Though it never quite reached Twilight or The Hunger Games levels of pop culture permeance, its easy to remember a time when The Vampire Diaries and its two spinoffs: The Originals and Legacies, were some of the most talked-about shows on TV. They were certainly some of the most popular teen and genre dramas of all time. Between brooding bad boys, villains with hearts of gold, and iconic 2010s fashion, The Vampire Diaries universes unique brand of melodrama secured it a sizable fandom and a healthy 8-season run on the CW. This is why the networks recent decision to ax Legaciesand in turn bring the 10+ year franchise to a sudden and unceremonious endwas so shocking.
Its disheartening to see such a set of shows that were such a pop culture juggernaut meet such an underwhelming endespecially considering Legacies sudden cancelation meant the creators didnt have time to close out the series properly. Instead, they were forced to turn the season five finale into a series finale. But now that Legacies is six feet under and its predecessors have long ended, is that it for the Vampire Diaries? How could a once-unstoppable Universe end so abruptly? And, perhaps most importantly, where does the franchise go from here?
Though it was certainly shocking and heartbreaking for diehard fans, its not quite fair to say that Legacies cancellation was completely and utterly out of the blue. Its worth noting that The Vampire Diaries was the only series in the franchise that saw a full, 8-season runThe Originals, too, didnt make it past season five. In addition to a mixed reception from both critics and fans alike, Legacies viewing figures were flagging, a continuing trend that has plagued the franchise since season five of The Vampire Diaries. Of the three, TVD was (perhaps predictably) by far the most viewed, easily averaging north of 1.5 million viewers, even after Nina Dobrev departed the show at the end of season six.
The same, unfortunately, couldnt be said for The Originals, the first spinoff to spawn from TVDwhich featured love-to-hate-him villain Klaus Mikaelson (Joseph Morgan, who regularly acted circles around his TVD costars). Despite the fact that The Originals generally garnered better critical reception than its parent series, and was without question home to the best writing and acting the TVDU had to offer, the viewing figures still couldnt clear a million, especially in the later seasons.
So, with The Originalsby all accounts a much better series than Legacies, not to mention one that featured a number of well-loved TVD regularsstruggling with viewership, the writing was already on the wall for Legacies. Granted, it probably didnt help that (though Hope, Lizzie, and Josie are wonderful) the shows largest tie to The Vampire Diaries and the only regular cast member on both shows was Matt Davis Alaric Saltzman, a character who by the point of Legacies premiere had far outstayed his welcome with fans.
Though Hopes (spoiler alert!) transformation into a vampire (and thus a tribrid) brought some of the excitement and intrigue of The Vampire Diaries that Legacies was sorely missing, the long-awaited plot development came too little too late, and Legacies met an untimely end at the hands of the television cancellation Gods. Sure, the signs may have been there for viewers paying attention to the numbers and the behind-the-scenes goings-on, but a rushed season finale pulling double duty as a series finale is an unfortunate way to say goodbye to the 10+ year long franchise, not to mention Legacies on its own.
Though the franchise may not be able to continue on always and forever, die-hard fans shouldnt give up all hope for a continuation of the franchise. According to creator Julie Plec (we have some additional thoughts about her), the Vampire Diaries universe may not end with Legacies, after all. There has always been talk and speculation about a third Vampire Diaries spinoff, but after Legacies cancellation made headlines, those rumors took on a much more concrete form.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Plec admitted that initially, the plan was for Legacies to continue airing past season five, but that it wouldve kept going until the third spinoff was on the air: We had a plan to keep the franchise on the air until the next installment, which exists in our brains, but not on the page yet. There will be another one. Were a little sad, were going to take a beat, but yeah, theres more ideas. Theres more to do.
With a third Vampire Diaries spinoff all but confirmed by franchise boss Julie Plec, theres really only one question on fans mindswhat will the next spinoff be? Unlike with previous shows, the subject of a new untitled Vampire Diaries spinoff isnt as easy to predict. Both Originals and Legacies were cooked up while their parent shows were still on the air, which allowed the writers to create lay the groundwork and introduce character/settings that could continue even after the first show ended. With Legacies dead on arrival, though, theres no seamless way to move from one spinoff to the next, which means that any potential spinoffs wont have the benefit of a backdoor pilot.
At the same time, though, some distance from Legacies might not be the worst thing in the world for a prospective Vampire Diaries spinoff: Legacies (though charming in its own right) frequently received criticism for how much it didnt feel like The Vampire Diaries and The Originals. Some distance from the franchise would allow creatives to regroup and focus on what made The Vampire Diaries so successful to begin with.
On the flipside, some time off the air could also give the franchises writers the chance to right some past wrongs heading into a new series. All three shows infamously struggled with their treatment of Black women (Bonnie Bennett in particular has often been pointed out as mistreated), and the chance for a clean slate could give creatives the opportunity to reflect on past mistakes and move forward: ideally with a more diverse team both in front of and behind the camera.
While at one point it mightve been hard to imagine that The Vampire Diaries universe would end with the abrupt cancellation of a poorly-reviewed tween spinoff, TVD will always remain an icon of YA 2010s pop culture, and one of the most influential shows to come out of the CW. Legacies may have been a rather lackluster finale to a once-promising franchise, but with the possibility of a new spinoff on the horizon, The Vampire Diaries universe may once again have the opportunity to reinvent itself and remind viewers why they fell in love with Mystic Falls.
(images via the CW)
The Mary Sue has a strict comment policythat forbids, but is not limited to, personal insults towardanyone, hate speech, and trolling.
Have a tip we should know? [emailprotected]
View post:
The Vampire Diaries Universe is Officially Over. What Now? - The Mary Sue
- Civil War is beating vampires, spies, and big gorillas in its second week at the box office - The A.V. Club - April 22nd, 2024
- Meet Alisha Weir, The 14-Year-Old Breakout Star Of Universals Vampire Flick Abigail - Deadline - April 22nd, 2024
- Transylvania Is Famous For Vampires, But Also Has Lots Of Grizzlies And Wolves - Cowboy State Daily - April 22nd, 2024
- Interview with the Vampire Cast Explains Why Your Friends Should Watch - Bleeding Cool News - April 22nd, 2024
- Marvel 'Blade' Reboot With Mahershala Ali Going Back To Basics Of "Killing Vampires - Bounding Into Comics - April 22nd, 2024
- Interview With The Vampire Got A Sequel 22 Years Ago, But Not Like You Think - Screen Rant - April 22nd, 2024
- First Trailer for Reginald the Vampire Season 2 Teases a Vampires vs. Angels Showdown - Syfy - April 22nd, 2024
- Kathryn Newton Talks Sinking Her Teeth Into Vampire Thriller 'Abigail' - Forbes - April 21st, 2024
- 'Vampire' bacteria thirst for human blood and cause deadly infections as they feed - Livescience.com - April 21st, 2024
- Some Microbes Are Tiny 'Vampires' With a Deadly Attraction to Human Blood - ScienceAlert - April 21st, 2024
- Common gut bacteria behave like vampires to target human blood - Earth.com - April 21st, 2024
- Now Playing in Memphis: Vampires, Sasquatches, and Monkey Man - Memphis Flyer - April 21st, 2024
- Dancing Vampires, Furry Families and More in Movies - Columbus Underground - April 21st, 2024
- New 'Interview with the Vampire' teaser reveals the laws of being a vampire - Mashable - April 21st, 2024
- The Vampire Rules In Abigail (And How They Change The Horror Game) Explained - SlashFilm - April 21st, 2024
- Blade's MCU Problems Ignore How Easy It Should Be To Make His Perfect Movie - Screen Rant - April 21st, 2024
- Being Human Werewolves, Vampires, and Ghosts! Four Seasons Streaming Right Now on SCREAMBOX! - Bloody Disgusting - April 21st, 2024
- Upcoming horror movies: Where and when to watch werewolves, vampires, and assorted monsters, oh my! - Popverse - April 21st, 2024
- One of the Very First Horror Westerns Started Out as a Joke - Collider - April 21st, 2024
- "Blade killing vampires..": Marvel is Giving Fans What They Exactly Want With Mahershala Ali's MCU Movie, Industry ... - FandomWire - April 21st, 2024
- Reports Reveal the Original Concept of the Blade Movie Before it was Simplified to Blade Just Killing Vampires - imdb - April 21st, 2024
- Who Lives? Who Dies? And Was That [Spoiler]? The Ending of Abigail, Explained - Syfy - April 21st, 2024
- THESE vampires drawn to human blood could be inside your body Know how they can kill you - The Financial Express - April 21st, 2024
- Concern over Vampire Bacteria and more - WGN TV Chicago - April 21st, 2024
- The Vampire Diaries' Stefan Without One Key Factor - CBR - Comic Book Resources - April 21st, 2024
- Abigail Takes a Bloody Delightful Bite Out of the Vampire Genre - Gizmodo - April 21st, 2024
- Interview with the Vampire: Reid, Anderson Walk Us Through Season 1 - Bleeding Cool News - April 21st, 2024
- Woman's blood-drained corpse is found in Italian church where she had been searching for ghosts: Victim, 22, - Daily Mail - April 12th, 2024
- My latest Game Pass obsession is a vampire-punching action game that could be Red Dead Redemption 2's wacky ... - Gamesradar - April 12th, 2024
- Lindy Ryan on Setting a Vampire Novel in a Small Texas Town - CrimeReads - April 12th, 2024
- 14 Actors Who Appeared In Both Supernatural & The Vampire Diaries - Screen Rant - April 12th, 2024
- Coachella 2024: How to Stream Every Performance on YouTube - Vulture - April 12th, 2024
- Back to the 80s: 'Lost boys' The State Hornet - StateHornet.com - April 12th, 2024
- Slay the Spire 2, Vampire Survivors meets Contra, and other Triple-i games - Ars Technica - April 12th, 2024
- How Vampire Weekend Mastered The Five-Albums Test - UPROXX - April 12th, 2024
- Abigail Directors Tease A Fresh Spin On Vampires That's "Very Much Us" - Screen Rant - April 12th, 2024
- Vampire Weekend Livestreamed Their Solar Eclipse Album Release Show: Watch - Stereogum - April 12th, 2024
- Fan favorite vampire films among those coming to a theater near you - WAPT Jackson - April 12th, 2024
- Vampire Weekend Reckon With the Divine (Again) on Only God Was Above Us - Spin - April 12th, 2024
- Review | Vampire Weekend have grown into their boat shoes - The Washington Post - April 12th, 2024
- Interview with the Vampire season 2: Release date, cast, and more - Android Authority - April 12th, 2024
- Upcoming horror movie Nosferatu debuted a trailer behind closed doors, and apparently Bill Skarsgrd's vampire is ... - Gamesradar - April 12th, 2024
- Vampire Weekend's 'Only God Was Above Us': All 10 Tracks Ranked - Billboard - April 12th, 2024
- Abigail Has Screened, And Critics Are Calling The Bloody Vampire Horror One Of The Best Movies Of 2024 - CinemaBlend - April 12th, 2024
- When Kirsten Dunst revealed the special gift Interview With a Vampire co-star Tom Cruise sends her every year - Hindustan Times - April 12th, 2024
- He is cooking with this cast: Ryan Coogler's Vampire Movie With Michael B. Jordan Casts Another Marvel Star Hailee ... - FandomWire - April 12th, 2024
- Ryan Cooglers Untitled Vampire Thriller Adds 2 More to Cast - ComingSoon.net - April 12th, 2024
- The Vampire Diaries Improved After This Character Left the Show - CBR - Comic Book Resources - April 2nd, 2024
- Paul Wesley Shares Only Way He'd Appear in Another Vampire Diaries Show - E! Online - E! NEWS - April 2nd, 2024
- Interview With the Vampire Releases New Season 2 Trailer Ahead of May Premiere Watch - Yahoo Finance UK - April 2nd, 2024
- Interview with the Vampire season 2 drops second trailer at AMC - Sportskeeda - April 2nd, 2024
- A Major 'Twilight' Star Is Down To Return For The TV Show, So Bring On The Sparkly Vampires - Yahoo! Voices - April 2nd, 2024
- 'Vampire' neutron star blasts are related to jets traveling at near-light speeds - Space.com - April 2nd, 2024
- Louis Is Haunted by the Past in New 'Interview with the Vampire' Season 2 Trailer - Collider - April 2nd, 2024
- A Vampire's Face Has Reemerged From a Centuries-Old Shroud - AOL - April 2nd, 2024
- Video: AMC Networks Releases a Second New Trailer and Key Art for Season Two of "Anne Rice's Interview with the ... - The Futon Critic - April 2nd, 2024
- Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person Presents a Rather Different Kind of Teen Angst - Reactor - April 2nd, 2024
- Shiki And 7 Other Vampire-Themed Anime Series For A Blood Curdling Binge-Watch - AugustMan Thailand - April 2nd, 2024
- Interview with the Vampire Season 2 Trailer: Memories of Claudia - Bleeding Cool News - April 2nd, 2024
- Harvey Guilln Says Goodbye to the Mansion in 'What We Do in the Shadows' Season 6 Set Image - Collider - April 2nd, 2024
- Interview with the Vampire Season 2 Trailer Set for Sunday Night - Bleeding Cool News - April 2nd, 2024
- Vampire Weekend share new single 'Mary Boone' and announce UK and European tour - NME - April 2nd, 2024
- The Vampire Diaries Cast: Where are they now? From Ian Somerhalder to Nina Dobrev - 9Entertainment - April 2nd, 2024
- Zendaya Starring in Remake of 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'? - Snopes.com - April 2nd, 2024
- The Best Vampire Movie Never Says The Word 'Vampire', Stream This Dark R-Rated Horror Hidden Gem - Giant Freakin Robot - April 2nd, 2024
- V Rising gets the crossover every self-respecting vampire wants: Castlevania's Simon Belmont is coming to try and kill ... - PC Gamer - April 2nd, 2024
- Canadian imperialism and the Gaza genocide: The contrived, right-wing furor over a cartoon depicting Netanyahu as a ... - WSWS - April 2nd, 2024
- Is This a Real Photo of Vampire Queen 'Madam Violet,' Voted UK's Scariest Woman Alive in the 1880s? - Snopes.com - March 16th, 2024
- The erotic 70s horror where lechy men turn into bloody-hungry vampires - Dazed - March 16th, 2024
- The vampires ball is coming to an end - Meduza - March 16th, 2024
- Oregon son, 56, who is accused of killing his mom by shoving a huge makeshift stake through her throat claims - Daily Mail - March 16th, 2024
- Muni Bond Games and the IRS' Lurking Arbitrage Vampires - Governing - March 16th, 2024
- Ball of vampires', nuke warning: Key takeaways from Putins interview - The Times of India - March 16th, 2024
- Putin compares western elites to 'VAMPIRES' who 'fill their bellies with human flesh' - GB News - March 16th, 2024
- Every Time Alaric Died In The Vampire Diaries & Legacies - Screen Rant - March 16th, 2024
- V Rising declares a 1.0 release date, climbing from the grave of a years-long early access to become your next time ... - Yahoo Movies UK - March 16th, 2024
- 15 Actors That Could Play Edward Cullen in the Twilight TV Series - MovieWeb - March 16th, 2024
- BLOOD HUNT #1 Preview Releases A Horde Of Vampires On The Marvel Universe's Greatest Heroes - CBM (Comic Book Movie) - March 16th, 2024
- Man accused of killing mother in Siletz believed she was a vampire - Yahoo News - March 16th, 2024
- Stephen King approved 'Salem's Lot' movie to stream on Max this year - Yahoo Movies Canada - March 16th, 2024
Reviewed and Recommended by Erik Baquero