‘The Originals’: Fans Want a Witch-Centered Spinoff
Over the past decade and a half, there’s been a clamoring for vampire-related content in both TV and movies. In that vein, the CW show The Vampire Diaries concluded a successful run several years ago. After that show launched, its success led to a spinoff called The Originals, and then Legacies. While those shows have a significant fan base while existing in the same universe, some fans wonder if there are more stories to be told within that show’s sandbox. Let’s take a closer look at both shows and why some fans believe there should be a spinoff that revolves around witches.
What was the premise of ‘The Vampire Diaries?’
According to IMDb, The Vampire Diaries ran from 2009-2017. The show is centered around the characters Stefan and Damon Salvatore, two brothers who squabble as any other brothers might. The only major difference is that they are vampires. The two are like a mirror image of each other, with Stefan being courageous and caring while Damon is vain and risk-taking. In 1864, Stefan turned Damon into a vampire, and he hasn’t forgiven him since.
When Stefan meets a human high school girl named Elena Gilbert, Damon tries to get to her in an attempt to claim vengeance against his brother for originally turning him into a vampire, over a hundred years after it happened. The show was quite popular after running for eight seasons and has gained plenty of new fans streaming the show on Netflix. During its original run, the show was so popular in fact that it led to the creation of a spinoff series.
What was the premise of ‘The Originals?’
The Originals ran from 2013-2018 according to IMDb, falling short of the run its predecessor had. Taking place in the historic city of New Orleans, The Originals picks up in the same universe with new, exciting characters. The show follows the adventures of the sibling group that also happens to represent the planet’s first vampires (hence the title). The main characters are Klaus, Rebekah, and Elijah.
In the show’s timeline, Klaus is the architect of the city of New Orleans but sees his protege Marcel take control of the city. Klaus is forced to battle Marcel to regain control of New Orleans. When Klaus returns, he proclaims himself the king of New Orleans. He also takes on a yet to be born baby as his heir. Complicating things further is that this child is not just a vampire like Klaus: it’s also the first-ever hybrid of a vampire and a werewolf.
Why fans want a “witchy” spinoff of the two
Fans of both shows were fiercely loyal to them, enjoying the fact that both took place in the same universe. One fan took to Reddit to pit two of the shows’ witches against each other in a hypothetical battle. They asked which of the characters would win in a fight: Freya or Bonnie. One other fan took the opportunity to pitch an idea fans of both shows would no doubt love: a witch-centric spinoff incorporating elements of both shows.
“They should’ve done a witch spinoff, like the holy trinity of witches, Bonnie, Davina, and Freya. And in that Bonnie could’ve explored her psychic powers more.”
Both shows incorporated witchcraft into their storylines, but a show focused on witches has some real potential, as the rest of the supernatural world in the universe relies on witches and magic. It would give a new creative team the ability to explore more about witches in this particular TV universe. While both shows established a set of clear rules for this universe, a new witch spinoff could establish even more and create a new show that honors the ones that came before it but also gives fans something brand new as well. It could be a winner if it ever comes to fruition.
