The Vampire Diaries vs The Originals - A Comparison

Introduction to The Vampire Diaries

The Vampire Diaries is an American supernatural teen drama television series that was created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. It is based on the book series of the same name by L.J. Smith. The show premiered on The CW network in 2009 and ran for 8 seasons until 2017. It quickly became a hit among teenagers and young adults.

Overview of The Vampire Diaries

The show is set in the fictional town of Mystic Falls, Virginia and follows the lives of supernatural beings such as vampires, werewolves, witches, doppelgangers, and hybrids. The main protagonist is Elena Gilbert, a young high school girl who falls in love with a centuries-old vampire named Stefan Salvatore. Their relationship gets complicated as Stefan's older brother Damon Salvatore returns to Mystic Falls and also falls for Elena. The brothers have a long and bitter history spanning over 100 years.

The series deals with themes of romance, adventure, horror, mystery, and drama. The small town setting allows for intriguing character dynamics and plots. Much of the show revolves around the love triangle between Elena, Stefan, and Damon. There are constant shifts in alliances, enemies, and friends from season to season. All the characters have complex emotional backgrounds and motivations.

Main Characters in The Vampire Diaries

Elena Gilbert - The central character and female lead. She is a popular high school student coping with loss and romantic entanglements with the Salvatore brothers.

Stefan Salvatore - Male lead, vampire, eternally 17 years old. He tries to live a moral life without human blood. Falls for Elena.

Damon Salvatore - Stefan's impulsive older brother, also a vampire. Dangerous but has a soft spot for Elena.

Bonnie Bennett - Elena's best friend, a witch who comes from a long line of powerful witches.

Caroline Forbes - Another friend of Elena's who gets turned into a vampire against her will early on in the series.

Tyler Lockwood - A werewolf who comes from a founding family of Mystic Falls. Has an on-again, off-again relationship with Caroline.

Matt Donovan - A human, Elena's ex-boyfriend who later dates Caroline. He remains part of the friend group.

Alaric Saltzman - The history teacher at Mystic Falls High School who becomes a father figure for Elena after losing her adoptive parents.

Main Story Arcs and Plotlines

There are several main story arcs that span multiple seasons on The Vampire Diaries. Here are some of the most pivotal ones:

- The love triangle between Elena, Stefan, and Damon which persists through much of the series.

- The Originals - the first family of vampires from whom all other vampires are descended. This story arc introduced fan favorites Klaus and Elijah.

- Elena's transformation into a vampire herself towards the end of Season 3.

- The tensions between species as vampires, werewolves, witches and hybrids in Mystic Falls try to coexist and threaten each other.

- The arrival of Elena's doppelgangers, including the malevolent Katherine Pierce and the good-natured Amara.

- Bonnie's development into a powerful witch and serving as the anchor to the Other Side dimension.

- The redemption arcs for characters like Caroline, Damon, and Klaus who start out antagonistic but become more ethical over time.

- Numerous sacrifices, deaths and resurrections of key characters as supernatural rules get bent.

Why Fans Love The Vampire Diaries

Here are some of the major reasons why The Vampire Diaries appealed so much to its target audience and developed a passionate fandom over its 8-season run:

- Attractive young cast and exciting supernatural love stories. The show had just the right mix of romance, action and drama.

- Superb acting by the ensemble cast which made characters compelling and worth rooting for.

- Clever dialogue, self-aware humor, pop culture references and winks to the audience.

- Unexpected plot twists and turns that kept viewers hooked across seasons.

- Dark mythology involving ancient legends, curses, immortal beings and paranormal activity.

- Plenty of heartbreaking moments and sacrifices that emotionally invested the audience.

- Satisfying redemption arcs for complex villains like Klaus, Katherine and Damon.

- Creative use of flashbacks, dream sequences, alternate universes and time travel.

Comparison to The Originals Spinoff

The Vampire Diaries was the parent show from which the spinoff The Originals was launched. The Originals premiered in 2013 and aired for 5 seasons, ending in 2018.

The Originals centered around Klaus Mikaelson and the rest of the Original vampire family as they left Mystic Falls and returned to the supernatural melting pot of New Orleans. Just like its predecessor, The Originals had a mix of supernatural drama, romance, horror and suspense.

A key difference was that The Originals featured more grown-up characters who had lived for over a thousand years. The Vampire Diaries had a teenage romance at its core. The spinoff could take on darker, more mature themes without alienating viewers.

While The Vampire Diaries examined small town life and high school dynamics, The Originals focused more on political intrigue, turf wars and family dysfunction across immortal beings. The Originals also incorporated more of New Orleans' unique vibrancy, culture and mystical elements.

However, both shows were set within the same shared universe, which allowed for occasional character crossovers. Fans got to see familiar faces appear in New Orleans. The rich mythology and backstory built over years on The Vampire Diaries helped launch a compelling new chapter with The Originals.

Connection and Overlap Between the Two Shows

Here are some of the key connections between the storylines and characters of The Vampire Diaries and The Originals:

- Klaus, Elijah and Rebekah Mikaelson originated as villains on The Vampire Diaries before becoming the protagonists of The Originals.

- Flashbacks, dream sequences and guest appearances kept tying events in Mystic Falls to the histories of Original vampires in New Orleans.

- Characters like Hayley, Camille and Marcel who were key to The Originals also started out in small roles on The Vampire Diaries.

- Mystic Falls regulars like Caroline Forbes and Alaric Saltzman made guest appearances on The Originals.

- The mythologies of vampire sire lines, witch covens, dark magic and werewolf packs crossed over between the two shows.

- Important supernatural artifacts like the silver daggers, white oak ash daggers, and dark objects appeared in both series.

- Major events in Mystic Falls had repercussions in New Orleans and vice versa.

Conclusion

In conclusion, The Vampire Diaries was a massively popular teen supernatural drama that ran for 8 seasons and launched an equally successful spinoff in The Originals. The two shows overlapped in their dark mythology, rich world-building, and complex characters.

While The Vampire Diaries focused on high school romance and small town mystery, The Originals took things in a more mature, gritty direction by centering ancient vampires. However, the two complemented each other perfectly by expanding The Vampire Diaries universe and letting viewers see familiar characters in new lights. Both shows used elements of horror, romance, tragedy, redemption and family in compelling ways that resonated with audiences.

FAQs

How many seasons did The Vampire Diaries run for?

The Vampire Diaries aired for a total of 8 seasons from 2009 to 2017.

Who are the main characters in The Vampire Diaries?

The main characters are Elena Gilbert, Stefan Salvatore, Damon Salvatore, Bonnie Bennett, Caroline Forbes, Tyler Lockwood, Matt Donovan and Alaric Saltzman.

What spinoff show originated from The Vampire Diaries?

The highly successful spinoff show was called The Originals, which centered around the Original vampire family - Klaus, Elijah and Rebekah Mikaelson.

How did The Vampire Diaries and The Originals connect?

The two shows overlapped through shared characters, mythologies, flashbacks, artifacts and major supernatural events that spanned both series.