The Vampire Diaries discussion thread

[Kat]

So the series just opened with HUGE ratings for the CW, their best debut yet. (4.8 million, 90210 only had 2.6)



So what did you think? Are you a fan?

[amandajoyce]

I watched because I was curious... but I think it's too early to tell. I think it has a great cast, but it is so similar (in terms of some of the themes) to Twilight for me. I know that there are huge differences, and I know that the book it's based on was out long before Twilight, but that's the closest basis for comparison that I have. I think I'll have to watch a couple of episodes before I have a real opinion on it. Haha

[kellygreen49]

I didn't watch it. I just couldn't get into it even from the trailer. My sister watched it and she said she's definitely going to continue. She said the chemistry between the male and female leads are a little lacking but she's hoping for it to increase.

[onlymystory]

I haven't watched the episode yet. I love that Ian Somerhalder is back on tv. ( I missed Boone). But I'm annoyed by the clearly immature attitudes of the female actresses on the show. Its like being signed to a pilot doesn't mean you're suddenly a celebrity. earn it for pete's sake and still don't act like an idiot.
I'm curious to see how the show works a little. I couldn't get into the books but I also didn't like the Gossip Girl books and I love the show so I suppose we'll see.

I hate how everything is compared to Twilight when Twilight is so recent but I know its the easiest comparison. I just don't like that Twilight steals from so many other stories but then those stories get called the copycats. But that's an entirely different rant.

[amandajoyce]

Yeah, I know, but it was the closes thing thematically I could compare it to since I haven't read the books, and I don't know what's coming. I'm not well versed in the vampire world.

I actually thought the two leads had pretty decent chemistry, especially for a pilot. Usually I find that there's something lacking in a pilot episode that gets fixed later. Of course, I think the guy did a much better job selling the attraction than the girl. But, that could just be because he has more experience on screen than her.

And I'm interested in the some of what I'm guessing are the B storylines with the main character's friends. Like, one girl's grandmother thinks she's psychic.

But, like I said, it's too early to really tell for me. I think it's going to go either really well or really badly in the next couple of episodes. Haha

[Kat]

Like Amanda said, I'm not well versed on the Vampire world, but shouldn't the girl who got bitten but didn't die at the end of the episode, be turning into a Vampire now?

[onlymystory]

Now that idea, that just a bite turns you into a vampire (if that's all that happened) is not correct vampire lore. Most books show people being bitten all the time. Some humans get a rush out of it and it often happens in more sexually charged situations.
The general standard is that one must be bitten, drained of their blood, and then there's variation on whether they drink vampire blood or are simply buried and for how long but most bury the person and they rise as a vampire.
The fairly universally accepted alternative is that multiple bites/feedings on a regular basis for a long period of time can cause the turn as well.
But not the way twilight insists that one bite sends you into the transformation.

[Kat]

No, I realized Twilight was extreme.

I figured that, considering the vampire was surprised she was still alive, that she had been pretty close to drained (while still surviving), but who knows...

[onlymystory]

Okay, so I watched the episode. Twice.
On, the bite front, I don't think Damon was surprised at all. The impression I got was that he wanted to leave one alive so she could say "vampire" (what she told Matt in the hospital) and start the suspicion on Stefan.
And after watching it, I'm fast falling in love. The side characters are really well acted and interesting, Nina Dobrev surprised me as Elena. And then two words. Ian Somerholder. Wow. Yum. Amazing. Move over, Edward, its time to fall in love with a bad vampire again.

[amandajoyce]

Haha. I have to admit, when it was on again, I watched it a second time, and I actually liked it a lot more the second time around. It's peaked my interest... but I am more interested in the secondary characters than the main ones. But, I'm almost always like that, so I guess that shouldn't really be surprising for me. I'm still not sure how I feel about Elena though.

[onlymystory]

My hardest thing with Elena is the way her character is changed. In the books she's blonde and blue-eyed, an ice princess, very popular and pretty much a b****. As the series goes on, she becomes a more compassionate person. So it kind of frustrates me that Elena has become more of a Bella. But she is confident and entertaining. I'm holding out to though. Nina still has to prove herself a little more.
I like Steven McQueen though too. He was great.

[Kat]

New clip for all you vamp fans:

[onlymystory]

haha, I loved this last episode. Damon's lines were great. "What's the big deal with this Bella chick? Edward is soo whipped." And "I miss Anne Rice. She was so on it." Or Stefan's "oh yes, I love being a one hundred and fifty year old teenager." Damon~ "I don't know. I kind of like being the eternal stud."

Just such genius lines.

[Kat]

I liked 'You're dead dude, deal with it!'

[amandajoyce]

Kayla Ewell (Vicki on the show) was on E!'s morning show the other day. The youtube user disabled embedding, but here's the link if anyone wants to see it.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=leGap2La9-E

[tylerdurden]

I've liked Nina Dobrev since Degrassi. Naturally, I watch this show

I just want it to be as successful as Buffy the Vampire Slayer was. If they're as imaginative as Joss Whedon this show will be the next generation's Buffy.

[onlymystory]

I think it can be if they continue to depart from the book and keep the fans guessing. I know Kevin Williamson said not to assume that they won't kill a main character because he is willing to go there.

[amandajoyce]

Yep. I think a lot of the really devoted fans of the books hate the show right now because it is so different, but having not read the books, I really like the show. I didn't like Nina in the lead role originally, but she's grown on me. I really love all of the supporting cast though (why I put so many of them in the "New Faces" article). They all do great with their limited amount of screetime. I'm thinking of reading the books once the first season is over though, just to see what they did or didn't pull from the books.

[onlymystory]

Having read the books, at least the old ones, I haven't caught up on the new trilogy yet, I prefer the show. I know most vampire books, things don't exactly happen slowly but imho The Vampire Diaries book series could use a few extra installments. I think the series does much better at fleshing out characters. Although Meredith doesn't exist and I do kind of like Meredith. I'm hoping she'll be introduced eventually and that she's been studying abroad or something. She was one character I enjoyed in the books.

[Kat]

Dear Vampire Diaries Writers,

Can Stefan please have a few more lighthearted moments like this:



or at least smile more/stop staking people? Seriously, I want to like the guy.

Thank-you,
Kat

[onlymystory]

haha totally agree Kat. Damon wins over Stefan for me simply because he actually laughs and smiles. If Stefan would let loose a little more, I'd love them both.

On this last episode though, um, not only was I not expecting Anna to be a vampire (!) but go Elena! Its about time she fought back on her own (even if she can't do much. This show just keeps getting better.

[amandajoyce]

How many episodes have aired since it came back on? Just the one? Cause I haven't had a chance to watch it since it came back from hiatus, and most of the fansites go into information, like, 3 episodes ahead, so I'm not sure how many I've missed.

[onlymystory]

Two episodes so far. #11 & #12.

[Kat]

So I was just watching the new episode. I hadn't got far (just Damon's lessons in people killing at the beginning). Katherine had just said the line about the other animal's finishing them off and I got the feeling something was watching me from the floor. I look down and here's my cat just staring up at me with wide eyes. She didn't look or blink away even when I spoke to her. Creepy coincedence. I'm going to tell myself she was only interested in my sandwhich.

[Kat]

Okay, I'm nitpicking. Stefan has a tattoo? Did teenage boys get tattoos willy nilly in the 1800's too? Because shouldn't he have healed if he got it since turning? Or is it something else entirely and I'm missing the point....

[onlymystory]

The tattoo is Paul Wesley's. Apparently its just easier to show the tattoo than to cover it up. I'm not sure if they'll try to tie it in later.
As for the 1800s, while mostly in performers, that century did see significant growth in tattoo popularity.

[Kat]

more nitpicking. When the heck did the boys get turned?

Earlier in the season they showed scenes implying Katherine had turned them. Yet the night she was locked in the church Stefan ingested whatever it's called without dying/reacting. So were they/he still human then?

[tina91]

Thats what really confused me.
I think he was human. Maybe Catherine is coming back or something.
But they would have noticed if he would have been a vampire already.

[amandajoyce]

I missed this last episode too... I'm going to have to sit down and watch them all online this weekend or something. I just haven't been watching television as much lately.

[onlymystory]

Okay so I'm assuming this is how the boys turned but of course the show could do something different. And I only know this because in the whole myth/legend arena, vampires are my thing. I love studying the legends. Anyway, according to Vampire Diaries specific mythology, to turn a vampire, the human drinks the vampire's blood and then the human has to die with the vampire blood in their system. Usually a vampire has drank from the human as well but that's not essential for the turn. Its just a common occurrence because if a vampire & a human have an affair going on, the vampire will be drinking from the human. For the human to stay strong and not grow overly weak, they have to drink the vampire's blood in return. Its rare a human is going to up and drink vamp blood for fun. (Unless we're on True Blood where vamp juice is the ultimate high).
So, basically, because both Stefan & Damon had been sleeping with Katherine and she clearly had been drinking their blood, I would say its safe to assume that the boys had drank Katherine's in return. Judging by Damon's kissing her with blood on her lips, I'm sure it didn't take long for him to be willing to drink her blood. And since Stefan had vervain in him but was still willing to let Katherine drink his blood, I'm safely betting he'd drunk hers as well. Therefore, since within the last couple days, Stefan & Damon had drank a fair amount of Katherine's blood, the only remaining step needed to turn them was death. Once they died, they would rise as vampires.
As we know from earlier episodes, the boys were killed trying to save Katherine (and possibly others) in the church. Since the townspeople weren't experts on vampires, they obviously didn't realize that Damon & Stefan would turn. If I'm still taking bets, I would say that turn is part of why Stefan no longer loves Katherine. This last episode had Damon vocalize his preference to die. And it was said in a way that I believe Damon knew death was the final step to becoming a vampire. I'd be willing to bet though that Stefan didn't know. So when they were killed and woke as vampires, Damon is good with the whole thing because he knew it was coming and he's just furious with Stefan for getting Katharine killed. While Stefan realizes that Katherine was using him and compelling him and he loses most of his "love" for her. After all, Katherine took everything from Stefan just as Damon believes Stefan took everything from him.
So uh, sorry for the long story but that's pretty much how I think it all worked out.