Vampires are one of the most favorite (fictional?) creatures. They're dangerous, fascinating, dark, but also sexy and intriguing, at least depending on the source material (some vampires are just gross and deadly). The Vampire Diaries created a world filled with plenty of memorable characters, some of whom were more popular than others.
And even though there were plenty of previous vampire stories aimed at a younger audience, the show still did more than fine since it offered a few things no other vampire TV show or a film did before. Here are 5 times when The Vampire Diaries were the best teenage vampire saga and 5 times when it fell short.
10 Was The Best: The Chemistry Between Elena And Damon
Unlike a lot of couples in vampire teenage sagas, The Vampire Diaries actually offered a couple that felt genuine when it came to the attraction and bond between them. Elena and Damon weren't a perfect couple but a lack of chemistry certainly wasn't a problem in their case.
Perhaps it was caused by the fact that their actors, Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder, actually dated, but whatever the reason is, Elena and Damon quickly became a fan-favorite for many people.
9 Fell Short: Bringing Back Too Many Characters
Even other vampire stories bring back dead heroes, but The Vampire Diaries acquired a special taste for first killing characters and then bringing them back from the dead... more than once. It happened to Katherine, Bonnie, Jeremy... Even Elena, if one counts her transformation into a vampire.
That lessened the emotional impact each death had on the audience since the fans could expect that there was a fair chance the character would be back sooner or later (usually sooner).
8 Was The Best: Showing Off Vampire Powers
The Vampire Diaries had a lot of fun showing off vampire powers, everything the bloodthirsty creatures could do. There was compelling, super speed and strength, the resistance (or lack thereof) to vervain, using lapis lazuli to be able to walk in the sun, and that's just a few.
It had a lot of time to build up the vampire race and their abilities, which makes the show different from other similarly themed stories that barely touched the subject, or stayed with the basic notions of - vampires drink blood and are sensitive to sunlight.
7 Fell Short: The Doppelgangers
One of the ways in which The Vampire Diaries falls short in comparison to other vampire-themed teenage stories is the presence of the doppelgangers.
There were too many of them and their storylines were often so brief that they might not have even been there in the first place and nothing would have changed. When it was only Katherine and Elena, it was okay, but then came Tatia and Silas and more, and it all got too chaotic, if not downright silly.
6 Was The Best: Great Villains
The one thing that The Vampire Diaries did better than almost any other vampire story for younger fans was introducing several great villains. Klaus and Elijah were one of them, just like the entire Mikaelson family, to a lesser degree - including their murderous dad Mikael.
There was Katherine who quickly turned into a villain beloved by fans and had more style and charm than her human doppelganger Elena. And no-one should forget the murderous psychopath Kai who killed Jo and almost also murdered her children in the process.
5 Fell Short: Everyone Turns Into A Vampire
Unlike other vampire shows and films, almost every significant human character turned into a vampire on The Vampire Diaries... or was killed by one. That was interesting in the beginning but later got just a bit old. For example, Bella's human friends in Twilight happily continued with their ordinary lives, and maybe it was for the best.
Why bring more people into the chaotic and violent world of vampires, anyway? But The Vampire Diaries heroes obviously didn't feel that way, and even Matt Donovan, one of the characters who remained human, wasn't spared the supernatural drama.
4 Was The Best: Friendships Rule
Amidst all the supernatural drama and danger, the show still found time to build genuine relationships, and not just romantic ones but also family bonds and friendship. Elena, Bonnie, and Caroline didn't always see eye to eye but when the situation was dire, they were there for each other.
Which is more than can be said about other heroines of vampire stories who barely spend time with their friends and abandon them for the so-called perfect guy.
3 Fell Short: The Disconnected World
It's surprising how little the show's heroes knew about other supernatural creatures. While it's understandable in Elena's case, Stefan and Damon should have known better. But The Vampire Diaries' world simply isn't as well-connected and formed as the show's creators would like the audience to believe.
It gradually throws more and more supernatural creatures into the mix without any indication that the heroes were aware of the creatures' existence before they appeared on the scene.
2 Was The Best: Better Than The Books
Generally speaking, vampire TV shows and films are usually worse than the books they were based on. But The Vampire Diaries is an opposite case, and it actually offers more to its audience than the books do.
Sure, they're not all bad, but the characters in them are much less sympathetic, Elena and Damon included. What's more, some fan-favorite characters (such as Katherine or Klaus) barely appeared in the books.
1 Fell Short: The Teenagers Weren't Teenagers
It's easy to forget this considering Stefan was supposed to be 17 years old when he was turned into a vampire... but a lot of the actors who portrayed vampires on the show were much older than their characters were supposed to be.
And unfortunately for the show, it later became even more obvious. The show offered only a few genuinely teenage characters, the rest of the heroes were immortal vampires, and it managed to kill or change the few teenagers that lived in Mystic Falls.
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