Elena struggles with her new vampire instincts and sire bond. Main Villain: Silas and Professor Shane.
Vicki Donovan turns into a vampire; the tomb vampires escape. Season 2 (22 Episodes)
The history of the Originals is revealed; Elena turns into a vampire. Season 4 (23 Episodes)
Damon and Enzo are mind-controlled by an ancient evil.
Start after completing Season 4 of the main show. Seasons: 4 Seasons Focus: Hope Mikaelson at the Salvatore Boarding School. When to Watch: Start after completing both previous shows.
The question of how many seasons The Vampire Diaries has is answered simply with the number eight. However, the significance of that number goes far beyond a mere statistic. For the dedicated fanbase known as "TVDFamily," eight seasons represent 171 episodes of a cultural phenomenon that defined supernatural television for a generation.