The Vampire Diaries
A supernatural teen drama set in Mystic Falls, Virginia.
The Vampire Diaries is a supernatural teen drama that aired on the CW, created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec and adapted from L. J. Smith's book series. It ran for 172 episodes across eight seasons, from September 10, 2009, to March 10, 2017. The story takes place in the fictional Virginia town of Mystic Falls, centering on teenager Elena Gilbert, who, after losing her parents in a car crash, becomes involved with two vampire brothers, Stefan and Damon Salvatore.
The first season drew an average of 3.60 million viewers, making it the network's most-watched series until *Arrow* took that spot. The show earned numerous award nominations, including four People's Choice Awards and thirty Teen Choice Awards. In April 2015, lead actress Nina Dobrev confirmed she would leave after season six, though she returned as a guest star in the series finale (season 8, episode 16). The CW renewed the series for an eighth season in March 2016, but announced in July that this 16-episode season would be its last.
Critics generally praised the series for its acting, character development, emotional depth, and themes. Its concepts and characters spawned a media franchise including other TV series, web series, novels, and comic books. The first major spin-off, *The Originals*, aired on the CW from 2013 to 2018, followed by *Legacies* (2018–2022), also on the CW. The show significantly shaped the supernatural teen drama genre, fueling a rise in vampire-themed media in the late 2000s and early 2010s.
The plot follows Elena Gilbert as she falls for Stefan Salvatore, a 162-year-old vampire she initially believes is human. Their relationship grows complicated when Stefan's older brother, Damon, returns to Mystic Falls, aiming to resurrect their former love, Katherine Pierce—Elena's doppelgänger. Damon initially resents Stefan for turning him into a vampire but later reconciles with him, though their bond is tested when both fall for Elena, creating a love triangle. The brothers protect Elena from various villains and threats, including Katherine, while concealing their vampire identities. Flashbacks slowly reveal the brothers' pasts and the town's history.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Drama / Supernatural / Dark fantasy
- Based On
- The Vampire Diaries · L. J. Smith
- Developer
- Kevin Williamson / Julie Plec
- Showrunner
- Kevin Williamson (seasons 1–3 & 8) / Julie Plec
- Composer
- Michael Suby
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Num Seasons
- 8
- Num Episodes
- 171
- List Episodes
- List of The Vampire Diaries episodes
- Executive Producer
- Leslie Morgenstein / Bob Levy / Kevin Williamson / Julie Plec / Caroline Dries / Chad Fiveash / James Stoteraux / Melinda Hsu Taylor
- Producer
- Pascal Verschooris / Trish Stanard
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The series is set in the fictional town of Mystic Falls, Virginia, a town charged with supernatural history. It follows the life of Elena Gilbert, a teenage girl who has just lost both parents in a car crash, as she falls in love with a 162-year-old vampire named Stefan Salvatore, who she thinks is just a normal human. Their relationship becomes increasingly intricate as Stefan's mysterious older brother Damon Salvatore returns to Mystic Falls with a plan to bring back their past love, Katherine Pierce, who is Elena's doppelgänger. Although Damon initially holds a grudge against his brother for forcing him to become a vampire, he later reconciles with Stefan, but their relationship is challenged when they both fall in love with Elena, creating a love triangle among the three.
Reader's Guide
The Vampire Diaries became the most-watched series on the CW before being surpassed by Arrow. It received numerous award nominations, winning four People's Choice Awards and thirty Teen Choice Awards. The series was generally well received by critics, who praised its acting, character development, emotional depth, and thematic elements. The concepts and characters developed in the series served to launch a media franchise that includes other television series, web series, novels and comic books. The television series The Originals (2013–2018) – which also aired on the CW – was the first major entry in this collection of connected works, followed by a spin-off of The Originals entitled Legacies (2018–2022). The Vampire Diaries significantly influenced the supernatural teen drama genre, contributing to a surge in vampire-themed media during the late 2000s and early 2010s.
Did You Know?
- Lead actress Nina Dobrev, who played Elena Gilbert, confirmed she would leave the show after its sixth season in April 2015.
- The series averaged 3.60 million viewers in its first season.
- The eighth season, consisting of 16 episodes, was announced as the show's last in July 2016.
- The Vampire Diaries spawned the spin-off series The Originals (2013–2018) and Legacies (2018–2022).
More in American dark fantasy television series 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced