'The Vampire Diaries' Thoughts (through 1.18)

[arabian]

So I checked out The Vampire Diaries when it premiered but I turned it off after 30 minutes. However, the praise from my flist got me to give it another go. I still had moments of 'oh please -- darkened hallways in hospitals? Really!?' but by the fourth episode, it had pretty much sucked me in. And here I am now.

Comments

[salixlikescake]

Definitely agree with your bottom line. I watched The Pilot and listed all the ways it was bad to the guy, and then was embarrassed to admit to him how much I love it now. Everything that annoyed me (Vicki, mopey "rebel" Jeremy, silly fog, etc.) has gone away and been replaced with things I like. (Anna! She's so cute, I want to squish her cheeks!) I also love pretty much the entire list of characters.

And while I do totally adore Damon, he is my favorite, and I've liked Ian Somerhalder since my love of Jake/Hamilton on Young Americans, but he does remind me of Shatner at times. The way he accentuates every sentence makes me giggle (sometimes, depends on the mood of the scene). I know most of it is the character, Damon is that ridiculous when teasing people, but yeah. Silly.

The pacing and the surprises are incredible, and they even manage to hold up upon rewatch. (Maybe I am slightly worried that once they get past S1 it'll start to unravel, but that's a worry for later.)

[arabian]

Ooh! I've been thinking of rewatching so it's nice to know they hold up.

I guess I can see that re: Ian/pausing, but it's so specifically Damon, part of his mocking that I don't mind at all.

Agree with the pacing, the surprises, the adorable-ness of Anna, the fixing of the things that didn't work that well. The show is just fabulous, and fixed those issues early on.

I'm hopeful that s2 will hold up because of one of the things I pointed out, how they set up the next bombshells, arcs, etc. within the current ones so that when those go WHOAH!, they have a steady stream of story waiting to pick up. It's being handled beautifully.

[tash81]

Looks like we have another show and ship in common : )

I never read the books, and was apprehensive about the show at first, but I too got sucked in and now I am absolutely addicted. I am absolutely in love with Damon and Elena as characters, so it's not a surprise that Damon/Elena have become one of my new favourite ships. I think that all of the supporting cast is awesome, and think the story is developing wonderfully.

I like Stefan, but don't care for Elena/Stefan. I just find them boring, although they are way more tolerable for me than say Leonard/Penny or Bill/Sookie.

[arabian]

Score!!

I do think Stefan and Elena's love story is a little boring, but I like the characters so much that it works for me to the point where I can watch them and not groan (unlike B/S and L/P).

[danceonstardust]

My favorite characters in order are: Damon, Elena, Bonnie, Alaric, Caroline, Stefan, and Matt -- who so looks like a cross between Zach Gilford (Matt on Friday Night Lights) and Bradley James (Arthur from the BBC's Merlin) it's uncanny.

I have to say mine is: Damon, Elena, Matt, Alaric, Caroline, Bonnie and Stefan. I don't hate Stefan, I agree with you so hard about the Bill/Sookie thing. I just can't really get into his acting. I've already seen him in other stuff and he HAS done better IMO. If you watched his L&O episode, he was pretty much awesome. Also the mini-series of this movie with him being half-angel and half-human. Pretty much awesomesauce. I love Matt because he's hot. LOL. I've seen the actor come out in interviews in glasses. He's like total opposite of Matt and is a major dork that's why Matt is in third in line for me. It's because of the actor hehe. I was thinking the resemblance the other day of Bradley James. MMMM. I love my blond guys. Alaric is that awesome and his doucheyness in Legally Blonde is totally gone

[arabian]

I don't hate Stefan, I agree with you so hard about the Bill/Sookie thing. I just can't really get into his acting. I've already seen him in other stuff and he HAS done better IMO.

I've only seen him in TB, and just no. But I've heard others say he's better in other stuff, too.

Re: Stefan, yeah, I gave him kudos in my write-up of ep19. Paul Wesley is doing a great job.

I'm glad you like the show hon!

I LOVE IT! And I wouldn't have given it another shot if not for you, so thank you! :D

[arabian]

I saw your first sentence and went YAY! and clapped.

Funny, I reread this after I linked it to you and when I got to that line, it reminded me anew one of the things I so love about this show. :D