THE VAMPIRE DIARIES – Glamoured, Dazzled…Hooked
September 11, 2009 by SB
You know, I have had a lot of TV loves in my life, and I’m sort of an enthusiastic person in general (to say the least), not to mention a little obsessive, so when I saw that The CW was doing a teenage vampire love story, I was OMG EXCITED. From the very first preview, I knew I’d be watching. There was no question, no maybe, no flicker of doubt in my mind.
My boyfriend Bill tried to temper my excitement by countering that THE VAMPIRE DIARIES is a blatant rip off of ‘Twilight’, he went as far as calling TVD “Twi-lite”. Of course those in the know are aware that “The Vampire Diaries” series was published a good 14 years before Stephenie Meyer’s ‘Twilight’, so I’m not sure if TVD is “ripping off” Twilight as much as it may be more a matter of the producers leveraging the current success of the ‘Twilight’ movie franchise. But really at the end of the day I didn’t care. I’m really into vampires right now! I love Twilight, I love True Blood, I’ve read all but the last Sookie Stackhouse novels, and I just finished a book called Bloodsucking Fiends. Of course I was going to watch this show.
Gotta say, I was really ready to just enjoy this show for the cheese and make fun of it relentlessly, while loving it shamelessly, but it was really better than I expected. I haven’t read the books, but I’ve got plenty of things to compare it to, which is mostly what I did and, given the current vampire craze, is what I bet a lot of people did, so I’m just going to go with it.
First of all, because it must be done, let’s get the Twilight comparisons out of the way first. When Kath agreed to let me recap TVD (thanks, Kath!), she told me that the first episode is total Twilight but then it takes off in a different direction at the end, and I completely agree. I mean, I would say that the first 75% of this episode was just tweaked Twilight, right on down to physical appearance of the two main characters. I do like that the vampire is the new guy in school rather than the girl being new, because I feel like it gives better character interactions that way—there’s just more supporting characters in general. I see that we are continuing on with every vampire story needing a psychic, whether it’s Edward, Sookie, or in this case, BFF Bonnie. Again, I haven’t read the books so I don’t know where this is going, but it seemed pretty unnecessary at this point. And I’m hoping that the show explains at some point why all of a sudden vampires show up AND Bonnie becomes magically psychic at the same time, rather than having just always been that way.
Twilight did a good job of getting parents out of the way by taking Bella’s mom out of the equation and putting her with a hands-off dad, at least in the first book, and this has similarly removed parents from the equation via car crash and having Elena and her bro living with her aunt in what appears to be a very Joey Potter-like arrangement. But it’s not just Elena – did you notice how after her ex-boyfriend’s slutty sister was attacked, the ex-boyfriend was in the hospital room but their parents were nowhere to be found and never mentioned? I thought that was weird, to say the least.
I’m WAY more into the villain in this story (Stephan’s brother Damon, played by Ian Somerhalder, who is both hot and evil-looking—just the way I like ‘em) than I ever was with the Volturi (the cloaked baddies in Twilight), mostly because you get the sense from him that he’s an ACTUAL bad guy capable of danger. And honestly, I think that might be one of the biggest (and best) differences between The Vampire Diaries and Twilight—I feel like you get more insight into the character of a truly “bad” vampire. I was really into all the really vampirey (totally a word) parts, and I felt like that first scene with the couple driving along in the fog was shot in a really similar style to a lot of Supernatural episodes, which is definitely my favorite show on TV right now. That thing that happens with their eyes when they get all bloodlusty (another real word, I swear) is really creepy and really cool, and I’m even decently impressed with the effects they manage given what I’m sure isn’t an outrageous budget. The bro on bro fight scene was pretty great and exciting, and I was glad we got to see a lot of blood. I don’t know, I just think in these vampire stories, the danger really adds to the romance, you know?
I did have a couple of peeves, again with the parents and then when Elena got a text in class that spelled “hottie” “HAWT-E”. I mean, WTF? I sincerely doubt that people, even teenage people, talk like that, even in texts. And granted, my ten-year high school reunion is approaching in like two weeks, and I know I’m old and hopelessly uncool, but I just cannot accept that anyone would type “HAWT-E”, for several reasons. The first and most obvious reason? It’s stupid. The second? It’s just much more work to text in words like that to your phone, that it doesn’t know and that involve a hyphen … ugh, it was just painful, like when you’re watching Law & Order or something and you can tell that a bunch of white guys who probably like … wrote for the school paper at Harvard or something are trying to write scenes for “gangstas”, and it just comes out awkward, and painful, and like … NO. No one would ever say that, and you’re trying too hard, and I feel embarrassed for you. It was just like that—a bunch of white guys, probably my age, trying to text like teenage girls. Y’all need to go down to the local high school and hire yourself a consultant!
Anyway, I love ranting about peeves, can you tell? The second thing, and I would imagine this comes from the book, is that the name of the town is “Mystic Falls.” Sigh. That is so beyond cheesy and obvious, and in a show that shockingly managed to sidestep cheesy and obvious for most of it, that was a disappointing little element. But, gotta play with the hand you’re dealt, right?
And also … none of these people look like high school kids, especially Stephan and Elena, but really … it applies to everyone. I mean, you could stick Elena on Wisteria Lane and I wouldn’t even blink. And Stephan does not look a day under 30. Does that mean he’s not hot? No, it doesn’t. And I’ll suspend disbelief there, but honestly, I think part of the problem is that they’ve got a questionable makeup artist. And seriously, teenagers just do not put on makeup the same way that a rich housewife would to hit up the country club for some afternoon cocktails. Geez, even ELENA’S EX-BOYFRIEND’S makeup threw me off, and that just should not happen. Yes, I see that he has pretty lips, but I think I can notice them without you painting him up like he’s about to slip into his favorite cocktail dress for a night on the town, okay?
Other than that, I wasn’t too bugged by anything in particular. I’ve read at least one article on the internet that was saying they didn’t really like the diary voiceovers so much and they hope that it eases up or goes away entirely in later episodes, but I have to disagree—they didn’t bother me AND the name of the show IS The Vampire Diaries, so it makes sense. Plus, I was always in love with the letter-tapes that Felicity and Sally used to send each other in the first season of Felicity, and I was sad when they got rid of those, AND The Wonder Years is one of my all-time favorite shows, so needless to say, I’m okay with the voiceover.
All in all, I think this was a really good first showing. It does have a very distinct Dawson’s Creek feel, right down to the music, which makes sense as they both have the same showrunner . I’m sure this show will be dogged, at least for awhile by Twilight comparisons, which I’ve got to think they anticipated, but I also think that may be to their advantage because the acting on this show is all-around MUCH better than the acting in the Twilight movies, and I think the chemistry between the leads is much hotter. I LOVED when he heard her friend telling her he had a romance novel stare. He SO does, and I could totally have a TV boyfriend crush on him.
Man, I would totally watch this episode again right now if I could. If you haven’t seen it or were debating watching it, I’d say to give it a shot. It’s got a lot of elements of shows that we’re big fans of around here on GMMR, and I’m already looking forward to next week. True Blood’s finale is coming up, so you’re going to have to get your fix somehow, am I right?
If you missed last night’s premiere of THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, don’t fret – The CW is rearing the pilot tonight at 8/7c.
Alright, now over to you! What did you think about the show overall? Were you making Twilight comparisons too? What do you think about the vampire powers and mythology (fog, crows, magic ring, has to be invited in, etc.)? And how about this whole “resemblance to his ex from a hundred years ago” angle? Are you excited about the evil bro-han? I can’t WAIT to hear your thoughts, so bring it on below!
SB has many interests, including photography, her pets, entertainment, traveling and writing. She does have a day job, but that mostly amounts to her being a sarcastic young woman with a lot of time on her hands, which is why she appreciates the opportunity to recap.
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SB,
Great recap. But seriously, is your boyfriend *really* named ‘Bill’ 🙂
Really really loved it more than I thought I would. I expected the similarity to Twilight would throw me off for a little while but it didn’t. I had a smile on my face for just about the whole episode. The chem between Stefan and Elena is smokin.
Being a lover of all things vampire I have to ask if Bloodsucking Fiends was a good read? Do you recommend it?
SB! I’m glad you’re recapping this show, because I adore your recaps! It will also ease the transition into the second half of the TV season, which is how long I’ll have to wait for your Chuck recaps!
On a fluke, I decided to tune in to The Vampire Diaries last night. Had heard mixed reviews, but I was eagerly awaiting Supernatural’s return, so I decided to turn the TV on early and watch this. It was good. I wasn’t blown away, or hooked immediately, but it definitely has potential. I’m not familiar with the books, or with the whole Twilight franchise (ok, “familiar”, I am, but not a reader of either), so I don’t know the comparisons, but I’m actually intrigued now to check out this book series.
You made comparisons to Felicity and DC, but for me this show was a huge shout out to Roswell, another “old school” WB show that I was obsessed with, around the same time as DC, Buffy, and Angel. That series dealt with aliens, but it had the same feel of a high school girl and “outsider” boy. And Liz Parker of Roswell also had a diary that she kept, and that the actress, Shiri Appleby, read at the start and end of the episodes. I think this eventually died out on Roswell, but I liked that aspect. The cute, shy, brunette lead female in Elena also reminded me of Liz Parker.
Back to TVD, I like the actors and the characters, so far. After watching, I immediately had to go and IMDb each actor, to find out their actual age! Not that it matters, mind you. I had heard negative things about the lead actress, but to be honest, I liked her. She was believable to me. And the lead actor? Yeah, he’s hot, and I love that he’s a ‘good vampire’ a la Angel, Henry of Blood Ties, and Nick Knight of Forever Knight. The baddie vampire is good too … I see big, bad things for him!
So … after writing my own little recap here! … I have to give a thumb’s up to this show. It may just have settled into my Thursday night schedule, too, since it won’t be conflicting with anything else on the schedule. Exciting! I’ll be looking forward to the upcoming episodes, and – of course – your resulting recaps!
And THIS is why I love you people! I knew at least some of my GMMRers would give this show a shot. One episode in, and like SB I’m already hooked. I didn’t get to see last night’s episode, so I’m going to try to catch it again tonight. Thursdays are a tough night for the show, but that’s why God gave me two DVRs (and my God, I guess I mean Comcast, and it isn’t “gave” as much as it is “charges me through the nose”)
It wasn’t too bad as a book reader. But I came in with low expectations. I will be tuning in next week. The promos alone seem to really deviate from any Twilight comparisons that will come along. Ian Somerhalder really made the pilot for me.
The book actually had a more realistic sounding name. The town was originally called Fell’s Church (Falls Church is the actual name of the real town in Virginia). They couldn’t get the rights for the show so they made something up. Though I have to say, they could have done a better job that “Mystic Falls”.
Stefan is a little too old. He’s 27 now? But there are people who looked too old for their age. My friend thought one of my classmate was a 40 year old dad, but in reality he was 18. Nina Dobrev I think looks like her age. She’s the second youngest in cast at 20 years old.
SB, did you see “Step Brothers?” That part where Will Ferrell’ Brennan and John C. Reilly’s Dale realize they have a ton in common and Dale says to Brennan “Did we just become best friends?” That’s how I felt reading your review above! Okay, I’m just kidding, but seriously, I concur on many of your sentiments. I was a big Buffy buff back in the day and after what seemed like an eternity, the vampire drama void has been amply filled as of late. I was reluctant to watch TVD (mostly because it seemed almost too teeny-bopper in the promos with the diary entries and cheesy romance novel font) but alas, I succumbed and am now hooked. Great show to lead into “Supernatural.” I’d like to see someone try and pry me off the couch for those two hours.
Super recap. I’m on the TVD love train. Can’t wait for me. That is all 😉
Ok this is what it should have said….
Super recap. I’m on the TVD love train. Can’t wait for MORE. That is all 😉
Dang trigger finger…no more proofreading as I hit submit hehe!
I haven’t read the books, but I love Sookie & True Blood (and I liked the Twilight books, though the movie was abysmal) so I gave it a shot, and it wasn’t bad. My biggest worry is how on earth it is going to fit into a Thursday night DVR in a few weeks…
You all have MADE MY DAY! I love all the comments and discussion–keep it coming, people!
Okay, first off, TV Addict. My boyfriend’s name is actually Billy, which is good for him or I’d TOTALLY walk around all day calling him Vampire Bill (all Hoyt-style) and giggling, and he’d get really annoyed. Kath had to edit the first part a bit, since she was trying to save me the embarassment of agreeing that it was kind of a Twilight rip-off, since I CLEARLY didn’t do my teen vampire novel homework and realize it was written much earlier than Twilight. I think the “y” probably got dropped off in that process, but I’m glad she did it because she flipped it around to make it say exactly what I WOULD have said if I’d been smarter and better informed. 🙂
Calila, I found Bloodsucking Fiends in a used bookstore and given my love of vampires combined with my love of “LAMB: The Gospel According to Christ’s Childhood Pal, Biff”, which was by the same author, I went for it. And it was okay, but definitely not great. Fine for five bucks and a quick read on the train, but if you have other books on your list, I’d go for those first.
Thanks, Kimber! This is helping to ease the pain of waiting for Chuck, although I am doing Top Chef too (hint! Go read!), and I love how you’re such a faithful participant in the discussions around here! I loved reading your take on Roswell, since I somehow missed that one, but I’ve seen those comparisons floating around the internet, so I’m hereby appointing you Resident Expert on the topic. Deal?
Also, everyone, I’m so sorry to admit this and I’ve been waiting for a block of time where I could watch it all at once but it’s never gonna happen so I need to just suck it up and start … I’ve never seen Buffy. Not one single episode, and I am so ashamed. I’ll try to remedy this as soon as I can, but in the mean time … please don’t stake me. I’m sure the guilt I feel is worse than any punishment you can bestow upon me (sarcasm meter ZERO).
Jess, I’m glad someone here has read the books, so I’m naming YOU the Resident Expert of THAT! Woo! And that was some good insight on the name of the town. I feel bad now for blaming it on the book, and instead I will give a big old bird to The CW (and I don’t mean crow). How do you get the rights to the book to make a show out of it and not the name of the fake town? And couldn’t they have just used the name of the real town? Craziness!
Robyn, I sure did! Where they bond over their mutual attraction to John Stamos! That’s so funny and awesome. 🙂 And I am SO with you on trying to pry me off the couch during those two hours. It’s gonna get even worse when The Office comes back–I’m going to fuse to my couch on Thursday nights.
Don’t worry, Strunkette … we’ve all been there with the trigger finger!
Keep it up, you guys! You’re all awesome!
Oooohhh, Michelle. You and me both. But I’m sure at least a couple of the Thursday night shows can be viewed online for free. The CW is usually pretty good about it.
I so wasn’t going to watch this show, but then somehow I did (mostly due to the positive reviews from the tv talk podcast)… and I loved it. I’m not sure why I thought I wouldn’t, considering I too love all things vampirey (I agree SB that it totally should be a world). Sure it’s a little cheesy, but it’s not anywhere near as cheesy as I thought it would be, and really, who doesn’t appreciate a little cheesy TV every now and then? The only parts I didn’t like were the stupid texting (totally agree that NO ONE would EVER text HAWT-E), and some of the awkward, lingering looks exchanged between Stefan and Elena came off a little, well, off.
Overall, it was very enjoyable! I think the show did a great job of reeling the viewer in and building excitement for the next episode. So far the casting seems right-on, and the look of the show fits very well with the subject matter. Plus there was some crackling chemistry between Stefan and Elena! This show has definitely made its way into my jam-packed fall TV viewing schedule!
SB – I had never seen Buffy either, and after all of Kathy’s talking about it I gave in and did it all on Netflix last summer. Run, don’t walk, and just go buy the 7 season box set. You’ll do it in the end anyway – SO worth it!!
So I’m not the only one who sees the similarities with TVD and Roswell? Cool! It’s always nice to hear you’re not alone, and not going crazy! I shall go and Google that, and see what other people are saying. I’m planning a Roswell rewatch soon (all three seasons! I got the gigantic boxed sets, before they were downsized and revamped (ha ha) to feature Katherine Heigl more prominently) – so I’ll gladly accept the position of Resident Expert on that!
Rewatched a bit of the first episode tonight, as it apparently also airs on MuchMusic (a music video channel), and I have to say I liked it even more. Not that I wasn’t impressed to start with, but after reading the above comments, then rewatching … wow! Elena and Stephan have amazing chemistry! I can’t wait to watch that develop.
Guess who is watching TVD right now? That would be me! I was working late last night so I didn’t get to watch. I haven’t seen it yet with the final music and such. I’m excited.
I think this is my new guilty pleasure show.
I have to agree that it’s very DC with the music, something I grew to hate on that show, but I’m willing to overlook it for now on TVD. Don’t get me wrong, I liked the songs they play in both shows, but when I used to watch DC sometimes I felt it was more music video with dialogue randomly thrown in than dialogue with music adding to the scene. I definitely thought that again tonight while watch TVD, but only once.
I thought Nina Dobrev was fine in terms of acting, I’ve watched a lot of Degrassi (I love me some Canadian melodrama) and I think she was much better on TVD than Degrassi. I forgot how hot Ian Somerhalder is, and hello the previews for next week with his hair longer and all mussed up… swoon!
Um is the girl who got attacked at the party the girl from Freaks and Geeks who Sam really was crushing on and then was just on Bones as the lead girl in that ep where all the high school girls got pregnant by Spencer Breslin?? If so, I find it weird that she’s still playing high school girls and John Francis Daley is playing super shrink on Bones, even though I know he’s only like 23 or something.
Loved the blood, loved the veiny eye thing, scary violent grabbing of people etc. Definitely agree that’s needed in a vampire story… have read/watched Twilight and sparkly vamps in the sun are SO not scary.
I liked Roswell so much, that may have to be my next show to re-watch as I’m currently into S3 of Angel for the bajillionth time. I can see the comparisons, there’s a lot of angsty looks, journal writing, soulful eyes and forbidden inter-species love brewing lol.
SB please, please, please with a cherry on top watch Buffy. I just know you will heart it so much. Love your Bones and Chuck recaps, will definitely be checking out your TVD recaps now too 🙂
sb, this is my new guilty pleasure tv show. i love your chuck recaps so i was pretty darn excited to see that you’re doing this one too. i read twilight and new moon both last week and have now picked up the remaining two in the series which i will soon sink my teeth into (sorry, folks, had to do it). guess i’ll be tracking down copies of tvd to read as well. ack! another show to stack up and watch on the dvr.
i keep seeing ian as boone. anyone else having that problem?
…you have got to be kidding me. This show did next to nothing new. You were right to say “It’s got a lot of elements of shows that we’re big fans of around here on GMMR”, cuz thats almost ALL it has. Is that even a good thing? LOL, I have to agree about the acting though. It is better than what we’ve seen in twilight (thank GOD). But even then it still isnt anything to yell about. Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley) was the same note throughout the entire episode, even when he was belly up after being wupped by his bro. Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) I think was solid right through though. Doubtful that anyone else could have played her character much better. Kudos to her :-), and Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder) played his character pretty well too, but nothing ground breaking (did make me laugh once or twice though, lol, and hes SOOOO COOL!! Indeed for more suave than Stefan…as several bad guys are made to be in film…hmmmm) Ill be watching it some more though. I like all the hints they are dropping about the vampires and their past, desprite seeming borrowed all the vampire stuff kept me interested right through. Dunno if its because I watched it in HD…but everything looked so FRESH and COOL in my eyes. I wanna control fog too!!!! 🙂 But please…vampires are the rage now, everyone knows it. Which makes ORIGINALITY that much more important. If this show doesnt show more of it, it could turn into just another name in the sea of Vampire fiction.
Kimber!!
I I re-watched roswell a couple months ago. Well worth it! Yeah I too saw the similarities. So much so that the INSTANT the scene opened up with Elena I would have sworn it was Liz writing what she wrote in an episode of roswell. It was dejavu all over again lol.
i really liked vampie diaries it was very good. i dare say i wll be watching this on thursday nights. very good. i just love stefan he is a hottie. so is damien ,but there is just something about stefan you just want to kiss those georgeous lips. he so good looking.
YAY! I’m so glad the convo is still going on!
Kelly, I’m with you. I love some TV cheese, and I think in my heart I’ll always be an angst-ridden teenager and watch programming accordingly. 🙂
Michele, I’m going to try. I just know how I am and that once I start, I’ll have no life until EVERY SINGLE EPISODE is watched, because I obsess like that, and so it’s kind of an intimdating process. But I KNOW I’m going to love it.
What did you think, Kath?
Man, Jenn, that is an epic comment! And I love it! I’m just gonna work my way through, cool? I only watched Dawson up to a point (the first few seasons up to maybe their first year at college?)–I sometimes quit watching shows when I start feeling like I’m not that into it and pretend that the rest never happened, i.e. Prison Break ended for me in Season Two the second Michael and Sara wound up on the boat. So I enjoyed the music on DC, and I was totally the right age for it too, which helped, but if it got more music video-y later on, I could’ve missed that. I don’t think that the girl the brother has a crush on is the same one from Freaks & Geeks. What was her name, Cindy? I don’t know, I’m pretty sure but also too lazy to IMDB it. 🙂 And last but not least, I’m glad you love my Chuck recaps! I love Chuck too, and I miss it, but unfortunately, I can’t take credit for Bones–that one is Seeleybaby, another Sarah, but alas–not me. 🙂 But keep hanging out with us!
Littlebit, who’s Boone? I keep thinking IS looks familiar but I feel like he was on Smallville at some point. Also, you reminded me to thank everyone who’s been chipping in with vampire puns. You guys know I love me some puns!
Some good points, Cage! I agree that there’s not a lot innovative at this point, but I’ll give it some slack because a.) it was the pilot and b.) all CW shows are kind of alike (except my love Supernatural–it is a gem from heaven and totally unique, LOVE), and c.) there’s only really so many ways a vampire story can go, particularly when it’s a teenage vampire/human love story. I thought it was just a Twilight retread, but I’ve since learned that this one was written first, so I guess I have to cut slack there too. 🙂 But I’m with you, the acting is decent and the chemistry is good, and it was really fun to watch. I think it’s about to take an interesting and exciting turn, so hopefully that’ll help differentiate it.
And Shane … you and me both. 🙂
I reallyy liked it! And I agree about the text, I’m sixteen and there is not a single person I know who would spell it like that haha. I’m glad to see Ian Somerhalder do something after Lost. Most people probably don’t know this but the guy in the opening scene was on Degrassi too. But I don’t think Nina Drobev and him had any scenes together, though. I also thought it was weird that Vicki’s parents weren’t in the hospital. I really didn’t like Twilight, I’m not sure why, it just seemed ridiculous, I mean he SPARKLED for god’s sake haha. But I really liked TVD, I liked Elaina way more and Stephan and them as a couple then Bella and Edward. I’ll be watching next week!
YAY, Alison! Now we have a Resident Expert on teenagers! You’ve gotta keep coming back, we need to know if we’re justified in eye-rolling, and I’m glad to see the text was as ridiculous as suspected. Score one for the youth of America!
Sorry must have just shortened Seelybaby into SB in my head, either way you both write good recaps.
Ian Somerhalder played Boone on Lost… I stopped watching that about two eps into the second season so I understand about your PB comment.
You’re right the girl who played Vicki didn’t play Cindy, but she was on Freaks and Geeks as Maureen, and also on Bones so at least I’m not totally messing things up in my brain 😛
Oh nice! It’s always good to find out you’re not crazy. And no matter how old she is, she’s one of the younger looking people on this show, which still makes me giggle. 🙂
Okay, So I absolutely LOVE The Vampires Diaries. It’s so dark and creepy, but funny also. Being funny due to Damon, I love his sarcasm! Its kind of a tie of who I like more, Damon or Stefan. But I read up a little bit about the book series and it says that elena has a “love triangle” with Stefan And Damon. But on the show I haven’t really sensed anything between elena and damon. Do you think that they will give them chemistry later on in the show or just skip that part completely?
But I saw on here that people were talking about twilight. Yes, I do love the series. But the Movie really did disappoint me. It left a lot of good scenes out and the meadow scene was completely wrong and also when he told her that he was a vampire. the movie really didnt capture the love between Edward and Bella. So when New Moon comes out, and they see when he leaves her, it won’t be very emotional and sad to people who have not read the book.
Sorry I had to vent a little bit. Anyway, Please try to comment me back about the whole Elena-Stefan-damon love triangle thing!