Oneof the most disappointing seasons of the show, Season 5 was low on excitement as The Originals left Mystic Falls. The season features the 100th episode in the series, and Qetsiyah (Janina Gavankar) finally solves the mystery that has long hovered over the doppelgangers.
Though an epic season for Delena fans as their romance grows, the season overall is a bit more narrative and a lot less interactive. While it certainly has its highlights, this round showed the series to be in a bit of a rut.
The first few episodes of the show hooked a lot of fans, but it's hard to argue that the show gathers its balance a little after its landing. While it explained the backstory of Damon, Stefan, and Katherine (Nina Dobrev), it relied heavily on jump scares in the early days
The show bid goodbye to the screens after providing fitting endings to characters and a glimpse into their happy afterlives. Season 8 definitely left the series on a fairly high note, satisfying many loose plot threads along the way.
After an epic showdown at the end of Season 3, Elena Gilbert wakes up a vampire. As her emotions heighten, her feelings for Damon grow more intense. After featuring in some of the best episodes of the series, The Originals bid adieu to the show as the doors to their own spinoff in New Orleans open.
The CW's long-running vampire love triangle TV show The Vampire Diaries boasts many popular characters and engaging storylines focusing on romantic and supernatural intrigue. The show, based on L. J. Smith's fantasy novel series of the same name, was created in the wake of Twilight's massive popularity. However, while Twilight brought vampires back into mainstream pop culture, the Vampire Diaries books were published long before the Twilight books. The series centers in a small Virginia town around a group of teens who become embroiled in the supernatural world.
Unlike many long-running TV shows, The Vampire Diaries doesn't necessarily get worse as it goes on. Some of the series' best moments appear in the later seasons. The show does suffer from the same problem that most fantasy shows do in their final seasons: By that point, the world's lore has been spent, and the writers are coming up with increasingly convoluted storylines to keep the show going. However, even the final season of The Vampire Diaries has its charm.
The fourth season of The Vampire Diaries is, in many ways, an in-between-things season. The main characters are on the hunt for a single dose of a cure for vampirism. Elena (Nina Dobrev) adjusts to being a vampire and the relationship drama continues. After a dramatic moment of Elena "choosing" Stefan (Paul Wesley) in the season 3 finale, they break up with little fanfare a few episodes into season 4. The rest of the season is dedicated to a will-they won't-they arc between Elena and Damon (Ian Somerhalder). Essentially, season 4 is Stelena's ending and Delena's beginning.
But it is slow. Katherine and the Originals are still around, but the Originals are on their way out for their own spinoff. Season 4 has no truly potent villains of its own and spends most of its time setting up future villains. Stefan has some good character development as he asserts what he wants outside any relationship with Elena. Dobrev is terrifyingly stunning in a scene that all Vampire Diaries fans remember where Elena decides to burn down her childhood home. Season 4 has its moments, but it is ultimately just waiting for future plotlines to begin.
"I finally realized that my destiny on this show, creatively, is tied in to Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley. And I mean that in a really good way. As long as those boys who I now consider my friends want to keep telling the story, then I won't walk away from telling the story" (via EOnline).
Season 7 introduces the Heretics, who are vampire-witch hybrids. The Heretics Valerie (Elizabeth Blackmore), Nora (Scarlett Byrne), and Mary Louise (Teressa Liane) in particular are worthy additions to the show. The beginning of Bonnie (Kat Graham) and Enzo's (Michael Malarkey) relationship finally ends Enzo's tenure in the frenemy zone, but Caroline's (Candice King) pregnancy and relationship with the main cast's former high school teacher Alaric (Matthew Davis) were both awkward. Overall, season 7 has some good parts, they just don't come together into a great story.
The Vampire Diaries season 8 is the epitome of non-critical enjoyment. Each episode is titled after a quote from season 1, including the throwbacks "Hello, Brother," "We're Planning a June Wedding," and "I Was Feeling Epic." Kai (Chris Wood) and Katherine, both among the best Vampire Diaries villains, return in all their wicked glory. How they and Elena return is not representative of the series' best writing, but they get to be there for the finale.
However, the storylines involving the sirens and the devil are widely criticized. Additionally, Tyler (Michael Trevino), a series regular up until season 6, deserved a better send off. There is also a new storyline about Matt Donovan's (Zach Roerig) family's role in the town's history, but it doesn't make sense to wait until the last season to do this. Yet the final season of The Vampire Diaries delivers on fan service that is genuinely enjoyable.
Let's talk about Stefan's sacrifice first. It made sense. There was no way Stefan was going to be able to apologize for the things he did in the past, so the best way to do so was to sacrifice his happiness to allow everyone else their own.
Giving Damon the cure and taking Katherine to the bitter end of her existence was his way of atoning for everything he has done over the years. The battle he had with Damon over who was going to die solidified the Salvatore brothers' strong bond.
I managed to keep it together for the most part, but when "Never Say Never" by The Fray started playing as Stefan met up with Lexie, I lost it. It hit me right in the feels. I'm sure I wasn't the only one.
Hey, at least they got their June wedding. It would have been horrible if they passed on without getting married. There were seeds peppered throughout the early episodes of the series that these two would become a thing at some point.
It took the retrospective special for me to get to grips with that. I remember I scoffed at the very idea of the two of them becoming a thing because it just felt off. I grew to like them together, and I'm thankful we got to see their wedding before the ultimate sacrifice.
With Caroline helping out at the Salvatore Boarding School, she's keeping busy in the aftermath after the vast loss in her life. Alaric has not been my favorite character over the past few seasons, but he made perfect sense when he told Caroline to get out of Mystic Falls.
He may not be in a relationship with Caroline, but he holds her dear to his heart, and they have the twins together. He knew he could not have explained to the kids that their mother was dead without falling apart.
There's no doubt in my mind that Caroline would have made the sacrifice with Stefan if she did not have Lizzie and Josie. She would die for love, but now that she's a free agent, does that pave the way for her to make a go of things with Klaus?
He did lose the love of his life on The Originals Season 3, so there's probably a good chance of it. Klaus did say in the past that he would be Caroline's last love. It would be a great storyline to be explored, but I don't see The Originals taking place in Mystic Falls very much.
Bonnie's plan to do the spell was a daring move. She did not think she was strong enough and I was fully prepared to watch her die. This show hasn't been good to the Bennett family, so I wouldn't have been surprised if Julie Plec appeared on screen to stick the knife in herself.
Elena living a happy life as a human with Damon was a perfect end for me. Being a vampire was not something Elena ever wanted, so living out a natural life with her one true love made it all worthwhile.
I guess the whole afterlife thing was each character's representation of what peace looked like for them. Yes, it was very peaceful, but who the heck would want the likes of John Gilbert next to them in the afterlife? I'd take Katherine Pierce any day.
"I Was Feeling Epic" did The Vampire Diaries justice. Beforehand, I wasn't ready to see the show I've spent eight years of my life watching, loving, hating and loving again just disappear into the ether.
It was poignant, well-acted and nostalgic. There was nothing more I could have asked for of the finale. Getting to see everyone make it to their place in life was amazing, and I can't wait to watch the series again down the line.
The Vampire Diaries was not just a TV show: it was a cultural moment in teen dramas. Elena, Damon, Stefan, and the rest of the Mystic Falls gang shook up the fantasy genre with its advent and achieved the rare feat of lasting eight whole seasons. It is nearly impossible to assess the best and not-so-great parts of the series because every viewer loved different characters and romances in the show.
Without a doubt, each season of The Vampire Diaries had engrossing stories, compelling new villains, and incredible character development, but some seasons outshined others. Rotten Tomatoes offers a more definitive review of what worked in each installment and how well-received every season of The Vampire Diaries was. With an average score of 86% at the time of reporting, the show was well-loved on the whole.
Updated on 8th January, 2024 by Fawzia Khan: Years after the broadcast of the series finale of the show, fans still wonder what is the best season of The Vampire Diaries. With eight engrossing seasons packed with serious action and supernatural hijinks, TVD was a pleasure to watch at the beginning, middle, and end of the show. This list has been updated with image galleries, ratings, and the highlights of each season to help fans choose their favorite The Vampire Diaries season.
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