Vampire Diaries Wrote Itself Into a Corner With 'Bigger Older Badder' Problem

While the CW supernatural show received high praise, even its fans couldn't ignore certain aspects of the writing that detracted from the overall enjoyment of the series.

One significant issue was the portrayal of the show's villains.

Vampire Diaries fans pointed out that the show suffered from a 'bigger, older, badder' problem, constantly raising the stakes and introducing villains who were more ancient and evil than previous antagonists.

Although raising the stakes is important, the execution in The Vampire Diaries often led to plot holes and diminished the impact of earlier characters.

Additionally, the heightened focus on the villains' evil nature sometimes made them feel two-dimensional and uninspired, detracting from the season's overall quality.

Let's look at some examples.

In the first season, the main antagonist was Damon Salvatore, who later became a protagonist and a fan favourite. Season 2 introduced several memorable villains, such as Katherine Pierce and Klaus.

According to fans, while these villains were impressive in their wickedness, Klaus was ultimately ruined as a character.

Initially presented as the strongest vampire and a potential final boss, the vampire-werewolf hybrid was given redeeming qualities and storylines, such as a love affair with Caroline.

However, the introduction of The Originals weakened Klaus as a character, and his ultimate demise at the hands of the Mystic Falls crew drove the final nail in his coffin.

From then on, with a few exceptions, the villains became stronger, more menacing, older, and less memorable. Characters like Silas, Markos and the Travelers, Sybil and the Sirens, Cade as the devil and creator of Hell, and Katherine returning as the Queen of Hell failed to impress.

Fans would have preferred smart, well-developed minor villains over repetitive showdowns with increasingly powerful ancient forces.