott Fuller | Main | ||
| Robert Patrick | Jacob Fuller | Main | ||
| Wilmer Valderrama | Carlos Madrigal | Main | ||
| Jake Busey | Aidan "Sex Machine" Tanner | Recurring[a] | Main | |
| Esai Morales | Lord Amancio Malvado | Main | ||
| Danny Trejo[b] | The Regulator | Main | ||
| Don Johnson/Jesse Johnson[c] | Ranger Earl McGraw | Main | Guest | |
Recurring cast
| Actor | Character | Seasons | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||
| Jamie Tisdale | Margaret Gonzalez | Recurring | ||||
| Manuel Garcia-Rulfo | Narciso Menendez | Recurring | ||||
| Brandon Smith | Captain Chance Holbrook | Recurring | ||||
| Samantha Esteban | Monica Garza | Recurring | ||||
| Briana Evigan | Sonja Lam | Recurring | ||||
| Patrick Davis | Rafa Infante | Recurring | ||||
| Alicia Sanz | Paloma Gutierrez | Recurring | ||||
| Demi Lovato | Maia | Recurring | ||||
| Jeff Fahey | Uncle Eddie Cruickshank | Recurring | ||||
| Emily Rios | Ximena Vasconcelos | Recurring | ||||
| Ana de la Reguera | Lord Venganza Verdugo | Recurring | ||||
| Maurice Compte | Brasa | Recurring | ||||
| Marko Zaror | Zolo | Recurring | ||||
| Tom Savini | Burt | Recurring | ||||
| Nicky Whelan | Dr. Dakota Block | Recurring | ||||
Guest stars
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Production
From Dusk till Dawn is the first scripted original series on Robert Rodriguez's El Rey network. Series creator and showrunner Rodriguez, who also directed the pilot and other episodes, stated the original film is "one of the favorite movies that I did in the past with Quentin Tarantino and one that people still ask us about today. There was so much I wanted to explore in that movie that I didn't get to. And I delved a little deeper into Mesoamerican mythologies and Aztec and Mayan mythologies and where a vampire culture could have existed back then and found fascinating stuff".[12]
International broadcast
Episodes
Reception
From Dusk till Dawn has received mostly favorable reviews. Review aggregator site Metacritic has given the first season a "generally favorable" score of 61 out of 100, based on ten critics.[14]
On another review aggregator site, Rotten Tomatoes, the season holds a 75% rating with an average rating of 6.6 out of 10, based on 16 reviews.[15] It was picked #1 on Entertainment Weekly's Must list and as one of the Hottest New Fiction Shows by The Hollywood Reporter.[16][17]
Accolades
| Year | Award | Category | Recipients | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Fangoria Chainsaw Awards[18] | Best TV Supporting Actor | Zane Holtz | Nominated |
| Saturn Award[19] | Best Limited Run Television Series | From Dusk Till Dawn | Nominated |
Music
Season 1 soundtrack
The soundtrack for season 1, named From Dusk Till Dawn, Season 1 (Music from the Original Series), was released on May 5, 2015, through Chingon Music.[20] The album features music by Robert Rodriguez's band Chingon (tracks 1–6) and series composer Carl Thiel (tracks 7–20).
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "After Dark (Spanish Version)" (Tito & Tarantula cover; series theme song) | 5:54 |
| 2. | "Hey Baby Que Paso" | 3:08 |
| 3. | "El Rey" | 3:13 |
| 4. | "Cascabel" | 4:47 |
| 5. | "Malaguena Salerosa" | 4:07 |
| 6. | "Cuka Rocka (Extended)" | 6:11 |
| 7. | "It's Gonna Be a Long Day" | 2:07 |
| 8. | "The Lost Shepherd" | 2:52 |
| 9. | "Blood in the Sand" | 1:31 |
| 10. | "Encounter in Room 207" | 1:56 |
| 11. | "Border Station Shootout" | 1:53 |
| 12. | "Beyond the Border" | 1:57 |
| 13. | "A Lover's Prelude" | 1:58 |
| 14. | "El Rinche" | 1:56 |
| 15. | "Vampire Battle" | 2:30 |
| 16. | "A New World" | 1:39 |
| 17. | "Labyrinth of the Mind" | 2:15 |
| 18. | "The Trial Begins" | 2:44 |
| 19. | "Cheyenne or Phoenix" | 1:29 |
| 20. | "The Pyramid and the Farewell" | 3:34 |
Season 3 soundtrack
The third ending season song called "Monsters" is written and performed by actress Madison Davenport.
See also
Notes
- Jake Busey was listed in the title credits for the first episode of the first season in which he appeared, and was subsequently relegated to recurring cast for the remainder of the season.
- Although part of main cast in Season 2, Danny Trejo was credited as "special appearance".
- Both actors played the same character at different stages of the series, with different ages. Additionally, despite being part of the main cast, Johnson is only credited for the episodes he appears in.
