About ten years ago I was a Junior in high school. I came upon L.J. Smith’s The Vampire Diaries in a Books A Million store and bought all four novels with lunch money I had saved up by not buying lunch and not having an allowance or a job.  I read them within a week, and hunted down every other book Ms. Smith had written. I had to special order The Secret Circle because the store didn’t carry them anymore. But I remember I read the whole trilogy one weekend. I loved to hate Faye, I laughed out loud at the antics of the Henderson twins, and I developed a crush on one Nick Armstrong. The Outsider, the underdog compared to “perfect” Adam (whom I find incredibly boring), and the bad boy who secretly has a heart of gold.


When the CW announced that The Secret Circle would be airing in the fall, on the same night as The Vampire Diaries, I felt a thrilling dose of nostalgia. I am thinking to myself, “what year is this again? I’m not seventeen anymore…but two of the book series that I loved from back then are being adapted and on back to back?!” I knew it wouldn’t follow the books exactly, as The Vampire Diaries doesn’t. And The Vampire Diaries is one of the very rare occasions where the changes help rather than hinder the story/adaption and it becomes more enjoyable. Even though I was very dissatisfied that the Henderson twins and most of the original coven of The Secret Circle (seven girls, five boys) didn’t make the final cut, and completely underwhelmed that out of all the characters taken away a new one was added in, I was willing to hold my tongue and reserve judgment until I saw the show, because I complained about the changed to The Vampire Diaries and I actually like what they have done there (for the most part).

Well, it has been, what? Five episodes now? While some changes I don’t mind, some of the changes leave me a little taken aback. I mean, it is easy to see why the New Salem/Original Salem roots storyline isn’t involved as The Vampire Diaries used Salem witches as THEIR witch back story (despite the fact that Bonnie was descended of Celtic Druids, but whatever), and I am still hoping that Black John will make an appearance sometime before I die or at least get a mention, as the first Klaus name dropping in season 2 of The Vampire Diaries was a wonderful fan moment. But I really do not know if I can bring myself to continue watching The Secret Circle due to the early and uncalled for death of Nick Armstrong.

I don’t care if the “show” storyline benefits from it. I don’t care if he’s not as important as Cassie or Adam or even Faye, because, let’s face it…those are the main characters. Diana is more expendable than those three, especially since she is not quite like her book counterpart. But in my honest opinion, the only important characters were the five that made the cut, minus Melissa who I could give a rat’s ass about due to the fact that she wasn’t in the books, serves no real purpose in the show thus far other than to send a demon into Nick and get him killed because of it. That doesn’t make me like her any more. Now I resent the fact that she is still alive when she never existed in the books.

I feel like killing Nick is a slap in the face to every single reader who was anticipating this series. In my opinion, this would be the same as killing Damon Salvatore in The Vampire Diaries. Or even Eric Northman on True Blood. You just don’t do it. You can’t replace him with a cheap imitation because (most) fans of the books won’t accept it. They will be thinking, “well, sure, he’s great an all…but I’d rather have Nick Armstrong back.” As an additional slap in the face, judging by the summaries of the next few episodes, Nick’s brother is going to become interested in Cassie and make both Adam and Faye jealous. I don’t understand why it became essential to kill off Nick, and then bring in a non-book character in order to fulfill the Nick role. I am almost glad my beloved Henderson twins didn’t make the cut, because surely one or both of them would have died before long, too, just because they aren’t required to have eye-sex with Cassie almost every episode like Adam has to. Because, despite the fact he and Cassie are soul mates, Adam's love of a girl who is NOT his girl friend is totally a trait I find attractive in a guy. (not)

I really wanted to write a totally scathing letter with a cuss word every other word, but I couldn’t bring myself to it. I am above it, but I cannot let my unhappiness go unheard. If you were going for tears with that episode, writers and producers, you didn’t get them. Instead I sat there physically shaking with fury. I was quite literally livid by the time the credits rolled. I honestly do not know if I can even bring myself to continue watching the show because I am that upset. I hope killing him off was worth it, because I am sure there are several other very unhappy fans of the books right now. I wish you the best with the run of the show, but I don’t know if I can enjoy it any longer.

Thanks for ruining my enjoyment of the show within the first few episodes.

Sincerely,

Victoria

P.S. Please do not EVER try to adapt The Forbidden Game, Dark Visions, or Night World. Just leave them alone. Thanks.