The 10 Best Vampire Diaries Season 1 Episodes, According To IMDb

In the late 2000s, it seemed like vampires were everywhere. The supernatural beings were all the rage, with plenty of films and television shows popping up all over the place. The main success was Twilight but a lot of people were put off by the sappy teen drama that dominated those stories.

When 2009 hit, The CW Network launched The Vampire Diaries, loosely based on the books of the same name. At first glance, it looked like it would also be filled with teen drama and while it was, it turned into something with fast-moving storylines, tons of lore, big action, and memorable characters. It lasted for eight seasons and got off to an impressive start in season one, especially judging by these IMDb scores.

10 Bloodlines (Episode 11) – 8.4

As soon as Elena (Nina Dobrev) found out that she looked identical to Katherine (also Dobrev), it turned her life upside down. Quite literally, “Bloodlines” began with Elena awakening upside down after a car crash. She was saved by Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and went to Georgia with him.

This episode gave “Delena” fans a lot to like as the pair bonded on this trip while she got over her discovery. This installment also introduced audiences to Anna (Malese Jow) and ended on a pretty notable cliffhanger. Alaric (Matt Davis) realized that the vampire who killed his wife was Damon.

9 You’re Undead To Me (Episode 5) – 8.4

You’ll notice that none of the first four episodes are included on this list. There’s a reason most fans agree that the show didn’t start hitting its stride until this hour. “You’re Undead To Me” showed that Elena was a smart protagonist who began an investigation that led her to figure out what Stefan (Paul Wesley) is.

The awesome ending saw Elena confront him about it, setting up the thrilling follow-up episode. Grams (Jasmine Guy) was introduced as Bonnie’s (Kat Graham) witch grandmother in an important moment. This also saw Damon get free of his prison and attack Vicki (Kayla Ewell).

8 Children Of The Damned (Episode 13) – 8.5

There are four episodes tied with an 8.5 rating and they will be ranked by their total number of reviews. The Vampire Diaries usually succeeded when they pulled off flashback episodes and “Children of the Damned” was no different. Instead of focusing on the romantic side of things, another relationship was the focal point here.

Damon and Stefan’s rift as siblings was highlighted in scenes from 1864, as Damon got closer to opening the tomb in the present. This also revealed that Anna was attempting to find her mother Pearl (Kelly Hu), who is also in the tomb.

7 Isobel (Episode 21) – 8.5

The penultimate episode of season one is named after Alaric’s ex-wife Isobel (Mia Kirshner), who is also the biological mother of Elena. Alaric was shocked at seeing her again, especially when she asked for a meeting with Elena. Isobel ultimately wanted the Gilbert device that could hurt vampires.

It turned out that Isobel was doing Katherine’s bidding, as the latter wanted all of the tomb vampires dead. However, Isobel also wanted the Salvatores killed and this episode set up that she would get help from John Gilbert (David Anders), Elena’s father.

6 The Turning Point (Episode 10) – 8.5

The aforementioned moment where Elena discovered that she was identical to Katherine is indeed the turning point that comes at the end of “The Turning Point.” Elena and Stefan had just slept together for the first time and their bond was strong. However, that all changed when she found the picture of Katherine at the end of the episode.

A lot was also set up in this hour. Sheriff Forbes (Marguerite MacIntyre) and Damon had an early team-up. Caroline (Candice Accola) and Matt (Zach Roerig) grew closer romantically. Lastly, Jenna’s (Sara Canning) ex-boyfriend Logan (Chris Johnson) showed up as a vampire, only to be killed by Alaric, who proved to be a formidable foe for vampires.

5 162 Candles (Episode 8) – 8.5

The final entry to earn an 8.5 rating. “162 Candles” is a beloved episode in The Vampire Diaries history because it introduced fans to Lexi (Arielle Kebbel). She arrived as Stefan’s best friend to celebrate his birthday with him. The character made an instant impact.

Lexi returned for several episodes later on due to her popularity. This episode also featured heartbreak, as Damon staked Lexi to kill her, framing her as the town’s vampire and absolving himself of any suspicion. It was certainly one of Damon’s more awful acts.

4 Lost Girls (Episode 6) – 8.6

If “You’re Undead To Me” was the first really good episode of the series, then the follow-up, “Lost Girls,” was the first to be great. With Elena having an idea of what Stefan is, he sat her down and explained it all. That meant fans got the flashbacks they were clamoring for.

Along with the history and the first look at Katherine in the past, there were interesting things happening in the present. Damon killed Vicki after feeding her his blood, turning her into a vampire. It was a brutal twist that threw a huge wrench into everything going on.

3 Fool Me Once (Episode 14) – 8.7

The relationship between Anna and Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) was quickly becoming one of the best in the series. So, it was pretty surprising to find out that the person who kidnapped Elena in “Fool Me Once” was Anna. It was done to get the Grimoire from Stefan to free her mother from the tomb.

This all led to the big moment where the tomb was opened, with Anna going to great lengths to rescue her mother. Although they intended on leaving most of the vampires inside, some of them got to the blood and escaped. The biggest twist was that Katherine was never in there, meaning she had been free for over a century and never came to see Damon.

2 Let The Right One In (Episode 17) – 8.8

Named after a vampire film, “Let The Right One In” marked the first time that a fan-favorite thing happened. It saw Damon and Alaric work together to take down the tomb vampires after they captured and tortured Stefan. Their friendship went on to arguably be the best in the entire series.

A major focus of this installment was again Anna and Jeremy. He wanted her to turn him into a vampire. She was about to agree to do it, only to realize that the only reason he wanted it was to try and find Vicki, so she declined. The big ending saw Stefan get addicted to human blood again.

1 Founder’s Day (Episode 22) – 9.2

If there’s one thing that The Vampire Diaries usually got right, it was their season finales. “Founder’s Day” brought every storyline together for one epic conclusion during the Founder’s Day parade. With everyone dressed up in period outfits, Elena looked even more like Katherine. The Gilbert device was set off, even affecting Tyler (Michael Trevino), giving a major hint that he was a werewolf.

There was tons of action as Stefan, Damon, Elena, and Bonnie fought back to survive it all. There was also heartbreak, as Anna was killed. The ending was the true highlight, though. Jenna caught Elena kissing Damon, only for the audience to find that it wasn’t Elena. Katherine was back and she stabbed John in the stomach, just as the real Elena was coming home.

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