The Vampire Diaries season 4

The Vampire Diaries, an American supernatural drama, was renewed for a fourth season by the U.S. channel The CW on May 3, 2012, seven days before the third season's finale. Unlike the previous seasons that aired in September, it premiered on October 11, 2012, to avoid competition from major television shows. Season 4 consisted of 23 episodes instead of the usual 22 episodes.

On January 11, 2013, it was announced that a back-door pilot focused on the Originals, titled The Originals, would air on April 25 in the hopes that that series was picked up. On April 26, 2013, The CW announced that The Originals, The Vampire Diaries' spin-off series, had been picked up for a full season slated to premiere in the fourth quarter of 2013.

On February 11, 2013, The CW renewed the series for a fifth season.

Main

 * Nina Dobrev as Elena Gilbert / Katherine Pierce
 * Paul Wesley as Stefan Salvatore / Silas
 * Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore
 * Steven R. McQueen as Jeremy Gilbert
 * Kat Graham as Bonnie Bennett
 * Zach Roerig as Matt Donovan
 * Candice Accola as Caroline Forbes
 * Michael Trevino as Tyler Lockwood
 * Joseph Morgan as Klaus Mikaelson

Recurring

 * Claire Holt as Rebekah Mikaelson
 * David Alpay as Atticus Shane
 * Grace Phipps as April Young
 * Phoebe Tonkin as Hayley Marshall
 * Marguerite MacIntyre as Liz Forbes
 * Todd Williams as Connor Jordan
 * Rick Worthy as Rudy Hopkins
 * Nathaniel Buzolic as Kol Mikaelson
 * Charlie Bewley as Galen Vaughn
 * Susan Walters as Carol Lockwood
 * Arielle Kebbel as Lexi Branson
 * Daniel Gillies as Elijah Mikaelson

Special guest

 * Jasmine Guy as Sheila Bennett

Guest

 * Alyssa Diaz as Kim
 * Matt Davis as Alaric Saltzman
 * Torrey DeVitto as Meredith Fell
 * Paul Telfer as Alexander
 * Scott Parks as Silas
 * Michael Reilly Burke as Pastor Young
 * Camille Guaty as Caitlin Shane
 * Cynthia Addai-Robinson as Aja
 * Blake Hood as Dean
 * Ser'Darius Blain as Chris
 * Madeline Zima as Charlotte
 * Adina Porter as Nandi LaMarche
 * Persia White as Abby Bennett Wilson
 * Charles Michael Davis as Marcel Gerard
 * Daniella Pineda as Sophie Deveraux
 * Leah Pipes as Camille O'Connell
 * Callard Harris as Thierry Vanchure
 * Eka Darville as Diego
 * Malaya Rivera Drew as Jane-Anne Deveraux
 * Lex Shontz as Deputy Adams (“Growing Pains” episode).

Production
On May 3, 2012 The CW renewed The Vampire Diaries for a fourth season. Unlike previous seasons, it started on October 11. Kevin Williamson, Julie Plec, Leslie Morgenstein and Bob Levy were executive producers for the series. The season was concluded on May 16, 2013.

Casting
On August 7, 2012 it was announced that Phoebe Tonkin and Todd Williams would join the show as recurring characters in the fourth season. Tonkin portrayed Hayley Marshall, a friend of Tyler's. Williams portrayed Connor, a vampire hunter.

The Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas made an appearance in "My Brother's Keeper" as a volunteer decorator for the Miss Mystic Falls Beauty Pageant. On the CW website, an interview with Douglas shares her experience on set and with the cast.

Starting with episode 13, Charlie Bewley will join the show as Vaughn, like Connor a vampire hunter, and Camille Guaty as Professor Shane's dead wife Caitlin, who is going to reveal information about him.

In February 2013, it was announced that Daniella Pineda was cast as the witch Sophie for episode 20 "The Originals". This episode serves as a backdoor-pilot for a possible spin-off series, revolving around the Originals and taking place in the French Quarter of New Orleans.

Critical response
Based on 16 reviews, the fourth season holds a 69% on Rotten Tomatoes with an average rating of 7.81 out of 10. The site's critics' consensus reads, "Vampire Diaries gets the best out of star Nina Dobrev, but could use some fresh blood on the page as plotlines struggle to move the series forward."