Summary

  • Once Upon A Time combines fairy tale characters and their stories with the real world. It follows Emma Swan as she is brought to Storybrooke, a town where all the characters from classic tales are trapped with no memory of their true identities. The series has a similar blend of fantasy, romance, and drama as The Vampire Diaries, but with a focus on fairy tales. Fans will enjoy the twists on beloved characters and the interconnected storylines.
  • Teen Wolf (2011-2017)
  • Available to stream on Prime Video
  • Teen Wolf is another supernatural teen drama that fans of The Vampire Diaries will enjoy. It follows Scott McCall, a high school student who is bitten by a werewolf and must navigate his new life filled with supernatural creatures, including other werewolves, hunters, and mythical creatures. The series explores themes of friendship, love, and self-discovery, much like The Vampire Diaries, while also providing plenty of action and suspense.
  • Charmed (2018-)
  • Available to stream on Netflix
  • Charmed is a reboot of the popular series from the 90s, centering around three sisters who discover they are powerful witches destined to protect the world from evil forces. Like The Vampire Diaries, Charmed combines supernatural elements with relationships and personal growth. The series explores the bond between the sisters and their journey to embrace their powers and fulfill their destiny. Fans of The Vampire Diaries will enjoy the magical world and strong female characters in Charmed.

Fans who love supernatural dramas will find a lot of shows like The Vampire Diaries to enjoy. The Vampire Diaries centered on Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) and her hometown of Mystic Falls. Elena and her close circle of friends discovered that vampires, werewolves, and witches really did exist and that many of them had a long history with the small town. At the center of the supernatural stories were a pair of brothers (Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley) who were both turned to vampires decades earlier and had a history of falling for the same woman.

The Vampire Diaries created an interesting mythology around its characters and produced two spinoff series. The Originals focused on the original family of vampires while Legacies focused on the new generation with the children of the characters in the other two shows. When fans of The Vampire Diaries find themselves ending yet another binge-watch of the show, there are many series that will fill the void.

25 Nancy Drew (2019-2023)

George Nick, Nancy, Bess, and Ace at the Claw in the Nancy Drew series premiere
  • Available to stream on Max

The CW’s Nancy Drew remake might not include vampires, but it does include other supernatural entities, primarily of the ghost and spirit variety. The series takes the idea of the original Nancy Drew novels and remakes it for the modern era, giving the characters new backstories and new ways of meeting. There are small-town mysteries to discover as Horseshoe Bay isn’t all that different from Mystic Falls when it comes to keeping the ghosts of the town’s past hidden. The story of Nancy Drew is much more compressed than The Vampire Diaries though with most of the action of the four seasons taking place in less than a year.

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24 Legacies (2018-2022)

Hope performing a spell at the Salvatore School in Legacies
  • Available to stream on Netflix

When looking for shows like The Vampire Diaries, fans don’t have to look much further than the two spinoff shows if they don’t want to. While The Originals mostly runs concurrently with the events of The Vampire Diaries when it begins, Legacies does not. Instead, it’s set after the events of the series. It follows Hope Mikaelsson as she attends a school specifically geared to help young people with supernatural powers navigate their lives. Hope is a tribrid - with vampire, witch, and werewolf DNA. The series expands the lore of the shows even including different gods in Legacies stories.

23 First Kill (2022)

Calliope and Juliette laying down together in First Kill
  • Available to stream on Netflix

If the conflict between vampires and humans is what appeals to Vampire Diaries fans, as well as the romance that can result between the two species, then First Kill is definitely an appealing option. The series gives a new take on vampire mythology, but it also makes hunting vampires a family legacy. Two teenage girls find themselves on a collision course when their families are on opposite sides of the vampire-human line. One is from a family of hunters, expected to kill her first vampire. The other is from a family of vampires, expected to kill her first human in order to become an adult. When the two fall for one another, their lives become much more complicated. Unfortunately for fans, the First Kill only has one season.

22 Veronica Mars (2004-2019)

Kristen Bell as Veronica Mars with her camera in a car in the Veronica Mars series
  • Available to stream on Hulu

The Vampire Diaries begins as a teenage girl telling the story of extraordinary events in her life when she discovers vampires in her small town. Veronica Mars doesn’t tell the story of vampires, but she does tell the stories of her own (very different) small town. Just as Elena slowly uncovers the truth about the supernatural beings that live among her family, Veronica slowly uncovers the truth about town tragedies, like the murder of her best friend. Veronica’s bond with her friends drives the story, as does her love story with a bad boy, much like Elena in The Vampire Diaries.

21 Wolf Pack (2023-)

The teenagers standing together in a forest in Wolf Pack
  • Available to stream on Paramount+

Though Wolf Pack has garnered more comparisons to Teen Wolf than it has The Vampire Diaries, the show does have plenty in common with both. The series takes a pair of teenagers who know nothing about werewolf lore and puts them right in the middle of a werewolf conflict as they are bitten and discover two of their classmates are natural-born werewolves. The series works to bond a group of teens around the mystery of which werewolf is killing people around town. They have to stick together to survive, whether they want to or not. It’s not unlike the different groups of vampires who ally to fight a larger enemy in The Vampire Diaries.

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20 Penny Dreadful (2014-2016)

The Penny Dreadful cast
  • Available to stream on Fubo and Showtime

Although its spinoff might not have done as well, the original Penny Dreadful was a lot more successful with the world. On the air between 2014-2016 and set in Victorian England, the show mainly followed Vanessa Ives and her investigative team as they worked together to hunt down any supernatural entities that are lurking around London. Like The Vampire Diaries, there are some powerful villains hiding in the shadows, including the infamous Dracula, Mina Harker, and Dorian Gray. It's a bit darker and more violent than The Vampire Diaries, but it does have an intriguing and compelling story arc that ties all three seasons together nicely.

19 Being Human (2011-2014)

Being Human characters posing together
  • Available to stream on AMC+

Being Human focused on the lives of a vampire, a werewolf, and a ghost, who live together as roommates and all go on a journey of self-discovery as they try to work out what their place is in the world. It's not just the supernatural elements and creatures that make the series similar to The Vampire Diaries, but some of its best romances are just as emotional and iconic too, with many gravitating towards Aidan and Sally as well as Josh and Nora.

18 Shadowhunters (2016-2019)

An image of Clary and Isabelle standing together in Shadowhunters
  • Available to stream on Hulu

With the inclusion of vampires, werewolves, ghosts, and faeries, many Vampire Diaries fans might find themselves drawn to the world Shadowhunters occupy. The TV series centers on the life of Clary Fairchild, who discovers that she is part of a long-lost line of Shadowhunters and is destined to protect the world from some dangerous supernatural demons and entities. Like The Vampire Diaries, the viewers will see plenty of werewolves, vampires, and warlocks appear as they either battle it out with the Shadowhunters or form alliances with them. It's not all full of action sequences either as there are plenty of romances and mystery plots included too.

17 From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series (2014-2016)

The cast of From Dusk Till Dawn season 4
  • Available to buy on Amazon and Vudu

Although From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series might not have a large fanbase, fans of The Vampire Diaries will still enjoy this vampire tale. From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series follows the story of two brothers, Seth and Ritchie, who find themselves in over their heads when they uncover a vampiric criminal underworld on their travels. Similar to the bond Damon and Stefan have in The Vampire Diaries, the viewers will enjoy watching the relationship between Seth and Ritchie go from strength to strength as they overcome the odds thrown their way. They may also be intrigued by the redemptive story of Santánico Pandemonium, who, like TVD's Klaus, starts as a villain but ends up becoming an empowering hero. The only major difference is that it is a bit more graphic in terms of themes and violence.

16 Roswell, New Mexico (2019-2022)

Rosa looking at Liz holding her shoulders in Roswell, New Mexico
  • Available to stream on Netflix

Like Vampire Diaries, this series is inspired by a young adult book series as well. Based on the young adult books Roswell High, many Vampire Diaries fans might find a lot of joy in following the story of Liz Ortecho in Roswell, New Mexico as she discovers that one of her childhood best friends is an extraterrestrial. However, she later finds out that he has been keeping a greater and more heartbreaking secret - one that will change her life forever. Although there aren't any vampires involved in the show, that doesn't mean its presence can't be felt. Not only do they have several Vampire Diaries and The Originals writers working on the scripts, including Carina Adly Mackenzie and Eva McKenna, but several of the shows' stars appear too (such as Nathan Dean Parsons, Michael Trevino, and Riley Voelkel).

15 The Magicians (2015-2020)

Quentin crowns Elliot in Fillary in The Magicians
  • Available to stream on Netflix

The Magicians ran for 5 seasons and centered on Quentin Coldwater and his group of friends he meets at Brakebills College for Magical Pedagogy. Like many series like The Vampire Diaries, it develops its own detailed mythology and centers on one close group of individuals. The show begins with Quentin being obsessed with fantasy and the idea of magic when he discovers that magic is actually real and there's an established college where he can study and meet other magicians. The series is arguably more mature than The Vampire Diaries, but it has similar themes of romance, drama, and the supernatural.

14 Grimm (2011-2017)

Nick Burkhardt holding a gun on the Grimm poster
  • Available to stream on Peacock and Prime Video

The series Grimm was based on the History of the Grimm Brothers and centered on a detective who was tasked with protecting his town from supernatural threats. The show followed detective Nick Burkhardt who comes from a long line of hunters called the Grimms. The series was full of supernatural creatures, both good and bad, and drama between the main character, his allies, and all of their enemies as they tried to keep their town safe. While Vampire Diaries is based around supernatural creatures, Grimm has storybook-inspired creatures instead.

13 Once Upon A Time (2011-2018)

Snow White and Prince Charming stare longingly at each other in Once Upon a Time
  • Available to stream on Disney+

Once Upon a Time was a modern retelling of multiple fairytales and a re-imagining of classic fairytale characters. The show centers on Emma Swan and her son, Henry, who believes that his mother is the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming and that their town is full of other fairytale characters. The show introduces several other fairytale characters from Captain Hook to the Mad Hatter with fantasy, witchcraft, drama, and romance throughout. Much like The Vampire Diaries, the series utilizes flashbacks to its advantage to slowly reveal the backstory of its characters - both the heroes and the villains.

12 Supernatural (2005-2020)

Jared Padalecki as Sam Winchester and Jensen Ackles as Dean in Supernatural
  • Available to stream on Netflix

Supernatural was on the air from 2005-2020, so there are a lot of episodes for fans of The Vampire Diaries to watch now that their favorite show has ended. The series follows two brothers, Sam and Dean, as they travel the United States hunting villainous supernatural creatures and saving people. Multiple relationships are built throughout the series even if it doesn't necessarily focus overtly on romance and there are certainly enough supernatural creatures, including vampires, throughout the series for any fan of The Vampire Diaries to enjoy. One of the best aspects of the series is shared with The Vampire Diaries - the bond between the brothers at the center of the story.

11 Sleepy Hollow (2013-2017)

An image of Ichabod Crane and Abbie Mills on the poster of Sleepy Hollow
  • Available to stream on Hulu

Sleepy Hollow had four seasons and is a re-imagining of the well-known story of Ichabod Crane, the headless horseman, and Sleepy Hollow. Crane is brought back to life by some supernatural force centuries after his death in modern America, and the villainous headless horseman is brought back as well. Crane realizes he has to stop him and any other supernatural force that comes to Sleepy Hollow alongside his partner Abbie Mills. There's drama, romance, and supernatural forces throughout the series, just like The Vampire Diaries.

10 Salem (2014-2017)

The cast of Salem pose in a church
  • Available to stream on Hulu

Salem is a supernatural drama that aired between 2014 and 2017. The series is set during the 17th century and is based on one of the darkest periods in American history, the Salem Witch Trials. This show follows Mary Sibley, the most powerful witch in the town of Salem. When her former lover returns to town, her plans to use her dark powers to get ahead are forced to change. Those looking for shows like The Vampire Diaries might want more vampires, but this show is perfect. The Vampire Diaries is a show that mostly focuses on vampires with side stories that involve witches, werewolves, and other supernatural creatures; this show has the same dark and suspenseful drama and romance that got fans hooked on The Vampire Diaries in the first place, but it focuses on the witches instead.

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9 True Blood (2008-2014)

Bill, Eric, and Nora looking up and showing their fangs in True Blood
  • Available to stream on Max and Hulu

True Blood follows a waitress named Sookie who doesn't exactly fit in in Louisiana because she can read minds. When she falls for a charming southern vampire, her struggles to fit in with those around her become even more pronounced thanks to the local people's hesitation to accept their relationship. Even though True Blood and The Vampire Diaries both involve vampires, these shows are different enough that they're both fascinating. True Blood is a more adult-oriented show, but the supernatural drama is enough to keep anyone interested.

8 Pretty Little Liars (2010-2017)

Hanna, Emily, Spencer, Ali and Aria looking at a cell phone on Pretty Little Liars
  • Available to stream on Max and Hulu

Pretty Little Liars is a teen drama that aired for a total of 7 seasons. The series is set in Rosewood where a group of former friends is forced to come back together after the disappearance of another of their friends. When they start getting strange messages, things take a dark turn for this group of students. Although Pretty Little Liars isn't supernatural (except for some ghost stories during the Halloween specials), the show is still perfect for fans of The Vampire Diaries and the characters of Pretty Little Liars are easy to love. The twists are surprising, and the drama is enough to keep the viewer engaged right up until the end of the show.

7 Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)

Xander, Giles, Buffy, Cordelia, and Willow in season one of Buffy the Vampire Slayer
  • Available to stream on Hulu

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a supernatural drama that, like Vampire Diaries, even spawned a spinoff series. This series follows Buffy, the latest in a long line of young women known as Slayers who are in charge of keeping the world free of vampires, demons, and other dark supernatural creatures. Odds are, fans of The Vampire Diaries have already seen Buffy the Vampire Slayer and probably its spinoff series, Angel. But, if some have somehow gone since the '90s without seeing this classic, it's time to change that. There are some great and likable characters in Buffy and the storylines are really engaging too. The supernatural provides a great background for the teen angst in Buffy's life as she grows up.

6 Riverdale (2017-2023)

The cast of Riverdale having a meal in season 7
  • Available to stream on Netflix

Riverdale is a dark and modern TV adaptation of the Archie comics. Set in the fictional town of Riverdale, this suspenseful teen series follows everyone's favorite Archie comic book characters, including Archie himself and his friends Jughead, Betty, and Veronica. The series has been airing since 2017 and always has fans guessing about what's going to happen next to these characters. Like The Vampire Diaries, this series is airing on The CW. Although it lacks the vampires and werewolves that made fans love The Vampire Diaries, there are enough dramatic, intense, and supernatural moments to keep any fan of teen dramas hooked.