Ian Somerhalder recently opened up about his favorite episode of The Vampire Diaires. He not only thought it was a lot of fun to shoot, and "encapsulated Damon and who he was," he said watching it convinced him that they really did have a hit show on their hands. He was right. Eight seasons and almost 10 years later, and Ian Somerhalder is still talking about Damon Salvatore and company to loyal fans.
During Wizard World Philadelphia 2019, Ian Somerhalder was asked about his favorite episode of The Vampire Diaries. He went with Season 1, Episode 6, "Lost Girls," which first aired on October 15, 2009. The episode was written by Vampire Diaries executive producers Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec.
Here's what Ian Somerhalder told the panel audience about "Lost Girls":
Honestly, I mean, the most fun episode of that show for me -- I mean there was a lot, we had a lot of fun. But the scene that kind of encapsulated Damon and who he was and what he did was the one where he and Vicki are running around the Salvatore mansion. She's in her underwear, and they're just sucking each other's blood and getting high as kites. They're drinking, they're dancing. Damon's up in the rafters doing The Damon Dance. ... I've retired The Damon Dance! It was really so fun, that thing.
Go ahead and relive Vicki (Kayla Ewell) and Damon's (Ian Somerhalder) sexy underwear dance from The Vampire Diaries Season 1, Episode 6:
Ian Somerhalder didn't just appreciate The Vampire Diaries' "Lost Girls" episode for the nearly naked dancing. That's also the episode that many considered a turning point for The CW show. That's when Stefan (Paul Wesley) admitted to Elena (Nina Dobrev) that he was a vampire. It also gave us a flashback to Katherine and Stefan meeting in 1864. Oh, and it showed Damon turning Vicki into a vampire. A lot happened that week.
Here's more from Ian Somerhalder on his reaction to that whole Vampire Diaries episode, which he first watched alongside co-star Paul Wesley:
I remember watching that episode and thinking this is a really fun word that we've created. I remember because it was Episode [6] of Season 1. I remember finishing that episode and then seeing it on air and thinking -- we went to Paul Wesley's apartment, we could sit and watch it. I was with a very dear brother of mine who had just flown in to be with us. That episode finished and the three of us looked and each other and we went, 'Holy shit, this is going to be around for a while. This is a hit show. This is an amazing little show we created.' Cut to eight years later, now cut to almost 10 years later, I'm still here talking to you guys!
It really is amazing. The Vampire Diaries ended its eight season run in March 2017. Since then, Ian Somerhalder has been busy with plenty of things, but TV-wise he's busy with a new Netflix series V-Wars. The Vampire Diaries Universe is still soldiering on with its second spinoff. Somerhalder was "bitter" about The Originals becoming a show, but now we have Legacies, which has already name-dropped Damon and Elena's children and may even introduce them at some point in the future.
Ian Somerhalder thanked fans for making everything possible:
All jokes aside, you guys kept us on the air. Thank you. Because what I learned from this experience, and what I got from this experience is life-changing, to say the least. It gave me the confidence and the wherewithal and the resources, and the balls, really, to go out and create my own stuff, that hopefully won't suck.
I doubt it will suck -- unless it's meant to suck, as vampires do! Ian Somerhalder is still working on post-production for his vampire show, V-Wars Season 1, which is expected later this year on Netflix. Here's what some other Vampire Diaries stars have been up to in 2019. Legacies Season 2 may bring a few folks back, we'll have to wait and see after it premieres this October on The CW.
