The Vampire Diaries has been a smash hit fan favorite for six seasons now, but as we head into the seventh season, we can’t help but wonder if it could be the final chapter.
Yes, there’s still a ton of viewers who worship at the altar of Damon and Stefan and we’ve all been champing at the bit for the show to return — especially since the sexy teaser featuring a naked Ian Somerhalder debuted — but there are some serious signs that the future of The Vampire Diaries could be in jeopardy.
1. No more Elena
This is the glaringly obvious reason. For six seasons, the plot of TVD centered on Elena’s romantic entanglements as well as her struggle to live a normal life. Yes, the show has introduced a variety of characters over the years that keep us entertained, but it’s going to be darn near impossible to fill the Elena void. Storylines will suffer, and it’s possible viewers will be lost.
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2. The One Tree Hill effect
Remember when we lost Keith, Karen, Deb, Whitey, Peyton and Lucas on OTH? With each actor’s departure, our heart ached a little more, and every time someone left, the storylines starting getting more and more outlandish. James Lafferty/Nathan was barely in Season 9, and by the time the show was over, we were begging for it to be put out if its misery.
While it hasn’t happened to The Vampire Diaries yet, we’re hoping that Nina Dobrev‘s exit doesn’t cause a snowball effect this season, especially since a real solid reason for her leaving was never given, except that she wanted to move on. It’s pure speculation, but Somerhalder and Paul Wesley might not be far behind.
3. The seventh-season itch
The Golden Girls. Mad Men. The West Wing. True Blood. Burn Notice. Rules of Engagement. What do all these programs have in common besides the fact that they were wildly popular shows? That’s right, they were canceled after seven seasons.
It’s like the television world’s version of the 27 Club.
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4. It’s got some stiff competition
Fellow CW shows like Arrow and The Flash have really taken on some steam and stolen some thunder from The Vampire Diaries. TVD is also going up against Grey’s Anatomy in the same Thursday night time slot, as well as the new NBC supernatural program Heroes Reborn, which has created quite a bit of buzz. Could spell trouble for ratings.
5. Somerhalder seems nervous
In the caption of an Instagram picture he posted on the day of Season 7’s premiere, Somerhalder all but begs his fans to watch TVD live. It’s totally plausible that nontraditional forms of viewing have also dinged the show’s ratings, and even some of the cast is privy to an imminent cancellation if things don’t look up soon.
6. The vampire hype is petering out
When TVD, True Blood and Twilight first happened on the scene, vampires weren’t mainstreaming yet, but that changed quickly. The vamps ushered in a new era of werewolves, fairies, shape-shifters and demons, but have the other supes pushed out the bloodsuckers? Oversaturation of the vampire market led to a backlash, and audiences seem to be gravitating to other characters.
7. We don’t want it to go
And sometimes the harder you hold on to something, the more liable it is to leave you.
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