The Vampire Diaries is a fan-favorite teen supernatural series that has won many awards and has spawned two spin-offs: The Originals and Legacies. With the series seeing such stratospheric success, casual fans would be forgiven for not realizing that TVD is loosely based on the book of the same name by L. J. Smith. However, it's important to know that the book and the TV show vary in many different ways.
The novel series was originally published in the early '90s and the TV series wasn't created until 2009. This is one main factor in the changes made in the show, and Reddit s are in agreement that the on-screen portrayal outshines the novel series for various reasons. Whether changing main character arcs or the series's mythology, these are the reasons Reddit s think The Vampire Diaries show is far better than the book series.
The Characters Are More Dimensional
The characters in the book are very different than the ones portrayed on-screen. Redditor ScreenHype goes as far as saying the book characters are "one-dimensional and unlikable." From main characters to smaller ones, fans definitely see more compelling character arcs on the show.
From Klaus becoming one of the main characters instead of solely a villain to Bonnie being a witch and not a druid, fans far prefer the show's characters and relationships that keep getting better and better over time. In particular, ScreenHype goes on to say that in the book, "there's no chemistry whatsoever between Elena and the Salvatores." It's undeniable that the show would be lacking without the underrated Damon and Eleana moments or the love between her and Stefan.
Aunt Jenna Vs. Aunt Judith
The book's Aunt Jenna was actually Aunt Judith and she had a very different dynamic with Elena and the rest of the characters. Aunt Judith was portrayed as an older lady with a more stable love life which resulted in a more stable life for Elenas and her sibling.
Reddit kellymb14 says that, despite Aunt Judith perhaps being able to give Elena a more stable home life, "Aunt Jenna was a better choice for the show," particularly in of her relationship with Jeremy. On top of this, Aunt Jenna's dating life enabled her to be involved in more of the show's drama, as she was continually sucked into the supernatural world.
Better Writing Overall
The change from book to TV allowed for the plot to change drastically, which is a huge positive in many fans' eyes. In fact, Reddit vynsun states that the books are "very bad" and read "like some bad fanfiction." The TV series, however, had everything fans wanted: drama, plot twists, and romance galore.
Reddit sapphicsato said Smith had a weird obsession with reminding readers that Elana had beautiful blonde hair and blue eyes on every other page. The said, "I actually read quite a few of the books before the show came out but I gave up on them because the writing is… bad, to put it lightly." The TV show kept fans hooked all throughout and always had an element of surprise.
Alaric Is More Prominent
Alaric is barely a part of the books. In fact, throughout most of the book series, Alaric is away and not seen. On TV, he was far more prominent as a vampire hunter, Damon's friend, and eventually an enhanced original vampire through Esther's magic.
With Alaric becoming a more complex and involved character, it allowed for the story arc to be more successful as well. Reddit kellymb14 exemplifies many fans feelings in saying "I LOVE show Alaric." Alaric also continued on in Legacies as a huge asset with his daughters Lizzie and Josie.
Caroline Isn't Elena's Enemy
One big, positive difference from the books is the fact Elena and Caroline were friends and not enemies. When discussing differences Reddit sapphicsato points out that in the book "Elena's friends were Bonnie and Meredith and Caroline was her enemy." However, in the show Caroline and Elena's friendship was dynamic and although they had rough patches, they always remained close in the end.
Book Caroline was so jealous of Elena and her popularity that their rivalry was basically a deal-breaker for their friendship. There is, of course, also the Stefan drama which made Caroline even more resentful of Elena and evil in the books. Although there are most popular TVD characters.
Jeremy Instead Of Margaret
There was no Jeremy in the books. Adding in Jeremy's character plays a significant role in making the show better. In the books, Elena had a much younger 4-year-old sister, Margaret, who hardly ever appeared. Not only could having such a young sibling cause more work for Elena but the younger sibling also couldn't have had any part in the supernatural world.
In the show, Elena and Jeremy had a very special bond and his character went through many story arcs and was dynamic to the show and relationships. Reddit kellymb14 said, "I definitely choose the show's sibling. In fact, I think Elena's family dynamic is much better in the show than the books."
The Portrayal Of Klaus
In the books, Klaus is the only original and he's a much older man. There is no Elijah, no Kohl, and no Rebekah. Not only does Klaus not have siblings, but he was also just a one-shot bad guy in the books, meaning he's not particularly memorable.
Reddit one of TVD's best villains, and the story was greatly improved by his increased presence.
Elena's Character Is Far Better
In the books, Elena was the mean, popular girl who was selfish and vain. In the show, her personality is completely different. In fact, book Elena is far more like the very sociable but compulsively self-centered Caroline Forbes the show introduces in season one.
In the book, Elena also goes through a rebirth of sorts. Reddit vynsun said, "In the next book she suddenly can't speak and floats and has wings and communicates via telepathy. It's really cringeworthy." Fans unanimously agree that Elena's character and her development are far better in the TV series than in the book.
Better Mythology
The TV show creates a much more cohesive mythology throughout the seasons than the books did. The show focuses mainly on vampires, werewolves, and witches while the books there was a slew of mythical beings like shape-shifting foxes, demons feeding off emotions, and phantoms. Overall, fans are happy that these mythical creatures were omitted.
Reddit living_vicariously argues that the mythology in the book was disted and the show made more sense. The said, "Not that the show always makes sense, but some of the stuff in the books is just absurd. The show took the concepts that were good (human girl, two vampire brothers, Katherine, and Klaus) and fleshed out and improved them." It is important in a TV show to have a more cohesive storyline that makes sense throughout for fans, and it certainly worked wonders for TVD.
Katherine Is More Relevant And Likeable
There are many differences in the TV version of Katherine which make her character far more enjoyable and relevant. The entire plot of the Katherine/Elena feud is altered from book to TV as in the book they were actually half-siblings but in the show Katherine was Elena's evil doppelgänger. Katherine was also much more short-lived in the books.
Reddit kellymb14 said "Katherine is a love/hate relationship kinda girl in the show, but in the books.. not so much." They go on to explain that in the first two books, where Katherine appears, they personally feel that "Katherine was show Elena and Elena was show Katherine." Without Katherine as one of the main characters, the series would have been much less fun and suspenseful. She was easily one of the best and most crucial characters in The Vampire Diaries.