This is the Moment Vampire Diaries Went Downhill, Only to Never Recover

At one time we all loved to get lost in the supernatural world of The Vampire Diaries, right? As a super compelling teen drama series on The CW, where vampires and witches fought against all sorts of creepy threats, very few could resist those first couple of seasons.

They were dark and twisted, and most of all, completely addictive.

When did it all go wrong?

Let's face it, after an undeniably great first three seasons, things started to feel a little off in the world of Vampire Diaries. Even the most devoted fans, had to admit that the magic was fading. The show that had once been so gripping week to week, just wasn't the same anymore, it was becoming more superficial, less about the tension building and exciting plots and more about throwing in new bad guys to be defeated every other episode.

Everyone has their own opinion, but the general consensus is that season three was the absolute high point, but also the point where The Vampire Diaries definitely lost its bite. Season four was the beginning of a slippery slope. With each new season, the show lost a little more of its edge, and for some, it was just too much to bear.

But why did The Vampire Diaries take such a nosedive after season three?

Fans believe they have the answer. It seems that the showrunners got a little too ambitious. They kept trying to outdo themselves, raising the stakes season after season. There was the main threat of season two, the Originals, then there was Alaric, the uber-powerful vampire who could only be killed by killing Elena. That was pretty intense stuff and seemed to set a precedent for the show going forward. Yet when Silas discovered a loophole for killing immortals in season four, it felt like they'd pushed it too far. The stakes couldn't get any higher, and without that tension, the remaining seasons felt like a bit of a drag.

Another major loss for the show was the departure of co-creator and co-producer Kevin Williamson after season three. Williamson is a genius when it comes to horror writing, and he brought a unique eerie vibe to the series. However, once he was gone, it seemed like the show just didn't quite know how to scare us in the same way anymore.

It has to be said, though, that despite the dip in quality after season three, there are still some gems in the later seasons. Some episodes are still worth a watch and the spin off series another opportunity to delve into the dark and mysterious world of the Vampires.