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Backdoor pilots have gotten pretty
popular over the past couple of years. They’re the sneaky test subjects of spin-offs, using a current series’ popularity and viewer platform to (hopefully)
catapult the new show into existence. Sadly, the shows that are pushed through
the parturition of these already established series generally fall flat after
that first episode (The Finder, anybody? Seriously, does anybody remember that
show? Nope, didn’t think so…) or never get picked up (Valley Girls) leaving you
feeling a little abandoned.
That said, I’m not really sure where
last Thursday’s backdoor pilot, The
Originals, left me—in “that was really fun, but let’s just be friends”
territory or “let’s try this out and see where it goes-ville”. Vampire Diaries may not be a great show
(hell, on a good day it sometimes doesn’t even qualify as a good show) but there’s enough attractive
people taking their shirts off and making out week after week to keep me
watching. And I can’t say that I’m not just a little excited over the prospect
of its clone serving up the same saucy plots this fall.
I love the new character of Marcel, the
“I don’t give a f**k who Klaus thinks he is” vamp with the killer voice and
really nice caps teeth. I love the idea of creating a show in New
Orleans about vampires and witches, and I hope the majority of the show is
actually filmed there (and not on some sound stage). I also really like the
idea that there might be VD (Vampire
Diaries, not Venereal Disease) cross-over
characters and simultaneous plot points on both shows.
A new witch (Daniella Pineda); a
secret vampire-werewolf baby, carried by CW alum Phoebe Tonkin’s character,
Hayley; and an entire show full of new secrets will keep me watching for the
first few weeks alone.
The only major flaw so far? Elijah’s
motivation behind the move to the Crescent City seems a little weak—I’m not
really sure I’m buying it. First all he cared about was Katherine, and now he
seems pretty NOLA obsessed.
Looks like it didn’t matter to
viewers, though. Not even 24 hours after the pilot premiered on the CW on
Thursday, execs signed it up for next season. Will it trump VD as the network’s
new favorite child? Or will it fall flat on its fanged face? Originals, I’ve got my eye on you…
