(S01E1) The Vampire Diaries has everything that a show on the CW should have: nubile young actors and actresses staring longingly at one another while delivering flippant dialogue, decent special effects and enough teen angst to choke a small town.
The Vampire Diaries stars Smallville alums Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley, both strong jawed and steely eyed, as Stefan and Damon, mysterious strangers who arrive in the town of Mystic Falls and fall into the company of a sweet straight-A student named Elena, played by the pretty Nina Dobrev, who's still mourning the loss of her parents. Both brothers, one good and one bad, seem to have eyes for Elena, we're just not yet sure why.
Honestly, there's really not a lot to say about this show. The faces are pretty and the vampire special effects are high end, but the writing is so stilted and cliched, it should even embarrass the high schoolers this is meant for.
As Stefan and Damon, Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder both do a decent job carrying the show. Somerhalder especially brings a nice devilish charm to his character. He's all stone cold stares and crossed arms that just scream: I will not hesitate to snap your puny neck in two. Wesley though, is less likable as Stefan, and in fact, comes off as pretty creepy in his obsession of Elena.
The show really bogs down when it veers from their back story to focus on Elena's group of high school friends, who are typically one-dimensional. There's Matt, The Jock and Elena's ex, who suspects that something's not quite right with the brooding new kid. And Bonnie, The Black Best Friend who may be psychic. Plus there's Jeremy, Elena's kid brother and The Sensitive Geek. Finally you have Caroline, The Bitchy Blond Nemesis.
The show perks up a bit once Stefan's younger brother Damon enters the picture. The two, who've been apart for 15 years, immediately lock fangs and go flying through a window, already literally at each others throats. Their stormy relationship livens up the otherwise mundane teen problems. The vampires' back story is also more engaging than the high school drama. I did find myself interested in knowing more about the mysterious Katherine that Stefan still seems to be carrying a torch for.
And of course, everyone is hiding something, and more poignantly, stuck in the past, grieving over those that are dead and gone. Knowing what Kevin Williamson was able to accomplish with Dawson's Creek, I think there's decent raw material here to to turn The Vampire Diaries into something other than just a teen soap, but it hasn't gotten off to a great start.
The pilot also seems to have cribbed it's vampire lore from its many predecessors and sticks to well-established tropes. I'd be interested to see if there's anything new or original the show is wiling to add to an already over-crowded genre.
Fans of the young adult novels may flock to the show, but it remains to be seen whether TVD can capture any of the devoted Supernatural fans (who, you know, have a thing for hot brothers who are fighting their own internal demons) or pick up new viewers bored with the other spate of network offerings.
So, what say you viewers? Is the show worth sticking around for? Is it just a Gossip Girl version of Twilight? Or perhaps it's a PG-13 version of True Blood? Maybe a Dawson's Creek for the tween generation? Either way, it's not very original.
Update: Looks like the this was a huge win for the CW, ratings wise. The real test though will be to see if the first wave tunes in for the second episode.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-11-2009 @ 11:32AM
makb said...
I think your post is dead-on (sorry for the pun there). I'm older, but like the whole vampire scene. But I won't be tuning in again - I could tell from the pilot this is strictly for the younger folks and will focus on H.S. and teen angst. I will say that Elena seems to be a better character and role model than 'Bella' from Twilight. But boy this really makes me miss 'Moonlight' (off to find my DVD set now...)
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9-11-2009 @ 11:41AM
lauren said...
I couldn't help but think of the connections to buffy/angel in this pilot like only being able to come in to a house if you're invited and the ring that lets a vamp walk in daylight. I think there is some potential with the backstory of the brothers and katherine's resemblance to elena. I'll probably tune in again, especially since I love boone and supernatural comes on after.
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9-11-2009 @ 12:41PM
Backing Logan on this one said...
To be fair, although the daylight-enabling ring does hearken back to Angel, the need for an invitation to enter a home has been part of vampire lore since before Stoker's Dracula. So VD only stole the ring idea.
9-11-2009 @ 1:11PM
lauren said...
fog too right?
9-11-2009 @ 12:05PM
CK said...
Only the first episode. I think I'll give it a few more to find it's footing. There are some areas that need improving, but I think it has potential. Nothing compares to the Supernatural brothers. Stefan and Damon are lucky to be their opening act.
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9-11-2009 @ 6:24PM
Heather said...
agreed. watching this episode was too melodramatic for me despite my love for Boone. it was just too melo. Nothing on the Winchesters. In fact, if the shows ever crossed over, the Winchesters would have disposed of the two in less than half of the episode.
9-11-2009 @ 12:31PM
D said...
I do see alot of a repeating vampire theme in this show but if you really think about they have to have a some what predictable theme like the ring and the door way so that we as viewers understand the whole vampire thing. I once read a book that was not at all like a normal vampire and it seemed all wrong. So yeah some of it has to be theme like based but I am hoping that the show will have some twists to it. Right now it has a typical vampire theme it always seems there is some girl that the vampire is totally in to but thats what draws young teen girls in they all want a hot guy that is in to them. I know I did when I was in high school. But I will still continue watching because I just love paranormal stuff. And I to really miss moonlight!
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9-11-2009 @ 1:41PM
Sue said...
OK, I'm a Twilight fan who was curious. It seems too coincidental to me that Stephan looks and trys to brood like Rob Pattinson; same for Elena trying to look confused and melancholy like Kristen Stewart. The stupid blonde is to gag on and a maybe-pyschic? It will definitely need more plot and character fleshing out to keep me tuned in.
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9-11-2009 @ 4:31PM
Lisa said...
This show is based on a series of books that came out 10 years ago, so if anything Twilight could have been based on The Vampire Diaries, not the other way around. The author of the books (L.J. Smith) said on her website that the first episode wasn't good, but that the other episodes she has seen are MUCH better.
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9-11-2009 @ 6:12PM
The1337 said...
From the rolling fog to the laughable diary entries, I was amused the whole time because the show is attempting to be serious. Full review of the episode on my blog.
http://th3tvobsessed.blogspot.com/2009/09/cws-vampire-diaries-cheesy-likely-to.html
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9-13-2009 @ 7:38PM
Rhomboid said...
This show suffers from the "27 playing 17" syndrome big time. I checked on IMDB and not one of these actors is younger than 20.
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10-04-2009 @ 11:45PM
Kate said...
Haha, exactly what i thought. Aside from the predicability, the age issue was my biggest problem with the show.. I'll probably continue to watch the show though, mainly because there is nothing else interesting on in the time slot in AUS...
9-18-2009 @ 3:08AM
Owloo said...
present day Elena resembles Katherine from the 19th century had me harkening back to the present day Victoria Winters who resembles the 18th century Josette duPres all that was missing was a music box LOL
I prefer Dark Shadows 1966-71 and 1991
http://www.darkshadows.com
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9-24-2009 @ 11:13AM
Angelo said...
I am Soo sorry and regretful watching it's pilot episode. Never again, even just a second. I'll continue to be loyal to Twilight movies and Smallville.
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10-06-2009 @ 2:16PM
Heather said...
I am 20 years old, so im definately in the right age range for this show. I really liked it. It's been a couple of weeks since the pilot episode and I have to say, the shows doing a great job keeping me on my toes and wanting more.
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