The Vampire Diaries has completely captivated me from the moment I sat down and watched it in my first-year dorm. Gorgeous boys, dramatic love stories and the very familiar Virginian setting made the show a must-see from the beginning. Creators Alex Lloyd, Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec developed the television show from the book series by L. J. Smith. The CW show is now in its third season, which began in September, and I'd argue it's the best one yet.
Protagonist Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) has grown as a character in deep ways. An orphan whose parents passed away in a car crash, Elena has reckoned with supernatural creatures as well as other tragedies throughout the series. Though originally not a character many would find admirable, the writers have turned Elena into a strong female protagonist. Dobrev also plays one of the show's main antagonists, Katherine Pierce, whose physical resemblance to Elena creates many plot turns and twists.
Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley) are the two vampire brothers around whom Elena's life revolves. Damon and Stefan have a long history, since they both became vampires around the time of the Civil War, and the writers use this history for constant plot energizers throughout the show. There are frequent "flashback" episodes and most new characters tie into Damon and Stefan's life at some point. This may be the reason the show has never approached boring; the writers are fortunate enough to have 150 years of history they can choose to draw on whenever necessary.
The love triangle between Elena, Damon and Stefan is also an important plot feature which brings squealing girls back to the show week after week. The writers cleverly draw out each moment of the relationships, and I am always begging for next week to come the second the show ends.
The rest of the cast is spectacular and crucial to the success of the show. As Elena's friends, frenemies, neighbors and teachers all take turns coming in and out of the spotlight, the show feels more like an ensemble cast than anything else. Each character undergoes his own serious development throughout the progression of the show, and they all come together and fall apart time and time again.\nThe Vampire Diaries blows me away every week, and I cannot wait for Thursdays to escape to Mystic Falls, Va. and reunite with the characters I have grown to love. Don't miss The Vampire Diaries Thursdays at 8 p.m. on the CW.
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