Vampire Diaries is an older series, but MeinMMO author Fabienne Kissel just can’t let go of it. She watches the vampire story again and again.
There’s that one series that just won’t let you go, no matter how many times you’ve seen it.
For me, this series is without a doubt The Vampire Diaries. No matter how many times I’ve relived the adventures of Mystic Falls, the appeal of this vampire story never fades. I’ve probably watched the series for the 30th time now – sometimes actively, sometimes casually, for example while gaming – even though I should have long since grown out of the teen drama.
What is The Vampire Diaries about?
I’m trying to stay as spoiler-free as possible here – even if the series is older. But I don’t want to spoil it for anyone who might be watching The Vampire Diaries for the first time.
Vampire Diaries is an American series based on the book series of the same name by LJ Smith, although the books and the series are different. The series is from 2009 and ran until 2017. There are 8 seasons in total. You can currently watch the series on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.
The story begins in the fictional small town of Mystic Falls, Virginia and revolves around high school student Elena Gilbert (played by Nina Dobrev). She and her brother Jeremy (played by Steven R. McQueen) try to get back into everyday life after the death of their parents.
Her life changes drastically when she meets the mysterious Salvatore brothers: the handsome and charming Stefan Salvatore (played by Paul Wesley) and his equally handsome but enigmatic brother Damon Salvatore (played by Ian Somerhalder).
Elena and Stefan fall in love, but Damon’s arrival in Mystic Falls brings an additional dynamic to the love story.
The plot picks up when it becomes clear that the brothers are vampires and Elena is caught in the middle. Over time, more secrets and facts reveal themselves. Stefan tries to be the good vampire and act morally right. Damon, on the other hand, is the type of guy who likes to play by his own rules and act impulsively.
The series reveals dark secrets about the brothers’ past, their connection to vampire history, and the existence of other supernatural beings.
In addition to the bloodsuckers, werewolves, witches and other creatures also appear. Between love triangles, drama, betrayal, loss, friendships, family secrets and action, you won’t get bored easily.
Why The Vampire Diaries is my favorite series and why I keep rewatching it
I just can’t stop rewatching The Vampire Diaries over and over again. The series never gets boring for me. It almost sounds absurd because I’ve already missed numerous series that I could of course catch up on. I’m currently still enjoying Percy Jackson and am eagerly waiting for the second season of Wednesday and Arcane.
Unique charm
But The Vampire Diaries has a unique appeal for me that keeps drawing me back. The dark 2000s vibe that is so present in the first three seasons creates an atmosphere that just grabs me. It’s a cozy feeling, a feeling of home – I would love to slip into this world – which sounds crazy!
Cool characters
The Vampire Diaries holds a unique place in my heart. In my opinion, both the main and supporting characters have been carefully developed, and the cast portrays the characters in an impressive way. The dynamics between the characters, the noticeable chemistry between the actors – All of this makes the series a unique experience for me.
The villains also stand out, are well conceived and challenge my idea of good and evil. Additionally, the series created its own mythology and provided background stories and reasons for all these supernatural creatures.
Yes, the entire Vampire Diaries cast is pretty damn good looking, but it’s more than just that.
The series manages to awaken strong emotions in me. Even after numerous rewatches, some scenes still make me shed a few tears and give me goosebumps.
The characters are complex and undergo impressive development. Everyone in the series, whether human, vampire or other supernatural being, struggles with problems in family, friends, or love, just like in real life. Fantasy merges wonderfully with real life here.
The Vampire Diaries focuses on the characters’ interpersonal relationships, and the series uses clever storytelling to create an emotional connection to these relationships.
I find myself empathizing with the characters and experiencing their emotions and caring about what happens to them. You not only empathize with the characters, but you are literally drawn into their world, and that makes the series something very special for me.
Vampire Diaries also has two spin-offs including The Originals and Legacies. You can see the trailer for The Originals here:
Trailer for the vampire series “The Originals”
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pure romance
And admittedly, I’m a sucker for romance. In The Vampire Diaries there are many beautiful romances, passionate kisses and emotional moments that touch me.
It’s always nice to see how the characters develop, change and grow over the course of the series. The hurdles they overcome and the dramatic and exciting moments always captivate me. You just want to see it again and again.
Lots of plot twists
The series also performs through the many plot twists and surprises it has in store, which means it doesn’t get boring. Almost every episode has a nasty cliffhanger that you can’t resist. Which no longer concerns me, but might be interesting for those of you who want to watch The Vampire Diaries for the first time.
Appropriate music selection – indie songs in the spotlight
The selection of songs in Vampire Diaries is not only appropriate, but also contributes to the emotionality of the individual scenes. Every song seems to be perfectly tailored to the mood.
What I think is particularly cool is the inclusion of some indie titles that not everyone has on their radar. Personally, I discovered many of my favorite songs through Vampire Diaries, which still have a permanent place in my playlist to this day. The music is just on fire.
You can see an example here – A Drop in the Ocean by Ron Rope:
Some of my favorite songs from the series include:
From embarrassment to community feeling
In the past, being a fan of The Vampire Diaries might have been laughed at, especially when vampire stories were influenced by Twilight. And Twilight was met with a lot of popularity, but also a lot of headwind – which was even a bit embarrassing for me at times.
The opposite is now the case and I’m happy to stand by it, even if it’s only about one series.
More than just a series
The Vampire Diaries just gave me so much more. Through the series I was able to make a few friends and became part of a community on Facebook, Instagram and also on Vinted (formerly Kleiderkreisel), where collectors and fans of the series come together, exchange ideas about the series and sell and exchange clothing items from the series . Also, I’m one of them.
My passion for the series is now so great that I have started collecting clothing items from the series. Clothing that will be recognized by other fans – such as Elena Gilbert’s iconic necklace. And I wear this Elena-inspired necklace every day.
I was at the hairdresser the other day. I was also wearing Elena’s necklace that day, and so we started talking about Vampire Diaries because the hairdresser recognized my necklace. It turns out that my hairdresser is also a big fan of the series. We shared our enthusiasm for the captivating plot and the cool characters and discussed the series. And that’s just one story of many.
Next I plan to go to the German Salvatore Brothers Con in Oberhausen, which has already taken place a few times and will take place again in 2024 because the community is so large.
Numerous fans meet there to see the cast of Vampire Diaries – in this case Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley. I’m excited to see what kind of stories will emerge there.
Small conclusion: I love The Vampire Diaries very much because it has become an important part for me personally and I also associate the series with a nostalgia factor, friendships and a good feeling. Whenever I wasn’t feeling so well, I looked forward to this series.
The show isn’t perfect and some things annoy me (especially in the later seasons), but it will probably always be the show that I watch at least once every year.
You can’t do anything with vampires and are looking for series that have to do with gaming? Then these could be something for you:
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