Lead actress Nina Dobrev departed as a series regular after Season 6, though she returned for the series finale in Season 8. 📺 Where to Watch
| Season | Episodes | Original Run | Key Storyline | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | 22 | 2009–2010 | Introduction to Mystic Falls, the Salvatore brothers (Stefan & Damon), Elena’s doppelgänger origin, and the founding families. | | 2 | 22 | 2010–2011 | Arrival of the Originals (Klaus & Elijah), Katherine’s schemes, the moonstone curse, and Jenna’s tragedy. | | 3 | 22 | 2011–2012 | Stefan’s ripper past with Klaus, the hybrids, original family drama, and Elena’s transition into a vampire. | | 4 | 23 | 2012–2013 | Elena as a new vampire, the hunter’s mark, the cure for immortality, and the fall of the Original family. | | 5 | 22 | 2013–2014 | The return of Katherine (as a human), the travelers, Silas, Qetsiyah, and the Other Side collapsing. | | 6 | 22 | 2014–2015 | The Gemini coven, the prison world (with Kai Parker), Alaric’s return, and Elena losing her memories of Damon. | | 7 | 22 | 2015–2016 | The Heretics (witch-vampire hybrids), the Phoenix stone, the Armory, and a 3-year flash-forward. | | 8 | 16 | 2016–2017 | Cade (the Devil), sirens, hellfire, and the series finale bringing the Salvatore brothers full circle. | how many seasons for vampire diaries
The Vampire Diaries concluded its original run on The CW with . Spanning a total of 171 episodes , the series premiered on September 10, 2009, and aired its final episode on March 10, 2017. Season Breakdown and Episode Counts Lead actress Nina Dobrev departed as a series
Considered by many critics to be the strongest season, it expands the lore significantly. It introduces the werewolf aspect through Tyler Lockwood and the concept of the "Originals" (the first generation of vampires), specifically Klaus Mikaelson, who serves as the primary antagonist. | | 3 | 22 | 2011–2012 |
Unlike many shows that are abruptly canceled, the decision to end The Vampire Diaries after season 8 was a creative choice made by the showrunners and the network.