As it begins to wrap up its second season, The Vampire Diaries still has a tight hold on viewers – whether they were originally fans of the books, or newcomers to the television show. Though the series differs greatly from the novels by L. J. Smith, the actors’ skill and well-developed plot have a popularity the books never quite possessed. The writers played it smart, choosing actors who perfectly embodied popular tropes in teen culture. Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) is the likeable heroine. Different from other more passive female leads, her character is brave and can fend for herself. Her relationship with Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley) is sweet and romantic. He is one half of the perfect male lead – stoic, protective, and always willing to sacrifice himself for Elena. Damon Salvatore (the irresistible Ian Somerhalder) plays the part of the dangerous, sarcastic brother, and reigns in fans who would be easily bored by Stefan’s good-boy behavior. The show is chalk full of complex, suspenseful relationships, including the ones between the brothers and between Damon and Elena. Early on, the chemistry between Elena and her boyfriend’s brother came across clear on screen, and the writers have toyed with it for nearly two seasons without coming to any conclusion. It seems the show understands the art of keeping audiences around – the longer they wait before bringing the two together, the more intensely viewers will stay hooked. The relationship between Damon and Elena’s doppelganger, Katherine, adds yet another element to the complicated web of character relations. Every actor in the show has a lovable, enthralling
connection that adds to the allure of the dramatic plot. The three leads are not the only beloved characters. The show possesses a strong belt of secondary characters, all of who are well developed and possess their own strong fan base. The show is not afraid to kill off characters, and does so without discrepancy. Many lovable characters, who it seemed would stick around for a long time, vanished bloodily from the show after only a few episodes. In addition to the actors’ skill and likeability, the show’s plot has a rapid pace that doesn’t dare bore fans for even a moment. Each week is filled with cliffhangers and plot twists, and includes more than enough action to keep the romantic naysayers interested. While many shows begin to sink in quality during their second season, The Vampire Diaries uses the terrifying cliffhanger from the season one finale to keep the show as intriguing as ever during its second year. Though some fans of the books are angered over the show’s many alterations – characters’ switch in age and gender, pieces of the plot rewritten altogether – others agree that the changes are better suited for television. Fans of the show who later tried the books argue that the show simply handles the events better overall. Though the show could be considered just a guilty pleasure, it is well crafted and truly exciting to watch. It seems as if it will end its second season with as much positive feedback as the first one received, and hopefully the third season will remain as strong as the seasons before it.
Cinemann 19