Spin offs just spin out of control

Lately spin offs have been enjoying success on the silver screen and I just have to say that I don’t really care for them. To me, spin offs, attempt to ride along the success of the original show and borrow from its success with the masses. It’s as if the network wants to expand without caring much about quality and that is exactly what I think whenever I hear about a new spin off soon to be aired.

My problem mainly lies in the fact that spin offs are rarely ever as good as the original show and this is mostly because they have large shoes to fill. I enjoyed watching The Vampire Diaries and Pretty Little Liars (both in their earlier seasons) but their spin offs The Originals and Ravenswood are disastrous to say the least. I loved Friends to death but Joey was average at best. I’m not even excited about the possibility of a Harry Potter spin off.

Perhaps the only spin off I might be excited about is Better Call Saul because I refuse to let go of the world of Breaking Bad. I’ve always thought that Breaking Bad benefited from the comedic criminal lawyer without his character’s presence diminishing the seriousness of the show. Now it would be nice to see the balance between comedy and drama on Better Call Saul, centering around Saul Goodman’s life before having met Walter White. I’m just waiting for this one to be aired but sadly I’ll have to do so until 2015!

Why TVD Needs to End

*Spoiler alert

Once upon a time, I was an avid follower of The Vampire Diaries yet now find myself questioning what I saw in the show and how a spin-off (The Originals) has been born from it. I was truly surprised to hear it was even  picked up for a 6th season after the disaster it’s become.

Here’s 5 reasons why I think TVD has run its course:

1. Death has become a joke on the show

Although there is something poetic about Damon and Bonnie dying together in the season finale, death seems to be a trivial matter on the show to the point where the audience doesn’t care since they’ll be brought back to life some way or the other. I, for one, wasn’t terribly rattled when Jeremy died earlier and sure enough I didn’t need to be since he came back ( I forgot how). I’m sure Damon and Bonnie will find their way back from the after life. Or at least Damon will as I think Bonnie’s character is long overdue to be killed.

2. The cast members have lost their chemistry

It was Stefan and Elena and now it’s Damon and Elena. Delena shippers have waited years for them to get together as those who favoured Stelena enjoyed themselves. Yet, ever since Damon and Elena finally became an item there have been nothing but incessant roadblocks, leading to a turbulent relationship. Not very entertaining, if you ask me.

3. Damon has lost all his charm 

Ian Somerhalder’s portrayal isn’t the problem, it’s the fact that his character has become lack lustre and predictable as he spirals out of control because Elena dumps him. This has now become a pattern that viewers are becoming sick of. Damon was the bad-ass older brother who possessed a sense of danger and allure but now he’s become the pathetic guy who’s stability depends on a girl. Damon’s character development really needed the fifth season finale cliffhanger but I doubt it will prove to make us think differently about him.

4. The 5th season seemed like it had no plot in mind

It’s the fifth season that has helped me come to my negative conclusion about the series. I’d seen all the four previous seasons with interest but watching the latest one felt more like a chore, where I had to finish what I started. There have been episodes where I was desperately wishing for it to be over. I’m not the only one either, since many have actually stopped watching mid way through the season.

5. There are no new interesting characters 

Silas was interesting but then he was killed off and since then there has been no one of note. The travellers were a nuisance and quite cliched while Katherine is dead (finally, might I add). The only good thing is that Alaric is now back from the Other Side but what good is that when his drinking buddy Damon is now dead? Not much, I’m afraid.