Complete The Vampire Diaries Universe Watch Order Guide – Easily Rewatch Series

If you’ve grown up watching various teen dramas like me, there’s a high chance you still have a soft spot for The CW’s popular teenage fantasy, The Vampire Diaries. With two spinoffs and one primary series, it might be overwhelming for a beginner to jump into the Mystic Falls.

But don’t worry. Whether you’re a beginner, an ex-teenager wanting to dive into some nostalgia, or a fan who simply wants to rewatch the franchise, this article is for you.

The Vampire Diaries Universe collectively refers to the original CW series, The Vampire Diaries, along with its two spinoffs, The Originals and The Legacies. The Vampire Diaries ran from September 10, 2009, to March 10, 2017, with 171 episodes over eight seasons.

1. What order to watch vampire diaries, the originals and legacies?

The recommended way to watch Vampire Diaries, The Originals and Legacies in order is by following the chronological order:

• The Vampire Diaries – Season One (2009 – 2010)
• The Vampire Diaries – Season Two (2010 – 2011)
• The Vampire Diaries – Season Three (2011 – 2012)
• The Vampire Diaries – Season Four (2012 – 2013)
• The Vampire Diaries – Season Five (2013 – 2014)
• The Originals – Season One (2013 – 2014)
• The Vampire Diaries – Season Six (2014 – 2015)
• The Originals – Season Two (2014 – 2015)
• The Vampire Diaries – Season Seven (2015 – 2016)
• The Originals – Season Three (2015 – 2016)
• The Vampire Diaries – Season Eight (2016 – 2017)
• The Originals – Season Four (2017)
• The Originals – Season Five (2018)
• Legacies – Season One (2018 – 2019)
• Legacies – Season Two (2019 – 2020)
• Legacies – Season Three (2021)
• Legacies – Season Four (2021 – 2022)

The order to watch the shows shared is as close to the chronological order as possible. Sometimes, you might see some slight discrepancies during crossovers because The Vampire Diaries and The Originals aired at the same time.

After Season 5 of The Vampire Diaries, The Originals ran simultaneously with TVD through Seasons 5 to 8. The Originals follows the story of Klaus Mikaelson and his siblings going through their own set of problems after their track in TVD is over.

The Legacies is a spinoff series set after the events of both The Vampire Diaries and The Originals. The series focuses on the life of Hope Mikaelson, the daughter of Klaus and Hailey.

In a way, it is a continuation of the saga of both its prequel shows. So, no matter which watch order you follow, The Legacies should be watched after you’re done with both The Vampire Diaries and The Originals.

2. How to Watch The Vampire Diaries Series in Release Order

The easiest and most basic watch order for the The Vampire Diaries universe is to follow the good old release order. If you’re a beginner, you could follow this order, especially since the other two shows are spinoffs of the original series.

• The Vampire Diaries Season 1 (2009–2010)
• The Vampire Diaries Season 2 (2010–2011)
• The Vampire Diaries Season 3 (2011–2012)
• The Vampire Diaries Season 4 (2012–2013)
• The Vampire Diaries Season 5 (2013–2014)
• The Vampire Diaries Season 6 (2014–2015)
• The Vampire Diaries Season 7 (2015–2016)
• The Vampire Diaries Season 8 (2016–2017)
• The Originals Season 1 (2013–2014)
• The Originals Season 2 (2014–2015)
• The Originals Season 3 (2015–2016)
• The Originals Season 4 (2017)
• The Originals Season 5 (2018)
• Legacies Season 1 (2018–2019)
• Legacies Season 2 (2019–2020)
• Legacies Season 3 (2021)
• Legacies Season 4 (2021–2022)

In this order, I haven’t considered specific seasons. Since The Originals premiered while The Vampire Diaries was airing, the episodes of the series have overlapped since TVD Season 5. Following the release order while also keeping every episode or season in mind might be a little complex for a beginner.

3. Frequently Asked Questions

i. What to watch first Vampire Diaries or The Originals or Legacies?

Ideally, you should follow the chronological order, which jumps in-between seasons of the various series. However, as a good rule of thumb, you should first watch The Vampire Diaries followed by The Originals and then Legacies.

ii. Is Vampire Diaries and The Originals and Legacies connected?

The Vampire Diaries and The originals are connected, which is also why it’s recommended to watch them in the chronological order. However, Legacies is a spinoff series set after the events of both The Vampire Diaries and The Originals.

iii. Is it ok to watch Legacies before Originals? Do I watch The Originals or the Legacies first?

It is not recommended to watch Legacies before watching The Originals or The Vampire Diaries. The Legacies is a spinoff series set after the events of both The Vampire Diaries and The Originals.

4. Runtime and Binge Duration

It will take you approximately 11 days 15 hours, and 40 minutes to completely watch the Vampire Diaries Universe including Vampire Diaries, The Originals and Legacies.

• The Vampire Diaries: 7 days 3 hours (171 hours)
• The Originals: 3 days 16 hours (88 hours)
• The Legacies: 1 day 20 hours 40 minutes (44 hours 40 minutes)

5. Where to Watch The Vampire Diaries Universe

All episodes of The Vampire Diaries, The Originals, and The Legacies are streaming on The CW. The Vampire Diaries and The Originals are also available to binge on Netflix.

6. About The Vampire Diaries

The Vampire Diaries is an American supernatural teen drama television series developed by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec, based on the book series of the same name written by L. J. Smith.

The series premiered on The CW on September 10, 2009, and concluded on March 10, 2017, having aired 171 episodes over eight seasons. It stars Ian Somerholder, Paul Wesley and Nina Dobrev in lead roles. 

The series is set in the fictional town of Mystic Falls, Virginia, a town charged with supernatural history. It follows the life of Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev), a teenage girl who has just lost both parents in a car accident, as she falls in love with a 162-year-old vampire named Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley). Their relationship becomes increasingly complicated as Stefan’s mysterious older brother Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder) returns to Mystic Falls.