The Vampire Diaries
The series premiere of "The Vampire Diaries" on September 10, 2009, gave The CW its biggest series premiere, scoring 4.91 million viewers. Adding in DVR numbers, the ratings for the premiere swelled to an official 5.7 million viewers. In 2016, a "New York Times" study of the 50 TV shows with the most Facebook Likes found that "as with several other shows that focus on the supernatural", "The Vampire Diaries" was "slightly more popular outside of cities. That said, the show's fandom has the smallest amount of spatial variation of all 50 shows".
The Vampire Diaries
Many TV critics felt the series improved with each episode. Sarah Hughes of "The Independent" says "The Vampire Diaries" turns into "a well-crafted, interestingly developed series" despite a poor opening episode.
The "New York Post" also praised the portrayal of Elena, finding the character to be a strong-minded woman who did not allow her feelings for her boyfriend to control her. Karla Peterson of "The San Diego Union-Tribune" said that "the supernatural drama is a first-class production, featuring an insanely gorgeous cast, sharp scripts, and a brooding vibe that is hard for even the most levelheaded adult to resist."
Mike Hale of "The New York Times" gave the series an honorable mention on his list of the top TV shows of 2009.