3. The Vampire Diaries is an American fantasy-horror tv series based on the books series of the same name. It is created by
Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. Initially, Williamson wasn‟t interested in producing the series as it was similar to most
vampire tales, however, after Plec pursued him to read the books, he became drawn to the characters and stories. In May
2009, the first season was officially ordered. When the tv series first aired in September 2009, on The CW Network, it
attracted the largest audience of any other series since the network began. The high rating allowed the full 22 episode first
series to premier, in October 2009. The finale didn‟t air until May 2010. The pilot episode was filmed in
Vancouver, however the rest of the season was filmed in Georgia, along with various other communities around
Atlanta, allowing them to take advantage of the local tax incentives. The first episode received around 4.91 million viewers
in the USA. It was the most viewed episode of the season.
In February 2010, The CW announced for another season to air, which premiered in September 2010. In April 2011, the
network then renewed the show for a third season, and then again the following April for a fourth.
The Vampire Diaries has been nominated for various awards, including the Teen Choice Awards, Young Hollywood
Awards, Saturn Awards and People Choice Awards. The Series has won over 20 awards in the past 2 years.
Every year since the series aired, it has been paired with another CW show. The first season was paired with
Supernatural, while the second was with Nikita, the third The Secret Circle and the fourth with the new show Beauty and
the Beast.
4. Four months have passed since Elena and Jeremy Gilbert‟s parents both perished in a tragic car
crash. They are still adjusting to the reality, now being parented by their young and naïve
Aunt, Jenna. Elena struggles having to hide her grief from her friends, whilst Jeremy spirals into a
world of drugs, drink, and bad influences. As the school year begins, Elena finds herself
fascinated by the new and mysterious Stefan, along with her best friends Bonnie and
Caroline, while her ex Matt still pines for her. Stefan and Elena are immediately drawn to one-
another, although his behaviour both fascinates and scares her. Stefan‟s older bad-boy Damon
also pops up unexpectedly, irritating Stefan with his reclus behaviour. What Mystic Falls doesn‟t
realise is both are Vampires. Stefan and Elena become close, starting to form a
relationship, however when she comes to know of his deadly secret, she feels she can't be with
him, although does promise to keep his and his brothers secret. Bonnie also comes to the
realisation that she is a witch, and at first frightened by the thought, finds comfort in her Grandma
and develops her skills. Jeremy still in with the wrong crowd, falls in love with Matts sister, Vicki.
5. However things turn tragic when Damon turns her into a vampire, and she attacks
Jeremy, resulting in Stefan staking her. Stefan and Damon bury the body and Elena asks Damon
to wipe Jeremy‟s memory of the event. Elena and Stefan soon begin a relationship, when she
finds an old photo dated to 1864, that looks exactly like her. She is a descendant of both Damon
and Stefan‟s former vampire girlfriend Katherine. The season then follows the story using
flashbacks of 1864, and how the vampires of mystic falls were all sent to their deaths by the
founding families and burnt in an old church. However Bonnie‟s ancestor, Emily, put a spell on a
tomb that kept the vampires safe. Damon, who is still in love with Katherine whilst also finding
him drawn to Elena, is on a mission to open the tomb and release Katherine so they can be
together forever. However when the tomb is opened, and it comes to light that Katherine wasn‟t
inside, he faces the consequence that she is alive and never looked for him. When the tomb
vampires are then set free in mystic falls, its up to the group to make sure no harm comes to
anyone. Elena then faces the truth the Stefan saved her from the crash her parents had, and that
she is actually adopted, following the same bloodline as Katherine. When Bonnies grandma dies
trying to keep the tomb shut, she secludes herself from Elena and Stefan and anything vampire
related. The season ends with Katherine returning to Mystic Falls and causing havoc for all.
6. The appearance of Katherine in the second season, shakes things up between the on going love-
triangle of Elena, Stefan and Damon. Throughout this season, Elena finds herself coming closer
with Damon, who seems to be going off the rails. Stefan, Damon and Elena plot to take down
Katherine, however she seems to be one step ahead of them. However one of Katherine‟s
accomplishes is Isobel, Alaric‟s “dead” wife and Elena‟s biological mother. Katherine turns
Elena‟s best friend, Caroline, into a vampire. Finally they are able to lock Katherine in the tomb
from the previous season , trying to manipulate and extract information from her. She warns them
of a greater evil coming and that they need to protect Elena. Tyler‟s uncle comes to visit, looking
for a „moon-stone‟ which contains a spell called the sun and moon curse, which make vampires
slaves to the sun and werewolves to the moon. However when the original vampires come for
Elena as she is a petrova doppelganger , the oldest vampire being Klaus.
7. He is after the moon-stone as the real curse trapped inside is one that keeps his werewolf side at
bay, as he is both a vampire and werewolf. To break the curse he has to make a sacrifice, killing
first a werewolf, then a vampire, and finally draining all the blood from Elena‟s body. Damon and
Stefan then try and find a way to protect Elena, with Damon selfishly feeding her his blood so she
will come back as a vampire. Caroline and Tyler get kidnapped to be sacrificed, so Damon trying
to undo his mistake saves them, however Tyler turns into a werewolf and bites Damon, which is
fatal to vampire. He keeps this from Elena. Klaus gathers a back-up werewolf, and turns Elena‟s
aunt, Jenna, into a vampire. Whilst the sacrifice is taking place, Bonnie and Alaric are finding
ways to save Elena, finally finding a spell which binds her biological fathers life, John, with
Elena‟s, so when Elena is sacrificed, John will die in her place. The sacrifice takes place, with a
deal with Klaus's brother Elijah, also an original, to kill Klaus during the sacrifice at his weakest.
Elijah gets cold feet during the killing, and actually saves his brother. This results to Klaus killing
Elijah, and Stefan sacrificing his humanity to save his brother.
8. Season 3 delves further into Klaus's family and the origins of the Vampires. Stefan is still missing
and Damon and Elena have set out to find him, until hope is lost when they realise he has lost his
humanity. Klaus is hoping to harvest Elena‟s blood when he hears she is still alive, so he his able
to make an army of hybrids, which included Tyler. Klaus finds himself drawn to Caroline which
affects her relationship with Tyler. Jeremy is now seeing ghosts and Bonnie loses her powers
after casting a powerful spell so finds her mother in the hopes of re-gaining them. Stefan and
Damon are still hoping to find a way to defeat Klaus, and Katherine lurks around to help the
brothers with their plans. Klaus‟s family return, and his mum, a witch, hopes to destroy the
vampire bloodline, eventually turning Alaric into the most powerful vampire hunter and linking his
life with Elena‟s. Rebecca stands in front of Elena and Matt whilst driving, causing them to crash
into the river. Matt gets saved, leaving Elena to die, however she dies with vampire blood in her
system.
9. Elena Gilbert – Nina Dobrev Tyler Lockwood – Michael Trevino
Stefan Salvatore – Paul Wesley Matt Donovan – Zach Roerig
Damon Salvatore – Ian Somerhalder Jenna Sommers – Sara Canning
Jeremy Gilbert – Steven R. Mcqueen Alaric Saltzman – Matt Davis
Caroline Forbes – Candice Acoola Klaus Mikaelson – Joseph Morgan
Bonnie Bennet – Kat Graham Dr Meredith Fell – Torrey DeVitto
10. Carol Lockwood – Susan Walters Vicki Donovan – Kayla Ewell
Sheriff Liz Forbes – Marguirite MacIntyre Kol Mikaelson - Nathaniel Buzolic
Rebekah Mikaelson – Claire Holt Luka Martin – Bryton Jones
Elijah Mikaelson – Daniel Gillies Anna – Malese Jow
John Gilbert – David Andes April Young – Grace Phipps
Mason Lockwood – Taylor Kinney Pearl – Kelly Hu
Atticus Shane – David Alpay Esther – Alice Evans
Katherine Pierce – Nina Dobrev Richard Lockwood – Robert Pralgo
Hayley – Phoebe Tonkin Andie Star – Dawn Olivier
Isobel Flemming – Mia Kirshner Shelia Bennet – Jasmine Guy
11. Directed by Jon Dahl
Written by Julie Plec & Kevin Williamson
Executive Producers Julie Plec & Kevin Williamson
Co-Produced by James L Thompson III
Music by Michael Suby
Cinematography by Dave Perkel
Edited by Land Anderson
Casting by Lesli Gelles
Production Design by Gareth Stover
Costume Design by Leigh Leverett
12. • The pilot was shot in Vancouver, but the rest of the series was shot in Georgia.
• James Van Der Beek was considered for the role of Alaric Saltzman.
• Ashley Tisdale was offered an audition but turned it down.
• Zach Roerig, Michael Trevino and Paul Wesley all originally auditioned for the role of Damon.
• Neve Cambell was considered for the role of Isobel Flemming.
• Nina Dobrev is actuall a year younger than Steven R. Mcqueen, although her character is 2 years older
than his.
• Damon drives a 1969 Chevy Camaro convertible.
• Stephen Amell originally auditioned for the roles of Elijah and Mason Lockwood.
• Claire Holt and Phoebe Tonkin previously worked together in another fantasy show called H20.
