The Vampire Diaries is Really Good - No Joke!

Unless you've been hiding under a rock the past couple of years, you're at least aware of the vampire phenomenon that's taken over. Just like the boyband craze of the 90s, it's everywhere, from tv to movies to books. Well, except for the fact that these vampires stories aren't just for kids - they seem to resonate with ladies of all ages. I credit this, not to the (very poorly written but somehow very addictive) Twilight books, but to cult classic of the last decade: Buffy the Vampire Slayer. You see, that's when vampires in pop culture shifted from being evil, one-sided creatures, to conflicted characters we could actually relate to. Like Angel (Buffy) and Brad Pitt (Interview with the Vampire), we loved them for always being in constant turmoil with their nonexistent souls. Just like we love a bad boy trying to be good.

Anyway, when you move aside all the gorgeous faces (and bodies!) in Twilight, minus Kristen Stewart's constant scowl and mumbling, there's nothing left besides author Stephanie Meyer's message of abstinence and avoiding temptation of the 'forbidden fruit'. Like, we get it, you can't have sex before marriage. If you do, you'll die. Well not quite, but that's how she puts it.

But whether you're Team Edward or Team Jacob, or in my case, Team Eric (True Blood), there are ways to get your Vampire fix without feeling like you're twelve years old. I've already raved about True Blood, but those without cable can still get their fix from The Vampire Diaries.

I'm not even joking when I say that The Vampire Diaries is a quality piece of supernatural television, right there in between the raunchy masterpiece of True Blood and the teenybopper crap-fest of Twilight. Now in it's second season, each episode is gripping from beginning to end, with vampires, werewolves and witches that seem to blend their supernatural lives with high school quite seamlessly.

It's compellingly witty, and each character is conflicted and colourful, (and not bad to look at either), with enough young men (and women) around to satisfy your need for both good boys and bad boys!