The Vampire Diaries

:

Season 1
Season #: 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 550 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 414 out of 550
  2. Mixed: 58 out of 550
  3. Negative: 78 out of 550
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User Reviews

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  1. ShayS
    Sep 16, 2009
    6
    The show is good, the acting is okay, but the hole vampire theme is geting pretty sick. But i think the audince liked it, i mean the Teen- Drama Hit Series "Gossip Girl" got only 2.6 million viewers in each season, and this show got 4 million viewers.
  2. eagleeyeviking
    Dec 21, 2019
    5
    The Vampire Diaries may appeal to its target audience but not more. The plot is and pacing are good, but the characters are too one-sided and clichéd to care about.
  3. ferbrazil
    Nov 26, 2012
    4
    The actress makes me sick, she is the most important and the most fake, in my opinion gets boring becouse of her, the other girls are nice but she.. ohhh gooosh, kill me pleeeease
  4. raporgi
    Mar 29, 2017
    5
    definitely HATEWATCHABLE. The only reason for the love triangle is becoz the script demands it. Otherwise there's really no reason for the Vamp Bros to go chasing after Elena. Its cheesy predictable and panders to the teenage female audience. Trash in other words.
  5. Angester
    Sep 13, 2009
    5
    Pilots tend to suck and this was no exception. I think that most of the acting was pretty bad and the music was awful. The story was EXTREMELY PREDICTABLE, but I also read the books fifteen years ago. I'll give it another shot in a couple of weeks, but my hopes aren't high.
  6. Andy
    Sep 11, 2009
    6
    Sigh, TVlover M. obviously has no idea that the book this show was based on was released years before even the first Twilight novel. Is the show trying to cash in on the success of Twilight/True Blood? Arguably. But Stephenie Meyer certainly took bits of 'inspiration' from the Vampire Diaries books. Reviewing the show on it's merits alone, it certainly doesn't stand up Sigh, TVlover M. obviously has no idea that the book this show was based on was released years before even the first Twilight novel. Is the show trying to cash in on the success of Twilight/True Blood? Arguably. But Stephenie Meyer certainly took bits of 'inspiration' from the Vampire Diaries books. Reviewing the show on it's merits alone, it certainly doesn't stand up as well as the books (what vampire show/movie does?).However, it's far from the zero ignorant people choose to give it.… Expand
  7. Nellius
    Sep 15, 2009
    6
    From the pilot, this looks like a decent show, but is doomed to fail simply because it's not nearly as good as True Blood. When I heard about it, the first thing that went through my head was "oh no, not another vampire show". And that's still the only thing going through my head after seeing the pilot. Hopefully the series will pick up and it'll be more than simply a poor From the pilot, this looks like a decent show, but is doomed to fail simply because it's not nearly as good as True Blood. When I heard about it, the first thing that went through my head was "oh no, not another vampire show". And that's still the only thing going through my head after seeing the pilot. Hopefully the series will pick up and it'll be more than simply a poor man's True Blood.… Expand
  8. Kaizoku2793
    Feb 11, 2011
    5
    Not as bad as Twilight but still not that great either. The whole premise is too typical and unbelievable. Television vampire genre needs a Hellsing equivalent.
  9. Sabrinna
    Nov 1, 2010
    5
    It's a little to 'goodies' and 'badies' and the whole vampire goes for high school girl seems a little tragic, if not downright creepy. There's little subtle nuance but it's watchable.
  10. luzarius
    Mar 28, 2018
    6
    I would've given the show a 9, but the vocal music they used was too annoying. The show is not teeny bop, but the music is. The show has lots of controversial, mature, adult themes filled with morale quagmires that are highly entertaining. Keep in mind, the characters start out innocent in high school, but the show slowly goes to dark places. It feels like you're truly experiencing aI would've given the show a 9, but the vocal music they used was too annoying. The show is not teeny bop, but the music is. The show has lots of controversial, mature, adult themes filled with morale quagmires that are highly entertaining. Keep in mind, the characters start out innocent in high school, but the show slowly goes to dark places. It feels like you're truly experiencing a visual re-enactment about the life of a vampire from their diary in all it's evil controversy.

    Once again, it's not a teeny bop show. The only teen bop misconception is the horrible vocals of the music they use. Imagine you're in a theater watching a play with brilliant actors and then all of a sudden the dude behind your seat starts playing guitar and singing out loud about his girlfriend with an annoying voice that constantly cracks as if his balls are cut off. I'd turn around and tell the dude to STFU!! Sadly, the show is plagued with annoying vocal music that actually ruins the scenes. The actors are very talented and know how to move the audience emotionally, but the vocals of the music they use are awful. I wish there was a way to turn off the vocals of all the music they play during the scenes. You know what's funny though? During the intense scenes where it's very emotional , they don't play annoying vocal music. It should've been that way through out the whole show. Try it. Watch the show and compare the emotional scenes with vocal music to the intense scenes without vocal music. You'll find that the scenes without vocal music are much better. You can focus all your attention on the emotion of the actors. Instrumental music is fine because it remains background music, but a singers voice always intrudes into the foreground and competes with the foreground vocal talking of the actors. Playing emo teeny bop music over a scene actually breaks immersion. The vocals of the music they use actually brought me out of the intense scene. I often would find myself laughing inappropriately during scenes because the vocal singing of the music was so out of place, lol. You want to focus on the emotions of the actors, not the emotions of the singer of the music. Hopefully producers figure this out one day.

    Unfortunately in season 7 & 8, they went too far with the diversity & inclusion, aka tokenism on steroids. This resulted in some poorly written characters and obvious casting of under qualified actors.    … Expand
  11. HannahS
    Jan 21, 2010
    6
    In all honesty, I think my love for the show might stem from how good looking the entire cast is. I haven't read the books so I can't compare the two series.
  12. ThorwaldS.
    Oct 18, 2009
    6
    With the (re-)current overkill of vampire related books, films, and indeed TV shows, this one is certainly not the best. However, it is hardly as frustratingly tense as Twilight nor the overly sensuous ball of confusion that is True Blood. With some idea of historical back story, there is just enough plot to not be completely zombified. And the chemistry between Wesley and Dobrev does not With the (re-)current overkill of vampire related books, films, and indeed TV shows, this one is certainly not the best. However, it is hardly as frustratingly tense as Twilight nor the overly sensuous ball of confusion that is True Blood. With some idea of historical back story, there is just enough plot to not be completely zombified. And the chemistry between Wesley and Dobrev does not go unnoticed either.… Expand
  13. MarkMusic
    Apr 19, 2013
    6
    I mean Im rating out of is it actually good not how unoriginal it is or stupid. The actors are believable especially Nina Dobrev. Vampire Diaries is basically Twilight but (Remember this is coming from a guy) BETTER. Its actually darker, better ead female, better lead males, more interesting storylines. But like Twilight the only thing that is powering it are teenage girls. Id recommend ifI mean Im rating out of is it actually good not how unoriginal it is or stupid. The actors are believable especially Nina Dobrev. Vampire Diaries is basically Twilight but (Remember this is coming from a guy) BETTER. Its actually darker, better ead female, better lead males, more interesting storylines. But like Twilight the only thing that is powering it are teenage girls. Id recommend if your a guy watch Teen Wolf and girls should watch Vampire Diaries. The show isnt very original, but is better then some others.… Expand
  14. rach3399
    Jan 11, 2014
    4
    The Vampire Diaries isn't awful, but it isn't good either. The flashbacks are one of the redeeming qualities in this show. There are many far better vampire shows (Buffy).
  15. dobsley
    Dec 22, 2018
    6
    i thought this was my favourite show but I was wrong.

    Stefan and Elena were destined to be together , at least thats what the writers tried to pass through the first few seasons but then when the fans started to ship damon & elena julie plec started acting like delena was the " initial plan " . Personally what annoyed me the most is the fact that the writers tried sooo hard to change    i thought this was my favourite show but I was wrong.

    Stefan and Elena were destined to be together , at least thats what the writers tried to pass through the first few seasons but then when the fans started to ship damon & elena julie plec started acting like delena was the " initial plan " .

    Personally what annoyed me the most is the fact that the writers tried sooo hard to change the script in order to make it seem like Damon met Eelena first and that they were meant to be together. Damon literally killed Elena's brother, Stefan's BEST friend Lexi , raped Caroline and killed Elena's ex . BUT he was the one that got the happy ending lol . Stefan sacrificed his own life for Elena ,the person that he loved the most, and his beloved brother .

    anyways the ships were really **** up and at the end of the day the script writers had the most toxic relationship ever to be endgame.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

86
#86 Best TV Season of 2009
5
#5 Most Discussed TV Season of 2009
3
#3 Most Shared TV Season of 2009

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
50

Mixed or average reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 22
  3. Negative: 7 out of 22
  1. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Ken Tucker
    83
    Diaries promises us a season of sharp-tongued amusement.
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  2. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Tim Goodman
    0
    You will want all the extras who played vamps on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (which was great, by the way, and not to be blamed for this lackluster cousin) to return en masse to eat the cast of "Vampire Diaries," plus any remaining scripts.
    Read full review
  3. Salon
    Reviewed by: Heather Havrilesky
    20
    Pretty, sensible teenage vampires who talk like depressed extras on "Hannah Montana"? Why, Diary? Why?
    Read full review
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