TV - Preview - The Vampire Diaries

As mentioned in my Apocalypse post, the CW has picked up a pilot of "The Vampire Diaries" based on the series by L.J. Smith, staring Ian Somerhalder and some other people that I don't care about. This is why that matters to me.

When I was in high school, I read a lot. I am talking like maybe two or three books a day. And by books, I mean 170-page young adult novels. I consumed them like crack - or popcorn, or that it is more believable that I would actually consume. One of the primary authors of my high school reading era was L.J. Smith. She wrote fantasy novels with a heavily romantic focus. I read just about everything she wrote. A year or so ago, when I became aware of the Twilight mania, I thought, this sounds just like L.J. Smith. After having read the entire Twilight Saga (and completely enjoying it - with the exception of the ridiculous fourth book) I still prefer my old school L.J. Smith. I thought to myself, 'I bet this Twilight craze will bring some publicity to L.J. Smith.' Sure enough, most of her books, written in the mid '90's have been reprinted and reissued. I have to stop myself from buying them just to support her, since I already own just about everything she has written.

The Vampire Diaries was never my favorite series of hers. I liked the set-up and the characters, but it was one of her earlier series and I don't think she had quite worked out the whole love triangle angle that would become a huge focus of most if not all of her subsequent books. I am a HUGE sucker for a love triangle. Especially one where I can actually see the person in the middle with either of the other two. And as low-brow as her books are, in my opinion, she's got that down.

So, I'm hoping that the new show keeps the characters and set-up, but manages to use the love triangle more effectively than it was used in the books.

Also, I have to ask, why do TV shows cast guys who are older than their characters are supposed to look as vampires? It's going to make things really difficult when Ian Somerhalder (who is 31, and playing a character who was made into a vampire at 21, and therefore should look eternally 21), starts to look older, assuming this show lasts more than one season. It happened on Buffy with David Boreanaz and James Marsters. They were both older than their characters were supposed to look when the series started, so it could only get worse from there. I mean, I'm glad to have Ian Somerhalder on a TV show again (since he is just objectively beautiful), but seriously, guys. Think about the fact that this person is not supposed to age when you cast them.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to the show. I know perfectly well that it could be completely awful. But Ian Somerhalder knows hat he's doing and the guy who directed the pilot has directed shows for Dexter, so I have an inkling of hope that it could actually be good.