New fans can easily join the “The Vampire Diaries” fandom by starting with Legacies. The first episode, which is several years after the Originals’ series finale, provides the majority of the plot’s necessary explanations through straightforward exposition. It follows an adult Hope Mikaelson (Danielle Rose Russell) and shows Alaric Saltzman (fan favorite Matt Davis) running a school for young supernatural children out of the Salvatore family mansion.
In the first episode of Legacies, some actual teens are supernatural beings that live at a school with other supernatural teenagers. Plec and company may engage in high school drama in a way they’ve never done before thanks to the boarding school’s preppy atmosphere. It works for several reasons. First, and most significantly, Legacies features actors who are truly in character for their respective ages. The supernatural components are the icing on the cake, but the intrigue surrounding the friendships and relationships feels appropriate for a high school atmosphere.
These are just a bunch of hormonal, supernaturally powerful, and reckless teens trying to figure out how to navigate life in high school where your ex could very well kill you while also dealing with bloodlust or the need to change into a wolf every full moon. Legacies don’t get caught up in one love triangle at the center of the series; there are quite a few going on and there’s no clear “ship” to root for. The most intriguing aspect of Legacies’ romance is how openly and honestly it examines how many kids understand supernatural powers.