The Vampire Diaries Will End Its Run With Season 8

The Vampire Diaries will end with its upcoming season, executive producers Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec announced at San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday morning.

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While painful, the news isn't a total surprise; once the linchpin of the CW network, TVD had begun to feel drowned out as The CW kept comic book hits including Arrow, The Flash, and Legends of Tomorrow coming -- and found success with scripted dramas including Jane the Virgin. Stars Ian Somerhalder and Kat Graham begun to send signals that the end was near in previous interviews.

"It's so rare for a show to get to last this long, and what a privilege that Mark Pedowitz and Peter Roth have allowed us to choose the time to end the journey on our own creative terms," Plec said. "It's been eight of the best years of my life. I will miss it terribly, but I'm so proud to be here to see it to its proper end."

In announcing its end, The Vampire Diaries unveiled a farewell video, above. and premiered a new song, "Changing Tides" by The Fray, the band whose music was used in the pilot and throughout the series.

The Vampire Diaries'eighth and final 16-episode season will premiere Friday, October 21.

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