The Vampire Diaries: Season 1

As a huge fan of vampire lore as well as other elements of the supernatural I will say that this series is one of the better takes on the vampire craze that has swept through the entertainment industry of late. There are so many shows/movies out nowadays dealing with vampires and their supernatural cousins werewolves plus witches too that it is hard to keep up with everything. My introduction into Hollywood's take on vampires came in 1987 when "The Lost Boys" was released and I fell in love with the concept of vampirism, especially when I saw how handsome the vamps were with their rock star good looks. Kiefer Sutherland made one great vamp. Then later "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" the movie came out in 1992 followed by the show in 1997 and its spinoff "Angel" all of which rekindled my affection for the genre. It didn't hurt that Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt also made it look appealing to have fangs and suck blood in "Interview With The Vampire" in 1994. So in keeping with my interest in the vampire mythology I began to watch all the newer vamp shows- "True Blood," "Being Human," the movies "Twilight"- and also "The Vampire Diaries." I have to say that Diaries in my opinion is the most appealing of all the recent takes on vamps and it even covers, as all the aforementioned shows do, the equally popular werewolf lore plus even throws in a witch or two. Now that the zombie popularity wave has swept through eclipsing the vamp/werewolf craze I'm waiting for a show or movie that combines ALL the different supernatural elements. Diaries is interesting for one thing b/c the books on which the show is based came out in 1991, way before any of these other popular shows burst onto the scene. I don't know why it took so long for them to be adapted into a tv show but I'm glad Kevin Williamson took an interest in developing them. Making a name for himself by bringing us movies such as "Scream" and "I Know What You Did Last Summer" he was the perfect visionary genius to translate this wonderful story of a girl in love with two brothers- one generally good, the other a bad-boy- to the small screen. I'm glad also that he chose to use television instead of film to do it so that the story can go on and on. Thankfully "Twilight" is now over but Diaries can go on and on with new characters and new stories adding to the old characters and stories. This show gives us a chance to grow with it- grow with the stories and the characters. The characters and plots are not one-sided but are multidimensional which makes for some great entertainment. At the center of the story initially is the love triangle between Elena and the vampire Salvatore Brothers- Stefan (Elena's smoldering white knight) and Damon (her smokin' dark knight)- both of whom are in love with her. This first season pretty much centers on their relationship while friends circle the periphery coming into their own with time. Elena's friends Caroline and Bonnie are a vampire and a witch respectively. Males also in Elena's world include Tyler who is coming to terms with being a werewolf and Alaric who is a vampire hunter plus ex-boyfriend Matt and little brother Jeremy who has his own problems. Elena is learning about herself while processing the changing roles of those around her and dealing with high school in the aftermath of her parents' tragic death. The show is dark and mysterious with very little tongue in cheek humor that made Buffy so clever. It explores the mysteries and past of the town instead of focusing on high school which is refreshing and appealing since we've had so much exposure to high school with Buffy and Twilight, just to name a couple. A big part of the show is the town's and the characters' past which is often shown in flashbacks. (I'm not sure why several reviewers seem to think the characters are time-traveling? It is obvious the past is being seen in flashbacks as the characters are remembering their history. As far as I can tell, no one does any time traveling here.) Season 1 has lots of good writing and storytelling plus lots of interesting characters and plot twists- never a dull person or moment with this show. It is rather exciting and not over the top graphic gore. The creators do not waste such a delicious premise by ruining it with graphic gore, sex or profanity. This show is plenty scary and is a bit mature in theme. I also like the creativity with which this show is made- that makes it more appealing than the dull Twilight theme which got old after the 2nd or 3rd installment. The actors are pretty good too. At first I wasn't happy with the show version of Elena since the book portrayed her differently. However, the tv Elena now seems a stronger character than the book heroine. I remember Paul Wesley from a "Smallville" episode and he has come into his own on this show as Stefan. To me, the most appealing star is Ian Somerhaulder who as Damon owns this character. This show is definitely worth watching and even holds its own among all the other vamp shows and flicks out there. I'd say it only takes a couple of episodes to get into it and once you're sucked in (excuse the pun) you won't want to quit. Expect to marathon watch the season through to the end. My guess is you won't be disappointed. I imagine it appeals mostly to teenage girls but I'm almost 40 and I've watched it with my 13 year-old godson who likes it, as well as with my 64 year-old mom who is addicted to it too. I don't think it is limited to any age group. It might appeal more to females than males but who knows?

WARNING: may contain spoilers! FYI: I'm reviewing strictly as a viewer of the series. I've never read the books upon which the series is based. Vampire stories, films, and series have been done, re-done, overdone and underdone, for a good long while. A lifelong fan of the genre, I've made peace with the reality that a certain amount of repetition is inevitable in paranormal dramas. "The Vampire Diaries" revisits many devices common to vampire fiction: Good Vampire Brother versus Evil Vampire Brother; Present Day Love Interest has identical looks to Vampire's former, long-lost love; Evil Pyschopath Vampire Brother may not be quite so evil as he seems. Despite these "been there, done that" plot devices, "The Vampire Diaries" earns its place as an entertaining, memorable series. The show manages to reinvent the devices and make them its own. Multi-dimensional characters, great acting and excellent continuity contribute to a compelling viewing experience. The series unfolds like a great book that starts out a tad slow and takes a while to build up to the "good stuff" only to sweep its readers away through a fantastic read. Patient viewers will appreciate "Vampire Diaries" for taking the time to "tell the whole story." Many of the early episodes introduce a lot of information and character development that enhance the later episodes. After avoiding "Twilight's" appalling mediocrity, I was reluctant to view a new teen paranormal series. I'm pleasantly surprised. I like that Elena is an ordinary person (not a "slayer" or other "special" person/creature,) but she isn't the chronic "Oh I am nobody without my vampire boyfriend!" type. She does not depend on vampire muscle to save the day, and has definitely done her part to save the day for vampires sometimes. The one disappointment I have for this series is the casual portrayal of and/or mention of teen indulgence in alcohol, substance abuse, and premarital sex. It's not a moral issue in my mind so much as pathetic to see all these "good" teens getting drunk/wasted (or talking about getting drunk/wasted) or having sex pretty casually. Just because it might be "real" doesn't mean I want to see it, especially if it's not relevant to the storyline. Fasinating secondary characters and storylines have emerged in this series. Jeremy and Anna's storyline is particularly touching. The writers manage to mix so many issues -- grief/bereavement, child abuse, child neglect, divorced families, classism -- into their storytelling. Never a dull moment. Numerous vampire citizens and guests reveal facets of a fascinating culture all their own. Interesting, for example, vampires don't seem hung up on race concerns. Finally, I really applaud the producers for featuring "Vampire Diaries" in a small, Southern town and not featuring a ton of "hillbilly" stereotypes and people talking with drawling accents that have become so typical of any Southern town portrayal. "Vampire Diaries" introduces very believeable people, even the paranormal ones. Well worth a look.

Enjoy this series and want it for a future viewing

llego a tiempo, estética 9 de 10 , trae los 5 discos. todo bien 🙌🏻

There are some amazing reviews on here, just read them and take a punt. You will not regret investing in this series. Infact why not get season 2 too! You won't regret it and you will be ready for series 3 in the autumn of 2013! If you enjoyed the Twilight series, then be prepared for something utterly superior in every conceivable way. Vampire Diaries is Shakespeare when compared to the shambles that was the Twilight saga, which was made for the teen market. With its elegance and sophistication, it can be enjoyed by young and old alike. My husband and I who are in our forties have enjoyed this series immensely. The chemistry between the actors is scorchio! Ian somerhalder smoulders as Damian, and is a definite plus factor for the ladies; whereas the enchanting Elena is the eye candy for the guys. If you have a fascination for vampires and enjoy a vampire love tryst that twists and turns and leaves you wanting to watch the next episode immediately, then buy now. You will not be disappointed!7

Inhalt : Die High-School-Schülerin Elena Gilbert hat ihre Eltern bei einem Autounfall verloren. Ihre Tante Jenna Sommers, die jüngere Schwester der Mutter, ist nach Mystic Falls gekommen, um sich um sie und ihren jüngeren Bruder Jeremy zu kümmern. Als der neue Mitschüler Stefan Salvatore auf der Bildfläche erscheint, weckt er sofort Elenas Interesse. Sie ahnt nicht, dass es sich bei Stefan um einen bereits jahrhundertealten Vampir handelt. Als dann noch Stefans älterer Bruder Damon auftaucht, der von Elena ebenfalls angezogen ist, überschlagen sich die Ereignisse. Stefan wird misstrauisch, denn er weiß, dass Damon nichts Gutes im Sinn hat. Elena wird in eine Welt hineingeworfen, von deren Existenz sie bislang nichts geahnt hatte. Meine Meinung : Was die Spannung bzw. den Spannungsbogen angeht, so ist dieser sehr durchdacht aufgebaut. Die Story ist sehr "dicht" (mir fiel kein passenderes Wort ein :-) [Was genau ich damit meine, erläutere ich später unter dem Punkt "roter Faden"]. Die Höhepunkte sind so zahlreich, dass man zwischendurch fürchtet, die Drehbuchautoren würden ihr "Pulver" zu schnell verschießen. Diese Furcht war, wie sich herausstellen sollte, vollkommen unbegründet. Im Laufe der Story ist eine vorbildlich stetig ansteigender Spannungsbogen zu verzeichnen. Dieser mündet am Ende der Staffel in einem der denkwürdigsten Cliffhanger, die ich bis dato erlebt habe. Einmal mehr gelingt den Drehbuchautoren hier ein Geniestreich sondergleichen. Besser kann man einen Cliffhänger kaum setzen. Diejenigen unter Ihnen, die die Serie noch nicht kennen sollten, fragen sich natürlich völlig zurecht, was die Serie vom üblichen "Fantasy-Serien-Sumpf", unterscheidet. Warum hat die Serie so einen immens hohen Suchtfaktor ? Die Erklärung setzt sich aus mehreren Komponenten zusammen : Da wäre einmal der berühmt berüchtigte ROTE FADEN 5/5 : Dieser ist einer der Hauptgründe (sowie die damit praktisch einhergehenden "Cliffhanger", siehe nächster Spiegelstrich) für das o.g. Suchtpotential, weil er wie bereits erwähnt äußerst dicht gewebt ist. Soll heißen, die einzelnen Episoden sind nicht in sich abgeschlossen, sondern treiben die Story episodenuebergreifend stetig voran. [Anders der Fall bei den meisten übrigen Serien, deren Episoden man sprunghaft sehen kann, da der rote Faden entweder nur lose gesponnen ist (z.B. bei "Bones" oder "Eureka") oder schlichtweg gänzlich fehlt (wie bei "Psych")]. Nun zu dem zweiten Hauptgrund, die CLIFFHANGER 5/5 : Aus gerade genanntem Grund eignen sich die Episoden perfekt für Cliffhanger. Die 1. Staffel ist regelrecht gespickt mit solchen. Und deren Qualität ist stets hoch. Das hat den Effekt, dass es einem extrem schwer fällt sich zusammenzureissen und nicht alle 22 Episoden am Stück zu verschlingen. DARSTELLER 4,5/5 : Bis auf Jenna Sommers (verkörpert von Sara Canning) sind die Rollen gut bis sehr gut besetzt, bis hin in die kleinste Nebenrolle. CHEMIE ZWISCHEN DEN CHARAKTEREN 5/5 : Wirklich astrein. Ob nun die Salvatorbrüder, die eine "gewisse" Hassliebe für einander hegen, die Familie Gilbert oder die stinkreichen Lockwoods, die nicht gerade den sympathischsten Eindruck machen ... Alle blühen in ihren jeweiligen Rollen geradezu auf, sodass es keinerlei Mühe bedarf, ihnen ihre Rollen abzukaufen. ATMOSPHÄRE 5/5 : Ist genauso, wie man es sich vorstellt: ein uriges, mitunter geheimnisvolles Städtchen mit dem passenden Namen "Mystic Falls". Es gibt das herrschaftliche Anwesen der Lockwoods, (das einem Schloss ziemlich nahe kommt) mit einem ebenso imposanten Grundstück inklusive eines idyllischen Sees. Nicht zu vergessen das ebenfalls sehr eindrucksvolle, verwunschen anmutende Anwesen der Salvatorbrüder, und, und, und ... U.S.A.-Feeling pur. Apropos Atmo, die Verwandlung der Vampire ist wirklich "megageil" inszeniert. Besser hätte ich mir diese in meinen kühnsten Träumen nicht vorstellen können. DRAMA (und ja, sogar ein Hauch von Humor) 5/5 : Was soll ich dazu noch großartig sagen ? Da bereits der rote Faden sowie die Cliffhanger ausgezeichnet sind, ist es demnach nur eine logische Konsequenz, dass die Serie auch in Sachen Drama punkten kann. An dieser Stelle sei noch darauf hingewiesen, dass das Auftreten von Damon Salvatore einsame Spitze ist. Sein Verhalten ist geprägt von purem Zynismus und Sarkasmus, wobei es schwer fällt, diese voneinander zu unterscheiden, da deren Übergänge praktisch fließend sind. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gesamt 29,5 / 30 Fazit : Wer auf Fantasy mit Vampiren steht, darf sich diese Serie unter gar keinen Umständen entgehen lassen. Diese Serie zeichnet sich durch eine hohe Intensität, Spannung sowie Komplexität aus. Das Preisleistungsverhältnis kann sich sehen lassen : 9,99 € für 22 Episoden je 40 Minuten, macht eine Gesamtlaufzeit von knapp 900 Minuten / knapp 15 Stunden (Chapeau :-) Eine klarere Kaufempfehlung als diese gibt es kaum. 4,9 / 5 Sternen (Einfach genial) Ausblick auf die nächste Staffel (ohne Spoiler) : Aufgrund des bereits erwähnten denkwürdigen Cliffhangers am Ende dieser Staffel ist die Erwartungshaltung der 2. Staffel natürlich dementsprechend hoch. Doch kann die 2.Staffel die Erwartung erfüllen ? Die Antwort lautet zweifellos : Ja, sie kann.

こちらのドラマ、ニーナドブレフさんが確かにメイン。ではありますが、こっちのが親しみ持てるねと思ったのがアンナ役で出ているこの人。ところで誰？と調べました。東洋系のお顔だけどまさか日本ではないし、お名前はマリース・ジョーさんというそうで、中国系のアメリカンハーフだそうで納得。しかもまあというか良くこれだけイメージの合うふき替え声優さんを探したもんだでパーフェクト。シーズン1は楽しめます。でもアンナは切ない役どころでした。