The Originals

The Originals follows the Mikaelson family, the first vampires, as they return to New Orleans to reclaim a city one of them helped build. Klaus, volatile and charismatic, wants control; Elijah, controlled and principled, wants order. Their reunion reopens old wounds and shifts power across vampire, witch, and werewolf communities. Marcel, a former protégé turned ruler of the French Quarter, complicates their plans. The series mixes tense family dynamics with political scheming and supernatural mystery, keeping loyalties in flux and secrets from the past alive without revealing major plot twists or finales.

Created by Julie Plec as a 2013 spin-off from The Vampire Diaries, the series premiered on The CW and expanded characters introduced in the parent show, carving its own identity within that shared universe.

While it wasn't a mainstream awards powerhouse, The Originals earned steady recognition within genre circles and among fan-voted outlets, highlighting praise for its cast and loyal audience support rather than major industry trophies.

Joseph Morgan's Klaus became an iconic figure, and the show sustained a devoted fanbase that kept the characters alive in fan fiction, cosplay, and online discussion. Its setting, New Orleans, and the tensions between family loyalty and control helped the series stand out among other supernatural programs on television.

Critics and viewers generally responded positively, reflected in a strong average rating of 8.6 out of 10 from engaged voters. Reviewers often pointed to the show's focus on family, power struggles, identity, and redemption, alongside atmospheric storytelling and character-driven conflict. It balances serialized plotting with emotional beats, appealing to fans of drama, mystery, and supernatural politics.