Why 'Van Helsing' With Female Lead Is A Boss Move

An unfortunate reality? Dudes are often put in charge of saving the world from vampires, zombies, and other various supernatural entities — onscreen, of course. While I am thrilled that we haven't had a chance to see if that same scenario will play out in real life, I like to think that the ladies of the world would be just as scrappy in fighting off these beings, which is exactly what a new SyFy show sets out to show. As reported by Variety, a female-led Van Helsing television show is coming to SyFy, and it sounds like the supernatural series we've all been waiting for.

According to Variety, the new series' first season will have 13 hour-long episodes and be a bit of a twist on the original vampire mythology. Van Helsing first appeared in Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula as a vampire hunter who attempts to thwart Dracula's evil plans to turn his house guests into blood suckers. In the new television version, Vanessa Helsing is the heroine, and the newest fighter in a long line of vampire-destroying warriors predicted to save the world. Unfortunately, Vanessa has a lot to deal with in this universe: this story is set five years into the future in a world completely overtaken by vampires. It will take a strong woman to deal with this crazy.

The SyFy series sounds all sorts of fun in itself, but it's hard not to be impressed with the fact that we're getting a badass female heroine as the star of the show. Here's why having a woman in the lead makes this new series even sweeter to hear about:

1. It Doesn't Pull A Twilight

All too often women in vampire tales get to play one role: that of the human snack who falls in love with the vampire who can't decide if he wants to eat her or date her. As far as we know, Vanessa doesn't seem to have time to fall in love with a vampire, because she's way too busy making sure humanity survives the vamps' global takeover.

2. It Puts A Woman In Charge Of The Action

Lots of television shows feature badass women fighting their own battles, but how many series can boast a woman as the person in charge of all of the action? The answer is not enough, but Vanessa certainly will break the mold.

3. There's A Gap That Needs To Be Filled

November brings the end of the Hunger Games franchise, and with it, Katniss Everdeen. We need a new lady heroine to slide into pop culture ASAP.

4. It Levels The Playing Field

There's something very cool about Vanessa being another version of Van Helsing: it proves that women can take on the same role than a man can. There's no reason why Van Helsing needs to be male, so why should this story constantly play out with a male lead?

5. It's A Supernatural Series Where The Woman Doesn't Need To Be Saved

Love you, Elena Gilbert, but it'll be wonderful to see a supernatural TV show where the woman doesn't play a damsel in distress. She's the boss lady. Done.

6. It's Proof That Complex Heroines Are Worth Exploring

As Variety reports, Vanessa will be a "bold" and "complex" heroine. Those traits shouldn't be reserved for the Don Drapers and Walter Whites of the world. The new Van Helsing show will seemingly give its heroine a whole lot more to do.

7. It Will Hopefully Encourage More TV Shows To Follow Suit

Let Vanessa be a pathway to introducing the world to even more interesting, complicated, and badass heroines.

Thanks, SyFy, for the reminder that women can totally lead a supernatural series. It's about damn time.

Images: Universal Pictures (screenshot); Giphy (7)