3rd: The Originals
Have you ever had that characters that you didn`t get enough of but their part in the show was over? The Vampire Diaries have come up with the perfect solution for this problem, by creating a spinoff of their show in The Originals. Don`t be hesitant to watch it just because it has a few old characters from the mother show and that it doesn`t sound good enough.
The series has a life-force of its own and you will soon become entirely caught up on it, even more than the mother show as it has the time to give us a quick peek into some of the character`s backgrounds, something that we were unmistakably curious to see.
Never seen the main show?
The producers came up with a solution for this problem as well, so the only thing you have to do is relax and enjoy the show. The Originals gives you a short introduction that helps you catch-up with all the details you need to know about the characters in order to properly get on board with the show.
In addition to that, there`s no need of taking a course in vampire history in order to understand what`s going on, the show simply warms you up from the start and it all comes natural afterwards.
What`s the show about?
You`re probably wondering how this show is different from its source. For one, it`s not focused on love, rather on family, loyalty and fights for power, and when you put these 3 elements together, you`ll have one of the most captivating show that knows how to keep you on edge.
The show centers on Klaus and Elijah Mikaelson upon their return to New Orleans. They are well-received at first, but soon come to realize that, despite the appearances, they definitely don`t have as much influence as it seems. This is enough to generate the spark that was needed to kindle up the conflict for dominance.
And if we take into consideration the butterfly effect, we know that it won`t stop to just an internal struggle between vampires.
Soon enough, each supernatural that was waiting in the shadows for a chance, joins the fight and the threat becomes imminent to the well-being of the town. This series knows how to take suspense to a whole new level.
What about the cast?
No one can say that there is no charisma amongst the actors, but that doesn`t mean their looks were the only thing that landed them the jobs. Each character perfectly fits into their assigned roles and the actors` performance doesn`t let you down either.
Joseph Morgan
You might already know him, since he`s been ranked on BuddyTV`s list of “TV’s Sexiest Men of 2011“, but it`s always useful to see him at work. Joseph Morgan does a phenomenal job as Klaus Mikaelson, being able to flawlessly reproduce his many-sided personality, his guilt and deep need for love.
Daniel Gillies
Need we add more? There is no better actor to star in this role than Daniel Gillies. His charisma brings to the role of Elijah such a strong charm, that you can almost touch it. For his fans, the time he appeared in The Vampire Diaries wasn`t enough, but luckily we`re offered the chance to see him perform at his fullest in this show.
Maisie Richardson
If you follow Maisie Richardson`s trail you might not find much, yet. Having just graduated from university in 2013, she spent her free time doing theater which no doubt proved more useful than she initially thought. She makes her big entrance as part of the new Star Wars movie cast, scheduled to be released in 2015. But until its premiere, we can see Maisie as part of The Originals.
She was able to achieve what only few actors can. When Claire Holt had to give up her character Rebecca, everyone was sure that she was irreplaceable. However Maisie comes in and takes over and her performance proved to be so good it made the audience forget that there was ever a change made to the cast.
2nd: Vampire Diaries
Vampire Diaries is yet another show that will not let you off the hook so easily. The first few episodes might lull you into a false sense of boredom, however don`t let your guard down. The suspense slowly and silently creeps upon you and by the end of the 4th episode it will take hold of you entirely. Things move fast in this show, until the pace that you can no longer keep up with.
This experience is not without risks either, characters die without a warning, problems that seem able to go on forever end in just a few episodes` time and the variety of characters experience things you never thought possible.
A great feature of this show is that the characters are very unpredictable and cannot be simply brand as being good or bad. The large cast is part of a 3-dimensional structured story, and it is possible that as soon as you decide to totally dislike a character, he`s likely do something that will make your previous tag absolutely useless.
Where did it all start from?
The Vampire Diaries is based on the popular book series written by L. J. Smith. It might sound like another love story between a vampire and a human, but it offers so much more.
The storyline follows a teenage girl, Elena Gilbert, that indeed falls in love with a vampire, but they`re not headed towards the usual happy ending, as their relationship becomes increasingly complicated throughout the show.
The series is set in the town of Mystic Falls, that naturally didn`t attract only vampires, but many more supernatural beings, such as werewolves, witches and even ghosts. With such vast resources, it`s unlikely you`ll have time to get bored.
Aside plot, what makes you stay?
The story takes you on an emotional roller coaster, having combined humor, passion and some of the best cliffhangers that you`ve ever seen.
But if the plot alone isn`t enough to convince you, the show made sure to have a pair of aces up its sleeve. The actors slowly fit themselves into their roles, as they try to balance the care-free world of a high school and the dark nature of the supernatural.
Ian Somerhalder
Ian Somerhalder has surely caused a big fuss, regarding the question: Who should be considered the hottest actor of the show?
However his many sides (sexy, romantic, sarcastic and even evil) definitely make him the only eligible answer. In 2009 he was casted in the role of Damon Salvatore, a major antagonist, at first sight.
This makes us tempted to be against him, despite his good looks. However, he warms his way into our hearts when we follow up his love relationship with Nina Dobrev, with whom he becomes romantically involved both on and off stage.
Paul Wesley
Paul Wesley plays the initial protagonist, that is in conflict with Ian`s character. His character is Stefan Salvatore, a 166-year-old vampire that you`d think, given his age, knows better than to fall in love with a teenage girl. But if there`s one thing we learn in life, it`s that no one can stop love from happening.
So what sets our story in motion is Stefan returning to his hometown for a short visit, when he sees and becomes intrigued by Elena Gilbert, which triggers his decision to stay for a bit longer just to get to know more about her. What comes next, is one of the most addictive shows that you have ever watched.
Daniel Gillies
Daniel Gillies plays the antagonist vampire Elijah Mikaelson, a supporting character of the second season, but since it`s true that you cannot have enough of a good thing, he eventually becomes a protagonist in the next seasons.
Daniel`s acting skills are definitely on a higher level, considering he managed to balance staring in two TV shows simultaneously between 2012 and 2015, the Canadian show Saving Hope paired up firstly with a season of The Vampire Diaries, and later on with The Originals.
Sara Canning
Sara Canning co-stars as Jenna Sommers, a caring and naive woman, aunt and guardian of Elena Gilbert. Since she was the same age as the main cast, and even younger than her fellow co-stars, a considerable effort was made by makeup artists to make her appear older in order to fit the character`s description. After her character died in season 2 of the show, she turned to the Hallmark movie Hannah`s Law.
Nina Dobrev
Nina Dobrev plays three different roles in Vampire Diaries, but the most important one is clearly the leading role of Elena Gilbert, who is the centerpiece of the whole show.
Elena is presented as the sociable, popular girl – caring, intelligent, kind; but to this description the surprise element kicks in, as, in addition to all her sweetness, she is also pushy and extremely judgmental and selfish.
At the beginning of the show, she is in a relationship with Stefan Salvatore, but it slowly turns into a love triangle, the third party being Ian Somerhalder`s character.
The relationship between Damon and Elena exceeds the boundaries of the stage only, as the two of them start dating outside the fictional setting of the show as well.
Phoebe Tonkin
When she was four years old, Tonkin attended a couple of dance courses: classical ballet, hip hop and contemporary dance, so we clearly have a clue of what helped her shape up in the way she did.
Starting off in the children TV show “H2O: Just Add Water”, she followed and joined her former co-star Claire Holt in The Vampire Diaries, where she plays Hayley Marshall, a recurring character. But this is not a dead end of her, as her character has been further moved up in the spinoff of this series, titles The Originals.
1st:True Blood
This is probably one of the most popular vampire stories of our times. And the best part of it is that there`s plenty of it – 7 season`s worth. True Blood knows how to leave you hanging. But luckily the series are complete so we don`t have to suffer from any more cliffhangers, waiting for a whole year until the next season is released and we find out what happens next. It`s one of those shows that doesn`t let you walk away from it – quite an overly attached TV show.
True Blood isn`t like any other series before it. Vampires are not hiding in God knows what dark, chilly corner of a cave, in fact they steal the spot lights of the entire show. The term “came out of the coffin” was mentioned too.
How do people react to the news?
As usual some were absolutely thrilled and taken with the idea, others weren`t. What made it possible for vampires to safely come out about their dark little secret was the invention of fake blood. Of course, that doesn`t stop them from having some traditional food from time to time, otherwise this show might not have been so interesting.
Despite vampires being the center of this show, the main character is, in fact, not vampire. Sookie Stackhouse is a more or less normal person working as a waitress at Merlotte’s Bar and Grill. One evening a vampire comes into the bar and she is obviously attracted to him on the spot, so much in fact, that she follows him as he leaves.
What starts off as a simple act of satisfying her curiosity about vampires at first, will soon bring her more trouble than she ever thought was possible.
How did the show become such a success?
True Blood doesn`t miss any opportunity to exploit the supernatural and all that mixed is spiced with a bit of everything: passion, secrets, betrayal, and murder – an avalanche of plot twists, bloody scenes and cliff-hangers. Even if the show is inspired by Charlaine Harris` novels, the storyline is slightly different.
With those novels as inspiration, the screenplay that was born is one that keeps the audience on their toes.One more thing that just offers us an insight of the show is definitely its addictive soundtrack, the True Blood theme song just pulses with sexuality and heat, plenty of which can be seen throughout the show.
Last but not least, what really gives life to this show are the actors. True Blood employs a wide range of characters, some that we follow throughout the story, and some supporting characters that appear from time to time just to spice things up a little. And while all the actors were at their best, some in particular deserve attention.
Alexander Skarsgard
Alexander really underlines the idea that vampires must be handsome. His blonde hair and blue eyed figure just reunites two of the most popular trends, vampire and Viking, all in one package.
Although he auditioned for another role, it soon became obvious he was born for playing Eric Northman. He perfectly portrays how calculated, loyal and confident the character is, making even his arrogant and manipulative side look attractive and tempting.
Joe Manganiello
While Joe doesn`t play a vampire in this show, that doesn`t mean his character lets you down. Yet another case of strike of fate, he also originally auditioned for a totally different role, but was granted that of Alcide Herveaux, a lone werewolf; luckily for us, as we got to see more of him on the show.
He thoroughly prepared for his role, adding muscles until he had “arms the size of boulders“. And it definitely paid off for him, as this part brought him both popular and critical recognition, as well as the 2011 Scream Award for Breakout Performances.
Sam Trammell
With yet another out-of-the-ordinary ability, Trammell plays Sam Merlotte, a bar owner by day, shape-shifter by night. Having worked mainly on Broadway, this role was the big break he needed and it even brought him a nominalization for a Scream Award in 2009. In an interview he stated that he planned to make the best of it, as long as his character allowed it.
He stated that this show has allowed him to reconnect to his roots. In an interview he said, “I’m from the South, so I love the Southern world and doing Southern characters “. If his background story doesn`t make you look with a keen eye on him, just remember, he almost always sleeps in the nude.
Deborah Ann Woll
Deborah plays Jessica Hamby, a teen vampire with an attitude. As Jessica does not appear in the original novels, her character was created and used to present in detail what a newborn vampire is like.
She develops constantly along the show, as she comes in contact with more of the outside world that she had so little connection with as a normal human girl. She is by far one of the hottest actresses you`ll see during the show, her red hair representing at some point, every man`s dream.
Ryan Kwanten
It`s always the less smart characters that are the hardest to perform, and no one can deny that Ryan Kwanten was at his best in Jason Stackhouse`s character.
It`s clear right from the start that women don`t date Jason for his mind, probably being a former high school football player had something to do with his present charms. Despite being branded as a womanizer right from the start, we slowly find out he is caring, brave, and a bit impulsive; and it all comes in a package that you just can`t take your eyes off.
Evan Rachel Wood
Wood plays only a supporting character unfortunately, that of Sophie-Anne Leclerg, one of our favorite evil vampires on True Blood. Not only is she able to fit the role like a glove, but her drop dead gorgeous appearance, her natural red hair and pale complexion make her the best embodiment of a vampire queen.
Anna Paquin
It might seem a bit ironic that we left the main character at the end, but we had to give credit where credit was due. Anna plays Sookie Stackhouse, a life-long resident of Bon Temps. However, her character has not had the best of luck and an easy life, that`s for sure.
Despite all that, it`s certain that Anna Paquin never disappoints her audience. Her character is innocently pushy and has a sense of invincibility that helped her made it through her many trials. But aside her unique character, Sookie is definitely known for her killer body and lips to die for.