The 20 best episodes of 'The Vampire Diaries'

Masquerade — Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, and Nina Dobrev on 'The Vampire Diaries'. Photo:
Bob Mahoney/The CW

The Vampire Diaries was a landmark series for the CW when it began in 2009. Based on the book series of the same name by L.J. Smith, the saga of Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) and her love triangle with vampire brothers Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon (Ian Somerhalder) was an instant hit, eventually spawning spinoff series like The Originals and Legacies. The flagship supernatural drama aired from 2009 to 2017, airing a whopping 171 episodes across eight seasons.

From those 171, we've whittled down our picks for the 20 best episodes of The Vampire Diaries. (Hint: expect quite a few from the series' prime, seasons 2 and 3.)

01 of 20

"Haunted" (Season 1, Episode 7)

Episode 6, "Lost Girls," technically featured the first major death of the series when Damon snapped Vicki's neck. However, it didn't take long for her to wake up. And that brings us to "Haunted," an essential hour for The Vampire Diaries in setting multiple precedents: 1. What it's like to transition into a vampire and 2. Just how easy it is to die in Mystic Falls. After this hour, the show would never be the same again...in a significant way. —Samantha Highfill

02 of 20

"The Birthday" (Season 3, Episode 1)

Elena remembers this episode as the moment she fell in love with Damon, but there's so much more to it. It's a perfectly structured episode that's fun, sexy (Caroline and Tyler's long-awaited hookup), horrifying (Klaus and Stefan's exploits, plus Stefan murdering Andie), and moving in equal proportion. Obviously, the season 3 premiere's crown jewel is the episode-ending phone call between Stefan and Elena, which is downright heart-breaking thanks to Paul Wesley's wordless performance and Ron Pope's emo-as-hell song, "A Drop in the Ocean," which is one of the show's best musical moments to date. —Chancellor Agard

03 of 20

"Masquerade" (Season 2, Episode 7)

There are two things The Vampire Diaries knows best: how to throw a party and that watching the best-laid plans go awry is immensely entertaining. That knowledge is displayed in season 2's twisty midseason finale, which sees Team Elena's plan to kill Katherine spiral out of control because their manipulative foe is always one step ahead of them. Nina Dobrev is clearly having the time of her life in the hour, especially in a deliciously fraught exchange between Katherine and the Salvatore brothers. Yet, amidst all of the drama, the show still finds time to break our hearts with Tyler activating the werewolf curse. This was definitely one of season 2's many high points. —Chancellor Agard

04 of 20

"Founder's Day" (Season 1, Episode 22)

Eight years later, The Vampire Diaries is known for its season finales, and that started with its first (and one of its best). Not only does "Founder's Day" feature death, heartbreak, and romance, but it's home to one of the series' greatest last-minute shocking twists. As the hour ends, Damon kisses Elena...only it isn't Elena. It's Katherine Pierce, the Petrova doppelgänger we've heard about all season. And now, she is in Mystic Falls. —Samantha Highfill

05 of 20

"The End of the Affair" (Season 3, Episode 3)

One of the show's strongest flashback episodes takes us back to Chicago in the 1920s, where — twist! — Stefan and Klaus first met. Back in his Ripper days, it seems Stefan had a thing for Originals, including the newest introduction: Rebekah, the Original sister, whom Stefan dated. Add in the origin story of Elena's necklace (or at least part of it), and a heart-stopping moment of silence when Stefan finds Elena in his old apartment, and there's a lot to love about this hour. —Samantha Highfill

06 of 20

"Stand by Me" (Season 4, Episode 15)

It's no secret that The Vampire Diaries loves to bring people back from the dead, to the point that it makes you wonder if a character's death really has any impact. However, the show cleverly turns that problem into something agonizing in "Stand by Me," because Elena spends most of the hour refusing to believe Jeremy is actually dead. Elena's eventual breakdown after realizing her brother isn't coming back is heartbreaking, thanks to Dobrev, who makes you feel Elena's pain as she's overwhelmed with grief. Furthermore, the final shot of the Gilbert house burning is rather haunting. —Chancellor Agard

07 of 20

"Our Town" (Season 3, Episode 11)

When Caroline's birthday party goes horribly awry, Klaus is there to save the day (and launch a new legion of shippers). But just as Klaus shows his humanity, Elena questions whether Stefan has lost his. In a ploy to get Klaus to show his weakness, Stefan does the one thing he swore he'd never do: He puts Elena in danger. After feeding her vampire blood, Stefan takes Elena on a perilous car ride that ends with her on Wickery Bridge, and he only stops when Klaus caves. But it's in the moments after the car stops that we realize Stefan's humanity is very much alive. Plus, it's a scene that elicits two great performances from Paul Wesley and Nina Dobrev. —Samantha Highfill

08 of 20

"The Return" (Season 2, Episode 1)

There's a reason this episode is called "The Return," and her name is Katherine Pierce. Katherine's arrival in Mystic Falls takes everything you know and love about the show and amplifies it (including your love of Nina Dobrev, who's somehow able to play two very different characters so convincingly). Katherine's arrival takes the show's love triangle and adds another one on top of it, the complexities of which only make the drama feel that much richer. And if that's not enough, where Katherine goes, death follows. The perfect example? By the end of her first hour, Damon snaps Jeremy's neck, and Katherine turns Caroline into a vampire. (Plus, this episode also marks the introduction of Hot Uncle Mason!) —Samantha Highfill

09 of 20

"Graduation" (Season 4, Episode 23)

At this point in the show's run, fans knew what to expect from season finales, and season 4 delivered. From the romantic moments (Elena loves Damon; Klaus intends to be Caroline's last love), to the shocking twists (Silas is Stefan's doppelgänger!), the season 4 finale left fans stunned and, even better, wanting more. —Samantha Highfill

10 of 20

"The Descent" (Season 2, Episode 12)

For many fans, "The Descent" is better known as the episode where Rose dies. It's an hour that's really all about Damon's journey and how far he's come, from the malevolent brother we met in the pilot to the caring soul who gives Rose a beautiful death. And in the episode's final moments, we get one of Ian Somerhalder's most memorable performances as Damon. In the middle of an "existential crisis," he admits his secret to a complete stranger: He misses being human. He misses it more than anything in the world. —Samantha Highfill

11 of 20

"Let Her Go" (Season 6, Episode 15)

The Vampire Diaries - "Let Her Go" — Annette Brown/The CW

Directed and written by Julie Plec, "Let Her Go" gives Caroline's mother, Sheriff Liz Forbes, the send-off she truly deserves and is a highlight of season 6. It's impossible not to tear up from the beautifully staged funeral or Caroline's decision to flip her humanity switch. Thanks to Plec, the hour doesn't lose its impact as it also deals with the more plot-concerned stuff going on with Kai and Jo, as well as Bonnie's joyous return and reunion with Damon, which brings with it a game-changing twist: Damon's mother is alive and trapped in a prison world. —Chancellor Agard

12 of 20

"The Reckoning" (Season 3, Episode 5)

Arguably the show's strongest hour, "The Reckoning" marks Klaus' (and therefore Stefan's) return to Mystic Falls. And he's back with a vengeance. First, Klaus snaps Tyler's neck to give Bonnie an incentive to figure out why his hybrids are failing. Then, he compels Stefan to feed on Elena when the gym clock strikes zero. Ultimately, as Klaus puts it, the only thing stronger than Stefan's craving for blood is his "love for this one girl." And that's why it hurts that much more when, moments later, Stefan loses the battle he's been fighting all season as Klaus compels him to shut off his humanity. Good luck catching your breath during this hour. Altogether, "The Reckoning" is the perfect demonstration of how this show can tell emotional, relationship-based stories through heightened supernatural circumstances and non-stop action. —Samantha Highfill

13 of 20

"Klaus" (Season 2, Episode 19)

"Klaus" is the perfect example of something the show excelled at during its peak: crafting a fun and energizing info-dump episode. It was filled with several paradigm-shifting revelations for both the characters and us: Jenna (finally!) finds out about vampires, Elijah reveals that Klaus is his brother, and, most importantly, that the Sun-Moon curse isn't real. The hybrid curse reveal was a bold move that irrevocably altered what the characters and the audience knew while raising the stakes of the final episodes of season 2. It remains the show's best twist to date because it was so surprising, which is probably why the writers repeated this twist with the doppelgänger curse in season 5, albeit with far less successful results. —Chancellor Agard

14 of 20

"I'm Thinking of You All The While" (Season 6, Episode 22)

The season 6 finale had a nearly impossible task in front of it: It needed to serve as Elena's goodbye episode — actress Nina Dobrev was leaving the show — while also intriguing fans to stick around. Luckily, one of the areas where TVD has always excelled is nostalgia. One character at a time, this finale crafts beautiful goodbyes to Elena, with each one serving as a tribute to these relationships and, furthermore, the show itself. And once Elena is laid to (a temporary) rest, a flash-forward to a run-down Mystic Falls is just enough of a question mark to ensure fans stick around for an answer. —Samantha Highfill

15 of 20

"The Departed" (Season 3, Episode 22)

The show's season 3 finale could have just as easily served as a series finale—that's how good it is. Not only is it the culmination of three seasons of story, but it's perfectly paced so that when the final five minutes include some of the series' most important moments, it feels equally earned and exciting, but more than anything, impactful. After evil Alaric kills Klaus — or so we think — Elena, assuming both brothers are about to die, is finally forced to choose between Stefan and Damon. Ultimately, Elena tells Damon that no matter what she feels for him, she never "unfell" for Stefan, so she's headed back to Mystic Falls. But she doesn't make it there. After Rebekah believes her brother is dead, she decides to kill Alaric, which means killing Elena. So, in a moment that mirrors her almost-death in the first season, Elena ends up in the water outside Wickery Bridge. Another of the show's best musical moments, set to Sigur Rós' "Dauoalogn," ends with Stefan obeying Elena's wishes and saving Matt first, which means that when Elena wakes up, she is no longer human. —Samantha Highfill

16 of 20

"The Last Dance" (Season 2, Episode 18)

"The Last Dance" is filled with strong performances from most of the cast. First, there's Matt Davis, who loves playing Klaus-as-Alaric. Although we don't see the actual Klaus, Davis' menacing turn establishes Klaus as a threatening villain from his first scene. Then, there are the episode's MVPs, Kat Graham and Nina Dobrev, whose powerful performances make Bonnie's fake-out death after her confrontation with Klaus-as-Alaric incredibly moving. (Also, who doesn't love to see Damon dance?) —Chancellor Agard

17 of 20

"Dangerous Liasons" (Season 3, Episode 14)

The Vampire Diaries knows how to use a party to generate some intriguing and soapy drama. Written by Caroline Dries, "Dangerous Liaisons" is fondly remembered for the debut of the entire Mikaelson clan, one of the most critical aspects of the show's universe. Finn, Kol, and Esther are almost immediately compelling from the get-go, and Esther's plan to kill her children, which involves Elena, adds even more tension to the core love triangle. Elena rebuffs Damon, who responds by returning to his self-destructive ways and hooking up with Rebecca, which is always a fun and appreciated turn of events. —Chancellor Agard

18 of 20

"500 Years of Solitude" (Season 5, Episode 11)

Katherine's impending death brings everyone together in the 100th episode, which might as well be called "The Roast of Katherine Pierce," since the gang spends most of it reminiscing about all the terrible things she has done. But, the hour isn't an entirely salty affair. There's some welcomed fan service from Klaus and Caroline's cathartic hookup, and Stefan shows Katherine some compassion in her final moments. All in all, it was a funny and warm hour that served as a fitting tribute to the first 99 episodes. —Chancellor Agard

19 of 20

"The Sun Also Rises" (Season 2, Episode 21)

Whereas "Klaus" was all about the plot twists, season 2's penultimate episode was as character-focused as the show gets. Devastating and epic, "The Sun Also Rises" was the climax of the show's tremendous sophomore season. It poignantly explored family and sacrifice with Jenna and John's moving deaths while also delivering thrilling action sequences, like watching Bonnie go full Super Saiyan on Klaus right before Elijah's betrayal. Ultimately, no one was safe from the damage done by this episode, not the characters and definitely not the audience. —Chancellor Agard

20 of 20

"Do Not Go Gentle" (Season 3, Episode 20)

It's no secret that many of this show's best hours involve a school dance, a death, or a gasp-worthy twist. This one has all three. When Esther decides to make Ric a Super Original, he refuses, which is a decision that means he will die. So, in one of the show's most poignant farewells — set perfectly to the Fray's "Be Still" — he looks around to discover that everyone he loves has come to say goodbye. Only, it's not goodbye. By the episode's end, he will fulfill Esther's plan, launching the beginning of one of the show's greatest twists: Evil Alaric. —Samantha Highfill