121 Fun Facts About Vampire Diaries

Who is the main human protagonist and love interest of both Salvatore brothers at the series' start?

Elena Gilbert, who lost both parents in a car crash before the pilot, falls for Stefan Salvatore, a 162-year-old vampire, and later for his brother Damon.

What is the name of the fictional town in Virginia where the majority of the series takes place?

Mystic Falls, Virginia, is the series' setting; its founding families, the Fells, Forbeses, Lockwoods, Gilberts and Salvatores, quietly run the town's politics.

In The Vampire Diaries, which family, turned by their mother Esther's spell, are the Originals from whom all other vampires descend?

The Mikaelson siblings got their own show: The Originals (2013–2018) follows their takeover of New Orleans' French Quarter. Their father asked Esther to make them stronger than the werewolves next door.

What specific object is capable of permanently killing an Original vampire?

A white oak stake, cut from the tree the Originals' spell drew on, kills an Original permanently; ordinary ones burn up on use, while Esther gave Alaric an indestructible version to hunt her children.

Who is Elena's best friend and a powerful witch throughout the series?

Bonnie Bennett, a descendant of a long line of powerful witches, is Elena's loyal best friend and often plays a crucial role in supernatural conflicts.

What is the name of the supernatural object that can revert a vampire back to a human?

The Cure, a single dose hidden with Silas, drove the fourth-season scramble and was forced on Katherine; Elena took a second dose recovered from the 1903 prison world in season six.

Which Bulgarian-born actress played both Elena and Katherine?

Nina Dobrev, Bulgarian-born and raised in Canada, played both Elena and Katherine, frequently acting opposite herself with a body double and split-screen work.

What does Stefan Salvatore drink in season one to avoid feeding on humans?

Stefan Salvatore feeds on animal blood hunted in the woods around Mystic Falls; it leaves him weaker than Damon, and in season one he loses control when he returns to human blood.

What secret society of founding-family descendants protects the town from vampires?

The Founders' Council, drawn from the Fell, Forbes, Lockwood, Gilbert and Salvatore families, secretly hunts vampires; in the season-one finale it uses Johnathan Gilbert's device to round them up.

What must a carrier of the Lockwood lycanthropy gene do to trigger a first transformation?

It is triggered by accidentally killing a classmate whom Katherine had compelled as a provocation; the mayor carried the gene but never triggered it.

What was the name of Stefan's doppelgänger, an Atlanta paramedic found in season five?

Tom Avery, an Atlanta paramedic, was Stefan's last living doppelgänger; Caroline and Enzo tracked him down in season five, and Enzo snapped his neck so only one remained.

What was Alaric Saltzman's profession when he first arrived in town?

Alaric Saltzman arrived as Mystic Falls High's new history teacher, replacing the murdered Mr. Tanner; he came to kill Damon, who had turned his wife Isobel at her request, but the two became best friends.

Klaus is unique among the Original vampires because he is also what other supernatural creature?

As the Original Hybrid he builds an army of new hybrids, half vampire and half werewolf, which is why he needed Elena's blood for his ritual.

Alaric wears a ring, obtained from Isobel, that protects him from what?

The Gilbert ring resurrects its wearer after a supernatural death; repeated deaths gave Alaric a vampire-hating alter ego, 'the Darkness', that murdered Council members without his knowledge.

How many episodes did the series air over its eight seasons?

The Vampire Diaries aired 171 episodes across eight seasons from 2009 to 2017; the eighth and final season was shortened, ending with Elena waking to reunite with Damon.

What is the defining ability of a Siphoner witch such as Kai?

Kai's family neglected him for it; after he consumed Lily's blood and killed himself, the ability let him become a Heretic, a vampire with witch-like power.

What is the limbo for dead supernatural beings that collapsed at the end of season five?

The Other Side, a purgatory for dead supernaturals, collapsed in the season-five finale; Stefan, Enzo, Tyler and Alaric passed back through Bonnie, while she and Damon were left behind and vanished together.

Which vampire was Damon's cellmate in the 1950s when both were held by the Augustine society?

Enzo St. John, played by Michael Malarkey, shared Damon's Augustine cell from 1953 and was left behind in the 1958 fire; Stefan ripped his heart out in season five and again in season eight.

In which US city does the Gemini Coven, Kai's family, reside?

The Gemini Coven is based in Portland, Oregon, where Kai's parents raised their children; its leader is chosen when the eldest twins merge, the ritual Kai was long refused.

What plant is toxic to vampires and is often used to weaken or incapacitate them?

Humans also carry it to keep vampires out of their heads: Elena wears a vervain necklace, and Matt once kept it in his system while pretending to have his memory wiped.

What ability do vampires use to influence human minds and memories?

Ordinary vampires can only compel humans; Enhanced Originals like Alaric could compel other vampires, which is how he erased Elena's memory of loving Damon.

Who leads the tomb vampires freed in season one, alongside her daughter Anna?

Pearl, played by Kelly Hu, leads the vampires released from the tomb in season one and reunites with her daughter Anna; she is staked in her own home late in the season.

Who turns Caroline into a vampire in season two, wanting a spy against Stefan and Elena?

After turning, Caroline becomes more caring and sympathetic, and goes on to have relationships with Matt, Tyler, Alaric, and Stefan.

Which Vampire Diaries main character stays fully human throughout and becomes sheriff of Mystic Falls in season eight?

Matt Donovan is one of the only completely human characters in the whole franchise. He wants no part in the supernatural, becomes a police officer, then sheriff, and plans to run for mayor.

Which member of the Gemini Coven becomes a major antagonist, known for his sociopathic tendencies?

Kai Parker, played by Chris Wood, was denied the merge with his twin and murdered four of his siblings, earning exile to a prison world; he returned twice and was finally beheaded by Alaric years later.

What mystical artifact, capable of trapping souls, was a central plot device in season seven?

The Phoenix Stone imprisons vampire souls; when it was destroyed in season seven, Stefan's soul landed in the body of drunk driver Marty Hammond while a serial-killer vampire named Ambrose took over Stefan's own body.

What mythical creatures with enchanting voices appear in season eight of The Vampire Diaries?

Sybil and Seline, sirens who served the Devil, surface in season eight; Sybil was sealed in the Armory vault for centuries and feeds on human flesh to sustain herself.

Who is 'the Devil', the ultimate villain of the final season, served by Sybil and Seline?

Arcadius, the first psychic, known as Cade, made his own Hell after villagers burned him at the stake; Stefan kills him in season eight with a dagger forged from Cade's own bones.

Which ancient witch, also calling herself Tessa, resurrects herself while the Veil is down to stop Silas?

Qetsiyah, the 2,000-year-old witch who made Silas immortal and then entombed him, returns as Tessa while the Veil is down; she tells Damon that Stefan and Elena are fated and he is a bump in the road.

Which character serves as the town's sheriff for most of the series?

Sheriff Liz Forbes, Caroline's mother, sits on the Founders' Council yet becomes one of Damon's closest friends; she dies of cancer in season six, and Damon delivers her eulogy.

What is the term for the tie that makes newly turned Elena compelled to act on Damon's wishes?

A sire bond arises when a human in love with a vampire is turned by that vampire's blood; in season four the gang learns it shapes only how Elena acts, not how she feels about Damon.

Elena becomes a vampire following the events of which season's finale?

Elena drowns at Wickery Bridge in the third-season finale with Damon's blood in her system and wakes in transition; by season six she has taken the cure and is human again.

Which character became Klaus's first successful hybrid?

Tyler Lockwood became Klaus's first successful hybrid because Klaus used Elena's doppelgänger blood to complete the transition; he came back from the Other Side merely human, re-triggered his gene in season six, and left town.

In which year is the Gemini Coven prison world where Bonnie and Damon are trapped at the start of season six?

The prison world is frozen on May 10, 1994, the day Kai massacred his family; he had been held there for 20 years, while Lily's heretics sat in a separate 1903 world.

Which doctor and non-practicing Gemini witch was Kai's twin sister?

Jo Laughlin, a doctor who gave up her Gemini magic, was Kai's twin; he stabbed her at her wedding to Alaric, and the coven magically saved her unborn twins, later named Josie and Lizzie.

Which nomadic group of witches can take over living bodies as 'Passengers', as Julian did with Tyler?

The Travelers, a cursed nomadic witch faction, can ride inside living bodies as Passengers; their leader Markos cast an anti-magic spell over Mystic Falls that killed Julian in Tyler's body when he crossed the border.

Which spin-off is set at the Salvatore Boarding School for the Young & Gifted?

Legacies follows Klaus's daughter Hope as a student at the school, with Matt Davis reprising Alaric as headmaster; the series premiered in October 2018 and ran four seasons.

Which character becomes a vampire hunter known as one of 'The Five'?

Jeremy Gilbert awakens as one of the Five after killing a vampire in season four; his Hunter's mark grows with each kill and, once complete, reveals the map to the cure.

Which Georgia town doubled as the show's fictional Virginia setting?

Only the pilot was shot in Vancouver; production then moved to Covington and Greater Atlanta to take advantage of local tax incentives.

Which vampire, Stefan's oldest friend, taught him to control his bloodlust?

Lexi Branson was Stefan's oldest and closest friend, a wise and compassionate vampire who often helped him through his darkest times.

What causes Elena to fall into a magical sleep for several seasons?

Kai casts it at Alaric and Jo's wedding; Elena sleeps as long as Bonnie lives, and Bonnie only breaks it in the series finale.

Which character is introduced as Stefan's malevolent, manipulative elder brother?

Damon Salvatore, played by Ian Somerhalder, arrives in the pilot as Stefan's cruel elder brother; he becomes best friends with Alaric and Bonnie, and Elena finally chooses him in season four.

What is the name of the character who is a witch and a member of the Heretics?

Valerie Tulle, a Heretic siphoner, had a brief romance with Stefan in 1863 while still human and was carrying his child; in season seven she reveals that Alaric's unborn twins survived, hidden by Gemini magic.

Which character is Silas's true love and the progenitor of the Petrova line?

Amara, Silas's lover and the first of Elena's doppelgänger line, was calcified by Qetsiyah and made the Anchor to the Other Side; revived after two thousand years, she begged to be allowed to die.

Who asked the Original witch to make their children stronger than their wolf-turning neighbours?

Mikael pushed Esther to cast the spell after werewolves killed their youngest son; he hunted his own children for centuries until Klaus killed him with the white oak stake in season three, though he returned in The Originals.

Which actor played Kol Mikaelson, the wildest of the Original siblings?

Nathaniel Buzolic, an Australian actor, played Kol Mikaelson from season three; Daniel Sharman took over the role when Kol possessed a witch's body in The Originals season two.

In which city did Stefan run with Klaus and Rebekah during his 1922 Ripper days?

Stefan spent 1922 in Chicago with Klaus and Rebekah at Gloria's speakeasy, the height of his Ripper years; Klaus compelled him to forget them until season three.

Who becomes Elena and Jeremy's legal guardian and is later sacrificed in Klaus's ritual?

Jenna Sommers, Elena's aunt, becomes the Gilbert siblings' guardian after their parents' crash; Klaus turns her into a vampire and sacrifices her in the season-two ritual, and she reappears in the afterlife finale.

Which witch, Bonnie's ancestor, served as Katherine's handmaiden in 1864?

Emily Bennett, Bonnie's ancestor, was Katherine's handmaiden in 1864 and made the Salvatore brothers' daylight rings; in season one her spirit possesses Bonnie to destroy Damon's crystal.

The Vampire Diaries ran eight seasons from September 2009 to March 2017 on which US network?

The CW aired all 171 episodes, then kept the world going with the spin-offs The Originals and Legacies.

Who stays with Tyler Lockwood through his first full-moon transformation and becomes his girlfriend?

Caroline Forbes stays with Tyler Lockwood through his agonising first transformation in the Lockwood cellar in season two, and the two become a couple; Tyler later dates the witch Liv Parker.

After Bonnie brings him back from the dead, what ability does Jeremy Gilbert gain?

The first spirits he sees are his dead ex-girlfriends Anna and Vicki, and later only he can see the vampire hunter Connor's tattoos.

What is the name of Bonnie's mother, whom Damon turns into a vampire in season three?

Abby Bennett, Bonnie's mother, had abandoned her as a child after using her magic to desiccate Mikael; Damon turns Abby into a vampire in season three so Esther cannot channel the Bennett line.

Who composed the musical score for The Vampire Diaries?

Michael Suby composed the score for all eight seasons and carried on through The Originals and Legacies; he also scored Pretty Little Liars.

How many episodes did the first season of The Vampire Diaries run?

Season one ran 22 episodes, premiering September 10, 2009 and ending with 'Founder's Day' on May 13, 2010, after The CW extended the initial order on strong early ratings.

The pilot episode of The Vampire Diaries was shot in which city, before production moved to Georgia?

Only the pilot was filmed there; every later episode used small towns around Greater Atlanta.

The September 2009 premiere set a CW record with roughly how many live viewers?

The premiere drew 4.9 million viewers on September 10, 2009, the most-watched series launch in The CW's history up to that point.

After Damon turns Matt's sister into a vampire in season one, who kills her when her bloodlust runs wild?

Stefan stakes Matt's sister in 'Haunted' when she attacks Jeremy and Elena on Halloween; Jeremy sees it happen, and Elena asks Damon to compel the memory away to spare him.

Which actress played Vicki Donovan for the first seven episodes before the character was killed off?

Kayla Ewell played Vicki Donovan, who was killed off in the seventh episode; she returned as a guest in later seasons, and Matt Davis was cast as Alaric Saltzman to fill the gap, later becoming a regular.

Which Salvatore relative lives in the boarding house when the series begins?

Zach Salvatore, a distant nephew who poses as the brothers' uncle, grows vervain in the boarding house cellar; Damon snaps his neck in the fifth episode.

Which town official led the secret anti-vampire council during season one?

Mayor Richard Lockwood hosted and led the Founders' Council at the Lockwood mansion in season one, with Sheriff Forbes running its vampire hunts, unaware that her friend Damon was one of the vampires it sought.

Season one reveals which pair to be Elena's biological parents?

John Gilbert and Isobel Flemming had Elena raised by John's brother Grayson and his wife Miranda as their own; Isobel later became a vampire, and both worked with Katherine in season one.

Jenna's ex Logan is turned into a vampire in season one by whom?

Anna, Pearl's daughter, turned Logan Fell after Damon left him for dead, to use him in her plan to free her mother; Alaric later stakes the vampire Logan and tells Jenna he simply left town.

How does Tyler's father, the mayor, die on Founder's Day at the end of season one?

The Gilbert device dropped him along with the vampires because he carried the Lockwood werewolf gene, so the deputies assumed he was one of them.

What task leads to the death of Bonnie's grandmother in season one?

The spell freed a group of tomb vampires but revealed that Katherine had escaped long before, and Bonnie began to resent vampires from then on.

Which two writers developed The Vampire Diaries TV series?

Kevin Williamson, creator of Dawson's Creek and writer of Scream, developed the series with Julie Plec from L. J. Smith's novels; The CW ordered the pilot in February 2009.

After which season did Nina Dobrev confirm she was leaving The Vampire Diaries?

Nina Dobrev announced in April 2015 that the sixth season would be her last as a regular; she returned for a voice cameo in the season-seven finale and as a guest in the series finale.

How many episodes did the eighth and final season consist of?

The CW renewed the show in March 2016 and announced in July that the season would be the last.

In which city is The Originals set?

The Originals is set in New Orleans, where the Mikaelsons first settled in the early 1700s and return in the 2013 backdoor pilot to reclaim the French Quarter.

The Originals' backdoor pilot revealed which werewolf was pregnant with Klaus's child?

Hayley, a werewolf who slept with Klaus in Mystic Falls, is revealed pregnant in the backdoor pilot; their daughter Hope would be the first ever tribrid of vampire, werewolf and witch blood.

What is the pit in Legacies that swallows supernatural creatures and erases memory of them?

Malivore is the black pit built to swallow supernatural creatures and wipe them from memory; Landon Kirby turns out to be its son, and Hope throws herself into it in the season-one finale.

Who plays Hope Mikaelson in Legacies?

Danielle Rose Russell first played a teenage Hope in the fifth season of The Originals in 2018 and then led all four seasons of Legacies.

Legacies aired on The CW from October 2018 until which year?

Its fourth season was announced as the last in May 2022.

In what years were L. J. Smith's original Vampire Diaries novels published?

L. J. Smith's original quartet appeared in 1991–1992: The Awakening, The Struggle and The Fury in 1991, and a fourth volume in 1992; The CW adapted them in 2009.

What is the name of the town where the novels are set, unlike the TV show's Mystic Falls?

The novels are set in Fell's Church, Virginia, a town named for its founding Fell family; the show renamed it Mystic Falls but kept the Fells among the founding families.

Which trilogy of the novel series was written by a ghostwriter rather than L. J. Smith?

The Hunters trilogy (Phantom, Moonsong, Destiny Rising) was written by a ghostwriter after Alloy Entertainment dismissed Smith; she had signed a work-for-hire deal, so Alloy owns the copyrights.

Which Degrassi character had Nina Dobrev played before being cast as Elena?

Nina Dobrev played Mia Jones, a teenage mother and cheerleader, on Degrassi: The Next Generation from 2006 to 2009 before landing Elena.

How old was Stefan when he was turned into a vampire in 1864?

Stefan Salvatore was 17 when Katherine turned him in 1864, which is why he can pass as a high-school junior in 2009; Damon was 25.

Which future Marvel actor was among those who auditioned to play Damon?

Ian Somerhalder won the part.

In the pilot's cemetery scene, Damon shows control over fog and which animals?

A flash-forward later shows a crow flying over Elena as she writes in her diary.

In which episode do Elena and Damon learn how the sire bond really works?

In 'We'll Always Have Bourbon Street' Damon and Stefan travel to New Orleans, where Damon had sired Charlotte in 1942, and learn the bond changes how a person acts, not how they feel.

Which vampire, dying from a werewolf bite, does Damon gift a final sunlit dream?

Rose, bitten by the werewolf Jules in season two, dies in Damon's arms while he gives her a dream of her human life in sunlit England, then stakes her to end her pain.

Which grandmother helps Bonnie learn to use her powers?

Bonnie's full name is Bonnie Sheila Bennett; in the novels she is Bonnie McCullough.

What car does Damon drive throughout the series?

Damon drives a blue 1969 Chevrolet Camaro convertible for the whole series; he rams it into the Mystic Grill in the season-five finale to ignite the gas and kill the Travelers.

Whom does Caroline eventually marry in the final season?

Their relationship is at the forefront of season eight.

Katerina Petrova, later known as Katherine, was born in which year?

Katherine was born on June 5, 1473, in Bulgaria; in 1492, aged 19, she became a vampire by hanging herself with Rose's blood in her system while fleeing Klaus.

What is the name of Katherine's long-lost daughter, who finds her after 500 years?

Nadia reminds Katherine that she is the daughter of a Traveler.

Who is the ancient psychic villain Cade, burned at the stake, played by?

Sybil, played by Nathalie Kelley, is a siren in his service.

Which actress plays the siren Sybil in seasons seven and eight?

Sybil threw herself off a cliff after being tricked into cannibalism by Seline.

Silas's true form is played by which series regular?

Paul Wesley plays Silas, the 2,000-year-old immortal whose face Stefan inherited as a doppelgänger; Silas took Stefan's place in Mystic Falls during the season-four finale.

Who kills Anna, Jeremy's vampire girlfriend, at the end of season one?

Jeremy then tries to become a vampire by overdosing with Anna's blood in his system, but fails.

Which Original vampire does Matt kill, becoming the first person ever to kill an Original?

Jeremy later kills Kol, wiping out Kol's entire bloodline.

Killing which Original completes Jeremy's Hunter's Mark and reveals the map to the cure?

It also killed every vampire in Kol's bloodline.

Which Whitmore College professor secretly ran the Augustine society's vampire experiments?

Dr. Wes Maxfield, a Whitmore College professor, secretly ran the Augustine society's vampire experiments in season five, holding Damon and Elena in its lab; Enzo had been one of his subjects.

Which actress plays Jenna Sommers, Elena and Jeremy's aunt?

Sara Canning, a Canadian actress, played Jenna Sommers for the first two seasons and returned as a guest; the character is loosely based on Elena's Aunt Judith from the novels.

In The Vampire Diaries finale arc, which character rings the bell 12 times to destroy Mystic Falls with hellfire?

Vicki Donovan rings it, but Bonnie redirects the hellfire back into Hell as Stefan sacrifices himself.

Which Salvatore parents are Damon and Stefan the sons of?

Giuseppe Salvatore shot both his sons in 1864 while they had Katherine's blood in their systems; their mother Lily, supposedly dead of consumption, had secretly been turned and was found in a 1903 prison world.

Which Original vampire is played by Daniel Gillies?

Daniel Gillies plays Elijah, the suit-wearing Original who debuted in season two's 'Rose' and led The Originals alongside Klaus and Rebekah for five seasons.

Which actress plays Rebekah Mikaelson?

Claire Holt, an Australian actress from H2O: Just Add Water, played Rebekah from season three; she was a regular in The Originals' first season and a guest afterwards.

Klaus is the adoptive father of which vampire ruling the French Quarter?

Klaus leaves Mystic Falls for New Orleans to retake control from Marcel.

Which aunt took the eldest Mikaelson sibling Freya as part of a fertility bargain?

Dahlia, Esther's elder sister, demanded the firstborn of every generation in exchange for a fertility spell and took Freya; Esther told Mikael the girl had died of plague.

Which dark entity with designs on Hope must Klaus confront in The Originals?

Klaus and Elijah ultimately stake each other to take the Hollow with them.

In which L. J. Smith novel did Klaus first appear as the primary antagonist?

Klaus is described as the first known hybrid of an Original vampire and a werewolf.

Which actor plays Klaus Mikaelson?

Joseph Morgan, born in London and raised in Swansea, plays Klaus Mikaelson from season two and led The Originals; he married co-star Persia White, who played Abby Bennett.

In which Canadian city was Nina Dobrev raised?

Nina Dobrev moved from Bulgaria to Toronto at age two and grew up there, attending Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts before landing Degrassi.

Which member of the Luthor family did Stefan's actor play in Smallville in 2003?

Paul Wesley, born Paweł Wasilewski in New Jersey to Polish parents, played Lucas Luthor, Lex's younger half-brother, in a 2003 Smallville episode.

Which Lost character had Ian Somerhalder played before Damon?

Somerhalder was born in Covington — Louisiana, not Georgia.

Kat Graham, who plays Bonnie, was born in which country?

Kat Graham was born in Geneva, Switzerland, to a Liberian father and a Jewish-American mother, and moved to Los Angeles as a child; she is also a singer and dancer.

Under what surname was Caroline actress Candice King born?

Candice King was born Candice Accola in Houston and acted under that surname until marrying Joe King of The Fray in 2014; she had released an album, It's Always the Innocent Ones, in 2006.

Which Legally Blonde character did Matthew Davis (Alaric) play in 2001?

Matthew Davis played Warner Huntington III, the boyfriend who dumps Elle Woods and drives her to Harvard Law; Luke Wilson played Emmett, the man she ends up with.

Before The Vampire Diaries, Julie Plec produced and wrote for which sci-fi series?

Julie Plec wrote and produced for Kyle XY on ABC Family from 2006 to 2009, having earlier worked with Kevin Williamson as a producer on the Scream sequels.

Michael Trevino, who plays Tyler, later played Kyle Valenti in which series?

Michael Trevino joined Roswell, New Mexico as Kyle Valenti, the sheriff's son, from its 2019 premiere through all four seasons; Trevino was born in Montebello, California, in 1985.

The actress who originated Hope in The Originals had a supporting role in which 2017 film?

She was born in Pequannock Township, New Jersey.

Which two characters open the Salvatore Boarding School for the Young & Gifted?

Alaric and Caroline open the school in the finale with Klaus's $3 million donation, housing it in the Salvatore boarding house; Jeremy returns to teach there.

How many viewers did the first season of The Vampire Diaries average per episode?

Season one averaged 3.6 million viewers per episode in 2009–10, making The Vampire Diaries The CW's most-watched series at the time.

Which later CW show overtook The Vampire Diaries as the network's most-watched series?

Arrow, which premiered in October 2012, overtook The Vampire Diaries as The CW's most-watched series during its first season.

Why was Kevin Williamson initially uninterested in developing The Vampire Diaries?

Julie Plec urged him to read the books, and he became intrigued by the story of a small town's underbelly.

On what date did The Originals backdoor pilot air as an episode of The Vampire Diaries in 2013?

The backdoor pilot, 'The Originals', aired on April 25, 2013 as episode 20 of season four; Julie Plec created the spin-off alone, without Kevin Williamson's involvement.

Which actor plays Jeremy Gilbert?

Steven R. McQueen, grandson of the film star Steve McQueen, played Jeremy Gilbert as a regular for six seasons; Silas kills Jeremy in season four and Bonnie brings him back in that season's finale.

On what date did The CW announce the renewal of The Vampire Diaries for a second season?

The CW renewed The Vampire Diaries for a second season on February 16, 2010, in an early batch with Gossip Girl, 90210 and Supernatural; the full first-season order had come the previous October.

Including DVR viewing, what was the official audience for the September 2009 series premiere?

The live figure of 4.91 million was already The CW's biggest premiere ever at the time.