Vampire Diaries Season 7: Steroline's 'Curveball,' Bonnie's 'Surprising' New Romance and madami Scoop 

It’s too bad Elena passed out early, because it sounds like she’ll be missing one hell of a party when 

returns for its seventh season on Thursday, Oct. 8 (The CW, 8/7c).

TVLine caught up with executive producer Julie Plec at the Television Critics Association summer press tour, where she teased Bonnie and Matt’s new love interests, the return of Damon and Alaric’s bromance and a particularly surprising “curveball” being thrown at Stefan and Caroline.

TVLINE | Let’s start with the season premiere title, ‘22,190 Days.’

You know, I saw that somebody leaked that title, but it’s not the whole thing. It’s actually something like “Day 20 of 22,190, Give or Take.”

TVLINE | I feel like I know the answer to this, but what is that counting down to?

It’s counting down to the beautiful inevitability of his reunion with his one true love.

TVLINE | So is that also his countdown clock for when Bonnie’s going to die?

] Well, by then, Bonnie will have lived a nice life. He tacks on an extra decade for her every now and then. No, what’s really lingering for Damon is … he waited for Katherine for a long-ass time, so it’s the waiting game. That’s not what’s hard for him; it’s what to do with himself and how to behave as a man and a vampire in the interim.

Well, drinking, as always. And now he has Alaric back on the bourbon wagon, because he’s also been dealt the s–t end of life. Bonnie has sort of taken it upon herself to be the uninvited chaperone, which is funny because she and Damon have so much unspoken between them — the guilt, the resentments, the gratitude, there’s a list of things they’re dealing with. Watching them air it out together is actually really nice. We’ll continue to watch their friendship build, because they really do owe each other a lot. They’re going to go through this whole thing together, which is a fun dynamic we’re exploring.

TVLINE | When last I spoke to Kat Graham, she said she pitched a bisexual story for Bonnie.

She did! In theory, we were all for it, and it’s entirely possible it could happen someday. At the time, we were still so close to 

witch gay … frankly, I didn’t feel like reading all the tweets calling me a hack artist. But Kat really believes in it as a potential road for her character, and we support it 100 percent, so if it ever feels right for the character, we’re all for it.

TVLINE | But you are planning to pair her up with someone this season?

Yes, yes we are. It’s not a woman yet, but it’s a little bit surprising. It comes strangely out of nowhere, but it will make a lot of sense. That’s my enigmatic tease.

TVLINE | And what’s the plan for Matt? I think it’s time you introduce a nice woman he can settle down with and start popping out babies.

I will tell you this: There’s a pitch on the table as we speak. I don’t know if she’s nice yet. In this town, they often have two sides to their personalities, so one can never predict if a nice girl will be a nice girl. But I do think it’s time for Matt to start asking himself what kind of people he’s willing to be surrounded by. I think you’ll be surprised by the answer.

TVLINE | Anything you can tease about Stefan and Caroline that you haven’t already?

I would say Stefan and Caroline are part of one of the bigger surprises of the season, which we’ll unfold around Episode 6 or 7. It’s a bit of a fun curveball to throw their way.

TVLINE | Lastly, I know Nina Dobrev is done filming, but might we see old footage of Elena used for flashbacks?

None that we’ve done so far, but I don’t think we wouldn’t use it. If it calls for it, we will.

Your thoughts on the latest Season 7 teases? Drop a comment with your personal hopes for 

Intrigued by the Steroline curve ball and please don’t let Alaric be Bonnie’s boyfriend. I have the lingering feeling they’ll go for Balaric and that is just ….

“It’s counting down to the beautiful inevitability of his reunion with his one true love.” #barfing

So, I take it that the Sarah Salvatore storyline us dead in the water. Not that it was the most awesome ever, but I do love the idea of Matt dating/marrying/making babies with the last living Salvatore.

Cannot tell you how disappointed me and soooo many people are that they killed off Stelena . Stelena is why me and so many stayed with the show…Dullena is why we left. Any chance of me returning as a viewer is GONE! I do NOT WANT Stefan with Caroline. Bring back Stelena and me and the millions of viewers you lost since you forced Dullena down our throats will come back.

How can they bring back Stelena without Elena?

How do propose they do that when half of Stelena is no longer part of the cast Ms. Genius?

Im sorry. I get that you like Stelena. I did too. but even if we ignore the fact that ND has left, why would you want Stefan to go back to Elena? She treated him horribly & slept with his brother a day after breaking up with him!! Not to mention she’s been banging Damon for over 2 seasons.. I mean Stefan should have more self respect than that..

Besides… Stelena is just not gonna happen you kinda gotta face the facts.

Honestly, this show is on life support and Ms Plec needs to wake up and realise it. I can not even stir myself to contemplate watching whatever sterile curveball comes Sterolines way. Of all the chemistry lacking couples in the history of television those two might be the worst. What a paint by numbers romance. And again with the Damon man pain, wasn’t that what the first seasons were about? The only thing these spoilers have done is give me another reason to abandon this show and find something where the writing inspires rather than bores me to tears.

I could not agree more. There is nothing about any of the “spoilers” that Julie or the rest of her crew have given out since the ending of S6 that makes it seem remotely interesting. I could care less about Sterosnore they honestly put me to sleep and we’ve already seen man misery Damon. What a bummer I was actually looking forward to a season without Elena but these storylines are horrible.

Even though Bonnie’s sacrificed everything for all of these people numerous times, you can bet they’ll have this whole resentment thing be totally one-sided with her feeling oh so guilty she’s whats keeping the lovebirds apart and Damon

will be treating her like garbage. So much for friendship. Plec is incapable of showing Bonnie the slightest respect and of letting Elena go. Im already ready to laugh at whatever random joke of a romance they throw at Bonnie this year. More than likely a possession by Jo so she and Alaric can still be together.

So again we don’t have individual story line for Caroline or Stefan ; once again it’s all about the “slow burn” Steroline and each revolves around the other.

Did you know that for pushing this couple nor Caroline and Stefan met Kai? The main plot last season.

Stefan and Caroline isolation is what will continue watching, so that writers make us see what means “even better than true love” lol

This, so many times over. I am sick of Stefan being a side character. He is either saving someone, moping or pining over a girl. It is getting tiresome.

THANKS FOR ASKING ABOUT STEROLINE WHAT IS THIS CURVEBALL?! Ahh can’t wait.

Hopefully they realize how awful they are as a couple and decided to remain friends.

hopefully ! there hasnt been two people with worse chemistry since the utter failure of joey and rachel

Can’t wait for more Steroline in season 7 and I’m really excited to see this “curveball” Wonder what it is hmmm

Stefan and Caroline need to get together.. I dont want this “curve ball” to be another tactic to keep them apart. They belong together.. Get to it!!

I have a feeling that they are going to pair up Bonnie with Matt.

Yesssss Matt and Bonnie or Bamon either or will be great

That was my thought initially, as well. But then they talked about Matt getting a separate love interest so…

Of all the guys currently on the canvas, Matt’s the only one I can see them actually putting her with (because they clearly have no intention of pairing her with Damon despite their insane chemistry) that would work. Bonnie/Alaric makes no sense and Alaric is still grieving his almost-wife and babies so that romance would be awful. Stefan’s with Caroline and they don’t seem to have any plans of changing that. (Unless Stefan falling for Bonnie is the “curveball” they discussed,) And Enzo is on the opposite side of this fight so it wouldn’t make much sense to have them get together. So it’s either Matt or an entirely new character.

Given the way they usually treat Bonnie, it’s probably going to be a new character. And said character will either die or turn out to be evil because gods forbid they ever let Bonnie be happy. My only hope is that Plec is lying about the bisexual thing and her new love interest will be one of Lily’s female family members because at least that would make Kat happy before it ultimately goes nowhere.

I agree with Plec. I don’t think they should make Bonnie bisexual. Not only would it be a rehash of Buffy, but of True Blood as well. They can come up with something interesting and unique for Bonnie. She’s a great character who definitely deserves to be front and center with an awesome story line of her own. I hope this upcoming season will be the one where we see it!

I agree as well. They’ve never even hinted that about Bonnie so to bring it in now would be silly and would be out of character. It would be nice to see some of Bonnie’s family or a story line about her family. Really just more Bonnie would make me happy.

Pleasee stop with Steroline!!I can’t anymore with this couple!Caroline is better than a stupid love interest..

Bonnie… bisexual? “NO” .. please don’t go there….

Well this is underwhelming. Vampire Diaries is suppose to be Stefan’s story yet we rarely see him because it’s all about Damon. We’ve seen Damon man-pain a billion times! Caroline is basically a rotating door for love intrest, I like Steroline but what else does Caroline do, what’s her actual purpose? Give Bonnie something interesting this year, last year was such a big season for her don’t ruin it by trying to shove a character that not here in our faces every episode. Stop making BOnnie always feel guilty, IT WASN’T HER FAULT. And PLEASE FOR THE LAST HOPE TVD HAS DO NOT MAKE BORLARIC her love interest! I still don’t understand why he needed to be brought back. Grams, Lexi, Kol, Jenna, heck Vicki would’ve been a better choice.

I looking forward to a season(s) without Elena but its up to TVD to keep the interest.

Is Julie crazy again with this wanna be spoiler. Enough with the in group relations its old change the thought my god she infected The Originals with groupie mess.

I won’t miss Elena she got my man Kol and Finn killed easy. Less Elena is more about vampires

Matt got problems on this show, lol he turned down Rebekah. He forced her to leave.

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