The Vampire Diaries was first broadcast in 2009. The cast included Somerhalder, Nina Dobrev (Elena Gilbert), and Paul Wesley (Stefan Salvatore). The show lasted eight seasons and spawned two spinoffs: Original and Legacy.
The success of Klaus Michaelson (Joseph Morgan) and his brothers on The Vampire Diaries Seasons 2-4 inspired the creation of the original series. Morgan revealed to Collider in 2013 that the Michaelsons' dance in Season 3 episode 14, Dangerous Liaisons, inspired him to develop the show.
The Salvatore boarding school for the young and gifted is the setting for the Legacies series. Damon and Stefan used to live at this house in the Vampire Diaries series. In the third season of the show, Damon, Elena, and Stefan are referenced. They are not, however, visible on the screen.