One of the most popular and well-received shows in CW history was The Vampire Diaries. It ran for eight seasons, sparked the careers of some truly talented actors, and spawned two successful spin-offs because audiences just wanted to stay in the world they created. Most of the viewers who loved it miss it dearly. That desire to relive the series leads fans to rewatch their favorite moments.
Over eight seasons, there were many jaw-dropping moments that left fans' on edge. Exhilarating fight scenes, emotional character deaths, heartwarming romances, shocking plot twists... this series had it all. There are so many stellar highlights that it's difficult to pick which episodes to watch again.
Updated January 12th, 2022 by Kevin Pantoja: Although The Vampire Diaries has been off the air for several years at this point, it still remains immensely popular thanks to streaming services. Countless fans are either watching through all eight seasons again, while new audience are finding it for the first time and falling in love consistently. That's why it's great to look back through the history of the show and find the best Vampire Diaries episodes, which can be done by checking out the ratings on IMDb.
"The End Of The Affair" (Season 3, Episode 3) - 8.8
There are actually many episodes tied with an 8.8 rating, so the ones with the most reviews rank above the rest. "The End of the Affair" gets a high score due to the shift in storyline. This time audiences get a deeper look into Stefan's past as The Ripper. Klaus takes Stefan to Chicago to revive his sister Rebekah and hopes for Stefan to become his old evil self.
Memories show Stefan and Rebekah's short fling when Stefan would catalog his kills before Klaus wiped his memories of them. All the while, Caroline is taken prisoner and tortured by the council. This episode went a long way towards building the Stefan and Klaus relationship while also debuting a pivotal Original character.
"My Brother's Keeper" (Season 4, Episode 7) - 8.8
There's no question that fans of The Vampire Diaries adore the relationship between Klaus and Caroline. Though they never officially dated, their bond was intriguing and helped make each character more interesting. "My Brother's Keeper" was big for them as Klaus was Caroline's date for the Miss Mystic Falls Pageant.
The two opened up to each other in ways that the audience had never seen before. The installment was also pivotal for the Hunter's Mark storyline involving Jeremy and the runtime culminated with Elena and Damon having sex for the first time.
"Growing Pains" (Season 4, Episode 1) - 8.8
The finale of season 3 of The Vampire Diaries certainly ended with a bang. The show finally made the move to turn Elena into a vampire, which changed everything going forward. "Growing Pains" was the premiere of season 4 and dealt with the immediate fallout of Elena's turn.
That gave this some emotional weight as she struggled with becoming something that she never wanted to. There was also high drama involving Klaus and Rebekah, as well as the start of a new major storyline that proved to be a threat to all of the vampires in town.
"I'm Thinking Of You All The While" (Season 6, Episode 22) - 8.9
A lot of fans have felt that the show dipped in quality a bit after the departure of The Originals for their own show. However, season 6 was intriguing as it featured a cunning villain in Kai and marked the end of the run for Nina Dobrev as the lead actor.
This finale saw Elena have to say goodbye to everyone she loves as she sacrificed years of her life to make sure that Bonnie remained alive. That also changed things for the future as the final shot involved a darker take on Damon stalking the town. Throw in the arrival of Lily's family of vampires as a new batch of villains and this was a winner.
"We're Planning A June Wedding" (Season 8, Episode 15) - 8.9
Although the last few seasons of The Vampire Diaries were a bit odd without Elena around, there were some episodes that proved to be fantastic. "We're Planning a June Wedding" was among them and it's actually the penultimate edition of the entire series.
Fans finally got to see Caroline and Stefan get married, though it was with mixed emotions as things were rushed to lure Katherine out and because Stefan had just killed Enzo in a heartbreaking scene. It was also a big episode for Matt given the return of both his mother and sister.
"Rose" (Season 2, Episode 8) - 8.9
Season 2's "Rose" marked the start of arguably the show's most important storyline. After the threat of Katherine was seemingly dealt with, Elena was kidnapped by new characters Rose and Trevor as they attempted to bring the doppelgänger to Elijah, marking the debut of the Originals.
Elijah entered with a major impact, beheading Trevor with a simple slap and coming back to life after he was staked by the Salvatores when they rescued Elena. Though not a monumental episode on its own, it's critical for the rest of the show.
"Klaus" (Season 2, Episode 19) - 8.9
For most of the second half of season 2, Klaus was mentioned a lot but hadn't yet been seen. In fact, his only real appearance came when he had taken over the body of Alaric Saltzman. That changed in his self-titled episode, which featured flashbacks to his history with Katherine.
Flashback episodes are often considered among the best in the series for a reason. This explained a lot about who Klaus is while also detailing his relationship with his brother. On top of that, it showed how ruthless he can be and even made Katherine a bit more sympathetic.
"As I Lay Dying" (Season 2, Episode 22) - 9.0
A lot of The Vampire Diaries fans seem to agree that season 2 was the high point of the series. There's tense drama around every corner in its finale. Damon was bitten by a werewolf and on the verge of death, but Elena doesn't forgive him for forcing her to drink his blood.
To save his brother, Stefan seeks out Klaus and discovered that his blood is the cure for a werewolf bite. Elena shared a kiss with Damon just as Katherine arrived with the cure, setting up major plot threads for season 3. Elsewhere, Jeremy was shot and resurrected by Bonnie, but it had a side effect causing him to see his dead ex-girlfriends. A lot was going on in this episode that set the tone for a strong follow-up season.
"Homecoming" (Season 3, Episode 9) - 9.0
In "Homecoming," Klaus takes the final measures to try and get rid of Mikael for good. With Stefan under Klaus's compulsion, Damon asks Mikael for help in getting rid of Klaus with the White Oak stake. Alas, Damon grew frustrated with his brother when he intervened in his attempt to stake Klaus.
Klaus fulfilled his wish and killed Mikael, clo that arc. By the end of the episode, Elena and Damon are conflicted between failing to kill Klaus and Stefan's humanity. Convinced by Katherine to have some emotion, Stefan seeks revenge against Klaus, bringing those characters closer again.
"Home" (Season 5, Episode 22) - 9.0
"Home" wrapped up season 5 and picked up following an emotional cliffhanger. Stefan was killed and Caroline opened the episode mourning him but he was actually trapped on the Other Side. While there, fans were treated to the return of several deceased characters like Alaric Saltzman, Lexi Branson, and Sheila Bennett.
Bonnie and Damon came up with a plan to bring back those they lost from the Other Side. They got help from Liv, Matt, Jeremy, and others, causing the kind of team effort that this show gave fans when it was at its best.
