The Final 'TVD' Promo Is Here

As we roll into the autumn, we are also entering that most perfect time of the year: Television season premiere time. It's a time when TV shows return after long hiatuses, and often surprise us all with plot twists and changing stylistic directions. For instance: if their promo is anything to go by, The Vampire Diaries may be going meta for their final season. This could be an exciting and interesting avenue for the hit CW show, even if they only do it in winks and sly nods. Of course, it comes as no surprise that given the supernatural elements and the last-ever episode looming in the future, The Vampire Diaries will be pulling out all the stops to keep ratings high and the viewership entertained. There's plenty of material left to wring from this show, and a ton loose ends to tie up in the final season. Why not have a little fun in the process by adding the meta touch?

"This is it. This is the beginning of the end," Damon tells his brother at the beginning of the promo. It's a sly nod to the fact that this is indeed the final season and the final season premiere. While the promo teases the Salvatore brothers finding out what's in that vault, murder, intrigue and the kinetic romance between Stefan and Caroline, what intrigues me most is the tone of the promo itself. As mentioned previously, the meta tone is an interesting turn for the show. Sure, the show is no stranger to comic relief. Yet, the addition of low-key meta lines like Damon's imply that the vibe of the final season will be darker, funnier, and more macabre. All bets are off in the race to the finish line; giving a meta, nearly omniscient, voices to the character (most of whom are immortal or very supernatural) would add a unique commentary on their respective Season 8 storylines.

I genuinely hope The Vampire Diaries does indeed pursue this meta vibe, though. The show's creators, Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec, have a history creating and writing stories with this element; both got their start working on the Scream franchise — and the Scream films are rife with meta textual nods to classic horror films and tropes. In short, these two know their stuff. It would be a missed opportunity not to put it to good use in yet another major entity of theirs.

So, while we all wait to see if The Vampire Diaries will follow through on their meta promise, I'll have to get re-hyped by watching Season 7. And Stefan's right: What's actually inside that vault?

Image: Bob Mahoney/The CW