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Blame it on Ian Somerhalder’s smoldering charisma and dangerously alluring bad-boy persona, that fans wanted more of him to appear onscreen. But who knew audiences’ thirst for the sizzling hot Damon Salvatore would ruin showrunner Julie Plec’s original plan forThe Vampire Diaries?
Well, apparently fans’ daddy issues towards Ian Somerhalder seemingly derailed the entire plot forThe Vampire Diaries. According to Julie Plec, the original plan was to keep Damon and Elena apart. However, as Somerhalder’s Damon turned up the heat, fans went wild for a love story that the writers never intended to ignite. What followed was a deliciously tangled web of fan obsession and creative maneuvering.
The Vampire DiariesShowrunner Reflected on the Onscreen Couples
In the electrifying world ofThe Vampire Diaries,showrunner Julie Plec seemingly made sure to bring in deliciously twisted steamy romances and dark intrigue, to entertain audiences. But who knew that Plec actually had little to no control over the unexpected romantic entanglements between the fan-favorite characters? Well, according to the showrunner’s interview withTHR, Plec noted how the majority of her decisions were based on fans’ choices and perhaps a bit on Ian Somerhalder.
“I had to fight tooth and nail”: Ian Somerhalder Threw Away Vampire Diaries’ Script Thinking It Was Just Another Twilight Knockoff
Shedding light on how she gave birth to multiple onscreen couples fromThe Vampire Diaries, who became fan favorites, Julie Plec explained the process behind building successful onscreen relationships. According to Plec, the process involves “equal parts math, chemistry and then, fan reaction”. Beginning with Stefan and Caroline, for example, Plec mentioned how she had to change the course of their relationship after Klaus entered the show. Plec noted that Klaus and Caroline’s romance was based on fans’ demands.
Building a successful relationship on television is equal parts math, chemistry, and then, fan reaction. I decided at the end of season two that eventually Stefan and Caroline would be getting together and that this was the beginning of a long, long, long, long arc for them. I didn’t care how long it took, if it took five years, that the show would end with them together.
And then literally one season later, Klaus comes along and without any of us doing anything, other than Rebecca Sonnenshine writing a really great monologue, Klaus, all of a sudden, the chemistry between those two was so palpable that it almost completely derailed the plan to get her and Stefan together.
Fans had always had mixed feelings about Stefan and Caroline’s relationship, especially since Stefan never appeared to love Caroline as much as he had loved Elena. Therefore, Stefan and Caroline’s lack of chemistry became the biggest complaint among viewers. Meanwhile, although their love story drove the plot of the final few seasons, it was Klaus and Caroline’s romance that became one of, if not, the, most popular relationships inThe Vampire Diariesuniverse.
Ian Somerhalder’s Smirk Ruined Julie Plec’s Plans for Damon and Elena
Well, according to Julie Plec, this is how fans ofThe Vampire Diariesinfluenced the plot and the fate of the characters. But thenIan Somerhalder’s Damon Salvatore became quite the exception when it came to influencing the plot. In a stunning revelation, the showrunner reflected on how Somerhalder’s irresistible charm and a sprinkle of bad-boy allure kept audiences on the edge of their seats and forced the writers to adapt their vision in the most unexpected ways.
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Apparently, unlike how Stefan and Caroline’s relationship arc was changed and molded for fans, Julie Plec had straightforwardplans for Damon and Elena. Damon was to remain the dark, brooding anti-hero, with no expectations of a romantic reunion with Elena Gilbert. However, as fate (and Ian Somerhalder’s smoldering gaze) would have it, audiences had other ideas. They surprisingly wanted Damon and Elena to end up together.
Worse is when the audience decides that Damon and Elena need to be together and no matter what we did as writers to try to convince them otherwise, by making him worse and meaner and more murderous and more despicable, they just wanted it more.
And so then we are trying to catch up to them and figure out how to give them what they want without giving them what they want because the minute you give them what they want, the show’s over. So then had to figure out all those things.
The more Damon misbehaved—racking up bad boy points, indulging in murderous escapades—the more the fan base craved a redemptive love story. Although Julie Plec had imagined that turningIan Somerhalder’s Damoninto the very definition of despicable would serve their purpose, it was exactly this diabolical demeanor that led fans to fall head over heels for him. And thus, the writers found themselves in a predicament as precarious as a vampire caught in sunlight.
Julie Plec and her team had to navigate the treacherous waters of fan expectations while still trying to preserve the essence of their original story arc. The task was Herculean, as the showrunner wanted to give the fans what they desired without making it seem like they got it.
The Vampire Diariesis currently available to watch on Netflix.
Krittika Mukherjee
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3217
Krittika Mukherjee is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on films, TV shows, and celebrity news with over 3,000 articles published. With an educational background in Journalism, and a keen interest in filmmaking, Krittika blends factual precision with creative flair, when crafting her editorials, or dissecting fan theories.Her coverage often includes news and analyses of critically acclaimed films, celebrity news, and franchises like the Wizarding World, LOTR, DC, and MCU—particularly Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts, Superheroes, and fan theories. As a Wizarding World aficionado, Krittika has spent countless hours exploring hidden backstories, unadapted book moments, spells, and trivias surrounding J.K. Rowling’s lore.An imaginative writer with a way with words, Krittika has worked as an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a web content writer for a year. She brought her experience and expertise to FandomWire to pursue her desire for sipping coffee while dissecting films and tracking celebrity drama.
