The Vampire Diaries Best Seasons, Ranked By IMDb Average

During its run, there weren’t many shows more popular than The Vampire Diaries. Sure, others had more weekly viewers on average but those who loved this series were a loyal bunch who still talk about and rewatch it to this day, even years after it ended. Of course, as is the case with almost every show in history, there are some eras that stand out above the rest.

For the most part, The Vampire Diaries got off to a strong start. Thanks to complex characters, great world-building, and scene-stealing villains, the best seasons of Vampire Diaries are the first few that aired. Some feel the quality worsened over time but that might not actually be the case when looking at the average episode ratings on IMDb.

8 Season 5 (8.2)

It might come as a surprise to many fans to find season 5 at the bottom of the list. It included the show’s 100th episode, “500 Years of Solitude,” which was liked by most viewers (8.6), and a finale, “Home,” which was another tremendous installment (9.0). However, there is indeed a reason why the quality fell a bit during this era.

One of the best things The Vampire Diaries did was add characters like Klaus, Rebekah, and Elijah to the story. By the time this season rolled around, they moved over to their own spin-off in The Originals. Without them around, the show was missing some flair and charisma. The Whitmore College storylines lacked and the Travelers weren’t the most interesting of villains. However, there was a lot of Damon and Elena love for fans of that relationship.

7 Season 6 (8.2)

Season 6 certainly marked a change for the series. Bonnie and Damon were in a unique situation as they were trapped in a time loop that they discovered was actually a prison world, while Alaric was having to cope with being a vampire. The real kicker came right at the end. With Nina Dobrev departing the show, a storyline was written where Elena was put into a cursed sleep linked to Bonnie’s life, meaning she wouldn’t return until Bonnie died.

Ultimately, Kai made for a pretty good villain who was truly detestable. There was also the introduction of Lily, Stefan and Damon’s mother, and characters like Jo, who went on to marry Alaric. The more prominent role for Enzo and the uptick in the romantic drama between Caroline and Stefan was also appreciated.

6 Season 7 (8.3)

Due to the events of the season 6 finale, season 7 was wildly different. For the entire run to this point, Elena was the centerpiece of the series. Without Dobrev around, it meant that the whole dynamic had to change. It allowed for the Salvatores to become the two main characters and really shined a light on their relationship.

The season also delivered a pretty fun crossover with The Originals that brought back the popular Klaus for an appearance. Damon was unhinged for a while due to the loss of Elena, Enzo’s romance with Bonnie really got going, and Lily’s second family also came to the forefront as highlights of the season.

5 Season 1 (8.4)

At first, it seemed like The Vampire Diaries was uncertain of what it wanted to be as the early episodes tried too hard to rely on cheap jump scares. Right around episode 6, “Lost Girls,” (8.6) things kicked up a notch. That dove into the history of the Salvatores with Katherine and saw Elena find out the truth about vampires. From that point on, the season didn’t let up in the slightest.

Elena’s romance with Stefan blossomed as Damon still grew closer, while fantastic guest characters like Anna, Alaric, and Lexi made their inaugural appearances. As the season progressed, it only got better, building up the lore of the series and fleshing out the characters. It ended on a breathtaking cliffhanger where Katherine returned to modern times to throw a wrench into everyone’s plans.

4 Season 8 (8.4)

Vampire Diaries’ final season faced some serious issues. It had to live up to the history of the series and deliver an epic finale despite the quality being on a bit of a downturn. A lot of fans weren’t big on the storyline involving Sybil, while Cade wasn’t a major improvement as a villain.

However, the show succeeded when it came to things like Stefan’s arc and Enzo’s shocking death. What made it all work so well was the final few episodes. The show ended with storylines that were really intriguing and the finale sent off everyone with exactly the endings they deserved, all while being emotional.

3 Season 4 (8.6)

It makes perfect sense that the best seasons of Vampire Diaries were the ones to prominently feature the Mikaelsons. The original vampires made for fantastic villains while also being among the most entertaining characters that the series ever came up with. Klaus, Rebekah, and Elijah were part of some of the show’s best storylines, including in season four, which featured the backdoor pilot to their eventual spin-off.

Though they were around, the main villain for a lot of this was Silas and even with the twist that he was Stefan’s doppelgånger, he was the worst baddie the show had seen to this point. Of course, the biggest topic for season four was the fact that Elena was now a vampire and she had to deal with that, as well as her rapidly developing feelings for Damon. This was also the start of the Caroline and Klaus romance angle.

2 Season 3 (8.7)

A difficult thing to do when a show features 22 episodes in a season is to have a tie. Yet, that’s just what seasons 2 and 3 of The Vampire Diaries did. Each season scored the exact same average rating. Season 3 really gave the audience a dose of Klaus and introduced more of the original family. He proved to be a terrifying and fantastic antagonist.

Stefan spent a lot of the season as a “ripper” again at Klaus’s side, which truly tested the bond between himself and Elena. Going deeper into the origins of Klaus and his family helped to really build out the rest of the lore in the series. A lot of great guests from the past returned as well. To top it off, the season 3 finale, “The Departed” (9.5) is one of the best episodes ever done.

1 Season 2 (8.7)

Tied with season 3 was the second in the show’s history. It immediately stood out because Katherine had arrived in modern-day Mystic Falls and caused havoc. It showcased just how this series was going to be paced the rest of the way, constantly moving along, advancing storylines, and bringing excitement around every turn.

The Katherine arc delivered tremendous episodes like “The Return” (8.9) and “Masquerade” (9.1). New characters like Rose and Eliah made immediate impacts, while others like Tyler became more prominent due to his werewolf arc. The final two episodes, “The Sun Also Rises” (9.1) and “As I Lay Dying” (9.0) wrapped things up in dramatic fashion and put the spotlight on Klaus.

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