Rating: 
Summary: Who knew an RPG could translate to television?
Review: I am a huge fan of Vampire-The Masquerade, the role-playing game (not just a book) upon which Kindred: The Embraced is based. I watched in eager anticipation every single episode of the series. While it took many liberties with the core concept of the original source material, it was an astounding series with much promise and potential. However, with the unfortunate passing of Mark Frankel, who portrayed Prince of the city Julian Luna, the series was never picked up after the six initial episodes aired. I was never happier than to see that it was finally released on DVD. Trust me, this set is worth the buy.
Rating: 
Summary: Glad I now own it!
Review: Wanting something new in the vampire genre, I went on a search for films and came across Kindred: The Embraced. It seemed vaguely familiar. After viewing it, I realized that I had seen the initial episode when it originally aired, but when I purchased it I did so thinking I was doing it sight unseen.I've since watched all eight episodes and can say that I am not disappointed. The fact that this series was based on sets of role playing novels is a mark in its favor. I say this because the series is not about the blood aspect of vampires or, as they are here, the Kindred. There is indeed action, tame violence, but if you're looking for gore and aggression, if that's what you want out of your vampire film experience, Kindred: The Embraced is not the place you'll find it. What this series focuses on is the community that the clans of the Kindred have made for themselves, the peace they have forged to live without fear amongst humans. They have a set of laws designed to guard the Masquerade, a grand scheme to hide their identity from the world, and they have a prince to enforce those laws. That prince is Julian Luna, played by Mark Frankel, and he is the ultimate strength of the series. The character of Julian Luna is a complex one. His sense of humanity has the potential to clash dangerously with his responsibility towards the clans. He is aware of what he must do, but knows that it comes with a price, whether it be for his people or for himself specifically. And his struggle to tread that line is where the emotion lies for the viewer. Frankel was a wonderful choice for the role of Julian Luna. He is, in many respects, the quintessential vampire--beautiful, charismatic, elegant and lethal. My favorite episode is the last, "Cabin in the Woods." Therein lies the potential of the show. Julian's character has started to peak, we begin to see what he is capable of, and it is bittersweet to know that nothing will follow. It would have been remarkable to see what direction this show would have taken. Certain aspects are not entirely realistic, such as the premise behind C. Thomas Howell's character, but it is easy to take that as a first season fault. And, really, it may also be because of the depth they were aiming for, which, if that is the case, is most forgivable. The only thing that I did not appreciate was how the DVDs were put together. Credits run before and after every episode. Within each you get long pauses where commercials no doubt were and they are preceded with the name of the show against a black backdrop. I don't see the necessity of keeping the shows in the original format, but since I own no other TV series to DVD set perhaps this is not so specific to Kindred. If you are thinking about buying Kindred: The Embraced without having seen it, with little knowledge of the background or the series in general, there is, in my opinion, scarce need for debating the matter. I bought it on impulse (a rarity, actually, for me) and it paid off. It's not all I've ever looked for in the vampire genre, but it fulfills some of my requirements and I not only enjoy it, but am most glad I now own it.
Rating:
Summary: "We're All Around You"
Review: KINDRED-THE EMBRACED only lasted 6 weeks as a television series on FOX before it was cancelled. Its short life was a shame because it was a show with great promise, and given more time, it could have been more than just a show with a cult following. I have always been a follower of films and shows about vampires and their mythology, therefore, KINDRED piqued my curiousity from day one. Based on the book ,"Vampire-The Masquerade" by Mark Rein-Hagen, the show set out to be hybrid between gothic and nightime soap. Having "sudser guru" Aaron Spelling as Executive Producer, helped to perpetuate, that aspect over the the gothic end of it. You know what though, the hybrid works, in spades. The story centers around 5 "clans" of vampires that are fighting to control modern day San Francisco. They live among humans and interact as though they were human. Cop Frank Kohanek (C. Thomas Howell) suspects the truth and swears to bring down Julian Luna (the late Mark Frankel), whom he thinks, is up to no good. Luna, known as "the Prince of the city" tries to keep the masquerade intact, and to fight off a bid for his position as a leader, by sworn enemy Eddie Fiori (Brian Thompson). As with any serialized program, there a number of subplots that go along with the main thrust of the series. The show is populated with good looking actors for sure, but because of the vampire spin here, it's not just a Melrose Place clone. The show works well and it is Frankel who makes the show as Julian. The chemistry between him, Kelly Rutherford (as reporter Caitlin Byrne), and Stacy Haiduk ( as lover Lillie Langtry) makes for an interesting triangle The 2 disc DVD set includes all 8 episodes of the series. 2 episodes never ran on television. The producers did a pretty good job trying to wrap things up, given the limited number of episodes, they had to work with to tell their story. Some threads are left to dangle for viewers to ponder A few episodes feature some then unknown actors (at least to me) that have appeared on other shows since then. Good writing and solid direction also highlight Kindred...I liked the program...and I am glad its available on DVD at a lower price (finally) Recommended
Rating:
Summary: An old favorite
Review: I watched this show when it originally came out, and I was incredibly dissapointed when it died after only one season. I didn't find out about Mark Frankel's death until a year or two ago(I thought the show had gone the way of Forever Knight). It has an engrossing story that can suck you in. It is supposedly based on the white wolf Vampire: The Masquerade Role Paying Game, but except for a few minor details it is in a world of it's own. The Five clans (Brujah, Gangrel, Toreador, Nosferatu, and Ventrue) go through all the back-stabbing infighting that you might expect from them, but they are led by the charismatic, and highly compassionate, Julian Luna: The Prince of Peace. It's not as great as I remember it, but it is a must see. If you don't buy it, for God's sake at least rent it. You won't be sorry.
Rating:
Summary: Now is the time to own
Review: Do you know a Ventrue from a Lasombra? (and do you know the difference between Fortitude and Ignore the Searing Flame?) If you answer yes to these questions, this DVD is for you. and what's more, the price is down significantly. As little as a couple of months ago the price for this disc was up around 80 bucks, way too much. But Vampire the Masquerade fans can enjoy it now at a much more resonable fee. Bottom line? If you ever wondered just what an Assamite might look in action, this tantalizingly brief show will wet your palet.
Rating:
Summary: A Whole New World of Vampires
Review: "Kindred: The Embraced" was based on the White Wolf role playing game "Vampire: The Masquerade". The show met with an untimely demise when the main cast member was killed in a motorcycle accident while the show was on hiatus. The show was nonetheless brilliant, portraying the vampires as "clans" who all had a stringent set of codes and rules they were expected to live by. The "Prince of the City", Julian Luna in the case of the clans we are following in this series which is set in the City of San Francisco, is expected to make sure all the clans follow all the rules. It was kind of like the mob . . . immortal style. It's a great series even if you're NOT a vampire fan.
Rating: 
Summary: Average-Level Bloodsucking
Review: I'll be the first to admit that I have no experience with the Mark Rein-Hagen book, VAMPIRE: THE MASQUERADE, upon which this short-lived series is based, but after viewing the eight episodes I'm not entirely convinced that I'd want to run out and involve myself with it anyhoo. KINDRED: THE EMBRACED is just-above-average TV fare exploring the volatile nature that exists between the Mafia-like families of ancient Vampire clans. While the inner politics that the show promotes and explores slightly is fascinating, unfortunately the show was peppered with genre actors turning in relatively predictable performances. Still, I would imagine that the show is 'must-see-TV' for die-hard blood sucking enthusiasts, as the show had a strong sense of novelty in exploring the mythology surrounding vampires from a different point of view. On a low note, C. Thomas Howell turns in perhaps the most wooden performance of his career. Perhaps he was intended to be the figuative 'stake' in the heart of this series' chest, had it a larger body of work. On a high note, Mark Frankel as 'Julian' turns in a remarkable performance as Julian Luna, the prince of the clains. While he oozes the kind of chemistry one would come to expect from the head of the blood-sucking cults, he also peppers his scenes with feelings of true angst and amusement over the uniqueness of his situation and position in society. Also worth mentioning is Kelly Rutherford (can't this beauty find a series that lasts more than one season?) and her performance as the city editor bent on uncovering the truth behind San Francisco's bloody crimes but slowly falling in love with Julian in the process. The DVD edition is a well-done preservation of this series, and, while it doesn't answer all of the questions raised in eight episodes (the show wasn't picked up as the lead Frankel was killed tragically in an auto accident), it definitely gives the viewer some wonderful points to ponder.
Rating:
Summary: More Greatness from the Folks at White Wolf
Review: Kindred: The Embraced was a short-lived series (one season) back in the day based on White Wolf's popular Vampire tabletop RPG. The series was short-lived because the man who played the main part (one of them) in the series was killed in a car accident, so they stopped all production (naturally). Now, being an appropriate Vampire nerd I figured I'd buy this (I hadn't watched it or played RPGs back when it was out) and when I got it, wow. Great stories, great acting, and a good amount of action. If you like Vampire, things vampiric, or just a good story this is an incredible purchase. The only thing I didn't care for was how it kind of made some of the clans generic power-wise (in the game, each clan is a bit more ability-specific) but it did make up for it in obvious clan rivalries and the like, so it is easily gotten around. Great purchase.
Rating:
Summary: Amazed
Review: First of all, RIP Mark Frankel. the beloved Prince of all the clans. I have just recieved this DVD and...wow. I watched every episode in one day. I thought it was going to be one of those ho-hum, yeah yeah yeah, tv series DVD's. How wrong I was. The character building, the plot lines, the action was all beautifully orchestrated. Though it was only 8 episodes, and the end kind of leaves you wanting more it is worth purchasing. But not to worry about the 8 episodes. You might think me crazy, but myself and three people are in the process of writing a screenplay picking up where the series ended. Writing will be easy. Selling will be the hard part. Anyhoo, buy this and let the Masquerade consume you.
Rating:
Summary: An (Oc) Cult Classic
Review: This is an excellent series. There are no extras in the DVDs. The opening sequence is available before each show. Does not appear to be edited from my viewing of the show. Also, initially, I belive the "Blood Brothers" episode was never aired so technically that might qualify as an extra. This was originally released as a three tape set for [price], now you can get all the episodes for under [price]. Quite a bargain for the amount of entertainment. The shows are also thick with character development which causes some lag if you try to marathon this series. I would recommend watching 2-3 episodes at a time and then waiting a few days to watch more. Don't skip around until you have seen them all as the plot does layer from episode to episode. This would break up the television pace of the show and might help some complaints of its plot structure. Also, this is more about vampirically enhanced humanity than violence. It is based on a RPG and it certainly helps to be at least familiar with the type of clans before watching. Generally though, there are clans of vampire in cities, the clans have leaders, these leaders select a prince of the city. Ventrue are typically, well established in legitimate business and politics of the human world. They are uniquely interested in blending in and getting along. Brujah are mob types and union leaders. They are trying to muscle into power by using unlawful business enterprise and the threat of a clan war. There are Torredor which are emotional and appreciative of the arts. In this movie they own the clubs. The Nosferatu are bald and can't blend in so they live underground. They are the oldest and most powerful but limited by their inability to blend in. They are also the most tortured of the clans in terms of internal loathing. Gangrel are the most animal-like. They run in packs particularly biker gangs to make their typical long hair and wild appearance more natural. To blend in the clan leaders under the prince have established rules protecting their ability to blend in. This is called the masquerade. Anything that threatens the masquerade threatens the existence of the person doing it. With this in mind, sit back and enjoy. Very original, very good. Don't get overly attached. There is no hope that this series will return with any semblance of this cast given the tragic demise of Frankel who died in a motorcycle accident.
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