# The Originals (2013)

> Immortal vampire siblings Klaus, Elijah and their allies scheme to reclaim New Orleans and crush everyone who wronged them.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/42473

## Facts

- Seasons: 5
- Episodes: 92
- Episode runtime: 45 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: fantasy, drama
- Network: The CW
- Cast: Joseph Morgan, Daniel Gillies, Phoebe Tonkin, Charles Michael Davis, Riley Voelkel, Leah Pipes, Yusuf Gatewood, Danielle Rose Russell
- TMDB rating: 8.2/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2632424/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: layered
- Violence: brutal
- Tone: brooding, melodramatic, gothic, intense, romantic

## What critics say

Acclaimed by audiences as a dark, stylish vampire family drama that stays engaging across its run, with strong performances from its core cast.

## Synopsis

The Originals (2013-2018) is an American supernatural drama series created for The CW as a spin-off of The Vampire Diaries. Joseph Morgan plays Klaus Mikaelson, a millennia-old vampire who leads his family in a bid to reclaim New Orleans, the city they built, and to dominate the rivals who wronged them. Daniel Gillies plays his brother Elijah, a more measured schemer whose loyalties are often tested, while Phoebe Tonkin's Hayley Marshall, a werewolf, moves between the family's rival factions. Charles Michael Davis's Marcel Gerard, a power-hungry figure in the city's underworld, adds another layer of rivalry. Across five serialized seasons, each episode turns on fresh alliances, betrayals and shifting claims to the French Quarter, as vampires, werewolves and witches compete for control of the city. The mood is operatic and melodramatic, with gothic atmosphere, romance, and revenge carried through heightened family conflict. Fans of The Vampire Diaries, True Blood and Angel will find resonance in its blend of soapy intrigue and supernatural mythology. Its tone is brooding, lush and emotionally intense, anchored by the Mikaelsons' enduring bond.

## Shows like The Originals

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- [V Wars (2019)](https://ember.film/tv/69771)
- [The Vampire Diaries: A Darker Truth (2009)](https://ember.film/tv/1104988)
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- [Heirs of the Night (2019)](https://ember.film/tv/79371)
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- [The Strain (2014)](https://ember.film/tv/42917)

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