After watching The Originals, I watched this series, and I mention it because it really influenced my experience, as I found too many illogical things, like for example an amateur witch being super powerful, 150-year-old vampires defeating 1,000-year-old immortal vampires who in the other series could kill 50 vampires without breaking a sweat, among other things. Also, having watched The Originals takes away some of the suspense from the storyline, for instance with the whole werewolf situation.
I think the overall story is good. For me, The Originals is one of the best series, and while this one doesn't quite measure up to it, it's still good. It has very interesting characters like Damon, Alaric, or Caroline, and I find the whole universe very appealing.
The biggest problem with the series is the dynamic and the characters of its two protagonists, Stefan and Elena-how annoying! I understand that the show starts as a teenage drama and romance, but as the seasons progress, the dynamic between them stays the same. Elena acts the same in the first episode and in the 30th, and the same goes for Stefan, the vampire who fluctuates between moderation, values, love, and uncontrolled murder. Throughout the whole series, it's the same dynamic-they don't evolve.
The appearance of The Originals saves the series, in my opinion.
