‘The Vampire Diaries’: 10 years later and why this show always holds a special place in my heart.
“I was feeling epic”.
This line pretty much sums my whole journey of watching The Vampire Diaries from the day the pilot aired 10 years ago in 2009 to the series finale in 2017.
The Vampire Diaries wasn’t just a show that I casually watched as a sophomore in high school; it was something more for me. I remember the day the pilot premiered and how I was intrigued to watch the next teen drama that The CW was introducing to us. I rushed home right after school and was ready for the premiere. Even though I never got the chance to read the books prior to the show, I liked coming in with a clean slate since I knew the show wouldn’t be following the books.
It didn’t take me long to get sucked right into the show after it premiered. I loved everything: the complicated love triangle between Elena, Stefan and Damon, the friendships, the heartaches, the danger, and the surprises. And let’s not forget about the epic soundtrack that this show had. I found some of my favorite artists today because they were featured on the show.
Season 1 was fantastic and the season finale made me so nervous. Even after it aired, I had so many feelings about it. I needed to talk about it, I needed to write about it. Back then, I didn’t have a smartphone so my only escape after watching the show was to scour the internet and find other fans that loved the show as much as I did. I had to let out my thoughts on the finale and what could possibly happen when season 2 returned. The Vampire Diaries really awakened a passion of mine that summer that I didn’t know was really there: entertainment writing.
Flash-forward to 2015, I started writing here at Talk Nerdy With Us and it changed everything for me. I found the space to write and get the chance to publish my own thoughts about all things TV, and especially The Vampire Diaries.
A few weeks before San Diego Comic-Con 2015, I was given the opportunity of a lifetime: the opportunity to interview the cast of The Vampire Diaries. I was nervous, but also excited. It was mind-boggling to me that I would be in the same room with the stars and creators of one of my all-time favorite shows. It was a day I’ll never forget. They were all so amazing and I remember leaving the room smiling inside, thinking, “Did that just happen?”
Special thanks to the cast and to creators Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson for giving us a show that is still special 10 years later to people all over the world. I had the chance to chat with Julie Plec at this year’s ATX TV Festival and tell her how much this show has meant to me, a moment I’ll never forget. This show came into my life when I needed it the most and I’m thankful for it each time I reminisce about it.
TVD Forever.