When people think of The Originals, the first word that comes to mind is most definitely vampires, but this show has so much more to offer than just vampire drama.
When The Vampire Diaries premiered on the CW in the fall of 2009, the vampire craze was in its heyday. True Blood was impressing the HBO crowd, Twilight had seduced the teenage fangirls, and vampires were popping up left and right in just about every medium available. While The Vampire Diaries may have suffered from some of the same romantic woes that all vampire shows tend to have, The Originals has broken the mold.
Vampires have long been the supernatural equivalent of passion, lust, and love. It’s been a long time since a supernatural drama had a focus other than that. Yes, The Originals has romance, as any decent drama nowadays does, but there are so many other things this show has going for it.
Klaus and Elijah
The Mikaelson family has enough drama all on their own without infusing love and relationship drama into the mix. The tension between Klaus and his brother Elijah has grounded the show from the start. Elijah has always believed in Klaus’ redemption, and in two and a half seasons of the show, that is still a factor. There have been moments when it seemed all hope was lost, and Klaus had finally gone too far, but (so far) they’ve always found their way back.
Marcel’s place in the Mikaelson family
Klaus has always viewed Marcel as a son or brother, someone he has brought up in his image. When The Originals began, we saw that in the absence of the Mikaelson family, Marcel had set himself up quite nicely in his city. The ongoing power struggle between Klaus, who wants to regain control, and Marcel, who wants to have some sort of say in his own afterlife, has always been a fascinating battle to watch.
Davina’s search for her place
Davina’s story has been one of the most compelling of the show from the very beginning. She began as a prisoner in an attic, whose only friend was Marcel Girard, her captor. What could have easily been a tragic case of Stockholm syndrome turned into a relationship full of familial affection. Hers and Marcel’s bond is nearly unshakeable. Despite her loyalty to the witches, she has still not written him off permanently.
The O’Connells
We haven’t gotten the full story on what exactly it was that got the O’Connells all twisted up in this horrific supernatural world. We know about the hex put on Cami’s brother, and we saw the horror show that was what happened to her Uncle Kieran. Cami’s fate has yet to be decided, but she can’t seem to untwist herself from the New Orleans supernatural community. She may or may not be emotionally involved with Klaus, but she has yanked herself from his grip time and time again. Will she ever escape entirely, or will she remain forever entangled in the Mikaelson family drama?
There’s always Hope
Last, but certainly never least, is Hope Mikaelson. Hope may seem like just another unnatural complication in this crazy world full of magic and blood-drinkers and cursed werewolves, but she has introduced a whole new dynamic to the Mikaelsons. Not only does Klaus have someone else to care for, but he has someone that he cares about more than himself. That’s a feat we never thought possible.
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