Season Three

The third season of The Vampire Diaries began airing in the United States in Fall 2011. It was announced on April 26, 2011 that the show was renewed for another season.Season 3 Renewal
Julie Plec mentioned that it will be "The Year of the Original Vampires".
==Season Summary==
Season three opens the door to learn more about Klaus and The Original Family as his motives for wanting Stefan on his side are finally revealed. As Stefan sinks deeper into the dark side, Damon and Elena struggle with the guilt of their growing bond even as they work together to bring Stefan back home. The ghosts from Jeremy's past have a powerful message they're trying to deliver to him, not to mention the impact they're having on his relationship with Bonnie Bennett; as Caroline and Tyler grow closer, a war erupts between their families.
The series stars Nina Dobrev as Elena Gilbert, Paul Wesley as Stefan Salvatore, Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore, Steven R. McQueen as Jeremy Gilbert, Kat Graham as Bonnie Bennett, Candice Accola as Caroline Forbes, Zach Roerig as Matt Donovan, Michael Trevino as Tyler Lockwood, Matt Davis as Alaric Saltzman and Joseph Morgan as Klaus.
Based on the series of books by L. J. Smith, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES is from Alloy Entertainment and Bonanza Productions Inc in association with Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios with executive producers Kevin Williamson ("Scream," "Dawson's Creek"), Julie Plec ("Kyle XY," "Wasteland"), Leslie Morgenstein ("Gossip Girl," "Private") and Bob Levy ("Gossip Girl," "Privileged")
==Antagonists==
==Cast/Characters==
<tabber>
|-|Main Cast=
* Nina Dobrev as Elena Gilbert (22/22) / Katherine Pierce (5/22)*
* Paul Wesley as Stefan Salvatore (22/22)
* Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore (22/22)
* Candice Accola as Caroline Forbes (19/22)
* Matt Davis as Alaric Saltzman (18/22)
* Joseph Morgan as Niklaus Mikaelson (18/22)
* Kat Graham as Bonnie Bennett (17/22)
* Zach Roerig as Matt Donovan (15/22)
* Michael Trevino as Tyler Lockwood (15/22) (voice in 3x14)
* Steven R. McQueen as Jeremy Gilbert (14/22)
Note 1: *Appeared as a main character through 3x03 - 3x09.
|-|Supporting Cast=
* Claire Holt as Rebekah Mikaelson (17/22)
* Susan Walters as Carol Lockwood (10/22)
* Torrey DeVitto as Meredith Fell (9/22)
* Marguerite MacIntyre as Liz Forbes (7/22)
* Malese Jow as Anna (6/22)
* Daniel Gillies as Elijah Mikaelson (6/22)
* Alice Evans as Esther Mikaelson (6/22)
* Jack Coleman as Bill Forbes (5/22)
* Sebastian Roché as Mikael (5/22)
* Persia White as Abby Bennett Wilson (5/22)
* Kayla Ewell as Vicki Donovan (4/22)
* Nathaniel Buzolic as Kol Mikaelson (4/22)
* Caspar Zafer as Finn Mikaelson (4/22)
* Cassidy Freeman as Sage (3/22)
* Robert Ri'chard as Jamie (3/22)
|-|Guest Cast=
* David Gallagher as Ray Sutton (2/22)
* Charmin Lee as Gloria (2/22)
* Taylor Kinney as Mason Lockwood (2/22)
* Daniel Newman as Daniel Warren (2/22)
* David Colin Smith as Brian Walters (2/22) (archive footage in 3x16)
* Maria Howell as Ayana (1/22)
* Enisha Brewster as Young Gloria (1/22)
* Lilly Roberson as Sofie (1/22)
* Cherilyn Wilson as Samara (1/22)
* Sarah Cooper as Keisha (1/22)
* Dawn Olivieri as Andie Star (1/22)
* Jason Mac as Derek (1/22)
* Anna Enger as Dana (1/22)
* Jasmine Guy as Sheila Bennett (1/22)
* Frank Brennan as Tobias Fell (1/22)
* Stephen Martines as Frederick (1/22)
* Arielle Kebbel as Lexi Branson (1/22)
* Kelly Hu as Pearl (1/22)
* Devon Allowitz as Henrik (1/22)
* Lindsey Garrett as Samantha Gilbert (1/22)
* Hannah Fierman as Marianna Lockwood (1/22)
* Lauren Cohan as Rose (1/22)
* Sara Canning as Jenna Sommers (1/22)
* Jason MacDonald as Grayson Gilbert (1/22)
* Erin Beute as Miranda Sommers-Gilbert (1/22)
* Linds Edwards as Troy (1/22)
* April Billingsley as Paige (1/22)
* Kimberley Drummond as Mindy (3/22)
* Zane Stephens as Tony (2/22)
</tabber>
==Crew==
<tabber>
|-|Writers (14)=
*Caroline Dries (6/22) (1 co-written, 1 co-written teleplay, 1 teleplay)
*Julie Plec (5/22) (3 co-written, 1 co-written teleplay, 1 teleplay)
*Michael Narducci (4/22) (2 co-written)
*Brian Young (3/22) (1 co-written)
*Rebecca Sonnenshine (3/22)
*Evan Bleiweiss (3/22) (2 co-written)
*Al Septien (2/22) (co-written)
*Turi Meyer (2/22) (co-written)
*Elisabeth R. Finch (2/22) (1 co-written, 1 co-written story)
*Kevin Williamson (1/22) (co-written)
*Nick Wauters (1/22) (story)
*Charlie Charbonneau (1/22) (co-written story)
*Daphne Miles (1/22) (co-written story)
*Brett Matthews (1/22) (co-written story)
|-|Directors (11)=
*John Behring (5/22)
*Chris Grismer (4/22)
*Joshua Butler (3/22)
*Wendey Stanzler (2/22)
*J. Miller Tobin (2/22)
*Rob Hardy (1/22)
*David Jackson (1/22)
*John Dahl (1/22)
*Jeffrey Hunt (1/22)
*Pascal Verschooris (1/22)
*Lance Anderson (1/22)
</tabber>
==Episodes List: 2011-2012==
==Multimedia==
===Pictures===
<tabber>
|-|Promotional=
Tvdmaysweeps~0.jpg|Season Finale-Elena's choice
Rebekah-rebekah-28302746-900-1137.jpg
s3 finale.jpg|Group Finale Photo|link=http://www.wetpaint.com/the-vampire-diaries/gallery/sneak-peek-photos-from-the-vampire-diaries-season-3-finale-photos#1|linktext=WetPaint.com
3x22poster.jpg
tumblr_m35vw87dUx1qdd3gno1_500.jpg
tumblr_m3mwc5H5To1r5f8xoo1_500.jpg|Which one of them will Elena choose?
|-|Behind the Scenes=
</tabber>
==Notes==
General
* As of the beginning of Season 3, every main character now knows about vampires and supernatural beings in the series.
* During an interview executive producer Julie Plec stated that season 3 will be "The Year of The Originals".
* Joseph Morgan (Klaus) was updated to series regular status this season.
* Rebecca Sonnenshine has been hired to write a few episodes. She is known for writing psychological horror.
* Klaus is the first villain to be the main antagonist of more than one season as well as to keep this role for the entire season.
* The first part of Season 3 has 9 episodes (The Birthday to Homecoming (2011)).
* The second part of Season 3 has 6 episodes (The New Deal to All My Children (2012)).
* The third part part of Season 3 has 7 episodes (1912 to The Departed (2012)).
* Meredith Fell appears in the tenth episode and thus being the last main book character to appear in the series.
* Sara Canning reprises her role as Jenna Sommers in The Departed.
* Unlike the two previous seasons, the end of the third season does not end at the Gilbert House, but with a member of the Gilbert Family.
* This is the first season in which David Anders (John Gilbert) and Mia Kirshner (Isobel Flemming) don't appear in any episodes.
* Every previous regular cast member is present this season. (Elena, Damon, Stefan, Jeremy, Bonnie, Caroline, Alaric, Matt, Tyler, Klaus, Katherine as well as Vicki and Jenna). With the Exception that Jenna and Vicki Appeared as Guest stars instead of Regulars.
==Timeline==
A time jump occurs at the beginning of the season from last season's finale As I Lay Dying. If the deleted scenes from Season 2 are canon, then season 3 will begin close to June 22, 2010, which is Elena's birthday. Note: Since Senior Year begins during 3x06, then it's unlikely Elena's birthday is June 22, but has been changed to August, assuming senior year in the show starts up in late August and early September. The Hybrid occurs during a full moon so it's Tuesday, August 24, 2010 according to a full moon calendar. It follows the story until the night of November 6, 2010, with Season 4 beginning on November 7, 2010.
==References==
==External links==
*Official Facebook
*Official Twitter
*
*IMDB
==See also==
* Season One
* Season Two
* Season Three Soundtrack
* Season Three Minor Characters
* Season Three Body Count
* Season Three Co-Stars
* The Complete Third Season (DVD)
Category:The Vampire Diaries (series)
Category:The Vampire Diaries Episode Guide
Category:The Vampire Diaries Season Three
Category:Season