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The Vampire Diaries is an American supernatural–fantasy horror television series developed by Kevin Williamson, based on the book series of the same name by L. J. Smith. The series follows the life of Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev), who falls in love with vampire brothers Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder). The series also focuses on the lives of Elena's friends and other inhabitants of the fictional town of Mystic Falls, Virginia. The series is a mix of teen drama and the supernatural.
When The Vampire Diaries premiered on The CW Television Network on September 10, 2009, it attracted the largest audience of any series since the network began in 2006.[1] Due to strong ratings, the series was given a full, 22-episode first season on October 21, 2009.[2] The show's first season finale will air on May 13, 2010.[3]
On February 16, 2010, The CW announced that it was going to renew the show for a second season.[4]
Production
Initially, Kevin Williamson had little interest in developing the series, finding the premise too similar to other vampire tales. However, at Julie Plec's urging, he began to read the novels and started to become intrigued by the story: "I began to realize that it was a story about a small town, about that town's underbelly and about what lurks under the surface."[5] Williamson has stated the town's story will be the main focus of the series, rather than high school.[6]
On February 6, 2009, Variety announced that The CW had greenlit the pilot for The Vampire Diaries with Williamson and Julie Plec set as the head writers and executive producers.[7] On May 19, 2009, the series was officially ordered for the 2009–2010 season.[8]
The pilot episode was filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, but the rest of the episodes have been filmed in Covington, Georgia (which doubles as the fictional small town of Mystic Falls, Virginia) and Monroe, Georgia,[9] to take advantage of local tax incentives.
Cast and characters
The Vampire Diaries features an ensemble cast of nine regular speaking roles which were mainly adapted from the book series. Most of the characters are teenagers, but the cast also includes adult roles. The characters are mainly humans and vampires, but the show also includes various other supernatural beings.
Main Characters
Actor/Actress Personage Personage Description
Nina Dobrev Elena Gilbert The protagonist of Vampire Diaries. A strong-willed and headstrong young woman.
Katherine Pierce A vampire who had romantic relationships with both Stefan and Damon in 1864.
Paul Wesley Stefan Salvatore A vampire who is involved in a romantic relationship with Elena.
Ian Somerhalder Damon Salvatore Stefan's malevolent vampire brother.
Steven R. McQueen Jeremy Gilbert Elena's younger brother.
Sara Canning Jenna Sommers Jeremy and Elena's aunt and legal guardian.
Katerina Graham Bonnie Bennett Elena's best friend and a witch.
Candice Accola Caroline Forbes Elena's self-absorbed friend; daughter of the town's sheriff, Elizabeth Forbes.
Zach Roerig Matt Donovan Elena's childhood friend and ex-boyfriend. A football player in high school.
Kayla Ewell Vicki Donovan Matt's elder sister and Jeremy's girlfriend; turned into a vampire by Damon and staked by Stefan.
Michael Trevino Tyler Lockwood Vicki's ex-boyfriend and Jeremy's rival; the mayor's son
Matt Davis Alaric Saltzman The new history teacher, whose wife Isobel appears to have been murdered by Damon.
Recurring
Actor/Actress Personage Personage Description
Jasmine Guy Sheila Bennett Bonnie's grandmother and witch mentor. A strong guide in Bonnie's life. Died after performing a complex spell.
Marguerite MacIntyre Sheriff Elizabeth Forbes Caroline's mother, sheriff of Mystic Falls, and a member of the Founder's Council.
Rob Pralgo Mayor Charles Lockwood Tyler's father, mayor of Mystic Falls and member of the Founder's Council.
Susan Walters Mrs. Lockwood Tyler's mother and a member of the Founder's Council.
Chris Johnson Logan Fell A local news reporter who dated Aunt Jenna in high school and was a member of the Founder's Council; turned into a vampire by Anna, and then killed by Saltzman.
Chris William Martin Zach Salvatore A human Salvatore-family descendant who took care of the Salvatore house and was a member of the Founder's Council; killed by Damon.
Benjamin Ayres William Tanner The high school history teacher and football coach; killed by Damon.
Bianca Lawson Emily Bennett Bonnie's 4th-great grandmother from the 1860's who was a powerful witch and Katherine's handmaiden.
Arielle Kebbel Lexi Female vampire and Stefan's best friend. Staked by Damon, leaving Stefan vengeful.
Gina Torres Bree A witch whom Elena and Damon encounter in Georgia; killed by Damon.
Malese Jow Anna A "teenage" vampire and a contemporary of both Katherine and the Salvatore brothers.
Sean Faris Ben McKittrick A former high-school jock turned into a vampire by Anna; burned to death by Stefan.
Kelly Hu Pearl An apothecary and Anna's vampire mother. Buried under the ancient church, freed by Anna, Bonnie and Sheila.
Reception
The Vampire Diaries initially received mixed reviews. Entertainment Weekly gave the pilot a B+, stating that the show "signals a welcome return to form for writer-producer Kevin Williamson". They end by saying that "Diaries promises us a season of sharp-tongued amusement."[10] Metacritic gave the show a score of 50/100 based on 22 critical reviews, indicating mixed to average response.[11] Its premiere on September 10, 2009 gave The CW its biggest series premiere scoring 4.9 million viewers.[12] Adding in DVR numbers, the ratings for the premiere swelled to an official 5.7 million viewers.[13]
Many TV critics felt the series improved with each episode. Sarah Hughes of The Independent says The Vampire Diaries turns into "a well-crafted, interestingly developed series" despite a poor opening episode.[5] The New York Post also praised the portrayal of Elena, finding the character to be a strong-minded woman who doesn't allow her feelings for her boyfriend to control her.[14] The San Diego Union-Tribune said: "The supernatural drama is a first-class production, featuring an insanely gorgeous cast, sharp scripts and a brooding vibe that is hard for even the most levelheaded adult to resist."[15] Mike Hale of The New York Times gave the series an honorable mention on his list of the top TV shows of 2009.[16]
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