The Vampire Diaries lasted 8 seasons, for a total of 171 episodes. That is quite an achievement for a television show, especially a supernatural drama. The show has given viewers and fans many characters and plotlines to follow. The writers and creators - Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson - have provided fans with plenty of lore to follow and have done excellent jobs with staying consistent season over season. That comes from their experience, because the creators have been in the industry for total of almost 40 years.
With a show including as many fantastical elements as The Vampire Diaries, no one person can remember everything. Stories behind the scenes, rumors, and misquotes from creators and actors could muddle what you thought you knew about the program.
It isn't just the fictional aspects of The Vampire Diaries that people get wrong. Real life sometimes gets in the way. From rumors about the actors and future episodes and seasons to warping interview answers from producers and creators: media and fans often hear what they want to hear and fill in the blanks with information that makes the story (or rumor) sound better. Especially if it’s something everyone hopes is true, but it’s clear the rumor or story isn’t.
Even more possibilities to confuse fans occurred when the spin-off The Originals aired, but the writers persisted in keeping the continuity intact. There should be confidence the same thing will happen with the spin-off of a spin-off, Legacies, begins on The CW in October 2018.
Here are 20 Things Everyone Gets Wrong About The Vampire Diaries.
Damon gets away with everything
The vampires in The Vampire Diaries are mostly traditional vampires. They must feed on human blood to survive. Going into the show for the first time, knowing it’s about vampires, death and violence is expected.
Except as you watch the program, Damon engages in the violence, but never receives any consequences for his actions. And he’s done plenty of abhorrent things to others in the show. Damon turned and dispatched Vicki, abused Caroline for quite some time, and physically assaulted and threatened Bonnie. And those were just the main characters. Plenty of other victims of Damon exist throughout the show.
He’s supposed to be the bad guy turned good, but he’s anything but.
Worse still is that Damon doesn’t show any remorse for what he’s done to others.
Stefan and Damon Aren't Vampire Experts
Even before the show began, the creators had to create plenty of lore so that when the first episode hit, everything in the world of Mystic Falls made sense.
When Damon and Stefan are first shown in The Vampire Diaries, they are about 140-150 years old. That’s a long time to be alive. Surely, they’ve seen plenty in those lifetimes. You might think they have a deep knowledge of the mysteries of the supernatural, but they really don’t.
Their knowledge of the Originals, witches, werewolves and more appears so limited that Damon and Stefan are always confused when a new adversary or threat arrives.
Why Elena left the show
Nina Dobrev announced in 2015 that after season 6, she’d be leaving the show. She took to Instagram to make the statement. Almost immediately, the media, fans, and faithful viewers speculated that Dobrev quit the show because Ian Somerhalder had cheated on her with Nikki Reed.
There had been vague “proof” making the internet rounds, but none of that was true.
Dobrev had always imagined her character’s story as a six-season one. It wasn’t Somerhalder or the producer’s decision for Dobrev to leave: it was all hers.
She had played two very demanding roles and has stated it was time to “get some rest, reclaim some of her freedom, and move on to other opportunities.”
Damon Has Special Powers
Vampires have powerful abilities: strength, speed, incredible resistance to mind control. Damon has a unique skill that could have been beneficial for him throughout the series.
In the series premiere, Damon creates fog from nowhere, and he makes crows appear from thin air like a magician. These skills are primarily used to create fear in his victims, and they work very well. They were only used in that pilot episode. The writers consistently used characters’ skill season over season -- except for Damon’s fog and crow powers.
They were interesting abilities to have; it’s unfortunate the writers and creators didn’t have Damon use those talents in later seasons or episodes.
Donovan Wasn't Qualified to be Sheriff
Matt Donovan was a great “woe is me” character on The Vampire Diaries. Everything that could happen to one character did happen to Matt. He was an orphan who occasionally became bait for other characters in the show.
Also, he found it tough keeping a girlfriend. They tended to gravitate towards Mystic Falls’ werewolves and vampires instead of Matt. Despite all the pain that could make someone question life, Matt remained upbeat, wanting to make a positive impact as the town’s deputy.
When Sheriff Liz Forbes passed away during season 6, Matt was just given the role of the new sheriff.
Maybe it was simply his encounters with the supernatural that convinced the town to give him the job instead of someone with real experience and qualifications.
Stefan Isn't Really The Good Brother
Did you ever think that Stefan was the good brother? In some ways he was. Compared to his brother Damon, he is a good brother and person. However, like how Damon is involved in questionable situations, the same can be said of his brother.
Vicki was abused by Damon, so Stefan erases her memory so his brother won’t get in trouble. After what happened to Caroline and the violence against her, Stefan uses Caroline as bait to make her a further victim. Stefan wants to get his brother out of town and profit from her turmoil.
He never “saves” anyone or stands up to his brother.
Even when Damon attacks Stefan’s girlfriend.
The cast gets along
When Nina Dobrev left The Vampire Diaries at the end of season 6, rumors circulated.
But Dobrev has repeatedly stated she left because it was time to move on. She had been looking to move into more of a movie career. It had nothing to do with her ex co-star and boyfriend, Ian Somerhalder, or his new wife, Nikki Reed.
None of them hated each other. In fact, they’ve remained friends for quite some time. In 2017, Reed even ranted on Instagram about how those rumors were baseless, and how those made-up stories perpetuated disloyal attitudes towards fellow women. She called for a “shift” in behaviors, which would hopefully cause a shift in how women “treat each other & view ourselves.”
It wasn't canceled
When a show ends, many people assume that it was the network that canceled the show. It had been announced in season 7 that season 8 would be the final season. Fans would get an ending that with true closure. But it wasn’t The CW, even or the creators Julie Plec or Kevin Williamson who decided that. In fact, the network at that time hadn’t made a decision on the future of The Vampire Diaries.
The show could have continued past season 8, but in an interview, Julie Plec said that she’d continue to tell the story as long as Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley wanted to.
Both of Somerhalder and Wesley thought it was time for the show to end, and several other actors had stated they’d be leaving after season 8.
The show came to a natural end.
Katherine Pierce Was Always Bulgarian
The character of Katherine Pierce was also played by Nina Dobrev. She wears a curly hair wig to give the role a different look, but that wasn’t the only change.
In the series, you learn that Katherine is from Bulgaria. But if you’ve read any of the books, Katherine is actually From Germany.
Nina Dobrev was born in Bulgaria and speaks the language with some fluency.
The creators and writers probably decided it would be less of an acting strain on Dobrev if they changed the character's nationality for the TV show.
Caroline's Pregnancy Wasn't Planned
The role of Caroline Forbes had a strange adaption from book to screen. Forbes is played by Candice Accola, who became pregnant during the show’s filming. However, Caroline is a vampire and can’t get pregnant.
For the TV series, the writers wrote the actress’ pregnancy into the show.
The reason they used was that the Gemini coven had transferred Jo and Alaric’s twins into Forbes when Jo had passed away.
It seems like a stretch, but they changed another aspect. The books had Tyler getting Caroline pregnant, with what turned out to be twin werewolves. They changed Caroline’s status: she was now a surrogate mother to witches.
The Series Ending Wasn't Always Happy
In the series ending, Stefan sacrificed himself so Mystic Falls wouldn’t be destroyed and his brother could live. But creator Julie Plec said in an interview that there was a different ending planned, and Nina Dobrev’s departure from the show changed all that.
The original ending had Stefan and Damon passing away.
This was decided all the way back in season 2 between Plec and the other creator Kevin Williamson. “Both brothers should [perish] in the name of saving their girl,” Plec said in an interview. The Vampire Diaries had already mentioned the “Other Side,” so the brothers could go there and find peace as ghosts while watching Elena live her life.
“That was the thing that made us cry all the tears in season two,” Plec added.
Vervain Isn't That Rare
In The Vampire Diaries, the rarest element isn’t Promethium or Neodymium, but Vervain. Or that’s what the show wants you to think.
Vervain is an herb that is detrimental to vampires in the show. Making physical contact with the herb causes a vampire to burn. If the vampire somehow ingests vervain, the digestive organs will disintegrate, causing the vampire to become weak.
Mystic Falls is very protective of this herb and uses it in emergencies. Zach Salvatore becomes the main supplier of vervain in early seasons, but soon, his dominance ends. Suddenly, citizens of Mystic Falls seemed to have an unending supply of it. It was in jewelry, easily available to insert into drinks and food. One episode even had it absorbed into Mystic Falls’ water.
The Actual Diaries don't matter
The word “Diaries” is in the title of the show, so it makes sense that a diary or some type of journals existed prior to the show’s events and during airing.
Stefan and Elena meet because of their diaries. From that point, the diaries of those two were important. Elena’s diary entries were a charming way to see The Vampire Diaries world through her eyes.
Elena and Stefan’s diaries were important only for so long.
The show began introducing more and more characters. Revealing plot points, lore, and character backstories through journal writing didn’t have the same appeal as it did in the beginning.
Mystic Falls' Citizens Weren't Aware Of The Supernatural
Mystic Falls has been around since 1860. During the years following, it’s reasonable to assume that the supernatural elements that plagued the town during The Vampire Diaries had always been there. The creatures and events surely increased so much that they couldn’t go unnoticed.
That’s just not the case. The town of Mystic Falls seems to be completely unaware of what’s going on around them. With the number of vampires, werewolves, and witches cavorting day and night, and the number of crimes that occur, you’d think the town would pay better attention.
A small group of normal people do know what’s going on, and the councilmen currently serving were specifically put there to protect the ignorant citizens, but that is shaky reasoning.
There Was Never Going To Be A Season 9
After a show is canceled or ending, it’s no shock that rumors of additional seasons or spin-offs or a resurrection on another network will surface. The series finale of The Vampire Diaries was on March 10, 2017. Later that year, Ian Somerhalder teased that “We start shooting Season 9 next week!”
That quote was a joke from an interview with Somerhalder.
While that “joke” sparked massive rumors about a new season or reboot, the clarification was devastating to some. He definitely planned on portraying his character again in the spin-off The Originals, along with Nina Dobrev.
Which made sense because Julie Plec was extremely busy with The Originals and keeping two similar shows afloat with the same characters would have been challenging.
The White Oak doesn't Affect the Originals
When they first appeared, the Originals were explained to be immortal. The first ones. You also learn that their life essence is tied to the White Oak Tree included in the spell that originally made the immortal.
Now that makes the assumption that those Originals are mortal, and anything that happens to the White Oak Tree affects them. Except it doesn’t.
The oak tree is burned down, but none of the Originals passed away or were affected.
This goes against the continuity of the show. Alaric was bound to Elena, and when she passed away Alaric’s passing was violent.
The Show Wasn't filmed in an LA studio
Many TV shows and movies are film in studio lots or areas surrounding the lots. You may have even heard of the many production companies using Vancouver, British Columbia to shoot movies and shows. The Vampire Diaries was no different.
At least for the pilot episode, which was filmed in Vancouver. After that, the show was filmed in a “real” Mystic Falls. The town was Covington, located just east of Atlanta, Georgia. Some scenes were filmed in other areas around Atlanta. Georgia gave The Vampire Diaries excellent tax breaks to shoot there.
If you’re interested, Covington has various tours you can take part in that show you where scenes were shot and what locations were used.
There's a secret meaning to episode titles
A quick perusal of the episode titles makes it seem like the writers randomly named the episodes. A deeper analysis shows them not to be the case. For many episodes in the early seasons, the names were directly taken from movies, books, and plays. Some were even derivatives of original works (like “Unpleasantville” from the movie Pleasantville).
Some titles were culled from lines in that particular episode. Once season 6 hit, a fun way to name the episodes started: song titles. The show used a variety of song titles from different artists and bands like Madonna, Pearl Jam, Green Day, and Nine Inch Nails.
The final season used lines from the shows in the first season. Like “Hello, Brother,” which was Damon Salvatore’s first line in the very first episode.
The show Wasn't Always Depressing
The best word to describe the mood throughout The Vampire Diaries is morose. You could turn to any minute in any episode and find someone sadly ruminating about their past or break-up or the loss of a close friend.
Except in the pilot. The pilot actually gives you a lot of happiness. There’s plenty smiling and laughing. The only depressing part is for Jeremy and Elena, whose parents had recently passed away. Other than that, the characters just want to party, make it through school, and find the love of their lives.
Now it’s hard to find a few moments of that kind of happiness later. Everyone is either fighting some type of evil or losing their life.
School didn't matter
Most of the characters, when The Vampire Diaries starts, are in high school. Many are juniors, and for much of the first season, the show manages to often take place in school.
There are scenes in the halls and some in classrooms but seeing the cast crack open a book was as rare as a human in Mystic Falls.
It took four seasons, but the characters did graduate. But how?
They were more concerned about everything else but school. While you can’t fault them for being “teenagers,” partying was foremost on their minds.
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What else do people get wrong about The Vampire Diaries? Let us know in the comments!