The Vampire Diaries: The Complete First Season
August 21, 2010 by admin
Filed under Featured, Vampire Diaries
Buy now for delivery on August 31st! This is right in time to watch before season two begins on Thursday September 9th, 2010.
It’s Elena’s first day back at Mystic Falls High School since the tragic death of her parents. Along with her Aunt Jenna, Elena tries her best to look after her troubled younger brother, Jeremy, and salvage what family they have left. The first day is already shaping up to be a struggle for Elena until she meets the mysterious new kid at school, Stefan. Elena is touched that he can relate to what she’s going through. What Elena doesn’t know is that Stefan is a vampire, constantly resisting the urge to taste her blood. As their undeniable connection grows deeper, Stefan’s dangerous older brother, Damon, shows up to wreak havoc on the town of Mystic Falls – and claim Elena for himself. The Vampire Diaries is based on the bestselling book series from Alloy Entertainment.
Rating
I’ve never seen/read Twilight nor did I know that the Vampire Diaries was based on a series of tween books. I, generally, try to stay away from those kind of “kid” versions (I’m more the Tru Blood type). Anyway, I decided to give V Diaries a shot and I’m so glad I did.
Vampire Diaries is a guilty pleasure. Despite the fact that the series is set-up with the high school crowd, it definitely has a more adult feel to it with the complex issues that come up and the dark, edgy violence. The first couple of eps played a bit too 90210(ish) but then the series really took off.
The main characters are well rounded and believable even in unbelievable situations. The series has managed to weave a set of relationships that breath life into each of the characters. Elena is the high school girl who must not only face personal tragedy but a new boyfriend (Stephan) that may or may not be what he seems. And Stephan has his own family issues with his bad boy brother, Damon. And while Damon is definitely bad (body count anyone?)he has reasons he believes are valid for the pain he inflicts.(mostly)
Elena as played by Nina Dobrev is a smart girl with a compassionate heart who definitely doesn’t put up with any BS. In this vampire tale she doesn’t just automatically tell Stephan it’s all right when she finds out his secret. It’s not cool that he’s a vampire. People die around him and that’s not ok. They fall in love despite his being a vampire rather than because of it.
Stephan Salvatore, Mystic Falls resident brooding vampire, started out (to me) a little too much like an Angel wannabe but Paul Wesley has done a competent job in opening the character up. What he does to Damon in the basement was truly chilling. I was like, HEY!, aren’t you supposed to be the good guy!
And last but not least of the lead characters, Damon. What can I say. Damon is just delightfully bad. Ian Somerhalder plays him with relish. In the wrong hands, his character could have easily become a cliche but the actor has turned him into someone you just can’t help but feel for (equal parts sympathy and revulsion)as he struts his way around, doling out cruelty with a smile, all the while hiding a secret of his own.
The supporting cast is also just wonderful in their roles. Kudos especially to Candice Accola for her portrayal of Caroline Forbes. The whole cast was well chosen and that they’re all beautiful and sexy doesn’t hurt either.
Anyway, before this review becomes a novel… just watch a few eps. I dare you not to get hooked on it.
Rating
I was skeptical when i first saw that this show was going to be on the CW. i had never read the books before and didnt know what to really expect. i decided to watch the first episode as i figured if it was aweful, atleast i could say i gave it a shot since I am a Twilight/True Blood fan. I am happy to say i havent missed an episode yet. The characters draw you in from start to finish, its a totally different show from everything else. I even read the books during the show’s winter hiatus so that i would be ready for the rest of the season. I would definitely recommend this show to everyone!
Rating
First of all I would like to clarify that this series could not be a rip off of Twilight because it was written prior to the book. If anything Smith should sue Meyer… Aside from that, the show is great, the characters are very well developed and the dialogue is well written. The actors are very prepared and can easily hold the show together.
Rating
I was skeptical about watching this show. I really liked the books, and feared that the CW was going to pull in another Gossip Girl, 90210 show, only this time with fangs. I was pleasantly surprised to find an intelligent, dark show that brings in the love that makes Twilight so great, and the darkness of living the vampire life that works for Interview with the Vampire.
First, Ian Sommerholder is amazing as Damon, and the evolution of the character is apparent through his great acting.
Paul Wesley, oh, lovely and gorgeous Paul Wesley…well yeah, he’s great. I know that’s not the most intelligent thing to say, but I really do think that he brings intelligence, passion, and a fierceness to his role that is hard to put into words.
Nina Dobrev, I think is the weakest actor in the cast, but she does a decent job playing Elena. Let’s just say I love her much more as Katherine, than Elena.
All in all, I love this show, it’s fun, dark, and very entertaining.
Rating
I cannot believe how obsessed I am with this show. I’ve recorded every episode on my dvr but i will still buy the season when it comes out on dvd. Nina Dobrev, Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley are absolutely incredible actors. I don’t know how I survived before this show on Thursday nights at 8pm!
Rating
My vampire memories go back to the days of Dark Shadows with Barnabus Collins.This series comes very very close to that. If you are a horror buff of any kind like myself, this is a wrap hit series for all ages. If you miss an episode you have missed a lot. So I set my DVR recorder to tape all episodes to keep up. Something new and good to look forward to every week.daries a
Rating
I have to admit to being absolutely addicted to this series. The writer’s are excellent and the MUSIC choices that compliment the scenes are extraordinary. I can honestly say I have never seen a better character/actor match than that of Damon/Ian Somerhalder. Nearly every episode has a scene that I could watch over-and-over. I am so impressed with the direction of the characters. Subtle “reactions” make the show so much fun to watch.
Just a couple of my favorite examples: (There are SO many others!)
Spoilers for those who haven’t seen the show
Episode 7: Despite the attraction between Damon and Elena, she gets upset with him and at one point slaps him in the face. He turns one of his famous “looks” at her and it’s like she just then realizes that she just slapped a vampire(!) I just love her reaction and then his subsequent one. (great scene)
Episode 11: The opening scene is Damon saving Elena from a car accident/vampire. The tenderness of Damon is a rewind-magnet.
Episode 17: Incredible segment (and song choice!) for the scene at Matt’s house after Vicky’s death. (One of the 2 most notable song choices of the season)
Episode 18: Elena invites Damon over to her house to talk about Stefan. (great scene!)
Favorite quote: Elena to Damon:.. “Stefan isn’t you..He isn’t even close” Damon: “Well, he doesn’t want to be me..but that doesn’t mean deep down that he’s not” (knowing look of their attraction)
Episode 19: Dance scene between Damon and Elena (Music Choice again) The words of the song as they dance :”Can you still see the heart of me? All my agony fades away when you hold me in your embrace. Don’t turn me down for all I need, make my heart a better place, give me something I can believe. Don’t turn it down, what’s left of me, make my heart a better place.” (Best song choice of the season/INCREDIBLE when you understand the character of Damon) Try watching THAT without tears!
Episode 21: Damon confronts Isobel….Favorite quote: Damon:”I DO believe in killing the messenger…you know why….because it sends a message”
Episode 22: (Season finale) Damon and “Elena” kiss ……and incredible cliff-hanger!
I can’t wait for Season 2. I’ll just have to occupy myself with all 22 episodes on my DVR (marked at my favorite scenes until the DVD’s come out
Rating
When I first heard they were adapting L.J. Smith’s “The Vampire Diaries” I worried we’d be watching “Twilight” 2.0. Elena was no longer blonde, she was the Bella-like brunette Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley looked suspiciously like RPattz, and where the heck did Meredith go? Nevertheless, I set myself down on Thursday night to see if I’d accept or reject this new addition to the vampire craze.
The first episode almost blew me away. The writing was smart and interesting. The lighting was almost otherworldly. Okay, the fog machines were a bit much, but when Stefan’s face changed I felt chills run down my spine. I wanted keep watching. By the fourth episode, though, some of the splendor wore off. All that kept happening was biting and teenagers in love.
As if in answer to my waning interest, BAM! The show changed from teenagers to a show about a town. A town steeped in mystery with supernatural lore and background so intoxicating, I found myself wondering why each episode wasn’t longer. And the story… I have never seen a story move so fast in one season. They had materials for about two and a half seasons of a show, which I would have watched but probably not loved. Events move quickly in “The Vampire Diaries” and they all make sense. In every episode at least one question is resolved, only to have about three other questions asked. There is never a dull moment.
Surprising me further was my interest in the characters. I don’t think I’ve ever in my life watched a show where I liked every single person in it, even the “bad guys/girls.” I started out annoyed with Elena’s little brother Jeremy (Steven McQueen), but he evolved so well by the end of the season I couldn’t even remember why I’d disliked him in the first place.
Nina Dobrev was worth the hair color change: she is in one scene the confident, good-natured, mature Elena Gilbert, and in the next the vindictive, heartless, terrifying Katherine Pierce. She alone is worth watching the show for, but there’s also the amazing Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore. Throughout the first season Damon changes from the guy who kills everybody to the guy who saves everybody, and he’s so convincing I’d nominate him for an Emmy if a CW show was ever actually considered. I could go on and on about each actor’s performance, every single one standing out brilliantly, but then this review would last about ten pages.
It’s definitely not Twilight, it’s not True Blood, it’s a vampire show that stands on its own.
Rating
I should never even have watched the first episode of the Vampire Diaries…
I am not the target audience for either the show or the CW network (I’m 35, well past my tween, teen and college years). Unlike many who fell in love with Dracula, Interview with a Vampire and Anne Rice, I was never into vampires or any other supernatural/science fiction melodramas. In fact, until recently, I had never even heard of True Blood or Twilight (and I have yet to see either of those franchises). So you may wonder — how is it possible that I am now a Vampire Diaries addict?
It’s really very simple — vampires or no vampires, it is the best show on television right now.
The writing, direction, production, pacing and acting is all superb (especially given how many of the young actors on the show had little or no experience on television series before they landed this show). The casting was spot-on (especially the three stars) and right from the beginning I was able to relate to all of the characters. Even the guest stars have been cast perfectly (although given the death toll on this show, I have learned not to become too attached to any of the cast members, be it a guest star or one of the contract players).
This show could easily have degenerated into an annoying teenage melodrama (especially since the first season has focused on setting up a love triangle between a seventeen year old human girl and two centuries-old vampire brothers and I have always hated triangles). Somehow, despite its premise, the actions and reactions of the characters have managed to stay believable (for the most part) and relatable (and I don’t even mind the triangle — yet). Even the non-supernatural storylines manage to surprise you (the teenagers don’t react the way you expect TV shows to write them and the relationships are surprisingly mature, open and real).
Thanks to the writers, the pacing of the storylines is so fast that most story arcs begin and end within two episodes, usually by hitting you with shocking cliffhangers which are then answered immediately within the same episode or the next episode. And, despite the dark and supernatural storylines, the show manages to not take itself too seriously and infuse just enough snarky humor to keep it entertaining.
The show runners like to say that what drew them to the show was that it wasn’t just about vampires; it was about a town with a rich history of relationships and a history of the supernatural. That is true, but what drew me to the show were the terrific characters, writing and storylines. Most of the time, I forget the show is even about vampires (and that is high praise, given that I’m not really a vampire lover).
So in sum, despite my normal aversion to teenage shows, vampires and the supernatural, I am now utterly addicted to a teenage vampire drama on the CW called The Vampire Diaries — in fact, don’t bother to call or e-mail me at 8:00PM EST on Thursdays — I won’t answer because I am completely engrossed in the goings-on in a town called Mystics Falls. Come join me — I guarantee it won’t take long for you to get addicted — maybe then, we can start a support group for TVD addicts.
Rating
I only started watching this show because I have a thing for vampires. And the pilot episode to me seemed like a replica of Twilight, kind of cheesy and campy. However I decided to stick with the show for a few more episodes. Man, am I glad that I did.
By episode four, the show had completely drawn me in. The characters were so well thought out and portrayed so beautifully that I couldn’t help but become obsessed. Elena is a strong, confident girl who is actually able to stand up for herself. Stefan, who originally seemed very one-sided, breaks out of his broody shell in the later episodes and really shakes things up. Paul Wesley did a magnificent job with the character. And finally, Damon. Need I say anymore? Ian Somerhalder deserves thousands of awards for that role. The character development for Damon literally blew my mind. He starts off as deliciously cruel, sarcastic, and badass; the perfect villian. But by the end of the season, you are completely rooting for him. You are able to understand his motives and truly feel for him.
The plot of the show blew my mind. It was hard to believe that the writers could cram so much action into one 45 minute show. The plot twists, especially in the finale, kept you guessing until the very end. The writers did such a fabulous job with the lines, keeping the characters sounding real, and giving Damon some of the best one-liners on television. The acting was incredible, and the special effects kept the show unique (although I am glad they ditched the crow and fog after a few episodes). I would and have recommended this show to just about everyone I know. It is by far my favorite show on television. Even if you are not into vampires, this show has so much more to offer. Just give it a try, and I promise it will draw you in.