One of the creators ofThe Vampire Diariesfeels that it’s too soon for another spinoff, and he is seemingly right, given that the sequel to the TV show was canceled after airing for four seasons. Co-created by Julie Plec and based on the book series of the same name,The Vampire Diariesis one ofThe CW’s most successful fantasy series. The show, which ran for eight seasons from 2009 to 2017, had a huge fan following and catapulted its cast to fame.
Thanks toThe Vampire Diaries' popularity, a spinoff TV show,The Originals, which centers on the Mikaelson family, premiered in 2013 before its parent season concluded.Like its predecessor,The Originalswas a hit with audiences and critics,with some even claimingit was better thanThe Vampire Diaries. WhileTVD’s first spinoff enjoyed a level of popularity and success akin to the first installment in the franchise, the third addition toThe Vampire Diariesuniverse didn’t have the same fate.
The Vampire Diaries Co-Creator Kevin Williamson Says It’s “Too Soon” For Another Spinoff
Kevin Williamson Might Not Be Part Of Another TVD Spinoff
AfterLegacieswas canceled, questions started about whether theVampire Diariesuniverse would continue to grow. Julie Plec, one of the people responsible for bringing the fantasy book series to life, expressed interest in adding more installments to the franchise. “Yeah, I have a story I still want to tell,” Plec revealed toScreenRantduring the premiere ofThe Girls on the Bus. AnotherTVDspinoff isn’t outside the realm of possibilities, given that there are numerous stories in the book series that the creators of the TV show could draw inspiration from.
Although Plec is seemingly ready to delve back into theTVDuniverse, her co-creator and partner on the show, Kevin Williamson, isn’t as eager. When asked byScreen Rant’s Ash Crossanif he was involved in the teased project,Williamson said he thought it was too soon for anotherTVDspinoff. Thus, if a new series does come to fruition soon, then Williamson will likely not be part of the creative process. While that is sad in some respects, as it’s Plec and Williamson who madeTVDwhat it was, the teased spinoff show might benefit from having other creative minds helming it.
TVD’s Canceled Legacies Spinoff Proves Another Series Shouldn’t Happen Yet
Legacies Didn’t Have The Same Quality As The Originals & TVD
WhenThe Originalspremiered, it seemed likeThe Vampire Diaries' creative team was doing something right with the spinoff show. So, it was somewhat surprising thatLegaciesfailed to learn from both its parent show and the second installmentin theTVDuniverse.AlthoughLegaciesran for four seasons, it had a difficult time finding its identity. Other than focusing on Hope Mikaelson (Danielle Rose Russell), continuously placing her storyline at its center,Legacieswas unable to create subplots that resonated with its fanbase.
Each season ofLegaciesseemed to have a different tone, which resulted in the series not being cohesive and gave the impression that it wasn’t all written by the same person. As the title suggests,Legacieswas supposed to be about Hope and her struggle to live up to (or escape) the Mikaelson name; instead, it became about her fighting external battles. While that worked in the first two seasons, it became repetitive, especially with howLegacieschose action and gore over developing both its main and supporting characters. So, in a way,Legacies' cancellation was a long time coming.
Julie Plec and the other creators ofLegaciesalready had a plan for the fifth season’s storyline.
Everything that went wrong withLegaciesis proof that theVampire Diariesuniverse isn’t ready for another spinoff. The overall writing in the last supernatural series was shoddy, and it lacked a narrative that would compel audiences to come back for more any time soon. If there will indeed be another addition to theTVDuniverse, then all the things thatLegaciescouldn’t overcome during its four seasons need to be fixed — and some time to reflect might be necessary.
The Originals Only Worked Because It Was Closely Connected To The Main Show
The Originals Remembered What Made TVD A Successful Show
The Originals, however, was a huge success for The CW and remains so nearly seven years after it ended. Part of the show’s allure is that it focuses on characters fromThe Vampire Diarieswho were already popular with audiences.The Mikaleson familyfirst appeared in the flagship fantasy series in season 2 of the show and played a significant part in its narrative. While the spinoff series tells its own story, it is closely connected to its parent show. Some of the characters fromTVD, likeStefan (Paul Wesley) and Caroline (Candice King), even have cameos inThe Originals.
The Originalsaired on The CW for five seasons from 2013 to 2018.
In recent years, it’s been proven that spinoff TV shows that seem unrelated to their original series have a lower chance of succeeding. BecauseThe Originalstook characters who were already familiar in theTVDuniverse and fleshed out their interesting backstories, it didn’t suffer the same fate as spinoff series that ignore this important fact. From its first season,it was clear thatThe Originalsunderstood whyThe Vampire Diarieswas popular,and that was having compelling villains whom audiences found themselves rooting for.
The Vampire Diaries Franchise Must Proceed With Caution After Legacies' Failure
Another Vampire Diaries Spinoff Could Still Learn From The Flagship Show
While it’s now common for TV shows that enjoy a high level of popularity to get spinoffs, it’s integral that the creators ofThe Vampire Diariesdon’t rush into adding another series to the franchise.Legaciesfailed because it didn’t have the strong supporting cast or at least serviceable supernatural storylines asTVD, and this is a mistake that is easy to repeat.TVDandThe Originalsare still popular and thus show that there is still an interestin the supernatural franchise. There are many ways that theTVDuniverse could go, given how some audiences were not satisfied with the original show’s last season.
A newTVDspinoff could focus on the show’s underdeveloped characters or shed light on incomplete storylines. However,The Vampire Diariesand its spinoffs have been thorough and already covered the basic lore and fantasy elements. Creating a new series that pays homage to its parent show yet provides a fresh perspective could be a difficult task. Fortunately, the success ofThe Originalsand the failure ofLegacieshas provided a road map for any new installments in thefranchise that the creators need to follow if they decide to create another spinoff.
The Vampire Diaries
Cast
Based on the novels by L.J. Smith, The Vampire Diaries is a story about the developing love triangle between Elena Gilbert and two vampiric brothers, Stefan and Damon Salvatore. Set in the town of Mystic Falls, Virginia, the show follows the trio from high school through college as they battle for one another’s affection.
