Okay, so I just thought that I would start off this week's "Sunday Spotlight" with a little video which YOU MUST WATCH if you have never watched "The Vampire Diaries" before. Or heck, even if you have, rewatch it in all of its amazingness!
I know I may sound crazy saying this, but "The Vampire Diaries" book series is one of the worst book series ever in my opinion. I read the first book in the series way back when, when I was in grade ten maybe (?) and I thought it was pretty terrible, but I always like to finish series, so I continued on with it. And I found that it just kept getting worse and worse. Last year when the television adaptation of the series came out I fell head over heels in love with it. If you had watched some of the first episodes of the series and thought that it was a typical mindless teen drama and stopped watching it, shame on you! This show keeps getting better and better with every episode- especially now in the second season. So this summer I decided to reread the series, you know, give it another chance because a) it had been quite a few years since I had last read the books and b) maybe the TV show would have changed the way I looked at the books. But alas... NOPE! I barely, barely, made it through the first book (seriously, I dreaded every moment of reading it).
It's just so gosh darn weird why I can't get into the books... What I have come to the conclusion of is that the "Twilight" book series is much better than "The Vampire Diaries" book series, but "The Vampire Diaries" TV show is a gazillion times better than the "Twilight" movies.
So you may be wondering what is so great about the show... Well first off, the plot line. Everything in it is so interwoven and relates back to previous or future episodes. This isn't the type of show where they just through in a bunch of random stuff to fill up an hour long time space, everything is so meticulously thought out and well planned.
Second? The characters. In the beginning I was a total Team Stefan member, I just thought that he was so gosh darn good-looking and that Elena was totally lucky, however, towards the end of the first season and this season I have totally done a 180 and I am a full blown Team Damon member. Like yeah, Stefan is good-looking, sweet and not a psychopath (and you know, those are always good characteristics to find in a man), but Damon? He is also good-looking, a total psychopath/ ultimate bad boy (dare I say he outshine Jace in the bad boy category? Blasphemy, I know! And he is so much like Clay- from Kelley Armstrong's series- in being a lovable psychopath), and when he is a sweet guy (which isn't often), he is a really, really sweet guy (see the video clip at the end of this post- but beware, it does contain spoilers from this past Thursday's episode- November 4th). And also, the other characters are really amazing/ greatly developed, like Caroline (the low self-esteem/ bitchy/ slightly paranoid friend), Alaric (the rugged teacher/ bad-ass vampire hunter/ overall sweet guy), Jeremy (the but-I-have-to-be-involved-in-everything-you-are-doing-like-little-brothers-are-supposed-to-do little brother/ the [probable] future bad-ass vampire hunter/ cute [former] emo-boy), Katherine (the jealous ex/ most bad-ass vampire/ is not afraid to kill anyone standing between her and her being with Stefan once again) and Bonnie (the best friend/ developing-in-powers-witch/ with a grudge against all things vampire).
Third? All of the fantabulous magicky aspects of it! Vampire? Yes please! Witches? Don't mind if I do! And now... Werewolves? Uh huh! And wait...! "The Originals", bad-ass vampires who made every other living vampire?!?
I must admit, I think that this may just be my most favourite TV series ever. I mean, I love "Supernatural", "The OC", "Veronica Mars", "Gossip Girl", "Grey's Anatomy" and shows along those lines... But "The Vampire Diaries"? I am seriously super excited/ looking forward to every Thursday just so I can watch this show... Heck, if I miss an episode of "Grey's", it isn't the end of the world, I can deal... But if I miss an episode of "VD"? I have to watch it ASAP (and let's be honest, I have been watching every single episode 2-3 times the week it is aired [thank you CTV.ca], plus I rerererewatch it on the DVD box set).
So if you do not watch the show because a) you read the books and thought that they were terrible, then have no fear! The show is nothing like the books, because mainly, it is actually good! I was one of those people who dreaded the books and look at me now! This show practically defines my life (or at least makes me super excited for every Thursday)! b) you roll your eyes thinking that it is either just like "Twilight" or a rip-off of "Twilight"- let me tell you, this show is nothing like the "Twilight", for one, it is really good (and does not contain any cheesy "climb on spider-monkey" lines), and secondly, this book series was out in the early 1990s! At least a whole decade before Stephanie Meyer had ever had a dream of sparkly vampires sitting in a meadow. c) you have too many other shows to watch on Thursday (its understandable, there is "Grey's", "Private Practice" and now "Nikita")- who cares! Drop any one of those and I am sure that you will find this show to be a gazillion times better.
And now? I present you with maybe the best moment of the entire series [remember this is from the November 4th episode- so if you haven't watched it yet and don't want it to be spoiled, go no further!]...
(I LOVE YOU SO MUCH DAMON!)... Did you see his little tear? No worries! Elena will eventually come to her senses and drop your emotional brother, realizing that you are the one she is meant to be with forevs! (and might I add that I was also bawling at this point too)
If you decide to participate in this weeks "Spotlight Sunday", link your post below in the comments!
PS. Don't forget to check out MY FANTABULOUS FIRST EVER GIVEAWAY!
Love this show! And when Damon told Elena he loved her and a tear fell I almost cried myself! Love Damon!
ReplyDeleteSad that you didn't care for the books as much. I liked them, wouldn't say I loved them as much as I love my other books, but still liked them a lot better than Twilight. Of course the Twilight movies have effected my opinion on the books now. So I'm being manipulated basically!
But yeah, I'm fast addicted to this show and was so glad that it was able to complete season 1 let alone move on to season 2!!
I like the differences too, Caroline here on the show is way better than she was in the book. Although me and my friends can't say the same about Bonnie. We liked her better in the book and don't care for her so much on the show.
But still love this show! Still have to get the DVD so I can watch it over and over! Love seeing Damon go from being total badass to an almost softie. Not a total softie, but even that video clip does show that Damon cares. He isn't 100% heartless even though other times he acts really cruel and everything.
I've not watched any Vampire Diaries. I'm constantly hearing about it (not surprising!) but never had any real urge to watch it. Or read the books for that matter. I may add the dvds to my 'to rent' list though. I find it really interesting that you have such a problem with the books, but love the tv series though. Good reason to always try a different these things I suppose lol.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my IMM post today :) You mentioned not being too big a fan of I Am Number Four (which I'm currently reading). I'm about 100 pages in and so far I'm enjoying it which is surprising me because normally I'm not a big fan of sci-fi books, so I half expected for it to turn me off at the first mention of other worlds, but so far so good.
@Jessica, you like the "Vampire Diaries" series books more than the "Twilight" series books? :O! Just kidding, to each their own (But seriously, "Breaking Dawn" did suck a whole lot and bring the entire series down with it in my opinion)...! And Damon, oh Damon... I just fall more in love with him every time, as you said, he shows his little softie side ;)
ReplyDelete@Cem, I also had a similar reaction with the "Gossip Girl" series. I read the series in its entirety even though they were quite ridiculous, but I absolutely love the "Gossip Girl" TV show. But yes, don't bother wasting your time reading the "Vampire Diaries" series, but definitely add the TV show to your 'DVDs to rent list'.
And as for "I am Number Four"? I did a review on it maybe a month ago (?). I was really looking forward to the book with all of the movie buzz and whatnot, but I just thought that it was quite a let-down. I found that it had the potential to be really amazing, but it just didn't live up to this potential (I don't know about you, but I find the characters to be pretty flat and one-dimensional). It's not the worst book by any means (that would be "The Vampire Diaries" series ;) )- but in my opinion it just isn't the greatest. I think I rated it as a 6 or 7.
Thanks for the comments ladies!
OMG!
ReplyDeleteI agree with absolutely everything that you say!!!
I actually read the series a few years ago and I thought it was pretty ordinary. I didn't like the writing very much, I thoughtit was way too childish for my liking, but I did like the characters. Especially Damon from back then.
But yes, the tv-show is like a gazillion times better than the books!
I was never team Stefan, though I never disliked him. He is just ...meh, all good, predictable. And the effort to make him a bad guy with the blood addiction last season was nothing.
Damon, on the other hand is my type of character.
Dark, tormented, a bit psychotic, aching for love and acceptance, but never admitting it!
I always loved him, but the moment I realized I was helplessly in love with his character was in S1, the minute he was in Elena's room when she was sleeping and he caressed her cheek and hair.
I was like: akhslskdkgldkghd <333
I even wrote fic for that moment click and last episode :P *g*
See? I'm not ashamed to profess my love for them! lol
And this final moment! WOW!!
I was blown away and I think I will be writing again! lmao!!
Anyways, great idea for this meme! I just made my own blogspot (along with my lj) so I think I may do it!!
Thank you for this post!! XDD