The Vampire Diaries, an American supernatural drama, was renewed for a fifth season by the CW on February 11, 2013.

[27] Within the first three episodes, four new characters were introduced: Nadia, a girl with a mission of revenge who has traveled around the world, Jesse, an upper-class boy who goes to college, Actors Olga Fonda and Kendrick Sampson were cast in the roles of Nadia and Jesse, respectively.

[28][29] On August 2, 2013, it was announced that Janina Gavankar would play Tessa.

[30] Based on 13 reviews, the fifth season holds a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes with an average rating of 8.56 out of 10.

The site's critics' consensus reads, "After a floundering fourth season, Vampire Diaries redeems itself with scorching twists that remind viewers that nothing is sacred.