So through season 1-3 I loved vampire diaries, I literally watched it everyday and I found the story lines so interesting and exciting. It would make you laugh, cry and want to throw your remote at the tv all in one scene. It really had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Seasons 4-5 I loved as well but I felt a bit like they had lost the magic that the first 3 seasons had. I did really route for delena though and definitely not stelena.
Then season 6 came and well, I wasn't up late watching it every night, I wasn't bursting to watch another episode and I just wasn't as excited as a whole from the show. I did really enjoy all the seasons from 1-6 though and the scripts (although cringe at times) were really enjoyable.
And with season 7... I can honestly say that I found it hard to watch, it felt a bit like I had to watch it because I had watched all the previous seasons and not that I wanted to watch it. The acting in season 7 was also quite a lot worse than the previous seasons, it just got too cringey and wasn't fun to watch anymore- there was definitely a big gap since Elena (Nina Dobrev) left the show. Which was a big shame, although it did mean that the other more side characters got better and more screen time.
I sort of thought that the show couldn't go anymore down hill until I started watching season 8. The whole Sibil storyline is just weird and I felt that all the characters (especially Damon) just lost that depth and credibility that they all had in the first few seasons. I'm still watching season 8, because I just want to finish the show now but it definitely wouldn't be a season that I would want to watch twice.
Seasons 1-5 (maybe 6..) I would definitely watch again and would recommend anyone else to watch, but after that.. definitely not!!
Wish I could grade it higher but I just can't.
Season one: 5 stars
Season two: 5 stars
Season three: 5 stars
Season four: 4.5 stars
Season five: 4 stars
Season 6: 4 stars
Season 7&8: 1/2 stars
Its a shame as well because it used to be such a good show. There was just too much of a gap and hole that Nina Dobrev left, I think the writers tried to fill it with new characters to keep it exciting but honestly all of them were just cringey and boring. It just fell so down hill that I felt like it couldn't be salvaged. You never know though.. season 8 might pick up and I might change my thoughts on its story line, but honestly its not looking hopeful.
after finishing season 8 I can confidently say that it really did not.