So many exemplary things have been said and written about The Vampire Diaries, which has distinguished itself as a true breakout hit in little more than half a season.  TWoP, in fact, concedes that the CW first-year drama is the true successor to acclaimed Buffy the Vampire Slayer, offering up 10 reasons why it might be the “most addictive show on TV” (paraphrased below).  Do you agree?

Damon Salvatore:   Ian Somerhalder has been a revelation, relishing his role as a complex bad boy.  His Damon is funny, charming and deliciously evil all at once, forming the glue that holds the show together.

Tremendous Pacing:   Major events occur almost every single episode.  Weaker shows drag out plot points for weeks on end, but The Vampire Diaries resolves many storylines before Act 2, then blows us away with something new!  The tomb opened…Katharine missing…Grams dying—all within minutes?!  Amazing.

More Than Just Romance:   Elena may be dating a vampire, but she’s not begging to be bitten (yet) so she can become his eternal girlfriend.  Her backbone elevates the series above the typical forbidden love story.

It’s Scary and Creepy:   A supernatural show shouldn’t be all talk—it should have terrifying moments.  Say, freaky scenes underground, in the dark woods, a basement cell…or Damon suddenly ripping out your innards.

Stefan Salvatore:   He could’ve been as wooden as Edward on Twilight or as stuck in the past as Bill on True Blood, but Paul Wesley has crafted a wonderfully conflicted character—madly in love, but also evil, overly protective, and not above stretching the truth.

Interesting Mythology:   The entire town of Mystic Falls has a weird Sunnydale vibe:  evil just flocks there.  The more we learn about the quaint haven, the more twisted it becomes.  And surely there are closets full of skeletons still waiting to be pried open.   

Likable Humans:   The series boasts plenty of ordinary humans who are anything but boring afterthoughts, from Elena’s brother Jeremy to the adorable teen Matt and sassy gal pal Caroline.  There has also been considerable character development for the supporting cast already.

Plenty of Fanged Foes:   We started with two vamps:  one good, one evil.  But as the weeks passed, we met an entire vampire community and mysterious folks who want to kill them all—from 1864 through the present day. 

Branching Out From the Books:   Some feared the pilot covered so much ground from the novels, there’d be little left to expand upon.  Wrong!  Exec producer Kevin Williamson has said the book series provides a great backdrop and guideline, but that the writers will be developing their own storylines, as well.

Nina Dobrev:   This Degrassi alum is quite capable as sullen teen Elena and really shines when playing the vicious bloodsucker Katherine.  Civil War era flashbacks with Nina in period garb, wickedly teasing the Salvatores, are brilliant. 

This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 at 3:32 pm and is filed under Vampire Diaries. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.