The Originals (2013)
Always and forever.
The Vampire Diaries spin-off that follows the Mikaelsons, a family of millennia-old, power-hungry vampires who want to reclaim the city they built, New Orleans, and dominate all those who have wronged them.
| Type | TV series |
|---|---|
| First aired | 3 October 2013 |
| Status | Ended, last episode 1 August 2018 |
| Genre | Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Drama, Mystery |
| Starring | Joseph Morgan, Daniel Gillies and Charles Michael Davis |
| Seasons | 5 seasons, 92 episodes |
| Episode length | about 45 min |
| Time to watch it all | about 69 hours |
| Rated | TV-14 |
| Scores | TMDB users 8.6/10 |
Where to watch The Originals
The Originals is streaming on Prime Video ($8.99 a month) in the US. It is also on Peacock ($16.99 a month). At ten hours a week, all of the series takes about 2 months of Prime Video, or $17.98 at list price.
We check availability daily. Page last updated 15 October 2026. Prices are standard monthly plans and change often, so check with the service before you sign up.
What kind of watch this is
The Originals swaps the sunny Florida backdrop for the humid, shadowed streets of New Orleans. It is a vampire drama where the monsters are not just dangerous, but deeply, personally invested in real estate. The hook is the Mikaelson family, ancient beings who want to reclaim the city they built. With 5 seasons and 92 episodes, you are looking at roughly 69 hours of biting, scheming, and property disputes. It is less a horror story and more a high-stakes family feud. If you enjoy watching powerful people fall out over who gets to run the place, this is your show.
What the critics said
The reception is a study in contrast. Rotten Tomatoes reports 87% positive reviews for the overall series. Season 1 sits at 57%, based on 28 reviews. The next three seasons all hit 100%, though they rest on just 6, 6, and 5 reviews respectively. The final season drops to 67% across 6 reviews.
How it did with audiences
The Originals sits at an 8.6 TMDB user score, a number that suggests the vampire drama found a dedicated following. Without box office figures or budget details to measure its commercial footprint, the reception relies entirely on what viewers left in the comments. High ratings usually mean the nights were long and the stakes felt personal. The data is quiet, but the enthusiasm is loud.
What came next for the cast
Joseph Morgan traded vampire drama for sci-fi action in Halo and a DC spinoff. Daniel Gillies moved from a superhero sequel to a domestic streaming series. Charles Michael Davis jumped from a medical drama to two police procedurals within the same year. Phoebe Tonkin went from horror to a period piece about Hollywood’s golden age. The credits list what followed, not why.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched The Originals.
Sources
- The Originals on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q4307100 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “The Originals (TV series)” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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