Nina Dobrev | Reviews by Bethany

Darker and grittier than its parent show The Vampire Diaries, this spin-off is geared more towards an adult audience. The stakes (very bad pun, I know) are higher, the issues are deeper and the plot is a whole lot more complicated. While it would be beneficial to have watched TVD, it is not strictly necessary in order to enjoy this show. Although I would recommend looking up the Wikipedia page to familiarize yourself with the basics if you’re absolutely determined not to watch The Vampires Diaries.

Set in steamy New Orleans, the show follows the misadventures of the original vampires, a massively dysfunctional family. Elijah, the oldest brother, is a true gentleman, always erudite and smooth while trying to see the best in others. Rebekah, the lone sister, is pretty, spoiled and somewhat self-centered, but actually not a bad sort at all. Klaus, on the other hand, is the devil himself. Diabolically clever, he has no ethics other than loyalty to the family and is quite ruthless in his dealings with others. New Orleans has always been steeped in the supernatural, so it’s no surprise to the audience to have witches, werewolves, vampires, etc. all stewing in one boiling melting pot of distrust. The writing for this show is magnificent, with finely drawn characters and absolutely marvelous dialogue. Everything is totally character-driven, a stellar trait inherited from TVD, and the plot evolves organically. Of course, it wouldn’t be a CW show if there weren’t plenty of beautiful people and a goodly dollop of romance and intrigue. Endlessly cool, chic and entertaining, the show has a huge pool of acting talent (it reunites Aussie actresses Phoebe Tonkin and Claire Holt of H2O: Just Add Water in which they were mermaids) and massive congrats to a truly amazing wardrobe department. Season 2 is just as compelling, possibly even better than the first and the show has been renewed for a third season. – BETHANY

The Wikipedia page with practical nuggets of crucial information, in case you choose not to watch The Vampire Diaries, and thus have huge gaps in your knowledge of the lore in this particular series: The Vampire Diaries Wikipedia

For information on all the actors, actresses and anything else you could conceivably want to know about The Originals, visit the Internet Movie Database

From left to right: Elijah, Hayley, Marcel, Klaus and Rebekah

Elijah (Daniel Gillies) is often the voice of reason.

Shhhhhhh. Don’t tell Elijah I’m an irredeemable psychopath. – Klaus (Joseph Morgan)

Davina Clare, known locally as The Harvest Girl in the Attic (Danielle Campbell).

Marcel Gerard (Charles Michael Davis) dances with Camille O’Connell (Leah Pipes), whose costume choice couldn’t be more rife with symbolism.

Hayley Marshall, played by Phoebe Tonkin whom Klaus calls “Little Wolf”, much to her annoyance.

Viking parents of the Mikaelson brood, Mikael (Sebastian Roché) and Esther (Alice Evans)

The Mikaelsons in a variety of flashbacks:For shame Rebekah, you know bloodstains are nigh unto impossible to get out of wigs!

Renaissance Rebekah

Photos courtesy of My So-Called Company, Alloy Entertainment, CBS Television Studios, Warner Bros. Television and The CW (unless otherwise credited in clickable form)

The CW really hit the motherlode with this most excellent Young Adult show, populated by beautiful people and just about every aesthetically pleasing supernatural being you can think of (no mermaids as yet in the six seasons so far, but hey, it could happen). Mystic Falls, a fictional town somewhere on the eastern seaboard, seems to be a magnet for vampires, werewolves, doppelgängers, witches, etc., but vampires are definitely the main attraction. The story has grown so complicated over the past five seasons that I won’t even try to unravel it, as somebody would no doubt cry “spoilers!” anyway, but I will say the show’s writers have developed a very complex and rich mythology for their world. The core group of characters are extremely finely drawn and the plots are inventive and interesting. But don’t think this is a plot-driven YA soap, because nothing could be further from the truth. The characters are the driving force here and absolutely everything that happens feels authentic to the established personalities of those involved. Yes, of course there is a Big Bad or impending disaster as the thematic villain for each season, but it all happens so organically that you actually begin to believe the characters are real. Nobody is perfect in Mystic Falls and nothing is precisely what it appears to be, which I think is part of the appeal. The dialogue is pure genius and for a drama, the show can be surprisingly funny. Spectacular special effects, excellent current music, gorgeous costumes and constantly evolving characters, this show is most definitely not just for the younger crowd. Endlessly cool and richly entertaining, it is also worth noting that there is an amazing pool of acting talent in this show. My personal favorite is Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder), a devil-may-care, somewhat sarcastic and way too cool for everything vampire who does whatever he jolly well pleases and gets more than his fair share of really good lines. – BETHANY

For everything you’ve ever wanted to know about The Vampire Diaries, visit the Internet Movie Database

There are a ton of these type of pictures online in which every character looks like they’ve been dressed by Vogue magazine.

Glamour shots of Bonnie Bennett (Kat Graham), Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) and Caroline Forbes (Candice Accola).

Jeremy Gilbert (Steven R. McQueen) and Matt Donovan (Zach Roerig)

Caroline and Elena at the debutante ball. (I guess they look like Vogue magazine dressed them in the show, too)

The Brothers Salvatore: Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Stefan (Paul Wesley)

Ye Olde Civil War Era Brothers Salvatore

Photos courtesy of Outerbanks Entertainment, Alloy Entertainment, CBS Television Studios, Warner Bros. Television and the CW network (unless otherwise credited in clickable form)