TV Goodness Reports: Memorable Moments + Scoops from The CW’s The Vampire Diaries Panel @ PaleyFest 2012 

WARNING: SPOILERS DISCUSSED

What can one say about a night devoted to all things The Vampire Diaries? It was fun, wild and loud (the sound of the screams was off the charts). They screened the March 15 episode for those seated inside the Saban Theatre for the ninth day of PaleyFest 2012. Julie Plec (and the stunning cast) vocalized their appreciation for the show’s loyal and fans. There was lots of laughter, sarcastic banter, a little scoop, and some great talk about those sizzling hot brothers — Damon and Stefan Salvatore. The sizable audience was treated to an unforgettable panel. The Moderator:
TV Guide Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief, Debra Birnbaum

The Panel:
Kat Graham, Bonnie Bennett
Matt Davis, Alaric Saltzman
Nina Dobrev, Elena Gilbert
Ian Somerhalder, Damon Salvatore
Julie Plec, Executive Producer
Paul Wesley, Stefan Salvatore
Candice Accola, Caroline Forbes

What We Learned

• People had been lined up since 9 a.m. to get into the theatre.

• Matt Davis is attached to his cell phone. Ian Somerhalder practically had to break out the jaws of life to pry the phone from his hands. Ian: “It’s like being on the set of The Vampire Diaries.”

• Executive Producer Julie Plec shared the fact that Davis has written fan fiction. She couldn’t talk about all of it because there’s one that is R-rated. The one she could talk about had Alaric teaching Damon a life lesson. She said it was great, but that won’t happen this season. Davis’ current muse? He said it was Tyler.

• The conversation veered to Paul Wesley’s wife, Torrey DeVitto, joining the show. How did she get the part of Dr. Meredith Fell? She auditioned and Plec was a big fan of Pretty Little Liars (where DeVitto plays Melissa). Somerhalder offered two words: “Casting. Couch.” Wesley said (joked?) he didn’t even know what a “casting couch” was.

• Wesley loved playing Bad Stefan. It was the most fun he had had in a while. In the episode that was screened (“1912”),  he saw that Stefan was all reluctant to be bad. He doesn’t want Stefan to be all nice. He asked Julie Plec if Stefan is ever going to have a “medium” instead of Stefan’s usual all or nothing existence. Plec felt he will have to at a certain point.

• Favorite plot points? Kat: When Tyler turned into a hybrd. Matt: It’s about to come up so he won’t talk about it. Nina: When Elena stabbed Rebekah. Julie & Paul: Klaus and Stefan turned out to be friends back in the day. Candice: Loved the reveal of all The Originals confronting Klaus; Damon and Elena “macking”; and Caroline’s story with her dad and how she lost him when he made the difficult decision not to transition after being bitten.

• The challenge for Nina in playing a dual role (Elena & Katherine) is making them both “lovable, hate-able and kill-able.” And making them both different from each other.

Memorable Moments

• The applause/screams for the panel felt like it lasted for about five minutes. It was pretty epic.

• Somerhalder took a picture of an Ernesto Riley sign with his phone — the pic was up in the balcony so who know how that pictured turned out. Let’s hope he tweeted it.

• Kat Graham thanked everyone for shipping her character, even when it didn’t make sense.

• Talking about Paul’s wife, Ian told us how Matt was so excited that Alaric was going to get some and then it turned out it was going to be his buddy’s wife. Matt was horrified. Paul: “You were horrified?”

• At one point, when talking about the show’s main love triangle (Damon, Elena, Stefan), Nina Dobrev asked Plec if Elena could just go to Europe and meet new boys. Elena could go to Italy where more Salvatores live and that won’t bite her. “Can we have a Europe episode? Gossip Girl did,” said Dobrev.

• Ian told a story about how he almost didn’t get the role of Damon Salvatore. He had passed the studio test, but he choked when auditioning for the network. But he got another chance and the role became his. But he went through ten days of hell before learning he got the part.

• Plec has fantasies of a musical ep — especially since all the girls sing — but doesn’t know if they could ever actually do one.

Couples Talk

• Various pairings were mentioned, including Elena and Elijah. Dobrev shared how the two characters have connected because they share the same morals. They definitely share a chemistry.

• Talking about Caroline and Klaus, Candice Accola wanted to remind everyone that Klaus is a bad dude. “He has a terrible Match.com profile.” Hilarious.

• Plec told the audience how Davis has taken to twitter to champion an Alaric/Elena pairing.

• Much talk revolved around the brothers — Damon and Stefan Salvatore — and how Plec has always said this show is the epic love story of these brothers. Both brothers have the capacity to explore their good and evil sides. Plec: “Damon is no more good than Stefan is evil.” But are they ever going to be friends? Plec hopes so. At the heart, these brothers are constantly trying to be heroes for each other.

Spoiler Section (do not read if you do not want to know)

• The March 15 TVD (“1912”) is just fantastic. There’s a huge revelation; lots of Matt and Elena goodness; and one of the best moments of the episode happens in a scene with brothers Stefan and Damon. It’s a rewind and repeat moment for sure.

• There was talk about the press photo that has been circulating showing Rebekah and a bloodied, strung up Damon. Apparently, Damon does something really bad to the Original that he has bedded, and she takes her revenge. They shot this at boxing great Evander Holyfield’s house in Atlanta. The house is so big it comes complete with a ballroom and a bowling alley.

• The rest of the Original’s will return. In fact, we haven’t seen the last of Esther’s plan.

• In dealing with Bonnie’s mom, we will get some Bonnie and Caroline quality time. They will have to work together.

• There will be a decent guy in Bonnie’s near future (Yay!!!).

• According to Plec, “1912” is a show case for “Team Salvatore.”

• The love triangle (Damon, Elena & Stefan) is going to come to a head. However, Plec cryptically told the audience: “Maybe not the head but a head for sure.” What does that mean?

• When asked if Elena would ever end up with a non-Salvatore, Plec ominously stated that this season, Elena has a choice to make.

The Vampire Diaries finally returns with new episodes March 15 at 8/7c on the CW.