Binge-worthy Successors to The Vampire Diaries

Coming out of the shadows, Vampire Diaries started in 2009, and fans adored it. Blood, lust, sex, violence, and tons of high-voltage drama, delivering everything you might want in a supernatural series. When it ended in 2017, the devastation that hit was real. Many of my friends were super fans, and I don't think they ever got over the show.

While many were obsessed, I never got into Vampire Diaries, but in my search for more fantasy/supernatural shows, I discovered a gem.

Allow me to bring your attention to Legacies, a show you can watch without watching Vampire Diaries or The Originals. You still get characters from these shows without having to know their entire background.

Meet Hope Mikaelson, a badass tri-bred from a line of powerful witches. She is the granddaughter of Ansel, Esther Mikaelson. Esther was one of the most powerful witches in history and created the original vampires. As the daughter of Niklaus Mikaelson and Hayley Marshall-Kenner, she has a lot to live up to. Hope inherited her werewolf genes from both her parents and her vampire-witch legacy from her father's side.

Hope is one of the main characters who attend the Salvatore Boarding School of the Young and Gifted. She is friends with twin witches who are part of the Gemini coven, which is one of my favourite side stories. She's also friends with a couple of vampires, and werewolves, and a mysterious boy, who has abilities that will keep you guessing until the reveal.

Alaric Saltzman is their headmaster who guides them and gives them a safe home when the world is against them. He is Josie and Lizzie's (the Gemini twins) father and acts like a father to Hope. He seems to have an interesting past, and as a human/vampire hunter, he has a good grasp of how to handle monsters.

The diversely built cast is refreshing, and you get to know them well through their stories. You'll feel empathy as they build to the peak moments and root for them through the challenges. The monsters from Malivore are no match for these teens who will put aside their differences to defeat their enemies. There is betrayal, broken hearts, love, sex, monsters, and addicting teenage drama, and that is only the first season. Currently, they are in their third action-packed season, and I am so excited to see where they go with it.

After you finish Legacies and you're waiting for the next episode to air, try dipping your toes into the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. This Netflix show is very different from the original show and the comics it's based off. Nonetheless, this bewitchingly beautiful teenage half-witch will cast an intoxicating spell on you. You will witness Sabrina wrestling with her dual natures while fighting the evil that threatens her family and friends. The thrilling mystery and wicked ride for Sabrina will always have you guessing what's next. Unfortunately, after four seasons, this show has been cancelled, leaving fans high and dry. However, don't let that stop you from enjoying the emotional highs serving as a fitting farewell to the Queen of hell.

The runner up is Shadow Hunters, based on the best selling series by Cassandra Clare called The Mortal Instruments. Tragically it is nothing like the books, which is why it is a runner up. If you forget that little detail, you might enjoy watching the demon hunters battle evil. You can follow Clary Fairchild and Jace Herondale on their adventures also on Netflix (Canada). If you want a better version check out the movie The Mortal Instruments, Jamie Cambell Bower is my favourite Jace.

Catch Legacies on Showcase, you won't regret it.