The Vampire Diaries 1x01-1x04

[oyceter]

Elena Gilbert used to be the popular girl at school, but ever since her parents died in a tragic accident a few months ago, everything has changed. And now, mysterious Stefan Salvatore has started at her high school and strange deaths keep happening.

For anyone who doesn't already know, this is based on L.J. Smith's Vampire Diaries books (originally a trilogy, but later a quartet). I read book 4 as a teenager and of course loved Damon, the bad-boy maybe-evil-maybe-not brother of Stefan. They're pretty much the usual vampire duo of broody-and-moralistic and snarky-and-evil.

I may have read book 2 of the trilogy years and years later, or maybe not, I don't much remember.

The TV series is so far extremely dull. I don't find either Stefan or Damon attractive, which is paramount to the enjoyment of any vampire series these days, and Elena has no personality to speak of. At least by episode 4, they've figured out that having Stefan and Elena droningly read out their diary entries was sucking what little life was in the series out.

They've also gotten rid of Meredith, made Caroline less evil (I think?), and Bonnie is now Black. I have to admit, I'm really watching to see what they do with Bonnie, because she was the most interesting part of book 4. Right now, she basically plays the psychic best friend while the two white girls go off with the hot guys. Color me unsurprised. But I'm curious if the Bonnie/Damon subtext in the books will ever make it on screen.

Sadly, the series to date has focused on high school rivalries and romances, all of which fit into my every cliched expectation of the CW while also confirming why I normally don't watch the CW. Plus, this more than anything else makes me wonder why all these vampire guys love going back to high school to date teenage girls.

At least here there's a bit of a backstory, albeit one that makes both Stefan and Damon seem like creepy stalkers who have problems separating looks from personality?

Yet, at the end of episode four, there's been more hints of history and backstory and conspiracies that do not have to do with high school, so I'll probably keep watching as a way to waste time.

Also, I still have a great deal of leftover fondness for the fourth book.

(Feel free to spoil the books in the comments, but please use <span style="color:#333;background:#333">spoiler text</span> or rot13.)

Comments

[lady_ganesh]

I've always liked Ian Somerhalder, so I perk up when he comes on, but aside from that I too find it pretty dull-- I actually skipped the third episode and tried the fourth again to see if it would pick up. And...eh.

[lea_hazel]

Plus, this more than anything else makes me wonder why all these vampire guys love going back to high school to date teenage girls.

Because they can get away with it because of their vampiric youth? Because teen girls are more likely to go along with whatever they want? Or so they think at least, and the girls to whom these books are marketed probably would.

[revdorothyl]

I confess, I stopped watching "Vampire Diaries" after the second episode, when I realized that I was a) having a strong urge to fast-forward through more than half of the episode, and b) spending most of my non-fast-forward time thinking about the far more entertaining werewolf series and movie in which I'd first seen the actors playing Stefan and Elena (Wolf Lake and Never Cry Werewolf, respectively). When you're getting nostalgic over cable movies co-starring Kevin Sorbo, or a TV series that you really started watching for Lou Diamond Phillips and which was cancelled after 13 episodes back in 2001, well . . . that doesn't bode well for a series, in my experience.

Of course, the under-20 demographic may love it and may never have expected it to be anything like as witty or non-formulaic as BtVS, so what do I know?

it's "meh" so far

[(Anonymous)]

I LOVED the books when I was a teen (although the only one I actually own is the fourth, which I bought once I discovered that the series didn't end at book 3) and was pretty sure the show wouldn't be very much like them. It's been years since I read the books, so I don't know everything that's been changed, but I've seen 2 episodes of the show so far and am amazed at how utterly boring everything is. Vampires, sex, teenage drug use, somehow all excitement has been sucked right out. If I found either of the actors playing the vampire brothers to be attractive, maybe I wouldn't care so much about how boring the show itself is, who knows?

Also, I can't help but think things like: Wow, Elena sounds a lot like Bella in the Twilight movie. Did they do that on purpose or do Elena and Bella's "voices" really sound that much alike in the books? Also, was Bonnie that much on an airhead in the books?

On her website, L.J. Smith has been begging people not to give up on the show. I wonder if she honestly thinks the show is good, or if she just wants it to be on the air for as long as possible so that her book sales will benefit? Considering how many of her books are being rereleased (finally!), I suppose I can see how she might want the show to continue. Plus, she's got a fifth Vampire Diaries book coming out. While news of a fifth book is...ok, I'd kind of prefer it if she'd just let things be with that one and finish up her Night World series instead. I've been waiting for that one to wrap up since, hm, maybe 2000?

[furikku.livejournal.com]

I really think they just mucked around with the show to make it a Twilightalike, which is a big dang shame, since the series was a lot more clever than Twilight. (At least from what I remember.)