Summary
- Teen Wolf offers a werewolf twist and high-school setting reminiscent of TVD but with its unique storyline.
- Angel provides a gritty urban fantasy fix for fans, featuring vampires and supernatural threats in a different atmosphere.
- Legacies offers a monster-of-the-week format with ties to TVD characters, adding new creatures and returning favorites.
The Vampire Diaries is one of the most beloved vampire shows of all time, telling deep stories of love between the Salvatore brothers, Elena and her chosen paramour of the season, along with the rest of the background cast that all have their own tales of romance blossoming with each season.
The show reached its bittersweet inclusion after 8 seasons, finally concluding Elena's story, the final episode showing she has found peace in the afterlife. For those missing their classic vampire show but wanting to watch something different rather than opting for another rewatch, these shows might just scratch that itch.
8 Teen Wolf
For Those Who Loved the Lockwood's
Teen Wolf
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2011 - 2017-00-00
WHERE TO WATCH
- Network
- MTV
- Showrunner
- Jeff Davis
- Seasons
- 6
Poor werewolves, they never quite gain the adoration of their centuries-long bloodthirsty rivals, always shunted to the side of vampire projects and never given as many as vampires. Which is quite a shame, as werewolves were quite a large part of The Vampire Diaries, being an extremely dangerous enemy to them with their lethal venom.
Fans who love the werewolf sections of this show might now have as large a selection as vampire media, but there are a few werewolf-oriented shows deserving of a chance. One of these is Teen Wolf, once more using a high-school setting as a group of friends come to grips with the reality that werewolves are in fact real, and main character Scott McCall is now one of these furry creatures of the night.
7 Angel
An Enormously Successful Spin-Off of the Popular Buffy Series
Angel
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 1999 - 2004
WHERE TO WATCH
- Network
- The WB
- Showrunner
- David Greenwalt
- Seasons
- 5
It seems almost every mainstream popular series has its own spin-off, and for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, this was Angel, which saw the brooding vampire of the same name leave Sunnydale and move to the City of Angels, where he founded his own agency to protect the city which has its fair share of mundane and monstrous troubles. He is joined by Cordelia and Wesley of Buffy fame, and new members Fred, Gunn, Connor, and even Spike shows up for the odd episode.
Though the show reached a premature ending, there was enough gritty urban fantasy fun for it to be a serviceable show to watch alongside Buffy, or as its own separate entity. Its themes and atmosphere differ greatly from TVD, but there are plenty enough vampires and other supernatural threats to keep fans entertained until it's time for a rewatch.
6 V Wars
For Fans Who Can't Get Enough of Ian Somerhalder
- Release Date: December 5th, 2019
- Finale Year: 2019
- Genres: Horror, Drama
- Network: Netflix
- Seasons: 1
One of the main questions posed to any TVD fan is which Salvatore brother they preferred, a question that Elena herself seemed to change her mind on through the seasons of the show. She eventually settled on Damon, staying with the older Salvatore brother to the end, which seemed to be the more popular choice among fans, in part due to the good looks and acting charm of the actor, Ian Somerhalder.
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Damon fans who want to see more of his acting chops and handsome face on screen ought to check out the other vampire drama he starred in, V Wars. Though the character he portrays is a far cry from Damon, it is still a fascinating show to watch. Here, vampirism is a disease that has broken out among humans, which could lead to a deadly war between humans and vampires. As a Doctor, Luthert is dedicated to stopping the outbreak and preventing war in any way he can.
5 Legacies
Witness the Story of the Next Generation of Vampire Diaries Characters
Legacies
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2018 - 2022-00-00
WHERE TO WATCH
- Network
- The CW
- Showrunner
- Julie Plec
- Seasons
- 4
Whereas The Vampire Diaries opted for a monster of the season formula, Legacies broke away from this, instead going for a monster of the week format while providing an overarching story starring children of previous characters, such as Hope Mikaelson, and Lizzie and Josie Saltzman. This introduced a slew of new creatures into the universe that had never previously been covered in The Vampire Diaries show, which opened the doors for exciting new challenges for the cast to overcome.
While Legacies was not loved by every fan, there are still fierce defenders of the show who state that there is still plenty of room left open for characters to develop and have their own narratives while finding out which monster it is they are killing this time. Die-hard fans will also rejoice to see characters from previous shows return, such as Caroline Forbes, Alaric Satlzman, and Rebekah Mikaelson.
4 Interview with the Vampire
Based on the Popular Movie
Interview with the Vampire
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- October 2, 2022
WHERE TO WATCH
- Network
- AMC
- Showrunner
- Mark Johnson
- Seasons
- 2
There are few that would dare try to outdo, or very least match the perfection of The Interview with the Vampire movie, based on Anne Rice's famed novel, but that is what AMC intended with their televised version. The interview in question is redone in more modern times, the year 2022. This brings viewers back to the tale they think they know well, with AMC's own spin on things. Having a TV show instead of a movie gives them much more runtime to cover the chronicles, with season 3 to cover The Vampire Lestat novel.
Those who enjoy the more gothic, romanticized moments of The Vampire Diaries will find much to enjoy in Interview with the Vampire, especially if they have already seen that movie and wished for more, a wish that will soon be granted with more seasons on the way.
3 Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Before The Vampire Diaries, There was Buffy
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 1997 - 2003
- Network
- The WB
- Showrunner
- Joss Whedon
- Seasons
- 7
Loosely based on a movie of the same name, Buffy the Vampire Slayer details the life of a slayer, a chosen one who will fight against all the things that go bump in the night, including demons, monsters of all shapes and sizes, and of course, vampires. The Vampire Diaries fans will feel right at home with a cast comprised of humans and more supernatural beings, such as witches, werewolves, and vampires, and the American high-school setting, as the show starts off with them as high-schoolers.
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Though it does show some wear and tear around the seams, Buffy remains as one of the greatest vampire and monster shows of all time, with excellent characters that feel grounded and realistic, comedy, romance, and seriously dark angst in later seasons. And with the inclusion of a love between the main female protagonist and two vampires, it is likely The Vampire Diaries might have taken slight inspiration from Buffy. Every fan should do themselves a favor and give this a watch, or rewatch, for old times sake.
2 True Blood
A More Matured Vampire Tale
true blood
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2008 - 2014-00-00
WHERE TO WATCH
- Network
- HBO Max
- Showrunner
- Alan Ball
- Seasons
- 7
A synthetic substance by the name of 'Tru Blood' allows vampires to roam among humans, their existence now public knowledge, which is something taboo in other vampire media. There are vampires embracing this co-existence, and others who believe it is impossible due to the predatory and violent nature of vampires. Though there are plenty of vampires, the main character is Sookie Stackhouse, not quite human but not one of the fanged undead either, just a small town girl with telepathic abilities.
There is much more blood, gore and romance on screen in True Blood, making it a more mature series than The Vampire Diaries, with an interesting and unique premise to boot. While it may present a slightly different tonal change, there is still much to enjoy in this bloody good vampire show.
1 The Originals
A Spin-Off Set in the Same Universe
The Originals
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2013 - 2018-00-00
- Network
- The CW
- Showrunner
- Julie Plec
- Seasons
- 5
The Originals family was one of the most beloved collections of villains throughout the entirety of The Vampire Diaries with their compelling personalities that extended beyond evil for the sake of evil, as they had their motives, and weren't exactly outright villainous like others, such as Kai. As the very first vampires responsible for the rest of vampire-kind, they have the longest and most compelling stories among any characters.
Though their departure from the series was too soon for most fans, they could rejoice, as the spin-off show The Originals gave this legendary family a total of five seasons detailing their story in New Orleans. Viewers can expect themes surrounding politics between the factions and the enduring bond of family, especially with the arrival of a few new Mikaelsons such as long-lost sister Freya, and Klaus and Hayley's daughter Hope.