The Vampire Diaries is an American supernatural drama

Supernatural drama

Supernatural drama is a subgenre of fantasy combining elements of supernatural fiction and the drama genre. This genre deals with ghosts and other paranormal topics, but without the tone and scares associated with the horror genre...

 television series developed by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec, based on the book series of the same name written by L. J. Smith

L. J. Smith (author)

Lisa Jane Smith, known professionally as L.J. Smith, is an American author of young-adult literature. Her books, which combine elements of the genres of supernatural, horror, science fiction/fantasy, and romance, are populated with young and apparently young human and supernatural characters...

. The series premiered on The CW Television Network

The CW Television Network

The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...

 on September 10, 2009, and is currently in its third season

The Vampire Diaries (season 3)

The third season of The Vampire Diaries, an American drama-horror series developed by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec based upon the series of novels by L. J. Smith. The CW officially renewed the series for a third season on April 26, 2011...

 that premiered on September 15, 2011. The series takes place in Mystic Falls, Virginia

Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...

, a fictional small town haunted by supernatural beings. The main focus of the series is the love triangle between the female protagonist Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev

Nina Dobrev

Nina Dobrev is a Bulgarian-Canadian actress. She played the role of Mia Jones, the single teenage mother, on Degrassi: The Next Generation, from the show's sixth to ninth season...

) and Stefan (Paul Wesley

Paul Wesley

Paul Thomas Wasilewski , known professionally as Paul Wesley, is an American actor, best known for his roles as Stefan Salvatore in The CW TV series The Vampire Diaries and as Aaron Corbett in the ABC Family miniseries Fallen....

) and Damon (Ian Somerhalder

Ian Somerhalder

Ian Joseph Somerhalder is an American model, actor and producer, best known for playing Boone Carlyle in the TV drama Lost and Damon Salvatore in the TV drama The Vampire Diaries.-Early life:...

), all of whom have dark pasts.