Blu-ray Review: Vampire Diaries: The Complete Sixth Season

The Complete Sixth Season set of The Vampire Diaries is now available on Blu-ray and DVD. The set includes all 22 episodes of Season 6 as well as a lot of extras. Here’s our review.

The Episodes: While TVD Season 6 had some standout shows on an individual basis, I admit that I like the season even better when you can watch it all marathon-style. Less worrying about how long it will take for storylines to resolve themselves, and you know there are guideposts to look forward to. There’s a lot to like in this season: Damon and Bonnie finally get some interaction when they’re stuck in 1994 with Kai, whose actor, Chris Wood, gives the show some of its “naughty psychopath” beats that Damon gave the show years ago. There’s a storyline with the twins who are likely doomed. Caroline and Stefan grow closer. Damon and Elena spend time away from each other — a precursor to (spoiler warning!) what they’ll have to go through all over again. And characters like Jeremy finally came into their own.

There also is heartbreak, as the show takes one of their most beloved characters and ends their journey tragically. In a world of vampires, witches, and resurrections, sometimes it is the human condition that is the strongest.

It’s well known now that Vampire Diaries Season 6 is Nina Dobrev’s swan song as Elena Gilbert. I’m not 100% down with how the show sent her off, but I will say that the final episode of the season was well done, at least.

The Extras: They certainly don’t skimp on extras.

There’s a featurette where the cast and producers say goodbye to actors Nina Dobrev, Steven McQueen, and Marguerite MacIntyre, as well as their characters; this is a very well done piece, except for the awkward notion that Michael Trevino (Tyler) also left the show, seemingly after most of the featurette was edited. They did get in their goodbyes to Trevino, but it just came off as awkward. There are some funny bloopers, and there are deleted scenes… including a great deleted scene from the season finale that sets up the Jeremy/Tyler spinoff series that really should happen but surely never will, especially now that McQueen has landed a role on Chicago Fire.

There’s a really amusing featurette where the Vampire Diaries cast reads fan reactions from Twitter, which was one of the most clever things I’ve seen to date on a set like this. There’s a Georgia public service announcement, and commentary on Julie Plec’s directorial debut.

Graphics & Sound: This set looks and sounds great. The box art is also good.

Is It Worth It? While I wouldn’t want to discourage people from watching a show like this live, The Vampire Diaries looks so good on Blu-ray, and it’s fun to binge. So, yes, I like it; and I think the extras are great. Definitely worth getting.

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