Vampire Diaries' 5 Most Skippable Episodes: Why Fans Just Can't Handle Them
Either because they were too cringe-worthy or too heartbreaking, fans skip these Vampire Diaries episodes on rewatch.
Though The Vampire Diaries has become a pop culture hit and gained millions of fans worldwide over its seven-season run, its ratings show that The CW's supernatural series has declined in quality over time. The series' average viewership, which reached as high as 3.60 million viewers in Season 1, dropped by half by the finale, with many fans complaining about the overall decreased quality of the last two seasons.
Let's take a look at which episodes were the worst and most likely to be skipped on a rewatch, according to long-time viewers.
Bring It On (S4E16)
Many fans prefer to skip the episodes after Elena became a vampire and got together with Damon in Season 4. Her trashy attitude towards Stefan and the whole situation made many people hate the main female character. This was especially evident in the episode 'Bring It On' when Elena rejoined the cheerleading squad and threw a party where she got into an ugly fight.
What Lies Beneath (S5E20)
Fans note that the writing for the show went downhill after Season 4 and find the entire Season 5 rather hard to watch. In many of its plots and subplots, it really is the 'let's see what sticks' kind of season. Amnesia, doppelgangers, Augustines, Enzo, Silas, Qetsiyah, Passengers, Travelers, Aaron, and many other dubious character and plot decisions — the showrunners just seemed to get too carried away.
But choosing just one episode to skip in Season 5, many fans name 'What Lies Beneath,' where the Mystic Falls gang goes to a cabin in the woods. Their stupid decisions in that episode just don't sit well with viewers.
500 Years of Solitude (S5E11)
One of the most cringe-worthy storylines of Season 5 and the entire series started when Katherine took control of Elena's body in '500 Years of Solitude.' The possession was so obvious that many viewers were embarrassed by the ignorance of the Mystic Falls gang.
You Made a Choice to Be Good (S8E11)
Going from cringe-worthy to heartbreaking, Enzo's death in Season 8 caused many fans to skip that episode when rewatching. Enzo and Bonnie's sweet relationship had just begun to blossom when Stefan ripped Enzo's heart out and killed him. Bonnie's reaction to seeing the love of her life taken from her was too soul-wrenching for many viewers.
I Was Feeling Epic (S8E16)
The series finale is widely considered difficult to watch, in part because of its cheesy atmosphere and off-putting chemistry between Elena and Damon and also because of a few questionable writing choices. And of course, fans find it genuinely distressing to see Stefan sacrifice his life for the good of Mystic Falls and his brother.