The Intertwinings of Vampire Diaries and Vampire Academy

If you've been keeping up with entertainment news these past few months, you know that the much-anticipated novel adaptation of Vampire Academy premiered on Peacock last September 2022 and that the show has already been drawing comparisons to the wildly successful The Vampire Diaries.

After all, it's not an unreasonable idea at first. The Vampire Diaries is the gold standard for soap operatic young adult drama about the undead who are granted immortality in exchange for an insatiable thirst for blood. It aired for over a decade on the US network The CW and is still a fan favorite today because of its story of two brothers who fall in love with the same human lady and become integrated into her close-knit group of friends.

However, Vampire Academy has been drawing comparisons more often than others, to the point where a causal link likely appears.

Are There Any Ties between Vampire Diaries and Vampire Academy?

The two shows, Vampire Academy and Vampire Diaries, appear to have no ties at first glance. Both are based on popular young-adult novels but take place in vastly different worlds governed by different sets of norms.

Despite being owned by publishing business Alloy Entertainment and having multiple authors, the authorship of the Vampire Diaries novels is surprisingly difficult. However, LJ Smith, who was the original writer of the collection but who parted ways with Alloy in 2014, is listed as the author on most of the covers, even though the title has since been passed on to ghostwriters.

The Vampire Academy series, on the other hand, is the brainchild of Richelle Mead, who also serves as the only author of all six books.

Academy's setting is much more extensive. It is a fully realized universe, whereas The Vampire Diaries takes place primarily in Mystic Falls, Virginia, and is narrated from Elena Gilbert's point of view as she is introduced to a world of vampires she never knew existed.

Central to the plot is the world of St. Vladimir's Academy, in which being a vampire is not the only measure of one's standing in society. It makes no difference if you're a Dhampir, a Moroi, a member of the Royal Family, or none of these.

In that case, why do we see parallels between Vampire Diaries and Vampire Academy so frequently?

Though the Academy and the Diaries are two distinct entities, there is considerable overlap between them in the shows, especially in the production processes.

Vampire Diaries creator and showrunner Julie Plec is also responsible for developing and launching Vampire Academy on the small screen.

Marguerite Macintyre, who also appeared in Diaries as local cop/council member Elizabeth Forbes, is a co-executive producer for Academy.

Together, they are well-known in the television world of vampire lore, especially since Vampire Diaries grew into a big franchise that spawned spin-offs: The Originals and Legacies, also produced by Macintyre and Plec. Since these shows have concluded, it would be reasonable to believe that Academy was merely another tool in their arsenal.

However, the parallels end there on screen, save from the fact that both feature blood-drinking protagonists and underlying plots.

Julie Plec told the press at San Diego Comic-Con 2022, "There's not much overlap except for the emotional aspect — constructing a show around family/friends, nourishing your soul, that's just how I write." "In comparison to The Vampire Diaries, this is significantly dissimilar."

She went on to say, "There's a lot more action than The Vampire Diaries" because "the minute you go to streaming and they give you extra bucks you can do exciting stuff." This story's action is essential to the plot.

Conclusion

Overall, the Vampire Diaries and Vampire Academy are two popular franchises that have a lot of similarities. They both feature vampires, supernatural powers, and a focus on teenage angst and romance. They have also both been adapted into popular television shows. The Vampire Diaries and Vampire Academy have been intertwined in interesting ways, but alas, they also have their own unique plotlines and characters that make them each stand out on their own.

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