Werewolves, vampires and witches- we have heard about them all but producers like Julie Plec decided to take this a step further by bending the rules of the supernatural world when they wrote the first script for The Vampire Diaries spin-off: The Originals.

The series goes on side by side with the vampire diaries and revolves around the Original vampires. Yes, you read that right, it is about the vampires from whom the bloodlines begin. We all have heard of hybrids: creatures having two sets of DNA, but what is truly mind-boggling about this sitcom is the introduction of Tribrids. Again, you read that right.

The series follows vampire-werewolf hybrid Klaus Michaelson (played by actor Joseph Morgan) who arrives in New Orleans to take back his kingdom only to realize that it’s been taken over by his protégé Marcel Gerard (played by actor Charles Michael Davis). Elijah Michaelson (played by actor Daniel Gillies) and their sister Rebekah Michaelson (played by actress Claire Holt) follow suit, one continuing to seek redemption for his brother and the other simply looking for love to fill her immortal life. Add in other already introduced characters from TVD like Hailey Marshal, a miracle baby and you have got yourself a sizzling storyline. The Michaelson family once had ruled over New Orleans and now they are here to take back what is theirs. And so begins the most epic game of chess filled with action, humour, heartbreak, schemes and surprises. And as Klaus, quite dramatically, puts it, “Every King needs an heir.”

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This series has everything one could ask for. Action-packed scenes? Check. Humour that has you rolling on the floor laughing? Check. British accents? Check. Good looking men? Double check. Despite all that, the one thing that drew me to binge watch this series was the bond between the Michaelson family. The series is built upon the saying, “Family is power” and it remains true to its root throughout the five seasons. The siblings, before turning into the first vampires to walk the earth, promised each other “Always and forever” and now centuries later they still uphold that promise, and that is the purest message a show can send to its viewers. I not only fell in love with the theme but also the writing. Being the literature enthusiast that I am, I was hooked onto this series because of the Shakespearean themes that the writers incorporated into it. Every season has something new, something refreshing, something we have never seen before. The writers cleverly managed to find loopholes in our reality and decided to shatter it by giving us a spectacular show.

The actors and actresses playing the different, complex characters do a commendable job. Although some may argue, my favourite will always be Elijah Michaelson just because he is a monster, as well as a gentleman. And that is what this series mostly revolves around. There is no right or wrong, and the good is deliciously bad. One cannot seem to label anyone as the villain or the hero because there are none. The icing on the cake, however, are the cameos made by various Vampire Diaries characters like Stefan Salvatore, Caroline Forbes, Alaric Saltzman, Tyler Lockwood and so many more, so if there are any TVD fans out there feeling nostalgic, trust me you might want to see this.

The very idea that all the vampire bloodlines start from these five siblings, and killing one of them means killing the whole bloodline, is just out of this world – literally. But this only adds on to the series marvelousness. This means that not only is the Michaelson family at the top of the food chain but they are also indestructible. Family is from where this series begins and family is where this series ends, and I find that truly remarkable.

Author: NAIMA KHAN
Editor: ZAHRA SAEED AHMED