The Most Influential Vampire Fantasy Series of the 21's Century Surges on Netflix

5 hours ago 5

Published Jan 28, 2026, 2:44 PM EST

Lade Omotade is a News and Feature Author at Collider with a passion for exploring the ever-evolving world of the Film & TV industry. Her work centers on covering the latest news, from casting announcements and franchise scoops to streaming updates and behind-the-scenes shifts that shape the way stories are told.

Omotade approaches storytelling with both professional insight and unapologetic fandom; digging into what makes a franchise successful, spotlighting rising voices in Hollywood, and asking the questions fans are already buzzing about. Her writing reflects that mix: part industry analysis, part fan excitement, and always grounded in a love for the craft of storytelling.

8 seasons and 171 episodes later, The Vampire Diaries has since become one of the greatest and most influential vampire sagas of this century. Developed by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec, the hit series is an adaptation of L.J. Smith's bestseller of the same name, which follows the life of Elena Gilbert, an orphaned teenage girl who falls in love with a 172-year-old vampire in the fictional town of Mystic Falls, Virginia. The Vampire Diaries ran from September 10, 2009, to March 10, 2017, on The CW, and 17 years after its debut, it's trending again on streaming platforms.

Per FlixPatrol, The Vampire Diaries is receiving positive attention on Netflix, where it is currently the ninth most-watched show globally, rankingbetween the wrestling show Raw and the South Korean reality show Single's Inferno. And, of course, leading the list is Jon Bernthal and Tessa Thompson's addictive thriller, His & Hers. The Vampire Diaries also appears popular on Amazon Prime in Romania, where it has been among the top 10 for the past week.

With about 4.91 million viewers, The Vampire Diaries' 2009 premiere was the CW's biggest ever at the time, and its success soon led to the launch of a media franchise that includes other television series. The Originals and Legacies are major entries in this collection, both of which aired on the CW. Furthermore, the fantasy series significantly influenced the supernatural teen drama genre, contributing to a surge in vampire-themed media during the late 2000s and early 2010s.

Who Stars in 'The Vampire Diaries'?

Leading The Vampire Diaries is an impressive ensemble, including Nina Dobrev as Elena Gilbert, Paul Wesley as Stefan Salvatore, the vampire she falls in love with initially, and Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore, Stefan's older brother.Also included in the cast are Kat Graham as the witch Bonnie Bennett, Candice King as Caroline Forbes, Zach Roerig as Matt Donovan, Steven R. McQueen as Jeremy Gilbert, Michael Trevino as the werewolf Tyler Lockwood, and Matt Davis as Alaric Saltzman.