Mystic Falls is the place to be for the best bloodsucker action

Update: Vampire Diaries is no longer available. Find your next sci-fi or fantasy binge here.

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The Vampire Diaries is tops when it comes to creatures of the night. And it’s not just because the two lead vampires – Salvatore brothers Damon and Stefan (Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley) – are impossibly good looking!

The show is set in magical Mystic Falls and there’s nothing ordinary about the little town. Its history is steeped in the supernatural, ever since the first settlers arrived from New England in the 1800s. There are vampires, werewolves, witch covens – you name the supernatural “monster” and they’re sure to be alive and well in Mystic Falls.

There’s a lot of anger and rage and fighting, but it’s all about the Salvatore boys’ love for human high-schooler Elena (Nina Dobrev). Basically everything that happens on the show either involves the trio or is because of them. “Damon needs to make this decision about whether he can work with his brother to protect what they love, their way of life and all the things that come with it,” says Ian Somerhalder.

And don’t think that because they’ve been around for centuries that the brothers have seen and done it all. There’s still a lot for them to discover about being a bloodsucker and the world they inhabit. Like in season 3, when Mystic Falls plays home to the Mikaelson family – they’re “the originals”, the Norwegian family who started the bloodlines in the 10th century.

That’s not the only reason the cult-hit fantasy series is so popular. Here are 7 bloody good reasons to binge on the first 7 seasons of Vampire Diaries…

1. Pretty people, walking down the street

Okay, so the first reason is a little vain. But look at Stefan, Elena and the rest! They’re beautiful! And it’s just so much easier bonding with good-looking baddies like vampires – don’t forget that they’re still killers despite their model good looks!

2. Beats

We’re not talking about the soundtrack (which is pretty cool, by the way). Vampire Diaries keeps heartbeats elevated with its action, fights and vampires jumping out from the shadows to drain their victims and stop their heartbeats.

3. Magical mythology

Who needs Dracula as the start of everything when you can have it all come from one family? That’s right: vampires, witches, werewolves and everyone else on the show is linked to the Mikaelson family, which gives the writers endless connected and intertwined storyline options (plus it’s given rise to spin-off shows like The Originals, 2013-current).

4. It’s not Twilight

Don’t get us wrong – the Twilight Saga movies were a hit. But they’re just too angsty, too sulky and too brooding. Vampire Diaries is upbeat and moving faster than a speeding locomotive. Plots develop, the characters change as time goes on and sorry Edward Cullen (Rob Pattinson), the only way Damon Salvatore is going to sparkle is if he’s wearing granny’s crystal chandelier. Ian’s character even takes the mickey, saying, [about Twilight lead characters] “What’s so special about this Bella girl? Edward’s so whipped.” And that brings us to our next point…

5. Funny & fangy

Damon’s the best at being bad. How else do you explain him getting snarky one-liners like “Where`s your ring? The sun is coming up and… poof… ashes to ashes”, “It’s all so ra-ra-go team!” and “Stefan smiles, alert the media!”

6. Killer characters

Literally and figuratively. The vampires and werewolves leave bodies lying around Mystic Falls like leaves falling from trees. We’re cool with that, it’s what they do. But what we love even more is characters like Caroline Forbes (Candice King) who develop from annoying cheerleader-type in episode 1 to menacing vampire in season 2.

7. Writing, writing, writing!

And not to mention the acting. Show us one other series crazy enough to get one actress to play three characters – in the same scene! That happens in season 5 episode 7 when Nina plays Elena, her doppelganger Katherine and Amara, the world’s very first immortal woman. Nina says that “I create different characteristics and make efforts to make them different. Like what they wear, how their hair is styled… simple things that make them different.”

Sources: Avclub, Bitterempire.com, Collider.com, Imdb.com, Tor.com, Wetpaint.com