Question:
Do you find Nick more interesting as a
vampire or as a "mortal-wanna-be"?

Denese

Definitely as a vampire... he is too melancholy and moody as a 'mortal-wanna-be'. There is so much more he can do as a vampire living among mortals, if he would just dump some of his guilt and attempts at mortality.

Linda

Light versus dark. The dark side of Nick is dangerously appealing but the mortal wanna be is the struggle of a man trying to find what he lost in one weak moment that changed his life forever. Good and evil, and Nick can look really evil when he wants to and then that angelic smile. Its the combination of the two that I find most interesting. Lets face it Nick couldn't be more interesting if he was painted purple. But if I had to pick, well I am a Dark Knightie, you know.

Chris Kaergard

I think that Nick is more interesting as a mortal-wanna-be. As a vampire, he is really one-dimensional, unlike LaCroix, who actually has a personality as a vamp. With Nick wanting to be a mortal, we get to see some actual emotions inside of him besides anger and blood-thirst, which seems to be all he can manage as a vampire.

Labratio

Well, let's face it, we already have a regular vampire to like (LaCroix), so who needs another one? I like the idea of Nick being a "mortal wanna be" because it is a little more original and doesn't let the show settle too far into it's horror moorings to give it a wider audience.

Amanda

BOTH!!!!!!! I like him when he is being "mortal" with Nat, but I also loved it in the ep "Crazy Love" when he got together with Janette.

Lady C.

This one is easy for me. I have to go with "wanna-be". If he was a vampire who was happy, or at least contented with his lot, the moral dilemma portion of the show would be almost non-existant. I don't need the romance to keep me going, but the challenges of a vampire existing in the mortal world, and trying to "ape" human behavior (whatever that means - nice ambiguous phrase which can be interpreted thousands of ways) is was what kept me hooked on the series, and keeps me rewatching.

Edna

Nick is really not that much fun as a mortal-wanna-be, but he excels as a vampire. Why not, he only had 30 odd years as a mortal and 800 as a vampire. He is more certain, masterful, and confident with his vampire powers. He depends on them. As a mortal he wouldn't have them and I don't think Nick as given this much thought.

Jackie

I personally find Nick much more interesting as a vampire than I ever have as a "mortal-wanna-be." Particularly in the first two seasons, despite the fact that he wanted to be mortal again, he tended to need to use powers that humans do not have. The ability to hear things from great distances, the ability to move quick, the strength. In the flashbacks we see an extremely interesting character, one that still loves and lives but is able to be anyone he wants to be. He is much more interesting as the vampire who has crossed paths with legendary figures (such as Beethoven) and been involved in major events in history (World War II, Vietnam, The Russian Revolution, the Civil War... to name a few events) than as a "mortal."

SpooferKD

Let's face it. If this were the Nick Knight, nice cop on the beat, how many of us would be interested in this show? If Nick really wanted to reject his vampiric side, why doesn't he ever try to stop using his vampiric powers? The only thing he seems to associate with being a 'bad' vampire is the blood drinking and killing part. The rest of his vampiric nature is as appealing to him as it is to us. There's no denying the dramatic tension that happens as he barely restrains himself from biting one of the bad guys, or - in flashbacks - when he actually does bite someone. He just has to learn to sip, not kill, and to accept himself for what he is. It would be nice to see him lose the medieval guilt, and to really enjoy himself. In my opinion, that would be an interesting transformation!

Kelly Green

I find Nick much more interesting as a vampire. If "men who angst" interested me, I'd spend more time at the coffee house on "Bad Poetry Night". I think even Nick is happier with his vampire side. His one failing with it is that he's never been sent to remedial sipping school. Come to think of it, why *hasn't* LaCroix sent Nick to remedial sipping school? That would certainly go a long way toward solving that particular sticky point in their relationship.

Cousin Chase

I wonder, sometimes, if you can really have one without the other. I mean, he couldn't be a "mortal-wanna-be" unless he was already a vampire, right? Plus I think that being a vampire is so MUCH of what he is that there wouldn't be much to his character if he wasn't. (Well, some of course, but not nearly as much!) I love to watch the vampire in him, but I think that his struggle is part of what gives him such depth. It's that sort of identification with mortal problems that sort of brings him closer to something I can feel. Not to say that a complete unabashed vampire isn't interesting, of course, or I wouldn't be a Cousin! But part of what makes LaCroix interesting to me is the contrast between him and Nick. He also has a human side, and it's his denial of that that is part of what makes him interesting. But without Nick trying to get it back, it'd be easy to push that part of him into the background and forget about it.

Shelley M.

I find Nick interesting as a 'vampire with a soul'. The mortal-wannabe part of him doesn't appeal to me as much as his sense of right and wrong...

A. Knoke

"Mortal-wanna-be". The conflict between his vampiric nature and his mortal yearnings were his defining characteristic.

Regine

Nick is interesting as a vampire and would be interesting as a mortal. Nick is just that kind of person. He's not static. If he weren't a vampire maybe he'd be a werewolf. If he had not been a knight maybe he would have been an adventurer of some sort. If Nick becomes a mortal after centuries of vampirism you can bet he won't be just another runofthemilljoe. He'll never be completely free of his demons. He'll always set difficult standards for himself.

Scott Stevens

Ok, here's an opinion form New Zealand: Nick is way more interesting as a vampire than a mortal-wanna-be. I think that it's good that he pursues his dream of being human as it gives him a conscience and helps him relate better to the mortals around him. This helps balance out the other main vampires in the show.

Peggy Christie

I think he's much more interesting as a vampire. Granted, he does wonderful things being a cop and all. But I get so tired of his whining about all his past cruelties, kills, etc., etc., etc. When he just lets go, you can see the proper, aristocratic mask fall away and see the dark, savage side underneath.

StephiLyn

I happen to find Nick to be much more interesting when he's a vampire trying to live in a world of mortals. If he's just the "mortal wanna-be", he can become dull and boring rather quickly. When he's the vampire trying to adjust to living and working among, that's when I find Nick to be at his most appealing and fascinating. In many ways, Nick is like an extraterrestrial in that he has unususal powers and abilities that mortals don't have, but he must live and work with people who aren't like him and who aren't sure what he is. This opens the door for some interesting situations where Nick must seem "normal", even though he isn't, and he's able to use his vampiric abilities to help others.

Jill Schilling

I find Nick more interesting as a vampire in search of redemption than as a mortal-wanna-be. I do not believe the two (redemption and mortality) have to go together for Nick. In my opinion, Nick would be much happier if he continued to seek redemption as a vampire, accepted that his "condition" has its advantages, and moved on with his unlife. I just think that Nick's quest to be human could only result in a disaster such as that portrayed in LK. And personally, I don't think Nick would survive very long as a human. How many times during the series do we see him use his powers? He chooses not to use his powers sometimes, but he doesn't know what it's like to be without them.

Nik

I really wish he'd just let it go and get with the program. He's a vampire. He's always gonna be a vampire. Why can't he handle that? Think of all the good he could do with all those nifty powers. The blood thing is a drag but, hey, this is the twentieth century. You don't have to drain the peasants anymore. Just invest in a blood bank and skim a little off the top.

Ann Byron

I think Nick is far more interesting as a vampire than as a 'mortal-wanna-be'. When he's in full 'mortal-wanna-be' mode, he whines a lot and tends to wallow in self-pity. It's not pretty. But as a vampire-detective, he has interesting adventures, solves crimes, gets things done, and contributes to the positive good.

Tepes

Nick is *far* more interesting as a vamp. I do like his darker side better than his whining mortal side (it's LaCroix's dark and sarcastic nature that makes him my fav character. Call me demented, but that's also why I really liked the 3rd season a lot, and as the saying goes, "Suffer the little children" and LaCroix making Nick "suffer" was hysterical! Don't get me wrong, I like Nick too, just not his soft side).

Winnie Davis

Personally, I think that Nick is more interesting as a vampire, but as a cop, more believable as a mortal-wanna-be. Let's face it, as fascinating as any mortal may think he or she might be, a vampire actually is. But it's Nick's yearning and striving to be that which he is not that entices me back for more. Will he regress in his treatment? Will he and Natalie find a cure for his condition? How guilty will he feel this week? Yeah, he whines a lot, but I think that were he and Natalie to ever progress to higher level in their relationship, that would probably change.

Susan M. Garrett

My reaction to Nick as a vampire -- *yawn*. I mean, we've seen lots and lots and lots of shows and books and series with good-looking guys who turn out to be undead and sweep women off their feet. Now, as a vampire who wants to be mortal--that's different. I'm not talking about angst, I'm talking about someone who is something that he doesn't want to be. He doesn't know whether or not he can overcome his nature and be true to his ideals, but he's giving it a shot. And almost every time he stumbles, he's back up for more. I don't mind seeing Nick during his "I'm a vamp and I'm proud of it" years because it makes a nice contrast to what he is now. But I do think that Nick is more interesting as a man trying to better himself despite his nature. A vamp who likes being a vamp as a central character . . . heck, that's "Kindred" territory, which suffered from not having enough inherent dramatic tension half the time, and the other half suffered from a lack of human interest. I've already seen one reference to Nick as a vampire with a soul, which has probably come about because of the neat thing they did on "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer" with Angel--this was a cool way of dealing within the parameters "Buffy" has set up (vampires being evil, souless, partially demonic or demon inhabited creaures), but doesn't quite work with the FK versions of vampires, who appear to be transmorgafied mortals (the same people with different physical demands and different physical abilities, which affects their outlooks and personality). Nick IS human interest, his thoughts and feelings and struggles reflect the human conditions and the thoughts, feelings and struggles we encounter every day in our own lives--questions of identity, responsibility, culpability, and every other itty you can name. I wouldn't mind seeing Nick as a mortal for a period of time and then have him tragically revert, nor would I mind seeing him give into his nature for a bit and then realizing what a mistake it was, but having Nick abandon his quest for mortality? Might as well just pop in the "Kindred" tapes and pop me some popcorn. Then again, I've been a card-carrying member of the stakes and crosses brigade since the age of 10.

Eric McCann

While the vampire part is interesting, the thing that sets the whole basis for the show (and makes it "stand out") is the fact he wants to be mortal. If he didn't, "Dark Knight" and the rest would never have happened - why would he want to stop a gang robbery? Free food afterward, after all. If he ended up in the morgue, why wouldn't he just drain Natalie - she's a resistor who caught a vampire in a baaad situation, after all. Even if he didn't, why would he become a cop? For you cousins out there, if Nick were "just a vampire," where would the tension between him and LaCroix be? If it weren't for his quest to become mortal, all we'd have is "a vampire show." And I don't think we'd be here right now.

Sky Dancer

Call me dark, but I think Nick's fight to maintain a mortal facade as a vampire is much more inticing than Nick the mortal. I agree with those who say if Nick is turned into a mortal, it'll just be another cop show. It is his ability to control certain things that allow him to walk within the mortal world unnoticed, as well as his special abilities that allow him to get criminals put away that others would let slip away that attracks me to him. Then there's all that wild vampiric stuff we get to look at, the erotic uncontrolled world of the vampire, of beings we are not and cannot know. Nick's never ending quest to consumate his and Natalie's relationship will never get dull, for while one time he may gather enough strength to do it without killing her, the next will always be a crap shoot. He can never tell whether the vampire will overwhelm him so it keeps it exciting. I like the excitment of having vampires trying to walk in the mortal world, like Vachon and Tracy. For while Nick seems to have NO control with Natalie, Vachon looks like the kinda of vampire that might just actually be able to pull it off. And it is the consumation of such a pairing, how they would work to try and manage their everyday real lives with these differences that would continue to intrigue me. Where they fail and where they succeed, how they are able to bring happiness into a situation fraught with many dangers would keep many scripts available. It would be like a sporting event... how many times does one couple overcome and the other fall three steps back. To tell the truth, I don't remember them really fully exploring the real life day-to-day life of a vampire couple in the 90s who have what may appear to be several mortal friends. There's so many things left to show us! I know some people hate the idea of a running story line, but I love to watch characters grow, see all their facets. If Nick were mortal, its possible he'd just become another manic depressive having to watch everyone around him fall because he no longer has his powers. I vote for Nick staying a vampire. And finally learning how to love himself even though he is. He'll still have temptation running rampant around him, but after season 3, I'm all over angst as a plot device. <G> Of course, this is all just my humble opinion.

Rosebud

A vampire. Because a mortal is ordinary, and a vampire is unusually, not so every day, and cool. Plus when you are a vampire, you can do special things mortals can't.

Angie Harris

As a new viewer, maybe I have a different perspective, but I think that Nick's hope to be human again is what sets him apart. Although I think Nick gets to be too goody-goody sometimes, I like the character overall. However, I still laugh at the way they look with their fangs in... almost stereotypical... the way they hiss and stuff... it reminds me of an old B movie.

Teresa

I understand Nick's need to atone for his past. Striving to avoid future sins is certainly admirable. But I am not able to understand why Nick wants to be mortal. If Nick had been brought up in a different (less guilt-obsessed) culture, would he have had a different "unlife" as a vampire? I suspect that he might have made the decision much earlier to prey only on the guilty, and that he would have been able to feel that he was "good" even while he did what was in his nature. Nick seems to feel that the only way that he can exercise self-control is to choose not to kill. If he accepted that he does not really have that choice, his conscience might be better served. He could then choose to kill only the guilty. Of course, then Forever Knight would just be another "superhero" story without intriguing moral dilemmas. I like Nick best when he walks the line between being completely out of control and being paralyzed with guilt. If he were mortal, wouldn't he still feel that he is a sinner? Mortality would not allow Nick to escape his past, it would only mean less time to atone for his sins.

Reva

It is hard to say. I love Nick in both incarnations. As a vampire he must fight the urge to kill and deal with his ethical dilemma about this but his urges usually overpower his ethics which I find very interesting. It is sad to watch him as a mortal wannabe because we know his quest his futile. I also think that if he ever found mortality he would still not be happy. I think in both states as a vampire and as a mortal wannabe Nick is a very lonely person.

Watcher

As a mortal, *period*. Creepy and weird as most of you will see it, I find what he's lost and what he longs for that desperately (and what is still partly in him, against all odds - and quite strong at that) even more interesting than his strength, sturdiness and ability to fly. I guess, with me it's just other way around than with most of the others: not Nick's vampiric abilities make his "contents" appealing, but his human essence - and its consequences - is why those abilities (and the show in general) work. Maybe it is because Geraint Wyn Davies is such a good actor, but the character he plays looks to me impressive and meaningful even without supernatural "enhancement". It is common to ask "and what would he be without his vampire side?" The answer was here all the time - we have actually seen him that way: in Dead Issue, in Queen Of Harps and, in a way, in Near Death and The Night In Question. I wouldn't say he was then less appealing, really weak or unsignificant. Actually, I understood him better when I saw how he was when he was human: there *was* something to lose. As for "would you be interesting if he was just a good cop" - no, I wouldn't. Nor if he would be just another astronaut, or android... or vampire, for that matter. Without a purpose, nothing is interesting - any show, in my opinion, needs an agenda (especially long-running series). In the case of FK, it's Nick's struggle and longing. So I do prefer it as it is now - but I *would* be interested to watch the show with Nick *having* regained his mortality (and not only on the condition of him losing it again as soon as possible). I believe, he can be interesting in his own right.

Heather

I find him more interesting as a vampire.

Imzadi

Nick is much more interesting as a mortal wannabe. The constant struggle with his inner nature shows us so much more depth of character. His desire to be human allows us to see him as a vulnerable yet strong creature who has to deal with being something he doesn't want to be. I particularly like characters who are full of angst so I guess that is another reason why I prefer this Nick. In a way, he reminds me of Data on "Star Trek: The Next Generation." They both want to be more human. And Data is very funny when he tries to be human but the fact that he is an android also benefits him at times - just like Nick and his vampiric abilities. So the mortal wannabe is the best thing going. It's the best of both worlds. Well, okay... maybe not the best, but there are advantages. You have Nick's humanity and his vampiric senses. He's the essential "good vampire." I particularly like that blend of good and evil. Nick's longing to be human allows us to see the humaneness in even the most brutal or stoical creatures.

Susan B.

I find the fact that he's a vampire who wants to return to his mortality the interesting thing about him. What is a vampire except for a HUMAN who has been desecrated by evil that in turn desecrates others. Nick wants to return to his "true nature" that of a human being. He wants his soul to be free again, and that freedom is worth any struggle. Yup - Mortal wanna-be.

Navidia

I think that They could have a lot more fun with the "vampire", but then the show just would not be the same. Who wants to watch "the vampire who doesn't care about society and just goes around sucking blood"? There is something romantic about the vampire who is a "mortal-wanna-be," people love the underdog who is on a hopeless mission. The real kicker is that you can almost believe that he would be mortal again, and that the story would have a happy ending. But then you almost don't want him to become mortal, because then there would be nothing left of the story. You would lose the hopefulness, of being able to keep believing that one day he will have that happy ending. People want to hope for the endin along with Nick, but very rarely want to see it end. Who wants to watch "The guy who was once a vampire?"

Lord Chaos

I find him more interesting as a mortal-wanna-be than as cold blooded murderer. The vampire thing has been done before but the show "Forever Knight" shows it in a different perspective never before done. I think it's cool because it is different.

Rosebud

I personally think that Nick is much more interesting as a mortal-wannabe. He is a very loving and caring character, and he is always there for Natalie. If he was an evil vampire all the time, how would he be then? There needs to be more men in the world like Nick Knight, character or not. He knows what he is and he knows that he can use that any time he wants. He is just awesome!!!!!!!

Sharon Bauman

I find Nick more interesting as a vampire. After all, this is a show about vampires. And how boring it would be if we only had Lacroix to watch as a vampire. Nick has more depth as a vampire. I get tired of his whining about wanting to be mortal again. But there are good episodes that pit his desire to be mortal against the reality that he's a vampire. I think Nick has a greater range of emotions as a vampire, and there's that element where he vamps out through no control of his own. One of the things I find most interesting about Nick as a vampire is how long he's lived, what he's experienced during that time, and how he has affected the lives of mortals he's encountered during those years. He might never have had that kind of affect/influence on those mortals if he, too, were mortal. One thing Nick never seemed to realize was the unique opportunities he had as a vampire, but he did realize that was why becoming a vampire could be so seductive for others.

Joe LaCour

Vampire. He's too sappy when he's in his "wanna-be" stage. I guess that makes me a Dark Knightie. To sorta paraphrase CSN&Y "If you can't be the one you love, love the one you are."

Tiffiney Petherbridge

Maybe it's because I am a cousin, but I think Nick is way more interesting as a vampire. He has that coolness about him when he is a vampire. Those fangs, those eyes, that >evil< attitude. Vampires are cool. Lacroix is cool. Screed was cool. Vachon was cool. The reason why they were cool is because they never denied their vampireness. That is why that Nick being a vampire instead of a "mortal wannabe" is cool!

Maria Lane

Reason, character depth, and the fact that FK is centered around Nick's struggle with himself prompt me to say that Nick as a "mortal-wanna-be" is more interesting. However, the little Immortal Beloved inside me wishes he would just return to his happy family and make the most of (*long*) life as a vampire. Personally, I think Nick should be able to find some happy medium between mortality and immortality -- secure in his vampiric side, but respectful of humans in general. Janette's "parenting of strays" shows that vampires do not have to be entirely cold and uncaring; perhaps Nick could find a cause of his own... like a support group for people with controlling parents...

Nastassia

I think Nick is more interesting as a vampire. I just think the vampire world is a lot more interesting than the mortal world. I love Vachon and Urs and Janette and, hell, I even like LaCroix. Nick made a choice 800 years ago. He needs to live with it.

DiScOrD

The question is hard to answer, because he is both. As a vampire, yes, he has cool powers. However, as a "mortal-wanna-be" he strives to make his life better, and hopes one day to succeed. More interesting? "m-w-b" definitly.

Kathleen Devanney

I'm more interested in Nick as a vampire who wants to be mortal. Of course, he MUST be a vampire (because that's what he IS), but he has a self-image as a mortal. Who doesn't have an unrealistic image of themselves some of the time? The experiences he's had as a vampire give his character great depth. Frankly, as Nick the human wannabe, he can be tediously shallow and self-involved.

Heidi

Is Nick that guy next to Lacroix? Now that Lacroix is an interesting character!!!

Danielle Goldstein

I'm what you'd call a Twilight Knightie. I think Nick should search for a cure but never find it. So, I see him as both and like him as both.