One of the most popular and well-received shows in CW history was The Vampire Diaries. It ran for eight seasons, sparked the careers of some truly talented actors, and spawned two successful spin-offs because audiences just wanted to stay in the world they created. Most of the viewers who loved it miss it dearly. That desire to relive the series leads fans to rewatch their favorite moments.
Over eight seasons, there were many jaw-dropping moments that left fans' on edge. Exhilarating fight scenes, emotional character deaths, heartwarming romances, shocking plot twists... this series had it all. There are so many stellar highlights that it's difficult to pick which episodes to watch again.
Updated January 12th, 2022 by Kevin Pantoja: Although The Vampire Diaries has been off the air for several years at this point, it still remains immensely popular thanks to streaming services. Countless fans are either watching through all eight seasons again, while new audience members are finding it for the first time and falling in love consistently. That's why it's great to look back through the history of the show and find the best Vampire Diaries episodes, which can be done by checking out the ratings on IMDb.
"The End Of The Affair" (Season 3, Episode 3) - 8.8
There are actually many episodes tied with an 8.8 rating, so the ones with the most reviews rank above the rest. "The End of the Affair" gets a high score due to the shift in storyline. This time audiences get a deeper look into Stefan's past as The Ripper. Klaus takes Stefan to Chicago to revive his sister Rebekah and hopes for Stefan to become his old evil self.
Memories show Stefan and Rebekah's short fling when Stefan would catalog his kills before Klaus wiped his memories of them. All the while, Caroline is taken prisoner and tortured by the council. This episode went a long way towards building the Stefan and Klaus relationship while also debuting a pivotal Original character.
"My Brother's Keeper" (Season 4, Episode 7) - 8.8
There's no question that fans of The Vampire Diaries adore the relationship between Klaus and Caroline. Though they never officially dated, their bond was intriguing and helped make each character more interesting. "My Brother's Keeper" was big for them as Klaus was Caroline's date for the Miss Mystic Falls Pageant.
The two opened up to each other in ways that the audience had never seen before. The installment was also pivotal for the Hunter's Mark storyline involving Jeremy and the runtime culminated with Elena and Damon having sex for the first time.
"Growing Pains" (Season 4, Episode 1) - 8.8
The finale of season 3 of The Vampire Diaries certainly ended with a bang. The show finally made the move to turn Elena into a vampire, which changed everything going forward. "Growing Pains" was the premiere of season 4 and dealt with the immediate fallout of Elena's turn.
That gave this some emotional weight as she struggled with becoming something that she never wanted to. There was also high drama involving Klaus and Rebekah, as well as the start of a new major storyline that proved to be a threat to all of the vampires in town.
"I'm Thinking Of You All The While" (Season 6, Episode 22) - 8.9
A lot of fans have felt that the show dipped in quality a bit after the departure of The Originals for their own show. However, season 6 was intriguing as it featured a cunning villain in Kai and marked the end of the run for Nina Dobrev as the lead actor.
This finale saw Elena have to say goodbye to everyone she loves as she sacrificed years of her life to make sure that Bonnie remained alive. That also changed things for the future as the final shot involved a darker take on Damon stalking the town. Throw in the arrival of Lily's family of vampires as a new batch of villains and this was a winner.
"We're Planning A June Wedding" (Season 8, Episode 15) - 8.9
Although the last few seasons of The Vampire Diaries were a bit odd without Elena around, there were some episodes that proved to be fantastic. "We're Planning a June Wedding" was among them and it's actually the penultimate edition of the entire series.
Fans finally got to see Caroline and Stefan get married, though it was with mixed emotions as things were rushed to lure Katherine out and because Stefan had just killed Enzo in a heartbreaking scene. It was also a big episode for Matt given the return of both his mother and sister.
"Rose" (Season 2, Episode 8) - 8.9
Season 2's "Rose" marked the start of arguably the show's most important storyline. After the threat of Katherine was seemingly dealt with, Elena was kidnapped by new characters Rose and Trevor as they attempted to bring the doppelgänger to Elijah, marking the debut of the Originals.
Elijah entered with a major impact, beheading Trevor with a simple slap and coming back to life after he was staked by the Salvatores when they rescued Elena. Though not a monumental episode on its own, it's critical for the rest of the show.
"Klaus" (Season 2, Episode 19) - 8.9
For most of the second half of season 2, Klaus was mentioned a lot but hadn't yet been seen. In fact, his only real appearance came when he had taken over the body of Alaric Saltzman. That changed in his self-titled episode, which featured flashbacks to his history with Katherine.
Flashback episodes are often considered among the best in the series for a reason. This explained a lot about who Klaus is while also detailing his relationship with his brother. On top of that, it showed how ruthless he can be and even made Katherine a bit more sympathetic.
"As I Lay Dying" (Season 2, Episode 22) - 9.0
A lot of The Vampire Diaries fans seem to agree that season 2 was the high point of the series. There's tense drama around every corner in its finale. Damon was bitten by a werewolf and on the verge of death, but Elena doesn't forgive him for forcing her to drink his blood.
To save his brother, Stefan seeks out Klaus and discovered that his blood is the cure for a werewolf bite. Elena shared a kiss with Damon just as Katherine arrived with the cure, setting up major plot threads for season 3. Elsewhere, Jeremy was shot and resurrected by Bonnie, but it had a side effect causing him to see his dead ex-girlfriends. A lot was going on in this episode that set the tone for a strong follow-up season.
"Homecoming" (Season 3, Episode 9) - 9.0
In "Homecoming," Klaus takes the final measures to try and get rid of Mikael for good. With Stefan under Klaus's compulsion, Damon asks Mikael for help in getting rid of Klaus with the White Oak stake. Alas, Damon grew frustrated with his brother when he intervened in his attempt to stake Klaus.
Klaus fulfilled his wish and killed Mikael, closing up that arc. By the end of the episode, Elena and Damon are conflicted between failing to kill Klaus and Stefan's humanity. Convinced by Katherine to have some emotion, Stefan seeks revenge against Klaus, bringing those characters closer again.
"Home" (Season 5, Episode 22) - 9.0
"Home" wrapped up season 5 and picked up following an emotional cliffhanger. Stefan was killed and Caroline opened the episode mourning him but he was actually trapped on the Other Side. While there, fans were treated to the return of several deceased characters like Alaric Saltzman, Lexi Branson, and Sheila Bennett.
Bonnie and Damon came up with a plan to bring back those they lost from the Other Side. They got help from Liv, Matt, Jeremy, and others, causing the kind of team effort that this show gave fans when it was at its best.
"The Return" (Season 2, Episode 1) - 9.0
When season 1 wrapped up with the first look at Katherine in the present, season 2's premiere had to deal with the fallout. Since The Vampire Diaries was never a show to move at a slow pace, most of the characters figured out that Katherine was back quickly. The real treat was watching Nina Dobrev play both Katherine and Elena.
Mason Lockwood arrived, Tyler struggled with possibly being supernatural, and Damon snapped Jeremy's neck in a fit of rage. The episode ended with Katherine killing Caroline, which caused her to turn into a vampire. That's a huge moment that elevated Caroline into one of the best characters on the show.
"It's Been A Hell Of A Ride" (Season 8, Episode 14) - 9.0
What gave this episode such a high ranking was the intense battle between Bonnie and Cade. Prior to this, Cade is hellbent on destroying Elena and anyone close to her. Cade gives Damon a choice, save Elena or save Stefan, making this incredibly dramatic.
Damon made his decision and impales himself to reach the Other Side. Bonnie decided to tackle Cade on her own and also went to the Other Side. In this intense battle, Cade was taken out but a new ruler took over the throne, setting the stage for the final two episodes.
"The Reckoning" (Season 3, Episode 5) - 9.1
Part of what made season 3 work so well was the addition of the Originals. "The Reckoning" saw all the characters come back together for the first time in the season. Klaus couldn't create the hybrid army that he wanted because Elena was still alive and to rectify that, he killed Tyler and turned him into a hybrid, demanding that Bonnie fix it or he'll die.
Klaus also compelled Stefan to feed on Elena if Bonnie didn't find a solution. That placed high stakes on the episode almost immediately. It moved at a fast pace, was filled with drama, and set up a ton for the future.
"The Sun Also Rises" (Season 2, Episode 21) - 9.1
There were a lot of emotions at play in the penultimate edition of season 2. Klaus continued his rampage to become the first hybrid but to do so he needed to sacrifice a vampire, a werewolf, and Elena. Klaus enlisted the help of a witch to turn Elena's aunt Jenna into a vampire purely for the ritual.
Stefan came to the rescue and tried to sacrifice himself instead of Jenna. Jenna, realizing what she must do, tried to attack Klaus and was killed. Klaus ended up biting Elena and finishing the ritual to become a hybrid. It marked a rare case of a villain winning out and then ended on the emotional reveal that Damon had been bitten by a werewolf.
"Masquerade" (Season 2, Episode 7) - 9.1
This episode brought everything together in terms of the Katherine story arc, as the characters attended a masquerade ball. Elena, Stefan, Damon, Bonnie, and the rest of the good guys came up with a seemingly perfect plan to stop Katherine, but she had backup plans for everything, remaining one step ahead of them.
Eventually, the witch Elena had working for her turned against her and helped imprison Katherine in the tomb. Almost lost in the rest of this incredible episode was Tyler triggering his werewolf curse by killing someone. Though it's not the highest-rated episode, it's The Vampire Diaries at its finest.
"You Made A Choice To Be Good" (Season 8, Episode 11) - 9.1
Once a show knows that it's wrapping up, it can fill many of those final episodes with important moments. This was the first time season 8 gave fans something like that. Stefan and Damon were put in a compromising position by Cade and it led to one of the most shocking endings in The Vampire Diaries' history.
As he arrived to do the deed, Bonnie extracted the cure from her body. Stefan responded by ripping Enzo's heart out, murdering someone who had become a fan favorite. Coming at the end of an episode featuring a romantic road trip for Bonnie and Enzo made it a true heartbreaker.
"Graduation" (Season 4, Episode 23) - 9.2
Once again, The Vampire Diaries ended a season on the highest possible note. "Graduation" saw the main cast finally graduate from high school but there was a whole lot more on the line. The veil between the living and the Other Side was down, leading the dead to return to Mystic Falls to settle old scores.
The highlight was arguably Klaus' surprise arrival in the nick of time to save Caroline and her friends. He then gave her a touching graduation present to show how much he cares for her. The episode also ended with a huge shocker, as Stefan discovered that he was a doppelgänger of Silas.
"Founder's Day" (Season 1, Episode 22) - 9.2
Season 1 built up to "Founder's Day," which was a celebration teased for several episodes. This gave fans their first look at the Damon/Alaric tag team as they attempted to stop John Gilbert's plan to kill all the vampires in Mystic Falls.
The lives of both Stefan and Damon were in jeopardy, Bonnie took a stand for what she felt was right, Tyler got affected by a supernatural device, and Jeremy made a decision that had serious consequences behind it. All those plot threads came together for an episode that was filled with thrills.
"I Was Feeling Epic" (Season 8, Episode 16) - 9.4
The finale to end all finales. After 171 episodes, The Vampire Diaries came to a conclusion by saying an emotional farewell to the characters viewers had come to love for nearly a decade. The series also gave a peek at the happiness and peace that each character found after death.
The building of the school for supernatural children with funding from Klaus was nearly the best moment, but the real kicker came in the final minutes. Elena met with her family members and the Salvatore brothers in the afterlife, ending the series on the perfect note.
"The Departed" (Season 3, Episode 22) - 9.5
Season 3 came to an end with "The Departed." It was so good, it would have worked as a series finale. In it, the neutralized Klaus was more vulnerable than ever before and newly turned Original Vampire Alaric was on the hunt for him. There's a moment where Alaric staked Klaus and it looked like every vampire in his sire line (including Stefan, Damon, and Caroline) would die.
Rebekah forced Elena off the road and she drowned, which also killed Alaric as part of a spell. Elena's death seemed to be the end until it was revealed that she died with vampire blood in her system. That changed the entire direction of the series.