The CW has gained attention for its creative original programming in the past few years, between its much-beloved DC TV shows and award-winning comedies like Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and Jane the Virgin. Some original series, however, have been on the network for nearly a decade now, and one of them will finally be put to rest this spring.
The Vampire Diaries, which chronicles the goings-on in a supernaturally charged town in Virginia, spent its first six seasons focused on protagonist Elena as she figured out life and love in a strange new world. The role gave actress Nina Dobrev her start and made her a much-beloved figure among fans, but Dobrev decided to leave the show before season 7. Many saw this as good career move, as the show has become somewhat of a dud in the past few years, but followers of the show were devastated to see one of their leads leave. Luckily for them, it looks like Dobrev's departure wasn't permanent.
The star took to Instagram today to slyly announce her return to the show, for its series finale. She posted a picture of her script, clarifying, "I know it's Thursday, but this is not a TBT." The script confirms that the episode will be titled "I Was Feeling Epic". Check it out for yourself, below:
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While this news is pleasant, it's not exactly a surprise. According to EW, Dobrev made it clear years ago that she would be willing to return for the series finale despite her departure. In 2015, Series co-creator Julie Plec said:
Nina has always said that if there’s something for her to do in the series finale that she will be there to do it. When she left, she said, 'I want to see this character to its end at the end of the show, so I can’t wait to come back and put her to bed again.'
Fans will note the ironic phrasing at the end there, since Elena's character was suspended in the season 6 finale by a coma-inducing spell.
Promised or not, it's great that Dobrev is coming back, as fans would have undoubtedly missed her if the series finale saw an Elena who never woke up. While Dobrev's return is certainly cause for celebration, it does mean that the series will have another loose end to tie up in its final episode - and on a show that's somewhat notorious for its scattered plot, that could mean trouble. All that's left to do is hope that The Vampire Diaries creators give us a satisfying and cathartic series end.
Even if this series finale doesn't deliver plot-wise, it will be good to see so many familiar faces on the show during its final episode. The end of The Vampire Diaries will definitely be notable, given how long the show has been on the air, so grab your popcorn and your tissues and prepare yourself for a big spring goodbye.
The Vampire Diaries airs Fridays at 8 p.m. EST on The CW, with the series finale scheduled for March 10.
Source: Nina Dobrev