We reluctantly dive into The Vampire Diaries pilot. It’s full of teen angst and brooding vampires, but somehow, it sunk its fangs into us. Send help. 😩
Alright, listen up, you gluttons for supernatural angst and purveyors of fine, eye-roll-inducing teen drama! I, a MAN (yes, one with actual testosterone, a healthy appreciation for explosions, and a deeply ingrained aversion to excessive brooding stares), reluctantly sat through the damn pilot of “The Vampire Diaries.” I braced myself. I prepared for the worst. And you know what? DAMMIT. The little bloodsucker… it actually kinda grabbed me. Just don’t tell anyone. Our street cred is hanging by a single, sparkly thread. 🤫
So, we’re unceremoniously dumped into this impossibly picturesque hellhole affectionately known as Mystic Falls, where apparently every female within a ten-mile radius possesses the emotional depth of a puddle and an undeniable penchant for mooning over guys who look like they haven’t seen natural sunlight since the invention of the wheel. Enter Elena Gilbert, our designated tragic heroine. Grief? Check. Doe eyes that could melt glaciers? Double check. The uncanny, almost supernatural ability to attract supernatural weirdos like moths to a damn, sparkly flame? TRIPLE CHECK. Honestly, at this point, we’re just waiting for her to sprout wings or something. It’s only logical. 😉
Then, because one brooding vampire wasn’t enough to sustain a dramatic premise, come these damn Salvatore brothers. First up, Stefan, the designated ‘good’ one. Mr. Intense Stare, whose diet apparently consists solely of woodland creatures and existential dread. He’s all about protecting Elena (read: staring at her intently from a distance) and looking perpetually constipated with moral superiority. Honestly, someone get that man a laxative.
But then there’s Damon. And let’s be absolutely clear: THIS guy? He’s the chaotic evil we can almost, almost get behind. He’s not just snarky; he’s a walking, talking masterclass in verbal jabs. Homicidal tendencies? Check. A leather jacket that screams, ‘I’m here to cause trouble, look ridiculously good doing it, and probably make questionable life choices for everyone involved’? Triple check. He’s not just the spice in this otherwise vanilla milkshake of teenage angst; he’s the entire bottle of hot sauce dropped right in, and frankly, it’s the only thing making us thirsty for more. 😉
Look, I’m not gonna lie to you, dear reader. Not after we’ve been through so much snark together. The whole ‘human girl inexplicably torn between two immortal, ridiculously handsome, and emotionally damaged brothers’ thing? It’s pure, unadulterated fantasy fulfillment. Specifically aimed at a demographic that probably enjoys crying to Taylor Swift whilst re-reading fanfiction. And hey, no judgment. Much.
But even I, the one who usually scoffs at such blatant romantic bait, have to grudgingly admit: the pilot does a surprisingly decent job of setting up the central conflict. Like, why are these ancient bloodsuckers so utterly obsessed with this one girl? What’s the deal with the suspiciously creepy history of this town that probably hides more secrets than my browser history? And seriously, why does Stefan look like he needs a serious, decade-long nap? These questions, against every fiber of my better judgment and professional cynicism, actually made me want to see what the hell happens next. Curse you, CW. Curse you. 😩
And the praise? Fine, here it is, because even we, the purveyors of fine snark, have to occasionally acknowledge when something isn’t a complete dumpster fire. The casting is actually, shockingly, pretty damn good.
Nina Dobrev as Elena Gilbert manages to make ‘perpetually confused damsel’ somewhat watchable, while Paul Wesley as Stefan Salvatore perfects the art of looking perpetually constipated yet still dreamy. But let’s be real, the true MVP of facial expressions (and sarcastic one-liners) is Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore, who clearly understood the assignment: cause chaos, look good doing it, and be the reason anyone above the age of 16 keeps watching.
Beyond the main angst-squad, we’ve got Steven R. McQueen as Jeremy Gilbert (the perpetually troubled younger brother, naturally), and Sara Canning as Jenna Sommers (the aunt who’s clearly way too sane for this town). Plus, Katerina Graham as Bonnie Bennett (destined for witchy headaches), Candice King (then credited as Candice Accola) as Caroline Forbes (who, spoiler alert, actually becomes awesome later, but for now is just… Caroline), Zach Roerig as Matt Donovan (the token human punching bag), Kayla Ewell as Vicki Donovan (who, bless her heart, tries), Michael Trevino as Tyler Lockwood (more angst, more questionable decisions), and Marguerite MacIntyre as Sheriff Elizabeth Forbes (the only adult with a discernible clue, probably). They all manage to deliver the melodrama with a straight face, and for that, we grudgingly applaud. 👏
These actors, bless their dramatic little hearts, manage to sell the ridiculousness with such a straight face that it’s frankly a talent in itself. They deserve an award for maintaining composure amidst all the supernatural melodrama. The pacing of the pilot, shockingly, isn’t terrible; it throws enough mystery, brooding glances, and convenient plot devices our way to actually keep things moving.
And Damon? Oh, Damon. Yes, Damon’s entertaining as hell. He’s not just a character; he’s the sarcastic voice in my head (and probably yours too, don’t lie) whenever anyone on this show gets too damn emotional. He’s the audience surrogate who just wants to throw a snarky remark at every over-the-top declaration of love or eternal suffering. For that, we salute him. 🍷
But don’t you dare, not for one damn second, think that Cinesist has gone soft. This is still a show where vampires inexplicably catch fire in the sunlight (thankfully, they mostly avoid that in the pilot, a rare moment of restraint that we applaud, but are also suspiciously eyeing). It’s still a show where every single teenage drama, from a bad hair day to a misplaced locker key, is treated with the gravitas of a damn Shakespearean tragedy. And it’s still a show that will probably make me question every single life choice I’ve ever made if I commit to watching more than three episodes in a row. My sanity is at stake, people. Literally. 😬
After centuries of quarreling, Stefan and Damon Salvatore return to their original town of Mystic Falls, Virginia. Stefan, the selfless, brave, guilt-ridden brother, meets a high school girl named Elena Gilbert whom he instantly falls in love with; while Damon, the gorgeous, dangerous and selfish vampire, is after his brother’s girl to pay him back for making him turn into a vampire in 1864.
Warner Bros.
The Cinesist Verdict: Should I Watch This?
Okay, against all odds, every fiber of my being, and my inherent, deep-seated skepticism towards anything with the words ‘vampire’ and ‘diaries’ aggressively slapped into the title, the pilot of this damn show… wasn’t entirely terrible. I know, I’m as shocked as you are. It somehow managed to lay just enough groundwork, introduce some mildly compelling (and deeply infuriating) characters, and hint at a story that might actually be worth hate-watching… I mean, meticulously analyzing for its profound sociological impact on the unsuspecting youth of today. 😉
Damon, the chaotic god of snark and leather jackets, single-handedly saves it from being a complete estrogen-fest, and the central mystery is just intriguing enough to make me begrudgingly click “next episode.” (And yes, we did. The results were… celestial. Catch our full breakdown of the comet-fueled chaos in The Vampire Diaries: Night of the Comet (S1E2) – Stellar Snark). Don’t expect me to start wearing excessive eyeliner or pining for immortal, brooding love anytime soon, but damn it, I’m in. For now. So, dear CW, you better not screw this show up! Don’t you dare. My sanity is on the line. 😬
Glorious Call to Action:
Alright, you poor, brave souls who’ve made it through the pilot with us! Did The Vampire Diaries sink its fangs into you too, or are you still resisting the urge to binge? Sound off in the comments below! Tell us your most eye-roll-worthy moment, your favorite (or least favorite) Salvatore brother, or confess if you’re also secretly hooked. We’re waiting to judge (lovingly, of course). 👇🤣🧛
